입양딸 역할을 지나치게 잘해버렸다 080화

“Princess Viola. I have a question for you…”

“Go ahead and ask.”

“Do you happen to own a large dog?”

“A large dog?”

Viola tilted her head slightly without realizing it.

What’s with the sudden large dog inquiry?

“Yes. I sense something outside patiently waiting for its owner with great anticipation.”

“Oh. Its name is Tundra.”

“…I see.”

Ersa didn’t know much about Tundra.

She had just started working as a maid for about a year, during which she learned her duties mainly outside with Hela, who was often busy with aristocratic engagements.

Hela was a White Bellatu and owned the Terra Trading Company, which kept her occupied with numerous external matters.

“I had heard rumors of a partner sword wishing for a pet dog, but I didn’t expect it to be like this.”

I knew about it, but I really didn’t imagine it would feel this way.

The presence beyond the door undoubtedly belonged to a pitiful puppy.

I reached out with my mana once more to sense it.

It felt like a large dog crouched down.

“How intense is it?”

Ersa was quite sensitive to mana and had the ability to read someone’s emotional state to some extent through it.

She called this ‘the whispers of mana’.

“If I were to relay the whispers of mana directly…”

Ersa closed her eyes.

Concentrating more on the whispers of mana, she read the presence outside.

“When will you come? Why do you leave me alone? Hurry back, I miss you, I’m right here.”

“…I think I can summarize it like that.”

Just a door away, and it’s expressing that much.

Viola found it rather absurd.

When I said I would take it as a dog, it really acts like a little puppy.

“So those whispers really resonate?”

“Yes. They do. But Tundra has a very special form of whisper. It feels like emotions he doesn’t fully understand… you could say it’s… instinctual?”

Viola’s mind grew more complicated.

Instinct, huh.

With emotions he doesn’t recognize, he’s just waiting for me at the door.

‘What, is he really a dog?’

Tundra’s state was indeed like a young puppy waiting for its owner to come home.

He’s completely unaware of it, though.

“Experiencing the partner sword’s energy like this is quite amusing. The way he eagerly waits for you outside, Princess Viola…”

Ersa paused for a moment.

This kind of whisper was new to her.

While she described it as instinctual, it couldn’t simply be labeled as ‘instinctual waiting.’

“It feels like this instinctual waiting is engraved somewhere deep within his soul.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“It’s like he was born for you, Princess Viola. Someone made to be with you.”

“…Since he is my dog.”

“No. It feels like he’s been prepared for this from long ago. Perhaps even before he existed in this world. It’s like he was destined to be with you since birth.”

Viola frowned slightly.

Tundra takes the form of Kang Han-jun.

Hearing that someone in that form was prepared for her since birth made her feel strange.

“I heard your special thoughts. For just reading a presence beyond the door, that’s rather detailed.”

“If it made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry.”

Ersa made a slight bow to express her apologies.

And said while still bowing,

“However, I already know quite a bit about these special whispers, which is why I mentioned it.”

Ersa was well aware of this special form of whisper.

That is to say, the instinctual call engraved deep within one’s soul.

“I found myself unconsciously shouting like that.”

Like how Tundra displayed blind affection for Viola.

Ersa, too, loved her daughter without reservations.

Just as Tundra felt he was prepared for Viola, Ersa felt she was prepared for her daughter.

Viola smirked.

“My dear. I love you.

Like this?”

Ersa’s body flinched.

It was something she would mumble with a happy face beside her sleeping daughter.

She never expected to hear it back from Viola.

“Your daughter must have been happy.”

“Princess, can you hear the whispers of mana too?”

“No.”

I can smell it but not hear it.

“Still, I know a bit about how you became my sister’s maid. You said you were well aware of the special whispers and that you’re shouting them, so I can certainly imagine what you’ve said to your daughter and how you’ve felt about her.”

“…That’s true.”

“Anyway, my feelings were sincere. Your daughter would have been happy.”

“I hope so.”

Ersa’s eyes started to redden a bit.

Busy with work.

For your brighter future.

Mom only wants you to be happier.

So, she worked tirelessly.

So she had to sacrifice time with her daughter.

Is a mom who sacrificed memories really a good mom??

“I hope so, but…”

“Your daughter was happy. Having a mom who loves her is more reassuring than anything.”

Viola shrugged.

“It’s not a lie. I know it well.”

Since she was Han Ah-rin, she had felt it deeply.

Everyone else had parents, but I had none.

Knowing that made it resonate more for her.

“You said you hear the whispers of mana?

Can you feel my emotions?”

At that moment, tears filled Ersa’s eyes.

Some colossal wave of emotion hit her heart.

The countless moments that twelve-year-old Viola experienced felt like they were hammering against her.

Twelve years didn’t feel like twelve.

It was much deeper and darker than that.

‘Like… Tundra.’

It felt similar to Tundra.

Just as Tundra seemed like he was prepared for Viola long ago, Viola seemed like someone who had yearned for her mother for a long time.

Both of them.

Like experiencing another life, their emotions were deep and hot.

“I may not have been there from the beginning, but your daughter is different. When you were there, she must have felt incredible reassurance, and when you left for days, she must have felt immense fear.

When present, it’s more difficult to be without, and when absent, happiness is greater.”

“……”

“Your daughter may have felt fear and loneliness, but she also felt happiness and joy beyond that. That’s what I think.”

Hela crossed her arms and watched the conversation between Viola and Ersa.

Ersa had initially led the conversation, but somehow the reins shifted to Viola.

But then Viola continued speaking.

“It’s quite strange. It feels too peculiar to be coincidental.”

Viola casually threw a comment with an expressionless face.

“Sir Hixson lost his daughter, and Ersa lost hers too. Their cases are a bit different, but Jeremy, the son of Sir Jackal, was also kidnapped.”

Kidnapping and human trafficking in slums or dangerous areas are common occurrences.

However, Hixson and Ersa’s cases were different.

They didn’t live in slums, nor in a secluded mountain village like Tundra.

Moreover, Hixson and Ersa were formidable martial artists.

“Just a thought.”

*

After Viola left in the carriage, Tundra stood there dazed for a long time.

“How long are you going to stay like that?”

In reality, Tundra was indeed dazed.

The maid had left, and even that guy Seibahn Marcos had gone along.

Why couldn’t he go too?

He wanted to go!

If he said he wanted to go right now, would the princess dislike it?

He didn’t want to be a bother to the princess.

But he wanted to go with them; what should he do?

Where am I? Why am I here?

His subconscious ruled his consciousness as he stared blankly at the horizon where the carriage had disappeared.

“Hey! Are you not listening to your master?”

Waiting for a minute or two is one thing.

It felt like it was taking too long.

“Ah, I’m sorry, Master. How much time has passed?”

“An hour and 22 minutes.”

It seemed longer than expected.

“You’re like a pet dog waiting endlessly for your owner to return. If I hadn’t said anything, you would have stood there all day.”

“This phenomenon is called separation anxiety. I read about it in a book.”

“Right. Of course you did.”

“When will they return?”

“Who knows? They said they’re going to buy clothes and accessories, so they should be back soon.”

“I heard the mountain path is quite treacherous.”

“Are you seriously worrying about that?”

Tundra nodded.

From Hixson’s perspective, it was astounding.

“You’re worried about Viola? If she wanted to, she could easily munch you up as a White Bellatu. The difficulty of the mountain doesn’t concern her at all.”

“Well, that’s true…”

“Pull yourself together, kid.”

Hixson smacked the back of Tundra’s head!

In truth, Hixson fully understood Tundra’s feelings.

Hixson had secretly obtained and was obsessively reading the ‘Compendium of a Noble’s Pet Dog Psychology’, deemed the essential book for pet owners.

[Chapter 7. The Inner Feelings of a Pet Dog.

Pet dogs worry about their owners constantly. When their owners go out, they wait endlessly for their return. It’s in a pet dog’s nature to yearn for the owner, worrying if anything might happen outside.

When this becomes too intense, it’s expressed as separation anxiety.]

Recalling this content made Hixson’s head hurt.

‘What’s with the guy acting like a real dog?’

Hixson asked.

“Hey, do you know about the Compendium?”

“Yes. It’s the book I’m currently reading. I learned about separation anxiety from there. It excellently describes my feelings.”

Hixson shut his mouth like a bee with honey.

Meanwhile, Viola’s group traveled south in their carriage for three days.

Ersa guided them.

“We’ll leave the carriage here and proceed to the teleportation gate.”

They rode through the teleportation gate.

They arrived in the small town of Epierre near Mount Paraha.

“After taking a day’s rest here, we have a meeting with the mage tomorrow. I’ll guide you to the accommodations.”

They arrived at the accommodations and took a day’s rest.

Then, the next morning at 9 AM.

Hela and Viola went down to the first-floor lobby.

There was to be a meeting with the mage here.

“Hello? I’m Crimson, who trained under the Grand Mage Murlun of the 6th Magic Tower’s 12 subordinates…”

A man in a robe, holding a crystal staff in his right hand.

The man pushed his robe’s hood back, appearing astonished.

He looked to be around 40 years old.

Aside from being a mage, he didn’t look particularly special.

“Hey, maid.”

He turned his gaze towards Ersa.

“Aren’t those the famous daughters of the Bella Tua? What’s with these young little rugrats?”