Chapter 22

***

“I’ll eat it well, Rosie.”

“Thank you for the food. Sister.”

I was diligently peeling the wrapping paper, but Bernique, who had already taken his sandwich’s wrapping off, gave me his own and took my sandwich, which I couldn’t finish unwrapping.

“You did a great job.”

Bernique’s mouth gently curved, creating a beautiful smile.

I smiled at them, telling them to eat deliciously, and then told Leav, who was next to me, that he did a good job.

Leav slightly smiled and took a large bite of the sandwich. Bernique drank juice first, probably because he was thirsty from his exercise.

I was worried because there was a lot, but it was a relief. We ran out of sandwiches and juice that we had quickly made.

At some point, I was dozing off as the wind blew softly, the belly was full, and the sleepless last night added.

“Rosie, lie down here.”

“No, sister. Here.”

Bernique and Leav pointed at their own legs. When they shook their heads in embarrassment, their faces became sullen at the same time.

“……Then, let’s all lie down.”

After thinking for a while, I pulled them back and knocked them over, and us three lay side by side looking at the sky.

The trees in the dark shade fluttered in the blue (sky’s?) light. Sleep came naturally. I’m going to sleep a little. Just a little bit.

* * *

Maybe because I slept too much during the day, I was awake when it was time to sleep.

As I was getting out of bed thinking about turning on the lights and reading a book, Eryte suddenly came, holding a pillow in one hand.

“Let’s sleep together!”

Without a moment to stop him, Eryte smiled brightly and jumped into my bed.

As I naturally lay down on the bed again, I looked at Eryte’s non-stop chirping mouth. I had the urge to slap him in the mouth to make him quiet.

“That’s why this brother…”

After a while, Eryte’s voice got lower and lower, and then a peaceful breathing could be heard. He fell asleep.

He sleeps well. Yes, it’s best for children to eat well and sleep well.

“Rosiane….”

He called out my name as if he were mumbling in his sleep, and put one arm and one leg on top of my blanket. I struggled to escape, but Eryte was so powerful that he didn’t even budge.

I gave up and closed my eyes, and Eryte’s quiet breathing attracted me into my dream like a lullaby.

As time passed, I woke up to the sound of someone whispering. It was around the time when the sun poked its head out and the world was shining blue.

“This XX-like XX, where do you think you’re crawling into? This XX , just watch I’ll XXX you then XX and I’ll XX throw you into XX.”

(tn: beep, beep, beep lmao)

Surely, Eryte was sleeping in the direction of the window, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, his murderous voice came from behind. Why are you swearing so hard?

“Ugh…..”

“Huh? Look at this XX-like XX? What did you do good that you’re making a noise? Are you going to take responsibility if our Rosiane wakes up? Just try it. I’ll separate your XXX from X and bury it in the sea!”

As I made a rustling sound, Eryte let out a short exhale and hurriedly climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms and legs around me like before.

“Take him away.”

His eyes narrowed as he slightly moved his mouth to command someone.

“Shh–. Sleep more, Rosie.”

After feeling Eryte’s caress on the blanket, I fell into a dark sleep again.

When I opened my eyes again, Eryte was not there. The mysterious man had also disappeared somewhere.

I wasn’t sure yesterday, but I can be sure today. Neither of them was a dream.

It is said that the royal family of Esteria suffers from frequent assassination attempts, and that arrow is definitely pinned on me.

[–meaning she’s the one being targeted (?)]

There was nothing strange about it, as Rosiane was born with the prophecy of unifying the central continent, but I couldn’t help feeling strange.

From the past, my death was entirely mine, it wasn’t something that anyone could get involved in.

But since I came here, on the contrary, my death was not mine, and it became something that anyone could get involved in.

I’ll have to train hard to make sure that Rosiane doesn’t die. I wanted to learn how to use a sword, but suddenly my wrist which looked like it would break while holding a heavy sword came into my sight.

“…Will it be okay?”

But the human body isn’t that weak. Rosiane is also an Esteria. If it doesn’t work, I’ll learn self-defense.

I finished my breakfast and left the room right away. Contrary to my expectation, there was Eryte in the training grounds.

[tn: will use ‘training grounds’ from now on]

“Rosiane?”

With the sword he was holding, over his shoulder, Eryte approached me with sloppy steps. If someone saw him, they might misunderstand that he was not a prince, but a jobless person.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

Eryte looked at me with an expression as if asking if I was speaking because I know something, I lightly let that gaze slide.

“Eryte, can you perhaps teach me how to use a sword?”

“Huh? Hey, no, no. It’s too much for a wrist that looks like it’s going to snap.”

He wrinkled his eyebrows and shook his head vigorously.

I wasn’t taken aback because I expected it to come out like that. Instead, I pretended to be sad.

“As expected, there are things that even a genius like Eryte can’t do……….I get it.”

Eryte’s pupils shook violently when he saw me pretending to be sad on purpose. It was obvious that he was agitated.

When I turned my back without hesitation, Eryte grabbed my wrist.

In the meantime, I slightly smiled because the strength on my wrist was so weak as if he was scared that I would get hurt.

“Well, swords would be too much but simple self-defense techniques…”

Eryte quickly changed his words. In fact, I never expected to hold a sword, so this was enough.

They didn’t tell me about the assassination because they perceive Rosiane as someone to protect.

Of course, that’s true, but I can’t just sit around and be helped. Since I’ve decided to live as her, I’ll do my best.

Eryte, who had been agonizing for a while, organized his thoughts and looked at me.

“First of all, hit that thing.”

There was a huge tree standing where he pointed. It was a tree that was quite thick enough for an adult man to barely wrap his arms around.

“That thing?”

“Yes, you can make a fist and hit it.”

Eryte pretended to hit the air with his fist.

I felt a bit embarrassed, but I stepped forward thinking that it was some kind of skill.

When I saw it closely, it looked stronger, so I swallowed my saliva and clenched my fist. I had never hit anyone before, so in a very clumsy position, I threw power to the tree with all my might.

Thud!

“Argh!”

I sat down and clenched my fist. A great deal of pain could be felt in my right hand.

“…?”

Eryte, who had an exasperated face, approached me.

“What, what is this?”

Eryte, who had been looking at the tree for a while, looked at me. Then he looked at the tree again and punched at a speed that was hard to follow.

Before reaching the tree, Eryte’s fist stopped, and a strong wind blew.

Crack.

The sight of the tree slowly falling made me forget about the pain and I had no choice but to look at the strange sight.

“Why can’t you do this?”

He tilted his head as if he didn’t understand at all and squatted down in front of me.

The way he said those words with no hint of sarcasm or teasing as if nothing, made no sense. This crazy…

“You can’t even do this simple thing. Self-defense might be too much then?”

It is not simple at all. In a common point of view….

I realized it late. Either Eryte or Timofey. Both are geniuses who only know how to do it but can’t explain it to others.

“W, wait. Isn’t your hand broken?”

Eryte murmured, urgently examining my hand. I was about to say, “No way,” but I was speechless when I saw my hand. This is because I saw that my hand had become swollen from a while ago or so.

“What’s going on?”

Nanuk, who may have heard the commotion, appeared with a thick book on his arm. Standing in front of the fallen tree, staring at us, he strode forward and looked at my hand held by Eryte.

“Oh dear, it looks like you’ll have to see the doctor.”

As I grunted at the pain I belatedly recognized, Nanuk, who handed the book he was holding to Eryte, held me tightly.

“Oh, you don’t need to hold me……”

“Follow me quietly.”

On a soft sofa, I was examined by a doctor who rushed over. Since I came here, I have never seen a doctor not running around, which made me feel sorry.

The pain quickly subsided when he poured holy water over my wound.

“I mean, I didn’t know she was that weak. Everyone could do it, so of course–.”

“Eryte, Let’s talk.”

“Yeah…..”

Nanuk relentlessly cut off Eryte’s voice, as he complained about the injustice. With Nanuk’s cold tone, Eryte followed him out of the room in a dying voice.

I was the one who asked him to teach me, and I was also the one who hit the tree ignorantly without even thinking of controlling my strength, the way he was being scolded me made me feel uncomfortable in every corner of my heart.

“No matter how effective the holy water is, the once wounded area can still get infected easily. I think you’d better wear a protector for a while.”

“Yes…… I’m so sorry for the trouble.”

For some reason, it felt like he didn’t miss a day to see me, so I hesitated to apologize, and the doctor’s round eyes stared at me for a while.

“Why would you say that. It’s not a hassle at all.”

After that, he taught me how to wear protective pads, helped me wear them carefully and left. I immediately went out to look for the two who disappeared.

When I asked the soldier who stood guard in front of the door, he pointed his finger in the hallway opposite the one he had entered.

As I walked around the corner, I heard a familiar voice in the room with a door slightly open.

“Rosiane?”

As soon as I got closer to the door, Nanuk opened the door and hugged me. I took a comfortable position in his now familiar arms.

His gaze fell on my hand wearing a protector.

“Are your hands okay?”

“Yes, I’m perfectly well. Still, he said I’d better keep this protector on for a while.”

“I’m glad. Next time, don’t do something so reckless.”

Nanuk requested in a stern tone. At that time, a bit ashamed at what kind of mind did I have to hit it strongly, I nodded eagerly

Over Nanuk’s shoulder, Eryte with a sullen expression could be seen.

“Eryte, I’m sorry. I forced you….”

When he said he wouldn’t teach me, I should have gone back to my room without forcing him.

My heart ached at Eryte’s droopy shoulders. Still, he helped me and even saved me.