The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 149

149. The Master of Magic (2)

2024.03.28.

The Adrian mansion, which had been peaceful lately, was in turmoil. Their beloved youngest daughter, Rosette Adrian, had suddenly collapsed.

Duke Adrian, uncharacteristically frantic, sought a physician, waking most of the residents. Among them were the three Adrian siblings.

“Father, what’s wrong?”

“Is she ill?”

“Why the physician…? Oh! Rosette!”

The three siblings rushed into Rosette’s room and were shocked to see their youngest sister limp in the Duke’s arms.

Lukas, in particular, approached Rosette with a horrified expression.

“Father, what’s wrong with Rosette? Did she cough up blood?”

Lukas’ face turned pale as he noticed the blood on Rosette’s front. Duke Adrian laid Rosette on the bed without a word.

At the same time, the family doctor in his pajamas quickly entered.

“What’s the matter, Your Grace?”

“Rosette suddenly collapsed.”

Before the Duke could finish, the doctor began examining Rosette. He lifted her closed eyelids and asked,

“What happened before she collapsed?”

“I was sitting in my study, thinking, when Rosette came to see me. As soon as she entered, she vomited blood and collapsed. There were no other symptoms.”

“I see. Let me examine her.”

The doctor closed his eyes and took Rosette’s pulse. But after a long time, he remained silent.

Duke Adrian, who had been anxiously awaiting a diagnosis, asked, exhausted,

“Why aren’t you saying anything? How is Rosette?”

“Well…”

The doctor hesitated as he got up.

“Speak freely.”

“Her pulse is very weak. It’s similar to what happened 12 years ago.”

“12 years ago?”

“When she stopped your carriage accident, Your Grace.”

Duke Adrian recalled that dizzying dawn and sighed.

How could he forget that day? The day his small, fragile child saved him and hovered between life and death.

The helplessness he felt then was still vivid.

“But Rosette lost consciousness back then because she used magic that was too much for her young age, didn’t she? Unlike then, Rosette didn’t use any magic this time.”

“That’s what I find strange. Perhaps it’s an extension of her poor condition since she collapsed at the hunting competition… I think it would be best to call Celine.”

“Do we need Celine’s opinion?”

“In my humble opinion, yes.”

The Duke groaned and gestured to the butler, Sebastian. He quickly left the room and returned with Celine.

“What’s going on so suddenly at this hour?”

Celine had been in her laboratory in the annex and was unaware of the commotion in the main building.

Hurriedly dragged out of her late-night research, she sensed something was wrong and approached Rosette.

“Did the young lady collapse again?”

“Yes.”

Celine placed her hand on Rosette’s forehead and quickly injected mana [magical energy].

“Good heavens.”

A sigh escaped her lips.

“How is she?”

“Did the young lady use any magic?”

“She didn’t use anything. At least, not that I know of.”

“But this is…”

Celine licked her dry lips.

“Her mana is very unstable. It’s similar to mana depletion, but I can’t believe she didn’t use any magic.”

“The reason doesn’t matter. Is there a way to wake Rosette?”

Celine muttered uncertainly,

“To be honest, I can’t give you a definite answer this time.”

“You can’t give a definite answer?”

“The young lady’s condition is similar to mana depletion, but the symptoms are slightly different. The fact that she’s in this state without using magic is proof of that.”

“…”

“If she simply used magic that her body couldn’t handle, we could wait for her mana to recover as before. It would take a little longer, but her life wouldn’t be in danger. But…”

Celine frowned slightly.

“This time, I don’t think time will solve it.”

“Then what should we do?”

“I’ll go and see if there are any cases with similar symptoms to the young lady. Until then, I think the best thing to do is to observe her condition quietly. If we carelessly make medicine or inject mana, it could get even more complicated.”

“Alright, I understand.”

Celine and the doctor hurried out of the room to find a solution. Only then did Duke Adrian, relieved of his tension, carefully sit on the edge of the bed.

He placed Rosette’s soft, small hand on his forehead.

“Rosette, my dear.”

Strangely, the nightmare that had been bothering him lately wouldn’t leave his mind. He had been feeling uneasy, as if something was going to happen, and now he wondered if he had foreseen this.

“I wish I could have been hurt instead of you, like in a dream…”

Duke Adrian closed his eyes tightly as he looked at Rosette. But there was no response from his small, lovely youngest daughter.

* * *

“This scene feels familiar.”

Lukas, sitting next to Rosette’s sleeping form, murmured quietly as he looked down at her.

It had already been four days since Rosette collapsed.

For the first day or two, the whole family stayed by Rosette’s side. But as the time Rosette remained unconscious grew longer, they could no longer focus solely on her.

The Duke and Daniel went to handle their piled-up work, and Isabel also went to the Imperial Palace.

Only Lukas, who had plenty of time because he hadn’t officially joined any knight order, stayed by Rosette’s side.

Looking at Rosette, who was completely still, he felt a sense of déjà vu.

“Rosette has collapsed like this before. Everyone was in an uproar back then too. Right, Pipi?”

Pipi, who had just brought a petal and placed it on Rosette’s head, chirped, “Ppi!” Lukas burst out laughing.

“Did you just say, ‘My name isn’t Pipiak, it’s Pipi!’?”

[Ppiit? Ppi?]

“How did I know? I can understand you now.”

Pipi’s eyes widened in surprise.

[Ppiik? Ppi?]

You can understand me too? Really? How?

Lukas laughed again, watching the bewildered Pipi.

“Believe that, you silly Pipi.”

[Ppi?]

“It’s been 12 years since I’ve been with you, so I can guess what you’re saying!”

[Ppik!]

“Ugh, hey, Pipiak! I told you not to pull my hair!”

Pipi, who had finally pulled out Lukas’ hair, sat on Rosette’s hand and turned her head away with a hmph. Lukas glared at Pipi, rubbing his tingling scalp.

“Pipi, you know, you’ve become so arrogant because Rosette isn’t here to stop you.”

[Ppi!]

“So when is your owner waking up? Why isn’t she waking up? Don’t you know either?”

[Ppii…….]

Pipi drooped her beak, discouraged. After Rosette collapsed, Pipi wanted to help.

But realistically, there was nothing a small bird could do.

All she could do was pick her favorite flowers every day and put them by her head so that Rosette could see them as soon as she woke up.

[Ppiiii…….]

I’m really a stupid bird brain.

Lukas tapped Pipi’s head, who was feeling down.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it’s not your fault at all, Pipi.”

[Ppi?]

“So don’t be discouraged. Where’s the energy you had to pull my hair?”

[Ppi…….]

“Ugh, I’m sleepy. Let’s sleep, Pipi.”

Lukas staggered to the sofa and collapsed. He hadn’t slept properly for the past four days while staying by Rosette’s side, and he was starting to reach his limit.

Pipi hesitated for a moment, then fluttered over Lukas’ head and settled down.

“Then good night, Pipi. Rosette, you too. I hope you’re awake when I wake up.”

Lukas yawned loudly and soon fell asleep.

* * *

Lukas, who had fallen into a deeper sleep than he thought, woke up because of Pipi’s sudden noisy chirping.

[Ppiit! Ppi!]

“Hey, Pipi. Why are you suddenly crying in the middle of the night? Be quiet…”

Lukas, muttering under his blanket, jumped up.

“What? Could it be Rosette……!”

But as soon as Lukas got up, he saw not Rosette waking up from her long sleep, but a large silver wolf. Pipi was jumping up and down on the wolf’s head.

[Ppi! Ppiiik!]

“No, what is this……”

Lukas rubbed his blurry eyes, still not fully awake.

“Why is there a wolf here…… No, wait a minute! Hey, wolf, you!”

Lukas strode up with his long legs and grabbed the wolf’s face with both hands.

“Aren’t you Joshua’s familiar [magical companion]?”

Lukas always found it difficult to read animals’ emotions. But at this moment, he felt like he knew Silver’s emotions very well.

It was because Silver, who met Lukas’ eyes, rolled his eyes to the side as if feigning innocence.

Lukas’ eyes narrowed as he looked down at Silver.

“Hey, wolf. Why are you here?”

[…….]

“Oh, you’re not saying anything?”

Silver muttered softly as if protesting. It was a statement claiming, ‘I just stopped by on my way,’ but of course, Lukas didn’t understand the meaning.

Lukas’ hands, which were holding Silver’s face, were filled with strength.

“You sneaky wolf, it’s past midnight. Why are you here?”

Silver stubbornly avoided Lukas’ gaze.

In fact, Silver was also very embarrassed right now.

-Rose hasn’t contacted me, Silver. Go and see what’s going on.

The silver wolf, with Joshua’s worried words, quickly arrived at the Adrian mansion, cutting through the wind. As always, he jumped through Rosette’s room window, but there was an unexpected person.

“Look me in the eye and tell me. Why did you come here?”

Lukas, who forcibly turned Silver’s face to meet his gaze, was horrified by the thought that suddenly came to his mind.

“Don’t tell me Joshua sent you?”