The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 158

158. The Truth Revealed (5)

2024.04.06.

“It seems my master suspects you might have turned back time.”

Rosette’s face hardened instantly. She moved her lips, then barely managed to squeeze out a voice.

“How on earth did Father come to think that?”

“Marquis Ruescher examined you and said you seemed to have used forbidden magic. He listed a few, and one of them was the magic to turn back time.”

“……”

“My master seems to have been watching you and me closely for a long time.”

Rosette fell silent.

‘Father has reason to suspect.’

Looking back at her actions to change the future, it was indeed suspicious. She had hoped to get away with it because Duke Adrian hadn’t questioned her much, but it seemed he had simply let it go without raising the issue.

‘It’s unexpected that he even suspected Joshua, but it makes sense. Joshua came to the Adrian mansion without saying anything, just to see me.’

She knew this secret would eventually come to light.

She wished she could keep it hidden forever, but that was impossible. And she felt guilty about keeping it a secret.

But she never expected it to be revealed so suddenly and unexpectedly.

“And I think you need to know this.”

Joshua spoke with difficulty to Rosette, who was still reeling from the news.

“A serious, no, a more serious problem than I thought has occurred.”

“Is it because of Marquis Ruescher?”

“No, that was resolved. We solved it without the Marquis’s help, to be blunt. But you’d probably want to hear more about my master.”

“That’s right. So what’s going on?”

Joshua hesitated, even with Rosette’s urging.

“Joshua, what’s wrong? Tell me.”

Only after Rosette pleaded anxiously did he finally speak.

“My master seems to have dreamed about that day.”

“That day… you don’t mean…?”

“Yes. The day my master passed away.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Rosette felt as if all the sandcastles she had built had collapsed.

A sandcastle carefully constructed from sand and seawater. She tried to make it as solid and sturdy as possible, but it was still just a sandcastle. A fragile tower that collapses without a trace in a single strong wave.

No matter how hard Rosette tried to protect the tower from the waves, she couldn’t defy the laws of nature.

Tears welled up in Rosette’s eyes.

“Does Father really remember everything?”

“Yes.”

“How could that…”

Hearing the truth from Joshua was different from simply remembering the events herself. Duke Adrian would remember the emotions, the atmosphere, even the oppressive weight of the air that day.

“What if Father feels betrayed by me? I…”

She couldn’t bear to see the eyes that always looked at her with such warm affection turn to contempt.

When she first came to the Adrian mansion, she seemed to have been prepared for that. She even thought she deserved such treatment.

But now, she didn’t think she could withstand the change.

She wanted to avoid the whole situation.

Rosette tried to get out of bed, but she was too weak and fell into Joshua’s arms.

“Rose, calm down…”

“I’d rather leave Adrian now.”

“…What?”

“It should have been like this from the beginning. It doesn’t make sense for me to be in Adrian in the first place.”

“Rose, calm down and think rationally. Running away won’t solve anything.”

“But…”

Joshua hugged Rosette tightly. She struggled for a moment, then gave up and simply gasped for breath.

Silver [her familiar spirit] licked the back of her hand as if to calm her, and Bbibbi [another familiar spirit] sat on Rosette’s head and cried sadly.

Joshua patted Rosette on the back and continued.

“And Adrian without you… I can’t even imagine it.”

“But Joshua, you once told me to leave Adrian.”

“That’s…”

Joshua frowned. Bbibbi protested to him, ‘Silver’s owner! Why did you say such things to our Rosette and discourage her! Bad!’

Joshua couldn’t understand Bbibbi’s words, but he roughly understood the situation from Bbibbi’s fierce flapping.

“That’s… I couldn’t help it back then. At the time, I didn’t know Rose’s true feelings or intentions.”

“……”

“But it’s different now, Rose. I’m so glad you’re in Adrian. Adrian can only be complete with you. I think my master probably thinks the same way.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Don’t you know my master better than I do? Does he seem like someone who would kick you out so mercilessly?”

That wasn’t it. But what Rosette had done was unimaginable, so the Duke’s reaction was equally unpredictable.

“And if my master was going to kick you out, wouldn’t he have already questioned you and kicked you out when he sensed something was wrong?”

“……”

“So don’t avoid it and face the truth. No matter what anyone says, you’re Rosette Adrian.”

“Adrian…”

“Yes. Adrian.”

It was an acknowledgment from Joshua, who had denied Rosette’s existence more than anyone else. Rosette choked up again.

‘Yes, I am Rosette Adrian.’

Even if this incident changes her relationship with her family, she will accept it without running away.

“And you’re not alone. I’ve always been by your side. I’m the one who shared your secrets and worked hard for the same goal.”

“……”

“To be honest, when I went back in time, I was overwhelmed with emotion at the thought of saving Mother, my master, and Daniel. I didn’t know what you came back to the past for, but I thanked the goddess for giving me another chance.”

Joshua carefully kissed Rosette’s forehead.

“Did I say that I was glad that I was the one who remembered the past, not someone else? I feel the same way.”

The breath touching her hand and the golden gaze looking down at Rosette were intense.

“I also think I’m glad I remember everything. Because you weren’t lonely. Because I could see everything about you. And because I could save you like this.”

Sincerity flowed from every word.

“I’m so glad you’re alive, Rose. If you hadn’t turned back time, I would have lost you too and been immersed in sadness.”

She felt strange. Rosette had always thought that she had to protect the people she loved.

Ophelia, Duke Adrian, Daniel, and Joshua. She thought that was the meaning of her turning back time. In the process, she hadn’t focused on being revived herself.

But Joshua was saying that he was glad he could save Rosette too. He was reminding her of a fact she hadn’t even considered.

Perhaps his feelings for her were much greater than Rosette had imagined.

“If, just if, my master kicks you out, I will still be by your side.”

“Even if it means being at odds with Father because of that?”

“I’m sorry to my master, but yes. I will choose you.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“If I say it’s okay, then it’s okay.”

It wasn’t a situation to laugh, and Rosette didn’t want Joshua’s relationship with Duke Adrian to be strained because of her.

But even so, laughter escaped her lips. Sensing that, Joshua asked cautiously.

“Are you feeling a little better now?”

“Yes.”

Rosette got out of Joshua’s arms and lay back on the bed. Joshua looked down at his empty hand as if he was a little disappointed.

“Then tell me Joshua’s story now. If you didn’t get help from Marquis Ruescher, how did I wake up?”

Rosette tried to change the subject. But this time, Joshua tried to avoid answering. The way he slightly avoided her gaze made it seem like he was hiding something.

“Joshua?”

Rosette’s voice rose as she sensed something was off.

“After I collapsed, I walked through endless darkness. I thought I would disappear and die like that. But then I saw you.”

“……”

“At first, I thought it was a dream. I thought it was showing me what I wanted because it was a dream. But the more I thought about it, the stranger it felt. It wasn’t just a dream, Joshua really came to find me, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Joshua reluctantly answered.

“I went to find you.”

“But how?”

Joshua knew he couldn’t hide the truth from Rosette and began to tell her everything.

“Marquis Ruescher acted like he wouldn’t do anything until my master accepted the marriage proposal. In fact, he didn’t do anything for several days. Adrian and I had to put our heads together and worry—whether to marry you off to Marquis Ruescher to save you, or to find another way.”

“……”

“Reason said that we had to save you no matter what, even if you were to marry Marquis Ruescher.”

Joshua held Rosette’s hand tightly.

“I couldn’t let you go.”

“Joshua.”

“Really selfishly, I couldn’t send you to someone else. Especially not to Marquis Ruescher.”