Chapter 25
Duchess Isabella bit her lip slightly.
It was something that was way beyond her expectations.
How should she put it…?
It felt like she was beaten.
‘In that short amount of time, she knew everything even though she only heard the word “Seventh Princess”?’
To be honest, she had somewhat expected Viola’s reactions. For instance, she expected her to probably stab the doll butler. Though instead, Viola’s response far exceeded her expectations—not only that she didn’t stab the doll, she chose to cut the thread instead as if she had known everything.
That wasn’t the end.
She even guessed the identity of the person controlling the doll at once. Viola figured it all out too accurately.
“She was born with… an unbelievable insight.”
The situation was shocking.
Moreover, Viola is only seven years old.
‘That child is dangerous..’
How can a seven years old know this much? In addition, Duke Heron even praised her as ‘great.’ In fact, to be honest, that was the most shocking thing of all.
Duchess Isabella looked at the Duke.
“I can’t believe you complimented me.”
“Well, you did something to be praised.”
Again, the silence fell.
Of all the Duke’s five children, only the First Princess heard his praise once in a while. Duke Heron is rather stingy in giving praises… But, he complimented Viola, especially, in the presence of all the other families gathered.
It was very significant.
Although she was the last to jump into the race for succession, now, she was starting with an advantage.
The Duchess asked again.
“Isn’t the second question meaningless, you said?”
“Do as you wish. The two questions are the Duchess’ rights.”
“You’ve already praised me, so I didn’t think it’s necessary.”
‘It shouldn’t end like this.’
So, Viola answered nonchalantly.
“Though… the second question is obvious.”
…Because she knows everything from the novel.
She continued her words, “It’s not a question of why, how dare you, wield a weapon in front of the Duke and the Duchess?”
And so, Viola did her best to answer all the questions without showing any nervousness.
At the moment, silence, once again, filled the dining hall.
It was because all of her words were correct.
Isabella was speechless at the moment. She didn’t expect the little princess to have come this far.
‘What answer will she reply to that question…?’
The thought that she shouldn’t have asked those questions aroused in Isabella’s mind for no reason.
“Wait.”
Duke Heron finally spoke again. His gaze did not fall from Viola.
The way she looks right now…
She’s acting like Verratoux. Not once did she avoid Isabella’s gaze. More importantly, Viola was not showing signs of falling behind Isabella but rather, showing the lead.
Viola’s actions and thoughts are more like Verratoux than anyone else, which was a praiseworthy attitude and behavior.
‘But, why am I?’
He didn’t feel very well.
Viola was now looking more Verratoux than anyone else.
As Xenon said, perhaps this child would show an ‘advanced Verratoux.’
It was a good thing.
Still, strangely, he felt bad…
“Feel free!”
The little girl who said ‘feel free!’ came to mind again. The hand that held out the egg tart came to mind again—The little child with that hand looked at himself with eyes full of affection.
‘Love for no reason. Blind favorability towards me.’
It was read in the duke’s Sincere Eye.
‘…It’s a good feeling that I’ve never felt for a long time.’
The most Verratoux.
It was still not clear why that thoroughly calculating child has such illogical affinity.
‘And, the weirdest thing is…’
That blind and strange favor wasn’t that bad. In his life as Duke of Verratoux, he had never received such ‘love without reason.’ The answer was simple, it was because everyone who ever showed favor to the Duke always had some ulterior reason.
Whatever it may be, that child had no such reason.
‘Fear me, yet love me.’
Still, he didn’t hate it.
That was the very first unfamiliar feeling that he felt for the first time while reigning as the Lord of the Winter Castle and Duke Verratoux.
‘Why do I feel… Isn’t that bad?’
The Duke kept a straight face and tried to correct his thoughts.
‘…No, she’s Veratoux. So, I am just in a good mood. It has nothing to do with that child’s unfamiliar feelings.’
Adopting a child that is More Verratoux than anyone else meant that she was of Veratoux achievements.
With those thoughts, his eyes sank deeply.
Meanwhile, reading his deep look, it seemed that Isabella had misunderstood the Duke’s state of mind.
‘I didn’t expect you to be so deeply pleased.’
If Viola was seventeen, not seven, it might have had a huge impact on the succession structure. So, it was quite fortunate that she is only seven years old.
It wasn’t long before Duke Heron eventually opened his mouth.
“Bring in the welcome gift.”
Knock, knock.
After his words, there was a knock, and a man with gray hair and full of scars on his face appeared. It was Carlton, the butler.
He bent down politely.
“I am Butler Carlton. Greetings to you.”
There was a tray in his right hand.
Five potion bottles with different colors of liquid could be seen. The contents of the novel came to Viola’s mind.
「 The last test of the duke was ‘the ability to doubt’ and ‘the wick that should not obey authority.’ 」
[ T/N: The last phrase represents Viola to be a person who shouldn’t do the things that they want her to do. Since she is being tested, she should do something that is out of the basket and what they want her to do. The original Viola did so in the original novel, but Arin did something different that the Duchess was so surprised since she expected that Viola would do something like the Viola from the original novel to do—The wick or the candlewick in the phrase is a representation of a single person. ]
All five bottles are poison.
They are all deadly, poisonous poisons that, if she drinks it, she would undoubtedly die soon after. In other words, she shouldn’t drink anything.
If in the original story, Duchess Isabella said,
「 “Come on, Viola. For you to become my youngest daughter, I have a present for you.”
“Those liquids?”
“They all have different effects, but they’re potions made up of elixirs that are very good for Viola’s body.”
“Why should I drink such things?” 」
The original viola drops the tray itself to the ground and continues in a harsh manner.
「 “Why does it feel like I’m being tested?”
“It was the Duke who brought me without even asking my opinion.” 」
Viola, in the original novel, exudes relentless murderous energy toward the Duke. Then, like the female lead, she said some big, crazy words.
「 “If I were stronger than you, I would have cut you down here and now.” 」
Fortunately, she was the main character, or else she would have been in huge trouble.
Once again, Viola decided to do things a little differently. Something more like Han Arin.
“Since it’s a gift for me, thank you.”
Carlton, the butler, came closer. He then bent his back and knees down to match Viola’s height.
“What color of the elixir will the Princess take?”
Carlton grinned. It seemed as though he was just a nice old man.
However, she knew everything already.
In fact, Carlton was from a very famous assassin in the past. He was a man who failed to kill Duke Heron, but became his servant. And now, he became Duke Heron’s most trusted loyal butler.
Viola said to her father, who was sitting far away.
Although she had to raise her voice since he was quite far away.
“From the time you called me the Seven Princess. It was already obvious that this was not a welcome dinner, but a place to test Viola Verratoux’s qualifications.”
Viola, in the original story, overturned this place. She made a strong impression, so to speak, by speaking up big words. Han Arin decided to take the wiser approach.
She laughed on purpose.
“I think you wanted to know what you can expect from Viola Verratoux.”
Smirking slightly, she slowly lifted a bottle of red liquid… and dropped it to the ground in a flash.
Clang!
The potion bottle broke with a loud noise.
The original Viola destroyed the entire tray, though Han Arin broke only one.
“Do you really expect me to drink this?”
The red liquid splashed all over the place. A few drops splashed onto Viola’s feet.
Oh, my God! Oh, it’s hot!
‘Ah, I thought my feet were burning…’
Viola managed to maintain a serene expression.
“Anyone who has Verratoux’s last name should be suspicious of everyone except themselves. I must say that is really true.”
Duchess Isabella nodded. “That’s good advice. Who told you that?”
“My butler.”
“You have a good butler.”
Xenon, not too agitated, bent down next to Viola and wiped the broken pieces of the potion bottle. He lowered his face and cleaned up the glass shards, so she couldn’t really see his face. Meanwhile, an ointment was taken out of his arms and slightly applied to Viola’s shin. His touch when he was applying ointment was gentle and delicate.
Viola lifted a bottle of purple liquid.
“Though… somehow this scent smells nostalgic. As if there’s a special story behind it.”
She could see it.
Duke Heron flinched very slightly.
She knew exactly why. That was because the purple potion is related to Heron’s only beloved wife, Rael.
「 “Shall we open it?” 」
To survive in this wild jungle, Viola decided to throw her gamble.
「 “Duke Heron had become so cold and mechanical since he lost his only beloved wife fifteen years ago. 」
Duke Heron had a woman he loved dearly.
She died fifteen years ago.
Even though it did not actually appear in the story, Duke Heron would sit in a blue moonlit study room and murmur her name all by himself.
「 “Her name is Rael.” 」
She was a very good alchemist and potion maker. Tea was also one of her well-known works. And so, she was called the Water Magician.
「 The day she died, Rael smiled faintly and murmured.
“My lonely man. I want to be with you forever.” 」
She fell ill and died. It was stated that she had a rare disease.
「 “I made a purple potion name ‘Viola.’” 」
The character, ‘Viola,’ was named after this potion.
Just before she died, she handed the potion ‘Viola’ to the Duke.
「 “If you drink this, you’ll die, too.”
“My lonely man. Come with me to a warm place.”
“It hurts less if we die together.” 」
Duke Heron, who loved his wife, Rael, so much, almost wanted to commit suicide and drank the poison to be with her. However, his butler, Carlton, was the one who stopped him.
‘Anyway, it was a world view wherein there is no single sane person…’
A woman who gave poison to her husband to kill himself, and a husband who willingly accepted it. Her husband even named his adopted daughter after the poison.
‘Nothing seems to be normal in this story.’
It is once again clear how mindless and insane this world is.
Duke Heron asked.
“What are you doing?”
“I know it’s poison.”
Saying so, Viola shook the glass bottle a little. The liquid, like grape juice, was glistening.
“…I want to try this for some reason.”
Because of that, Xenon whispered in her ear.
“Princess? That’s the most poisonous one of the five potions.”
“So?”
Viola chuckled.
Of course, it felt like she was going to die. Still, even if she decided to throw a gamble, that didn’t mean she felt comfortable.
“It’s calling me, somehow… it sounded like a woman’s voice?”