I Played the Role of the Adopted Daughter Too Well

[You! What is your identity?]

 

Viola was stunned for a moment. She looked around as much as possible without allowing anyone to see her expression.

 

‘I don’t see anything?’

 

Nothing was visible to her eyes. It seemed that a ghost was talking.

 

‘Is it a spirit?’

 

When the spirits spoke, it was expressed as such a feeling. The person she was talking to seemed to be a spirit.

 

“Viola, what’s the matter?”

 

“Never mind.”

 

Jeremy stood in front of the red tree whose branches forked into tridents.

 

“So you’re saying this tree is suspicious?”

 

“Yes.”

 

She had already given him hints, now he would have to figure it out. Viola just watched. In fact, she didn’t know what was next. In the novel, all that was written was that Jeremy accidentally found this strange tree and entered the ruins through it.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Meanwhile, the voice was heard again.

 

[You! What is your identity?]

 

[Answer me.]

 

Viola thought for a moment. How should she answer? If she were to reply out loud, it would look like she was talking to herself.

 

‘There wasn’t anything like this in the novel.’

 

Spirits appeared after the ruins were entered, but no spirits were ever mentioned in the actual Red Tree Forest. It was only after entering the ruins that Jeremy had a conversation with a spirit. She couldn’t figure out why a spirit was talking to her out here.

 

[I know you can hear my voice.]

 

[I’ve never seen anyone with such a high spirit affinity as you.]

 

‘No way…’

 

Viola noticed one thing.

 

‘Is my affinity with spirits so high that I can hear their voices?’

 

There was a setting called ‘spirit affinity’ in the novel. It was said to have an absolute influence on the contract with a spirit, as it was an innate ability. Viola was a little confused.

 

‘Why?’

 

The Viola in the novel had no affinity for spirits. She was a great Bellato who grew up to be the ruler of Bellato, but she was a character very far from a spiritualist.

 

‘Why is my spirit affinity so high?’

 

As a serious reader of this work, Viola inferred one fact.

 

‘I think it’s because I possessed her.’

 

According to the novel, spirits were beings from another world. It was said that those beings could only materialize in the human world by exerting their power through a contract with the Contractor. In the novel, it was explained as ‘opening the spirit gate through a contract’.

 

‘In other words, I have to open the spirit gate to allow them to come over to this world from another world.’

 

That was the setting of this novel. So, according to the law in this novel, it meant that Han Arin crossed the spirit gate and became Viola.

 

‘I also crossed the spirit gate. That must be why I became a character with a very high affinity for spirits.’

 

Then Jeremy said.

 

“As expected, this tree is suspicious.”

 

Then he made incomprehensible sounds.

 

“It has a special magic mana formula engraved on it. This magic formula is an illusion magic formula based on Germanto’s third formula of…”

 

The warriors of this era always had to keep in mind potential battles against a magician. So even though they couldn’t learn magic, they had to be quite knowledgeable about the theories and research of magicians. It was the same with Jeremy.

 

Jeremy tilted his head.

 

“As I understand it, this magic requires the help of a spirit.”

 

Viola also tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.

 

“Without the help of a spirit, this light illusion magic cannot be broken. Unless you can break the magic formula by dismantling it in reverse.”

 

All the textbooks said so. To break light illusion magic you had to recognize it and then take the correct steps to dismantle it, or with the help of a spirit.

 

“But Viola, you just saw it.”

 

When Viola saw through the essence of it, the illusion magic was automatically dispelled.

 

Viola realized why.

 

‘It’s because my affinity with spirits is so high.’

 

Viola started to get a little excited. The place she wanted to go to with Jeremy was a special space where even those who have no affinity for the spirits could make a contract with them. But what if it was a person with a very high spirit affinity that entered?

 

‘What’s going to happen?’

 

Could it allow for the signing of a contract with an advanced being like the king of spirits that was only mentioned in the novel? It would be best if the spirit king appeared as her guardian spirit.

 

“My affinity with spirits must be higher than I thought.”

 

“That’s interesting. Bellato’s blood isn’t compatible with spirits… ah.”

 

Jeremy remembered one thing he had forgotten. Viola Bellato did not inherit Bellato’s blood. 

She was an adopted Bellato. Adopted and yet more Bellato than anyone else in the family, so he had actually forgotten about it.

 

‘Viola is an adopted daughter.’

 

He had completely forgotten about that simple fact.

 

‘Then it makes sense.’

 

Extremely Bellato-like but not-Bellato, with a high level of affinity with spirits… From Jeremy’s point of view, it was very strange and surprising.

 

‘She’s an interesting kid.’

 

He really wanted to become friends. It felt like being close to Viola would be full of exciting and fun things. Jeremy put his hand on the red wood.

 

“If I touch it and inject mana, something may change.”

 

* * *

 

Viola was dizzy. She felt sick to her stomach, but she held it in. Jeremy and Viola both seemed to have bad stomachs.

 

“Wow. It’s the first time I’ve ever had such an upset stomach.”

 

The red tree was a gateway. Through it, they were transported to a dark, damp, cave-like place. It seemed that they had entered the ruins through the medium of the red tree.

 

[Ho-ho-ho-ho.]

 

[Hee-hee-hee.]

 

Voices came from everywhere.

 

“Viola, can you hear it too?”

 

“Uh. I can hear them.”

 

Jeremy nodded his head.

 

“It seems that the sound of this laughter leaked out into the forest.”

 

“I know.”

 

This laughter must have been the strange noises they heard, leaking from here out into the forest of red trees.

 

“Did the missing explorers make it this far?”

 

“I think so.”

 

Viola looked down at the ground.

 

She could see a muddy floor, halfway between dirt and mud.

 

“There are footprints.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Jeremy laughed to himself. He was very curious about Viola.

 

‘I heard that this child with a ferocious-like nature rejected the Black Bellato and claimed to be the White Bellato.’

 

Seeing this, he thought it made sense. She found the transportation gate quickly and didn’t miss even the slightest clue on the ground.

 

[Can you find me?]

 

[Look for me.]

 

[I’ll wait.]

 

Small balls of fire flew about here and there. They were like giant fireflies. Every time the fireballs flew around, the surroundings became brighter for a moment.

 

“There is a long aisle. Do you want to go forward, Viola?”

 

“Okay.”

 

Viola recalled the contents of her novel.

 

“As he passed through the dark and long passage, Jeremy was unknowingly caught in the visions of the spirits.”

 

According to the progression in the novel, Jeremy would fall into an illusion made by the spirits. Basically, spirits did not harm humans. Rather than intentionally harming them, it was a matter of the spirits accidentally killing the humans while playing pranks. There were often cases where the humans died because they weren’t able to escape the illusionary magic the spirits created in an attempt to play with them.

 

‘Jeremy struggled in illusions for a week.’

 

Without realizing it, he lost himself in a fantasy and wandered around for a week. Had he been a normal person, he would have died of dehydration. But Jeremy was no ordinary person, and he could go without food or water for a week.

 

“Severe dehydration and hunger actually helped Jeremy awake.”

 

For some reason, it was a ‘Jeremy-like’ situation. It was because of his dehydration and hunger that he was able to break the illusionary magic of the spirits and escape.

 

‘If he hadn’t been hungry, he would have been eaten by the illusion magic and died, right?’

 

The spirits probably didn’t understand why the humans died. Spirits didn’t drink water or eat. It was as if a frog was killed by a stone tossed as a joke.

 

[I can hear you.]

 

Crunch. Crunch.

 

Viola and Jeremy continued walking. As they walked further in, the aisle became cramped and darker and then darker again. The number of those fireflies that lit up from time to time had also decreased.

 

“Viola, give me your hand.”

 

“Hand?”

 

“Huh? Because it’s too dark. Let’s go hand in hand.”

 

Viola decided that it would be better. Jeremy took her hand.

 

‘Her hand… it’s smaller than I thought.’

 

Was it because Viola’s body was that of a 12-year-old? Seventeen-year-old Jeremy’s hands felt much larger in comparison.

 

“Jeremy. Do you remember that the spirits’ illusion magic was cast on the gateway?”

 

“I remember.”

 

“Then there’s a high probability that the spirits here will play other tricks with illusion magic.”

 

“Okay. I’ll be careful.”

 

She had made it this far towards her wish. And if she told Jeremy this much, he would be able to handle it. Slightly relieved, Viola held Jeremy’s hand as they walked for a while.

 

“How is it? Do you hear any more voices?”

 

“No. I don’t hear anything.”

 

Having said that, Viola immediately flinched. Suddenly, voices began to be heard. It sounded like dozens of people talking at once. Male voices, female voices, adult voices, children’s voices. All kinds of voices mingled while speaking to her.

 

[Why are you here?]

 

[You shouldn’t be here.]

 

[What’s your real name?]

 

Viola’s body trembled. Real name? Viola’s real name was Han Arin.

 

Their voices grew faster and faster.

 

[What is Korea?]

 

[Who is Han Arin?]

 

Viola was afraid for a moment. It felt like everything inside her mind was being read. This world was a fantasy world, and it was also a place where terrible things like witch hunts frequently took place.

 

Korea.

 

Han Arin.

 

She was from another world…

 

‘If this is revealed…’

 

She would be beheaded for the crime of tarnishing Bellato’s honor and prestige.

 

The voices spoke again as if they had read her fearful heart.

 

[I see. Her throat could be cut.]

 

[Why are you here?]

 

Viola tried to answer. To tell them to be quiet. But no sound came out.

 

‘My voice… it won’t come out.’

 

It felt like she was out of breath. It felt like there was a very large thorn lodged in her throat. It felt like a huge boulder was pressing down on her neck and chest at the same time.

 

[Who is Kang Joon?]

 

[Is your dog Kang Joon?]

 

A giggle was heard.

 

[Where is Kang Joon?]

 

Laughter deepened.

 

[Wow! What is a car accident?]

 

[What is an emergency room?]

 

* * *

 

When Viola’s body first flinched, Jeremy did not indicate that he had felt it.

 

‘She can’t be nervous holding hands,’ he thought, ‘this is Viola I’m talking about.’

 

Then there must be another reason.

 

‘Hmm. Won’t it be embarrassing if I don’t pretend not to know?’

 

At first, he pretended not to know. But then he felt sweat dripping from Viola’s hands.

 

‘Viola?’

 

It was dark. The firefly-like fireballs had completely disappeared and now nothing could be seen. Zenon, who was following behind her, didn’t notice.

 

‘But he’s not holding Viola’s hand…’

 

If that was the case, he wouldn’t know if Viola’s presence disappeared.

 

‘I’m glad I’m holding her hand.’

 

Viola’s body began to tremble like an aspen tree. Jeremy pondered for a long time.

 

‘Viola is acting strange.’

 

But would Viola actually want help? Wouldn’t his help hurt Viola’s pride?

 

‘However…’

 

He was strangely concerned. He wondered if something had happened to Viola. He was suddenly afraid of this impenetrable darkness. A faint fear of losing his strange new friend crept in. It was a kind of emotion that Jeremy had never felt before.

 

“Viola, are you okay?”

 

A soft moan escaped Viola’s mouth. She seemed to be sick.

 

‘Something seems wrong.’

 

He pulled her hand, then shook her shoulder, but she didn’t respond. His anxiety increased in size.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

Still, no answer came.

 

“Viola!”

 

At that moment, a bizarre and strange thing happened to Jeremy.

 

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Translator Note: