Chapter 10

I overdid the role of the adopted daughter, didn't I? In Chapter 10, Viola clenched her teeth as she swung the Ashira tree switch, her eyes narrowing.

Bruises began to multiply one by one.

Viola's eyes reddened.

‘It hurts so much.’

To Arin, Tundra seemed like a child.

Meanwhile, Tundra's head grew cold.

‘If I had screamed from the beginning, the butler would have become suspicious.’

The switch-swinging continued for a long time.

As Viola and Tundra had predicted, Zeon heard the sound of the switch from the next room.

"You seem to have started the training and taming."

He slowly got up and pressed his ear against the wall.

"Ouch, it must hurt, right?"

After a while, faint moans could be heard.

The sound of labored breathing, trying to suppress the pain, could also be heard.

Zeon had seen Tundra's determination.

Her eyes were resolute.

For a child with such a look to make such moans meant that she was being treated cruelly.

"How cruelly are you doing this…."

Killing isn't difficult.

But making someone groan in such pain is hard.

He had seen many of this type.

Those who would break but not bend.

Zeon evaluated Tundra as such.

"You seem to be trying to make her truly submit."

His eyes narrowed.

"Very much like a Bellato, my lady."

***

While Tundra was moaning.

Someone came to the room.

"Viola! Are you having fun playing?"

It was the Fifth Prince, Bizhen.

Bizhen's eyes sparkled.

The predatory gaze of a predator who had found prey or a toy.

"Hehehe."

He saw Tundra, who was in pain.

He looked at her with curious eyes.

"Already playing with a toy?"

"No. Taming."

Viola put down the Ashira tree switch for a moment.

She didn't know why Bizhen had suddenly come.

'He's unpredictable.'

She felt tense.

"Why are you here?"

"I came to see how you're handling your toy."

His eyes narrowed.

He seemed to have noticed something strange.

"But, you know."

He looked like a young predator who had found prey.

"Are you going to apply medicine to her too?"

"..."

When Viola remained silent, Bizhen urged her again.

"She's hurt. Are you going to apply medicine?"

"Is that important?"

"It is."

Viola was a bit baffled.

'What's so important about it?'

Bizhen narrowed his eyes.

"It's better not to apply medicine."

"Why?"

"If you apply medicine, I'll kill her."

"Why?"

"

Bizhen seemed annoyed by Viola's repeated "why."

"Just!"

"Just, why?"

"Just! Just! Just! I'll kill her! Got it?"

Bizhen's eyes were filled with a fierce killing intent.

It seemed to ripple.

Viola sat down in a chair.

Despite Bizhen's unreasonable demands, she didn't show any outward signs of her burning frustration.

Fortunately, Bizhen was weak in verbal arguments.

"Whether I apply medicine to my toy or not, it's none of your business."

"But if you kill my toy, that's a different story. It means you're infringing on my territory."

"Hmm, hmm, that's none of your business.

What's important is that you shouldn't apply medicine to others."

"Then, why? Give me a reason that makes sense. You are a Bellato, after all."

"T, that's..."

Bizhen's face turned as red as a beet.

"It's because it's my first time!"

Viola was momentarily speechless.

While she wondered if that word was appropriate here, Bizhen's intention was transparently pure.

"So, you don't want someone else to take your first experience?"

Bizhen nodded.

"I know you're being unreasonable right now, right?"

"What? Bizhen doesn't know?"

He acted as if he was completely oblivious.

'You're really good at recognizing unreasonable behavior!' he seemed to be claiming.

"I learned that the Bellato family is rational and logical. I'm a bit disappointed in you, brother. Is that okay?"

"D, disappointed?"

Bizhen's expression darkened slightly.

He thought he had shown his brother's greatness a bit by suppressing the bandit gang, but now he seemed disappointed.

"S, still, being disappointed is a bit..."

"Give me a logical and rational reason. Until then, I'll do as I please. Act like a Bellato."

"If you don't and keep being unreasonable..."

Viola narrowed her eyes and smiled.

"From now on, I'll never apply medicine."

"Then I'll forgive you specially."

Bizhen's change of stance was incredibly quick.

"What?"

"No, I mean, I'll forgive you if you apply medicine to others for a while."

"Are you being unreasonable again?"

"Damn it, apply it! Yes, apply it."

Bizhen slammed the door and left, looking irritated.

"I'll really kill you. Wait and see when you turn ten."

When he spoke, he was serious.

Back in his room, Bizhen was seized by a strange emotion.

But...

...

It's natural for brothers to compete in killing.

The small hand applying the ointment came to mind.

'Do I really have to kill her?'

Somehow.

I don't want to kill Viola.

'But do I have to?'

Because they are Bellato brothers?

But do I really have to?

I don't know.

I wish someone would teach me the right answer.

A tiny ripple began to form in Bizhen's heart.

*****

After the commotion.

Zeon opened Viola's door.

He approached Tundra, who was lying on the ground.

"The boy threatened the lady I serve with a knife. He even put it to his neck."

Instantly, Viola's body tensed.

The killing intent emanating from Zeon was terrifying. It felt like entering hell.

"If our lady had not been merciful, I would have pulled out all your teeth and torn your mouth to kill you."

Viola felt a shock as if she had been hit on the head.

'This isn't just for me.'

It was a test.

A test by the butler Zeon for the lady Viola. Similar lines appeared in the novel.

"If our lady had not been merciful, I would have cut off your head."

The content was slightly different, but the essence was the same.

For the Bellato, 'mercy' was a luxury. To be merciful, one needed power.

Only an absolute ruler like the Duke Heron could afford it.

Without such power, being merciful meant being foolish and weak.

Here, in the Bellato household, it was like that.

Viola said,

"Zeon."

"Yes, my lady."

"Kneel."

"Should I make the boy kneel?"

Viola deliberately remained silent. Time passed.

"You're telling me to kneel."

Finally, Zeon walked up to Viola and slowly began to bend his body.

In the original, it went like this.

He was made to kneel and slapped.

"Stop testing me."

"Next time, I'll kill you."

But Tundra was there.

Since she was still her subordinate, Viola thought it wouldn't look good to scold her in front of Tundra.

"Zeon, follow me."

Like Bizhen's room, Viola's room was also large.

It was divided into a living room and several rooms.

Zeon silently followed Viola.

The door was closed.

Tundra was out of sight.

"Hmm."

"Yes, my lady."

Zeon didn't resist.

'Should I... slap him?'

Ugh.

This is really not something a person should do.

But she decided to do it.

Her inner feelings didn't matter.

A butler who tested his lady.

A butler who was caught. He should be severely punished. Punishment was what made the Bellato.

Slap!

She slapped him.

Not knowing how hard to hit, she hit with all her strength.

Thinking that a superhuman who could take down twenty imperial knights alone would be fine with a normal hit.

Slash!

Zeon's head turned to the side.

His lips split slightly, and blood welled up instantly. A handprint, as if branded by fire, appeared on Zeon's cheek.

'Sorry!'

She had to act like a Bellato.

She thought she might have hit too hard, but it was too late.

She tried to sound as calm as possible.

"I like that you test my qualifications as a Bellato. But don't let it show. It makes me feel bad."

"I apologize."

"How can you test me so obviously? How much do you underestimate me?"

"I apologize. As a sign of my apology, would you like my arm?"

No!

Is that a thing!

Why are you offering it!

And why does it sound so sincere!!

Viola wanted to cry but forced a smile.

"Do you really think offering your arm will make up for it?"

"Then, would offering my life be acceptable?"

Cold sweat trickled down Viola's back.

She didn't dare ask if he was serious, thinking he would say yes.

"Then you can't work for me."

"That's true."

"If your arm is cut off, your efficiency will drop."

"That's also true."

Her face turned slightly pale as she said something against her nature.

"Act a bit more competently. That's the reason I'm keeping you alive after you dared to test me."

"Thank you, my lady."

Zeon noticed Viola's pale face and understood the reason.

'She's deliberately controlling her boiling rage.'

If this were the original Viola Bellato, the ruthless killer who would mercilessly stab a dagger into a boy's mouth, she would be incredibly excited. It would be more than enough to make her feel bad.

But Viola was controlling that rage.

'She's controlling it so desperately that she's sweating cold sweat.' It was a restraint and rationality that didn't fit a seven-year-old.

She was managing her anger and leading the situation to her advantage as much as possible.

Viola Bellato was not just a bloodthirsty killer.

'She's amazing.

Cruelty, charisma, and strategy. No Bellato at seven has shown such a level.

Zeon stood up.

There was one more fact to consider.

"Did you bring me here... to uphold my authority in front of the toy?"

"For now, you are my only closest subordinate."

"Thank you."

Zeon felt a strange emotion, albeit a very slight one.

Viola Bellato is extremely Bellato-like.

When she slapped him, he felt it.

She is more Bellato than a pure-blooded Bellato.

'But she's considerate.'

A strange gap emerged.

She is so Bellato-like, yet strangely different from the Bellato.

A pure-blooded Bellato wouldn't show such consideration. And 'the only closest subordinate.'

Hearing that expression felt subtly good.

'My lady is a very interesting person.'

She didn't mind the curiosity.

The consideration from a Bellato, who was more Bellato than the Bellato, was unfamiliar yet good.

Zeon smiled.

"I truly began to think that it would be good if my lady ruled the Bellato."

Viola's breath caught in her throat.

At least she had survived today.

It felt a bit excessive, but...

***

Zeon returned to his room and wrote a journal entry summarizing the day's events.

'She slapped me.'

At that moment.

I was startled.

How could such strength come from that small body...?

I understood what the Duke meant.

He said she was born with a killing instinct.

If I hadn't momentarily raised my mana to protect myself, my facial bones would have shattered.

It was not the strength of a child.

It was the strength of a knight who could skillfully manipulate mana.

[She was born with innate talent.]

[What's astonishing is that she has never received any formal training in mana manipulation.]

[In my personal opinion, her potential is on par with, or even surpasses, the First Princess.]

Zeon recalled another fact.

'In the first meeting with Prince Bizhen...

When she threw the quill, it was imbued with mana.

Bizhen also raised his mana to protect himself.

But Viola easily broke through that protection.

Because the quill she threw was imbued with mana.

He added a note.

[She was born with the purity and intensity of mana.]

[She was definitely born with a higher level of mana than Prince Bizhen.]

It seemed Viola herself was still unaware of this.