The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 51

51. The Ugly Duckling

December 21, 2023

“Her Majesty is waiting. Let’s go quickly.”

“Yes.”

Even during the short trip to the Empress’s Palace, Lucas chattered like a chick.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Her Majesty. Is she doing well?”

“Yes.”

“I’m nervous because it’s been so long since I’ve been to the Imperial Palace. I hope I can greet Her Majesty properly.”

If Daniel or Isabel were there, they would have told him to please be quiet, but, fortunately or unfortunately, there was no one to stop Lucas.

Thus, the three entered the garden where Ophelia was. Ophelia greeted the children warmly.

“Welcome, Lucas, Rosette. Joshua, welcome too.”

“Greetings to Her Majesty.”

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Lucas and Rosette bowed politely. Rosette’s posture was a bit more natural than last time.

“Yes, have you both been doing well? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, Lucas.”

“Yes! Have I grown a lot taller?”

Ophelia laughed.

“Yes, you’ve grown a lot. You seem more mature too.”

“Really? Isabel says I’m still immature!”

“Of course not. You’ve grown up wonderfully.”

Lucas scratched the back of his head, grinning.

[Cheep!]

Bbibbi, hidden in Rosette’s hair, also greeted her.

“Yes, welcome, Bbibbi.”

The four people and one bird sat at the round table, drinking tea and chatting.

Lucas did most of the talking, and Rosette and Ophelia listened to his endless stories with great interest. Joshua listened to the stories with an indifferent expression.

Listening to the endless stories, Ophelia opened her mouth, taking advantage of Lucas’s brief pause to quench his thirst.

“I didn’t have time to properly thank you last time, Rosette. I heard you played a big role?”

Rosette fidgeted with her hands.

“I didn’t do much. Bbibbi found the Quiche tree leaves.”

“Is that so?”

As Ophelia looked over, Bbibbi, who was pecking at birdseed, puffed up with pride.

[Cheep!]

Ophelia, who broke a cookie for Bbibbi, continued to praise Rosette.

“Rosette, you summoned Bbibbi. If you hadn’t been there, I might have been in big trouble. Thank you so much.”

“No, I just did what I had to do.”

“So, is there anything you want? I want to repay you.”

“Anything I want? Not really.”

“Well, Duke Adrian will make sure you have everything you need. Then is there anything you want to do?”

“Anything I want to do…….”

She was about to say no, but then something came to mind.

“Actually, I didn’t get to visit the library last time. Could I possibly look around?”

“The library? Of course. You can go anytime.”

“Really?”

Rosette was excited. She had heard from Daniel that the Imperial libraries, including the Empress’s Palace library, were very large, so she was curious.

She had already visited the study in the Adrian mansion, but she wanted to explore a new place.

‘I was sad that I couldn’t go last time.’

As Rosette got excited, Ophelia gestured to Joshua, who was still sitting indifferently.

“Joshua, would you guide Rosette to the library?”

“Ah, it’s okay. Just assign a maid…….”

But Joshua, who she thought would refuse, readily got up.

“Yes, I will.”

Lucas backed away.

“I’m okay. I hate books.”

Ophelia laughed as she watched him shudder.

“Then Lucas, let’s enjoy some more refreshments here. Oh, and visiting the library is possible anytime, so it’s not my reward. Think of another wish to ask me later.”

“Yes!”

Joshua nudged Rosette’s arm, who was smiling shyly.

“Then we’ll be back.”

“I’ll be back, Your Majesty! See you later, Brother.”

Rosette hurried after Joshua, who was already leaving the garden. Her steps were light.

Joshua went straight up to the third floor and stood in front of a large door with roses embossed on it. When he opened the door, Rosette couldn’t help but exclaim at the sight through the doorway.

“Wow.”

It was a library. The study in the Adrian mansion was large, but it was not comparable to this. The bookshelves filled with books looked very sacred to Rosette.

“What are you doing, not coming in?”

Joshua asked, holding the door open from the inside, as Rosette couldn’t bring herself to step inside.

“Um, can I really go in?”

“Don’t ask useless questions and come in quickly.”

“Yes!”

Rosette, who was tiptoeing and looking around, was soon fascinated by this place.

“Don’t just stand there, go look around.”

When Joshua gently pushed her forward, she excitedly went up the stairs and began to look at the bookshelves.

“Bbibbi, let’s go there. There’s a botanical book you’ll like.”

[Cheep!]

Joshua stared blankly at the pink hair moving away with the little bird.

‘Come to think of it, she said she liked books.’

Rosette had said something like this last time.

-I’ve read a lot of books.

When she said that, Rosette’s eyes sparkled more than ever, although her face darkened immediately after, as if wondering what she was thinking.

So Joshua wanted to bring her here at least once.

Because he wanted to see that sparkling look he had seen for a brief moment again.

‘But she’s gone like that, so I can’t see it.’

Thinking that far, Joshua suddenly realized that his actions were strange.

‘I’m just repaying her for saving Her Majesty.’

He shook off such absurd thoughts and sat at the table.

Rosette, who had been wandering around with Bbibbi for a while, came back with a pile of books. Seeing her walking with difficulty, Joshua summoned Silver [likely a servant’s name].

Silver brought a basket from one side of the library and approached Rosette.

“Thank you, Silver.”

Rosette put the books in the basket and sat across from Joshua.

“There are so many books. There were many in the Adrian mansion, but it’s not comparable.”

“That’s because it’s a townhouse in the capital. Maybe the size of the study in the Adrian estate is about the same.”

“Really?”

Joshua shrugged.

“I don’t know exactly because I haven’t been there. But that’s what I heard from Daniel.”

“Wow. I want to go to the estate soon.”

“Maybe we’ll go this winter.”

“I hope so.”

Originally, the Adrian family usually lived in the capital and in the estate during the winter. Only last winter did they stay in the capital because of special circumstances.

‘I was very lucky.’

If Duke Adrian had gone to the estate, he would not have come to the orphanage, and he would not have adopted her.

‘I’m so glad.’

Rosette was relieved and began to take out books from the basket that Silver had placed on the table and read them.

“Do you like books that much?”

Joshua asked casually, watching Rosette humming and turning the pages. Rosette stopped turning the page and asked back.

“Are there people who don’t like them?”

“Most people don’t like them, right? Didn’t you see Lucas earlier? He looked horrified just at the mention of the library.”

“That’s true. Lucas said he runs away because he doesn’t want to take classes. He even told me where to hide so I wouldn’t get caught.”

Rosette smiled, running her fingertips over the page full of letters.

“But I really like books. When I read books, I feel like I’m traveling here and there.”

“Why don’t you go and see it yourself? Didn’t Marquis Dallas do that much for you? He seemed to cherish his children.”

“Well, I was an ugly duckling.”

“An ugly duckling?”

“Yes. Don’t you know that fairy tale?”

“Ah, you mean that fairy tale.”

“Yes.”

Rosette muttered bitterly.

“I was the ugly duckling who was ostracized by the ducklings for being ugly. Everyone pointed fingers at me, calling me lowly.”

“…….”

Joshua didn’t know what to say, so he closed his mouth.

‘I thought that would be the case.’

At first, everyone was puzzled when Marquis Dallas adopted a commoner orphan.

Then, when it was revealed that the child had a talent for magic, everyone wanted to see Rosette Dallas.

But Marquis Dallas did not let Rosette out until she became an adult.

People made various speculations about it. Some of them were not very good rumors.

Still, the dominant rumor was that Marquis Dallas cherished his adopted daughter, who had a talent for magic.

However, when Rosette Dallas appeared at her debutante [a formal coming-of-age event], people belatedly realized that the rumor was wrong.

Rosette’s condition was a mess. You couldn’t tell from afar, but you could tell when you got closer.

The texture of her hair, the shine of her skin, her upright posture, and the atmosphere she exuded were all things that took a long time to cultivate.

Joshua also vaguely noticed that she had not been treated well.

But seeing Rosette with such a bitter face made him feel strange. Perhaps she had been treated even worse than he had guessed.

‘But it’s different now.’

Rosette, who had grown up receiving a lot of love in the Adrian family, was 180 degrees different from her past self. Her hair and skin were shiny, and her cheeks and limbs were plump.

Most of all, her attitude was different. The woman who used to shrink her shoulders and look around was no longer there.

The only thing that hadn’t changed was those blue eyes. Everything else had changed.

For some reason, Joshua liked Rosette’s change.

Joshua, thinking about Rosette talking to Bbibbi in the garden one day, asked without realizing it.

“Didn’t you read that fairy tale to the end?”

“I read it.”

“Then you know the ending too.”

“Yes?”

“I’m talking about the ugly duckling becoming a swan.”

“Yes, I know that. The duckling who was hated grew up to be a beautiful swan, right? So all the animals that ignored the duckling were surprised.”

“Yes.”

Joshua replied plainly.

“Then aren’t you the same?”

“Yes?”

“You say you’re an ugly duckling. Then aren’t you a swan who lived among the ducks?”

Rosette shook her head.

“There’s no way I could be.”

Unlike in the past, she was confident in her appearance. She also knew that she was no longer a worthless and incompetent fledgling.

But a swan? That didn’t seem right.

“Well, that’s something you’ll find out later.”

Joshua chuckled. There was a strange power in his words. Even though he spoke without showing any emotion, Rosette felt like she was being encouraged.

You’re not an ugly duckling, you must have been a swan who lived among the ducks, so look forward to it.

It was an exaggeration to accept it fully, but for some reason, her cheeks felt warm just thinking about it.