Chapter 72

I ended up playing the role of the adopted daughter a bit too well. Chapter 72: Viola involuntarily swallowed hard.

What's up with this girl? She's exuding charisma.

I wanted to shout it out honestly.

Take me, sister. Sob, sob.

"I'll kill your butler."

At that moment, Zane's body flinched.

Viola accidentally noticed this.

'Huh?'

One fact came to mind.

'Zane must have been complacent.'

He probably didn't expect a Blood of the Spirit King level to appear.

Due to his complacency, he lost his mind.

'But the same applies to the opposite, right?'

From Blood's perspective, it was the same.

Blood, who easily took over Zane, must have been complacent too.

And Zane is much stronger than Blood expected.

'Because of Medea's presence and aura... a slight crack must have formed.'

And with that very small crack, Zane, a character with the strong will and power to shatter the fake world of consciousness, could do it.

"My sister. What are you thinking about for so long?"

"Sister."

I made up my mind.

If given just a little time, Zane can regain his consciousness.

"Hmm?"

"I appreciate your willingness to help me."

Medea tilted her head.

She was curious about what her sister was trying to say.

From her attitude, it seemed she didn't want to ask for help.

"I don't know when you started watching."

"From the moment you summoned that boy."

The boy with blue hair.

PongPong deliberately made eye contact with Medea.

He didn't want to look away because it felt like he would lose if he did.

Conversely, it meant he wanted to look away.

But Medea didn't have any particular thoughts.

"If that's the case, you must have seen it."

Viola subtly observed Zane.

She saw Zane biting his lip.

This could be interpreted as Zane regaining consciousness.

He must be fighting a non-war in the mental world.

"I've never moved properly.

You saw that, right?"

"Hmm, now that you mention it, that's true."

"That's because I'm the White Belladonna."

In fact, she just didn't react and stayed still.

But not moving wasn't a lie.

"I wanted to prove my abilities as the White Belladonna, so I didn't engage in a proper battle until the very end. If I fought properly, my value as the White Belladonna would be damaged."

Medea hummed and stroked her chin.

Medea found it interesting.

Not moving because she was the White Belladonna?

At first glance, it seemed right, but upon closer inspection, it was wrong.

"Even if you were the Black Belladonna, you couldn't fight against a natural disaster."

Medea saw the skill gap between the current Viola and Zane.

While her sister was impressive for a twelve-year-old, she wasn't capable of handling the unconscious Zane.

"I believed in my butler. I still do."

"…Huh?"

Medea's eyes narrowed.

She noticed the small wounds on Viola's body.

A butler who injured the successor candidate of the Belladonna.

This alone is a significant offense.

It might even cost him his life.

'Believed?'

It was a difficult concept for Medea to understand.

The moment Zane attacked Viola, he lost his qualification as a butler, regardless of the reason.

He showed a side that was far from trustworthy.

'Yet she believes?'

To Medea, Viola was a girl of iron and blood.

Everything she showed from the welcome banquet to now was consistent with that.

But she didn't expect to hear 'I believe' from Viola.

"I didn't move, even though I could."

Viola continued slowly.

"It was because I was testing my butler."

"What if you die?"

"That was my choice too."

Of course, she had no intention of dying.

Her goal was to live a long, happy life.

But it was very refreshing to Medea.

"I believed that my butler could break free from the mental restraint and return to his original self. And I still believe that."

Viola looked at Zane and spoke.

"Zane, get up and look at the one you serve."

***

In Zane's hazy consciousness, a voice echoed.

"I believed in my butler. I still do."

"I believed that my butler could break free from the mental restraint and return to his original self."

It felt like the darkness in front of him was lifting.

"Zane, get up and look at the one you serve."

He expelled the external force that was eating away at his mind.

Gradually, everything became clear.

Zane approached Viola with a stern face.

Jermi tried to block him with a sword, but Viola raised her hand.

"It's okay."

Zane had already regained his senses.

Zane knelt before Viola.

"Lady, how can I atone for my sins?"

"With your life."

"Understood."

Without hesitation, Zane raised a dagger to stab his neck.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out.

Medea knocked the dagger out of Zane's hand.

"It doesn't seem like you meant to commit suicide, butler."

Medea, who had been respectful to Zane, was gone.

Medea's gaze on Zane was like a white gale, devoid of emotion and tinged with a hint of disgust.

Zane nodded.

"I acted emotionally due to my distress. Please forgive me. I will atone for this sin by serving you for the rest of my life."

Zane kept hearing Viola's voice in his ears.

I believe.

I still believe.

Then, what about me? Am I worthy of that trust?

'Am I a good butler?'

He deliberately let the spirit take over his consciousness to test Viola.

To see how much her abilities had grown.

How sharp and precise her dagger skills were.

He wanted to see that.

"Are you saying you were a trivial person who could be taken over by a spirit?"

Viola hit the nail on the head.

Zane had deliberately given up his consciousness.

Zane didn't bother to defend himself.

"I apologize."

Medea looked at the kneeling Zane with dry eyes.

"Viola seems to forgive her butler."

Medea raised her greatsword.

"But I can't forgive him."

The shallow wounds on Viola's skin looked strangely deep.

Medea glanced at Viola.

'You're trying to find your way out again today.'

She tested her butler, even considering her own death.

Even the threat of death didn't make the White Belladonna flinch.

It was a bit disappointing.

'You could have relied on me a little.'

Medea wanted to be a good sister.

She wanted to be a towering tree that her siblings could lean on.

In the ecosystem of the Belladonna, it might be an overly idealistic and beautiful dream, but Medea was sincere.

'I can be a much stronger sister than you think.'

The regret and anger towards Zane merged into a killing intent.

"At least I need to take one of your arms."

Viola stepped in.

"Sister."

Viola was actually afraid.

She was scared to look into Medea's eyes, which were filled with killing intent.

She wanted to run away, but she mustered her courage.

If she didn't, Medea might really cut off Zane's arm.

"Sister, your concern for me is really, really appreciated. I never thought I could feel such gratitude from a Belladonna sibling."

One more step.

She overcame her fear and approached Medea.

"And today, I felt it again. When you appeared like a typhoon and embraced me like sunshine, I felt that you are my sister. That I can be protected by you. I felt a sense of relief and security."

·It's not a fitting statement for a Belladonna.·

Viola, who acts more Belladonna-like than anyone.

But she spoke in a way that wasn't Belladonna-like.

But why does this 'not Belladonna-like' quality appeal to me so much?

"I don't want to be a Belladonna in front of you."

Because I have no desire to become a Belladonna duchess.

After all, the duchess is you. Big sister!

There's no need to pretend to be a Belladonna in front of the sister who succeeded Belladonna. Hehehe.

"I like you, sister."

Medea flinched at the words.

She heard Viola's words clearly but pretended not to.

"What did you say?"

She wanted to hear it again.

But Viola didn't repeat the same words and said something else.

"And I don't want to hate you."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't plan to act like a Belladonna in front of you, but I am still a Belladonna."

"You never said you weren't a Belladonna."

I just liked your 'not Belladonna-like' side.

I liked the side of you that relied on me and leaned on me.

I wanted you to let go of your 'Iron Lady' persona in front of me.

While thinking this, Medea listened to Viola calmly.

"If you hurt what's mine, I have to hold you accountable."

"By 'yours,' do you mean Zane the butler?"

Viola nodded.

Zane is incredibly competent.

Although he only truly acknowledges and helps Viola in the later parts of the story.

I can't let him lose his precious arm, which will become a valuable asset and shield in the future!

She continued slowly.

"Your concern is really appreciated, but I think it's overstepping to punish my