I Played the Role of the Adopted Daughter Too Well

Celine loved sitting on the Emperor’s lap.

 

“What are you going to do if someone sees us?”

 

Monarch was a huge empire that ruled over 70% of the Central Continent and Nelac, the Emperor of Swords who ruled over Monarch, had a face that was beginning to turn red. As a warrior who had lived with a sword his entire life, situations like today were always unfamiliar to him.

 

“You’re cute.”

 

Celine gently touched Nelac’s ears. She burst out laughing as she looked at Nelac, who was now bright red up to his ears.

 

“Who would look at Your Majesty and think that you are the Emperor of Swords?”

 

“I am not the Emperor of Swords.”

 

“That’s what people call you.”

 

“That’s what they call me because I’m the Emperor.”

 

Nelac truly thought so. He felt that if he had to give the sobriquet ‘Emperor of Swords’ to anyone, it would not be him. The one who truly deserved to be the Emperor of Swords was the one who protected the North. Duke Heron, the front-line shield that protected humanity from the blustering snow.

 

“Anyway, you’re cute.”

 

“I wish you would think about my reputation.”

 

“Is it because I said you’re cute? Cuteness is the best.”

 

Nelac sighed and cleared his throat. She was Celine, who had been with him since childhood, and she looked more and more beautiful these days.

 

“We first met at the Forget-Me-Not Banquet, right?” asked Celine.

 

“The name at the time was the ‘Tender Forget-me-not Banquet.’

 

Nowadays, Celine tells people that she entered society when she was twelve but back then she actually entered society when she was seven. It was commonly referred to as a ‘rehearsal.’ A social gathering of unmarried boys and girls from the ages of seven to twelve. That was the Tender Forget-Me-Not Banquet.

 

“From then on, I started dotting on Your Majesty.”

 

Celine and Nelac were the same age and first met at the ‘Tender Forget-Me-Not Banquet’ when they were seven years old.

 

“Your Majesty was a foolish boy who only knew the sword.”

 

It wasn’t until he was in his mid-30s that Nelac began to see Celine as a woman. Until then, Nelac was a man who had only the sword in his life.

 

“I am always grateful to you for waiting for me for such a long time.”

 

Nelac looked at Celine with kind eyes. Celine was always consistent and she always stayed by his side. Without Celine’s help, he wouldn’t be the Emperor he was today.

 

“There is a child who I am very excited about at this Forget-Me-Not Banquet.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Viola Bellato, Winter Castle’s adopted daughter. Even before she entered the social world she spread her presence everywhere.”

 

“Bellato is reluctant to advance into the Central Continent.”

 

“I know. They are honorable people who live by their mission. They are people who live with the mission of protecting humanity from ‘the place where the snow blows.’”

 

“Rather than that, I think the slander and politics of people are just too annoying for them.”

 

Nelac knew Heron well. He even knew the reason Heron didn’t participate in politics. Nelac sometimes envied Heron.

 

‘He must be even stronger now.’

 

Such a person would be fighting every day in the ‘snowy place’ where monsters poured out endlessly. Heron must be swinging his sword at the risk of his life on a trembling battlefield. He would find it enjoyable. Bellato had always been like this. A family that stood firmly in its place as the rulers of the north. A group of warriors whose power was underestimated because they did not travel down from the north often.

 

“What if Bellato is trying to advance into the Central Continent?”

 

“Bellato would not choose that.”

 

They may be annoying but they knew their own strength well. A nail that sticks out gets hit by a hammer. Bellato was too strong and would end up being subject to checks by all forces. The strongest shield could also be the most powerful spear.

 

“This is because they know very well that although they are the most reliable as shields, on the other hand, they are the most feared as weapons. They will not leave Winter Castle.”

 

“It has been like that until now. But the Viola Bellato I saw was different. She has developed a very close relationship with the Storm Fortress of the South and made Sir Hickson her own.”

 

“Hickson?”

 

“Yes. He’s the Hickson who traveled all over the continent. In addition, it is said that she has recently done a great favor for the Louis Bartengan family.”

 

“For the Bartengan family?”

 

It was definitely unusual behavior. Bellato of the North and Louis Bartengan. These two families were from completely different genres and seemed to have little in common.

 

“It is said that she even received a gift from Chief Designer Carlo that was originally from his mentor. I don’t think these are coincidences.”

 

Viola was clearly revealing her ambition to dominate Bellato at her ten-year-old welcome party. And she was also showing off her eccentricity by choosing to be a ‘White Bellato’.

 

“That kid knows. The current Bellato cannot rule the world.”

 

The Bellatos were the most powerful family but they would never rule the world. The world had always been ruled by those weaker than Bellato.

 

“That’s why she wants to complete Bellato. What impact will it have on the continent if the Bellato family becomes complete?”

 

Editor’s Note: I’ve never understood what this “completing Bellato” means, it’s always been very vague. But I think it has to do with combining the Black and the White Bellato?

 

“Are you saying she is dreaming of treason?”

 

“Well, that’s what I want to figure out. How big is that child’s dream?”

 

Celine’s eyes narrowed.

 

“The child’s fate will vary depending on whether that grand dream of hers will benefit or harm the empire.”

 

Celine loved the Monarch Empire ever since she was a child being raised with Nelac. You could say that the Monarch Empire was Celine’s alter ego.

 

“If that child’s dream is beautiful, I will embrace that child and make the empire more prosperous. On the other hand, if that child’s dream is impure, I will have to make a different choice.”

 

Nelac’s body flinched. Nelac was not afraid of anyone in the world, but he was afraid of Celine. Yes, Celine was the only person in the world he was afraid of.

 

“For now, shall we focus on our time together?”

 

As they were alone, she whispered her nickname for him, into his ear. A nickname she had secretly called him since childhood.

 

“Nella.”

 

* * *

 

“I would like to propose something to our distinguished guests.”

 

Celine was the Empire’s second-in-command with some saying that she was actually the number one. In any case, there was no one here who could or would reject Celine’s offer.

 

“Among the VIPs, there are special boys and girls. Of course, everyone here is special, but there are a few specific hidden individuals who will make this event even more special.”

 

People perked their ears. Sometimes this would happen, the organizer preparing a special event. It seemed like it would happen this time, too.

 

“I want you to search for them and pair up. There are no restrictions. Girl and girl. Boy and boy. Boy and girl.”

 

The Forget-Me-Not Banquet was a banquet for young children. A social gathering for children aged twelve to seventeen.

 

“Twelve to seventeen.”

 

Age difference. Gender difference. Status difference. Celine said nothing was relevant.

 

“Please pair up without any conditions. The number doesn’t matter either. Only special people need to be included.”

 

They said it was okay for ten people to form a group of pairs.

 

“It’s important how many special people are included,” Celine said.

 

“On the seventh day, I am going to give big gifts to those who have found a special match.”

 

Celine revealed one of the items. It was an item taken from the imperial palace treasure trove and was a blue diamond the size of a child’s fist.

 

“I will give you this as a gift.”

 

The eyes of countless young adults flashed. Blue diamonds were rare treasures that were considered legendary on the continent. It was as big as a child’s fist, making it beyond price. At that size, it would be possible to purchase a small or medium-sized fiefdom in a local area, as well as the title of Viscount or higher. It truly was a treasure that was difficult to put a price on. 

 

No one could take their eyes off of the Blue Diamond. However, Viola was an exception.

 

‘Strange. It’s too strange.’

 

It really was strange. Why did Celine’s gaze keep turning in her direction?

 

‘It’s probably my fault that something like this that wasn’t in the original suddenly popped up.’

 

Then, it was most likely that what Celine had in mind was Viola herself.

 

‘But there’s no way such a grand event could have been held just because of me.’

 

She couldn’t read Celine’s thoughts. Celine was a very capable prime minister and she was portrayed as a genius in everything she did.

 

‘I can’t do this. I need to be more careful.’

 

Viola had a hunch. This Forget-Me-Not Banquet would be the chapter that would have the most anticipation and require the most holding of one’s breath. 

 

As the Forget-Me-Not Banquet had finally begun, the symphony orchestra’s performance filled the banquet hall and numerous children began their social networking. There was endless laughter here and there, and on one side, men and women danced a waltz in pairs.

 

“Viola. Who are these ‘special people’ that Celine was talking about? Do you have any idea?”

 

“No, I don’t.”

 

She didn’t know if they were hiding boys and girls with some special mission but she didn’t want to know about it. It was her honest wish to get as far away from Celine’s eyes as possible.

 

“Which direction are you planning to go?”

 

Even though no one had told them to, the girls and boys were already talking in pairs. On the first day of the Forget-Me-Not Banquet, neither names nor family names were revealed to the other. That was the unwritten rule. Everyone knew each other anyway, but that was still the unspoken rule. Unlike the people who were already paired, Hera and Viola were isolated. Bellato was great as a shield protecting humanity but they were not a particularly welcomed family in social circles.

 

“Well, for now, I’m going to spend some quality time with my sister.”

 

“With me?”

 

“I knew it from the start but today I have seen it for sure.”

 

“What?”

 

“Bellato’s position.”

 

“What is Bellato’s position?”

 

“A bug catcher who exterminates bugs that come down from the north.”

 

“Aren’t we too honorable for a bug catcher?”

 

“No matter how well you package it, a bug-catcher is a bug-catcher.”

 

“It sounds like an insult to Bellato.”

 

“It’s just that people see us that way. Among the countless nobles gathered here, how many of them have experienced real monsters?”

 

Of course, they didn’t know how scary monsters were. They didn’t know monsters at all. They were people who lived in a warm and bright world.

 

“They are kids who get their backs scratched and eat food prepared by others and dance in a comfortable place. To them, Bellato is just a scary bug catcher. To them, hunting monsters is dangerous, dirty, and lowly work.”

 

Moreover, the bug catchers did not usually come down to the Central Continent. They were foreigners who did menial and dirty work. From the perspective of the children of the high society noble gathered here, the family that had no importance whatsoever was Bellato.

 

“That’s why I don’t want to approach them first.”

 

But in reality, all Viola’s words were just excuses.

 

‘Let’s just stay still. The timing is really bad today and I have to avoid Celine’s eyes.’

 

She was playing the role of Winter Castle’s adopted daughter, who was not as smart as she thought she was.

 

‘If Celine comes to start a fight, I’ll just show off my anger.’

 

Then she would look foolish in front of Celine and that was just fine.

 

For most of the second day of the banquet, Viola didn’t leave her room. Later, she took a walk with Hera in the garden created outside in the ‘shadow of the moon.’

 

Sitting in a wheelchair, Hera commented, “That’s surprising. You acted like you were passionate about high society.”

 

“I guess there are a lot of things on my mind.”

 

“What’s bothering you?”

 

Fortunately, although Jeremy had shown up, she hadn’t run into him. Indeed, he had already become a big star on the first day and was always surrounded by people. 

 

She couldn’t understand Celine’s true intentions.

 

“In many ways, Celine’s proposal is too strange.”

 

But then, she heard a voice.

 

“Which of my suggestions is too strange?”

 

‘Why- Why are you out here?! The host must maintain their place at the banquet! I ran away from the banquet on purpose to get away from you! Why are you here?’

 

Viola sighed to herself. The ‘host’ of the Forget-Me-Not Banquet who was not supposed to be here was here. She was standing with a smile warmer than the sunlight. Just then the wind blew and her rich blonde hair flowed like waves.

 

“I think it was a pleasant proposal for many of the children, including you. Blue diamonds are great treasures.”

 

Celine was here.

 

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Translator Note: