Chapter 2

I overdid the role of the adopted daughter 002. Two days have passed.

Viola bit her lip.

She even chewed on her nails.

"Why is this happening?"

Why can't I wake up from this dream?

Is this really a dream?

It's been two whole days.

No one has disturbed Viola during this time.

There must be some kind of magic on this wide, soft, white bed.

It feels so comfortable, as if my body will melt into it, but my heart feels uneasy.

She got up and walked to the desk.

She pulled out a chair and sat down.

Yingcha.

She was extremely short.

Sitting on the chair, her feet didn't even touch the ground.

'This is too vivid.'

At this point, Viola couldn't help but think of 'possession.'

'Am I possessed?'

And that too,

'In the body of the ten-thousand-killer Viola?'

She had possessed the protagonist who, after inheriting the title of Duke from her father, became the ten-thousand-killer.

Ten-thousand-killer (萬殺).

It means killing ten thousand people.

'This is absurd.'

No, this can't be.

I thought it was a dream.

How could I possibly think this bizarre phenomenon was real!

She pulled out her hair again.

'I am possessed.'

The bloodline.

The Iron-Blooded Duke's family.

I have become the adopted daughter of Bellato.

'If I become the female lead.'

I've imagined this many times, but I never thought it would actually happen.

It took two days and ten hours for Arin to accept it.

Arin, who lived in the 21st century, became Viola Bellato.

Sitting at the desk, she thought hard.

They say you can survive even in a tiger's den if you stay alert.

Huh.

She took a deep breath.

This place is where you must prove your worth at all costs.

The moment Bellato fails to act like a Bellato, she will be hunted by her siblings.

Or even purged.

As a reader, it was a thrilling and tense world.

But as a character, it was a nightmare.

'First, I need to make the Bellato psychos recognize me as Bellato.'

I need to survive and gain their recognition.

She chewed on her nails.

Then, I need to push the First Lady as the successor.

If Viola in the original story hadn't been so wicked, the First Lady would have smoothly taken the position of successor.

Once the successor is chosen, the war among the siblings will end.

Dangerous missions will disappear.

'Yes, I'll make the First Lady the Duke.'

I can't be exactly like the original Viola.

To be exactly like her, I would have to kill ten thousand people, which I can't do.

I don't want to kill, and I don't want to die.

Viola's expression became serious.

As a reader, Arin felt sorry for Viola.

She didn't want to be a lonely and pitiful ruler.

Fortunately, she had read this novel many times and even studied the setting notes on the author's blog.

'I will live differently.'

What's the point of a story where I end up alone?

She made a mental pledge and brainwashed herself.

'Yes, this is a fanfic I'm living out with my body.'

There's a catch that I might die if I mess up, but I fully accepted the possession.

Now, it's time to do my best. Half-heartedness won't help me survive in this Iron-Blooded Duke's family.

Viola, now Arin, didn't want to die.

In elementary school.

Young Arin once wanted to die.

'Did you know? Her mother is dead, and she doesn't have a father.'

'Really? How can that be?'

'She lives in an orphanage.'

Han Arin was an orphan and grew up in an orphanage.

The teachers were warm, but they couldn't replace her parents.

'Teacher, when will my father come to pick me up?'

Father said he would come after a hundred nights.

That was when she was five.

But even after a hundred nights, and two hundred nights, her father never came.

It wasn't until she became a middle school student that Arin realized.

'I was abandoned.'

Young Arin had no family.

She felt miserable.

Everyone else had parents, but she didn't.

The emptiness and despair made her feel sick of life.

At fifteen, Arin walked up to the school rooftop.

She climbed onto the railing.

Far below, the hard ground was visible.

And there, she realized.

'But I still want to live.'

She wanted to live.

It was okay even without a family that loved her.

When I grow up,

When I become a better adult, I can create people I love.

I won't abandon my family.

I won't create another child like me.

At fifteen, Arin made this promise.

Since then, Arin has always done her best.

She studied hard.

In high school, she made many friends and got into a good university.

The government even gave her a scholarship for her achievements.

On the day she got accepted into university,

Her friends genuinely congratulated her.

'You're amazing. I really congratulate you!'

'I always knew you could do anything, Arin!'

Arin was used to always doing her best.

In her second semester of her first year of college,

She did her best preparing for the midterm exams.

She fell asleep while studying hard in the library.

When she opened her eyes, she was in Viola's body.

Now, as Viola, Arin made another decision.

'At least here, there is a father figure.'

For the first time in her life, she had a family.

It seemed much better than having nothing.

At the same time, she felt a bit sad.

Heron Bellato was a zero, no, a minus one hundred as a father.

But Arin wasn't bothered.

Being forced into a cruel succession competition seemed better than being abandoned.

At least he was there.

'After reading the entire novel, I can understand Heron Bellato.'

At first, she thought Heron Bellato was just a madman.

But Heron had his reasons, and as a reader, Arin deeply empathized and understood him.

That's why he could be a favorite character, but there was more than just a father here.

There were people who, though not entirely sane, were still family.

People she had longed for.

The path was very, very long, but at least it existed.

'Yes, the mental breakdown is over!'

She decided to adapt to this world and, as always, do her best to survive.

She recalled the content of the novel.

"Carlton, what do you think is the probability that the child will survive in Bellato until adulthood?"

"I think it's less than 10%."

Viola didn't know.

That Carlton actually said this.

'I think it's less than 40%.

In the novel, it was 10%.

Now, in reality, it's 40%.

Viola continued to recall the content of the novel.

"Assign Zexion as a temporary butler."

"Understood."

She didn't know this part either.

In the novel, a temporary butler.

Now, in reality, a regular butler.

She didn't know.

That she was playing the role of the adopted daughter too well.

Arin closed her eyes and thought.

'Temporary butler Zexion.'

Zexion was an elite swordsman from a noble family.

Due to a certain incident, he massacred twenty first-class imperial knights in one place and sought refuge in Bellato.

'A constant tester and observer of Viola's abilities, and a capable butler.'

Zexion initially doesn't recognize Viola.

It's only in the middle of the story that he fully recognizes Viola and becomes her closest confidant.

She recalled Zexion's character.

Purple hair.

A handsome face with a kind expression.

A warm smile.

Always composed and dignified in his demeanor.

"However, he always observed Viola with eyes that were hard to read."

This was the description of Zexion.

Smart.

A knock came.

A gentle voice came from outside.

"Miss Viola, may I come in? I am Zexion, the newly assigned butler."

Viola doubted her ears.

'Huh?'

It was subtly different.

"Miss Viola, may I come in? I am Zexion, the newly assigned temporary butler."

He said 'butler' instead of 'temporary butler.'

Viola got up.

She walked to the door and opened it herself.

'Why is the doorknob so high?'

Is it because it's a fantasy world?

The doorknob was quite high.

Or maybe, the seven-year-old Viola's body was much smaller than a typical seven-year-old.

She had to stretch her arm and even stand on her tiptoes to reach the doorknob.

When she opened the door, she saw Zexion's face.

'Wow, he's tall.'

Just as described in the novel.

From the purple hair to the warm smile.

And the eyes that seemed somehow suspicious.

He smiled and asked.

His eyes were slightly narrowed.

"You opened the door yourself?"

"Yeah."

"From now on, just give the order. The butler opens the door, not the lady."

Viola smiled lightly.

Viola, by nature, was a character with a killer instinct.

Although it wasn't Arin's intention, Viola's eyes had a hint of menace.

"Are you lecturing me?"

She knew Zexion's character well.

She couldn't just let this slide.

Zexion was always testing Viola.

"Did you feel it was a lecture?"

"No?"

"No, I apologize."

Zexion quickly acknowledged his mistake.

He thought the lady opening the door herself was naive.

He relaxed a bit, but it seems he misjudged.

"The butler's role is to advise, not lecture. Remember that."

"I will remember."

The way to survive as Viola Bellato.

It was to maintain the image of Bellato.

To keep the dignity and authority of Bellato while making allies among the people around her.

The original Viola didn't lose her dignity and authority.

She suppressed people with fear and power, and ultimately lost everyone around her.

Viola said,

"In Bellato, I've heard that the butlers' roles are important."

The butlers in Bellato are deeply involved in the succession competition.

Butlers who helped a failed successor are purged or expelled.

Conversely, butlers who help a successful successor wield immense power.

"I wanted to see my butler's face myself."

"I see."

"By opening the door myself, I meant to convey that."

"I didn't realize that, I apologize."

Zexion knelt on one knee.

He met Viola's eyes.

Smiling.

Zexion gave a beautiful eye smile.

"My face is like this. I am truly pleased that Miss Viola is so perceptive."

"I like you too."

"Even though I made a big mistake?"

"Yeah."

As a reader, Arin had a deep understanding of this world.

How to win the hearts of the characters.

How to survive here excellently.

"Still, you can speak the truth to me. It's not Bellato-like for a lady to open the door herself.

You pointed out the problem well."

As a true reader of this work, she hit the core.

"The issue wasn't the content of your words, but your attitude."

Zexion stared at Viola's eyes for a while.

He was somewhat shocked.

Those words were correct.

'Those purple eyes... sometimes turn red, right?'

A very few people, born with a killer instinct, show such signs.

Born with a killer instinct.

But now, no such aura was felt.

It meant she was very good at concealing it.

'This lady has more excellent qualities than I thought.'

Viola said,

"Zexion, I will give you your first order."

Zexion inwardly chuckled.

Originally, he planned to introduce himself and briefly explain Bellato.

The current situation of Miss Viola.

What to do and what to achieve.

He intended to give a brief briefing.

On the first day. And in less than ten minutes.

He didn't expect to receive an official first order so soon.

It was far beyond his expectations.

Without any explanation, this young lady seemed to understand her role well.

Zexion smiled and replied,

"Yes, please give me the first order."

When he heard Viola's first order, Zexion had to doubt his own ears.