I Played the Role of the Adopted Daughter Too Well

Ersa stood at the door and watched Viola’s back as she approached Hera, walking lightly. Hera was sitting at her desk, looking through a pile of papers.

 

‘Time flies so fast.’

 

Hera was now 14 years old and had become more meticulous as well as a little colder. While taking care of Hera, Ersa was sad and regretful at the sight but she thought it was inevitable growth as Hera was a White Bellato.

 

‘But she smiles more when she’s with Princess Viola.’

 

There weren’t many people who could make Hera laugh, Viola being one of the few. So, when Viola came to visit, Ersa’s heart became much warmer. She thought that Hera was very lucky to have a sister like Viola.

 

“Sister, I have a favor to ask of you.”

 

“What?”

 

Hera lifted her eyes from her pile of papers and looked at Viola. 

 

‘She’s asking for a favor? Yes, she is!’

 

Viola actually said something that she rarely said. Usually when she needed something she would make an offer or make a deal as she wasn’t the type to ask for favors.

 

“Do you remember the story about the piggy bank I told you before?”

 

“I remember. A piggy bank where you put one in and two come out?”

 

That’s what Viola had said when she entrusted the Blue Diamond to her.

 

“I wanted to get back something more valuable than the diamond I entrusted to you.”

 

Hera quietly put down the quill in her hand, staring into Viola’s eyes.

 

“What does that mean?”

 

Viola could feel Hera’s sharp eyes. Although Hera didn’t have the fierceness of Vichen, laughing as he sliced with his sword, she felt calmer and sharper than him. Hera loved Viola, but she kept a strict distinction between public and private life. She never did anything meaningless.

 

Viola answered, “There is someone I need to visit with courtesy.”

 

“You’re the one that needs to be polite, why are you asking me for a favor?”

 

“You have something I don’t have.”

 

One year ago, Hera split the blue diamond she received from Viola and sold it to various workshops. She then used the proceeds to purchase a large quantity of pink diamonds. At the time, blue diamonds were more than three times as expensive as pink diamonds, and Hera used her resourcefulness to purchase many pink diamonds. A year ago, blue diamonds were much rarer and more expensive, but now the situation had reversed. As mines full of blue diamonds were discovered on the Eastern Continent, their prices fell, and as pink diamonds became more popular among ladies, the price of pink diamonds rose significantly. Of course, it was Hera who made pink diamonds popular by inviting designers from all over the world to use them.

 

“What don’t you have?”

 

“Ah. Top-quality pink diamonds are a gift that has been given since ancient times to comfort others and show respect.”

 

“That’s true, however?”

 

“My sister already has a top-quality pink diamond, and I’m trying to get it from her.”

 

“It’s not like you’re offering to buy it, you’re just asking for it?”

 

Hera was a merchant. No matter how much she loved Viola, she couldn’t allow her younger sister to blindly ask for the pink diamond. But she wasn’t angry. Viola must have something in mind. Hera trusted Viola, so she waited patiently.

 

“It has to be something that money can’t buy.”

 

Among pink diamonds, those that showed off the brightest light were all handled by the Terra Merchant Guild. The diamonds in question were mined at the Pershak mine located near Savage Canyon, and the Terra Merchants had signed an exclusive contract with the mine.

 

“That way I can show my true sincerity.”

 

“If money can’t buy it, how are you going to pay for it?”

 

Hera’s eyes narrowed. What can Viola pay with if not money?

 

“Sister’s future.”

 

For a moment, Viola tightened her toes. She spoke earnestly, barely able to keep her hands and feet from shaking because Hera liked to hear things like this.

 

“I will buy it with my sister’s future.”

 

Hera burst out laughing.

 

“If anyone other than you had said that, I would have laughed out loud.”

 

“But I think you just laughed out loud?”

 

“It’s not like that.”

 

Hera continued to laugh for a while. She liked this about Viola.

 

“Alright, I’ll give it to you. The largest pink diamond. Anyway, I bought it with the blue diamond you gave me.”

 

Hera’s smile deepened.

 

“Actually, I had it prepared to give to you as a birthday gift.”

 

Viola tilted her head.

 

“For me?”

 

Of course, this was something that never happened in the novel. Because in the original novel, the Terra Merchant Guild was not the entity that handled pink diamonds.

 

“That’s the fun part. I have the same dream as you.”

 

Hera took out a small note from her desk drawer, written in her own handwriting.

 

[I want to sell my future.]

 

Coincidentally, Hera had prepared a birthday present for Viola in advance. She was going to hand Viola this note along with a top-quality pink diamond.

 

“It is my dream to live together with you and your grand dream. I think you would buy my dream at a high price.”

 

From behind, Ersa looked at her two princesses with an even warmer smile than before. A bright smile also appeared on Zenon’s lips.

 

‘Everyone… is laughing.’

 

She was the only one who couldn’t laugh. A chill ran down Viola’s spine.

 

* * *

 

Viola accompanied Zenon and Tundra and headed to the Viscounty of Seall. As always, she traveled with only her usual few attendants. Zenon served as her driver and Tundra served as her attendant. For a duke’s daughter’s journey, the group was too simple in composition. Therefore, there was an incident where a knight of Viscount Seall did not recognize the duke’s carriage and blocked it. Thankfully, Viscount Seall personally came to meet the carriage so no major problems arose. Standing in front of this carriage, Viscount Seall felt a little strange.

 

‘There is no emblem of the Duke’s family on the carriage.’

 

Duke Bellato’s family was not an extravagant family, but they were not a frugal family either. Although they did not decorate their carriages with jewels, they always used the highest quality materials. But this carriage was not like that.

 

‘It’s an old, shabby carriage.’

 

It was a carriage that one would never expect the daughter of a duke to ride in. It was a carriage that a fallen nobleman’s wife could barely muster up enough courage to ride in.

 

Soon the carriage door opened.

 

“Thank you for your hard work in coming this far.”

 

Viscount Seall extended his hand to Viola, who could be said to be his benefactor. Viola gently grasped his hand and got down from the carriage. Viola’s hands were covered with white cotton gloves.

 

‘These clothes…?’

 

She was wearing a pure white dress. It was an unsuitable outfit for a long journey. The white dress was made of a rough material and was pure white without any details or embellishments. There wasn’t a single trace of makeup on Viola’s face. This was unusual considering that ladies from aristocratic families usually put on makeup when going out.

 

“Viscount Seall, it’s been a while.”

 

Viola held the hem of her skirt and bowed to him, and Viscount Seall, placing his right hand on his chest, bowed back to her.

 

“There is something I would like to discuss with you, Viscount. Can you guide me?”

 

“Of course. I will take you in my carriage.”

 

Viscount Seall escorted Viola and they both climbed into his carriage. Inside, there was an awkward silence between them, Viola not saying a word. It was only after arriving at the Viscount’s living room that Viola opened her mouth.

 

“I am standing here to comfort Viscount Seall and express my gratitude.”

 

As Viola raised her palm, Zenon came over and placed a jewel box on her hand.

 

“I made Viscount Seall face some truths he probably didn’t want to know.”

 

His wife’s affair. His son’s addiction to black magic. Another man’s child. It made him acknowledge things he already knew but chose to ignore.

 

“No. The princess’s actions were right.”

 

“Apart from that, it is also true that I made your heart hurt.”

 

She felt human sympathy for the Viscount. Wasn’t Viscount Seall the most pitiful supporting character in this novel?

 

“If it were me, I might have broken down.”

 

Seall didn’t believe that. There was no way that Iron-Blooded Princess Viola would have collapsed. But he could feel Viola’s sincerity.

 

‘She’s not mocking me.’

 

She truly sympathized with his misfortune and comforted him. He couldn’t refuse that sincerity, so he carefully accepted the jewelry box. Inside it was a pink diamond.

 

The Viscount could tell. It was a top-of-the-line pink diamond that no amount of money could buy.

 

“As you know, this is something you can’t buy with money. I have prepared this for today, and I would like to present it to the Viscount with feelings of comfort, gratitude, and respect.”

 

Only then did Seall understand. An old carriage. A white dress without any patterns, a face without any makeup. There was meaning to all of this. It all symbolized sympathy with Viscount Seall, who was feeling great pain and was an act of expressing that she had come here as the human Viola, not as the duke’s daughter.

 

“The Viscount’s love was beautiful. I don’t know if it was right, but I respect you, Viscount.”

 

“…”

 

The Viscount was at a loss for words. Every word the young princess said held power.

 

“So, as the guardian, I am here to take the child away.”

 

The child she spoke of was Serphon Louis Bartengan and the Viscountess’s child. Every time Viscount Seall saw the child, he would have to think of the Viscountess’s affair, and it was painful every time.

 

‘I did it, so I have to take responsibility.’

 

Although she had moved to prevent the birth of the ‘Great Wizard Vengas,’ she still felt sorry for Viscount Seall. She had ended up doing something unseemly to Viscount Seall.

 

“The Viscountess agreed.”

 

Previously, Viola spoke to the Viscountess through letters. However, she came to the Viscounty herself, made eye contact, and spoke to him. Her attitude towards the Viscountess, who had an affair, and towards Viscount Seall, who showed his noble and sincere love, of course, was different.

 

“…I need time to think, Princess.”

 

Viscount Seall took the pink diamond and thought for a while. There were times when he hated his wife and the child in her stomach. He had to convince himself, again and again. Venga was the child of the woman he loved with all his heart, so he had to embrace the child. That child was also his child. He had been trying his best to think that way, but it wasn’t as easy as he thought it would be, so he continually blamed himself.

 

First of all, he returned the jewelry box and said, “Just a few days… Can you give me some time?”

 

“Think about it carefully.”

 

Viola would not impose her own thoughts or opinions on him. It was Viola’s way of showing her respect for the Viscount.

 

A few days later, Viscount Seall conceded.

 

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Translator Note: