Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Verratoux Family’s test was held in the thousand-year-old duchy. If she fails this test, Viola would be discarded without any hesitation.

‘Phew.’

While I was breathing deeply, the large door opened wide, and she slowly got a glimpse of people who were inside. Viola moved solemnly with Xenon behind her.

“The Seventh Princess of the Verratoux Family. Young Lady Viola Verratoux enters.”

She was called the seventh princess, not the Sixth Princess.

Just like in the novel.

Walking several steps further, she glanced to her right and stared at the butler who called her the Seventh Princess.

In fact, the duke’s test starts from here.

Whether she would correct something that was wrong on the stop or not. If she gets it right and acts how ‘a Verratoux should act,’ then she would pass the first test.

‘I can’t do the same as Viola.’

In the original book, Viola moved swiftly and stabbed the butler in the neck. Sadly, she couldn’t make the same move as her. If she followed her actions from the novel, she could have exposed unwanted loopholes.

So, instead, she chose a different method.

Choosing a method she could do better.

Step by step.

The sound of Viola’s footsteps echoed in the silence. Slowly, she approached the butler. As the original story went, she had to kill that butler, but she decided to twist the original plot a little.

‘That’s not a real butler.’

It is not a real person. It is a doll strung by a puppeteer.

[ The fourth finger of the butler’s left hand had a thin thread attached to it. 」

A very fine, shiny thread could be seen. Viola stood before him silently. She slowly took out the dagger from her arms and swung it very leisurely with a nonchalant attitude.

The dagger given to her was from Verratoux. The special dagger was made by the duke’s workshop to fit her wistful spirit for its’ high quality. Although it was a rough-and-dull dagger, it was not impossible to break the thread.

Swish! The thread broke, and the butler doll lost its strength and collapsed.

Viola wasn’t too surprised to know it was a doll. ‘Now, we can step on that head.’ It was difficult to trample on people, though it was not that difficult to trample on dolls.

Step!

Viola deliberately put her foot on the butler’s head. She trampled on it slowly. She practiced really hard while looking at the mirror last night.

Smile.

“Oh, no, that’s not fun at all.”

The man rolled up his lips and laughed, hiding the tension with laughter. She peered at the man.

“Savann Marcos.”

[ The person who manipulated the doll was the puppeteer, Savann Marcos. 」

She could feel the tension from his stare. All the other family members, except Viola, are sitting at the long table.

Duke Heron Verratoux.

Duchess Isabella.

And the eyes of her five siblings could be visibly felt at once, too. With all the pressure, Viola seriously wanted to cry. ‘Wow. This is too much for me.’ Among all the stares, it was difficult to differentiate whose eyes were a violent, wild animal.

‘I shouldn’t even look over there.’

So, she decided not to look at them on purpose. There is no need to talk with her siblings, anyway. Today’s scene is about the Duke, Duchess Isabella, and of course, Viola. Us three were the main characters.

Viola decided to concentrate on that fact instead. Then, Savaan approached.

“Uhm.”

He walked a few more steps closer, covering his mouth with his hands and laughing. Savann, who came in front of Viola, bent down.

“I have made a mistake, princess.”

“I guess you know it was a bad call.”

“I’m sorry.”

“If you’re really sorry, would you like to die for your mistake?” Viola pretended to hold her dagger tighter and smirked.

Savann shook his hand.

“I don’t think it’s that much of a felony. Ho, ho, ho. Please look over here.”

Savann pointed at his neck, which fine wounds were visible. They were wounds inflicted by the scissors that Viola had wielded in her sleep.

“Shouldn’t you say that I’ve been charged already? I almost died.”

Savann Marcos looked toward the Duke. Viola unknowingly followed his gaze as well. She gave the Duke a single glance.

Viola was a kid whom he, the owner of a winter castle, had adopted himself. The handsome man had black bangs and captivating eyes, to say that he was handsome was an understatement. Her perspective was rather a deep affinity for the duke.

‘Isn’t that a fraud to look that good even though it’s a novel?’

That face contained immunity for anyone to forgive him of all wrongdoings.

Han Arin felt that his father’s appearance is more improbable than her own thought of the novel. There’s no such father in the present world.

“You’re so handsome, Duke.”

Heron read Viola’s feelings through the novel as ‘twisted.’

[ T/N: It is expressed as a Jin-an, which is not a proper word for Jin-mu which means twisted, in the basic hanja (鎭撫). The meaning is “Calm and caress the people who caused the chaos.” ]

She tried to ignore the good feelings that were forming. This warm feeling didn’t suit Verratoux.

The duke then spoke in a grave voice.

“Viola, stop and sit down.”

She turned away. Gently and carefully, Viola walked towards her seat. She then put the dagger back in her arms and held the hem on both sides of her dress. Along her steps, she could feel the eyes of her siblings. Vixen’s expression is also full of excitement.

“Phew”

This is the real beginning.

***

Viola glanced around the area once.

It was a long rectangular table. Her five siblings are sitting around the table, but she decided to not care about that for now. Because regardless, they are just spectators in this chapter. Though Viola couldn’t deny that she felt scared from their gazes for a while now.

Xenon pulled up the chair for her.

“You can sit here, princess.”

Her seat is facing Duke Heron and Duchess Isabella. At the rectangular edge, this is the seat of the main characters.

Duchess Isabella was wearing a white veil, so her face was not visible.

Viola knew how to proceed to the next step in this novel. Isabella will first throw a test disguised as a question.

[ “Sixth Princess. I have two questions.” 」

So, Viola planned to take the first step first. She had to get her act together first to ensure that she had an advantage. Han Arin, who is now Viola, is not the real Viola, so she had to do her best to survive.

Viola spoke with a relaxed smile.

“I don’t think that you have the atmosphere to welcome me.”

She glanced around on purpose. “It’s my father’s impulsiveness that brought me here unilaterally.”

“…”

“To verify my eligibility as a Verratoux.”

Viola looked into Isabella’s eyes that were hidden by the veil.

“We’ll need verification from two other owners of this family.”

Two other owners.

It means two duchesses. However, another one is not here.

The other duchess did not appear in the novel, though she was only roughly mentioned. So, the only duchess left is Duchess Isabella.

“Because another person is not here, Duchess Isabella will test me, right?”

Han Arin couldn’t do it like how Viola did it in the novel. She doesn’t want to die, nor kill anyone. Her movements are not sharp, and she didn’t have a cruel personality like Viola. That’s why she chose to do this.

“If you don’t think you can prove your physical ability, you must prove your worth with your mentally.”

If she couldn’t prove that she has the qualification, she’ll die. Fortunately, Han Arin already knew the story of the novel 「 Shadow of Verratoux. 」

Duchess Isabella’s red lips continued to move.

“But you’re right. That was brilliant, Sixth Princess.”

“Thank you for the compliment. So, what’s the test?”

“I’d like to ask you two questions.”

The examination began.

“First. Why didn’t you stab him in the heart?”

She added, “Why didn’t you kill the butler (doll) who called the Sixth Princess.”, the Seventh Princess?”

Viola frowned on purpose.

“Is that a question?”

It was as though she was indicating,‘is that all you could think of asking me?’ Her tone was sarcastic, too. Duchess Isabella was briefly taken aback by Viola’s attitude.

“…Pardon?”

The family’s eyes widened in unison.

‘I’m scared, I’m scared!’ Even though she was terrified inside, Viola kept staring at Duchess Isabella on purpose. Thankfully, with the veil covering Duchess Isabella’s eyes, they were not very visible and it made Viola less nervous. ‘Yes, I’ll just look at Isabella.’ And so, she did that.

It seemed to others that Viola is not at all daunted by Isabella. She did not even pay the slightest attention to her siblings, but is relaxed while dealing with Isabella. Savann’s makeup also had a helping hand of completely concealed her fear from showing, too.

Isabelle smiled lightly.

“I’ve been tasked by the duke to ask questions. Did you have to tarnish me like that?”

“No, it was not my intention to do that at all.”

“Then?”

“You asked me something that was so obvious that I was just genuinely confused whether it was a serious question or not.”

Viola was getting nervous again, so she quickly continued the conversation. “I didn’t mean to, but I apologize if you felt that way.”

‘I should just smirk at this point, right?’

Smirk. Thinking so, she proceeded to smile softly.

The reception hall was tranquil. Only the sounds of Isabella and Viola’s conversation filled the dining hall.

“I’ll ask you again. The reason you didn’t stab the butler in the heart is because you noticed he was a doll?”

“Yes.”

“How did you find out?”

“It is a welcoming dinner with my family and my closest friends.”

I glanced around the room. “But there was one person who’s not a part of the people that I just mentioned.”

Although Savann Marcos is an important person and close aide to the duke, he was hardly considered as the closest person in this circle to join her welcoming dinner. There were only personal butlers of Verratoux’s immediate family.

“And I’m sure that I am the Sixth Princess, so if he calls me the Seventh Princess, then it meant you want me to kill him, right?”

She then laughed sensibly deliberately.

“But this is a place where the absolute laws of Winter Castle apply, so I shouldn’t kill him. And that left me with one answer. Is that right, mother?”

“Keep talking.”

“So, someone who was closest to him would be suspected as the one who manipulated the doll. It was obvious that Savann Marcos, the puppeteer of Winter Castle, would be the culprit.”

Viola continued as if she had seen through everything.

“But here, Savann Marcos couldn’t have been dogmatic without father’s permission, So, in other words, his actions would have been following father’s and mother’s orders.”

He looked toward Savann Marcos.

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She peered at Savann Marcos and concluded her words. “That’s why I didn’t kill him. Is my explanation enough, mother?”

There was a moment of silence.

…Why?

Why is it so quiet?

‘Did I make a mistake? Did I talk too much? Should I have just stabbed the butler in the neck like the original Viola?’

At that moment, Duke Heron Verratoux broke the silence and threw a heavy word.

“That’s great.”

Everyone’s eyes turned towards him. Their eyes were filled with wonder.