CH 42

“Which appointment is it?”

“I’m meeting Lady Bright.”

“Well, I’m supposed to protect Rosalie, so of course I’m coming.”

“In that case, I’ll go too.”

Both of them didn’t lose their smile, but their gazes towards each other were intense. Rosalie firmly pulled her hand out of Derivis’s grasp and spoke with a resolute voice.

“I’ll go alone. I have something to discuss with Lady Bright.”

Nathan made a pitiful expression at her stubborn refusal. He looked like a cat caught in the rain.

“I can’t listen in?”

“No. Besides, it’s broad daylight in the capital, so there’s no need for an escort.”

“Then, can’t I come either?”

This time, the voice came from Derivis. He also wore a pitiful expression as he looked at Rosalie with all his might. His appearance was like a soaked puppy in the rain, but Rosalie’s answer remained the same. 

“No. You can’t come.”

Rosalie looked at them alternately and took Derivis’s and Nathan’s hands. Then, she made the both of them hold each other’s hands.

“You two can have fun while waiting together. Bye, then.”

Rosalie climbed back into the carriage that she had just gotten out of. Originally, her plan was to have a quick tour of the mansion before leaving, but she had a feeling that the two would naturally follow when she entered and left the mansion. So, she changed her mind to leave immediately.

Resting her body against the backrest, Rosalie was reminded of a familiar song verse that somehow resembled the two of them. 

‘Playing is the best… was it? Still, that penguin seemed innocent.’

Subconsciously recalling the theme song that her niece used to sing, Rosalie’s thoughts were interrupted as the wheels of the carriage came to a stop.

As the mansion of the Marquis favored the garden and had a uniquely designed structure where the carriage could not enter, Rosalie had to get off a little distance away. As soon as the Marquis’s butler saw Rosalie coming through the garden and to the front of the mansion, he guided her to the reception room.

“Sister!”

“It’s been a while.”

No sooner had Rosalie sat down on the reception room sofa than Bianca burst through the door and took the seat next to her. Seeing her appear in the reception room so quickly, it seemed that she had been waiting for Rosalie since the morning.

“Sister! You really have no injuries, right? Of course, I know that you said in the letter that you didn’t get hurt and it ended well, but you have no idea how surprised I was! I couldn’t sleep at night and ran to the mansion every morning to get the newspaper!”

Breathless, Bianca continued to move her mouth nonstop, her eyes anxiously checking if Rosalie had any injuries.

“I’m sorry for surprising you. First of all, can you give me that hairpin?”

Bianca’s incessant chatter finally stopped. When Rosalie didn’t look too pleased, Bianca handed the hairpin to Rosalie with a disappointed face.

“You haven’t seen this hairpin yet, have you?”

“No. You told me not to look at it, so I didn’t.”

“You did well.”

Rosalie gently stroked Bianca’s hair. With this gesture that seemed like praising a child, the uncomfortable feeling that Bianca briefly felt melted away like snow.

“I’m glad that you’re safe and sound, sister.”

“Yes. Have you been doing well?”

Bianca’s chatter began like a bullet fired rapidly in response to the question. After talking for a while about her own recent circumstances, Bianca suddenly remembered something and changed the subject.

“By the way, sister! What’s your relationship with His Highness the Crown Prince?”

At Bianca’s abrupt question, Rosalie made a confused expression and Bianca urged her for an answer.

“I heard that His Highness knelt before sister during the territory war!”

Upon hearing that, Rosalie almost choked on her tea, but Bianca couldn’t wipe the curiosity off her face.

“How do you even know that?”

“The rumor has already spread! The Imperial Knights who were there at the time saw it, and it’s the only thing people talk about in my salon these days.”

“Just a… close friend…?”

Bianca gave her a dubious glance at the vague answer. However, as Rosalie’s expression remained unchanged and impassive as usual, Bianca had no choice but to drop the subject.

“Hmph… but it’s hard to imagine the Crown Prince kneeling before anyone, isn’t it?”

“Is that so?”

“He’s quite an intimidating person. Even if he smiles leisurely, it’s as if a chilly wind is blowing. He exudes an aura that’s difficult to approach. Many noblewomen find that attractive, though.”

Thinking back on the original content, it was definitely true that Derivis wasn’t easy to get along with. However, when Rosalie tried to imagine him as someone who gives off a chilling presence, she couldn’t picture it easily. Perhaps it was because she was already more familiar with Derivis from her own experiences than from the novel.

“But now, I like my sister more!”

Bianca’s excited voice and flushed face were so adorable that Rosalie burst into laughter.

Amidst their lively conversation, Bianca insisted that they have dinner together. There was no reason for Rosalie to refuse, so she agreed. As luck would have it, Venick, who had just returned from the palace, joined them for dinner.

“Hello, Duchess Judeheart.”

“Nice to meet you, Lord Bright.”

“You may call me Sir Venick. I am currently a knight of the Imperial Knights.”

“I will do so, Sir Venick.”

“Let’s start our meal for now!”

With Bianca’s words, the meal began. Except for Bianca and Venick, the Bright’s family members were down in their territory, so only the three of them sat at the large dining table.

As Bianca chatted about how she preferred the hustle and bustle of the capital compared to going down to their territory, Venick glanced over at Rosalie out of the corner of his eye.

Then he remembered Derivis, who had given him the secret order to cover up what Bianca had done.

“Did His Highness the Crown Prince do that because of the Duchess?”

When Venick submitted the investigation report on Marquis Windell to Derivis without informing the Emperor, he thought that Derivis would naturally go and confront Marquis Windell to strengthen his position. 

But contrary to his expectations, Derivis didn’t make any moves and instead sent the Imperial Knights into battle as soon as the territory war began. Venick couldn’t help but wonder why Derivis would complicate matters like that.

‘Now that I think about it, it seems to make sense.’

Venick recalled Derivis’s face, which softened whenever Rosalie’s name was mentioned. Rosalie noticed Venick’s gaze while they were eating and raised her head.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“Oh, no. I apologize if I was rude.”

Realizing that he had unintentionally behaved rudely, Venick quickly apologized.

“It’s okay. If you have something to say, don’t hesitate to say it.”

Venick decided not to mention what he had been thinking and continued the conversation on another topic. To his surprise, the ongoing conversation with Rosalie turned out to be more satisfying than he had anticipated.

For some reason, it was easy to talk to Rosalie, who seemed to have a strong warrior-like side despite her appearance.

“I feel so upset whenever I see the scar on brother’s cheek.”

Bianca looked sadly at the finger-sized scar on Venick’s right cheek.

“Well, scars are proof of bravery and honor.”

Bianca gave a puzzled expression at Rosalie’s response, as if she didn’t understand. Venick chuckled heartily.

“Haha, you’re quite knowledgeable!”

Bianca looked at Venick curiously, thinking that he seemed more excited than usual for some reason.

⊱⊱⊱────── {.⋅ ✧✧✧ ⋅.} ──────⊰⊰⊰

Time passed. When Rosalie left the mansion after the meal, it was already late.

“I’ll see you off at the entrance.”

In his excitement, Venick forgot that he couldn’t handle his liquor well and overindulged in drinking, so Bianca was the only one to see Rosalie off.

“It’s cold, so don’t come out. The carriage is right outside.”

“I’ve heard rumors that there are robbers lurking around the capital and targeting nobles at night, so you should go back right away, sister.”

“Don’t worry. I’m a little tipsy too, so I’ll go straight home.”

Rosalie breathed out a white breath into the chilly night air and slowly headed towards the carriage, leaving the worried Bianca behind, who even insisted on calling the duchy’s servants over.

Then, she hastened her steps upon seeing a familiar face at the front of the carriage.

“When did you arrive?”

“Not too long ago.”

Rosalie stared at Derivis, who answered brazenly with a reddened nose tip.

“Do you have somewhere else to stop by?”

“Ah… I don’t.”

Then, Derivis opened the door of the prepared carriage. As Rosalie got on the carriage, Derivis opened his mouth with a regretful expression.

“I’ll be riding my horse and following behind, but I’ll go straight to the palace.”

“…Did you come here on purpose to see me off?”

Derivis just shrugged his shoulders without answering. Looking closely at his face, his eyes were tired and his face was tinged with fatigue.

Thinking that it might be related to the diplomatic friction with the Lentil Kingdom, Rosalie voiced the question that had been on her mind for a while.

“If you had that information, why didn’t you stop Marquis Windell earlier?”

“Because you wanted the territory war.”

His faint smile, coupled with his attitude as if saying ‘of course’, made Rosalie at a loss for words.

“I got enough merit and you won the territory war. That’s all that matters.”

After finishing his answer, Derivis slowly tried to close the door of the carriage, but Rosalie’s voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Your Highness, is there anything I can do to help?”

Having received both big and small favors, Rosalie wanted to help if there was anything she could do. Lost in thought, Derivis hesitated for a moment before replying.

“Name, just call me by my name.”

“…Is that all you need?”

When Rosalie asked, bewildered, Derivis simply nodded his head. Now that she thought about it, she remembered him asking her to call him by his name when they accidentally ran into each other in the capital. Thinking about how consistent his attitude was, Rosalie laughed quietly.

“Sir Derivis?”

“No, just my name.”

“Derivis.”

“Yes, Rosalie.”

Derivis’s eyes curved beautifully as he looked at Rosalie. Feeling a little awkward, Rosalie turned her head away slightly. Derivis then suggested that it would be better for them to leave now and attempted to close the carriage door again.

“Oh, and I won’t accept them even if you try to send them back.”

With incomprehensible words, Derivis closed the carriage door. The carriage immediately started, and Rosalie couldn’t ask any further.

‘Send them back? What?’