I Played the Role of the Adopted Daughter Too Well

Asking her why she was leaving was an absurdly strange question for Viola.

 

‘Didn’t you tell me to leave too?’

 

Viola’s mind was a mess these days. Shailan’s fear was gone. Tundra had become a completely different person. The Mercenary King Kaiser now resided at Winter Castle, and Vichen abandoned his successorship. Although such changes were probably Viola’s intention, it seemed like the characters were running too wildly.

 

‘He clearly issued an order for his guests to leave, so why did he tell me to stay?’

 

His question wasn’t logical to begin with because it was a question that was very out of character for Heron.

 

‘I can’t figure it out at all.’

 

In the end, Viola’s choice to leave had been a reasonable response based on common sense. 

 

“My father was injured.”

 

“I’m injured?”

 

Although he was injured in the sparring with Hickson, because she had used a lot of the highest quality magic ointment, he was now completely healed. In other words, Heron was not injured right now.

 

“Yes, he is still breathing hard.”

 

Only then did Heron notice that his breathing was labored, but as soon as he recognized that fact, his breathing began to slow down. 

 

‘I think he probably suffered some minor injuries. Nevertheless, the reason he came to his study instead of his room is because there must be an important matter that needs to be dealt with urgently.’

 

Thus, Heron must want to talk.

 

‘And he’s already here?’

 

There was no other reason why Heron came straight to this place except that Viola was here. But he couldn’t bring himself to spit those words out of his mouth. 

 

“So I thought it would be polite to leave my seat.”

 

Heron was momentarily speechless at Viola’s logical words. After listening, he found that there was nothing wrong with Viola’s judgment.

 

‘It’s a reasonable decision.’

 

He should be happy that she made such a good decision, but he wasn’t happy. Over the past six years, he had realized something. He didn’t think Viola’s excellent ‘Bellato-ness’ was that good. And he was able to be a little more honest with his own feelings. 

 

“Stay here.”

 

“If it’s an order, I’ll accept it.”

 

“It’s not an order.”

 

Heron’s voice rose slightly. He just wanted to spend time together, so why did the word ‘order’ come up? The study window trembled. Heron gathered his thoughts and sat down in his chair.

 

“I want to hear the details of what happened at the Black Temple.”

 

“Zenon must have submitted his report on the oath, but was it insufficient? I was concerned that there might be duplicate reports.”

 

In fact, things like the oath taken at the Black Temple were not very important to Heron. Rather, what did Viola experience and see there? What did she eat? Who did she meet? And what did she think?

 

‘I’m curious about you.’

 

The report he heard from Zenon and the story he wanted to hear from his daughter’s mouth were different. Heron just wanted to hear Viola’s side of the story.

 

Viola, completely unaware of his feelings, politely filed a report.

 

“I returned after… … … and that is the end of my report.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Heron nodded his head and looked at Viola for a moment. Viola was still small, but she had grown much larger than when she was 7 years old.

 

“You’ve grown a lot.”

 

…Yes? Viola, who was waiting for feedback on her report, was curious. So suddenly? She’s grown up? Was he praising a job well done at the Black Temple?

 

“I mean height.”

 

“Are you talking about my height?”

 

“Yes, when I first saw you, you were much smaller than other kids your age.”

 

“…”

 

“So, are you planning to leave Winter Castle and to leave me?”

 

‘Hey… The flow of this conversation is very strange.’

 

It was very difficult to follow and Viola was having a hard time adjusting to Heron’s new speaking style. It was a very different way of talking from the Heron in the novel.

 

“Why do you think I’m leaving Winter Castle?”

 

“Didn’t you receive a personal letter from the emperor?”

 

Moreover, she even received a marriage proposal. All he could see were signs that she was leaving. Of course, Viola had refused the marriage proposal, but was that a sign that she was going to become a monk? The duke’s heart boiled over again, but he tried to suppress it.

 

“…Ah.”

 

Viola was finally able to understand what was being said.

 

‘I guess he thought I would accept Celine’s scouting offer.’

 

By all accounts, the offer was a good one. It was a great opportunity to learn the work under Minister Celine and build a reputation in the center of the empire. That would be a great achievement for any White Bellato.

 

“What will you do if I don’t agree?”

 

Viola was very nervous. Heron had no reason to disallow it, even from the Duke’s point of view. 

But he asked, ‘What if I don’t agree?’ Was it another test?

 

“That’s not like Bellato.”

 

“Yeah, it’s not like Bellato. You will respond to the scouting offer and head to the Empire. That is a reasonable and right choice.”

 

She felt Heron’s sharp eyes. They were so sharp that even a cold feeling came out. Viola gulped without realizing it. Was it really a test? Just when she was thinking that Heron finally broke down the last wall in his heart and gathered courage. 

 

“Don’t leave.”

 

The embankment, which was filled with lapping water, collapsed. 

 

“Aren’t you only thirteen?”

 

“…”

 

“Stay by your father’s side.”

 

Viola was confused. In this world, thirteen was by no means a young age. The official age for reaching majority was seventeen, but people at fourteen were treated almost like adults. Even marriage was possible.

 

‘I’m not young. Heron must know that too, however…’

 

Viola didn’t like being told not to leave and to stay by his side. But it was much better than her biological father’s false promise that he would return in just one hundred nights.

 

‘I shouldn’t be shaken…’

 

This should be a test. A test to shake her up in a new way. She couldn’t lose her balance when she saw something like this. Biting her lip, she walked forward slowly and stood in front of Heron. Looking closely, Heron’s fingers were visibly shaking. This was the same Heron that only showed this vulnerability in front of Rael. Heron was revealing his emotions without a filter in front of Viola. 

 

‘You are showing a lot of courage.’

 

Once Viola realized it, she cupped Heron’s right hand with both of her hands.

 

“I said I needed a family.”

 

If she thought about it again, this wasn’t a test. The author’s settings had already changed. The change in the characters’ personalities and settings wasn’t just a confusing issue. These were people who lived and breathed with ego. Just because they didn’t move as predicted didn’t mean it was wrong.

 

“So I won’t leave.”

 

In fact, those words were what Viola had hoped for her entire life. ‘Don’t leave.’ ‘Stay.’ Looking back, no one needed a family more than Viola. When she and Heron first met, she meant it when she said, ‘I always thought it would be nice to have a family.’ ‘Please be a real father, not just a father in words.’ Those words were also sincere.

 

“I will stay where my real father is.”

 

Heron gathered his courage once again.

 

“Nevertheless, you may leave if you truly wish. I am always here.”

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

Viola’s eyes turned red. Perhaps Heron felt such sincerity long before this. She either didn’t recognize the sincerity, or even if she did, she ignored it. Even Viola couldn’t know exactly how he felt. She thought that, under the confines of the character’s setting and under the fearsome nickname of ‘The Thousand-Kill Duke,’ she may have been trying to ignore the Duke’s feelings. Heron looked at Viola’s red eyes and at that moment, Zenon’s report came to mind.

 

‘She was born with the ability to move people’s hearts using numerous masks.’

 

Heron put the report out of his mind. That report was wrong. Even though his ‘Eye of Truth’ did not work on Viola, he seemed to know her feelings. 

 

‘It wouldn’t matter if it were a mask.’

 

He didn’t mind if Viola wore a mask to protect herself. If Viola’s current appearance was a staged fake, it would hurt his heart, but it wasn’t that important.

 

‘I’m sincere, so that’s what matters. Nevertheless, I hope you are real.’

 

Heron stood up and gently hugged and patted Viola.

 

“It’s a great opportunity for you. Don’t you really want it?”

 

“I don’t want it.”

 

It was true that she had no desire to be scouted by the Empire, and it was also true that she had no desire to escape the warm embrace of her current favorite character. Viola bravely wiped away her tears.

 

‘Yes, it’s because I’m happy to be hugged by my favorite person. That’s why I’m crying.’

 

But she knew. That wasn’t the only reason.

 

‘For me, finally… I have a father. I have a real father, not just a father in words, not a father just in the family register.’

 

The tears continued to fall and a warm wind began to blow in winter.

 

* * *

 

Heron wasn’t testing Viola. He treated Viola with sincerity, and Viola responded honestly to his sincerity. Heron became Viola’s real father, and Viola became Heron’s real daughter.

 

But soon Viola said, “Still, I think I have to go.”

 

She received a personal letter from the Emperor, and it would not look good for her to reject it with just a return letter. She decided to set an example for her refusal by going to the imperial family in person and revealing her decision.

 

“Take care of yourself. If you need anything, let me know.”

 

“Anything?”

 

“Anything.”

 

There was playfulness in Viola’s eyes.

 

“What are you going to do if I ask you for something you can’t handle?”

 

“Anything you can think of is something I can handle.”

 

“‘I can’t possibly measure my father’s abilities with my poor imagination.’ Can I interpret that to mean something like this?”

 

Heron nodded his head lightly. This conversation taking place was a conversation that no one in the Winter Castle could have imagined. Heron personally came to the castle’s south gate to see Viola off. Numerous suspicions and speculations arose because of it. 

 

“The Duke personally saw her off?”

 

“I heard he even gave her a hug?”

 

“Did something like that happen?”

 

“I can assure you that it never happened.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Well. Isn’t this just a political move to give a little more power to a successor candidate? Because Princess Viola is so young.”

 

“I think it would give her more strength in this way.” 

 

“But the Duke is not one to get directly involved in the competition for successorship.”

 

“That’s why it’s strange.”

 

But that wasn’t the only strange thing.

 

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Translator Note: