“I became too good at playing the role of an adopted daughter.” Chapter 052: Sending a Special Envoy from Bellatu.

That alone had already become an issue.

“Did you hear the news? They’re sending a special envoy from the Bellatu Duke House.”

“From Bellatu?”

“They said they killed a son of the Seaal Viscount House or something like that.”

“They’re sending a special envoy for that?”

To the common people, Winter Castle had always been seen as a terrifying place.

Sending a special envoy for the death of just one child from the Viscount House didn’t seem warranted.

“But it seems they’re sending a twelve-year-old kid as the envoy.”

“Hey, hey. Watch your words. Kid, really?”

The man cautiously looked around.

“Don’t you know that rumor?”

“What rumor?”

“They say the Duke of Thousand Kills adopted a witch five years ago.”

“A witch? What are you talking about?”

“I’m not sure. Supposedly, she killed mountain bandits at seven and ate their flesh. Ah.

And, at a banquet, she reportedly drank the blood of a demon.”

It was actually Bichen, not Viola, who killed the mountain bandits at seven.

Viola merely rescued Tundra.

Moreover, she had never drunk the blood of a demon.

It wasn’t demon blood—she just drank the potion ‘Viola.’

But as rumors often do, it got twisted and turned further and further.

“Let’s keep our mouths shut.”

“Y-yeah. Let’s do that.”

The rumors about Viola spread and twisted throughout the continent.

If she heard them, it would surely make her blood boil.

However, some people had a more objective view of Viola Bellatu.

It had been Selina, the Minister of Finance, who began handling the Empire’s affairs three years ago.

Selina stated, “It seems the child, Viola Bellatu, has gained quite a bit of favor inside Winter Castle.”

“That seems to be the case.”

“Though she’s known as the Iron-blooded Bellatu, she is assessed to care significantly for the people of Winter Castle. The folks of Winter Castle seem to take pride in calling themselves citizens.”

At 37, she had become the second-in-command of the Monarch Empire.

Only one person in the world used honorifics toward the second-in-command.

The Emperor of the Sword, Nelak Proitz Kali Burn.

He sat lightly on the edge of the bed and asked, “Did you say the child is twelve?”

“Yes.”

“When did the Minister start paying close attention to her?”

“Five years ago, at the Bellatu banquet. Her impressive entrance made everyone recognize her right away…”

He continued with interest.

“She also made a significant profit by claiming land for developing the Golden Road.”

“Was that just coincidence?”

“That’s the highest probability, but on the other hand, it might not be just chance.”

“Why is that?”

“That child secured as much cash as she could and invested it all there.”

The Emperor cleared his throat, looking around.

“Investing everything? How proper.”

“There are only two of us, so what’s the problem?”

“A bucket that leaks inside will leak outside too.”

“I don’t leak. Did you see me leaking?”

“Just speak already.”

Selina swept her emerald hair behind her ear.

She walked gracefully and sat next to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, I initially think it’s not a coincidence at all.”

Then she placed her hand over the Emperor’s hand.

His face flushed red.

‘You’re cute.’

The Emperor was undoubtedly a remarkable person.

At least his talent for the sword was unrivaled, and he was known as the Emperor of the Sword.

However, because he focused on just one area, he was rather naive in others.

To Selina, the Emperor seemed sweetly cute.

“S-Selina. Aren’t you watching right now?”

“Is there an Imperial law that forbids holding hands while reporting?”

“Th-that’s….”

“If you truly dislike it, you can just make that law. The sun of the Empire is only you, Your Majesty.”

“I never said I would make it.”

“Then can I hold your hand while reporting?”

“Go ahead.”

“Why do you keep stammering?”

“Well…”

Nelak’s face turned red as his heart raced the moment Selina’s hand touched his.

“You’re cute.”

“I am the Emperor.”

“Is there a law that says the Emperor can’t be cute?”

“J-just report.”

Selina smiled warmly before continuing her report.

“She’s an extremely clever child with great insight and analytical skills. She cleverly resolved the issues with Storm Fortress. It seems even Prince Jeremy, referred to as the Prince, is interested in Viola.”

The Emperor nodded.

In fact, his heart was racing so much that he couldn’t focus on the report.

“Your Majesty, are you listening to me?”

“I’m listening.”

Selina leaned her head on the Emperor’s shoulder.

Selina’s hair smelled wonderful.

The Emperor held onto his pounding heart and tightened his toes.

He thought it would be much more comfortable to lead an army of ten thousand men in battle.

“I think it will be crucial to observe how we handle the matter with the Seaal Viscount House next.”

“Why is that?”

“In my prediction…”

She carefully continued.

“I think before Princess Viola arrives at the Seaal territory, the Seaal Viscount will be a corpse. If luck is bad, Viola might become the suspect who murdered the Viscount.”

*

Zeno knelt on one knee.

“My shoelace is undone, Princess.”

Viola stood quietly as she looked at Zeno sitting.

Zeno gently tied the knot of the leather shoelaces.

“You need to ride for a long time and pass through rocky mountain paths. I taught you that this way it won’t come undone, right?”

“I didn’t learn it.”

He had unilaterally taught her.

‘Why on earth would I need a mana spell to tie shoelaces?’

Using mana spells to infuse mana and finish off with special techniques, this knot was something Viola couldn’t learn.

‘I’m just not good at tying knots.’

Kang Han-jun had constantly nagged her about it every day.

‘Can’t you even tie your shoelaces yet?’

‘I don’t know. It’s hard!’

‘Tying shoelaces is hard?’

He laughed as if it were absurd.

‘Considering how well you study, you’re not an idiot. Why can’t you tie your shoelaces then?’

‘Geez! Stop teasing me!’

‘Well, it’s okay. Everyone has their flaws. But I never thought someone could be this bad at tying shoelaces.’

‘Brother!’

Stop teasing me! I already know I’m terrible! Just as she was about to say that, Kang Han-jun bent down.

‘Ugh. I’ll just do it for you.’

Since then, he had always tied Ah-rin’s shoelaces.

Viola boldly said, “You can do it yourself.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. You.”

For some odd reason, she just couldn’t grasp the method of tying knots.

No matter how often she learned, she forgot it.

If that was the case, it was better not to learn at all.

There’s a difference between something learned but impossible and something never learned.

‘It would be strange for Bellatu not to be able to do this.’

Bellatu needed to be perfect in every aspect.

That was the direction Bellatu pursued.

That’s why she deliberately decided not to learn the knot-tying method.

She didn’t want to expose any vulnerabilities.

But Zeno was a bit unusual.

He was smiling brighter than usual.

To exaggerate just a little, his face looked like the sun was rising.

“I’m happy.”

Huh? About what?

“I’m glad to be by your side, Princess.”

Is that really something to be so delighted about?

Viola tilted her head slightly in thought.

“I’m honored to be allowed to stay by the Princess’s side.”

With Zeno’s help, she climbed onto the horse.

Though she couldn’t tie knots, she was quite used to horseback riding.

‘It would have been good to go by carriage…’

The road to the Seaal territory was too rugged for a carriage.

There were main roads, but if they traveled along the main roads, it would take at least a month.

So, they decided to head through the mountain range.

“As you know, to reach the Seaal territory, we must pass through eight large and small mountain ranges.”

“I know.”

“We can expect multiple attacks along the way.”

There would likely be bandits and enemies of the Bellatu House as well.

‘Since my father’s name is the Duke of Thousand Kills…’

He was named after killing a thousand people.

At least a thousand foes could be expected.

‘If you count family and friends…’

That number would exponentially rise.

Thus, the underdeveloped, young Bellatu would always be under threat.

Overcoming that danger was also part of Bellatu’s duty.

After all, there had been no one actually assassinated yet.

That was a reference to everyone in Bellatu having managed to fend off those dangers by themselves.

“Viola!”

That hand waving and running toward them was Bichen, who would have been innocently swinging a sword, saying, ‘Hehe! Weaklings die!’

Clang!

The clash of metal against metal rang out.

Tundra had drawn his sword and blocked the dagger in Bichen’s hand.

“Tch. You again?”

Bichen retrieved the dagger from his hand, looking disappointed.

Viola sensed that without Tundra, she would have died many times over.

But outwardly, she said calmly, “If you want to kill me, step over my dog first.”

“Okay.”

Seeing Bichen nod obediently, Viola let out a sigh.

Was he just naive or just kind?

“I wish I could go with Viola too, but I have my own mission.”

Bichen said that much before waving his hand and moving on.

He was running extremely fast, and dust kicked up behind him.

Viola fell into thought.

‘He must be busy because of his mission; why did he come all the way here for just a quick stab?’

If he runs that fast, he’d be exhausting himself.

There must be a reason to expend that stamina.

It meant he was very busy, but why bother coming all the way here just to poke at her?

‘Do I really look that stab-worthy?’

She couldn’t possibly fathom that he might have simply come because he wanted to see his little sister.

*

Just before Viola departed.

She suddenly turned the horse’s head back toward the Duke’s Mansion.

“What’s wrong?”

“I remembered something I left behind.”

“Should I bring it?”

“I’ll go myself.”

Zeno couldn’t bring it.

What she forgot wasn’t an item but a person.

‘They said there would be many attacks.’

After hearing Zeno’s words, she felt uneasy.

So, she decided to take Hixson with her.

With Hixson, Zeno, and Tundra.

That should provide enough security.

“Eh? Me? I’m a little hesitant…”

“Why?”

“Well…”

Hixson hesitated before finally speaking.

“When I was younger, I might have hit someone a bit.”

“Why?”

“Um.”

Hixson awkwardly scratched the back of his head with his big hand.

“I confessed to my first love.”

“Were you dating?”

“No?”

“So, you confessed to someone you weren’t even dating?”

“I was young back then.”

Hixson kept avoiding Viola’s gaze.

He couldn’t lie, but stating the truth was embarrassing as an adult.

“Did you apologize?”

“Well, it’s been so long that, um, that is, like…”

“You didn’t apologize at all.”

Hixson started sweating profusely.

That was already over twenty years ago.

Isn’t it far more awkward to bring it up now that they both know about that incident?

“If the one who hit remembers this much, then the one who was hit must have it ingrained in their heart.”

“Come on, guys don’t think like that, right?”

“Guys feel pain whether it’s a girl or not.”

Hixson drooped his shoulders.

“The deep bruises left on the heart don’t heal no matter how much time passes. You’re the same, aren’t you?”

Hixson couldn’t hold Viola’s gaze.

In truth, Hixson understood this as well.

Hixson had a dark bruise in his own heart.

Though he pretended to be fine, he truly wasn’t.

No matter how much time passed, the daughter’s face grew clearer in his memory.

“So sincerely apologize. I’ll give you that chance.”

In the end, Hixson also decided to move along with her.

Three days passed.

Zeno wiped the blood-stained dagger and tilted his head.

“It seems the frequency of attacks is much higher than usual.”

Hixson agreed.

“They seem to be quite trained.”

In three days, there had been as many as seven attacks.

Since it had been only two days since they entered the mountain range, in other words, they’d faced seven attacks in only two days.

“These aren’t your run-of-the-mill bandits. Viola, have you secretly gone somewhere and killed someone?”

“No, that’s never happened.”

Viola fell into thought.

‘Zeno might know the reason.’

He might know but choose not to say anything.

To silently test her qualifications as Bellatu.

‘Then I… must provide an answer.’ As that thought crossed her mind, new possibilities began to unfold.

 

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