Chapter 91: The Stolen Flower

༺ The Stolen Flower ༻

“...Haaaa.”

“Huh? Why is it...”

“Did you know? If you inject solar mana into a Canaria, it’ll radiate a golden light.”

Frey’s expression became flabbergasted in response. Roswyn ignored him and proceeded to inject solar mana.

Coming from a collateral family, Roswyn didn’t possess as much solar mana as Clana. She had however, trained diligently whenever she had the time for it. Her mana was sufficient to light the flower.

– Shing...

“...Ha.”

As Roswyn continued to inject solar mana into the Canaria, Frey began to look dejected when a faint black smoke seeped out of the flower.

“Hm... Though it did get a little brighter, it’s not shining as brilliantly as the rumors suggest.”

Roswyn, who had been focused solely on the flower, finally gently placed the flower down beside her.

“...You liked Canarias all this time?”

“Yes, I like them a lot. Do you know why?”

“Hm... I wonder?”

Frey frowned as if he found the whole situation unpleasant, but Roswyn continued speaking.

“Just as the glow of the sunset envies the light of sunrise, I too, like yellow more than red.

“...You do?”

“Yes. So truthfully, I was quite sad whenever you brought me red roses.”

Frey nodded his head with a frown as he watched Roswyn smile sorrowfully.

“...I’ll bring you yellow flowers from now on, so...”

“But didn’t you already give me one?”

“What?”

“I’m talking about this yellow Canaria.”

Frey silently stared at Roswyn as she gently tapped the Canaria.

“...Weird, is it really Roswyn?”

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“N-No, it’s nothing.”

When Roswyn tilted her head and questioned him, Frey dismissed his statement with an awkward smile.

“It... really was a gift for me?”

Clana quietly muttered with a trembling voice as she observed the scene through the eyes of the canary.

.

.

.

.

“But... But I definitely sensed dark mana...?”

I stubbornly assumed Frey’s gift was a trap.

However, nothing happened to Roswyn when she opened the gift box. All it contained was a canaria.

Considering who gave me the nickname ‘Canaria,’ this couldn’t be a coincidence.

‘R-right. Didn’t a black smoke emerge from the flower?’

Amidst my confusion, I recalled a black smoke was expelled from the flower as Roswyn injected her solar mana.

With that thought in mind, I concluded that the gift was a malicious trap that Frey created with the use of our childhood memories.

‘But wait, if that really was a trap... how come Roswyn is unaffected?’

Confusion struck again as I suddenly had another matter to take into consideration.

Roswyn definitely grasped the flower with her bare hands. It’s strange that nothing happened despite coming into direct contact with it.

‘Wait, could it be...’

I broke out into a cold sweat when I recalled what Frey had mentioned regarding the black magic.

‘Could it really just be that a little dark mana got mixed in when Kania went to purchase the flower?’

I did notice that Kania unknowingly released a large amount of dark mana while I stared at Frey’s room prior to entering.

For some reason, her dark mana seemed tens of times more powerful than in the previous timeline.

Then... if Kania’s dark mana did slightly seep into the flower for some unknown reason...

‘That Canaria really was a gift meant for reconciliation...’

“Frey, can you pin the flower into my hair?”

Roswyn’s joyous voice pierced through me, interrupting my train of thoughts and forcing me to come back to my senses.

“Fufu, thank you.”

Roswyn thanked Frey after he placed the flower into her hair with a faint frown. She proceeded to question him afterwards.

“So, why did you use the covenant for Clana?”

“...Roswyn, are you trying to acquire information from me right now?”

“Not at all. I simply asked out of curiosity.”

I subconsciously gasped at the mention of the covenant and focused my attention on what Frey was about to say.

“I just wanted to play with her before throwing her away.”

“...Really?”

“Yes, I didn’t like how conceited she was, even since childhood.”

I nodded as if I expected the response that he would provide.

“I-I knew it. Frey just wanted to play around with me...”

“I see... I suppose my guess was off the mark?”

Before I could completely organize my thoughts, Roswyn narrowed her eyes and began whispering.

“What do you mean?”

“Like, for instance, I thought you did it to protect her?”

Hearing that, I froze on the spot and Frey also frowned.

“What kind of bullshit are you spouting, Roswyn?

“Didn’t you make the proposal when those despicable, lustful low-lives were about to become Clana’s fiancé?”

“That’s right. I did it so I wouldn’t be suspected by other attendants.”

As I watched the spectacle unfold in a daze, I quickly severed my visual connection with the canary and slumped down on the floor.

“Aeugh.... eugh...”

It definitely went according to plan, and I shouldn’t be concerned with who he becomes intimate with.

But why are tears falling from my eyes?

.

.

.

.

.

“Heup... eup!”

Even after Clana stopped watching, Roswyn and Frey’s tongues intertwined for a long time.

“Puah, w-wait...”

Roswyn eventually mustered up all her strength to push Frey off of her.

– Seuk...

She was about to speak, but stopped and tensed up when Frey reached for her bottom.

“...Ha.”

After a brief moment, Frey’s hand came in contact with her bottom, as a satisfied expression flickered across his face.

– Psst

At that instant, a black spot on her hand started to light up.

“Euuk!”

“R-Roswyn?”

Then, Roswyn suddenly started to vomit.

“G-Get off.”

Roswyn shoved Frey away with a glare and hurriedly headed for the door.

“D-Disgusting... Eugh...”

Roswyn, who left Frey’s room in a rush, ran to the veranda where Clana was waiting and began puking.

“Uek...! Euk...”

After throwing up with tears welling up in her eyes, Roswyn spoke after noticing Clana staring dazedly at her.

“I’m sorry, it was too nauseating.”

“W-What was...”

“I went for a round of drinks with Frey, but I had to escape the middle cause I felt like I was going to vomit.”

Clana’s face paled in response while Roswyn glared repulsively in the direction of Frey’s room.

“As expected... I can’t stand Frey, even if it’s a commission.”

Clana bit down on her lips in response to Roswyn’s disgusted comment. Roswym clapped her hands and brought something out.

“Ah, I completely forgot to hand you this. Here.”

“T-this is?”

“It’s the hidden magic device I used to record Frey sexually assaulting me. Use it for your plan later.”

Clana inadvertently accepted the device with trembling hands.

“Ugh...”

Roswyn, who still felt nauseous, took out the Canaria flower with her fingertips as if it was filthy before tossing it onto the floor.

“...I’m still getting goosebumps.”

“N-No!”

Right as Roswyn stomped on the flower, Clana cried out in distress.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“U-uh...so... That’s...”

Clana could only stammer in a quivering voice when Roswyn tilted her head and questioned her.

“...Are you going to throw that away?”

When Clana finally asked after much hesitation, Roswyn released a sigh and picked the flower back up.

“I almost ruined the commission due to my useless emotions. Thank you for helping me return to my senses.”

“T-That’s not it...”

“Honestly, I feel sick just holding onto it, but what can I do when it’s so beneficial to keep it?”

Roswyn pinned the flower back into her hair as Clana stood there watching.

“Alright, I’ll return to Frey’s room.”

“I-isn’t it dangerous? Frey might be mad so I’ll go inst...”

Clana, who stared long and hard at the Canaria tucked into Roswyn’s hair, hurriedly spoke out.

“You don’t have to worry.”

Roswyn replied to Clana with a bright smile.

“That bastard’s so obsessed with me, he’ll come crawling back to me, even if I kick him aside.”

“T-Then, you don’t need that flower, right?”

When Clana heard Roswyn’s confident statement, she asked with a feigned composure.

“Seems like you like the flower quite a lot?”

Roswyn asked while pulling out the flower with upturned lips.

“Y-Yes. Not to that extent, but...”

Clana held out her hand expectantly while doing her best to maintain a calm tone of speech.

– Tuk!

“...Uh?”

Clana looked on dumbfoundedly as Roswyn plucked out the smallest petal and placed it into the palm of her hands.

“Please be content with that, Your Highness, the Third Imperial Princess.”

Roswyn tapped her on the shoulder and left the veranda before Clana could respond.

“Ah.......”

Clana stood there blankly for some time, helplessly mumbling with her head lowered.

“J-Just this... with just... heuk.”

And it didn’t take long for tears to cascade.