The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 214

214. Side Story 5 – Happily Ever After (2)

2024.06.01.

She had never truly received her mother’s love. However, Rosette was cherished by many others.

Perhaps she could pass on that love to the child who would soon be born. It might be difficult alone, but Joshua was by her side.

And there were also the people of Adrian and Ophelia, who were waiting for the baby.

Rosette decided not to dwell on negative thoughts and to focus on the present.

She couldn’t wait to meet her baby.

* * *

“How is the little one! How is the little one, Your Highness!”

Lukas shouted as soon as he entered Ruby Palace.

Duke Adrian and Isabel, who came with him, couldn’t bring themselves to scold him. They were just as anxious as Lukas.

“Welcome, Master. And Isabel, Lukas too.”

Joshua greeted them on behalf of the family.

“I know we should wait for good news, but we came because we were worried. Please forgive our rudeness.”

“There’s no need to apologize. I understand completely. Rose will be happy to know her family is here.”

“Daniel wanted to come too, but he said he would just send his regards since he has a family to take care of.”

“Isn’t the young master already eight months old? I heard it’s a busy and hectic time.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Anyway, come in. Let’s wait together in the drawing room.”

Joshua tried to appear calm as he led them to the drawing room. However, the four people sitting around the table didn’t exchange much conversation.

The untouched tea quietly cooled down.

All they could do was wait aimlessly for new information to arrive.

One minute felt like a year, and one hour felt like ten years.

It was around the time when dawn began to break in that silence.

“……!”

Duke Adrian, who had the most developed senses among the four, suddenly raised his head. Joshua, who noticed something, asked urgently.

“Is the baby born?”

“It’s busy outside. I thought I heard a baby crying. Ah, someone is running here.”

As soon as the Duke finished speaking, a servant rushed in through the door.

“Your Highness! The baby is……!”

Joshua ran out before he could even hear the rest.

Duke Adrian grabbed Lukas’s shoulder as he tried to get up to follow.

“Let’s give the two Highnesses some time to recover, both physically and mentally.”

Duke Adrian stared at the door with a complex mix of emotions.

He also wanted to check on Rosette’s condition more than anyone else, but he decided to wait patiently.

* * *

As soon as Joshua went inside, he looked for Rosette first. As soon as he saw her face, which had deteriorated in just one day, he couldn’t hold back his tears.

“Why are you crying?”

“Because I feel so pathetic that I couldn’t do anything for you while you were having such a hard time.”

“Why is that pathetic? I was even more encouraged by the fact that Joshua was waiting for me outside.”

Rosette caressed his tear-stained cheeks. Joshua took her cold hands and breathed warm air into them.

“Why is your body so cold? Is there something wrong?”

“No, Your Highness. Both the Princess Consort and the Imperial Princess are safe and sound. The Princess Consort will be fine if she rests a little more.”

Joshua didn’t miss a single word in Joan’s statement.

“Imperial Princess?”

“Yes. She is an Imperial Princess with beautiful pink hair like the Princess Consort.”

Joan carefully handed the baby wrapped in a blanket to Joshua. Joshua, holding his daughter in an awkward position, carefully examined the baby.

“Is she all healthy?”

“Yes.”

“Fingers like…….”

“She has five fingers and five toes, and there is nothing wrong with her.”

Rosette answered instead of Joan, and only then did Joshua let out a sigh of relief.

Rosette asked cautiously.

“Isn’t she pretty?”

“……Yes.”

Joshua looked up at Rosette.

“But you are still the prettiest in my eyes.”

“What is that?”

Rosette burst into laughter. As if to prove that he was serious, Joshua, who had been staring at her for a moment, opened his mouth earnestly.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking about a name for the child for a while.”

“A name for the child?”

“Yes. If it’s a son, I’ll name him Lawrence, and if it’s a daughter…….”

For some reason, he was slightly nervous.

“I was thinking of naming her Regina.”

“Regina? That means queen.”

“Yes.”

Joshua continued, not taking his eyes off his daughter.

“It will be a long time from now, but this child will succeed me and ascend to the Imperial throne. Wouldn’t the name Regina suit her?”

“The throne…….”

Rosette looked at Joshua’s expression with a subtle look. He had a very serious face. There was no playfulness to be found anywhere.

He really intends to make this child his successor.

“But what if a son is born later?”

There have been cases in history where an Imperial Princess was appointed as Emperor. However, according to the customs of the Empire, the heir is almost always an Imperial Prince. An Imperial Princess only inherits the throne when there is no legitimate Imperial Prince.

Unlike Rosette’s worries, Joshua answered resolutely.

“Whether a son is born later or not, this child will succeed me.”

“Does that mean…….”

“Gender doesn’t matter. Shouldn’t our first child succeed me?”

Rosette, who had been confused, soon agreed with him.

“That’s right. There’s no law that says an Imperial Princess can’t become an Emperor.”

“That’s right.”

“Regina, that’s good. It suits her well.”

Regina Ernhardt.

Rosette smiled as she murmured the child’s name.

As if knowing it was her name, Regina yawned in response.

* * *

Regina Ernhardt was a lovely daughter who looked just like Rosette. Except for the golden eyes, which were the symbol of the Ernhardt Imperial Family, anyone could see that she was a spitting image of Rosette.

Rosette was a little disappointed about that, but Joshua liked it even more. He especially liked her pink hair.

The people of Adrian, who had only seen Rosette briefly to be considerate of the newborn baby, visited the Imperial Palace again ten days later.

Unlike Lukas, who didn’t know what to do with the baby smaller than his forearm, the Duke skillfully held Regina in his arms.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a small child.”

Regina, who had been fussy even in Rosette’s or Joshua’s arms, was quiet in her grandfather’s cozy arms.

“The three of you were once this small. I still remember the moment when I held you like this.”

Duke Adrian’s eyes were filled with memories.

“To think that those children have already grown up like this and have such wonderful families.”

He looked down at his first granddaughter for a moment and muttered to himself.

“Rose.”

Rosette flinched. Since she became the Crown Princess, Duke Adrian had always called her Your Highness in accordance with etiquette.

Despite Rosette’s request to speak comfortably, he did not budge.

It was the first time in almost a year and a half that she had heard her name. Rosette felt like she had become Rosette Adrian, the youngest daughter of Duke Adrian, again at this moment.

“I was very happy to meet you. Of course, I am still very happy now. Meeting you was a blessing that will never come again.”

It was a story she already knew. He always told Rosette that he was grateful that she came to Adrian.

“I have never regretted bringing you here. But the only thing I regret is not meeting you a little sooner.”

“Dad…….”

“You were young when I first met you, but what would it have been like when you were younger? How lovely would you have been? Your sisters and brothers have been with me since they took their first steps into the world, but I couldn’t do that for you. So I’ve always been curious about your face.”

Rosette made a tearful face as she realized what the Duke was trying to say.

“I’m so sorry that I couldn’t be there for your first babbling, first steps, and first run.”

“…….”

“Yes, you probably looked like this. You must have been so lovely and cute. You were born into the world with blessings, like a gift from the goddess.”

The Duke smiled.

“Now, as a grandfather, I am happy to be able to watch all of this child’s firsts. She will surely grow up to be brave and wise like you. So grow up healthy without any problems, Regina.”

Regina made a sound like she was answering.

* * *

After Regina, who had been fed full of milk, was taken away in Joan’s arms, Joshua came to find Rosette.

He skillfully put his arm around Rosette and asked.

“I saw your family, but why do you have that expression? Did something happen?”

“Um, it’s not like that.”

“Then?”

“I just feel a little sorry that I couldn’t be with my family since I was younger. My dad said that too. He said he was sorry that he couldn’t be there for my firsts.”

Rosette snuggled into Joshua’s arms.

“I’m not sad at all that I’m adopted. Even though we don’t share blood, even though I don’t have the platinum blonde hair that is the symbol of Adrian, I was Adrian.”

“…….”

“But I feel a little sorry for some reason…….”

“If you put it that way, I’m sad that I met you late too.”

“Joshua is?”

“Yes. You’re cute now, but you must have been even cuter when you were younger. I’m sad that I didn’t see that side of you.”

Rosette laughed in disbelief.

“What is that? There’s no such thing.”

“But I decided not to be sad. There are many days left for me to be with you, and I will be able to see new sides of you that I didn’t know.”

“…….”

“The same goes for family. As much as I regret not being with them when I was younger, we can get closer in the future. I can call them to the palace whenever you want.”

It was absurd. Just spending more time with family didn’t make the regret go away.

But when Joshua said that, it really felt like it would be okay.

“Then that’s what we should do.”

“So don’t worry about anything now and get some rest. You won’t be able to enjoy this kind of leisure when Regina gets a little bigger. Daniel warned me that childcare is by no means easy.”

“I think so too.”

Rosette, who smiled softly, closed her eyes, feeling Joshua’s warmth.

I imagined the future a few years later.

An imagination of Regina, who had grown up a lot, leading her younger siblings around the garden.

An imagination of watching those children with Joshua, who was still wonderful.

It was a scene so happy that it made my heart flutter just thinking about it.

But for now…….

“I hope Regina doesn’t grow up too fast.”

“I think so too. I think I’ll feel strange if she grows up so quickly and has someone she likes.”

“What are you going to do if you’re already like that?”

“That’s what I’m saying. We have to make sure that the rumor that the Crown Prince can’t do anything to his wife and daughter doesn’t spread.”

Joshua, who kissed Rosette, who was laughing, whispered softly.