The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 37

37. The Eve of the Storm

December 7, 2023

Daniel muttered, his voice laced with frustration.

“I promised Father I’d take good care of you, but I’ve failed. I’m so sorry, Rose.”

“It’s not your fault, Daniel. I had so much fun today. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“My body just… isn’t used to it, I guess.”

Daniel gently pinched her cheek, a playful gesture with a hint of concern. It was light, but Rosette still felt it.

“Ouch,” she said softly.

“Don’t talk like that. You didn’t do anything wrong. Kids get tired, it’s normal.”

Daniel spoke with an air of maturity that belied his own age.

“I think we walked around too much. I should have been more careful. You should have told me if you were tired, Rose.”

“I wasn’t really tired. I truly had a lot of fun.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll pay closer attention next time.”

“Okay.”

While Rosette rested, fussed over by her three siblings, the door burst open and Duke Adrian rushed in, his face etched with worry.

“Rose, are you alright?”

“Father.”

The Duke placed a large, comforting hand on Rosette’s forehead and then her neck, checking her temperature.

“You have a slight fever.”

“It’s my fault, Father,” Daniel interjected.

“It’s not your fault, Daniel. It’s my fault. I should have accompanied you instead of just sending you off.”

Rosette gently tugged at the Duke’s sleeve, trying to reassure him.

“I’m really okay, Father. I had a wonderful time. I guess I just haven’t built up my stamina yet.”

“Oh, Rose.”

Duke Adrian sat on the edge of the bed, his worried expression unwavering.

“It’s alright. Kids get tired easily. Don’t think you need to push yourself to train harder from now on.”

“Okay.”

He relaxed his stiff posture and offered a warm smile.

“So, did you enjoy your outing?”

“Yes! It was so much fun! Really!”

“Really?”

“My sister and brothers bought me so many pretty presents. Oh, I can’t wait to open them!”

“Let’s open them together when you’re feeling a bit better.”

“Okay.”

Rosette pulled the blanket up to her eyes and smiled contentedly.

Before she realized it, the unsettling memory of meeting Marquis Dallas and Elisha was already beginning to fade.

Family was such a curious thing. Just being around them made her smile, and she felt a sense of happiness simply by being in their presence, without needing anything special to happen.

*Was this what a ‘real’ family felt like?*

Rosette looked around at her four family members and smiled with her eyes, a silent expression of affection. Then, she made a firm resolution.

*I will protect them, no matter what. I won’t let Marquis Dallas ruin them.*

She closed her eyes, mentally organizing the events that she knew would unfold in the future.

The small, happy moments were slipping by, precious and fleeting.

* * *

“The children we saw on the street earlier… they were the Adrians, weren’t they?” Elisha asked, clutching a new teddy bear tightly in her arms. Marquis Dallas, who had been lost in his own thoughts, looked up at his daughter.

“But there were four of them, not three. Is that pink-haired little girl the youngest Princess?”

“I believe so.”

“That…” Elisha puffed out her cheeks, carefully choosing her words. “They weren’t that special.”

“……”

“She looks ordinary, and she’s so small… She seems timid. She doesn’t seem like nobility material. Why did Duke Adrian adopt such an ordinary child?”

*Ordinary, huh?* Marquis Dallas chuckled inwardly at that word.

“Well, there must be a reason,” he said aloud, a knowing glint in his eyes.

The Marquis felt he understood the reason quite well.

*She’s a child with tremendous potential.*

The moment Marquis Dallas had met the pink-haired Princess’s blue eyes, he had been taken aback. He could sense the raw magical power radiating from her.

The Princess possessed an innate talent for magic so potent that it could be felt even from a distance. If nurtured properly, she would undoubtedly become one of the top magicians in the Empire.

*If she has that much talent, Adrian, being a knight, would have noticed it too. Maybe that’s why he took her in.*

*Could it be that the child also stopped the carriage accident?*

Marquis Dallas had been meticulously planning to harm Duke Adrian for quite some time. He had planted a spy within the Adrian estate through Baron Shane and had prepared magical potions to ensure his success.

He had believed that everything would proceed flawlessly.

However, things had begun to go awry. Daniel Adrian had unexpectedly started to thoroughly inspect the carriage.

Forced to act sooner than anticipated, he had moved up his plan before Daniel could uncover everything.

Fortunately, Duke Adrian had boarded the carriage with the magical potion without raising any suspicion, and the Marquis had even received confirmation that the carriage had caught fire.

Yet, Duke Adrian, who was supposed to be dead, had returned alive. Furthermore, he had even managed to capture Baron Shane, who had orchestrated the entire scheme.

Marquis Dallas had been consumed by rage when his ambitious plan had crumbled. He had even had to endure harsh words from Duke Lilith.

But the strangest thing was that Adrian had spoken about the accident but had remained silent about the person who had resolved it.

*If the Witch of Fire [a powerful mage known for her fire magic] did it, there would be no reason to hide it.*

He had been pondering this mystery when he had spotted the little Adrian Princess.

According to the subordinate that Baron Shane had with him, Adrian, upon returning alive from the accident, had brought a pink-haired child with him.

It had been a brief encounter, but Marquis Dallas was convinced that the child had been responsible for thwarting his assassination plot.

*If she continues to stay in the Adrian family, she will surely become an obstacle to future plans.*

*I have to get rid of her when I get the chance.*

With that thought in mind, the Marquis casually addressed Elisha.

“Elisha, I heard that the little Princess is eight years old. Isn’t she about your age?”

“So?”

“Isabel Adrian is a bit too old for you to befriend, but what about becoming acquainted with the little Princess?”

Elisha pouted and said sullenly, “You don’t mean to tell me to be friends with that lowly thing, do you?”

“She may be ‘lowly,’ but she’s still an Adrian. I’m not suggesting you become best friends, but how about getting a little closer?”

“Hmm.”

“It would be beneficial to your father.”

Elisha pursed her lips and reluctantly replied, “Okay. I’ll do it.”

“It would be nice to have a tea party and invite her.”

“Yes, I’ll talk to Mother about it.”

“Good girl.”

Marquis Dallas smiled contentedly and crossed his legs.

Thus, Rosette began to unknowingly become entangled with Marquis Dallas once more.

* * *

Joshua had been feeling increasingly anxious lately. A month had passed since he had first visited the Adrian family, yet he had been unable to meet Rosette Adrian.

He had visited the Adrian mansion several times since his initial break-in. Each time, Duke Adrian had refused to let her out, claiming that Rosette was not yet ready.

The only positive aspect was that Rosette Adrian had not displayed any suspicious behavior during that time.

Nevertheless, Joshua felt a growing sense of urgency.

*I haven’t found a clue to the poisoning yet.*

Despite his persistent investigation, he had been unable to uncover the method of poisoning or the type of poison used.

The problem was that the anniversary of Ophelia’s death was rapidly approaching.

Joshua bit his lip nervously and secretly slipped out of the Sapphire Palace.

Since the conventional approach had failed, it was time to resort to unconventional methods.

* * *

Before anyone knew it, a perfect spring had arrived. Spring flowers were blooming profusely in the Adrian family’s garden, painting it with vibrant colors.

Rosette, who was sitting on the terrace reading a fairy tale book, suddenly looked down at the garden and became lost in thought.

*Come to think of it, I have to stop the Empress from being poisoned.*

Rosette swung her feet back and forth, reflecting on the events of the past.

*Around the time I was adopted by Marquis Dallas, there was the Empress’s funeral.*

*That was in early summer.*

It was now mid-May, late spring. If she wanted to prevent the Empress’s poisoning, she had to take action soon.

*I know roughly how the poisoning was done. But how do I stop it?*

*Should I ask Isabel to meet the Empress and warn her?*

As she pondered this, Joan suddenly inquired, “Miss, what are you thinking about so intently?”

“Huh? Oh, I was just admiring the garden. The flowers are so pretty.”

“Then, instead of just looking at them, would you like to go out and play?”

“Can I?”

“Of course.”

“But I haven’t finished my homework yet.”

As Rosette muttered gloomily, Joan gently patted her on the back.

“Mrs. Noir would be delighted to know that you were enjoying the flowers.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Joan carefully took the fairy tale book from Rosette’s hand. Rosette hesitated for a moment before jumping off the chair.

Joan braided her long hair into a single braid so that the child could play easily. Then, she dressed her in comfortable clothes and put on sneakers.

Rosette, having completed all the preparations, walked down the hallway with quick steps.

“Huh? Where are you going, shorty?” Lucas asked, as he was coming up to the third floor after his swordsmanship lesson.

“I’m going to see the flowers in the garden.”

“I’ll go with you!” Lucas said, following Rosette closely. The two children arrived in the garden and began to play among the flowers.

There wasn’t much to it. Rosette walked around admiring the flowers, and Lucas stayed close to his younger sister, reciting the names of the flowers he knew.

“Hey, shorty, why don’t you call Pipi too?”

“Pipi?”

“Yeah! Pipi likes flowers too.”

Rosette remembered that Pipi often wandered around outside alone and brought pretty wildflowers to her.

Rosette soon gathered mana and summoned Pipi. Pipi appeared in the air with a *pop!*

“[Chirp!]”

“Yes, Pipi! I told you to call me!”

“[Chirp!]”

Pipi jumped onto Lucas’s head. Lucas couldn’t tell if Pipi was thanking him or just teasing him.

Anyway, the two children and a bird wandered around the garden again.

“Oh, clover!” Rosette exclaimed, spotting white clover blooming in a corner of the garden. She squatted down in front of the clover, and Lucas followed suit, sitting next to her.

“Clover? What’s that? I’ve never seen this before. Is it grass that rabbits eat?”

“I don’t know if rabbits eat it. Maybe they do?” Rosette replied uncertainly.

“But is it okay to pick this?”

“Why are you asking? It’s okay, pick it.”

“But the gardener took care of it so beautifully.”

“It doesn’t look like he took care of this one. It’s okay. If he says anything, I’ll say I did it.”

When Rosette still hesitated, Lucas directly picked a few clovers and put them in Rosette’s hand. He also gave one to Pipi.

“But do you even want this? There are many other pretty flowers.”

“It’s not that, I’m going to make a flower ring.”

“Ring?”

“Yes. Jane taught me how to make one.”

Rosette skillfully crafted a flower ring and placed it on Lucas’s right ring finger. Lucas raised his right hand high into the sky and exclaimed, “Wow! Our shorty, you know how to make things like this?”