The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 88

Rosette’s Decision (1)

Having made up her mind, Rosette called her family together.

Adrian, the Duke, and his three children looked puzzled by the sudden summons.

Lucas asked anxiously,

“What’s wrong, Rosie? Are you sick?”

“No, Oppa [Korean term for older brother used by a female]. It’s nothing like that.”

This time, Duke Adrian spoke cautiously.

“It seems you have a concern.”

“Yes, Father.”

Rosette looked around at her four family members, each gazing at her with affection.

Duke Adrian, a pillar of strength just by being there; Daniel, smiling kindly; Isabel, seemingly aloof but with warm eyes; and Lucas, looking frantic with worry for Rosette.

Her family, whom she loved and who loved her.

‘That’s why the decision was even harder,’ she thought.

Rosette steeled herself and opened her mouth.

“I’ve decided to go to the Ivelin Royal Academy.”

The reactions were varied.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden, Rose?” Daniel asked.

“Did His Highness the Prince perhaps say something to you?” Duke Adrian inquired.

Both Duke Adrian and Daniel tried to sound gentle, though they couldn’t hide their bewilderment.

“What nonsense are you spouting, Rose? What makes you want to go there?” Isabel chided her slightly.

“Hey, squirt! What are you suddenly saying? I won’t let you go!” Lucas shouted, throwing a tantrum.

The Duke raised a hand to stop him and asked again, “Would you explain it in detail, my dear?”

Rosette’s heart softened at the term ‘my dear,’ which she hadn’t heard in a while, but she quickly regained her composure.

“It’s as I said. I want to learn more magic at the Ivelin Royal Academy.”

Duke Adrian frowned slightly and sighed.

“Is the instruction you’re receiving here insufficient?”

“No, it’s nothing like that!” Rosette hurriedly defended Celine.

“Celine is definitely an excellent teacher. Melody and I have learned so much from her.”

“Then why are you so set on going to the Academy? None of your siblings went.”

Unlike other kingdoms or empires, the Ernhardt Empire did not consider the Academy a mandatory course.

Of course, many nobles attended the Academy for better education and networking opportunities.

However, the Adrian siblings were different. They boldly gave up attending the Academy to learn swordsmanship from Duke Adrian and the knights under him.

This was a choice made possible because Adrian could provide the best instructors in the Empire.

‘Even the Prince didn’t go to the Academy,’ she mused.

So, the family had never considered sending Rosette to the Academy.

“As Father knows, there are many teachers in the world. Each has their own specialty and teaching method. I want to learn from such a variety of teachers.”

“But, Rose…” Daniel started.

“And I also want to make many friends my age.”

The Duke hesitated for a moment before suggesting, “Then how about the Ernhardt Royal Academy? It’s also a boarding school, but you can always come home and see your family whenever you want.”

“Of course, the Royal Academy is good too, but I’d rather go to the Ivelin Kingdom if possible. The Ivelin Kingdom is much more advanced in magic than the Empire. And botany too!”

“I see, so that’s it,” Duke Adrian said, understanding dawning on his face.

Duke Adrian stroked Rosette’s hair and smiled wryly. “Will you give your father some time to think about it?”

“Yes, Father.”

After Duke Adrian left, the three siblings sat around Rosette and began to speak their minds. Surprisingly, Isabel was the most opposed.

“Rose, think about it again. Enrolling in the Academy, especially studying abroad, is not something to be taken lightly.”

“I know, Unnie [Korean term for older sister used by a female]. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time before saying anything.”

“You say you’ve been thinking about it for a long time, but you’ve never mentioned the Academy before. If His Highness the Prince put you up to this…”

“This has nothing to do with the Prince. This is my decision.”

“…”

Lucas also tried to persuade her.

“Hey, squirt. If you go there, you won’t see this Oppa often. Are you okay with that? I wanted to go to the Academy too, but I didn’t because I’d miss you and the family.”

Rosette drooped her shoulders dejectedly.

“I’ll miss you too, I guess.”

“So, if you’re going to go, let’s go to the Royal Academy instead. I’ll go with you. How about it?”

“Still, my mind is made up, Oppa.”

“Ughhh.”

Lucas groaned and clutched his head, looking at Daniel.

“Hyung [Korean term for older brother used by a male], say something. At this rate, our youngest is really going to leave. If we say no, she might even run away in the middle of the night!”

Daniel sighed deeply. “When have we ever been able to change Rose’s mind?”

Daniel pinched Rosette’s cheek a little painfully.

“If Rose wants to do that, I won’t oppose it.”

“Oppa!”

“Hyung!”

In the meantime, Duke Adrian, having finished thinking, re-entered the room. He said to Rosette with a stern face, “Do as you wish.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Father will always respect you.”

Isabel and Lucas protested.

“Rose is too young. Father, you should persuade her.”

“That’s right! We should keep her with us!”

“Isabel, Lucas. Don’t act like I’m sending her to a dangerous place,” Duke Adrian sternly rebuked the two. The two children shut their mouths.

“The Ivelin Kingdom is smaller than the Empire, but it’s as developed as the Empire. Her Majesty the Empress has repeatedly said it’s a good place, hasn’t she?”

“Still…”

“I’m worried about her being far away, but the summer vacation is long, so she can come to the Empire every summer. And I won’t send her alone. I’ll assign several people to Rosette.”

Isabel pondered for a moment and nodded.

“I understand. Then I’ll follow Father’s opinion too.”

“Noona [Korean term for older sister used by a male]!”

However, Lucas did not give up until the end. He glared at Rosette with tears welling up in his eyes.

“If you really go, I won’t see you again!”

It was an unchildlike tantrum for a fifteen-year-old. When Rosette showed no intention of changing her mind, Lucas ran out of the room.

“He finally…” Isabel started to say.

Isabel shook her head. “I’ll go and comfort him.”

“No.”

Rosette got up from her seat.

“I’ll go see him.”

Then she hurried off to find Lucas. He was nowhere to be seen in the hallway, having disappeared in the meantime.

‘He’s probably there,’ she thought.

Rosette headed to the garden, thinking of where her second brother might be. She cleared away the vines at the deepest part of the garden and looked inside.

In the narrow space, Lucas was indeed crouching.

“Oppa.”

“…”

“I’m coming in.”

As Rosette tried to enter, Lucas muttered gruffly, “It’s cramped.”

“I’m small, so it’s okay.”

Rosette sat close to Lucas.

Lucas tried to move to the side to get away, but there was no space, so he couldn’t move.

Rosette leaned her head on Lucas’s shoulder. Lucas flinched, but he didn’t push her away.

“Being here reminds me of when we were young. Right?”

“Whatever. You’re still young.”

“I mean when I was even younger. Oppa used to hide here when he didn’t want to take Mrs. Neuer’s class.”

Rosette was the first to find him, whom no one else could find. It was thanks to Pipi [Likely a pet or toy].

After that, this place became the two siblings’ hideout.

After growing bigger, they came here less often, but Lucas still crumpled himself up here when he had worries or wanted to avoid something.

“So, why did you come?”

“You know I like Oppa a lot, right?”

“Well… I know.”

“I don’t want to be apart from Oppa either. But I want to go for the sake of the future. For the sake of our family.”

“Our family?”

“Yeah. I want to learn magic diligently and protect us all.”

Lucas turned his body slightly towards Rosette.

“Squirt, you don’t have to do that. You know that we’ll all protect you. Father is a Sword Master, and Daniel Hyung will become a Sword Master too. Isabel Noona [Korean term for older sister used by a male] and I may not reach that level, but we’ll still work harder.”

“…”

“We can protect you without any worries.”

“But, Oppa. That’s swordsmanship. What if people attack with magic? If they use long-range magic, you can be defeated before you even use your sword.”

Lucas asked a little accusingly, “Squirt, why are you talking like the Adrian family is going to be attacked? Who would attack us?”

“Just, I’m saying it could happen.”

Rosette muttered defensively.

“Anyway, Oppa. I want to see a wider world and learn more. Of course, I can live comfortably and happily if I stay in Adrian. But, Oppa. I’m greedy. I want more than that.”

“Then go,” Lucas grumbled.

“If that’s what you think, then just go. Why do you have to get my permission?”

“Because I love Oppa.”

Rosette snuggled closer to Lucas.

“Because I cherish and love Oppa, I want to be recognized by Oppa. I want to leave with Oppa’s send-off.”

“…”

“I’ll be sad if Oppa isn’t there on the day I leave.”

At those words, Lucas sobbed, his shoulders shaking.

“I’m, hic, just so worried about you…”

“Yeah, I know.”

“But I guess there’s no, sob, choice. I have to see our squirt go.”

Lucas hugged Rosette tightly.

“Oppa didn’t oppose because I hate you.”

“I know. Oppa loves me a lot too.”

“That’s right. If you go to the Academy, I won’t see you for seven years. What am I going to do if I miss you and our Pipi?”

“You heard Father. I’ll come every summer vacation. Probably.”

“Why probably?”

In fact, she wouldn’t be able to come in two years. Rosette swallowed her true feelings and lied.

“Okay. I’ll definitely come. And Pipi too.”

This time, she was able to lie quite plausibly.

Lucas wiped his tear-stained face roughly.

“I’ll miss you a lot.”

“Me too.”

“Still, you have to come back healthy. Okay?”

“Yeah.”

Rosette and Lucas hugged each other tightly and cried and laughed together.

Lucas ended the two siblings’ first fight with the words, ‘Hey, squirt. If you cry and laugh like that, you’ll grow hair on your face.’

* * *

After deciding on Rosette’s Academy entrance with a heavy heart, Duke Adrian called Joseph Osser.

“You summoned me, Master.”

“Yes. Have a seat first.”

“No. How could I sit? I will listen standing here.”

“If that’s the case, then there’s nothing I can do.”

Duke Adrian didn’t bother to urge him further and began to speak.

“I heard that Melody’s magical skills have improved remarkably these days.”

Joseph was elated, as if he had received the praise himself.

“Yes. Celine Karin has been praising her a lot. She said that she’s improving quickly because she’s working so hard. Of course, she’s still far behind the little miss.”

“Far behind? Celine praised her so much.”

Duke Adrian swallowed hard and continued.

“Rosette said she wants to enter the Royal Academy in the Ivelin Kingdom. Unless there’s a major change, she’s scheduled to leave for the Ivelin Kingdom this fall.”