I Played the Role of the Adopted Daughter Too Well

‘Well, if you ask me that…’

 

But Viola didn’t know why he would send her that precious Silver Star Medal. Even willing to return it to the Emperor. However, on the outside, she answered calmly. 

 

“I didn’t know you put a condition on returning the Silver Star Medal. I think it was my father’s mistake.”

 

“A mistake?”

 

Celine’s eyes widened. 

 

“Is it okay to say that about Duke Heron?”

 

“My father is a logical person. It’s okay to point out when something is logically wrong. Even in Your Highness Celine’s eyes, isn’t this action of his illogical?”

 

“That’s true.”

 

“I must ask my father what is right and what is wrong.”

 

Celine’s scouting offer was beneficial to Viola. As it was a beneficial offer, refusing it by sending the ‘Silver Star Medal’ was an extremely illogical response.

 

“Even if we know it’s illogical, are you someone who can question Duke Heron directly?”

 

Celine smiled brightly. She liked everything about it from beginning to end.

 

‘A child with a belief that takes action.’

 

Viola had taken action when she blocked the terrorist attack at the Forget-Me-Not Banquet. She had also taken action when she saved the beggars of the Magic Tower. She was indeed worthy of attention as the next potential ruler of Winter Castle.

 

“If his explanation is not reasonable enough, what does Princess Viola plan to do?”

 

“…”

 

‘I can argue right from wrong, but what comes next?’

 

Viola’s mind was filled with various thoughts.

 

‘Should I really argue?’

 

If this was the original Duke Heron from the novel, questioning might have been the right answer. However, this Heron had changed. 

 

“I’ll hug him.”

 

“…Yes?”

 

It was an answer Celine had never expected. 

 

“You’ll hug him?”

 

“If my father did something so illogical, it means there must be an illogical reason.”

 

Viola seemed to vaguely understand. 

 

“It means my father needs a family.”

 

In reality, Heron did not want to send Viola away. Heron’s honest feelings were that he did not want to send a thirteen-year-old child to a faraway land only to get caught up in palace infighting.

 

“That’s why I think I’m happy.”

 

Celine stared at Viola, unable to continue. She could not take her eyes off Viola for a long time. Her heart suddenly felt heavy.

 

‘Happy.’

 

It was a word she had never imagined coming out of the mouth of the Iron-Blooded Princess, Viola. 

 

‘I haven’t seen this child’s other side.’

 

Celine was someone who knew Viola’s growth in relative detail. She also knew how much power Viola had, perhaps even more than Viola herself. Viola, as Celine saw her, was a strong child, exactly like an Iron-Blooded Princess.

 

‘When she first met Duke Heron, she asked him to be her real family.’

 

That seemed to be true. This child needed a family, and Heron was responding to that wish. 

 

‘This is even scarier.’

 

It was easy to gain people’s respect and admiration simply with ability and achievement. Celine thought so as she had done that herself.

 

‘But winning hearts is hard.’

 

Heroes were gathering around Viola. But they weren’t simply gathering because they saw Viola’s potential growth.

 

‘They’ve given Viola their hearts.’

 

Celine smiled bitterly and put the ‘Oath Stone’ back into her desk drawer. 

 

“I don’t think I’ll be able to use this.”

 

“Your Highness, it’s a good opportunity for you to retrieve the Silver Star Medal.”

 

“I don’t want to retrieve it.”

 

Celine, who felt bitter for a moment, smiled brightly again. 

 

“I’m trying to win Princess Viola’s heart.”

 

* * *

 

‘Has she given up on scouting?’

 

For almost an hour, Celine didn’t talk about scouting. She just asked Viola about this and that and Viola continued the conversation comfortably as if she was talking to a friend or an older sister.

 

“What is Princess Viola most concerned about these days?”

 

“That’s…”

 

Viola was grateful that Celine had asked her this. She had come not only to reject the scouting offer but also for another reason. 

 

“Tell me. I may be older than you but I want you to think of me comfortably as an older sister. I would be happy if you called me older sister in private. Can you do that?”

 

“But isn’t ‘older sister’ too much?”

 

Celine laughed heartily as if Viola had been foolish to ask that. 

 

“Thank you for allowing me such an honor, older sister.”

 

Viola had all of Han Arin’s memories. Celine looked like she was in her late 20s or early 30s while Viola had lived for nearly 30 years, including Arin’s life. That’s why she didn’t end up feeling awkward calling Celine ‘sister.’

 

‘Hmm?’

 

Celine was smiling warmly, warmer than ever before. 

 

‘You really like me?’

 

Was there a setting like this for Celine in the novel? In Viola’s memory, there wasn’t one.

 

‘There was no character who called Celine ‘sister.’’

 

So this situation had never been staged. It felt like she had found a hidden setting for the character. Viola felt pretty good, like she was on a treasure hunt.

 

‘As expected, fan fiction written personally is the best!’

 

Viola was in a very good mood and the atmosphere between the two was friendly. Celine, who had been using formal language, began to speak comfortably with Viola. It also meant that Celine had opened her heart. Into this warm atmosphere, Viola opened her mouth. 

 

“Do you know about the group that planned the terrorist attack at the Forget-Me-Not Banquet?”

 

“I know.”

 

“Fever. It’s a group that operates secretly on the continent. They seem to be good at magic and they must have connections with high-ranking officials of the empire. Otherwise, they would have been caught before this. I hate Fever.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because their methods are too cowardly and inhumane.”

 

They used the trick of ‘taking advantage of the hearts of powerful people who loved someone.’ They did it to Black Whale Hickson. They did it to Storm Sword Jackal. They also did it to Sword Demon Ersa. Although it wasn’t all listed out in the novel, there were quite a few victims.

 

“You know about the Duke of Brandia’s love for his youngest daughter, right?”

 

“I know. I also know that his youngest daughter, Lady Selvin, is crazy about Viola. She is crazy about Viola, right?”

 

“Yes, for now.” 

 

Viola smiled sheepishly. 

 

“Anyway, that child was attacked too.”

 

She explained in detail what had happened inside the Black Temple. 

 

“…and that’s how it happened.”

 

“I knew there was a dark wizard named Dexial, but I didn’t know there was such a story.”

 

“Currently, Dexial is being interrogated at Bellato, and I’d like to tell you about some of the results. Dexial is a member of the dark wizards’ group, ‘Death.’ Their symbol is two skulls.”

 

“Yes, I also know of a group with two skulls that are active all over the continent. The name of their group is…” 

 

Celine frowned and thought for a moment. There were at least a hundred dark wizard groups on the continent. It was difficult to remember each and every one of them, nevertheless, Celine remembered the name exactly.

 

“Yes, I think it was called Death.”

 

“They’re not that big in scale and they haven’t committed any serious evil deeds… But you know them?”

 

It was still only a small area where Death was active, but Celine already knew about them. It was an amazing ability and Viola felt it again.

 

‘This is not where I belong.’

 

Right now, Celine was looking at her favorably, but Viola’s own mask might come off at any moment. She had to get out of there before her true colors were revealed.

 

‘Anyway…’

 

She presented her conclusion.

 

“Death’s methods cleverly overlap with Fever’s methods.”

 

“You’re pointing out that he was targeting Brandia’s youngest daughter.”

 

Fever targeted people whom strong warriors loved. Like Hickson’s daughter, Jackal’s son, and Ersa’s daughter. The greater the love, the bigger the hole in the heart. They cleverly used that hole to ruin people.

 

“Sir Hickson became a wreck after losing his daughter. If something similar happened, what would happen to the Duke of Brandia?”

 

“Is the Princess claiming that there is a connection between Death and Fever?”

 

“Yes, but it’s just an assumption.”

 

Actually, she read it in the novel. Death and Fever were one body. Until the latter half of the novel, the two groups moved separately with their true identity only being revealed in the final chapter. They caused the empire to suffer great damage.

 

“They take advantage of the love people have for each other.”

 

Viola stared blankly at Celine. Their gazes connected and Celine could read Viola’s thoughts. 

 

“No way…”

 

“That’s right. There is someone who loves Celine more desperately than his own life.”

 

The sword master Nelac. He loved Celine more than his own life. In fact, he lived for Celine. Viola drank the strawberry ade after seeing Celine’s expression become serious.

 

‘Ah! This is the taste.’

 

Fever and Death were originally ‘invisible swords.’ They secretly built up strength until the latter half of the novel and then exploded all at once.

 

‘An invisible sword is scary, but once it becomes visible, it’s no longer scary.’

 

Viola didn’t do anything grand. She just made an absolute power of this world interested in ‘Death’ and ‘Fever’ by linking various situations. 

 

‘This should be enough.’

 

If they didn’t know about it, then they wouldn’t be prepared. If they already knew, then the situation would turn out very different. Furthermore, if Minister Celine thought it might be related to the sword master Nelac, then she would definitely move like a storm.

 

‘They say that if you catch a disease early, you get better quickly.’

 

The strawberry ade was really delicious. Viola felt like she was one step closer to happy independence.

 

* * *

 

At the same time, Medea went somewhere else alone. It was a bar where a drinking party was going on in broad daylight. A lot of people were gathered together, chatting loudly and drinking beer. As Medea entered, everyone’s eyes turned to her.

 

“Wow!”

 

A group of men whistled. Even in the empire’s capital, there were few women as beautiful as Medea. Men and women alike could not take their eyes off Medea.

 

“Hey, Miss, are you alone?”

 

Some waved their hands and pretended to know her while others tried to buy her drinks. 

 

Medea spoke softly, “Bring me the Black Butterfly within 10 seconds.”

 

Her voice was soft but it reached everyone’s ears. It was a delicate and precise use of mana control, although the people here didn’t recognize that fact. Three large men approached and surrounded Medea while making vulgar jokes. 

 

“Shall we have a hot time in broad daylight?”

 

“My brothers can make it fun for you.”

 

One man, who was very drunk, howled like he was trying to imitate a wolf while looking at Medea with a sinister gaze. Medea just stood there silently and this seemed to excite the three men. One of them placed his hands on Medea’s shoulders.

 

“Pretty girl, don’t be scared.”

 

“Come on, let’s go to our room.”

 

“We’ll have a good time.”

 

Medea opened her mouth.

 

“Ten seconds have passed.”

 

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