Chapter 31
Hera, the fourth princess, opened her mouth and asked,
“For what reason, did you insult me?”
“….”
I felt a sting in my soul when I saw Hera sitting in a wheelchair. It felt a little different from Vixen—if he had the murderous look of an untamed cat or leopard, then Hera seemed to have the murderous look of a serpent hiding poison in her molars.
“You must have received my letter, sister.”
The content of the note itself is not much.
[ I want to be close to you, sister. ]
In a way, to say ‘want to be close’ was close to an insult, because Hera couldn’t walk. Besides, if a Verratoux said wanted to be friendly, it also meant that you’re not my match.
Viola turned away before smiling brightly.
“I didn’t insult sister.”
“Are you saying that this note wasn’t meant to be an insult?”
“If you had thought so, I don’t think you would have come to see me, sister.”
She wouldn’t be here if she thought it was a real insult as she had potentially defined it. However, it is a relief. Whatever the reason was, Hera came to see her.
Han Arin, who is a reader, knows that very well.
‘You have a thing for me.’
She knows everything from the novel, from the very first part of the novel.
Immediately after the welcoming dinner, Hera has a big crush on Viola. So, she reaches out her hand to be an ally, but is kicked out by Viola.
‘I’m sure you still have a big crush on me…’
So, sister please say ‘I’ll invest in you’. Please hit the ceiling!
[ T/N: ‘Please hit the ceiling’ means hit highest part of all. ]
‘I love you, my stock.’
Meeting Hera. This part is also a part that Han Arin personally regretted. Suddenly, she remembered the regrets of being a reader.
Viola recalled the original story.
「 Hera gave up being the family head. Instead, Hera decided to help the family head. 」
Because she had physical limitations, she didn’t want to be the Duke herself.
Hera came into contact with her brothers, while hiding her sharp claws, judged and made her decision. Who will she raise to be her successor—who will she hold hands with. Constantly testing and supporting her siblings.
So, in a sense, she is also the most demanding sibling.
In the novel, the Duke once mentioned this,
「 “The child chosen by Hera will be the heir, Madam.”
“She cannot be the king herself, but she is a child who can raise the King.” 」
But, Viola hated such a Hera, and that… was Viola’s mistake in the beginning.
Han Arin made a resolution again.
‘I will never do that. As soon as I become an enemy with Hera, my whole life will crumble and be ruined.’
Every moment she would have to worry about the back of her head, and each and every life will become a series of crises. Even though Viola is a lunatic who enjoyed those situations, it wasn’t the same for Han Arin.
“I mean it, but I apologize if you felt insulted. I don’t know much about the Verratoux Family yet.”
“You don’t know?”
Hera smiled once as if it was absurd.
‘A kid who doesn’t know Verratoux did that at the welcome dinner?’
Viola smiled lightly and asked back, “Why is sister here?”
“Isn’t it a sister’s duty to check our youngest’s face?”
“Really?”
She walked without hesitation toward Hera, then made eye contact with the girl in a wheelchair. Viola, who is very short, could make eye contact with Hera without bending her waist.
“Then, check it out, my face. “
She brought her face closer to you—to the point where their noses are almost touching.
“You can check it as much as you want.”
“….”
Hera is a little taken aback.
Viola’s face is just too close. She could feel her breath.
「 At the welcome dinner, Hera had a strange feeling. It was a likability that originated out of longing. 」
Would she have done that if she were in that position? A feeble yearning that started from that point.
‘…I wouldn’t have done that.’
What Hera didn’t have, Viola had. She had vast confidence that is not daunted by anyone and arrogant eyes as if she was born with a predator’s fate.
Hera felt those things at the welcome dinner.
It is the same as now.
She felt a strange ease with Viola. Even though the girl in front of her is definitely her younger sister, it felt as though Viola was the older sister instead.
‘You act like that if it is just imitation or simple acting.’
It must have been a kind of talent she had innately. Hera was so misunderstood, Viola continued the eye contact.
“I don’t know much about Verratoux yet.”
“Let’s say it is.”
“But, I know one thing. The law of the jungle. If you don’t prove your qualifications, you’ll be culled.”
“Well understood.”
Viola put her hands on Hera’s shoulder, twirling slowly around her. Playing as Verratoux now has become natural.
“When I first saw the family chart, I was curious. How can a lame princess survive here?”
Hera is twelve years old. Children over the age of ten also deviate from the law of protection. At that point, Verratoux’s clans choose their career paths at the age of ten and begin to grow as candidates for succession.
And then, it would be the time to play their part when they reach twelve.
“I don’t have any official records of your duties. How did sister grow up to be Verratoux in two years? I’ve been thinking about it.”
Viola grinned.
‘You like smart people, right? I’m smart, too!’
“If you don’t mind, would you listen to me, sister?”
There is a reason why Hera, a princess whose legs were broken, survived here. Han Arin is well aware of that reason.
It was because Hera is not a character who uses her body, instead, she uses her brain. She is a character who grows up by choosing a career path as ‘White Verratoux’ at the age of ten.
“I heard you often stop by father’s study even though you don’t have a mission.”
“You’ve done a pretty detailed investigation.”
“Yes, the butler is competent.”
Not really… Well, she saw it all in the book…
“So, what do you want to say?”
“The fact that you can survive here with this kind of body. I think that would mean that you have some special ability that I don’t know about?”
“….”
This was the customized approach Viola had chosen.
Hera gazed at Viola, who happened to be passing in front of her. She looked at Viola’s profile. Her purple hair was dancing.
“Right above me, there’s a crazy brother.”
“Vixen?”
“Yes, I thought about why older brother wouldn’t come at you, sister.”
This is because Duke Heron gave the order himself.
[ Don’t touch Hera. ]
“No matter how hard I think about it, I can only interpret that father gave the order himself. I think father ordered not to touch you, sister.”
That fact was certain.
Since she has read it all in the novel.
“You’re right. That’s what father ordered.”
“I’m sure that is the case for all the siblings, right?”
Hera did not deny it.
It was all correct.
“Father is a reasonable man. He couldn’t have done that for no reason.”
“So, that’s why I was sure you have a special ability. Since they won’t be able to get close to you, they wouldn’t even know what it is, isn’t that right?”
Viola paused. And, like a villain in a novel, she whispered in Hera’s ear.
“Hmm. Isn’t that right?”
Hera’s body flinched.
She could feel a ghostly energy in her voice.
It was actually her innate ability, after all. Though it feels like a whisper from an evil spirit…
Viola intended to act beautiful, but in reality, she became a ghost. Of course, Viola didn’t expect to be recognized that much. She just did her best to do what she had to do. The important thing right now is to get Hera on her side.
She then pointed out the fact she saw in the novel.
“You don’t want to be the Duke.”
“….”
“The thing you wanted to be is the King Maker, isn’t it?”
Hera squinted her eyes.
“I’ve never revealed that in front of my siblings…”
Even though it was certain that Hera was thinking about that, she never showed it on the surface. Her other siblings might now, but not the seven-year-old girl. So, it wasn’t something that a child who had only been in the house for about ten days would know.
‘This is fun.’
The new sister.
And so, Hera decided to have a conversation with Viola. She wondered if it would be okay for her to choose? How accurate were her father’s eyes? Is this yearning she holds justified?
Maybe it’s like a fantasy for this kid.
Hera shrugged and made eye contact with Viola. It was so sudden that she almost flinched at that moment.
‘Her eyes are alive now.’
It became bright.
Somehow, Hera had the kind of look that was similar to Vixen’s lively appearance when saying, ‘Let’s have a slaughter race!’
Han Arin knew why Hera’s eyes were alive.
‘She wants to test me seriously.’
It meant that she had to pass the test as well. Moments later, Hera opened her mouth again. “I’ve never said that before, not even once, from my own mouth.”
“I know.”
“But, you’re definitely thinking that is the case, right?”
“Because I’m certain.”
“Why so?”
‘I saw it in the novel.’
“You’re smart, sister.”
“Yes, let’s just say so.”
“I also know that a person who is directly protected by father will never be the head of the family. That is something as expected.”
“…I suppose so.”
“Then, why would a smart person like you take father’s protection?”
“Did I claim to be? Can he take responsibility for my life?”
“I’ve met father twice.”
She pointed out one fact.
“He’s not that delicate.”
That’s the charm about her favorite character, Duke Heron, but Viola swallowed her words.
“Is there someone who isn’t so delicate, would come forward and tell everyone not to touch our smart Fourth princess?”
At that, Viola continued to recite the words in the novel as though she had deduced and inferred them.
“Father is not delicate, but he is reasonable.”
“What are you trying to imply?”
“My smart sister asked him for protection, and the reasonable father accepted it.”
Hera’s eyes began to shine more.
“Keep talking.”
“You don’t want to be the family head, but you would have played a role in supporting them.”
Viola in the original ignores Hera because of that.
“Father and sister must have made a deal. Sister gave up her position as the family head, and in exchange, gained protection. At the same time, it must have been a deal that you definitely support the people who would become the owner and strive for the prosperity of Verratoux.”
“….”
“In Verratoux, the people who play this role are called ‘White Verratoux’.”
“Yes, it’s called the White Verratoux.”
“Yes. Growing up as a White Verratoux would have been the best choice for my unwell sister. That is the smartest and most reasonable decision.”
“….”
Viola is sincere. She certainly admired her as a reader.
The deal takes place at the age of ten for Hera. Duke Heron liked Hera, the Fourth Princess who had offered him such a deal at the age of ten, and accepted her offer.
She then shrugged.
“I mean it. I think you are very Verratoux, sister.”
She can’t be a murderer machine like Vixen. Instead, she did the best she could within her ability. Han Arin, who is a reader, is very aware of that fact.
“Very Verratoux-like, you say?”
“Because you did the best you could. I admire that point of view of yours.”
“….”
“I mean it.”
Listening to Viola’s words, Hera had a strange feeling. To be honest, this was the first time she’s heard of that.
‘…Admire.’
A word unexpected came from Viola.
Hera considers herself a coward to receive protection from her father. She is incompetent, in a way, so she can’t even compete.
A half-fledged Verratoux that does not become a Black Verratoux symbolizing a real Veratoux but chooses the White Verratoux that hides its head or uses it.
That is the current status of Princess Hera.
The one who said that she was a Verratoux is herself. Furthermore, Viola is the first of the siblings to say that she admired her.
Eventually, Hera smirked.
She looked at Viola with strange eyes and said, “You…”
Viola felt tingling inside. Her eyes looked sharp. She then uttered meaningful words.
“Acting with a mask that doesn’t look good on you. Aren’t you frustrated?”
Boom!
Viola felt like her heart was sinking.