The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 132

132. Conflicting Reactions from the Two Older Brothers

‘Why is Daniel acting like that again?’

He was looking at Joshua without giving Rosette even a single glance. Somehow, his gaze didn’t seem very welcoming.

However, Rosette couldn’t focus more on Daniel. It was because Lucas was constantly scolding Silver, tapping him on the nose.

“Wolf, you seem to be getting arrogant just because Rosette likes you a bit, but you should restrain yourself when she’s sick.”

But there was a hint of playfulness in Lucas’s voice. It seemed he was enjoying Silver whimpering and looking around.

Silver, unaware of this, drooped his tail and looked at Lucas cautiously. When Silver subtly wrapped his tail around Rosette’s ankle as if asking for help, she stepped in.

“Brother, stop teasing Silver. He thinks he’s being scolded.”

Only then did Silver, realizing the truth, perk up his ears.

“Hey, why are you telling him that?”

Lucas grumbled. Silver tapped the floor with his tail as if dissatisfied.

Lucas ordered the servant to bring jerky to appease Silver. Soon after, Silver, gnawing on the jerky brought by the servant, pretended to be friendly with Lucas.

Relieved, Rosette observed Daniel again. Fortunately, Daniel was smiling and talking with Joshua.

The strange atmosphere Rosette had felt earlier had disappeared.

‘Was I mistaken?’

She concluded that and listened to the conversation between her two brothers and Joshua.

It was a very peaceful day, with Silver munching on jerky and Pipi pecking at cookies. Even though it wasn’t a particularly eventful time, she felt strangely uplifted.

Rosette unconsciously hummed and ate the custard pudding that the chef had brought for her.

In the midst of that, she suddenly felt a gaze and looked up, only to meet Joshua’s eyes, who was looking at her.

Rosette quickly swallowed the pudding she had put in her mouth.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Now that I see it, the Duchess’s complexion seems worse than before.”

“You see it too, Your Highness?”

Lucas lamented.

“I feel like she hasn’t recovered her strength since she collapsed last time. She even had a nosebleed today after reading some books.”

“Nosebleed?”

“She had a nosebleed?”

Not only Joshua but also Daniel, who hadn’t heard the news, asked back in surprise. Rosette waved her hand.

“No, it’s not that serious…”

However, the three men were serious. After pondering for a moment, Joshua opened his mouth.

“If it’s alright, I’d like to send the Imperial Physician [the Emperor’s personal doctor].”

“The Imperial Physician? There’s no need for that! Really. Brother Lucas is exaggerating.”

“What am I exaggerating? I only said you had a nosebleed.”

“Besides, how can I, who am not even royalty, receive treatment from the Imperial Physician?”

Joshua replied as if wondering why she was saying that.

“Why can’t you? The Duchess has done so much for me and Her Majesty, so we can do that much.”

“Yes, Rose. Don’t feel too burdened.”

When even Daniel joined in, Rosette couldn’t find any more words to refute. She reluctantly nodded.

“Okay.”

“If I had known you weren’t feeling well, I would have sent you back right away. I didn’t realize.”

Joshua carefully got up from his seat and reached out his hand to Rosette.

“It’s best to rest now. I’ll escort you to your room.”

“It’s okay! I can go alone.”

[Woof!]

Silver, who had already finished his jerky, nudged Rosette’s thigh with his snout as if telling her to take Joshua’s hand.

Pushed by Silver’s force, Rosette got up in a daze and took Joshua’s hand.

Rosette looked back at her two brothers and headed to her room with Joshua. It happened so quickly that Lucas and Daniel couldn’t stop them.

Lucas, staring blankly at the departing two, muttered with a slightly bitter expression.

“What’s going on? Were His Highness and the kid so close? No, before that, this is the first time I’ve seen His Highness being so kind.”

Daniel rubbed his forehead.

“You see it that way too?”

“See what? That His Highness has changed?”

“Rather than changed…”

Daniel blinked and sighed softly as he looked at Lucas, who was waiting for his answer.

“I thought you were quick-witted, but I guess not.”

Lucas had been wary of Antony Huxley, who had shown interest in Rosette since childhood. He would emphasize to Rosette, whenever he thought of it, ‘That damn Huxley is not allowed!’

He naturally expected to be wary of Joshua too, but seeing this reaction was unexpected.

“What do you mean I’m not quick-witted? Ah, perhaps, brother, do you think His Highness is interested in the kid?”

Lucas laughed and waved his hand.

“That’s impossible. He’s a prince, after all. His Highness, who has no interest in others, would have no interest in our kid, right? He’s just being considerate because of what happened with Her Majesty the Empress last time.”

“…”

“The kid was a bit suspicious, but it doesn’t seem like it either.”

“Rose is suspicious?”

“Well, she gave His Highness the handkerchief last time. The day you left to subjugate the monsters. So I thought it was a bit strange, but it seems like nothing. She just seems to see His Highness as an older brother.”

Daniel focused on the fact that Rosette had given Joshua a handkerchief.

‘Come to think of it, His Highness had a handkerchief that he cherished throughout the subjugation.’

No one was brave enough to ask him, ‘Did your lover give it to you?’ so no one knew who had given him the handkerchief. Daniel had assumed it was Ophelia.

But what if Rosette had given it to him?

If it wasn’t just Joshua’s one-sided love, but Rosette also thought of him specially?

“Brother? Why do you have that expression?”

“Lucas, what would you do if Rose suddenly said she was getting married?”

“What would I do!”

Lucas imagined a fictional person and became furious.

“I’d bring that bastard here right away and have a duel! How dare he aim for our kid?”

“What would you do by dueling?”

“I need to check if he has potential! I’ll see if he has perseverance and how big his heart is for Rosette. Why are you looking at me like that, brother? Surely you won’t just allow it, will you? You have to duel with me too! I’ll tell Isabel to duel too! Father has his reputation, so I’ll just tell him to release some killing intent…”

Daniel interrupted Lucas’s long speech and asked.

“What if Rose’s partner is someone you can’t just duel with?”

Lucas frowned as if he was hearing some strange nonsense.

“What are you talking about? Who is someone you can’t just duel with?”

“Someone whose aftermath is difficult to handle even with our power.”

Lucas laughed loudly again.

“Who is that person in this empire? We are the Adrian family. Even if Duke Ophete comes, I have to duel!”

Duke Ophete was another duke of the empire. He was a dozen years older than Rosette, and already married, so there was no chance of him being involved with Rosette.

So that was just a figurative expression. Meaning he would fight no matter who it was.

“Still, wouldn’t there be someone if you looked for them?”

“For example?”

“For example, His Highness the Prince.”

“Puhaha!”

Lucas patted Daniel on the back.

“Brother, are you thinking that because the kid went up to the room with His Highness a little while ago? I guarantee you, that will never happen. Well, His Highness the Second Prince might like our kid, but there’s no way the kid would marry His Highness the Second Prince. What, why are you making that face again?”

“Don’t ever say you’re quick-witted anywhere else.”

“Why, why! Why me?”

Lucas argued that he was the first to sense the suspicious atmosphere between Isabel and Lord Roten, but Daniel didn’t even pretend to listen.

As if mocking Daniel’s complicated heart, the early summer sunlight was only bright.

* * *

“Your Highness, I thought you came to see Brother Daniel, so I’m sorry if I got in the way.”

Joshua turned to her with a face that seemed to say, ‘What are you talking about?’

“I came to see Daniel?”

“Isn’t that so?”

“That’s what I said to Daniel, but…”

Joshua smiled slightly and pulled Rosette a little closer.

“Actually, I came because I was worried about the Duchess.”

“About me?”

“Yes. You can think of it as a get-well visit. By the way, did you receive the bouquet?”

“Ah, yes. I heard Her Majesty sent it. I would appreciate it if you could tell her thank you. And if it’s okay, please give her my regards too.”

But before Rosette could finish speaking, Joshua’s eyebrows twitched slightly. He had an expression that he didn’t like something.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Who said that bouquet was sent by Her Majesty [the Empress]?”

“Sebastian. I heard Her Majesty asked me to send her regards.”

“Hmm.”

Joshua slowly went up the stairs and continued.

“It’s true that Her Majesty asked about you, but I prepared that bouquet.”

“You did, Your Highness?”

“Yes. Why? Is there a problem?”

“No, it’s not that.”

Rosette felt a tickling sensation inside her throat for a moment. Her toes wiggled involuntarily in her comfortable shoes.

‘The Prince prepared it….’

Even when she thought Ophelia had given her the bouquet, she felt good, of course. But she couldn’t shake off a nameless disappointment.

But when she thought Joshua had given it to her, the resentment that had settled in one corner of her heart disappeared like snow melting.

‘Of course, the Prince probably just told his servant to prepare the bouquet, but I still like it.’

Rosette tried to speak calmly to hide her excited heart.

“Thank you, Your Highness. I really like it. Especially the pink roses. Your Highness’s servant seems to have really good taste.”

Even though she clearly gave him a compliment, Joshua’s stiff expression didn’t seem to ease.

“Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

“Why is my servant’s taste coming out here?”

“Because the servant must have prepared the bouquet.”

“Ah.”

Joshua used his other hand to tidy up the bangs that had slightly fallen over his forehead.

“So that’s why. But my servant didn’t choose those flowers.”

“Then? Did the aide choose them?”

“No. Just in case, it’s not Her Majesty either. I chose them.”