When they entered the Three Seeds Artisan’s room, Viola’s head went blank.
The smell of blood.
Far away. The white sheet was stained with red.
It was clearly Tundra’s blood.
Sirens began to blare loudly in her mind.
Memories that had been buried in the depths resurfaced and screamed out, Han Arin’s memories.
“Snap out of it!”
“Emergency! It’s an emergency!”
“Move aside!”
Kang Hanjun had been in a car accident.
Han Arin, who had promised to meet Kang Hanjun, immediately rushed to the hospital.
She saw him there.
Kang Hanjun, covered in blood.
Kang Hanjun couldn’t open his eyes.
That scene had been etched vividly in her mind, no matter how much time passed.
Even if she tried to ignore it, it haunted her like a nightmare, tormenting Han Arin.
At that time, Kang Hanjun had lost consciousness and made strange groaning sounds as if in pain.
Even now, those groans echoed in her ears.
“Umm…”
Thud!
Viola felt something snap in her head.
“Is it you?”
She walked towards the Three Seeds Artisan, who was kneeling.
Hikson, who sensed something was wrong, tried to hold Viola, but Xenon stopped him.
Xenon shook his head frantically.
He spoke with just the movement of his lips.
“The Lady must have her own thoughts too.”
Hikson’s eyes turned to Viola.
A strong and intense aura emanated from the ordinary people, making it difficult to breathe.
It was undoubtedly the presence of a murderous spirit born from hostility.
Three Seeds Artisan let out a small groan.
“Urgh.”
Blood flowed profusely from the right ear of the Three Seeds Artisan.
In the blink of an eye, everything unfolded.
Viola’s hands were fast and cruel.
“How dare you turn my loyal companion into this?”
Except for a momentary tremor, the Three Seeds Artisan maintained a composed posture.
Keeping her composure, she replied, “No.”
“Then?”
“Everything the Lady had prepared matched perfectly, and I was greatly injured while dealing with the enemy swords.”
Then Viola regained her senses.
Seeing the blood-soaked Tundra, she lost control of herself.
“No, this isn’t it.”
She brought forth the “inner self of the character Viola” that she had buried deep inside and hid behind it.
Viola bit her lip.
“But still, this isn’t it.”
She regained her composure while looking at the sight of the bleeding Artisan.
“The person who made Tundra like this is me.” She had predicted and followed through with most of the situations.
However, she hadn’t expected Tundra to be so badly injured.
The one who gave the orders was Viola herself, and she was also the one who harmed Tundra.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
She had thought too lightly of it.
Because Tundra was the protagonist.
She believed that she could easily overcome any obstacles or difficulties.
That way of thinking had been a burden.
However, she couldn’t show that thought on the surface.
If she did, she would have to admit her own mistake in front of the Artisan, and then she would have to take responsibility for creating those ears.
“I’m sorry.”
Fortunately, it was a world where advanced healing magic for stitching severed body parts was highly developed, so he would recover quickly.
For now, she decided to put out the urgent fire.
“If my dog doesn’t recover, the Three Seeds Artisan will be wiped out today, Artisan.”
***
Viola and her group followed the guide to the reception room.
They were served some refreshments and tea, but Viola didn’t touch the food.
“I will start working on the draft of the report to be sent to the Duke, my lady.”
“Okay.”
Xenon took out a notepad and pen from his pocket.
While writing something, Xenon asked Viola, “May I ask why you cut the Artisan’s ears?”
Xenon secretly hoped.
He wanted to confirm if the picture Viola Bellato was drawing matched the image he had in mind.
“Why are you asking that question?”
“You, my lady, already knew that Tundra would be injured to this extent.”
No.
I didn’t know.
I was too focused on the protagonist setting, I didn’t know Tundra would be this badly injured.
“All of this was done to save the Artisan. You must have known that cutting Tundra was not the Artisan’s doing. But was it necessary to make the Artisan’s ears like that?”
Viola fell silent for a moment.
Those words were correct.
As a special envoy, she had acted recklessly by cutting the Artisan’s ears.
Nonchalantly, Viola, the white Bellato, said, “A warning for making me troubled.”
Xenon’s pen moved quickly.
He swiftly wrote something down.
“So it was a warning!”
Xenon felt somewhat pleased.
His thoughts were correct.
He felt even happier that Viola’s thoughts aligned with his own.
“So, my lady, you have put them in a position where they owe you their lives and established order as a Bellato.”
She shouldn’t lose her authority as a Bellato.
However, she couldn’t blindly punish the Artisan.
That’s why she deliberately saved their lives.
Now that she had saved their lives, she had to endure the loss of their ears as a justification.
Hikson chuckled.
“Do you really think so?”
“Then, don’t you?”
“Viola, you’re angry. About Tundra getting hurt.”
“You, my lady, are the one who assesses the situation most rationally. And you handle the situation in the most efficient way.”
Ah, well.
That’s not it.
The Viola Hikson saw was slightly different.
As soon as Viola saw Tundra, she lost her composure.
“I like you, kid.”
She had only known him as someone made of flesh and blood.
But seeing her get angry like this felt quite human.
However, Xenon didn’t think so.
“Hikson Kyung, you’re not very wise. My lady has taken all the advantages within thorough calculations.”
“Yeah, let’s go with that. Whatever the case, that little Artisan got a taste of it. By now, he must be deeply troubled.”
“What are you talking about?”
In Hikson’s eyes, Viola wasn’t in a normal state.
There was deep-rooted anxiety in her eyes.
Xenon felt worried about Viola, but at the same time, he felt pleased.
‘I can read the anxiety in Viola’s eyes… Xenon can’t read it! Hahaha!’
He thought he was the only one who could read it.
It was probably because he had experienced losing the most precious person in the world.
Or maybe it was because he and Viola were closer.
‘I know Viola much better! I do! I’m closer to Viola!’
Viola was currently wearing the mask of a white Bellato and behaving accordingly.
Pretending to be cold-hearted.
Pretending to use every situation rationally.
But now, it seemed like her mind was entirely focused on Tundra.
That’s why he decided to help her.
“I promised to be your adult, didn’t I?”
It was the way Xenon wanted it.
He decided to engage Viola in a conversation that would lead to the kind of report Xenon wanted to make.
“What would it feel like from the perspective of that little Artisan? You save his life, and suddenly you cut off his ears. No one in their right mind would think the Artisan did that to Tundra. It’s strange no matter how you think about it, right?”
“That’s right.”
“That Artisan is quite a smart kid. He was annoying because he had beliefs and was smart.”
That’s why he beat him up a lot when they were young.
Hikson didn’t particularly like that rigid and upright personality.
“It’s strange, so he’ll ponder it himself and rack his brain. Why did Viola behave so contradictorily?”
“From the perspective of that little Artisan, it would be like that.”
Hikson glanced at Viola out of the corner of his eye.
Externally, she seemed unfazed, but Viola seemed like she could crumble at any moment.
‘Well.’
Who would have thought that the staunch Bellato would have such a side?
‘Why are you not your usual self?
I want to protect you.’
That’s why he boldly spoke.
“One person performed two contradictory actions. Unless they have two identities, it’s impossible, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then the little Artisan will interpret it like this.”
“How so?”
Hikson spoke.
***
Knock.
A knocking sound was heard.
The chamberlain reported to the little Artisan.
“I have escorted you to the reception room and prepared warm tea and refreshments. How are your ears?”
“The cut is so clean that it will heal in a day, they say.”
“I see. Was Lady Viola considerate?”
“Probably. I didn’t expect to have this level of skill at twelve, though.”
“Was it that impressive?”
“The high-ranking officials were surprised. They even expressed that it was a skill comparable to the young Lady Medeia from our childhood. That’s probably why I was dispatched as a special envoy.”
The chamberlain was the employer of the little Artisan, but also a longtime friend.
He asked cautiously, “Why did Lady Viola do that to you? She must know the situation better than anyone.”
“She’s sending me a message.”
“A message?”
“Somebody in Bellato wants to warn me.”
That somebody was probably Duke Heron.
The little Artisan concluded that.
It seemed like they wanted to warn him not to do anything foolish, that if he entertained strange thoughts, they would kill him immediately.
“So Viola Bellato, acting as a special envoy, severely warned me on behalf of Bellato. My ears really hurt.”
“….”
“But it seemed like human Viola Bellato wanted to show concern for me.”
That’s why she created this situation.
First, saving his life to create a pretext, then issuing a warning.
“Isn’t it an excessive measure?”
“Viola has already gained a reputation as a staunch Bellato. Moreover, she has been pursuing the path of a white Bellato since two years ago.”
“A white Bellato… you mean? Isn’t a white Bellato a fallen Bellato?”
“Originally, yes.”
That’s why a white Bellato must achieve even greater accomplishments.
“She has become a white Bellato of her own accord. All of this is a rational plan that originated in her mind.”
“But… Lady Viola is only twelve years old.”
“Lady Medeia became a Grade 9 Knight at the age of twelve. She single-handedly subjugated a goblin horde. Does that make sense?”
That was an unreasonable thing as well.
“Anyway, Lady Viola successfully delivered Bellato’s warning. Count Cheonsal doesn’t like me, but the staunch Lady Viola will definitely have a clear favor toward me.”
The chamberlain trusted the little Artisan, but he was somewhat worried.
In fact, the current relationship between the little Artisan and the Bellato family was not peaceful.
Bellato was the enemy family that had killed the eldest son of the Cheonsal family.
“Viola Bellato will approach me with subtle maneuvering between Bellato Viola and human Viola. For the best outcome she desires.”
“She intends to use us for her own achievements?”
“Probably.”
“That’s a bit… uncomfortable.”
“That’s why we have to keep an eye on her.”
The little Artisan looked towards the bed.
“If she has Lady’s insight and strategy, she would have already realized that the life of the Companion Sword is not in danger.”
He had lost a lot of blood and lost consciousness, but the injuries would recover soon.
Viola deliberately said this because she noticed that.
“If my dog doesn’t recover, the Cheonsal family will be wiped out by today, Master.”
“Lady Viola will visit me again before the day is over. Since the Companion Sword is in the process of recovery, she will initiate a conversation.”
“… Was that the message?”
“Yes.”
Viola will come to visit again.
“And she will say what she really wants to say. Human Viola might approach me in a more humane way.”
“A humane approach?”
“Like an apology for killing my son.”
“An… apology? From Bellato?”
The chamberlain never thought that would happen.
And in fact, apologizing for killing his son wouldn’t resolve the issue.
“To be honest, I don’t know either.”
A simple apology wouldn’t resolve the problem.
One of them would have to die for it to be resolved.
Of course, it would be on their side to die.
“So, I plan to observe for a while. It seems too strange, so I feel like I have to watch.”
The staunch Bellato.
I couldn’t figure out what Lady Viola Bellato was thinking.
Interpreting her actions was possible, but predicting them was difficult.
Lady Viola already had a broader perspective than me. At only twelve years old.”
What would she say?
I decided to wait and see how she would resolve the situation.
“Really… Will Lady Viola come tonight?”
Among the nobles, it was an unwritten rule not to visit each other after 10 p.m.
It was already past 10 p.m.
“She will come.”
It was 11 p.m.
“It’s 11 o’clock… Will she really come?”
“She will come.”
At that moment, Tundra regained consciousness.
Knock, knock.
Coincidentally, the sound of knocking could be heard.
It was Viola.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Bree.
Next chapter will be released on July, 20. To read chapters in advance support us on Patreon!!
