Chapter 64

I ended up playing the role of the adopted daughter too well. Chapter 64: Tundra's eyes widened and he jumped up.

"No!"

His voice echoed loudly.

His shout even contained a small amount of mana.

Hixon slapped the back of Tundra's head.

"Why are you shouting and going crazy?"

"Ah..."

Tundra, who had suddenly come to his senses, looked in the direction from which the voice had come.

So, we're friends now.

With those words, Jermi and Viola were holding hands.

To be precise, they were shaking hands, but to Tundra, it looked like they were holding hands.

He felt very bad.

He asked Hixon as if challenging him.

"Master, aren't you upset?"

"About what?"

"Lord Jermi is going to be friends with Lady Viola."

"Viola accepted it, didn't she?"

Tundra somehow didn't like it.

He felt it instinctively.

Viola was uncomfortable with Jermi.

That's why he didn't like Jermi.

"Viola, can I borrow you for a moment?"

"Why?"

"There's a place I want to take you."

"Where?"

"I won't tell you. Anyway, I've thought of a way to make this guy stronger."

Tundra actually wanted to refuse.

He didn't want to be separated from Viola for a moment.

He thought it was only natural as a pet dog.

'Become stronger?'

During the duel with Jermi, he felt it again.

I'm still far behind.

I'm growing quickly, but it's still not enough.

He thought that if he had won overwhelmingly, Viola wouldn't have become friends with Jermi.

"Viola, do you want to go?"

No.

I want to stay by your side, my lady.

But he hid his true feelings.

Because he needed to become stronger.

"I'll be back."

"Okay, then. Come back soon."

This scene was also unfamiliar to Jermi.

The Jermi he knew was someone who ruled and gave orders.

'He calls me a dog...'

Yet, it seemed Jermi was considerate of Tundra.

He asked Tundra first and did what Tundra wanted.

'He just calls me a dog, but in fact, he's like my closest friend.'

Viola spoke informally.

"Departure is at 9 AM tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"Sure, that's fine. I'll wait in front of the viscount's main gate."

Seeing Jermi conversing informally, Tundra growled low again.

***

That night.

Tundra went to the inn where Jermi was staying.

Instead of staying in a comfortable suite provided by the viscount, Jermi was resting in a shabby inn room.

"Why are you staying in such a place?"

Jermi shrugged.

"What's wrong with this place?"

"It's shabby, old, and dilapidated."

Jermi smiled.

"Most people live in places like this. Don't tell me you've forgotten?"

Tundra had lived in much worse conditions.

He lived in a shack made of logs in a remote mountain village with no infrastructure.

The security was poor, and food was scarce.

He had forgotten.

Because life with Viola was so abundant.

Living in the well-equipped mansion of a duke, he had forgotten about his past.

"When you look down from a high place, you can't empathize with the many people below."

"Anyone with power should have the right perspective to match that power."

"Why are you suddenly lecturing me?"

"Because you want to be by Viola's side."

Tundra was momentarily speechless.

He didn't understand what Jermi was saying.

So he just listened silently.

"Viola is a ruler. She was born to rule. And she is someone who fits that role perfectly. Viola must act that way."

Jermi read Viola's ambition.

Viola was an ambitious woman who wanted to swallow up Bellato.

She would surely become the absolute ruler of Bellato someday.

That's what Jermi understood about Viola.

"So you need to fill in the gaps for her. From a low place, with a low perspective, empathizing and approaching the people."

"..."

"That's the Viola I see."

She was a person with immense ambition and a desire to rule, but also a warm person.

Just her ambition was so great that she couldn't take care of the warmth.

"She is a warm person. But she can't afford to be warm. She will hide her warmth behind a mask. From everyone. So, you should take on the role of being warm."

...I appreciate the advice."

"So why did you come to me?"

"To warn you."

"Warn? About what?"

"What's your intention in getting so close to Lady Viola?"

"What intention? I just want to be friends."

"Even at the cost of your own loss?"

From Tundra's perspective, Jermi was taking a loss.

Giving up the priority to the rewards from the ruins he had found.

Tundra found it hard to understand why he made such a choice.

"Is it wrong to take a loss?"

"...What?"

"I have a good impression of Viola."

It was more of a personal liking rather than a rational one.

The feeling of seeing someone interesting and fun.

"If I like someone, isn't it okay to take a loss for them?"

"If your intention is really that, then yes."

But Tundra didn't fully trust Jermi.

There were many bad rumors about Lord Jermi.

Despite his behavior, there were rumors that he had toyed with many noble daughters.

Rumors that couldn't be avoided due to his handsome appearance.

"If you do anything wrong to Lady Viola, even a little, I will cut off your head."

"Isn't that a bit much?"

Jermi tilted his head.

He seemed more genuinely curious than offended.

"If you're going to be a loyal servant, be loyal to the role. You're being obsessive."

"I think you're misunderstanding my role."

I don't intend to be a loyal servant.

"My dream is to be a pet dog, not a servant."

"Is that really true?"

"Of course."

Jermi read the sincerity in Tundra's eyes.

To be able to say such nonsense so seriously.

Even Jermi couldn't help but chuckle.

"Are you jealous when I talk to Viola and hold her hand?"

"It's not holding hands, it's a handshake."

"Physically, your hands touched, right?"

Grumble.

Tundra growled again.

Jermi found that sound fascinating.

"Hmm, so you are jealous.

Interesting, you're a subject of study."

Back at the viscount's mansion, Tundra fell into deep thought.

His mind and heart were at odds.

'Jermi seems like a decent guy.

He felt it.

He had a special ability to sense the smell of mana.

By sensing the smell of mana, he could roughly gauge whether a person was good or evil.

Jermi's smell was good.

There was no sense of malice.

'But why do I dislike him?'

Jermi is clearly a decent person...

He could be a great help to Viola.

Then I should maintain a good relationship with Jermi.

'I don't want to.

Why?

I should like someone who can help Viola.

'I don't know.'

Tundra tossed and turned in bed, lost in thought.

*****

8:20 AM.

Viola, who had been treated to a grand farewell banquet by the viscount, changed into leather clothes for convenience.

"I'm sad."

"About what?"

"Milady looks cool in leather clothes, but you're actually much cuter in a dress."

Viola frowned slightly.

In the original story, Zeon never mentioned 'cuteness.'

Of course not.

Cuteness and Bellato don't coexist.

'I asked him to test me subtly, but is this how he does it?'

But it was ambiguous.

Zeon seemed so sincere.

'No. I can't be fooled.

The Viola in the original story was a genius.

Zeon was the character who doubted and tested that genius until the end of the story.

A reliable ally and a character who always needed to be on guard.

"I'll sew your mouth shut if you say 'cute' one more time."

"I understand."

Zeon was genuinely disappointed.

If something is cute, why not call it cute?

'You must really dislike it.

Don't most people like it?

Bellato is Bellato, after all.

'Tsk. What a pity.'

Zeon hid his true feelings.

Since Viola clearly didn't like it, continuing to express it would be a breach of etiquette.

But he let his imagination run wild.

'What dress should I buy her next?'

What dagger would go well with that dress?

Or perhaps a large sword like the one used by Lady Medea would suit her.

She would look incredibly cute.

He reported while hiding his true feelings.

"I've reported to the main house and received a reply."

The reply was brief.

Summarized, it said, "Well done. Good job."

"No one has done what Bellato did at twelve. Even if they killed monsters or suppressed bandits, no one, not even the first princess, has ever penetrated human and political relationships to win people's hearts like this."

"Enough."

I just wanted the future Bengas to be on my side...

I worked hard, that's all.

It wasn't about politics or complicated human relationships.

It was just to prevent the future Great Mage from chasing me with a staff.

"Is there anything else?"

"The reply says they will allow Lady Viola's exploration of the ruins. Of course, it was a formal reporting procedure."

Bellato respects the freedom of the successor candidates.

If you report that you will explore the ruins with Jermi, they won't interfere further.

"But it's a bit strange."

"What is?"

"They asked me to investigate Lord Jermi."

"Investigate?"

Viola tilted her head.

Why?

Was there such a scene in the novel?

I don't think so.

"Yes. So I plan to do some investigating."

"Does Father have a reason to investigate Jermi?"

Maybe there's something I missed.

Something hidden about Jermi.

I recalled the novel's content and setting, but nothing came to mind.

"I don't know."

He had an idea.

The heart of a father who has a daughter.

Zeon had guessed as much but didn't say it out loud.

At 9 AM.

Hixon and Tundra had left for somewhere, and Zeon and Viola were heading to the main gate, receiving farewells from the viscount and his wife.

"Princess Viola, it's been a while."

"It's only been a day."

"Then it's been a while."

Jermi was wearing a mask, just like when they first met in Winter Castle.

He had become a completely different person from the original Jermi.

Zeon, who had been walking behind Viola, moved smoothly.

It was as if a ghost was moving, soft and natural.

"By the way, Lord Jermi."

Zeon stood in front of Viola.

He ended up blocking the space between Jermi and Viola.

"I have something to say."

Zeon said something absurd.