Chapter 20
The door to Duke Heron’s office opened, and the butler, Carlton, pulled out a thin sword. Carlton is one of the few close associates who can pull out a sword in front of Heron Verratoux. He aimed towards the man who was entering the room.
“Sir Hixen, be polite.”
Who dares to open the door of the duke’s office without knocking?
Hixen grabbed the blade of the thin sword with his finger and pushed it away. Duke Heron, who was sitting on a chair and glancing at the documents, opened his mouth.
“Just leave it.”
Hixen smirked and approached Heron, who didn’t bat an eye towards him once since he entered the room.
“What is it?”
“You have a cute daughter.”
At that moment, Heron’s body flinched.
“Cute?”
It was strange to hear ‘cute’ through Hixen’s mouth. Verratoux and cuteness are more opposite than oil and water. That was how it had been and how it was supposed to be. One can’t be cute.
“Yes, she is very cute.”
“That’s not Verratoux-like.”
Hixen sat with his hips attached to Heron’s desk.
“Do you remember what my old dream is? A dream that you laughed at.”
“…”
Heron continued to sign the document with his fountain pen without answering. It didn’t seem like he was concentrating on what Hixen was saying.
“I had lost that dream, and my world had collapsed.”
“So?”
“And I became a drunkard.” Hixen sat cross-legged.
“I know why you let me stay there in the annex.”
He pointed his finger at Carlton.
“That old cunt would have always insisted on kicking me out.”
He continued. “Your wife, like a snake, would have been looking for a chance to poison me as well. Because I am a stain to Verratoux.”
“You know it well.”
Heron signed another document, then handed it over to Carlton. Carlton, who received the document, bowed down and left the room. So, the only people left in the office are Duke Heron and Hixen.
“And yet, you left me in the annex.”
Only then did Duke Heron become his old friend. He looked at Hixen and spoke honestly without hiding his thoughts.
“If you don’t get better. I’ll have you by my side to kill you myself.”
“How long are you going to wait and see?”
“Five years.”
‘Five years.’ Hixen burst into laughter. ‘As expected, Heron is Heron. He hasn’t changed at all.’
“That’s how my friend Heron respects me.”
“You must have come to your senses.”
“Yes, it’s a big dream to become a new person again, but my dream’s right anyway.”
Heron’s eyebrows raised.
“Dream?”
“Yes, your daughter. Viola, who is registered as your ten-year-old daughter on paper.”
“What do you want to say, Hixen?”
“The absolute law that you and I set as children, do you remember?”
Children under ten years old would not die, no matter what. That was the promise between Heron and Hixen. In fact, it was actually Hixen who proposed it.
Hixen said.
“Children deserve protection. They have the right to grow up and be loved.”
“And?”
“You might accept your daughter on paper, but I’m accepting your daughter with my heart.”
He continued his words. “What do you say? You don’t really care about being a father anyway. You just need an excellent successor. So, don’t you like the idea?”
Heron looked silently at Hixen. He didn’t even ask the details.
“Do as you please.”
Hearing so, Hixen rose from his seat. He thought back at that moment with Viola.
‘Give me your dainty hand and help me.’
‘…’
“She asked me to stand by her, saying she needed an adult who she can rely on.”
“…Not like Verratoux.”
“That is true.” Hixen grinned.
“Though she isn’t obsequious at all. Even when she asked me for help, I am surprised because her attitude is so Verratoux. She also had an amazing atmosphere.”
“…Isn’t it just an act?”
“Why would I lie? I’m just telling you the way it was. Viola looks like a Verratoux, but she’s also strangely different from Verratoux as well. She’s a very attractive little girl.”
“You said something similar to Xenon.”
‘It’s very Verratoux-like, but it feels like advanced Verratoux.’ Hixen seemed to have felt something similar.
“I think I’ll fence with her, so she can grow up more properly, to grow up in a more beautiful world.”
Heron nodded.
“Do whatever you want.”
He didn’t seem to care much as long as the child could succeed as a Verratoux.
“I’m leaving.”
When he was leaving, there was a smile lingering around Hixen’s mouth.
‘Look at him? Hixen is different from usual. He even thinks Viola is cute.’
That can’t be true.
Though Hixen was right, it seemed like Duke Heron couldn’t admit it himself yet.
That night.
Heron Verratoux’s seven fountain pens are broken. No one knew why.
Two days before the welcoming dinner.
Duke Heron suddenly invited Viola to dinner separately. However, the reason why was unknown.
Viola was very uncomfortable. Dinner with him had always been her dream, but she didn’t want this kind of atmosphere.
There was a long silence.
It felt like she was sitting on a thorny seat. In front of her is a delicious sweet potato soup and grilled duck mixed with special sauce, yet she couldn’t eat it.
It’s been about ten minutes.
It wasn’t until ten minutes had passed before the Duke Heron opened his mouth.
“You’re good at wearing masks.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Although she didn’t understand what he meant, Viola just took the compliment anyways, like a beast, like a Verratoux.
“I heard you asked Hixen to stay with you.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ask him to hold your hand?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Viola had a hunch. This is a test.
Verratoux should not ask for help obsequiously. Verratoux should be in a position of providing help, not seeking help.
So, she laughed on purpose.
“If I use him well, don’t you think it will be good?”
Duke Heron looked at her, and Viola made eye contact without avoiding even though she was very nervous on the inside. Duke Heron’s eyes are like a black hole. If she stared at it for too long, it felt as if she was going to be sucked in, and her whole body was going to be torn apart.
‘That’s weird. That’s oddly different from his normal behavior.’ The Duke does not have a private meeting with succession candidates. This was because he knew that each action may empower some people.
Her thoughts wandered inside her mind, but she smiled brightly on the outside. Viola spoke with a more evil look than before.
“The idealist who dreams beautifully. He’s really good to use, right?”
She acted with all her might to avoid being caught by Duke Heron.
“As expected.”
‘Pardon?’ Viola is a little ashamed. Heron looked more satisfied than she thought.
“You held out your cute hand and asked him.”
“I did reach out.”
Viola looked down at her hands. ‘Hmm.’ It’s a small, cute, and pretty hand that didn’t seem to match her character’s personality.
“Hixen took that hand, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
Viola looked at Heron after he mumbled, “Hmm.”
Aside from the heavy and brutal atmosphere, his handsomeness flew around.
“Don’t lose sight of his hand.”
“…Pardon?”
“It would be gone if you blink.”
Viola gulped. As expected, it is a worldview that cannot be neglected.
“Let’s eat.”
There was no other sound, only clatters from the fork and knife touching the glass bowl.
Viola carefully looked at Heron’s eyes. ‘Breathtaking!’ She couldn’t tell whether the food went over her nose or mouth.
The main menu is done, and the frozen persimmon is served as dessert.
‘Delicious!’
Viola’s eyes grew bigger. She had a lot of ripe persimmons on Earth but never once tasted anything like this before. Sweetness lingered in her mouth.
‘It’s melting.’ The honey and the ripe persimmon have exquisite harmony together. The sweet pudding seemed to just melt in her mouth.
“You like sweets.”
“Yes, I’m a child, after all.”
The Duke glanced at Viola, and she felt suffocated again.
“Father.”
“Speak.”
“When I’m eating something delicious, can you please stop looking at me?”
Xenon, who was some distance away behind Viola, flinched.
“Princess?”
‘Who talks to Duke Heron like that?’
Fortunately, Duke Heron didn’t appear to be upset.
“How come?”
Viola just replied back briefly.
“It’s rude of you to stare at me when I eat.”
Duke Heron recalled Rael saying something similar before as well.
‘Can you stop staring at me? It’s rude when you stare at me like that.’
Rael was the only one who spoke to Heron this way. At that time, Heron replied.
‘I’m your husband.’
Heron had a faint smile then, too. However, now, he was expressionless and replied no expression.
“I am your father.”
He looked around.
“All the pleasant environment and the delicious food you enjoy right now came from me. The egg tart, which you are so eager to eat, and now this cold red persimmon. Yet you gave me that kind of disrespectful action.”
“I didn’t come here because I wanted to. You just bring me here at your will and show off?”
Is it a coincidence?
Viola’s attitude is similar to Rael’s.
She just said whatever came to her mind.
‘You said you are married to me because you loved me.’
‘I love you, too, but what if you ask me to marry you first, and then you show it off?’
Duke Heron lifted the fork. For a moment, Viola was slightly surprised. Looking at his atmosphere and attitude, she was worried that he might poke her in the eye with that fork.
“It’s not a good word to hear, but I guess it’s not wrong.”
After a while, his adopted daughter, who was looking at herself and reliving her appetite, suddenly caught her eyes onto him.
Her eyes looked as though she was curious.
“Daddy, is that good?”
“Didn’t you say it’s rude to stare at someone while they are eating?”
“I’m your daughter.”
She repeated the words that Heron said earlier.
“Father was the first one to do the impolite action. It’s Verratoux’s way. I just returned what I received, whether it’s a grudge or a favor.”
Even if the opponent is Duke Heron, it was a principle that should be put to use. That was a very Verratoux-like action.
He could feel Viola’s eyes. Duke Heron was staring at her. If she didn’t look away, she would be able to convince him that she was not afraid.
‘I’ll just stare back! Yeah, just appreciate his good looks.’ Viola tried to reassure herself. ‘That would be less scary. He’s handsome. Yes, yes.’
She didn’t avoid eye contact since now she was less scared because she savored his handsomeness.
‘Handsome, handsome.’
Duke Heron also held eye contact with her. Her extremely Verratoux-like eyes looked a little bit pretty. Coincidentally, Hixen’s words came into his mind.
‘You have a cute daughter.’
‘Cute.’ He could feel her eyes continuously staring at him. He couldn’t understand why those eyes are so likable.
‘You have a cute daughter.’
Creek.
The fork that the Duke was holding bent like a taffy.
Aren’t those round eyes cute?
No, it couldn’t have been.
Never. She is just a child born with the virtue of a ruler who freely changes her mask.
The Duke asked with a stern look.
“Is this some sort of self-defense?”
When Viola wanted to answer, Heron encountered an unexpected situation.