I played the role of an adopted daughter way too well. Episode 084

After briefly moving to another spot, Viola confided all her secrets to Ersa.

She told her everything that had happened at Seaal Viscount House without leaving anything out.

“The reason I’m bringing all this up, you understand, right?”

This was information that the world was unaware of.

If this information were to leak, the honor of the Seaal Viscount House would crumble, and even the position of Heron Bellatu, who had been guarding that honor, would become ridiculous.

Ersa gulped.

“You bound me with a secret I shouldn’t know.”

Ersa nodded.

“I think I know one thing for sure.”

“What is it?”

“The second son of the Louis Varten family is a scoundrel who destroys other people’s precious families.”

Viola smiled in satisfaction.

To Ersa, someone who wrecks another’s family was like a germ.

“Right. But don’t make such a contemptuous face.”

“Understood. I will remain alert as if facing a warrior on the battlefield.”

Viola felt a little more at ease.

Judging by Ersa’s expression and demeanor, it seemed unlikely that she would fall prey to Prince Serfon.

*

Viola said.

“I’ve made my decision. Thank you for the invitation, Prince Serfon.”

The second son of Louis Varten.

Serfon tilted his head for a moment.

“Is this young noblewoman the actual leader of this group?”

He knew who this young noblewoman was.

According to the rumors, she was the adopted daughter of Bellatu, known by the title of Iron-Blooded Princess.

However, Serfon didn’t pay much attention to such titles.

“After all, she’s just a child.”

Rumors always tend to get inflated.

The farther away someone is, the more distorted and exaggerated the rumors become.

“Rumors are just rumors.”

Serfon diverted his interest away from Viola.

In fact, his focus was solely on Ersa.

He smiled at Ersa.

“I’m glad to invite you all. I will escort you. Friends of Bellatu from the north.”

Viola responded politely.

“Thank you sincerely for the invitation.”

“Lady, you must be the 6th Princess of Bellatu, Princess Viola, correct?”

“Do you know me?”

“Of course. I’ve heard the rumors that cold blood flows through your veins.”

Serfon’s gaze shifted to Hela.

“And the lady sitting here must be the famous Princess Hela, am I right?”

“Was I famous?”

“They say you’re like an Eleven Flower, full of elegance and grace.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Seeing you in person, your silver hair is as smooth as silk, and your silver eyes are like a snow-covered lake. You seem poised to grow into the noblest and most beautiful lady.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Viola briefly frowned.

“Eleven Flower?”

The Eleven Flower was a special flower native to this world.

It struggled to grow in the wilderness and bloomed beautiful silver flowers for only ten days.

After those ten days, the Eleven Flower withers away and turns to dust.

Serfon referring to Hela as an Eleven Flower carried several meanings.

“It signifies that Bellatu is in a harsh and barbaric land.”

Serfon regarded warriors as brutal and violent beings.

Thus, he practically held them in contempt.

He tended to think that all the violence in the world stemmed from warriors or the martial arts they practiced (such as swordsmanship).

“A flower that blooms in such a harsh place but ultimately wilts after ten days, serving only as decoration.”

The Eleven Flower faithfully fulfilled its role as a spectacle for the nobility for a short time before withering away.

“While pretending to praise Hela, he’s actually speaking with disdain.”

In a violent and barbaric setting, even if one was born limping and struggled to survive, they would still be just a ten-day flower.

That was the implication.

Now I understood why Serfon acted that way.

“It seems he wants to rescue Ersa from this barbaric crowd.”

Perhaps Serfon thought he was in true love.

It’s absurd, but Serfon always believed he had fallen for true love in everything.

When he seduced the Seaal Viscountess to bed, he genuinely loved her.

The duration of that love lasted only a day, but he believed that, and he likely still does.

If I had to express it, it would be something like, “Oh, beautiful Ersa, would you not come out of this blood-crazed barbaric crowd and enjoy a beautiful love with me?”

Viola glanced sidelong at Hela.

“Hela definitely knows, doesn’t she?”

She must have realized that Serfon was insulting her.

Hela likely knew that she would meet Serfon at the 7th Rest Stop.

“There’s no reaction.”

It was somewhat different from Hela’s usual self.

However, the subtle smile on Hela’s face made me uneasy.

It seemed something was brewing.

Like the calm before a storm.

“Ugh. Scary.”

Hela was the one who had truly troubled the original Viola.

She definitely shouldn’t be made an enemy.

Becoming friends with Hela was a divine stroke of luck.

“For now, nothing particularly unusual is happening.”

Nothing occurred until they reached the entrance of the Parah Viscountcy.

Serfon said.

“The place we’re passing through now is the second road leading to Parah, Silver Road.”

They walked past Silver Road.

“There are so many people.”

I didn’t expect so many people to gather in this barren land.

Prince Serfon walked with his shoulders straight, striding confidently.

In the Parah Viscountcy, he enjoyed power and honor comparable to that of royalty.

In fact, whispers could be heard.

“Which family invited them as VIPs of Louis Varten?”

“Right? It’s a family I’m unfamiliar with.”

Some recognized Hela.

“I know the young noblewoman in the wheelchair. She’s Princess Hela, the 4th daughter of Bellatu.”

“Bellatu?”

The people waiting on Silver Road began to realize the identity of Viola’s group and grew a little confused.

“Bellatu is located at the northern edge.”

“That’s right. Winter Castle. It seems to be the children of the Duke of Winter Castle.”

For most nobles, Winter Castle is a mysterious and legendary place.

It stands as the frontline shield protecting humanity from ‘Where the Eye Shines,’ but very few have actually visited Winter Castle.

Especially for the nobles, who are averse to danger.

“Why is the Duke House of Bellatu here at the Parah Viscountcy?”

“Yeah, that’s strange.”

The mystery why Bellatu became a mysterious Duke House was because they had never actively participated in the social circle.

Although Hela had recently attended social events, she wasn’t very active.

“What’s really strange is when did the Duke House of Bellatu become friendly with Louis Varten?”

That was a mystery to them.

“They said it’s a barbaric and dreadful place, but it doesn’t seem that way, does it?”

“Maybe Prince Serfon is being threatened right now?”

Some had plausible suspicions, which quickly faded away.

“His expression is too radiant for that, don’t you think?”

“Really. He looks like a boy in love.”

At this point, Serfon’s true nature had not yet been revealed, and many were captivated by his beautiful appearance.

One boy grumbled.

“Someone’s been waiting here for 13 hours! Isn’t that a bit unfair?”

Viola heard the grumbling but pretended not to.

“This feels really burdensome.”

It didn’t seem like a lie that one would have to camp out for three days and nights to enter the Parah Viscountcy.

“Those gazes are intense.”

Gazes mixed with envy and curiosity.

An immense number of eyes focused on them.

Receiving so much attention before even properly entering the social circle was unexpected.

Whenever Hela made eye contact with people, she would slightly smile and bow her head, but Viola couldn’t do that.

“Let’s just ignore it.”

She walked straight ahead.

After passing Silver Road, they stood before Golden Road.

During this time, Serfon looked even more confident.

He asked Ersa.

“We’re almost there. I hope you didn’t have any discomfort on the way?”

“I’m fine.”

Viola secretly shook her head.

“There’s no way someone like a Sword Demon would feel discomfort just from walking this far.”

Serfon probably thought he was being considerate toward Ersa, but as a martial artist, Ersa might have found it rather unpleasant.

“He doesn’t know what kind of people Bellatu’s butlers are.”

I felt a little more at ease.

Serfon, who had no idea about Viola’s true feelings, confidently said.

“This is the most splendid path to Parah, the Golden Road.”

Then Serfon added a ridiculous remark.

“Could I make one request of you, Lady Eleven Flower?”

Golden Road was the most prestigious path leading to Parah Viscountcy.

It was reserved for direct descendants of noble families.

Those with longstanding friendships or bonds of gratitude with noble families.

Only VIPs invited by noble families were allowed to walk this road.

“What’s the request?”

“Could you temporarily put the wheelchair into space?”

“Is the path designed so that the wheelchair can’t pass?”

“It’s not that, but it has never happened before. The Parah Viscountcy is a very conservative place, and as a direct descendant of Louis Varten, I feel burdened to break tradition.”

He obfuscated the message, but the essence was straightforward.

He was asking her to hide the wheelchair because it wouldn’t suit the noble Golden Road.

Viola shook her head privately.

“You really got the wrong idea.

Serfon probably wanted to show off that he belonged to the noble bloodline of Louis Varten.

He wanted to suggest, “I’m someone who can even make such requests of Bellatu, oh beautiful Ersa, come out of that barbaric Bellatu and into my safe haven. I will protect you,” or something along those lines.

“No need to worry.”

Viola completely put her mind at ease.