Chapter 33: Overacting the Role of an Adopted Daughter

"My name is Viola Bellato. I turned seven this year."

This simple greeting contained a serious warning.

First, she revealed that she was Bellato.

"B-Bellato?"

"Did you say Bellato?"

Viola inwardly chuckled.

'You approached me without knowing I was Bellato?'

They were likely mercenaries hired by Hera.

They seemed to have taken the job without knowing who they were dealing with.

'Well, a sane mercenary wouldn't take on a job like this.'

A mission to kidnap a child.

These were the kind of people who would kidnap a helpless young girl from a fallen noble family and sell her into slavery.

They couldn't be proper mercenaries.

They must have committed countless atrocities.

That's why they accepted this mission without a second thought, without any caution or worry.

The masked men, momentarily taken aback, soon burst out laughing.

"You're Bellato?"

"Is Bellato wandering around such a remote place without any guards? Hahaha!"

"Ha, as if Bellato would be here!"

They didn't believe Viola's words.

"First, I revealed that I am Bellato, and second, I revealed that I am seven years old."

"What on earth gives this girl the nerve to be so bold?"

The masked men approached, chuckling.

"In this place, the Winter Castle, under the strict orders of Duke Heron, all children under ten are protected. And yet, you threaten me with weapons."

She muttered softly.

"Scum."

Though she was certain they were scum, she asked just in case.

"How many children have you kidnapped and sold into slavery?"

"Over twenty, at least."

They said it as if it were a badge of honor.

"No, sir. Didn't we have a big haul last time? Over thirty."

"Oh, right."

To them, kidnapping and selling slaves were things to be proud of.

She chuckled.

"Especially kids like you, who look so innocent, fetch a high price."

Viola extended her hand.

"Xeon, clean water."

Something stirred from Viola's shadow.

The masked men were startled.

The ability to completely hide one's presence in the shadows.

It was a realm the masked men could never achieve.

"Here it is."

Viola took the water bottle, poured some water into her palm, and cleaned her ears.

"Because I heard such filthy words."

"You, you, what are you!?"

The masked men aimed their weapons at Xeon.

Xeon smiled.

The leader among the four men tilted his head.

"Huh?"

He didn't see anything.

He felt a slight dizziness.

Thud.

His body collapsed.

No one could move.

They were all poisoned. Their bodies and mouths were paralyzed.

They turned as stiff as statues.

"The one who fell is dead from a deadly poison. The other three are paralyzed. I'll give you a choice."

Xeon continued with a smile.

"In an hour, he will be dead anyway."

"You have one hour to take him out of the Winter Castle. If you do, I'll spare the other three."

Killing inside the Winter Castle is forbidden.

So, if someone dies inside, things get complicated.

"I'll start counting from ten. When I finish, your paralysis will be lifted. 10. 9..."

When he finished counting.

Xeon snapped his fingers.

The paralysis lifted as if by magic.

"Choose. Do you want to die together from the deadly poison, or do you want only one to die?"

"I, I, I'll go."

"You have one hour."

"Ah, I understand."

They lifted the fallen man.

The other three started running.

Viola smiled and said.

"Sister, if you don't come out right now, I'll kill everyone in the Terra Guild."

She thought for a moment.

But Viola had to adapt to this world.

Empty threats have no power.

She hardened her heart.

"And Xeon, kill them all the moment they leave the Winter Castle."

*** The door to 'Moonlit Night' opened again.

The sound of a wheelchair rolling could be heard.

A silver-haired girl sat in the wheelchair, pushing herself closer with her slender arms.

"You promised not to bring the butler."

"You also didn't mention bringing these scum."

"I didn't bring them. I just let it slip that a fallen noble's daughter would be here."

Viola chuckled.

She said something she didn't mean.

"You should be grateful I brought the butler, sister."

"Why?"

Viola, mimicking the original Viola, looked at Xeon.

"If I hadn't brought the butler..."

She grinned.

"I would have killed them all."

If Bellato's pureblood committed murder inside the Winter Castle, it would be a big deal.

The investigation team from the Duke's castle would thoroughly investigate the incident.

"I announced that I am Bellato and that I am seven years old.

Despite that, they threatened me, and I would have killed them all. It would have been self-defense."

Viola wanted to cry.

'Damn! I messed up the pronunciation again!'

Fortunately, Hera didn't notice.

"I also bear some responsibility, but who would suffer the most? The one who committed such a dirty and despicable act, not fitting of Bellato, would suffer the most. Wouldn't your position become even more precarious? I might even receive praise."

Hera was momentarily speechless.

Viola stood in front of Hera, making eye contact.

"I thought highly of you, sister. I still do."

The original Viola hates being betrayed.

She considers schemes and cunning to be despicable.

But Han Arin was different.

Hera was doing her best, and Han Arin was one of the readers who supported Hera.

"That's why I'm sparing you."

One of the masked men, making eye contact with Viola, flinched.

He couldn't understand how a seven-year-old could have such a menacing gaze.

Those eyes were definitely the eyes of someone who had killed before.

She seemed to be a different species, born differently.

Though young now, she felt like she would become a killer if she grew up a bit more.

"Sister, why did you lie to me?"

"Since you brought the butler, how about we call it even?"

Viola chuckled.

"Sure, let's call it even."

She felt a bit relieved.

'Luckily, I was a reader.'

If she had come here without knowing anything, she would have been greatly surprised.

"I'll push you."

Viola walked behind Hera.

Xeon approached.

"I'll push you, Lady."

"It's fine. She's my sister."

Hera flinched.

'It's fine. She's my sister.'

Those words didn't sound bad at all.

Viola's current demeanor seemed different from her earlier one.

'No, it's not different.

If Viola had shown any signs of panic or naivety, those words wouldn't have sounded warm.

'They would have sounded pitiful.'

Because of the way Viola had acted.

Because she had already proven her talent as a ruler.

That's why it sounded warm.

The same words can sound completely different depending on who says them.

Viola pushed the wheelchair.

"So, where is the real Terra Guild?"

***

Hera and Viola had a conversation.

There was a particularly interesting part.

Viola said,

"Of course, money is the best."

"Money?"

"People need money. With money, you can make even ghosts work."

"Uninhibited."

Hera chuckled.

"Viola, you're a duchess's daughter now."

"I know."

"But is it okay to use such vulgar words? Saying money is the best."

"Do you dislike money, sister?"

There was no way she would.

In the future, Hera would become a great merchant.

She would achieve great success with her wisdom and skills.

Viola knew Hera well.

"Since I was young, I've thought about this."

"Why can't we nobles talk about how much we love money?"

"What's the point of such pretense?"

Hera answered honestly.

"No, I like it."

"Then you're vulgar too?"

"Maybe."

A faint smile appeared on Hera's lips.

"You're really unique."

"I know."

There were many crazy people in this world.

But no one was as unique as a reincarnated person.

Viola thought.

"Do you know why nobles don't talk about how much they love money?"

"Why?"

"Because they're fat pigs. They've never been hungry, so they pretend to be noble."

Suddenly, Hera burst out laughing.

Viola felt a ray of light in her heart.

There was a setting in the original story.

"Hera would laugh with a 'kick!' sound when talking to someone she really liked."

Her heart felt a bit lighter.

Hera was opening up.

Viola smiled secretly.

'It's done.

This sister.

She'll definitely be on my side now.

So, I decided to adapt the lines from the original story and launch a carpet bombing for Hera.

'Here I come, rich girl sister!'

There was also this content in the novel.

"Wanting to make money is not a vulgar mindset; it's an outdated way of thinking."

"So, when someone says they want to make money, they just spout vulgar nonsense."

"Do you think it's vulgar?"

"Money is precious."

Han Arin, who had lived in capitalist South Korea, knew this well. Money is important.

"Having money doesn't necessarily make you happy, right?"

"True."

This applied to Viola too.

She became the adopted daughter of a silver spoon, but she couldn't be happy.

Competing with her real brother for survival.

Kidnapping the main character.

Being threatened by masked men.

"You can be unhappy even with money. But do you know what it's like to be without money?"

"What's