The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 165

165. Ultimatum

2024.04.13.

Rosette looked at Perito’s eerily dilated pupils, then closed and opened her eyes.

“Are you asking me to go with you? Like a proposal again?”

“Like last time, to go to the Shelton Kingdom with you? Leaving my whole family behind?”

Rosette hesitated for a moment, and Michael whispered.

There was no need to think carefully. No matter how many times Rosette thought about it, her answer would be the same.

But there was something she wanted to say first.

“Michael, I really don’t understand your feelings.”

“Every time we have this same conversation, it seems like you have feelings for me, but then it doesn’t seem genuine.”

“But……”

Rosette sighed and spoke again.

“Anyway, my answer is the same as it was before.”

Her voice was firm as she answered.

“I will never go with you. This incident has made that even clearer.”

“I heard what happened while I was unconscious. The story that went back and forth between you and Dad, too.”

Michael seemed a little flustered, as if he hadn’t expected Rosette to know about it. His expression wasn’t visible, but it was slightly noticeable in his voice.

“What?”

“But you didn’t step in.”

He was silent, as if he had nothing to say. Rosette glared at the white snake as if it were Michael.

“I understand your decision. It wouldn’t have been easy to step forward for someone like me, who is practically a stranger. But if you acted that way for a reason, you shouldn’t be doing this to me now, right? How can I believe your sincerity?”

“The Prince risked everything and acted for me, and you didn’t. That’s all I know.”

Michael’s voice trembled slightly. Perito also flicked his tongue quickly, looking uneasy.

“I don’t think I have an obligation to answer that.”

Rosette answered firmly and put the communication device back into Perito’s mouth.

“Whether I like someone or dream of a future with someone is none of your business, Michael. I don’t have any personal grudges against you, but I don’t feel good every time you force your feelings on me like this. Sometimes it’s hard to accept those feelings.”

<…….>

“You said it was the last time you were asking, right? I’m answering for the last time too. I hope you won’t push your feelings on me after today. I hope you refrain from contacting me by sending Perito like this.”

Sensing Rosette’s feelings, Pipi, who had been running away every time Perito came, barked sharply at the white snake.

[Bbit!]

Didn’t you hear Rosette? Go away quickly!

Perito looked up at Pipi and then slithered down under the bed. As Perito crawled up to the window, Michael’s voice flowed out again.

“I won’t regret it.”

“That won’t happen.”

A low laugh was heard from beyond the communication device. It was a clear but somehow eerie sound.

With those words, Perito completely disappeared. Rosette quickly locked the window.

[Bbit…….]

“It seems Silver won’t be coming today. Right?”

[Bbi…….]

Rosette carefully wrapped Pipi in her hands and lay back on the bed.

‘Michael was a bit strange today.’

He exuded a very different atmosphere from when he usually asked her to marry him as a habit. Besides, he said he was asking for the ‘last’ time. Is he going back to the Shelton Kingdom soon?

‘I wish that were the case.’

Perhaps it was because Michael had left behind words like regret and tears, but her heart felt restless.

Rosette comforted herself, saying, ‘Everything will be fine. Let’s only think about good things,’ and finally fell asleep.

* * *

Contrary to Rosette’s worries, nothing much happened after Perito’s last visit.

She heard that Michael had not returned to the Shelton Kingdom and was still in the Imperial Palace. However, he was not contacting Rosette privately or interacting with anyone else.

Rosette was curious as to why Michael was still holding out without returning, doing nothing in particular.

Joshua, hearing Rosette’s concerns, comforted her.

Rosette had not told Joshua that Perito had visited. So, she couldn’t explain exactly what conversation had taken place between the two of them.

Joshua simply thought that Rosette was worried about the request she had made to the Magic Tower because of his affairs, and the conditions that Michael, the Tower Master, had set.

“That’s a relief then. By the way, is there any unusual activity from the Lillis Duchy or the Second Prince’s side?”

Joshua hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Suspicious?”

“Is everything else alright?”

<…….>

“Joshua?”

Rosette urged, but there was no answer. Rosette became anxious and grabbed Silver’s face, rubbing it haphazardly. It was a gesture filled with the thought, ‘Why is your master frustrating me again?’

Soon, Joshua spoke again.

“What is it?”

As he said, Rosette soon found out what was happening. Just a few hours later, at dawn the next day, the Emperor suddenly convened a meeting of the nobles.

“What’s going on, Father?”

Daniel, who had come out to see the Duke off first, asked anxiously. Today’s meeting was only for the heads of major families, so Daniel decided to wait at the mansion.

“Well, I’ll have to go and see. Take good care of your siblings.”

“Please be careful, Father.”

Rosette saw the Duke off with Adrian’s three siblings, then spent the time feeling restless, unable to sleep again.

However, as lunch passed and evening came, she became increasingly anxious as the Duke did not return.

“Everything will be alright.”

At dinner time, with Duke Adrian absent, Daniel comforted his siblings. Ines Rivera, who was also worried and had come to visit the Adrian Duchy, had dinner with them.

“Don’t worry too much, and let’s wait until Father returns.”

The slightly gloomy and quiet dinner ended, and the five gathered in the drawing room for a light conversation. It was around bedtime that the Duke returned with a dark expression.

“You’re back, Father?”

“Yes.”

“What’s wrong?”

To Daniel’s careful question, the Duke replied with a serious face.

“The monsters in the north are becoming even more rampant.”

“Monsters?”

“Yes.”

The complexion of Ines Rivera, who had been constantly uneasy, darkened in an instant.

“The Rivera family also has a responsibility. Of course, so do I.”

“Ines, how is that your fault?”

“If I hadn’t been caught up in such a thing……”

A few months ago, Joshua and Daniel headed north to subjugate the monsters that had attacked the northern part of the Empire.

However, Ophelia collapsed after being poisoned during her birthday party, and Ines was pointed out as the culprit, so the two hurriedly returned to the capital.

Fortunately, after the matter was resolved, the two did not return to the north out of concern. However, thanks to Joshua’s good instructions, the monster subjugation was said to be progressing smoothly.

But as the situation worsened, Ines seemed to feel responsible.

‘Ines doesn’t need to feel guilty at all.’

Rosette quickly helped Daniel comfort Ines.

“That’s right, Ines. It has nothing to do with you. The one who did wrong was the dead Elisha Dallas.”

“If the young lady is at fault, then Adrian is also at fault for not preventing it in advance.”

“Adrian is not at fault.”

“So, that means the young lady is not at fault either.”

Ines smiled bitterly at Isabel’s indifferent consolation. Duke Adrian looked at her and said apologetically.

“Anyway, it seems we’ll have to watch the situation a bit longer before deciding on Daniel’s wedding.”

“Ah……”

Originally, Daniel and Ines had promised to get married this spring. They were waiting for Rosette, who had gone to study in the Ivelin Kingdom, to return.

However, as Ines was involved in an unpleasant incident in the spring, the two’s wedding was naturally postponed.

After the situation calmed down a bit, they were going to set a date again around the fall, but that also seemed distant.

Ines replied without any sign of regret.

“Of course, we should. The stability of the territory is more important than the wedding.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to worry, Duke. I’m really okay. Just in case, Rosette doesn’t need to feel guilty either.”

How did she know? Rosette’s eyes widened.

Just a moment ago, she had been thinking, ‘If it weren’t for me, my brother and Ines would have gotten married a long time ago.’

“Understood?”

“Yes.”

“So, we’ve decided to watch the situation for now. Don’t worry and go to bed, everyone.”