The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 108

108. Michael’s Decision

“The Princess Consort is quite comfortable using the Marquis de L’Reusher’s name so casually.”

He seemed more displeased than when Michael called Rosette ‘Rose.’ In fact, his expression wasn’t much different from usual, but he seemed strangely upset.

You could tell just by looking at Silver, who was whimpering as he watched Joshua.

“Ah, that’s……”

She didn’t know why she had to explain, but Rosette quickly made excuses.

“Because we’re friends.”

“Ah, friends?”

It was strange. She had clearly explained, but Joshua’s atmosphere was still subtly tense.

“The Princess Consort certainly has many friends.”

“Not that many……”

Rosette, like Silver, rolled her eyes and watched Joshua carefully.

Just then, as if to rescue her, a dance tune began to play.

“The dance music has started.”

“So it has.”

Michael smiled and offered his hand to Rosette.

“Would you like to dance with me?”

Rosette instinctively glanced at Joshua. He was standing there in an awkward posture with his arm slightly raised.

“Oh, um……”

As she hesitated, Michael whispered.

“Can’t friends even dance together?”

“That’s not true.”

Rosette hesitated before taking Michael’s hand.

“Then, I’ll be going, Your Highness.”

“Alright.”

“Rose, let’s go.”

Michael, leading Rosette to the center of the hall, wrapped his arm around her waist and took a standing position.

Stepping to the music, Rosette glanced not at Michael but at Joshua.

‘I wonder if he feels any better.’

Noticing that she was thinking about something else, Michael pulled her closer and asked.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

“I’m not thinking about anything.”

“You keep looking at His Highness the Prince. Are you worried about him?”

“No, it’s not that.”

Rosette desperately made excuses.

“I was looking at Silver. He seemed lonely by himself.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

“Yes.”

“But you’re dancing with me now, so I’d like you to focus on me.”

“Okay.”

Rosette barely managed to tear her gaze away from Joshua and looked at Michael’s face.

“Come to think of it, you’ve grown a lot taller?”

“Me? Yeah. I’ve grown a lot.”

Seven years ago, Michael was about the same height as Rosette. His appearance was also youthful enough to look like her peer.

But now he had grown significantly taller. He was as tall as Adrian’s two brothers or Joshua, so Rosette had to crane her neck to look up at him.

‘But his face is still youthful.’

He must be an adult by now, but Michael had a fresh, boyish appearance.

“Are you spacing out again?”

Michael was smiling, but he looked slightly displeased.

“No. I was thinking about you.”

Only after saying it did Rosette realize that her words could sound strange.

“No, I mean, what I meant was… I was thinking about how much you’ve changed in seven years?”

“So you were thinking about me anyway? I’m glad.”

“Well, if you want to put it that way? Ah, but if I keep talking, I might step on your foot.”

“You can step on it. No, I think I’d be happy if you stepped on me.”

“Don’t say weird things.”

After that, Rosette kept her mouth shut and focused on the dance.

Michael seemed a little dissatisfied with that, but he didn’t force her to talk and instead told her about his stories. It was mainly about how great the Shelton Kingdom was.

‘It seems like he’s trying to persuade me?’

She had half-jokingly brushed it off earlier, but Michael seemed serious about his proposal.

‘He said I could think about it and answer later, but that makes me uncomfortable.’

No matter how many times she thought about it, Rosette’s answer was the same. She felt sorry for Michael, but Rosette had no intention of accepting his proposal.

The biggest reason was that she didn’t love him, and the second reason was that she didn’t want to be far away from her family.

“Um, Michael.”

She was about to give her answer that she couldn’t accept his proposal when the dance ended.

“Yeah? Do you have something to say? Shall we dance another song?”

“That’s……”

As Rosette hesitated, Joshua, who had approached them unnoticed, offered his hand.

“Would you like to dance with me, Princess Consort?”

Michael, who had been clinging to Rosette until then, let go of her and stepped back.

“Let’s talk again later.”

“Okay.”

Rosette watched him disappear into the crowd of the delegation before taking Joshua’s hand. Joshua skillfully led her to the violin melody.

“What about Silver?”

“I told him to play with the other familiars.”

“Shall I summon Bbibbi now?”

“There’s no need for that. Let’s focus on the dance now.”

“Yes.”

During the dance, there were no particular words exchanged between Joshua and Rosette. However, Rosette felt more comfortable with Joshua than when she was dancing with Michael.

As the dance came to an end, Joshua, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.

“Come to think of it, I didn’t get a proper answer earlier.”

“An answer?”

“Yes. The answer about the handkerchief.”

He chuckled.

“You’ll make one for Daniel, won’t you? It’s a bit of an extra, but while you’re at it, won’t you make a handkerchief for me too?”

Rosette looked up at Joshua’s face, which seemed a little nervous for some reason, and smiled.

“Of course. I should definitely make one for you.”

* * *

That night, after Rosette, exhausted from standing all day, fell asleep as if she had fainted, Michael’s familiar, Perito, came to visit. This time, Perito was holding a communication magic tool in its mouth.

[Bbeep, bleep!]

Rosette woke up to Bbibbi’s cries, who was in an uproar at the appearance of the white snake.

“Bbibbi, what’s wrong……? Oh? You’re, Perito?”

Perito, who had already crawled under the bed, nodded.

“Wait a minute. Bbibbi, it’s okay. Perito won’t hurt you.”

[Bleep!]

I can’t trust snakes! I can’t trust them!

Bbibbi, who had been badly tricked by a snake familiar she met in the Ivelin Kingdom, flapped her wings, thinking about the past. Perito, hearing Bbibbi’s firm words, lowered its head somewhat sadly.

“Shh, Bbibbi. It’s okay, I tell you.”

As Rosette was appeasing the angry Bbibbi, Michael’s voice leaked out from the communication magic tool.

She replied in a slightly sulky voice.

“I was sleeping.”

“Bbibbi did, to be exact. She went crazy as soon as she saw Perito.”

Rosette barely calmed down and tickled the neck of Bbibbi, who was sitting on her shoulder.

“Did you hear that, Bbibbi? It’s okay.”

[Bleep!]

Bbibbi looked at Perito, who was flicking its tongue on the floor, and flew out the window with a flutter. The white snake lowered its head as if it was a little dejected.

Rosette hesitated before tapping the bed, and Perito climbed up the pillar.

“You understand, right? Bbibbi can’t help being a bird.”

Ssshh. Perito made a sound, flicking its tongue. It seemed to be saying it was okay.

Relieved, Rosette this time grabbed the magic communication tool that Perito had placed on the bed and asked.

“But what’s going on?”

Rosette’s eyes narrowed.

“Besides that.”

“If you’re going to say useless things, I’m going to send Perito back.”

At the urgent words, Rosette muttered as if doing a favor.

“So, what’s the matter?”

“That’s the matter?”

“Again……”

Rosette sighed deeply. She didn’t know what had happened in the past seven years, but Michael seemed to have changed a lot during that time.

‘Of course, I can’t say I know Michael well…….’

Certainly, Michael had changed from before. Of course, he still had the audacity to stubbornly call Rosette ‘Rose’ even when she told him not to.

But now, he seemed to have gone beyond audacity and put on an iron mask [a facade].

“Michael, I’ve thought carefully about what you said.”

As if guessing what she was going to say, Michael stopped her.