Translator and Editor: Skye and Nabi

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Chapter 9

“It’s not gonna be okay. But I’ll still be there for you.”

It was that moment, Tundra felt like someone hit his heart and head at the same time, with a big hammer.

‘What is this?’

This is strange.

“Why…” Tears fell down from his eyes.

‘I don’t know why I am crying. Is it because I am comforted? Is it because she said warm words towards me?’

‘It wasn’t really that. Beyond my memory, somehow, it is strangely familiar. …Why are you doing this?’

Meanwhile, Viola ate her heart out in her own way. If this was in the modern society, she might have treated Tundra warmer.

However, this is in the “Shadow of Verratoux” world. Kindness is a variant of poison.

“Look straight at the situation.”

‘Hope torture’ is not yet done.

“Your father and sister are dead.”

“I am the one who avenged your enemies, and I am the one who saved your life. How do you act?”

Come to think of it, the girl is right.

He was confident that he put a knife in first and was trying to take her hostage. Though it was her, who avenged his family, it’s true that he has been resurrected.”

“How do you feel? Do you have time to listen to me now?”

Viola slowly explained the situation.

“First of all, I’m not part of the Duchy.”

“This is the Duchy of Verratoux. I’m Viola Verratoux, who became the sixth Princess a few days ago.”

“…how many days?” Tundra was bewildered.

He thought she was from this family since she was born. However, she became a princess only a few days ago.

‘The youngest princess to be adopted in Verratoux?’

Tundra knew rumors about Verratoux.

The northern monsters of the Winter Castle. A terrifying family lineage which was ruled by a thousand-year-old duke.

It was beyond belief that she was adopted only a few days ago.

Viola came close to Tundra.

As she raised her hand, his body flinched. He still felt a tingling sensation on his cheek.

Viola slightly released a harness that bound Tundra’s body and mouth.

“You’re comfortable talking now, aren’t you?”

“…Yes.”

Viola spoke in a very soft voice.

It started with the story of her being adopted here. Unlike her other siblings who have come to the mother’s family, she was alone.

She gave more details about what she said earlier.

“My mother and father abandoned me.”

The same goes for Arin and Viola.

Arin grew up in a nursery, and Viola grew up in a slum without her parents’ protection.

Viola’s voice contains a sincere heart. “Looks like you don’t have a guardian either.”

Viola, who said so, released the harness ( magic restraint ) holding Tundra in check.

Clang!

The magic chain closed itself and disappeared into the subspace.

Flap!

Tundra’s body fell to the ground.

He is still wearing restraints such as handcuffs on his wrists and ankles, but he is probably much more comfortable than when he was floating in the air.

Viola reached out to the fallen Tundra. “I’ll help you.”

“Why…?”

“What?”

“Why do you want to help me?”

His words echoed into my heart.

Why would I stay with him? Logically, the words were not right.

He couldn’t believe she was going to be by his side. But more than anything, he was so confused because he couldn’t understand why her words were so comforting.

“I told you, I’m adopted. I don’t have a reliable mother, and I don’t have anyone on my side. So I need my own person.”

She added. “I chose you as my man.”

“…Why?”

“Because I liked your eyes.”

Actually, I didn’t like it.

Kang Han-Joon’s eyes were always warm. His eyes were always warm and lively.

It was different from the cold eyes of Tundra. However, even if it was different, it was still the same.

But she said it differently on the outside.

This is not Kang Han-Joon but Tundra.

I don’t like him, but I gave comfort to the boy who lost both his father and sister.

Kang Han-joon did that to Arin.

I repeated the same thing. “I’ll be next to you.”

Words that are not logical or rational but are helpful to those who have lost everything.

Those words kept ringing in Tundra’s ears.

“So, I hope you grow up to be a great man.” Viola reached out her hand.

Tundra looked at her hand for a long time and soon held it.

It’s been an hour.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes.” Tundra nodded.

His eyes started to look lively.

Viola was a little fascinated by the way Tundra acted.

‘Is it because he is the… Male Lead?’

It’s hard to come to his senses in an hour after such a big accident. Actually, I didn’t expect much. Nevertheless, Tundra showed a spirit just like the male lead.

In any case, he seemed to have recovered on the outside.

Tundra turned his head fast.

It is Tundra who will have the power to surpass Viola in the future.

He displayed his insight.

“Then, I have to act like a dog on the outside.”

Viola nodded.

That way, he will be recognized as the princess’s toy and would not be checked or monitored.

“Yes, my dog, or my toy.”

He had to do that. That way, in Verratoux, it would be a justification for keeping Tundra around.

Tundra, who grasped the situation, kept saying.

“I attacked you. But we can’t just move on, can we?”

“Yes, you need discipline.”

“Because dogs that bite their owners should be tamed properly?”

“You’re smart.”

Verratoux is like that.

The pet and the owner.

A toy aiming at its owner with a knife is something that can not be forgiven.

It’s not like Verratoux to just forgive and forget.

“Is that how Verratoux is?”

“That’s what being a Verratoux is”

“That sounds sad for some reason.”

It was the forgiveness that Tundra learned from his father.

“The most beautiful and sublime thing in the world is forgiveness.”

‘Forgiveness is for others, but it’s not for me.’

‘So, forgive your mother.’

Though the forgiveness he had spoken in Verratoux looked a little different. He must be absolutely responsible for this, even if the parties have forgiven.

“What?”

“Nothing. Anyway, you have to discipline me in a Verratoux-like way. That’s the justification for forgiveness.”

“Correct.”

She has to look like a Verratoux.

As everything will be reported, she couldn’t just let Tundra leave unattended. Viola had to make him pay for biting her.

Tundra said. “I’ve prepared my mind.”

He looked at Viola.

“But the way you look at me…”

Tundra was reading the emotions in Viola’s eyes as she looked at him.

Living.

Pity.

Anger

Yearning.

“Why are your emotions so complicated.”

Various emotions that were difficult to coexist seemed to be mixed together.

Viola said she lost her mom and dad.

This little girl looked strong somehow. She looked five years old on the outside, but her eyes were so serious.

Strangely, he felt like she was an adult.

‘I’m not okay.’

‘I’ll help you.’

‘I’ll be there for you.’

I know those words were meant for yourself.

He was well aware of the fact that it was meant to stay beside her.

‘I’m sure I’ll have to go.’

Even though he knew it, his heart pounded strangely.

He felt like he had to hold her hands.

‘I’m not okay.’

That one phrase approached him like it was a magic word.

He couldn’t understand why an ordinary phrase, which was nothing, sounded so special. Tundra felt something familiar without knowing why.

He lifted up a thick stick of Icylla trees. It was a stick that bends like a thud.

The name is Icylla Punishment. Some people called it an Icylla stick because it bent like a whip.

“It’ll hurt a lot.”

“I’m ready.”

The complicated feelings he felt for the first time wriggled in his heart.

‘…Pretty.’

Her beauty wasn’t the most common beauty one can ever see.

Her purple eyes were beautiful as if she had both life and compassion. But not entirely unfamiliar for some reason.

“We… Have we met before?” Tundra asked.

“No, we haven’t.”

Viola almost answered that they had. However, Tundra is not Kang Joon.

Tundra, who was thinking about something for a long time, came to his conclusion and asked.

“Is it possible to interpret that from your aggressive side, that one day you will definitely rule over Verratoux?”

He continued. “Otherwise, there’s no reason for you to devote hours of effort to me as an outsider. You’ve become an adopted daughter of a duke, and you don’t really need a boy like me now.”

She had that strange atmosphere full of ambition and desire for domination, though still having the unique feeling of warmth.

Viola avoided his direct answer.

The male lead is smart, so he could think about it on his own.

“When things get sorted out, let’s go to your cabin together.”

“The hut?”

“Your father, he’s there.”

“…”

“I’ll make you feel comfortable.”

Later, Tundra, when he recovered his health, will soon visit his cabin.

In order for him to bury his father. But his father’s body would already have been eaten away by all the living animals.

It remained an indelible bruise on Tundra’s heart.

“I’ll come with you.”

“…Thank you.”

Tundra’s eyes glimmered.

‘She’s weird.’

He thought the girl in the fairy tale book was the only one who was pretty.

He also knew that people usually say she’s pretty. Though when I met Viola, he didn’t think of it until now.

She has that strange atmosphere and aura that makes her look beautiful.

Tundra looked at the Icylla in Viola’s hand.

‘She’ll hit me with that.’

He thought it would hurt a lot, but he wasn’t afraid.

“Hit me as much as you like.”

“I will.”

He is very conscious of what might be heard in the next room.

He thought of a word that would suit Viola.

However, he uttered something he didn’t mean at all.

“Make sure you scream prettily.”

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