Chapter 30
“Now, I know, Viola. Your secret.”
Hickson said.
“My secret?”
Hearing his words, Han Arin felt cold sweats running through her back.
…A secret.
‘Don’t tell me he realized that I am a transmigrator?!’
“…You’re born with mercenary skills.”
Saying so, he nodded to himself. Hickson concluded his words, “Well, with that much insight, the art of you moving a person’s mind is considerable.”
Perhaps that is a natural area. Isn’t everyone born to be a little murderous?
‘I don’t think so…’
In any way, Viola is an unusual kid.
“That’s why you approached me, hiding your true self. You pretended to be a young child looking for help.”
“What do I really look like, then?”
“The image of the iron-blooded princess at the welcoming dinner?”
“…Iron-blooded princess?”
Viola seemed to have heard that before. Rumor has it that the adopted princess has iron blood in her body. Rumor also has it that the adopted daughter, who is more Verratoux than anyone else, has been adopted in the family.
“I guess there are real rumors going around…”
Even though Viola wanted to correct the misunderstanding, she couldn’t. That fact that it wasn’t a stigma, is falsified.
“Yes, iron-blooded princess, a little one that is very ferocious.”
Viola asked back brazenly.
“So, you don’t like it?”
“No, what? Who said I didn’t like you? It’s just… you are just too cute, way too cute.”
Xenon flinched at the word.
‘Lord Hickson… did he notice as well?’
It felt as if someone had revealed his secret that he only wanted to keep to himself, but he didn’t express it.
Meanwhile, Tundra peered up. He just wants her to look at him though she didn’t even give him a glance. Right now, Viola had her own situation, but Tundra didn’t know it.
‘Please look at me.’
At that thought, he kept staring with eagerness. His master’s eyes lit up.
Viola also read Tundra’s eyes.
‘Stop staring at me!’
‘Please look at me. I beg you…’
Tundra looked like a little puppy. Still, she couldn’t stare at him because the real Viola might come out and take control of her body instead.
Vixen, who had been silently observing the situation until now, read the strange aura. She wasn’t making any eye contact with Tundra. Though he doesn’t understand why, that makes him feel a little better.
“Hehe.”
He couldn’t hide his feelings. Vixen smiled, scratching his cheek lightly.
Then, Viola suddenly glanced at him and said, “Brother, can I talk to you for a second?”
“…Me and you? The two of us?”
Just the two of us.
Just us two.
Us. two.
Vixen’s eyes shine excitedly at the thought.
“Uh, yeah, two of us…?”
“Without him, too?”
“Yes.”
By now, Vixen’s mouth was caught pulled up to his ear. Tundra’s gaze became more severe as she was very conscious about it.
“Let’s go! And talk! Just the two of us!”
Viola, who was already leading the way, did not see Vixen’s big smile.
Viola’s room.
Vixen sat on the chair. He put his arms between his thighs and pulled his body forward. It seems that he is looking forward to hearing her words.
“What are we going to talk about?”
“I saw your eyes fixated on my dog earlier.”
In the novel, it was also mentioned.
[ “I’ll kill you.” ]
[ “I’ll kill you, too” ]
She had already read that these kinds of hot-blooded eye contacts were exchanged. On Viola’s side, it is complicated. Fortunately, she had learned how to handle Vixen with her tactics.
“I know why you lost in the duel earlier.”
“I didn’t lose, it’s a draw!”
“You lost.”
If there are no unusual variables, Vixen should have won.
But, it was a draw…
That meant that he was defeated. He had a draw for his superior performance.
“No! It is definitely a draw!”
Listening to his protests, Viola sighed.
‘Obviously, a child is a child. I’m going to solve it and explain it.’
“Brother is a lot better. Right?”
“Yes, of course! It’s me, after all.”
Vixen is as condescending as he could be. The boy straightened his shoulders and raised his nose.
‘No, it’s not… This is not a compliment!’
“Even though if it’s a draw, it means you lose. The stronger person got into a tie with the weaker person.”
Not losing, he still denied vigorously.
“Still, the result is a tie.”
She eventually frowned.
“That’s not cool.”
“Huh…?”
Vixen’s body flinched.
The killer was so surprised at her words that he almost lost a sense of balance and almost rolled off the chair. Seeing his reaction, Viola thought it might be a big mental shock.
After a long moment of silence, Vixen made his own reasonable reasoning.
“Is it because I lost?”
“No.”
In fact, Viola didn’t care who won.
That fact didn’t matter to him in the slightest. For her, just winning doesn’t make it cooler. She prefers characters who don’t win and don’t take risks.
She opened her mouth again.
“If you’re Verratoux, shouldn’t you be making a point about what happened to you but rather think about further development based on the results? That’s being reasonable.”
“…That…that—”
“Brother lost your composure at the moment, and your movements got too big. That’s why you have allowed the much weaker Tundra to attack you. Weak Tundra realized his only weakness and found an opportunity. He did well.”
Han Arin, the true reader, had a quick insight into Vixen’s psychology. As the older brother, he thought that he should be strong!
‘I’m strong!’
It seemed like he wanted to strongly insist on this.
“And when the fight was over, brother kept glaring at Tundra.”
“Yes, I mean, it was a draw. But, you’re only at Tundra….”
“Only at him?”
“Never mind. I won’t tell you.”
It was a draw, but she only complimented the dog, and she didn’t give much attention to him. And, she only cared about him.
The eight-year-old Vixen is grumpy for nothing.
“That’s not cool.”
“What?”
“You’re a Verratoux.”
By now, Viola has learned a lot about how to handle Vixen.
“Besides, Tundra is just my dog, right?”
“Yes.”
“Verratoux must always be strong. Am I wrong?”
“You are not wrong.”
“I felt it when I saw father at the welcome dinner. Father is relaxed. When I looked at father, I realized that it is the relaxation of the strong.”
With everything she said, Vixen is at a loss for words.
Everything Viola said is correct.
“If you’re a strong man, you should be able to relax and be calm. That’s proof that you’re not yet a strong man.”
“….”
“I want my brother to be strong.”
Vixen gulped his saliva.
Somehow, he couldn’t deny anything she had said.
“So, don’t expose yourself to my dog like that.”
Tundra needs to grow safely and well. That means in the meantime, until then, Vixen should not seriously injure or kill him.
‘So, please! Help the male lead grow up well!’
“That’s how Verratoux is. Be a strong brother.”
Vixen shook his head with a throb, but in reality, he felt good. Couldn’t hide his feelings anymore, he gazed at Viola again.
“He’s just a dog, and I’m an older brother, right?”
It feels like the focus is a little bit off.
It isn’t wrong, so she agreed to it.
“Yes.”
“Well, it’s kind of weird for me to really deal with a guy who acts like a dog, right? I’m a hell of a Verratoux after all.”
Viola nodded to his words.
“Then, will you not keep your dignity and spare the weak?”
“Would that be cool?” Vixen’s eyes contained strange expectations once again.
There was no such content in the original novel.
There, Vixen and Viola grew into rivals as they showed equal growth speed at the beginning of the book. However, now, she could feel it herself. Strangely, it doesn’t feel like they are rivals at all.
It is a strange feeling.
For some reason, Vixen keeps on obsessing over ‘coolness.’ So, even though it wasn’t in the original, it is still good for her anyway. Talking about that, now that she’s swung a lot of sticks, it’s time to give him a carrot.
“It’ll be cool..”
“Hehe. Does Viola want Vixen to be cool?”
‘All I want is just to sleep well and don’t follow me with a knife.’
Well, she couldn’t say that, though.
Thinking so, she just nodded her head helplessly. Then, Vixen smiled more brightly.
“You need to be cool. To do so, I felt I had to find some ways to relax.”
There was nothing wrong with Viola’s words.
“As expected, I don’t want to kill the dog.”
He thought he’d let the dog off the hook even if it came at him hard. Hence, he decided not to kill the dog.
After a while, eventually, Vixen returned to his room on his own.
Lulu~ As he was leaving, his humming was heard over the door to Viola’s room. She tilted her head and leaned at the chair exhaustedly.
‘Is this going to be okay?’
Overall, she was quite certain it would be going well. Most of it seems to be going well as intended, but she could feel something strangely out of place.
‘It’s just my feeling, isn’t it?’
It’s been a few days since that day.
Viola had been waiting for one person every day. In the novel, the exact date is not mentioned, but it should only be a few days later…
“Soon…”
It’s time for Hera to come, and it’s time for the next chapter of ‘Meeting Hera’ to start.
Just as she buttoned up properly on her first encounter with Duke Heron, Viola has to fasten the buttons properly, even at the first meeting with Hera as well. It was because she wanted to live a different life from the original Viola.
‘It’s going to be a really important meeting.’
Few days passed once again.
‘What is it?’
It’s been two weeks later, but Hera has yet to show up.
‘Why isn’t she showing up? Something seemed to have changed…?’ As time was ticking away, Viola felt nervous for no reason.
“Don’t let too much time pass…”
The original content should not be changed too much. Because knowledge is power, she can change things only if she knows.
And so, she decided.
“Xenon, send this note to Sister Hera.”
It said, just like a thirsty man digs a well. If Hera doesn’t come first, then she would just throw the hook first instead. This matter is too significant to turn a blind eye to.
“What is it about?”
“I’m just trying to be friendly.”
Hearing so, he took the note and asked, “Shall I deliver it now?”
“Yeah.”
The next day.
Knock, knock.
Finally, she could hear a knock from outside the door.
“Here she comes!”
Viola had a hunch it was Hera. A faint sound of a man could be heard, presumably Hera’s butler.
“Princess Hera is waiting. Do you mind if we come in?”
Xenon asked. “Do you want me to open it?”
“Yes.”
The door slowly opened, and Viola greeted the guest.
“Come on in, sister.”
Viola felt like hearing voices in her ears.
Kaching! She’s a rich kid.
Viola smiled brightly. It was the brightest since she possessed here.
And so, the butler pushed Hera’s wheelchair.
Entering the room, she could see Hera, who was wearing a modest blue dress. Her silver hair was so shiny, and it matched well with her pale skin. Sitting in a wheelchair, she arrived right in front of Viola.
“Butler, please go outside.”
“Understood.”
Viola, knowing what she meant, said quickly, too. She was more tactful than ever.
“Xenon, go out, too. I want to talk to my sister alone.”
“Okay, shall we prepare some refreshments?”
‘I want strawberry ade!’
Although that was what she wanted to say, Viola held the thought in.
“Do you want some refreshments, sister?”
“This is all right for me.”
After Hera’s words, she replied back to Xenon quickly as well.
“I’m good, too.”
And so, both butlers left the room.
She decided not to go against the murderer brother’s plan, but she also decided to not go against the rich older sister’s plan.
Hera and Viola.
Only the two of them remained here. There is a strange silence between the two, and the first person to open their mouth is Hera.
“For what reason did you insult me?”