Chapter 60

I ended up playing the role of the adopted daughter too well 060. Viola's gaze turned to the thin blade of the sword.

She was startled, but did not show it.

'Blood smell!'

Her heart was pounding.

'No. Don't beat so hard, heart.'

Viola had to try hard to prevent the original character Viola from suddenly appearing.

So she couldn't pay much attention to the original character.

"You don't seem surprised."

"Do I have a reason to be surprised?"

In fact, Viola didn't know what she was saying at the moment.

She blurted out whatever came to mind while trying to maintain her composure.

She kept a straight face and counted one elephant, two elephants.

'It's a peaceful state now, Viola.'

If she suddenly appeared and slit the original's throat, it would ruin everything.

Just stay quiet for now.

I'll call you when I need you, please.

It seemed Viola's wish was heard, and her pounding heart gradually calmed down.

'Phew.'

Only then did she hear the voice clearly.

"What did you say?"

"I wanted to take revenge on my wife."

The viscount, with his cold eyes, looked at the sword dripping with blood and muttered softly.

By then, Viola was starting to feel a bit tense.

'What does he mean?'

He wanted to take revenge?

So he did take revenge?

What's with the blood-stained sword now?

'Could it be...?'

No, it can't be.

The viscount couldn't have killed his unfaithful wife.

He couldn't have done such a terrible thing.

'It can't be. According to the novel, it shouldn't be.'

According to the novel, it shouldn't be.

The author's settings have a significant influence in this world, don't they?

It shouldn't be, but the blood dripping from the sword kept catching her eye.

'No, it's not.'

She took a deep breath without anyone noticing.

If anyone, it should be Viscount Seal. He wouldn't do that.

"So, what kind of revenge did you want?"

Viola smiled with her eyes, hiding her trembling heart.

She looked calm and composed on the surface.

"Your revenge... was it your own death, a punishment for the viscountess?"

The viscount was momentarily speechless.

It felt as if the young princess had read his mind.

Her beautiful eyes seemed to thoroughly scrutinize his heart, giving him a chilling feeling.

"You must have understood after losing your son how painful it is to lose someone you love. So, you might have chosen your own death."

It must have been complicated.

Loving his wife but also hating her, wanting to forgive but unable to, and so he must have gone to war to protect his honor and died a glorious death.

Viola, who had read the novel, hit the nail on the head.

"Think about it seriously. Did you really want revenge?"

The viscount couldn't say anything to that.

He thought about it seriously.

Did I really want revenge?

Was I so angry at my wife that I just wanted to die?

"You look very confused."

The tip of the sword was visibly trembling.

The viscount himself seemed to not understand his own heart.

So she just told him.

"You didn't want revenge on your wife, but on yourself."

"…On me?"

"You must have been blaming yourself, thinking it was your fault that your wife cheated."

If I had loved her more.

If I had made her happier.

If I had made her more joyful.

If I had made her more entertained.

If I had, my wife wouldn't have cheated.

Deep inside Viscount Seal, these thoughts were rooted.

"Your love was not wrong. It's not your fault."

"…"

For a moment, the viscount felt his heart sink.

'Your love was not wrong.'

Perhaps Seal had most wanted to hear these words.

Viola's words were a great comfort.

"The one who made a mistake was the viscountess."

The viscountess was the one who made the mistake.

She acted inappropriately under the influence of the moment, doing something she shouldn't have as a spouse.

"Remember that the one who betrayed the responsibilities and duties of marriage was not you, but the viscountess."

"But…"

"Still, you can't punish her."

Seal is that kind of character.

He loved his wife so much that he committed suicide.

"You can't even drive her away."

Because.

"You love your wife too much."

The viscount dropped his sword.

Blood dripped from his palm, which he had cut with the sword.

It seemed to be quite a deep wound, as the bleeding hadn't stopped.

A few hours earlier.

The viscount had shouted.

'I can't forgive you!'

He knew, but he couldn't bear to hear the confession.

He lost his mind and cut his palm with the sword he had at his waist.

The viscountess screamed and didn't know what to do.

That was the viscount's revenge.

Hurting himself.

That was the maximum revenge a husband who still loved his wife could do.

"I told you everything as you guessed."

"Why? I would have preferred not to hear anything from my wife."

"Because facing the truth is necessary to move forward."

Viola picked up the fallen sword.

She held it with both hands and handed it back to the viscount.

"I know you can't forgive her right away. It will take time."

The betrayal must have been as great as the love.

I understand that feeling very well.

"Don't blame yourself. The viscountess made the mistake. She confessed her mistake to you and bravely asked for forgiveness."

"Now the choice is yours. Whether to forgive or not."

"I…"

Viola took the sword he handed her.

She met Viola's eyes.

In Viola's eyes, at just twelve years old, there was a strong aura.

A firm resolve that wouldn't waver by anything, or a strong confidence.

Seeing those eyes, he felt his heart ease.

"I will forgive her."

Viola was right.

It was too difficult to punish or drive away his wife, whom he loved so much.

"I swear I won't reveal this unpleasant matter to anyone. Your honor will not be tarnished. I swear by the name of Bellato."

"Swear by the name of Bellato…?"

"You now have a weakness of mine."

She deliberately gave him a weakness.

A promise not to spread the news.

The viscount was deeply moved by that promise.

I don't understand why Viola is doing so much for me.

"What do you want? Why are you doing so much for me?"

"I hope the viscount and viscountess can move forward on a bright path."

It has to be this way.

This way, the child in my belly can grow up in a peaceful environment and become my insurance!

She hid that dark intention.

"Have you heard? The viscountess's child is expected to have exceptional magical talent."

"Is that so?"

"Of course, it's not certain. This is just a matter of smell and intuition."

No, it's certain.

It's mentioned in the novel.

He actually becomes a powerful enemy threatening Bellato.

She swallowed that statement.

"I see. You want to… invest in the viscountess's child, despite the uncertainty."

The viscount dislikes and resents the child.

But on the other hand, it is also his wife's child.

He couldn't love it, but he felt he might.

A complex and indescribable emotion dominated his entire body.

"My name is Viola Bellato."

Viola stood up and looked down at the viscount, who was kneeling.

Now she had to speak as Bellato.

"I, Viola Bellato, wish to become the guardian of the newly born child."

*

Viola sprawled out on the bed.

'I've achieved everything!'

She had accomplished everything she aimed for here.

She prevented the war between the Bellato and Seal families and eliminated all the terrible situations.

Now, Bengas wouldn't be born, and she even secured the position of his guardian.

The viscount even said this.

'I will consider Princess Viola as my mentor.

Thanks to Viola's actions, my wife confessed her sins.

'It will take some time, but we have a direction. We can move in the right direction.'

'As long as we have the right direction, it's okay to go slowly.'

As long as the direction is right, even if it's a bit slow, we'll eventually be on the right path.

'I think I can maintain a close friendship with the Seals.'

Starting with Hixon, she had made the jackals of the Storm Fortress and Viscount Seal her allies.

It seemed she had achieved everything she could here.

Zeon brought her a strawberry ade.

"Delicious."

"Hasn't your skill improved lately?"

"It has."

"Changing the paralyzing poison to a lethal one made the taste smoother."

Choke!

Viola almost spat out the strawberry ade.

The taste had changed subtly, and he had used lethal poison instead of paralyzing poison.

"Next time, I'll increase the amount, Princess."

Zeon smiled.

He looked very happy.

Then he stared at Viola for a long time with eyes that seemed to be observing her.

"This is a highly toxic poison that can kill an elephant, but you seem unaffected, Princess."

A day passed.

Perhaps due to the lethal poison, Viola had a slight stomachache.

"Phew! Viola, of all people, having a stomachache."

Hixon laughed heartily.

"Stomachache! Oh, oh, stomach! Even the great Viola gets a stomachache! You're like a child in such moments."

Zeon smiled.

"Our princess even gets stomachaches."

Hixon laughed for a while and then went out, returning covered in dirt.

It was a strange herb that looked like a bellflower.

"This will neutralize the poison you ate. It will calm your stomach."

Zeon's eyes widened.

"Isn't this the root of the Onneul grass?"

"Yep."

"It's extremely hard to find and…"

"Enough. I just picked it up on the way."

Viola also knew about the Onneul grass.

It was not only rare but also a plant that could cause hypothermia and death by taking away the heat of the person who picked it.

So, the Onneul grass was also known as a carnivorous plant.

It was definitely not something you could just pick up on the way.

"Here. I've removed the toxicity, so eat it."

Hixon roughly put the root of the Onneul grass into Viola's mouth.

Viola frowned.

"It tastes bad."

"Things that are good for you usually do."

Viola's sharp eyes noticed Hixon's hand trembling slightly.

He was pretending to be fine, but he seemed a bit cold from the heat he lost while picking the Onneul grass.

'I should pretend not to notice, right?'

If I acted like I knew, it would be awkward.

"Next time, bring something that tastes good."

"Will you throw a tantrum if I bring something good?"

Hixon acted gruffly but didn't get up until he confirmed that Viola was feeling better.

"Uncle, where are you going?"

"To apologize to that viscount."

Hixon, who had tormented young Seal a lot, said he wanted to apologize for his immature actions.

"Control your temper and sincerely ask for forgiveness until he accepts it."

"I will."

"Apologizing to make yourself feel better isn't an apology. It's an apology when the other person forgives you. Got it?"

"Hey, you old man. Got it!"

Hixon waved his hand dismissively and left.

And that evening.

An incident that shook the viscount's territory occurred.