Chapter 32

I ended up playing the role of the adopted daughter a bit too well. Chapter 32: It felt as if Hera was seeing through to my true self, Hanarin.

It felt as if the sharp eyes of a snake were scanning my entire body.

"It's going to be really hard to hide the madness just before it erupts."

"…Huh?"

"In fact, you want to go wild, don't you?"

Me?

"Do you not want to dance with the sword more savagely, to sing the song of poison?"

"………."

Wait, hold on.

Me?

Hera interpreted Viola's silence differently.

She thought it was tacit agreement.

"You're doing a good job of holding back."

"True. Someone who excessively thirsts for blood is not a Bellator but just a murderer."

A Bellator and a murderer are different.

A murderer is just a criminal, but a Bellator is a ruler.

A ruler must act like a ruler.

In that aspect, Viola was qualified.

She was controlling her madness and acting like a ruler.

Uncontrollable madness leads to destruction, but controllable madness is a necessary virtue of a true Bellator.

"Xeon reported this, right? That you also possess the rationality to control your madness."

"How did you know?"

"The butlers shared that information."

Hera nodded.

"I was also curious if Xeon gave you an overly generous score."

"What do you think now that you've seen me in person?"

"It was an accurate score."

Hera's expression relaxed.

"I like you, Viola."

Viola was slightly taken aback.

It felt like things had progressed too quickly.

Hera reached out and stroked Viola's cheek.

"Your face is also to my taste."

At this point, Viola was rather bewildered.

'No, this isn't right.'

She needed to regain her composure.

It felt like the initiative had shifted to Hera.

Hera is clever.

She was definitely testing her while pretending to fully accept her.

'Hera wants an absolute ruler.'

Hera wanted a strong, absolute ruler who could protect her perfectly.

In any case, the real absolute rulers would be the eldest sister and the second brother.

That was their responsibility.

For now, she just needed to show the appearance of an absolute ruler.

Viola slapped Hera's hand away.

Then she brushed Hera's hair back.

"My pretty sister."

Viola's fierce gaze met Hera's eyes.

Hera involuntarily swallowed hard.

The hand that was brushing her hair back felt like it could dig into her neck at any moment, giving her a strange sense of fear.

Of course, Viola didn't intend to go that far.

She was just imitating what the original Viola would do.

She didn't know it would evoke such a sense of fear.

Viola said,

"Don't cross the line."

"I'm the one choosing you."

Her voice was filled with a murderous aura.

The inherent murderous aura of Viola's true self.

Hera was startled.

Though her body was very weak, she had a natural ability to sense murderous intent.

'What is this overwhelming murderous aura?'

It felt like it could kill someone just with its intensity.

'I can sense powerful mana.'

She could feel an immense wave of mana.

However, Viola, the source of the murderous intent and mana, was completely unaware of them.

"You're not the one choosing me."

"Do you understand?"

"If you understand, nod."

Hera nodded slightly.

She glanced up at Viola.

Viola's appearance was what Hera had always admired.

She possessed both strength and wisdom, and never shrank from anyone.

The attitude and posture of a true ruler.

The innate talent to support such an attitude and posture.

And the cunning and strategy to hide herself.

Viola exuded all of these qualities.

Hera felt a tightness in her chest.

'Breathing is difficult.'

This was the presence of the character Viola, even though Viola herself was unaware of it.

Meanwhile, Viola was secretly observing.

'This should be enough, right?'

Imitating the original Viola wasn't easy.

It felt like wearing clothes that didn't fit.

It was a bit awkward.

'Today... me?'

Today's performance seemed a bit awkward.

Putting aside a bit of worry, she smiled.

"We can be good sisters."

"I think so too."

Hera's eyes narrowed slightly.

'You are definitely lacking compared to the eldest sister and the second brother. For now, at least.'

You're still too young.

You have no foundation of influence.

You can't even rely on your maternal family.

The gap between you and the eldest and second has already widened too much.

However, there was one difference.

'You're only seven years old.'

The eldest and second weren't this way at seven. She saw great potential in her growth.

Her potential was immense.

'To be able to make someone unable to breathe just with murderous intent.'

How strong would she become if she grew up properly?

But Viola added one more thing.

"I want us to be good family to each other."

Hera was momentarily speechless.

Those words were warm.

They showed warmth without being submissive.

She didn't seem thirsty for affection or lonely.

'What?'

"I want us to be good family."

'Rich sister. I'll really do well.'

'Let's be close!'

"Warm, Viola."

Viola didn't let her guard down, and neither did Hera.

The clever Hera interpreted Viola's warmth in her own way.

'There must be a sharp thorn hidden in that warm tone.'

What does 'good family' mean to a Bellator?

It's a very different concept from the general idea of 'family'.

A 'good family' to a Bellator means being able to use each other.

A good family is someone who can maximize benefits by leveraging each other's strengths.

Viola's words were hinting at this.

'I like that warmth.'

Hera couldn't help but smile.

Viola felt that this expression was somewhat ominous.

The next day.

Hera came again.

"I have a place I want to go with you. Is that okay?"

"A place?"

Hera lowered her voice and continued.

"Yes. I want to create a secret just between us."

***

The novel contains this expression:

"A clever rabbit digs three burrows."

The clever rabbit referred to Hera.

Hera had long been aware of her physical limitations and had prepared various contingency plans.

"The 'Terra Caravan' located at the crossroads of the seasons was one of them."

The fourth princess, Hera, had long realized that ice, common in the Winter City, was highly valued in the southern regions.

"To transport ice without melting, magic power was essential."

The fourth princess, Hera, mobilized a mage to establish the Terra Caravan.

This happened when she was nine years old.

Viola recalled the original content and fell into thought.

The place Hera wanted to go together was the 'Terra Caravan'.

That was fine, but there was a problem.

'You and me. I want to create a secret just between us.'

'Secret?'

'A secret even from the butler. I want to go there alone with you and show you the power I've been secretly cultivating.'

'Even the butler doesn't know?'

"Yes. It's a secret. It's a caravan I've been secretly growing."

'What about Father?'

"Father doesn't know either."

'Why keep it a secret?'

"An invisible blade is more terrifying than a visible one."

Originally, Viola and Hera don't become close.

This content wasn't in the original.

Hanarin had to resolve this situation on her own without the help of the original.

This was the problem.

'It can't be a secret from the butler.'

The butler couldn't possibly not know.

And the father couldn't possibly not know what was happening in the Winter City.

Yet, she said she didn't know.

'Father doesn't know? About what's happening in the Winter City?'

It's a lie.

There's no way.

So, the answer was one.

'She's lying to me.'

Then, this must be a test for Viola.

What kind of test?

Could it be a scheme?

A sinister scheme couldn't be ruled out.

'In a world where backstabbing is the norm.'

Viola decided to prepare in her own way.

*

She examined the note Hera left.

[3:18 PM. I will leave through the west gate.

Viola, you leave through the south gate 40 minutes later. Meet at the crossroads of the seasons.

You must come alone.]

Viola left the mansion alone.

No one stopped a seven-year-old noble from moving around alone.

'Is it really this easy to let me go alone?'

Without a butler.

'Hera must have arranged it in advance.'

She probably had the gatekeepers prepared.

In the story, Hera had the ability to do that.

'Shall I go?'

She took a step.

The crossroads of the seasons,

the third-largest intersection in the Winter City.

A bustling area with people and goods moving about, and numerous buildings lining the main street.

However, behind this bustling area, there were complex alleys like a spider's web.

The main street was glamorous, but the side streets were rundown.

The crossroads of the seasons was one of the places where the wealth gap in the Winter City was most evident.

'According to the map...'

This way.

She followed the map.

'Turn left.'

Far ahead,

a shabby tavern was visible.

[Full Moon.]

It didn't seem to be open for business yet since it was still daytime.

'Walk past the Full Moon and turn into the second alley on the right.

The description said a two-story building would be there.

But there was no building.

'There's no building?'

It was