I overdid my role as an adopted daughter 075

At that moment, Zeno brought Bichen, who had been waiting outside.

“Daddy!”

Bichen, who happily called out “Daddy,” suddenly became serious when he locked eyes with his mother, Isabella.

“Mother, you’re here too.”

“What brings you here, Bichen?”

Although he was trying to act serious in front of his mother, he couldn’t hide his true nature.

“Well….”

Bichen’s eyes turned towards Viola.

The person who called Bichen to this place was none other than Viola.

Viola opened her mouth on behalf of Bichen.

“I said I would show him a spirit.”

“That’s right. Viola said she would show a spirit.”

Bichen was filled with dreams and hopes.

A spirit in this world.

A spirit master born into the Bellatu family.

For the pureblood of Bellatu, it was a very rare and fascinating event.

“You said the water would spring up, right?”

He was trying his best to contain his excitement in front of his father and mother, but Bichen looked like an eager puppy.

If left alone like that, it seemed he might start drooling.

A magnificent water spirit that spouted fountains and waterfalls. The fact that it was one of the candidates for the Spirit King made Bichen’s heart race.

“Mother, you never invited my brother, right?”

“That’s correct. I did not invite Bichen.”

“Father didn’t either.”

“Right.”

“And it’s also undeniable that the two of you are the sovereigns of this place.”

The ones in charge of this gathering were not Viola but Heron and Isabella.

The hosts didn’t invite Bichen.

“Bichen is a thoroughly trained heir candidate, and he came running to this place despite your refusal, right? This is a spot you two didn’t allow him to enter.”

“That’s true.”

Isabella narrowed her eyes.

Viola made a valid point.

In this case, Bichen was acting recklessly.

He was acting in an unbecoming manner for someone of Bellatu.

“One thing, Bichen is a kid full of curiosity. That leads to a thirst for exploration, and a child with a strong yearning for exploration can grow up to be a great adult. I don’t want to reprimand him.”

“I didn’t say to reprimand him.”

Viola didn’t want Bichen to be scolded either.

What she really wanted to say was:

“If someone other than me had called Bichen here, would he have run to this place?”

Viola shifted her gaze to Bichen.

“You know that it’s against etiquette, right?”

“T-that’s….”

Bichen seemed slightly flustered.

He had been so distracted by the spirit that he hadn’t thought this far.

He had made a blunder, much more than usual in his excitement.

Viola smiled sweetly.

‘He can’t answer that he’s right.’

He knew it was against etiquette yet arrived at an uninvited table?

It was better to say he hadn’t thought about it.

The floodgates had opened.

He was curious. He had a thirst for exploration.

So, he dove deep into one thing and missed everything else.

‘That’s for the best.

Viola continued speaking on behalf of the flustered Bichen.

“Still, the reason you came all the way here is because the person with spirits is Viola Bellatu, isn’t it?”

“………..”

“The person who is directly competing with you for the position of heir is me, and as a member of Bellatu, it’s something you should naturally be aware of that I have contracted with the spirit princess. I’d assume this was prioritized over anything else.”

“Y-yeah.”

Bichen’s emotions were cleverly nudged.

“That’s why you must have wanted to see me.”

“Yeah, I wanted to see Viola.”

Life began to sparkle in Bichen’s eyes.

Thinking it over, it seemed that everything Viola said was right.

Come to think of it, this had been on his mind lately.

Why do I feel bored when Viola is not around?

When will Viola come back?

The conclusion Bichen arrived at alone was this:

‘I want to settle who is stronger by competing with Viola.

But after hearing Viola’s words, he seemed to understand a bit more.

Rather than wanting to determine who is stronger by competing with Viola, it seemed he wanted to see Viola with her newly acquired power.

Viola smiled and turned her gaze toward Isabella.

Staying in that position, she asked a question.

“Brother. Do you still want to kill me?”

“Huh?”

Bichen froze.

Among heir candidates, it was normal for them to think they would kill each other.

In his mind, he thought that was correct.

I…

But for some reason, he no longer wanted to kill Viola.

His true feelings were like that, but his mother’s existence weighed on him.

‘If I say no, my mother will be disappointed, right?’

Disappointed, Mother would feel hurt.

She would be so sad. Bichen was afraid of that.

“Of course…”

“Be honest with me. I don’t like it when my brother lies.”

Bichen had to struggle seriously with his feelings.

He didn’t even know what honesty meant for himself.

“If you want to kill me, you can say so freely.”

Yeah. Let’s say I want to kill you.

That would be the truth! Just as Bichen was about to open his mouth.

“I want to be with you, but you see, I’m a White Bellatu.”

“…….”

Viola did not take her eyes off Isabella.

“I like an honest brother. Be honest with me.”

After a long pause, Bichen honestly answered.

“I don’t want to kill you anymore.”

*

Isabella said.

“Bichen, go back to your room.

Bichen, who hadn’t seen a spirit, looked sullen but couldn’t defy his mother’s order.

With a feeling of regret, Bichen returned to his room.

Some time passed, and the meal came to an end.

Heron found himself smiling lightly without even realizing it.

It was such a fleeting moment that no one saw that smile.

‘The lady scored a point.

I don’t know if this is what Viola means by ‘not being rigid.’

Viola had ultimately drawn out the answer from Bichen, ‘I don’t want to kill you.’

Furthermore, she pulled out the words ‘I want to be with you.’

‘Viola is a White Bellatu.’

I thought she made a good choice as a White Bellatu.

Ultimately, Viola had shown Heron and Isabella directly that she had turned Bichen into her ally.

“I didn’t say I wanted to kill you. Yet, Bichen became my ally.”

“It’s a bit misleading to say ‘my ally.’ Bichen is a Black Bellatu, and Viola is a White Bellatu. It’s better to view it as a cooperative relationship.”

“But I called for him.”

“That in itself doesn’t establish a master-servant relationship.”

“Alright. Let’s go with your mother’s words. I’ll say it’s a cooperative relationship.”

It didn’t matter if it was a cooperative relationship.

“The key point is that Brother Bichen responded to my call, disregarding etiquette, and in the end, expressed that he wanted to be with me.”

She shifted her gaze to Heron.

“Is my method wrong? Am I a twelve-year-old dreaming a wrong dream?”

As a Bellatu, Zeno should have been severely punished.

That is how it should be.

But Heron thought Viola’s method didn’t seem entirely wrong.

“Not yet.”

Zeno swore loyalty to Viola and reported all his wrongdoings.

‘Had he not given his heart to Viola, Zeno would have fled.

The continent is vast and expansive.

There exists the Western and Eastern Continent across the sea.

If he ran far away, no matter how much of a Bellatu he was, it wouldn’t be easy to find Zeno.

“He confessed his wrongdoings and came before me waiting for punishment. It would be hard without being a loyal subject.”

“Then can I dispose of Zeno as I wish?”

“However, the fact that he attacked the Bellatu remains unchanged.”

As the head of Bellatu, Heron had the duty and responsibility to correct the discipline of Bellatu.

“Three months of suspension.”

Isabella looked at Heron.

‘Just that?’

Though she didn’t show it, Isabella found it hard to understand.

This would collapse the discipline of Bellatu.

Yet, Zeno shook his head.

“I do not wish to be a burden or a weakness to the princess, Duke.”

If this became a problem in the future.

It could serve as a weakness against Viola.

Zeno thought he should take on a greater punishment.

“Please impose a suitable punishment.”

Heron chuckled.

“Punish yourself and report to me.”

Zeno bowed his head in gratitude and went out of the Winter Castle.

He looked around.

There was no one around.

There was no trace of laughter on Zeno’s face.

“This was clearly a mistake and my fault.”

His voice rustled in the wind.

“And so, I will impose a fitting punishment.”

He took a dagger from a pocket dimension.

He sliced off the fourth finger of his left hand.

“When my finger finds meaning again in the future, I will rejoin it.”

Zeno smiled and returned to the Winter Castle.

Then suddenly, curiosity struck.

“But… Will the princess feel heartbroken if she sees my hand?”

He tilted his head.

“I’m not sure. I don’t want to make her sad.”

Zeno reported that he had severed his own finger, and this matter was wrapped up like that.

*

Heron found the Beast’s Hall surrounded by seven-layer magic circles.

In this space, where temperature and humidity were magically controlled, hedgehogs were frolicking around.

In front of the hedgehogs, Heron could uniquely be a human.

He mumbled to himself.

“He has made his closest competitor, Bichen, into his person.”

Everyone is very friendly towards Viola.

Moreover, even the 1st Princess Medea looks favorably upon Viola.

Even more, this time they even went to save Viola directly.

‘Bellatu saving Bellatu in peril.’

It was a rare occurrence.

He poured out his inner thoughts to the hedgehogs.

“I do not dislike these changes.”

A long time ago, Hixson had said that.

His dream was to create a happy family.

To be a strong fence for my family and protect them while being together.

At that time, Heron had laughed at Hixson.

‘Bellatu can never be like that.’

Bellatu is Bellatu.

The northern shield that protects humanity.

A hard-hearted Duke family that must never soften or retreat.

That is how it should be.

‘It must clearly be so.’

Heron placed the youngest of the six hedgehog brothers on his palm and handled them.

He moved them freely from hand to hand.

The youngest was named ‘Ola’ after Viola.

“Ola.”

With a warm gaze that he never showed in front of others, he looked at the youngest, Ola.

Ola did not raise his quills towards Heron. His fur was soft.

“Not only the brothers but also Zeno and Jeremy. Even Tundra has made them his people.”

And one more.

“Even Hixson.”

Actually, this didn’t sit well with him.

That he would raise Viola as his own daughter.

“It’s a bit funny, right? A daughter?”

Ola’s small body flinched.

Thud!

He escaped from Heron’s hand.

He must have sensed the killing intent emanating from Heron.

“Even in terms of process, upbringing, and moreover, on paper, she is my daughter indeed.”

*

A few days later, the night was deepening.

Heavy rain was pouring from the sky.

Countless water spirits seemed to be knocking on the window.

“Haha, the great me has arrived.”

Pongpong appeared, not being summoned by Viola.

It was said that when the moisture (water vapor) becomes this abundant, sometimes it comes out naturally.

“I didn’t know Bellatu was so famous even in the spirit realm?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Very notorious. It’s said they have slain countless spirits.”

“Th-that so?”

After all, historically, there have been many spirit masters that Bellatu has slain.

So it’s likely many spirits were slain.

“Well, it’s irrelevant to me. I’m destined to become the great Spirit King anyway, and I have a broad spirit to not worry about trivial matters.”

With his blue hair, he morphed like jelly, approaching the window and slipping through the window frame.

“Ah, this is great.”

It was a thick voice.

Like a neighborhood uncle who just stepped into a sauna.

“Hmm?”

But then, Pongpong spotted someone.

“Who’s that?”

Viola moved close to the window and looked down.

A familiar face came into view.

It was Tundra.

‘Where’s Uncle Hixson?’

Hixson was nowhere to be seen, and Tundra returned alone.

At this late hour.

How much time had passed?

Knock, knock.

A knocking sound was heard.

As she opened the door, a drenched Tundra appeared.

Upon seeing Viola, Tundra faintly smiled.

Like a pet dog missing its owner, Tundra seemed to have missed Viola.

“I’m back….”

Thud.

Tundra collapsed.

The jelly-like Pongpong flowed over to Tundra like water.

Soon, Pongpong, having taken a human form, poked Tundra with his finger.

“Hey. You’re bleeding a lot?”

Thick blood was seeping out.