I Played the Role of the Adopted Daughter Too Well

“A mistake. That kind of thing is a gift.”

“Something like that?”

She looked at what her father was saying. 

‘I’m going to have to scold you with a garland.’

Viola took the garland and walked to Heron. She didn’t have a sneaky watering move, and she didn’t step on an efficient gait. She just walked to him.

“I worked hard while thinking of my father.”

She held out her two hands and showed them. Showing her earthy hands, he stood in front of Heron. The standing Viola was smaller than Heron in his chair. Viola raised her hands and placed a crown of flowers on Heron’s head.

Viola laughed and clapped her hands.

“It’s awesome.”

He was so beautiful; she was in awe of that beauty. Her father looked like something out of a romance manga. The flower crown and Heron Bellato. The two of them were such a mismatched combination, so they matched even better.

Heron said nothing. Maybe he felt bad. No, it’s not bad. Heron Bellato was a little confused by the new type of offspring he had never experienced before.

Heron said with a serious expression.

“Men don’t wear nice things like this.”

‘Oh. But this is a fantasy world, my favorite.’

“It suits you too well for something like that.”

“…”

“It’s so pretty.”

Women from aristocratic families did not express themselves directly like that. They didn’t say things like that, especially to men. Because they thought it’s vulgar.

Viola laughed ‘hehehe’.

“It was worthwhile.”

He saw his daughter’s hands covered in dirt. It felt like his heart was fluttering. Heron raised his hand in silence and touched the corolla.

“You laugh a lot.”

In a moment Viola strained her eyes. She looked at Heron with deadly eyes.

It’s been 3 years since she was possessed.

Viola was a character with a natural killer spirit. Thanks to this genius body, this much was possible.

Viola said with a leisurely smile.

“You know what I usually look like.”

She didn’t usually look like this. After the welcome dinner, Viola got the nickname of the Iron-Blooded Princess. Rumors circulated that she was Bellato’s adopted daughter, more Bellato than anyone else, and Viola worked hard to play Bellato.

Heron knew that too. So she didn’t really deny it.

“…”

Viola loosened her expression again. The hand that held out the egg tart three years ago.

She giggled again as she held out her now muddy hand.

“Only in front of Dad.”

Viola smiled brightly like the sun.

“Only in front of my father. Can’t you see me like this? I live my life without forgetting that I am Bellato. But I can be a daughter in front of her father.”

After her 3rd year. Viola has perfectly adapted to the fantasy world.

* * *

Carlton was the butler of the Duke of Bellato. Heron Bellato has absolute trust, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that he was the second-in-command, except for the Duchess.

He had one privilege. If Carlton delivers information that is extremely valuable or urgent, he could enter the Duke’s office without knocking. This method was a product of war. Knocking was a luxury on the battlefield where every second was contested. That tradition has continued to this day.

Jump.

The door of the office was open.

Carlton was breathing heavily.

“Omg… Omg…”

Carlton’s eyes caught something.

“Duke… sir?”

The Duke seemed to be fine. It’s like this wasn’t anything. He put his hand on his head with a very calm expression and laid-back attitude. There a crown was placed. A corolla made from wild flowers.

Heron gently set the corolla down on the desk in order not to break it.

“What is going on?”

Carlton had to doubt his own eyes.

‘Would the Duke wear a crown?’

If someone else had seen it, the prestige of the Duke of Bellato would have been damaged. A wreath on the head of the famous thousand-people-killer Duke. What a flower arrangement! A crown of flowers on the head of a man called the Duke of Thousand Kills!

Besides, wasn’t he embarrassed right now?” On the outside, it seemed like nothing was wrong, but Carlton, who had served the Duke for a long time, could sense it. The Duke was now in a state of bewilderment.

He couldn’t understand and he didn’t want to believe it. He even got the feeling that Carlton’s world was collapsing.

“Is this urgent report enough to fight each other?”

“Not really.”

Coincidentally, the report also had something to do with Viola.

“This is also related to Princess Viola. Shall we take a look right away?”

Heron asked Viola.

“You said you wanted to be a white Bellato. At this point, guess what Carlton has to report to me urgently.”

“I wonder if it has something to do with the whereabouts of 200 million dahlias three years ago.”

Heron turned his gaze to Carlton.

Carlton, who had doubted his eyes before, now had to believe his ears.

‘White Bellatu?’

Iron-Blooded Princess Viola Bellato? That Bellato, who was more Bellato than anyone else, decided to become a white Bellato?

“Carlton. It’s not like you.”

“I’m sorry.”

Carlton answered after lightly bowing his head.

“You’re right. It has to do with 200 million dahlias.”

“Then Viola. Let me tell you first.”

Viola nodded her head.

3 years ago.

Viola said to Hera:

‘I have 200 million dahlias. 200 million dahlias in cash. With my cash as collateral, I should be able to easily borrow about 100 million Dahlias from the Imperial Bank.’

They borrowed another 100 million with 200 million as collateral. And she handed over 100 million to Hera. Because what Hera asked for was 100 million dahlias.

‘The remaining 200 million dahlias will buy the land in the Shaikh Wasteland.’

Shaikh Wasteland. It was a forest located between Winter Castle and the southern city of Garnia. It was an abandoned land, and it was a land that had no use value at all. 

“The land, commonly known as the Shaikh Wasteland, was barren, impossible to farm, and sometimes leopards appeared, so it was of no useful value.”

“It has. The butlers of the Treasury vomited.”

Viola shifted her gaze to Carlton.

“So, what are the prices now?”

“… It has risen more than seven times the current official land price of the empire, and has risen more than ten times the market price.”

To put it simply, 200 million dahlias became 2 billion dahlias.

“However, the value is skyrocketing as no one is offering the land. but… Most of them are owned by Princess Viola.”

Viola nodded her head.

“Has my qualifications been proven as a white Bellato?”

“Why did you buy land there?”

That’s because she had seen it all in the novel.

Viola swallowed a laugh.

“The emperors of the empire have intentionally isolated the winter castle.”

It was an intentional and political decision. There were two dangers that caused the communication between the winter castle and the continent wasn’t too smooth. Just in case, if the winter castle collapsed, it was said that monsters could easily invade the continent from the ‘snowy place’. Or when Bellatos of the Winter Castle decides to rebel since they were too dangerous. So instead of always giving Bellato the honor of being the ‘strongest shield’. Winter Castle was always left as a barren and dangerous place.

“The winter castle has always been lonely. I understand. Because it’s a political decision. The more isolated and lonely the Winter Castle is, the stronger the valiant warriors of the Winter Castle, including Bellato, will come together.”

The people of Winter Castle were different from birth. It protects mankind from snow blowing. The people from Winter Castle live with their own pride. With that sense of duty, to become a strong warrior. That was why they did not point their swords at the Empire. From birth, their enemies were ‘monsters’ from the snowy places.

“It’s great for the Empire. It blocks monsters and prevents the dangerous characters of the Winter Castle from dreaming of treason.”

“What does that have to do with 200 million dahlias?” asked Carlton.

“Could you give me some paper and a pen?”

Receiving paper and pen, Viola drew a rough map.

“… So, if you draw an axis that connects the base cities and the winter castle vertically, this is the right place.”

Several base cities were scattered along the vertical axis.

“In the end, connectivity with cities is important to develop cities and roads. Because when cities are connected, the synergy explodes.”

“…”

“So I bought a lot of land in the Shaikh Wasteland. It was abandoned, so it was very cheap. And, as you can see, this is what happened.”

Her gaze shifted to Carlton. He cleared his throat and posted the report.

“Just before. The Empire has officially announced that they will build a huge trade road connecting Winter Castle from Monarch in the continental center.”

Viola added.

“Three years ago, an outstanding minister of the empire began to rule, right?”

He was a great man who pursued the well-being of the empire and the happiness of his people rather than political reasons. His name was Selina. He was 37 years old, he became the Minister of Finance at a young age and was in charge of an axis of the empire.

“Looking at his steps, he always came for the people. Even in the slums, you could hear they singing praises to him.”

“…”

“If it were him, I expected that one day he would persuade the Emperor to build a road connecting Winter Castle and the Empire. Because that is the way for the empire.”

“Is that the only reason?”

“No. It should be in the report from Zenon. The empire’s growth rate was negative, and inflation was predicted. There is a lot of money on the market, but the direction of that money has not been decided. The value of money continues to fall… As a result…”

“The judgment was made that the empire would try to boost the economy through large-scale civil engineering works.”

She smiled.

“I expected that.”

Of course, this was what she saw in the novel. Since today, there’s an official announcement from the Empire.

“That’s why I said that I would become a white Bellato in line with this point. How is it?”

Heron and Carlton were silent at the same time. In particular, Carlton, the general butler, couldn’t say anything in great shock.

‘She turned 200 million dahlias into 2 billion dahlias.’

But it keeps rising. Leaving the shocked Carlton alone, Viola continued her words.

“But one doesn’t do all the work of the Empire alone instead of Selina.”

Selina was a warm person, but he was not different from everyone else of the Empire.

“He can do things in a rather forceful and quick way.”

This was not a democratic society. It was a world where the power of emperors and kings pierced the sky.

“So, if the powerless had the land, he might have been taken away altogether. It may have been removed without the knowledge of mice or birds.”

Viola laughed again. Her eyes toward her father were filled with confident.

“But because I am my father’s daughter.”

The pinnacle of Bellato. The owner of the winter castle and the shield of the north, Heron Bellato. He could not forcibly take the land his daughter had bought. He couldn’t even assassinate his daughter.

“Even the emperor of the empire will not be able to take it away. My father is Heron Bellato.”

She grabbed her skirt and bowed down.

“I’m glad I’m your daughter.”

The tips of Heron’s fingers, hidden under his desk, trembled subtly.

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Translator Note:

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