Chapter 25

I overdid it with the role of the adopted daughter, didn't I? Chapter 25: Duchess Isabella bit her lip. It was far beyond what she had expected. How should she put it? She felt as if she had been outdone. 'In such a short time, she figured everything out just from hearing the word '7th Lady'? ' Actually, Isabella had somewhat anticipated Viola's reaction. She thought Viola might stab the butler doll. But Viola's reaction far exceeded her expectations. 'She didn't stab the doll; she cut the strings. It was as if she knew everything.' And that wasn't the end of it. Viola even guessed the identity of the person controlling the doll at once. She figured it out with such accuracy. 'Unbelievable insight... She must have been born with it.' It was shocking. Moreover, Viola was only seven years old. 'The child is dangerous.' How could a seven-year-old display such behavior? Besides, Duke Heron had praised her, saying she was 'excellent.' That was the most shocking part. Duchess Isabella looked at the Duke. "For you to praise her..." "She did something praiseworthy." Silence fell again. Among the Duke's five children, only the First Lady occasionally heard praise from him. The Duke was usually stingy with his compliments. Yet, he praised her. And he did so in front of the entire family. It was significant. She might be the last to enter the succession race, but she would start from a position of advantage. The Duchess asked again, "Is the second question meaningless now?" "Do as you please. The two questions are your right." "Since you've already praised her, it seems meaningless." Ah, this can't end here. So, Viola took the lead. "The second question is obvious, isn't it?" After all, she knew the content from the novel. "Isn't it the question of why you wielded a weapon in front of the Duke and Duchess?" Viola always did her best. Once again, silence descended upon the banquet hall. Viola's words were accurate. Isabella was momentarily speechless. She hadn't expected the young lady to anticipate this much. 'What answer will she give to that question?' For some reason, she didn't want to ask. ***

"Enough." Heron said, his gaze not leaving Viola. This current appearance. It was truly a Bella-like demeanor. She didn't avoid Isabella's gaze even once. She showed no signs of being outmatched by Isabella; instead, she seemed to be ahead. She was more Bella-like than anyone, and her attitude and appearance deserved praise. 'But why...' Her mood wasn't good. Viola was showing a more Bella-like Bella. As Xenon had said, perhaps the child was showing an 'advanced Bella.' It was a good thing. Yet, strangely, it made her feel bad. 'Damn it!' The image of the child saying 'Damn it!' came to mind. The hand that had offered the eclairs. That child had looked at her with eyes full of affection today. 'Unwarranted affection. Blind goodwill towards me.' The Duke could read this. 'And it had been there for a very long time.' A Bella-like Bella. She still couldn't understand why such a thoroughly calculating child had such irrational affection. 'And the strangest thing is...' That blind and strange affection didn't make her feel bad. As the Duchess of Bella, she had never received such 'unwarranted affection.' Those who showed goodwill towards the Duke always had a reason, whatever it might be. But this child had no such reason. 'Even though she fears me, she likes me.' She didn't mind that. It was a novel feeling she had never experienced while ruling as the Duchess of Bella and the mistress of the Winter Castle. 'Why am I not... feeling bad?' The Duke maintained his expressionless face but reconsidered his thoughts. 'No. It's a blessing for Bella. Therefore, I am merely pleased. It has nothing to do with the inexplicable affection of my child.' Adopting a child who was more Bella-like than anyone else was a blessing for the Bella family. The Duke thought this rationally. The Duke's eyes grew deeper. Isabella read the depth in his eyes. She misunderstood his psychological state. 'You are so deeply satisfied.' If Viola were seventeen instead of seven, she might have caused a huge ripple in the succession structure. It was fortunate that she was only seven. Eventually, Heron spoke. "Bring the welcoming gift." Knock, knock. The sound of knocking came. A man with gray hair and a face full of scars. He was the head butler, Carlton. He bowed. "Head butler Carlton, at your service." In his right hand, he held a tray. On it were potion bottles containing liquids of different colors. There were five potions in total. The content of the novel came to mind. "The final test of the Duke's family was the ability to doubt and the resolve not to submit to authority." All five were poisons. Extremely lethal ones. Drinking any of them would result in death. In other words, she shouldn't drink anything. That was the original plan. The Duchess of Isabella said, "Here, Viola. I've prepared a gift for you to become my youngest daughter." "These liquids?" "They are potions made up of various highly beneficial elixirs for Viola's body." "Why should I drink such things?" In the original story, Viola dropped the entire tray on the ground. Then, with a menacing attitude, she said, "Why do I feel like I'm being tested?" "Considering that the Duke brought me here without even asking my opinion." In the original story, Viola emitted a fierce aura towards the Duke and caused a significant incident, leaving a strong impression. Han Ah-reum decided to take a wiser approach. She chuckled. "I think I understand what kind of behavior you expect from Viola Bella." Viola picked up a bottle containing a red liquid and deliberately dropped it to the ground. Clang! The potion bottle shattered with a loud noise. In the original story, Viola broke all of them, but Han Ah-reum's Viola only broke one. "Is this the kind of behavior you want?" The red liquid splattered everywhere. A few drops landed on Viola's feet. Ah, ouch, it's hot! Oh, it's burning! Viola barely maintained a calm expression. "They say that those who bear the name Bella must doubt everyone except themselves." The Duchess of Isabella nodded. "Good advice. Who told you that?" "My butler." "You have a good butler." Xenon, without much disturbance, knelt beside Viola and cleaned up the broken potion pieces and the liquid. His face was bowed, and his expression was hidden. In the meantime, he took out an ointment from his pocket and gently applied it to Viola's shin. His touch was incredibly delicate. Viola picked up a bottle containing a purple liquid. "But for some reason, this one... it smells nostalgic. It feels like it has a special story." Viola noticed. Duke Heron flinched slightly. Viola knew the reason. This purple potion was related to 'Lael,' the only woman Heron had ever loved. "Shall I open it once?" To survive in this world of the survival of the fittest, Viola decided to take a gamble. ***

"Fifteen years ago, after losing the only woman he ever loved, Duke Heron became so cold and mechanical." Duke Heron had a beloved woman. She died fifteen years ago. Although she never appeared in the story, Duke Heron often sat in a study bathed in blue moonlight, muttering her name alone. "Her name was Lael." She was an exceptionally talented alchemist and potion maker. She was also skilled in tea. Therefore, she was also called the 'Water Mage.' "On the day she passed away, Lael faintly smiled and muttered, 'My lonely one, I want to be with you forever.'" She died of a rare illness. "So she made the purple potion 'Viola.'" The character 'Viola' was named after this potion. Just before she passed away, she handed the potion 'Viola' to the Duke. "If you drink this, you will die too." "My lonely one, let's go to a warm place together." "Dying together will hurt less." Duke Heron, who loved Lael so much, almost drank the poison and committed suicide. The one who stopped him was the head butler, Carlton. 'Anyway, this is a world where no one is in their right mind.' A woman who offers poison to her husband to die together, and a husband who almost accepts it. Even more bizarrely, the husband named his adopted daughter after the poison. Nothing seems normal. The irrationality of this world became even clearer. Duke Heron asked, "What are you doing?" "I know it's poison." She shook the glass bottle. The liquid inside, resembling grape juice, swayed. "But for some reason, I want to try this one." Xenon whispered in her ear, "Lady? That's the most lethal of the five potions." "That's why." Viola smiled. Of course, inside, she felt like she was going to die. She decided to take a gamble, but that didn't make her feel at ease. "This calls to me. It's as if it contains the voice of a woman."