Chapter 59

I overdid it with the role of the adopted daughter, Chapter 059

“I also know that the child’s father is not Lord Seal.”

The moment she heard this, Lady Ilail felt as if the world had turned yellow.

In reality, Viola did not smile, but in Lady Ilail’s mind, Viola was smiling.

It was a very bitter smile.

‘I need to stay calm.’

She hid her trembling hands and smiled lightly.

“I often make such clumsy actions. My husband finds even these endearing.”

It was as if dropping the fork was nothing.

The lady wiped her lips with a napkin.

“I was curious about why Lady Viola wanted a private meeting with me. Could it be that the reason was so immature?”

In Ilail’s mind, Viola was just Bella’s ‘Iron-Blooded Lady.’

A cold-blooded and cruel lady of Bella, who had earned the name Iron-Blooded at the mere age of twelve, an unparalleled genius and a girl who embodied more ‘Bella-ness’ than anyone else.

‘I must not let her find any weakness.’

Otherwise, it would be difficult for the rest of her life.

She might have to live in fear for the rest of her life.

“Lady Viola, you are making a huge mistake right now. Do you intend to tarnish my honor?”

She needed to press harder.

The best defense for Lady Ilail right now was an attack.

“I plan to bring this issue to public attention.”

“Really?”

“Yes. This is not just an insult to me but also a mockery of the Seal family.”

Viola pretended to cut her steak calmly.

She had already faced many such situations.

Dealing with her father, who was the ultimate figure in this world, made Lady Ilail seem relatively easy.

“I have a very good dog.”

“A dog?”

“The world calls it a companion sword.”

“Oh.”

Companion sword.

Lady Ilail also knew this name.

“The Iron-Blooded Lady took in a person five years ago and raised him as a confidant, known to be the only disciple of Sir Hixon, isn’t that right?”

“Yes. But why did I choose a person as a dog?”

“Is that relevant to the topic at hand? I’m talking about the insult and mockery you’ve brought upon me and the Seal family.”

“Because it has an excellent sense of smell.”

While she had only learned about this ability yesterday, it provided a convenient excuse.

“You’ve never heard of it. It has been kept a strict secret.”

“I’m not interested in Lady Viola’s secrets. I don’t want to know. I just want an explanation for the insult.”

Viola shrugged.

She looked incredibly calm.

On the other hand, Lady Ilail sensed a vague foreboding in that calm demeanor.

‘Does she really know something?’

She was desperately trying to appear calm, but inside, she was burning with anxiety.

She didn’t expect such calmness and pressure from a twelve-year-old girl.

She thought the rumors about Viola Bella were somewhat exaggerated, but they weren’t at all.

“My dog can smell people. Each person has a unique scent of mana.”

Viola smiled.

“However, the lady’s body has the scent of two people. That’s how I knew you were pregnant.”

The lady nodded.

She decided to admit the pregnancy.

She judged that hiding it further was meaningless.

“Yes, I am pregnant. Then, shouldn’t Lady Viola have congratulated me instead of insulting me?”

“But interestingly, the scent of another person is mixed in, too.”

This was a lie.

Han Arin, who had read the novel, knew this.

“Why does the scent of another man mix with the child in your womb?”

“Don’t confuse my mind with baseless slander.”

The lady stood up, indicating she had heard enough.

“Our pleasant meal ends here. Next time, I fear we will meet in an unpleasant setting, with unpleasant faces.”

“Why does the child’s mana feel so pure?”

The lady, who was walking out, stopped abruptly.

“The child’s father must have had abundant innate mana. However, it doesn’t seem to be a warrior’s mana. His status wasn’t low either. Should I say his name? Or should I stop here?”

“The father came down from a high mountain, didn’t he? He whispered sweet and tender words of love.”

Viola knew the name.

Sephon Louis Barton, the second son of the Louis Barton family.

The second son of the Louis Barton family, located in the Parah Basin at the top of the rugged Parah Mountain.

Lady Ilail almost collapsed, her legs giving out.

‘She knows everything.’

That night was a mistake.

That night, the fireworks were beautiful, the moon was lovely, and people’s smiles were pleasant.

The wine was especially sweet that night, and the night breeze felt good.

‘What should I say…?’

Her mind went blank.

Viola’s voice echoed.

“It was a mistake, wasn’t it?”

She recited it as she had read in the novel.

“That night, the fireworks were beautiful.

The moon was unusually blue.”

“Stop.”

“The people’s smiles made you feel good.”

“Stop it.”

“The wine was especially sweet that night, and the night breeze by the river…”

“Stop!”

The lady covered her face.

‘She knows everything. She really knows everything.’

The Iron-Blooded Lady knew everything.

She knew everything and came here to shake her by finding her weakness.

With the blood of a demon and the tongue of a snake.

Her hands and feet trembled.

“What do you want from me?

Why are you threatening me?

What grudge do you have against me?”

The lady collapsed into her seat and began to sob.

“That night was a mistake.”

It was a mistake, and she thought no one had found out.

She returned to her daily life and maintained her position.

She promised never to do it again.

She vowed not to make foolish actions under the influence of the atmosphere and repented.

“Even if it was a mistake, it was still wrong. I met Lord Seal, and he was a man worthy of respect. He valued honor and was upright.”

The lady agreed.

Born into a fallen noble family, she had grown to this level.

While she couldn’t become a high-ranking noble due to her birth, the Seal family was one of the solid noble families.

Lord Seal was excellent as a man and affectionate as a husband.

“There is no one for me but you, my lady.”

“I truly love you.”

He always confessed his love in plain, simple words.

He stood beside her like a towering tree, always dependable.

The lord was always reliable and steadfast.

However, he was a bit boring.

So that night, she was unknowingly captivated by an interesting person.

“I want to toast to your eyes tonight.

‘Let’s forget everything and enjoy the stars together.’”

Viola looked at the desperate lady.

The seeds were sown.

Now it was time to harvest.

“I don’t intend to threaten you.”

...Liar.

“I swear by Bella’s name.”

At this, the sobbing lady looked up at Viola.

“By Bella’s name?”

“It’s a forbidden act. Swearing by Bella’s name is only allowed for the head of the family.”

Viola shrugged.

“So if you say anything, I’ll be cut off as a successor candidate. A rash person is not fit to be a successor.”

“...”

“We are now holding each other’s weaknesses. Do you believe me now? I believe you understand how important the position of Bella’s successor is to me.”

Of course, it was a lie.

She had no interest in the position of Bella’s successor.

The successor was Medea.

Viola had decided this in her heart.

However, to Ilail, Viola’s words were quite convincing.

“What situation is this if it’s not a threat?”

“I want to be friends with you.”

“Friends?”

“The child in your womb has the talent to become a great mage. An incredible talent.”

This child will become a great mage in the future.

He is also one of the main antagonists who will torment Viola and Bella in the later part of the novel.

I don’t want such a villain to be born.

“I need power. So this is an investment for me.”

“An investment...?”

Lady Ilail felt relieved.

This was much more reassuring.

The idea of an investment for the future was more convincing than the abstract concept of friendship.

‘Lady Viola is the Iron-Blooded Lady who will do anything to achieve her goals.’

That’s why she was having this conversation.

An adopted daughter who couldn’t rely on her maternal family.

A daughter with outstanding abilities but lacking external support, expanding her power.

“Specifically, I want to invest in the child in your womb. It would be wonderful if he could help me when he grows up.”

Viola stared at the lady for a long time before speaking.

“I said Lord Seal was a smart man.”

“Yes.”

“Do you think so too?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then, could he really know nothing?”

The lady’s body twitched again.

Her heart sank.

“I know. He truly loves you, Lady Ilail.”

“Would such a man think of advancing to his death for the sake of his child’s honor and the family’s honor, leaving behind the person he loves most in the world? Knowing how sad you would be?”

This was a part that Han Arin, the reader, found heartbreaking.

The lord had his own reasons.

He was a noble who valued honor, but he wasn’t cruel enough to decide to die, leaving behind his beloved wife.

If he hadn’t known about his wife’s infidelity, he might not have chosen death.