Chapter 76

Xiao Ming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly held the secret letter given to him by his mother.

In the midst of the cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

Viola felt as if the world had turned white.

Seeing Tundra, who was covered in blood, brought back those memories.

The memories from the emergency room.

The memory of pushing Gang Hanjun to his death was a huge trauma for Viola.

"But."

Just before she fell into a panic, Pong Pong's words continued.

"Isn't it fake blood?"

Those words snapped her back to reality.

It was identical to real blood but strangely different.

She smelled Tundra's blood, but it didn't affect her at all.

There was nothing primal that would have triggered Viola's character.

'Elaborately made fake blood?'

Why would someone be covered in such elaborately made fake blood?

How many people in the world could make such realistic fake blood?

'If it weren't fake, the scent of blood would be real.'

If Pong Pong weren't a water spirit, she wouldn't have been able to tell it was fake blood.

Even Pong Pong had momentarily thought it was real.

Viola stood in front of the fallen Tundra.

"Tundra, look up."

Tundra's body trembled intermittently.

It seemed she was trying to lift her head.

'It's like... being pinned down.'

Tundra's consciousness was trying to move her body, but it wasn't responding.

A faint groan came from Tundra, as if she was exerting all her strength.

"Relax."

Tundra's body slumped.

Viola was certain.

"Such elaborately made fake blood. A skilled person capable of controlling Tundra's body to this extent. Could there really be two such people in the Duke's mansion?"

There is only one.

The puppeteer, Seiban Marcos.

"As far as I know, there's only one.

Seiban."

If it weren't him, no one else could have done this.

"Since Sir Hixon isn't around, it seems he implicitly agreed."

However, Hixon wouldn't have allowed this without any thought or reason.

'Uncle Hixon didn't want me to be surprised.'

To Viola, Hixon was like a father.

Though his actions were often reckless and his words careless, Hixon had always tried to be a good adult.

Viola knew this well and didn't think he would agree to such a thing.

"Since Sir Hixon implicitly agreed, it means there must have been a plausible reason."

Seiban Marcos is a close aide to Duke Heron.

"Did my father give the order?"

Knock knock.

The sound of knocking came.

It was none other than Seiban Marcos.

His striking red suit and brown shoes were visible.

With short hair and light makeup, he approached and bowed respectfully.

"Seventh Princess, I greet you, Miss Viola."

"Did you receive an order to test me using my dog?"

"Hehe."

Seiban chuckled, covering his mouth.

He raised his right hand and swept his hair behind his ear.

Narrowing his eyes, he looked at Viola and said,

"Indeed, Princess Viola is quick-witted. I was originally supposed to keep the order a secret."

A secret test from Isabella.

He couldn't reveal the full content of the test.

But he had told Viola everything.

Including the fact that the order came from Isabella.

"Keep talking."

"But I want to earn the trust of Princess Viola more than that of Duchess Isabella."

"Why?"

"Just a feeling."

Comparing the current Isabella to the current Viola was impossible.

Isabella had built her power and influence as the lady of the house.

Moreover, her family, the Quillton family, was renowned for their spears.

"And I just want to."

Viola was a bit confused.

It was hard to tell if Seiban Marcos was being sincere or just probing.

"Because the seven-year-old Viola Bella treated me properly."

***

Viola didn't fully trust Seiban.

In the Bella household, it was better to distrust everyone.

'But... he does seem to like me.'

She wasn't entirely displeased.

Like most characters in 'The Shadow of Bella,' Seiban Marcos wasn't a particularly happy person.

"What do you plan to do about the consequences of tampering with my things?"

"I don't know."

By now, Tundra had regained her senses.

She was so happy to see Viola that her head spun, but she held back.

'I can't act rashly.'

She had been controlled by Seiban and had done something strange.

Even though Hixon had agreed, she shouldn't have.

'No matter how strong the opponent... I was overpowered.'

That was unacceptable for a companion dog.

She thought it would be better to die than to be controlled.

'Lady Isabella will probably reprimand me later.'

Tundra stood with her shoulders slumped, like a dog with its tail between its legs, leaning against the wall and waiting.

"I was just following Duchess Isabella's orders."

"That's true. But you did tamper with my things."

Viola got up from the chair.

She stood with a dignified air and looked up at Seiban.

"In that case, I should go to Mother."

"What do you plan to do there?"

"I need to formally protest against her tampering with my things."

"Then I'll be the one who reported it."

"Didn't you plan to take that risk?"

As Viola walked towards the door, Seiban hurriedly blocked her way.

"Princess, I'll work hard to make up for it."

"Then how?"

Viola's eyes narrowed.

She was smiling.

Seiban, seeing her smile, felt a shock as if he had been hit on the head.

'It feels like I'm caught in the web of White Bella.'

From her expression, it seemed Viola had never intended to go to Isabella.

Threatening to go to Isabella was just a bluff.

She had woven a web of no escape and made Seiban pay the price.

'Ah, that relaxed expression, attitude, and aura.'

Seiban Marcos thought Viola was the perfect embodiment of Bella.

Indeed, the title of 'Iron-Blooded Princess' suited her well.

"Since you'll soon enter society, would you entrust all social events to me? I can also escort you."

"That's Zeon's job."

"Zeon's fingers are inconvenient. He might be at a disadvantage when leading a carriage or escorting you. And... in society, they might gossip about Zeon's fingers."

"Gossip?"

"Yes. There will surely be crazy people who point out his flaws."

Viola frowned slightly.

The noble mindset that 'disability is a flaw' made her feel terrible, but she also recalled Zeon's wry smile.

At that moment, Zeon had been infuriating.

'Anyway, he's incorrigible.'

Even in a world where magic exists and severed fingers can be perfectly reattached, the pain doesn't disappear.

'How much did it hurt?'

When Zeon first told her he had done it to himself, Viola was both angry and heartbroken.

She understood his actions intellectually, but emotionally, she couldn't.

'From now on, don't hurt yourself without my permission. Absolutely.'

'Are you angry?'

'Yes.'

'I'm both happy and sad, but mostly happy.'

Zeon, bowing and saying, "This is Zeon, the butler," Viola almost hit him on the back of the head.

Seiban's voice came.

"It's a public matter, but Zeon is a wanted man. Wouldn't it be better for me to help? I am also the best makeup artist on the continent."

Seiban Marcos closed the door and walked down the corridor.

A smile was on his face.

Outside the window, a blue moon was visible against the black sky.

"More Bella than anyone else, I will create the perfect Bella."

"The most beautiful protagonist at the Forget-me-not Ball will be you, Princess."

*****

Tundra knelt.

"I'm sorry."

"It was like a natural disaster."

Duchess Isabella had ordered it, which meant the Duke had also approved.

To Tundra, Seiban Marcos was like an irresistible force.

"But I should have tried harder..."

Tundra seemed frustrated.

Tundra might need a bit more time.

"And thank you."

"For what?"

"For saying it's mine... I was happy."

At that moment, Tundra was overjoyed.

Being Viola's possession and having it confirmed made her happy.

"I'll work harder to be a suitable companion dog for you, Princess."

Suddenly, she clenched her teeth and pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket.

It was untouched by the fake blood, as if it had been magically treated.

"What's this?"

"Jermi asked me to give it to you."

It was a letter.

Tundra seemed displeased that Jermi had sent a letter to Viola.

Viola tore open the letter.

[Is it okay if I escort you?]

Viola frowned deeply.

Being escorted by Jermi? That would turn all the noble ladies into enemies.

Viola didn't want a grand debut.

'In society, you must be cautious.'

In the original story, Viola cuts off the hair of all the noble ladies she dislikes, leading to her complete ostracization.

That was what the original Viola wanted.

'So the original story doesn't have much about society.'

'But I need to take a different path.'

To ensure her safety, she had chosen to become 'White Bella.'

If she was to become White Bella, she needed to enter society and build political power.

Viola crumpled the letter.

"Tundra."

"Yes."

For some reason, Tundra's expression seemed a bit brighter.

"Throw it away."

Tundra's expression brightened even more.

It was a bright smile she had never seen before.

Viola found it hard to face that smile directly.

'Don't smile like that.'

Gang Hanjun sometimes smiled so brightly.

Han Ahreum had fallen for Gang Hanjun because of that bright smile.

"Go."

"Yes."

Tundra turned and left with a light step.

The room became quiet.

"Finally, I can rest."

It was already midnight.

For a twelve-year-old, it was very late.

She lay down on the soft bed.

'Huh?

I thought I could finally rest, but the world isn't that easy.'