Chapter 13
“Don’t move. I’ll put some ointment on you.”
Duchess Isabella looked at Vixen and Viola alternately for a while. Her eyes were not very emotional. Then, she moved her eyes to Xenon.
“That’s interesting, Xenon.”
“Right?”
Duchess Isabella smiled faintly.
“Xenon, as a butler, are you determined to serve the Sixth Princess?”
“Depart from my heart, that’s my job.”
Duchess Isabella nodded and went outside.
“Xenon, ointment.”
“Here you go, Princess.”
Viola began to slowly apply ointment to Vixen’s back.
“You’ve been beaten up bad.”
This cannot be expressed in the words of love since it’s not really love.
“That’s so mean.”
How can a mother do this to her son?
“Ow, it stings!”
“Don’t whine.”
Whiplash doesn’t hurt, but I see that it stings when I put on ointment for you, Vixen. Though I couldn’t really understand because I’m upset about everything.
Viola carefully applied all the ointment.
Click, click.
She heard the sound of the clock ticking.
There was a moment of silence.
“I’ve been thinking, Viola.”
“I think I should have been the one who knocks you down, too.”
And the opposite was fine too.
“If I get hit by someone, I think I’d better get hit by you.”
“Why?”
“It’s just, I feel that way.”
Arin, who was a reader, understood Vixen’s words.
It was Vixen’s own way of showing affection. His idea of affection was too brutal, but she understood it anyway.
Viola’s eyes met with Vixen. He was smiling innocently.
“So, can’t you just die, Viola? I’ll kill you for sure. Hehehe.”
There was affection in his voice. However, Vixen himself is not aware of this affection. Viola felt like she seriously screwed up somehow.
‘It was heartbreaking and frustrating, but I had to do what I had to do.’
“Stop talking.”
She said with a dull expression, controlling her innermost thoughts.
“Lie down.”
“Why?”
“I’ll put you to sleep.”
Vixen tilted his head.
“Why?”
“Oppa, you can’t sleep, isn’t that right?”
Since she was possessed into this crazy world anyway, Viola decided to use all of her information as a reader.
“How did you know I couldn’t sleep?”
“They say that insomnia runs in our family.”
“Really?” Vixen opened her eyes round.
He looked at Xenon. It was as though he was asking, “Is that really so?”
I felt nervous, not confident if Xenon would understand what he must do.
Xenon grinned.
“You are famous among butlers, master.”
“I see.” Vixen nodded.
“Though, how would you put me to sleep?”
He looked curious.
“Are you going to use sleeping poison?”
“No.”
“Then, a general anesthetic?”
“Lie down for now.”
Viola grabbed him by the wrist and forced him to lay down. Vixen did not particularly rebel. He was just laughing out loud. The back of her neck is filled with cold sweats, and her anxiety is overwhelming.
“Why are you laughing?”
Vixen was watching Viola’s wrist with curious eyes.
‘Her wrist is too thin.’
He thought it would break if she put too much pressure on it. Seeing her wrist, which is much thinner than average seven-year-old children of her age, Vixen was annoyed.
The laughter disappeared.
“I just thought about how it would be most effective to cut your arteries.”
Vixen didn’t know why, but he felt terrible. Why is she so small? ‘You’re only a year older than me! That’s very annoying. Eat a lot.’
He was so angry that he couldn’t lay still.
Regardless, Viola put him to bed. Thanks to the magic ointment, the blood stopped, and new flesh began to grow.
Viola sat down next to Vixen, who was lying down. She patted the head of the child, who must have been in pain.
Pat, pat.
An indifferent touch swept through Vixen’s hair.
At this moment, it wasn’t the seven-year-old Viola, but Arin who did that. She knew the novel’s story too well.
She whispered quietly on purpose.
“You can’t relax. I might get rid of you now. Open your eyes.”
Vixen tried to open his eyes but failed.
“But I’m sleepy.”
“If you sleep, you’ll die, Vixen.”
Viola rolled up her lips and laughed.
She slowly lowered her hand, which was patting his head, and grabbed his neck slightly.
Grab.
Surprisingly, Vixen fell asleep.
He was actually afraid of the night because at night Duchess Isabella would leave him. She would put him to sleep this way since Vixen began to talk.
“If you sleep, you’ll die, son.”
Duchess Isabella wrapped her arms around Vixen’s neck, as if she’s strangling him.
So, Vixen had to try hard not to sleep. Ever since he started walking around, he had to fight to stay awake.
Duchess Isabella whispered in Vixen’s ear.
“Don’t relax. The enemy will kill you, Vixen.”
Consequently, Vixen has been trained like this since he was young. He tried his hardest to endure, then fell asleep when he could no longer bear it.
That was how it went for many years.
When Duchess Isabella no longer visited at night, he began to fear the night. His mother, who was with him every night, is no longer around anymore. From then on, Vixen’s insomnia began.
I looked down at Vixen, who fell asleep.
“The way he sleeps is so adorable.”
I could see the plump cheeks from the baby fat. While lying on the side, his cheeks sprained out.
Aside from his appetite, sleeping in the comfort of the world, he looked cute. His hair was all tangled up and even looked sloppy.
He’s so cute when he sleeps, though he’s emotionally unstable. However, it would be even stranger to grow properly in this environment.
She had mixed emotions. It seemed that Korean nursery schools were better than the rich duchy.
Viola slowly rose from her seat.
“…Don’t go.” Vixen grabbed Viola’s finger.
‘Sleep talking?’
He spoke while he was still asleep. He is in such a deep sleep, but what is this strength?
A drop of tears fell from Vixen’s eyes again. His body trembled once, and he cried, “No, no.”
It felt as though he was dreaming. Vixen mumbled in tears.
“Please stay with me.”
I’m not certain what he’s dreaming about, but he must be having a nightmare. Vixen barely fell asleep after suffering from insomnia, so it must be quite difficult to sleep…
Tears fell from his tightly locked eyes.
“I’m all alone.”
Eventually, Viola sat down by Vixen’s bedside. She looked down at Vixen’s face, who had been asleep for a while.
He looks pretty and pitiful.
She stretched out her finger and wiped away his tears. She doesn’t know what he’s dreaming, but Vixen was smiling faintly now.
How long has it been?
His eyelids were tightly shut, so Viola prepared to get up, but she got pulled onto his. She then fell asleep on his chest.
Viola’s purple hair covered Vixen’s wound-filled body.
That day, Vixen didn’t have a nightmare after a long time.
***
It was 3:30 A.M.
Xenon scratched his head.
“I can’t wake her up, can I?”
He carefully picked up Viola and walked down the hall.
Viola was deeply asleep, so Xenon brought her back to her room. He covered Viola with a blanket. Just then, she opened her eyes.
Xenon didn’t miss the opportunity.
“Princess, may I ask you a question? I’d like to put you to sleep, but tomorrow is the day to report.”
Viola answered half-asleep.
“What? A-at this hour? It’s 3:30 A.M.?”
Xenon smiled awkwardly. “Yes, I’ll ask quickly.”
“Uhhh.”
Viola nodded once. She was very sleepy. This seven-year-old’s body is very vulnerable to sleep.
“Your acting was excellent.”
For a moment, she came to her senses.
It seemed as though he had noticed something.
It was natural since he has good eyes. That fact was also expressed in the novel. Xenon was a butler who was very helpful to Viola since he is excellent in many skills and sharp.
Now, that sharpness is shining brightly.
Did she get caught? Pretending to be a wicked woman. Acting cruel and charismatic.
It occurred to her that all of the ‘reports’ might have been read by Xenon.
“I’ve seen the true image of the Duchess.”
Viola didn’t answer and just listened. She was scared.
He must have read all of that about Duchess Isabella.
‘What should I say?’
Don’t get caught. The butler, Xenon, serves only competent people. It was mentioned several times in the novel. So, if Viola weren’t competent, he’d kill her himself.
Though it sounds like a joke, it isn’t.
“You have a thirst in your blood, huh?”
“The way you looked when you hugged your dog.”
For a moment, Viola felt the chills. All the windows were closed, yet she could feel the cold wind swept through.
“Me?”
Xenon asked again.
“Why are you acting so warm?”
He has now grasped the situation.
He realized that she was wearing a mask, pretending to be warm purposely. Xenon then took out a notebook and a pen and kept writing something. It looks organized with the contents of the report to be posted to the duke.
“Heartwarming and benevolent, and had an instinctive murderous look. She’s wearing a mask. Sometimes, she even shows a slightly feisty expression in front of Duchess Isabella.”
Xenon is definitely sharp.
Arin is not the real Viola, so it was natural for her to get surprised and get intimidated sometimes. She’s afraid of pretending to be alright on the outside.
Xenon’s eyes narrowed.
“Although, that can’t be true. You, who had those eyes, should never shrink. Even if your opponent is Duchess Isabella.”
He continued. “So, the princess was a little intimidated in front of Duchess Isabella, isn’t she? Your actions were perfect.”
‘No. I tried to hide my fear. I was so desperate.’
For Xenon, who has such a good eye, he only saw so little.
“Then, can I ask you why? Why did you act that way?”
He smiled again.
“Oh, it’s not a test. It’s for the Duke.”
“It’s…” Viola opened her mouth.
However, there was a situation that neither Viola herself nor Xenon had expected.