The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 124

124. The Hunting Competition (1)

March 3, 2024

Joshua tried to appear nonchalant, but he was slightly flustered as he studied Ophelia’s face.

Ophelia wore her signature smile, and Joshua immediately realized she was teasing him.

‘She must have noticed the Princess named Silver.’

Joshua considered denying it but readily admitted, “Yes, you guessed correctly. The Princess named him.”

[Woof!]

At the mention of Rosette’s name, Silver wagged his tail as if delighted. While Joshua glared at the wolf disapprovingly, Ophelia’s smile deepened.

“I see. That’s a little surprising.”

“What’s so surprising?”

“Well, I thought even if you received a name as a gift, you would decide for yourself whether to use it or not. But you readily use the name Rosette gave you.”

Once again, Ophelia’s analysis was spot on.

-So? Are you really going to call the wolf just ‘Wolf’?

At the time, Joshua impulsively told Rosette to name him. It was a truly impulsive action.

Why did he say that to Rosette?

“So, how have you been with Rosette lately?”

Pulled from his thoughts by Ophelia’s words, Joshua replied casually, “I haven’t contacted her recently, so I don’t know.”

“Really? So you were in contact before.”

Once again, Joshua was caught off guard. He hesitated before answering, “I wasn’t exactly in contact before either.”

“Hmm.”

Instead of pressing Joshua on his clumsy lie, Ophelia asked something else. “Then why haven’t you contacted her lately?”

“There was nothing special to contact her about.”

[Woof!]

Liar! Joshua is a liar!

Joshua pretended not to hear Silver’s howls.

In fact, he hadn’t contacted Rosette for over a week. Silver whined and asked when he could see Rosette, but Joshua didn’t even bat an eye.

There was no particular reason. It was just that what Silver had said kept lingering in his mind.

-I just like Rosette! Even if she doesn’t give me treats!

To deny those words, he tried not to think about Rosette. He wanted to prove that Silver’s words were just a misunderstanding.

However, if he let his guard down even a little, he would think of the lovely woman with pink hair.

In fact, Rosette had appeared in his dreams a few days ago. In the dream, she was simply smiling brightly in a field full of flowers.

Joshua couldn’t bring himself to approach her and just watched from a distance. As if sensing his gaze, Rosette, who was looking at the flowers with Bbi-bbi [likely a pet or familiar], turned her eyes to him and then smiled, her eyes crinkling.

It was a smile that seemed to erase all worries and concerns just by looking at it. Even though there were many things to come, Joshua felt like he could solve everything safely if Rosette was by his side.

No, that was actually the case. Thanks to her, he had changed so much. His precious things, which would have disappeared by now, were still by his side.

And perhaps, he felt like a pink jewel had been added to his precious treasure box.

Having thought that far, Joshua impulsively approached Rosette.

-Rose.

He whispered a name he had never spoken before and reached out his hand. It was then that Rosette, who had been smiling at him just a moment ago, disappeared like a faint mist.

In an instant, the place where he stood was no longer a field full of flowers but a forest full of only bare trees.

His heart, which had been full of warmth until just now, felt as cold as if an ice pick had been driven into it.

Joshua searched for Rosette, who had disappeared in his dream, for a long time but eventually woke up without finding her.

As soon as he opened his eyes, all he could see was pitch-black darkness.

Silver licked Joshua’s cheek diligently as he breathed a little heavily, but he couldn’t calm down.

Joshua doesn’t believe in dreams. Ophelia often whispered that dreams have meaning, but he believed that dreams are just a manifestation of the unconscious and cannot have any meaning.

But for some reason, this dream felt ominous. Rosette suddenly disappearing and himself being left alone in a desolate forest.

What on earth does this mean?

Joshua was so anxious that he thought about sending Silver to Rosette, but he barely managed to resist. Fortunately, Daniel, who had visited a few days ago, told him that Rosette was doing well, so he was able to worry less.

“What are you thinking about that makes you look so troubled?”

Joshua, who was recalling the dream again, briefly considered asking Ophelia to interpret it, but he shook his head.

“It’s nothing, Mother. By the way, may I leave now? I have something to do.”

“Of course. I’ve kept you for too long.”

“I’ll visit you again tomorrow.”

Joshua hurriedly left the garden. Ophelia’s meaningful gaze followed him from behind.

* * *

Rosette was still enjoying her peaceful time, making a handkerchief for Lucas to take to the Hunting Competition.

Today, she was sitting on the terrace attached to her room, embroidering.

[Don’t I get one?]

Rosette, who was focused on her embroidery, turned her head at the familiar voice she suddenly heard from the side. Perito was holding a magic communication device.

“What?”

[A handkerchief.]

“A handkerchief?”

Rosette considered the meaning for a moment before asking back, “Are you participating in the Hunting Competition too?”

[I’m thinking of participating.]

“What’s with you? I didn’t know you could use a sword.”

In principle, magic was not allowed in the Hunting Competition. Only physical attacks such as swords or spears were allowed, and Michael didn’t seem like he could handle such things.

He was a little slender to say he had learned swordsmanship.

[I can use it a little.]

“Really? That’s unexpected.”

[Why? Are you newly fascinated now that you know I can use a sword?]

“Nonsense.”

Rosette coldly dismissed him and began embroidering again. Her skills had improved quite a bit over the past few years, and she was able to create plausible embroidery.

[So, what about my handkerchief?]

“I don’t have one. I don’t have time.”

[If you start now, can’t you make one more?]

“I don’t have one anyway.”

Rosette, feeling cornered, tried to avoid Perito and moved her hands.

‘Because there’s someone else to give the other handkerchief to.’

Rosette murmured the words she couldn’t bring herself to say and moved her hands again.

The time left until the Hunting Competition was not long, just enough time to barely make two handkerchiefs.

Originally, she would have given handkerchiefs to Daniel and Lucas, but this time she decided to give it to someone other than Daniel.

‘Ines will give one to Daniel anyway.’

Rosette picked up the still blank handkerchief and thought of Joshua Ernhardt. She was thinking of giving the other handkerchief to Joshua.

There was no particular reason. She just thought that if she made one more handkerchief, she should give it to Joshua.

‘I don’t know if the Prince will accept it, though.’

Rosette sent Perito away and continued to focus on her embroidery.

Thanks to her quickly moving hands, she was able to complete the handkerchief safely by the day of the Hunting Competition.

“Everyone, be careful and have a good time.”

On the morning of the Hunting Competition, Duke Adrian saw off his four children. Rosette hesitantly hugged him as he opened his arms.

The Duke hugged his beloved youngest daughter tightly.

“Yes, Rose. Don’t get hurt.”

Rosette chuckled.

Daniel, Isabel, and Lucas were participating in today’s Hunting Competition. Rosette was the only one of the four siblings who decided to wait in the waiting area.

‘Actually, I wanted to participate too.’

Rosette, who had gained confidence in her swordsmanship, said, ‘I want to participate too!’ but her family desperately stopped her. They believed in her swordsmanship skills, but they said it could be dangerous because she had no practical experience.

Rosette withdrew her intention to participate because she didn’t want to worry her family.

“But Father, aren’t you going today?”

“If I participate in the young people’s festival, it will spoil the fun.”

“Spoil the fun? Everyone will like it.”

The Duke stroked Rosette’s hair with a satisfied face.

“Don’t worry about this father and go have fun.”

“Yes.”

The four siblings got into the carriage while being seen off by the Duke. Unlike her other siblings, it was Rosette’s first time at the Hunting Competition, so she was a little excited.

“Lucas, what do you do at the Hunting Competition?”

Lucas began to explain excitedly. “People participating in the competition like me will naturally work hard to catch animals, right?”

“That’s right.”

“People resting in the waiting room like you spend time having simple tea times and interacting with other people.”

“I see.”

“So don’t feel pressured and make a lot of friends.”

“Yes.”

While chatting with Lucas, the carriage arrived at the hunting grounds on the outskirts of the capital.

Rosette, who got out of the carriage with Lucas’s escort, looked for a welcome face.

“Clara, Theresa!”

“Rosette, welcome!”

Rosette ran to the two and hugged them.

“How have you been?”

“We’ve been fine.”

The three had been exchanging letters, but it had been quite a while since they had actually met.

This was because Rosette had been spending time with her family at the mansion ever since the attempted poisoning of the Empress.

Tears welled up slightly in Theresa’s eyes as she patted Rosette’s back.

“I’m glad you look good. Clara and I were very worried.”

It was something she had already said in her letters, but it felt different hearing it in her actual voice. Rosette tried hard to hold back her tears as her nose tingled.

“I was able to endure it safely thanks to you. Thank you.”

“What did we do?”

“I’m just thankful for everything.”

She later found out that the two friends had been fidgeting and moving around for Rosette.

As a result, they didn’t provide much help, but Rosette was grateful enough that the two had acted for her.

It was then, as the three were catching up on their long-awaited reunion, that Antony Huxley, dressed in hunting clothes, approached them. Clara glared at him.

“What is it, Huxley? Can you not intrude?”

Theresa also agreed. “That’s right. Can’t you see we’re happily talking with Rosette?”

Antony smirked. “Sorry, but you’re not the only friends Rosette has.”

“What?”

“While we were together at Evelyn Royal Academy, I became closer to Rosette than you guys, is what I’m saying.”

Antony’s expression as he said that seemed somewhat triumphant. Clara and Theresa looked dumbfounded, but he approached Rosette without paying attention.

“Rosette, are you participating in the Hunting Competition today too?”

“No, I’m just going to spend time with Clara and Theresa today.”

“What’s the matter? You used to like practicing swordsmanship quite a bit.”

“My family is against it. I didn’t want to worry them, so I decided to just stay in the waiting room. What about you?”

“As you can see, I’m going to participate.”

“I see.”

Antony winked. “Don’t worry. I’ll offer you my prey.”

There was an interesting custom in the Empire’s Hunting Competition: participants would gift the prey they caught to others.

The person who received the most prey was praised as the best flower of the day.

The reason why the word referring to him was ‘flower’ was because until then, the person participating in the Hunting Competition was a man, and the person receiving the prey was a woman.

‘But it changed with the appearance of Isabel.’

Isabel not only showed that women could become skilled knights but also proved that they could fight equally with men.

Rosette looked at Isabel, who was warming up over there, and waved her hand at Antony. “There’s no need for that. I’m fine.”

Antony smiled mischievously. “I’ll make you the best flower.”

Rosette pondered for a moment before playfully retorting, “Okay, I’ll look forward to it.”

“You little rascal.”

At that moment, Lucas, who had quietly approached, put his arm around Rosette’s shoulder. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Antony. “I’ll catch more prey than that guy, so look forward to it.”