Chapter 16

Chapter 16

My hand moved on its will. I couldn’t bear the luxury of the egg tart somehow when I put my eyes on it. However, the problem was the spring breeze that flew through the window. In the spring breeze, the sweet scent of soft egg tarts permeated deeply. So, I unconsciously picked up the egg tart.

Bite.

All of a sudden, I put another one in my mouth.

‘Oh, this is the taste!’

And after a second, I experienced hell. Even the butler, Carlton, was looking at Viola as if he was embarrassed. Xenon looked at Viola with a slightly worried look.

It’s not until this fluffy egg tart gets in your mouth. ‘This isn’t it.’ I didn’t expect my body to move like this. Viola picked up egg tarts with her two fingers, hiding her embarrassment.

It happened, and I had to deal with the consequences…

“I’ll give you one.”

I handed one of it over to Duke Heron, and added.

“It’s very delicious.”

“Are you giving me one?”

“Yes, especially for you.”

“It’s a waste, I don’t enjoy sweets.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Why would you give me?”

“Because you’re my father now.”

Heron Verratoux raised his hand. Viola flinched for a moment and touched a poisoned dagger in her hand. His index finger touched Viola’s cheek.

Swoosh~

As if to wipe off the dust, he wiped off Viola’s cheek with indifferent touch.

“Xenon, make sure you teach her manners. I’ve never seen Verratoux with something on their face.”

Heron raised his finger. his finger was filled with cream. He wiped off the cream with a napkin and Duke Heron rose from his seat.

“One question, Viola.”

“Yes.”

“Everyone in winter pays respect to me, putting their right hand on their chest and lowering their head. Why didn’t you do that?”

Viola sat down and looked up at Duke Heron. I couldn’t swallow egg tart completely. Thanks to it, my mouth was still busy.

Munch.

Luxury egg tarts melted in my mouth. I was sorry for its disappearance, so I rolled my tongue lightly and saved it. Viola, who had come to her senses to a certain extent, said.

“Is that what you want?”

“…”

“If that’s what father wants, I’ll do the same.”

In fact, Duke Heron Verratoux has never ordered such a thing. As a child, Heron Verratoux dreamed of a beautiful world, he once even dreamed of becoming a hero. However, the wall of reality was stiff.

A beautiful and clean way alone could not make him the head of the winter castle.

He had to kill many men and animals before he came to this position, and was given the title of Duke many years later. Eventually, he was able to get this high in the Winter Castle. He became the continent’s strongest shield to protect mankind from the northern snow.

People admired Heron, but were also afraid at the same time. The only person who was not afraid of Heron was Rael. She treated Heron as a human Heron, not as the Heavenly Duke Heron.

“Is that what you want?”

‘No, I don’t.’

‘What you don’t want, I won’t do it.’ In front of Rael, Heron could be the only human Heron.

“But I don’t think you wanted it.”

“That’s what it looked like to you?”

“Yes, if you don’t want to, then I won’t.”

I gulped down the last egg tart left in my mouth. The Duke who had been looking at Viola for a long time and spoke again.

“Is all this a mask?”

For a moment, I didn’t understand. Although I didn’t understand at first, I quickly understood what he meant later. No, it’s not a mask, it’s just my body moving at its own will.

‘If I answer like that, I’ll be in trouble, right?’ A princess who can’t keep her own body reception. In Duke Heron’s point of view, it’s unacceptable. Then, I thought it would be better to say no.

For now, I remained silent. Like a silent affirmation.

Xenon said, “She’s a seven-year-old princess who knows how to control others in a mask.”

“You gave me a generous grade.”

“Wearing a mask is a good choice. In order to become a ruler, she has to be able to wear a lot of masks. Moreover, she is not pure blood.”

“Good teaching. Thank you.”

“But the current mask is not good enough.”

“…”

“Verratoux should act like Verratoux. Do you understand?”

Heron added, “It is not Verratoux’s way of acting cute. She can’t be cute. She can’t rule the Verratoux’s castle that way.”

Viola stared at him and opened her mouth.

“Father.”

“Speak.”

“I want you to be a real dad. I’m not lying.”

Han Arin is a person who understood the character, Heron, well. He’s very different from what he looks like on the outside. The current Duke Heron is the Duke Heron who is created and refined by the environment. He wasn’t like that from the beginning.

“So, treat me dearly.”

Carlton, who was still listening, suddenly felt relieved and almost collapsed.

He’d never heard such a grumpy remark in the decades of being in the service for the duke. She’s asking him to cherish her. It doesn’t suit Verratoux. What kind of Verratoux would say that?

Still, he stepped forward.

If he kills or cuts the princess now, there will be a terrible rumor in the duke’s history.

“Not like Verratoux, Princess. Be careful what you say and do.”

Then, the princess will die. Carlton is genuinely worried about Viola. However, Han Arin’s thoughts were completely different.

“Our fearsome favorite grows a cute hedgehog in secret in The Beast’s coffin, which is enchanted by a seven-fold link.”

‘He doesn’t know anyone!’ The characters did not know, but only the readers knew. This content does not even appear in the novel.

‘My duke is weak for cuteness.’

However, in the past, the author released a set book, and there is definitely content like this. This content is only available to readers of this novel, who searched the writer’s blog and read the novel’s set book about seventeen times.

‘Of course… I can’t.’ Viola had no intention of acting cute. In the first place, this body is too far from cuteness. A natural-born killer dreamer who is born to be a star. She can’t be cute when she’s not even cute.

So, I decided to give up on cuteness. I can never be cute. Instead of pretending to be cute, I have to take the emotional approach. I had to be good at tightrope walking. I can’t ruin this. There is that mysterious line.

‘There’s a fine line of standards that only the real reader can see!’

It was a little disappointing. It would have been better if the character Viola was set to be cute. ‘Okay, let’s not think about useless things.’

Duke Heron turned his back on Viola while staring at him.

“See you at the welcome dinner.”

Viola held the hem of her skirt and bent down.

“Goodbye.”

And that’s how the meeting between the father and daughter ended.

***

Inside the carriage going back to the Duke. The Duke looked out through the wagon window. Outside the window, children were playing with beads. Strangely today, that figure was especially embedded in his mind.

“Carlton.”

“Yes, Duke.”

“Is that how fluffy a child’s cheeks are?”

“I tend to cut myself well even on dull days because I’m thin. But he’s recovering fast.”

Carlton is Duke Heron’s closest aide. He thought he read Duke Heron’s inner thoughts with confidence, but it was a relief.

‘The Duke does not kill children under the age of ten in any case. So, you’ll be safe for a while, Sixth Princess. However, please wake up. You need to show a more Verratoux-like appearance.’ They all look messy like today. And the Duke doesn’t like it at all. Carlton was certain of that.

The Duke asked again.

“Do children usually eat with food on their mouths like that?”

Carlton became a little serious. The Duke must have been very disappointed. It seems that the five children born in Verratoux, that is a prestigious aristocrat, are so different from those who received formal etiquette education.

‘I need to protect you.’ So, he turned the arrow of responsibility to Xenon.

“Xenon’s still starting her manner’s education.”

Carlton sighed inwardly. I can’t believe she’s so cute. That can’t happen. No, it shouldn’t happen. The words Verratoux and cuteness are more opposite than the words water and oil.

‘Xenon, you’re going to get in trouble.’ He praised her as such a great princess, but now Carlton thinks the duke is very disappointed.

“Not at all.”

“…”

“I just didn’t behave well.”

Still, she is a child who has only been at the duke’s residence for a few days. He already had a feeling it was a waste to throw her away. Once again, Carlton said it with a sincere heart.

“However, since she is very young and has only been a few days since she came to the winter castle, it is better to give her some more time. It hasn’t been ten days since the Duke allowed her in.”

The Duke lowered his gaze. He’s done talking to Carlton. Though he thought, Carlton is right. It’s just that she’s not well capable yet, it’s definitely like that. His eyes contained the finger that touched her plumpy cheek earlier.

The feeling came to his mind.

He wiped the cream with this hand. The sluppy cream was stuck on it. Heron also remembered her tenacious gaze towards the Egg Tarts. Viola is amazing.

‘I’ll give you one.’

‘Yes, specifically for you.’

‘Is that what you want?’

‘Is it all a mask?

‘I’m not lying about asking you to be a real father. So, treat me dearly.’

Heron smirked without realizing it.

“That’s interesting.”

…Huh?

Watching the scene, Carlton wondered. However, he thought it was a relief. Heron didn’t seem to intend to give up or kill the princess.

“It doesn’t seem like you’re in a bad mood, Duke.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a child wearing a mask and playing tricks on me.”

Duke Heron judged reasonably and thought rationally.

The little girl is certainly wearing a mask now.

He trusted Xenon’s report. While hiding her madness thoroughly, she wore a mask that looked as though, ‘I am a child who knows nothing.’

Heron smirked. “That’s gross.”

Carlton began to sense something strange at that point.