The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 5

5. Duke Adrian (3)

2023.11.05.

After that, Rosette fell ill again. It was an aftereffect of using magic.

Mages develop a mana core within their bodies from the moment they begin learning magic. This mana core makes it easier to use magic and reduces the aftereffects.

Without such a mana core, using high-level healing magic with a body that had never used magic before was too much for a seven-year-old’s body to handle.

Jane stayed by Rosette’s side, restless. She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and neck with a cool, damp towel and trickled water into Rosette’s mouth with a spoon.

Rosette was grateful for Jane’s care, but she didn’t even have the strength to say thank you. She groaned and slept almost all day.

The priests also worried and infused divine power into her body, but it was useless. Ordinary fevers could be easily lowered with divine power, but Rosette’s case was different.

Currently, there were two ways to lower Rosette’s fever without a mana core.

First, wait quietly for the mana to subside on its own. Second, have a more skilled mage artificially suppress the mana.

So, the priest’s divine power wouldn’t work.

The priests were flustered and called a doctor, but there was nothing special a doctor could do. They gave her antipyretics [fever-reducing medication], but even after taking the medicine, her fever showed no signs of going down.

Neither medicine nor divine power worked. All they could do was lie down and wait for time to pass.

‘I thought it would subside quickly.’

Rosette drank the water Jane offered with a hazy mind. Although she didn’t have a mana core, she knew how to manipulate the mana within her body.

She thought that if she moved the mana to create a small core while resting, her body would recover immediately.

The problem was that her body was weaker than she thought. Because her body couldn’t handle it, she couldn’t create a mana core, and without a mana core, her body didn’t recover.

Still, after resting well for a day, her fever was a little lower than yesterday. She regained some consciousness and was able to thank Jane, who had nursed her with utmost care.

“Sister, thank you…”

However, Rosette couldn’t finish her sentence. It was because of the person in front of her. She had naturally assumed it would be Jane, but someone else was sitting there.

Platinum blonde hair that stood out even in the dim room. It was Duke Adrian.

Rosette, who was startled and took a deep breath, ended up choking.

Duke Adrian carefully patted her back as she couldn’t breathe properly and coughed. Was it because he had three children? His handling of Rosette was quite skillful.

“Are you okay?”

“I, hic, that’s…”

“I’m sorry if I startled you.”

Rosette shook her head, trying to catch her breath. An apology from a noble. It was unheard of.

But even the words to tell him not to apologize didn’t come out. Rosette just glanced around, hoping Duke Adrian would leave quickly.

“May I hold your hand for a moment?”

Duke Adrian, who had been observing her, suddenly asked. Rosette was surprised and, without knowing why he was making such a suggestion, reached out her hand.

Duke Adrian carefully took her hand. His hand was at least twice as big as Rosette’s and warm.

Soon, the warm energy flowing from the Duke’s hand enveloped Rosette’s body. It was his mana.

“I’m not a mage, so I don’t know if this is the right way to do it.”

Sword Masters exceptionally knew how to manipulate mana. His mana gently wrapped around the mana raging within Rosette’s body.

Soon, Rosette’s mana quietly settled near her navel. The nausea she had felt just a moment ago subsided.

“Do you feel better now?”

Rosette, who was lying back in bed, desperately pulled the blanket up to her nose and nodded. Duke Adrian smiled warmly.

“Am I that unlikeable?”

Rosette shook her head. It wasn’t that she disliked him. In the first place, she had no right to dislike him.

“Then?”

“…”

“Are you scared?”

Nod, nod.

“Is it because I’m a noble?”

Shake, shake.

“Then why are you scared?”

“…”

Duke Adrian sighed softly.

“If you don’t want to, I’ll give up on the adoption.”

Rosette’s eyes widened.

“Instead, how about I sponsor you so you can pursue your dreams?”

“Sponsor… me?”

“Yes. If you go to the academy with the Adrian family’s support, you’ll be able to learn magic.”

“…”

It was an attractive offer. But she couldn’t answer easily.

As Rosette blinked silently, Duke Adrian got up from his seat.

“Of course, you’re welcome to come to the Adrian family anytime if you want. Now, get some rest.”

With those words, he left the room. At the same time, Rosette suddenly felt drowsy and fell asleep.

* * *

Thanks to Duke Adrian, Rosette woke up from her nap feeling completely recovered. She felt as if she had never been sick.

She ate breakfast and sat under the shade of a large tree, watching the children play ball.

The dust was flying and it was noisy, but she didn’t want to go inside. In fact, she quite missed this noisy scene.

Paradoxically, Rosette felt comfortable in the midst of the noise.

“Hello?”

It was then. A strange voice was heard from above her head. Slowly raising her head, she saw a boy standing in front of her.

A boy with light platinum blonde hair and purple eyes. Unlike the grimy orphanage children, he had an air of nobility from head to toe. Anyone could tell he was a noble.

It wasn’t just because of his appearance. The boy’s expression showed the confidence unique to nobles.

Rosette could easily tell that he was from the Adrian family from his somewhat familiar appearance.

His appearance was very similar to Duke Adrian. In addition, his appearance, which was closer to a boy than a child, led her to guess that he was the eldest, Daniel Adrian.

Daniel Adrian. The man who died because of her magic, along with Duke Adrian.

Rosette stiffened and looked for a place to run. Running away wouldn’t erase the past, but she wanted to avoid everything by doing so.

However, before she could even get up, Daniel asked first.

“Can I sit next to you?”

“That…”

No, you can’t. She only had to say that one word, but strangely, her lips wouldn’t part.

Rosette looked up at Daniel with a tearful face and then lowered her head. Unable to accept or refuse, she simply chose silence.

Whether he took it as a sign of affirmation, Daniel sat next to her. Rosette was startled and moved a little to the side. Daniel was briefly surprised and then moved a little away from her.

“Sorry. I thought it was okay to sit down since you didn’t say you didn’t like it.”

“…”

“Do you not like me being here?”

Rosette shook her head. She couldn’t answer the question of whether he could sit down, but she could answer the question of whether she disliked it quickly.

She didn’t dislike it. She was just burdened.

“I’m glad you don’t dislike it.”

“…”

“What were you doing here alone?”

Why is he being so nice to me? While wondering about his intentions, Rosette quietly mumbled.

“I was just watching.”

“Watching what?”

“The children playing.”

“Why aren’t you playing with them and just watching?”

“I like watching more.”

Clearly, the conversation was continuing, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was somehow superficial.

‘Does he really have something else he wants to say?’

Rosette hesitated and then mustered the courage to ask.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Why don’t you want to come to our family?”

“Pardon?”

“No, usually when people get adopted, they’re happy to have a family…”

It would have been if the other party wasn’t the Adrian family.

Rosette closed her mouth without affirming or denying. He could have thought it was rude, but he didn’t look displeased at all.

Perhaps it was because the other party was Daniel, who was at least her age. Rosette was able to open her mouth a little more comfortably.

“Did the Duke send you?”

“Huh?”

“To persuade me?”

“No. I just came on my own.”

Daniel shrugged his shoulders.

“I heard I might get a younger sibling, so I came to see your face.”

“But aren’t you against it, Young Master?”

“What?”

“Usually, children don’t like it when they adopt someone.”

Rosette recalled when she was adopted into the Dallas family in the past. Her stepbrother, Derek Dallas, and stepsister, Elisha Dallas, did not welcome Rosette.

Derek ignored Rosette, so it didn’t matter much. The problem was her younger sister, Elisha. She subtly tormented Rosette.

Once, she hid her necklace in Rosette’s room and said that Rosette had stolen it. At that time, Rosette had to be punished by being locked in the attic.

‘There are many other things to list, but…’

Anyway, was it because of the memories of the past? Rosette naturally thought that the children of the Adrian family would not welcome her existence.

Moreover, Daniel already had a younger sister. There was no reason to welcome Rosette. Yet, he answered like this.

“I like it.”

“…”

“Bell and Lucas will like it too.”

“But…”

Rosette’s gaze suddenly turned to Daniel’s legs as she answered.

‘He’s fine.’

In the past, Daniel had an accident and limped on one leg. He always had to walk with a cane, and of course, he couldn’t use a sword.

So, there were voices of opposition saying that he shouldn’t inherit the Adrian family, which was a family of swordsmen.

‘The Dallas family caused that accident.’

The Adrian family never found out, but Rosette, who had been with the Dallas family, knew.

At that moment, a thunderbolt-like realization struck her.

‘Even if I’m not there, the same future will be repeated.’

Daniel will have the same accident and be unable to use his legs, and Marquis Dallas will find a substitute for Rosette and plot to kill Duke Adrian and Daniel.

In the worst case, they might die again.

Can she just escape this chaos?

Can she end everything by just living with a sense of atonement?

Rosette clenched her old skirt tightly with both hands.

What if she went to the Adrian family? She would be able to change all the future.

But that was something that required courage. She couldn’t easily say she would.

But could she turn a blind eye? Would she be confident that she wouldn’t go crazy with guilt when she heard the news that Duke Adrian had died in the distant future?

Thinking that far, Rosette jumped up from her seat without realizing it.

“Where is the Duke?”

“Father? Father is seeing the headmaster.”

“I’m going to see the Duke.”

“Really? Let’s go together.”

Daniel, who got up from his seat, reached out his hand. Rosette hesitated and then took his hand. Daniel’s hand was rough, as expected of a child learning swordsmanship, but it was very warm.

Rosette tried to calm her pounding heart and headed to the headmaster’s office with Daniel. When the two appeared together, Duke Adrian and the headmaster, who were inside, stood up at the same time.

The headmaster was surprised, while Duke Adrian smiled kindly.

“Rosette, it seems you’ve met Daniel. Yes, what brings you here?”

Rosette took a deep breath and declared.

“I’ll go.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll follow you, Duke.”

So I will change the fate of the Adrian family.

Rosette swallowed the rest of her words.