The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 6

6. A New Family (1)

2023.11.06.

I was still afraid of being adopted into a noble family. However, the desire to change the future was greater than my fear.

Even if Duke Adrian took me in and made me do worse things than Marquis Dallas, I would protect him.

Selfish as it may be, Rosette wanted to atone for her past by doing so.

Duke Adrian, the headmaster, and Daniel all looked surprised. Duke Adrian was the first to recover from the shock.

He approached Rosette, knelt down on one knee, and carefully embraced her.

“Yes.”

He gently stroked her hair.

“Welcome, Rosette.”

* * *

The employees of Duke Adrian’s residence were bustling from dawn. The Duke had just ordered them to clean the room next to Isabel’s, the Duke’s only daughter, spotlessly.

The south corridor on the third floor was a space reserved for the direct line of the Adrian ducal family. Why were they suddenly told to clean this place, which wasn’t even a guest room?

Although puzzled, they couldn’t argue with the head butler’s orders. The employees moved quietly but quickly to tidy up the room, careful not to wake the precious Miss Isabel.

It was around the time when the room was neatly organized after several hours of cleaning that Isabel, having gotten up and changed, came to inspect the adjacent room.

“Is the room all tidied up?”

Isabel Adrian had the fine platinum blonde hair typical of the Adrian family and purple eyes resembling the Duke.

She was eleven years old, but the word ‘dignified’ suited Isabel better than ‘cute’.

Her cat-like, sharp purple eyes slowly scanned the room. The most experienced maid bowed before her.

“Yes, Miss. We have just finished tidying up.”

“I see. It looks like it. Good work.”

The maids exchanged glances.

Isabel knew how to clearly distinguish between public and private matters, but she wasn’t a cold employer. She often engaged in polite conversation with the maids.

The maids were confident that Isabel wouldn’t get angry if they asked about their curiosity this time.

The lead maid carefully broached the subject on behalf of everyone.

“Um, Miss?”

“Yes?”

“Are we expecting a guest?”

“Ah.”

Isabel replied in a calm tone, as if commenting, ‘The weather is nice today.’

“It seems my sister is coming.”

“Young Master Lucas?”

“No. A new younger sister.”

The maids didn’t understand and exchanged confused looks. The head butler approached Isabel.

“Miss, the master and the eldest young master have returned.”

“Is that so?”

Isabel adjusted the shawl she was wearing and gestured to the maids.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes?”

“I think my sister has arrived.”

The maids still didn’t know what was going on and followed Isabel. When they reached the front of the mansion, a large four-wheeled carriage bearing the Adrian family crest came to a stop.

As soon as the coachman opened the door, the Duke stepped out. The employees lined up and bowed in unison.

“Welcome, Master.”

“Yes.”

The Duke, smiling and greeting them, reached into the carriage and helped someone out. It was a younger, more adorable pink-haired girl than Lucas, the youngest of the household.

The child rolled her round blue eyes, looking around. Duke Adrian smiled as if he adored the child and announced to the employees.

“Let me introduce you. This is Rosette Adrian, who will become a member of our Adrian family from now on.”

The child bowed shyly.

“Nice to meet you.”

The employees screamed silently.

Oh my gosh, she’s so cute!

* * *

The very next day after declaring that she would become Duke Adrian’s adopted daughter, Rosette had to leave the orphanage at dawn. The reason was that Duke Adrian and Daniel could no longer remain away from the Duke’s residence.

“Hwaa, Rose! You have to stay healthy and do well!”

Jane, who I thought would send Rosette off with dignity, shed tears and snot all over Rosette. On the other hand, Rosette only blushed and didn’t cry.

After deciding that she had to change the future of the Adrian family, she tried to act bravely.

‘I’m not a child.’

Her body was that of a seven-year-old child, but her mind was an adult. She couldn’t just keep crying and being pessimistic about the past.

It was time to move forward.

Instead of crying, Rosette smiled and said goodbye to Jane.

“I’ll write to you, Sister.”

“Sniff, you don’t even know how to write.”

“I’ll learn.”

Actually, I can write very well now. You don’t know, but I learned while being beaten a lot at the Dallas Marquisate.

“Then you have to write to me?”

“Yes. You have to send me a letter too. Okay? Don’t cry.”

“Okay.”

“Come visit. I’ll ask them to make a lot of delicious things for you.”

“You don’t have to invite me, just go and live well.”

“Yes, I know. I really have to go now.”

Rosette hugged Jane tightly one last time, then picked up her luggage and headed to Duke Adrian.

“Is the farewell over?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t have much luggage.”

“Yes. I don’t have much.”

Even what I have is so old that I don’t know if I can use it anymore. In the past, Marquis Dallas would throw away the trash in front of Rosette, bag and all.

Duke Adrian carefully took the bag from Rosette.

Is he going to throw it away? Rosette tensed up for a moment. But instead of throwing it away, he put the bag in the carriage.

“That won’t be enough. I’ll buy you more of what you need when we get to the mansion.”

Then he lifted Rosette up and put her in the carriage. Rosette was so surprised that she opened and closed her mouth.

The Duke, who was sitting across from her, asked as if he was wondering.

“Why is that?”

“Th, dirty… No, it’s heavy.”

Marquis Dallas yelled at Rosette to get on the carriage herself when he first took her in.

In fact, he didn’t like Rosette getting in his carriage at all, but he had to ride in the same carriage because there were eyes watching.

Daniel, who was sitting next to Rosette at the time, chuckled. It wasn’t a sneer, but a citrus-like refreshing smile.

“What’s heavy about you? You’ll have to eat a lot from now on. John will like it. Ah, John is our mansion’s chef. He likes to feed children and make them plump.”

“Plump…”

“Unfortunately, our Adrian siblings only gain muscle… But it will be fun to fatten you up.”

Rosette puffed out her cheeks.

“Are you making fun of me right now?”

“Oh, did I get caught?”

Daniel now laughed out loud. Rosette, who glared at him for a moment, suddenly realized that Daniel’s personality was slightly different from what she knew.

‘He’s more active than I thought.’

Was it because of his uncomfortable body? In the past, he had a slightly cynical side rather than being kind. He kept a slight distance from people.

But the Daniel in front of her was just active and pure.

I wanted to protect this side of him too.

Besides…

‘I don’t hate it.’

This kind of attention wasn’t bad. Rosette’s cheeks, which were bowed, were already slightly reddish.

Duke Adrian and Daniel, who noticed it, smiled contentedly, but she didn’t notice it.

* * *

The carriage ran and ran, and finally arrived at the Adrian mansion in the capital. This time, Rosette was hugged by Duke Adrian and got off, and she was speechless at the sight in front of her.

‘There are so many people.’

When she was adopted into the Dallas Marquisate, there was no one to welcome her. Of course, there was no formal introduction to the employees.

In fact, that’s what I thought would happen this time too. But so many people, staring only at me.

Rosette flinched for a moment and grabbed Duke Adrian’s arm tightly. The Duke patted her back as if to say it was okay.

“Let me introduce you. This is Rosette Adrian, who will become a member of our Adrian family from now on.”

Rosette bowed, recalling what she had learned in her previous life.

“Nice to meet you.”

In fact, she had to speak informally to them, who were employees, but that was something that could be changed gradually.

Fortunately, the Duke dismissed the employees, saying that he would give them a detailed greeting later.

But there was something left. Duke Adrian said he would introduce her to his family.

Rosette headed to the ornate reception room with the Duke. In the room were the Duke, Daniel, and a girl and a boy who looked a couple of years older than Rosette.

“This is Isabel, and this is Lucas. They are the children who will be your older sister and brother.”

Isabel was staring at her with her arms crossed, and Lucas was staring at her with his eyes wide open.

Rosette swallowed hard.

She had hardly done any social activities in her previous life, but she knew a lot about the two. Isabel and Lucas were not Sword Masters, but they worked in the Imperial Knights, approaching that level of skill.

Lucas was said to be easygoing and liked people. On the other hand, Isabel was said to be somewhat prickly and avoided contact with people. It was because of the discrimination she had received while holding a sword as a woman.

But looking at those eyes now, it seemed that her natural personality was quite haughty.

Rosette was wondering if she should introduce herself when Isabel spoke first.

“She’s younger than I thought?”

Rosette mumbled.

“I’m not young.”

Duke Adrian took her side.

“Yes, she’s not young. She’s seven years old.”

“What?”

Isabel raised one eyebrow haughtily and circled around Rosette. A displeased look appeared on her face.

“She looks six at most. She’s a head shorter than me.”

Rosette was smaller than her peers, but it was also because Isabel was well-developed. Not only her, but everyone in the Adrian family had a large frame.

Rosette clenched her fists.

“I’m not small. Isabel is big.”

“What.”

Isabel frowned as if she was dumbfounded. Daniel, who was standing next to Rosette, covered his mouth and trembled.

Although he didn’t show it, Duke Adrian also lowered his head and swallowed hard. Only Lucas, the immature youngest—or rather, the youngest until yesterday—laughed loudly.

“That’s right! Sister is big!”

“Be quiet, Lucas.”

Lucas covered his mouth with both hands when Isabel spoke irritably.

“So why did you bring this child here?”

“Isabel.”

Duke Adrian tried to stop his daughter, but she continued to speak her mind.

“If you need a capable knight, we’re here. We have three children, so is there really a need to adopt?”

“Rosette is a mage, not a knight.”

“A mage?”

Lucas’s eyes widened. Rosette quite liked Lucas. Among these three people who would become siblings in the future, she thought she would get along with him first.

However, that explanation alone was not enough for Isabel. She asked back with her arms crossed.

“Then you can just sponsor her.”