The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 107

107. Joshua’s Wrath

February 15, 2024

I wasn’t sure what ‘my way’ meant, but at that moment, there was a question I needed to ask.

“Wait a minute, Michael.”

Rosette carefully pulled her hand from his grip.

“To be honest, I’m very embarrassed by this.”

“Yeah, I understand how you feel.”

“No, I don’t think you understand at all…”

Rosette groaned.

“To meet again after seven years and then propose? Isn’t that a bit strange?”

“Is it strange?”

“Yes, it’s strange.”

Rosette muttered, almost to herself.

“Besides, we don’t really…”

As she spoke, a shadow crossed Michael’s handsome face. Rosette didn’t finish her sentence, thinking instead, ‘I don’t think I’m in a position to be proposed to by Michael.’

The two had met a few times seven years ago and had had various conversations. In fact, Rosette’s mission then was to get Michael out of the Dallas Marquisate and persuade him to learn magic from someone else.

‘Of course, Michael treated me like a friend back then.’

If she really thought about it, she supposed you could call him a friend.

But that was all. No deeper connection had formed between them.

Even if there had been more than friendship between them, nothing would have changed. It would have just been childish play between children who hadn’t even reached puberty.

You might forge a strong bond sharing life-or-death experiences…

Rosette had only spent about a month with Michael. But for him to come all the way here with just that memory and propose out of the blue…

It was a situation she couldn’t understand, even if she tried to empathize with Michael.

‘I think it’s a joke.’

Rosette came to that conclusion and chuckled softly.

“Okay, let’s go inside for now.”

“You think I’m joking right now?”

“Huh? Uh, well…”

“I’m not joking. How can I show you my sincerity? Should I kneel in front of you and offer you a ring?”

“Huh?”

“I guess I should have done that.”

Rosette grabbed Michael’s hand as he actually started to kneel.

“What are you doing? You don’t have to do that. I understand, so get up.”

Rosette lightly slapped Michael’s arm, glancing at the servants watching them from a distance.

“Anyway, let’s go inside. At this point, everyone will know we’ve disappeared.”

“Okay, let’s do that.”

Rosette walked away from Michael, who was smiling, and returned to the hall, her head still spinning.

* * *

Rosette stared blankly at the hall where the welcoming ceremony for the delegation was being held. Michael, the man in question, was across the room, talking to people from the Shelton Kingdom.

‘A proposal…’

It was a word that was embarrassing even to think about.

After that initial declaration, Michael had whispered cheesy things to Rosette whenever he had the chance, telling her she was prettier than he remembered and that even her angry expressions were cute.

So Rosette ended up spending the entire party avoiding Michael.

‘Why is he doing that?’

Rosette sighed deeply when she heard a familiar voice next to her.

“Are you worried about something?”

It was Joshua. He had been talking to the delegation, but now he was standing beside her.

“Ah, Your Highness.”

Silver was next to Joshua. Silver, oblivious to Rosette’s inner turmoil, wagged his fluffy tail vigorously as soon as he saw her.

Anyone who saw him would have thought he was a large dog, not a wolf.

“Hello, Silver.”

[Woof!]

Silver, who was fond of Rosette, tapped her shoe with his tail. Joshua said sternly as his tail was about to touch her ankle.

“Silver.”

He just said his name, but the silver wolf was startled and tucked his tail in.

“I’m fine…”

“If you keep accepting it, he’ll develop bad habits.”

“What bad habits can a familiar [a magical companion animal] develop?”

Rosette grumbled, and Joshua, whose skin was slightly more tanned than the last time she saw him, chuckled.

“More importantly, what are you thinking about that’s making you so serious?”

“No, just a little…”

“I’ve been watching that man since earlier. Michael Lerscher, was it? Are you interested in him?”

“No!”

Rosette raised her voice without realizing it, then lowered it.

“It’s not like that. I just have something to think about.”

“Something to think about?”

“Your Highness, do you remember the child that Marquis Dallas brought before?”

“Of course, I remember.”

At the time, Joshua hadn’t seen Michael clearly.

But Rosette had told him his name and features when she asked him to find him.

He muttered in a tone that suggested he was trying to recall the details.

“Is Marquis Lerscher that child from back then?”

“That’s right. He escaped safely back then and returned to the Shelton Kingdom.”

“Alone?”

“I heard he went on a merchant ship.”

“A merchant ship…”

Joshua, watching Michael and stroking his chin, asked quietly.

“So, what did he say?”

“That…”

Rosette couldn’t bring herself to say that Michael had proposed, so she mumbled vaguely.

“He said he was happy to see me after a long time.”

“Hmm.”

Joshua narrowed his eyes, studying Rosette’s face. He didn’t seem to believe her clumsy lie.

“Well, let’s just say that.”

“It’s not just saying that…”

Rosette, about to continue making excuses, changed her mind and switched the subject.

“I heard the news. I heard you wiped out all the pirates? That’s amazing.”

“It’s thanks to you.”

Joshua said plainly.

“Thanks to you catching that pirate last time, I was able to find the base, so I should be the one thanking you.”

“What did I do? I just dealt with the pirates who were interfering with my return, and Your Highness took care of the rest. Your Highness found the base too…”

“Still, it would have taken longer without you.”

Rosette smiled awkwardly.

“Anyway, I’m glad. I heard that your support base has increased quite a bit thanks to this incident.”

“It’s still not enough. Public sentiment is important, but I haven’t properly won over the most important high-ranking nobles and His Majesty.”

“I see.”

Rosette muttered a little gloomily. When she tapped Silver’s tail with her shoe, Silver, seizing the opportunity, wrapped his tail around her ankle.

Joshua quietly whispered to her.

“It’s not certain yet, but I might be going on another expedition for the time being.”

“An expedition? But didn’t you say you dealt with all the pirates?”

“This time, I think I’m going to the north instead of the sea.”

“The north?”

Come to think of it, she remembered Adrian and Daniel talking seriously during breakfast a few days ago.

“I heard that monsters have appeared. Is that why?”

In this world, there were monsters that no one knew where they came from. Rosette had read about monsters in books, and they looked terrifying.

‘I heard they haven’t appeared in the last few decades…’

Rosette’s great-grandfather, who was the Duke of Adrian at the time, had launched a major monster subjugation with the Imperial Knights.

Thanks to him wiping out all the monsters hiding in various places at that time, the Empire had been peaceful until now.

The imperial people all thought that monsters would not appear again, but recently, creatures presumed to be monsters attacked homes [민가] in the mountains of the north.

“But are they really monsters? I heard that all the monsters are already gone…”

“So, I’m going to go and check it out first. Just looking at the reports that have come up, it’s not clear whether it’s the work of monsters or wild beasts.”

“I see.”

“Maybe Adrian in the north will also provide support.”

“Daniel told my dad that he would go on a subjugation himself as the successor. My dad stopped him, but can he break Daniel’s stubbornness?”

“Maybe he won’t be able to break it.”

Joshua shook his head slightly.

“But why are you going yourself, Your Highness? Did His Majesty order you to?”

“No, that’s not it. But if you want to assess monsters, a magician has to go, and there are so few magicians in the Empire who can use a sword well enough to protect themselves.”

“You’ll find one. Is it necessary for Your Highness to go to that dangerous place yourself?”

“Of course, there is.”

Joshua muttered, looking at the welcoming party of the Empire.

“I still don’t have enough support. I have to prove that I’m better than Louis and make His Majesty have no choice but to choose me.”

“I see.”

Rosette, thinking for a moment, suddenly raised her head.

“If it’s a magician who uses a sword, then I…”

“No.”

Joshua said firmly before she could even finish.

“Why?”

“You’re so fearless. Where are you trying to go?”

“But if it’s something that will help Adrian and Your Highness…”

“I said no.”

Joshua said sternly. Not only Rosette, but even Silver, who was playing with her, flinched.

“I know that your magic skills are the best in the Empire. I remember your achievements that others don’t remember.”

“And then?”

“But this is different. There are not many people who know how to deal with monsters right now. It’s going to be a pretty tough subjugation. In the worst-case scenario, things could go very wrong.”

Joshua continued, his voice slightly faster.

“If something happens to you, who will protect Adrian?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Besides, Master won’t allow it in the first place.”

“But I want to help too.”

“If that’s the case…”

Joshua hesitated for a moment and muttered.

“Make me a handkerchief when I go on an expedition.”

“A handkerchief?”

“Yes. A handkerchief that prays for a safe return.”

“Is that all I need to do?”

Joshua said with conviction.

“Then.”

“But my embroidery skills are terrible.”

“I know. Daniel told me.”

Rosette’s cheeks turned red.

“My brother said everything. Anyway, I’ll definitely make you a handkerchief…”

At that moment, a languid voice interrupted the two.

“What are you doing here, Rose?”

It was Michael Lerscher.

The first to react to his question was Joshua.

“‘Rose’?”

His handsome face was slightly distorted.

“Since when has Marquis Lerscher become close enough to call the Princess by her nickname?”

Michael, standing close to Rosette, smiled arrogantly.

“Your Highness may not know, but we are quite special.”

“Special?”

Rosette didn’t know why, but she felt she had to explain the situation to Joshua.

“No. I told him not to call me that, but Michael keeps doing it on his own…”

But her explanation only made the situation worse.

Because Joshua frowned and asked,

“The Princess is calling Marquis Lerscher’s name without hesitation.”