The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 166

166. Gathering Information

April 14, 2024

“So, we’ve decided to monitor the situation for now. Don’t worry, everyone, just get some sleep.”

“Yes.”

Rosette returned to her room, her steps heavy. She waited for Joshua’s call, wondering if he might not contact her at all. But soon enough, Silver slipped in through the open window.

“Silver!”

[Woof!]

Rosette hugged Silver, delighted, then spoke to the necklace, which remained silent. “Joshua, are you listening?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“I’m happy to see Silver, and I’m happy to see Joshua!”

Silver, hearing the conversation, wagged his tail excitedly.

[Awoo!]

Joshua and BbiBbi [a small, bird-like magical creature] knew that Silver was saying, ‘Rosette likes me more after all!’ but they didn’t bother telling Rosette.

Rosette was anxious, unable to imagine Joshua’s expression as he was alone on the other side of the necklace. On the other hand, Joshua accurately pictured Rosette’s flustered face and chuckled.

“Pardon?”

“That…”

Rosette still couldn’t tell if he was telling the truth. She looked at Silver with a bewildered expression, and Silver nodded vigorously, as if to say it was okay.

Only then did Rosette let out a small sigh and cautiously ask, “By the way, Father went to the Imperial Palace for a noble council meeting today. Did Joshua go too?”

<…Yes. Did you hear what happened with Father?>

“I heard roughly. I heard that monsters are rampant in the North again.”

“Why on earth is that happening?”

Rosette hugged Silver’s neck, as if he were Joshua, and murmured gloomily. “When Joshua and Daniel went to subjugate the monsters, I did some research on them. Monsters hadn’t appeared for a while, but they used to appear quite often decades ago. But usually, they only came down to the villages in winter.”

“But it’s summer now. I heard that monsters usually lie low in the summer. Why are they suddenly swarming now?”

“But…”

As Rosette became gloomy, Silver licked her cheek as if to comfort her. Rosette chuckled softly and then hardened her face again.

“I want to help in some way too. Daniel and Joshua even went out to subjugate them, but I feel pathetic just staying safely in the capital like this.”

Joshua asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.

“That’s that, and this is this. It’s different.”

“Still…”

Rosette moved her lips and then revealed what she had been worrying about. “What if Joshua and Daniel have to go subjugate them again?”

“Actually, when Joshua and Daniel came back urgently before the subjugation was over, I was a little relieved. Because I wouldn’t have to be so anxious anymore. But thinking that they might go again…”

Joshua said, putting strength into his voice.

“That’s…!”

“I know. I know you’re all capable. But it’s dangerous.”

“But!”

Rosette said resolutely, staring into Silver’s eyes.

“If Father and Isabel also go to the subjugation, I’ll go too.”

<…What?>

“It’s a bit much to say this myself, but my magical skills are among the top five in the Empire. No, honestly, I’m probably the strongest. I’m not using it now, but my specialty is attack magic.”

<…>

“I’ve never faced monsters before, but I can do it. I’d rather go and…”

Joshua said firmly. His voice was as stiff and stern as when he told Rosette to leave Adrian ten years ago. It was also a voice she hadn’t heard in a while.

Although she couldn’t see Joshua’s face, she could imagine his expression. Rosette shrank back without realizing it.

“Why not?”

“I’d rather subjugate monsters in the North than do that.”

Joshua whispered, sounding tormented.

A deep sigh was heard.

“…”

Joshua’s heart was fully understood. He was probably feeling exactly what Rosette was feeling right now.

Rosette was also afraid of her loved ones getting hurt in a place she couldn’t see.

She wanted to say that she had to go. That she couldn’t lose her loved ones anymore. That she had turned back time to endure everything for that.

If not, she wanted to tell him not to go either. As a noble prince, she wanted him to stay safe in a safe place.

But she couldn’t say any of those words.

In the end, she left an ambiguous answer.

“I’ll think about it a little more. It hasn’t been decided yet whether to form a subjugation party again, or whether Joshua or Daniel will go out to subjugate them.”

“I want to investigate the monsters a little more before that. Can I look at the data in the Imperial Palace?”

“Thank you.”

Rosette hugged Silver even tighter and smiled faintly.

It was a night when her heart wouldn’t calm down even after a long time.

* * *

The next day, Rosette headed to the Imperial Palace with Lucas. Originally, she was going to enter the palace alone, but Lucas, who heard her plan, volunteered to go with her.

‘I also want to investigate this matter a little more as an Adrian [a prominent noble family],’ was his reason, but BbiBbi offered a different opinion.

[Bbi!]

He’s definitely going to monitor you and Silver’s owner.

BbiBbi, sitting on Rosette’s shoulder, muttered openly while looking at Lucas. It was possible because Lucas couldn’t understand BbiBbi’s words.

But Lucas, quick-wittedly, narrowed his eyes as he looked at BbiBbi.

“What is it, chick? Why are you looking at me like that? Did you curse me?”

[Bbit?]

“Why are you surprised? You really cursed me, didn’t you?”

[Bbiit!]

BbiBbi denied it, but Lucas didn’t believe it. He glared at BbiBbi even more sharply.

“Chick, you keep chattering in front of me, thinking I can’t understand you, but I have a sense of things, you know?”

[Bbit! Bbiit!]

“What do you mean it’s not like that? I can understand everything you say now.”

[Bbit!]

While Lucas and BbiBbi were having a pointless conversation, the carriage that had entered the Imperial Palace stopped.

When the servant opened the door from the outside, Joshua’s figure, who had been waiting in front, was visible. He smiled at Rosette, then frowned slightly when he found Lucas.

“Lucas has come too.”

“Yes. That’s how it turned out, Your Highness.”

Lucas got out of the carriage as if he was jumping out, then reached out to Rosette first.

“Take my hand and get down, kid.”

Rosette glanced at Joshua, who had his hand half raised, then got out of the carriage with Lucas’s escort.

Joshua asked with a displeased face. “What business do you have in the palace?”

“I came to investigate the data with the kid.”

“Data?”

“Yes. I was going to investigate the monsters anyway, and the kid said she was going to look for data in the Imperial Palace.”

[Woof!]

Silver, who was wagging his tail vigorously behind Joshua, barked at Lucas.

Saying, ‘He’s not here to investigate, but to interfere with Lucas and Rosette!’

This time, Lucas, who roughly understood the words, glared at Silver. His eyes were filled with resentment, saying that it was you who secretly went in and out of the kid’s room and snatched the kid away from His Highness.

Whether the look was so fierce, or whether he felt guilty, Silver, who rarely got scared, drooped his tail down.

Lucas, raising the corners of his mouth as if satisfied, opened his mouth.

“Shall we go, Your Highness?”

“…Let’s do that.”

Lucas stepped between the two of them so that Joshua couldn’t stand next to Rosette, and took Rosette’s hand.

Joshua looked down at Rosette’s hand, which was held by Lucas, and then took the lead.

Rosette, who sighed once, shook her head and started walking after him.