The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 85

85. Rescue

2024.01.24.

Rosette had disappeared.

She was attacked at a cafe downtown and vanished along with a boy named Michael who was with her. There was no trace of where they went.

Duke Adrian was furious after receiving the report from Joseph and Chris, who had collapsed and woken up.

“How could the best knights fail to protect even that small child!”

“We are sorry.”

“We will accept any punishment.”

“Punishment is not important now. Find Rosette, no matter what it takes.”

However, no matter how much they inquired, no one had seen Rosette or the quick-footed boy. Duke Adrian even scanned the list of nobles to see if there were any rivals who might target Rosette.

“Your Grace!”

“Father!”

At that moment, Celine and Lucas burst into the room without knocking.

“Lucas, I don’t have the mind to listen to you right now, so for now…”

“Please listen to me, Father. Pippi came! Pippi!”

Lucas showed Duke Adrian the Pippi he was holding carefully in both hands. Pippi chirped, looking at the Duke.

[Pii. Piii.]

Luna translated the words.

“The young lady says we need to hurry because she is waiting.”

“What on earth is going on?”

Celine and Lucas told him everything they had heard from Pippi. The moment Duke Adrian heard that the one who attacked Pippi was an eagle, presumed to be a familiar [a magical animal companion], his face turned fierce.

“It’s the work of Marquis Dallas.”

The commander of the Knights blocked Duke Adrian, who looked as if he was about to rush out at any moment.

“Step aside.”

“Please calm down first. This won’t solve anything…”

“How can I calm down right now?”

Duke Adrian already knew that Marquis Dallas’s familiar was an eagle. Moreover, it was a fact well known among the nobles of the capital.

He didn’t know why Marquis Dallas had taken Rosette. However, the circumstantial evidence pointed to him having kidnapped his precious youngest daughter.

Even so, the commander of the Knights stopped him, saying that they needed to find more solid evidence.

“Please calm down. We don’t even know if the eagle that attacked the young lady’s familiar is a familiar or a real eagle. And there might be other wizards with eagle familiars. If we act rashly, it could turn into a conflict between families.”

“This is a matter of my daughter’s safety. How can I calm down?”

“Please be rational…”

“Lord!”

At that moment, a knight burst through the door and rushed in.

“Please take a look at this!”

The knight handed over a handkerchief wrapped around a lock of cut pink hair. Anyone could tell it was Rosette’s.

Flames sparked in the Duke’s eyes.

“Who sent this?”

“The sender is unknown. But this letter came with it.”

Duke Adrian roughly tore open the wax seal and read the letter. The letter was simple: If he wanted to find Rosette, he should come alone to the designated place.

“It’s a trap.”

The commander of the Knights, who read the letter the Duke handed him, dissuaded him.

“Marquis Dallas is a wizard. Even if you are a Sword Master [a highly skilled swordsman], it is dangerous to go alone. Besides, Marquis Dallas won’t be coming alone.”

“Weren’t you the one who said we should be cautious because it might not be Marquis Dallas?”

“This is not the time to quibble, Lord.”

Duke Adrian clenched the lock of Rosette’s hair that the knight was holding.

“Our Rose must be very scared right now. As her father, I have to go.”

“But…”

“No, Father.”

Lucas also dissuaded him.

“I cherish Rose, of course, but I also cherish you, Father. If something happens to you while saving Rose, how can we face Rose…”

Lucas lowered his head and shed tears.

“How could I face Rose?”

“Lucas, I will definitely come back.”

Duke Adrian wiped away Lucas’s tears.

“So don’t worry too much.”

Celine, who had been contemplating beside him, carefully suggested.

“As the commander of the Knights said, it is dangerous for you to go alone. There is no guarantee that they will hand over the young lady safely just because you go alone, and if something happens to you, who will safely bring the young lady back here?”

“…”

“Please, take the knights with you to the vicinity. I will give you a magic communication tool. You can listen to what is happening inside with that, and then we will attack when the time comes.”

The Duke did not say anything in response to Celine’s persuasion.

“Your Grace.”

“Father.”

The Duke, looking at Lucas, who still had tears dangling in his eyes, nodded.

“I will do that. However, Lucas, you must stay in the mansion with Daniel and Isabel.”

“…Yes.”

Duke Adrian took the Knights and Celine to the appointed place.

There was a building like an abandoned temple. The building looked precarious, as if it would collapse at any moment.

“Lord, something is strange.”

The commander of the Knights, who was following behind, muttered, grabbing the hilt of his sword.

“Yes, something is strange.”

Duke Adrian also tensed up and walked slowly.

He was sure that there were other people lying in wait besides Marquis Dallas. But he couldn’t feel any signs of people.

As Duke Adrian and the Knights walked a little further, they were startled by the scene before them.

“Lord, this is…”

People wearing black masks, presumed to be Marquis Dallas’s subordinates, were already lying on the floor.

The commander of the Knights checked the pulses of the fallen people.

“They are all dead.”

“Who did this?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t seem like they were killed using swords; it seems like it was the work of a wizard.”

“A wizard. There’s no way Marquis Dallas would have killed his own subordinates, could it be…”

Could Rosette have done this?

Duke Adrian, who had that thought, drew his sword and rushed inside. There were people dead inside as well.

‘Please, Rose…’

He swallowed hard and gripped his sword tightly. He could feel mana [magical energy] swirling inside.

A huge mana that he had never felt before. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it was Rosette’s doing.

Duke Adrian gestured for the knights and Celine to wait outside, then rushed inside.

“Rose!”

He kicked open the temple door and looked inside.

In the distance, a black-haired child was grabbing Marquis Dallas by the neck in front of the Asella statue. A crimson magic circle was drawn around the floor where the child was standing.

“What is this…”

While Duke Adrian was panicking, Marquis Dallas, who had discovered him, reached out his hand.

“Kuhuk, save…”

The Duke raised his sword and took a defensive stance. At that moment, the child also looked at him.

“Why are you here, Duke?”

The child, who spoke in a beautiful but chilling voice, threw Marquis Dallas away. Duke Adrian, not letting his guard down against the unknown child’s fierce energy, asked.

“Where is Rosette?”

“So, you haven’t met her?”

“What…”

“Rose isn’t here. She was locked up somewhere else. But Rose definitely sent a familiar, so why are you here?”

“Pippi was attacked by Marquis Dallas’s familiar and couldn’t guide Rose.”

“Ah. So Rose is trembling alone. How pitiful.”

As the child waved his hand in the air, a crimson butterfly flew towards Duke Adrian. The child said to him, who was tense at the moment.

“There’s no need to be so wary. That child will guide Rose.”

The butterfly gently landed on the tip of the sword, as if saying it wouldn’t hurt him.

“You take responsibility for capturing Marquis Dallas as well. I’ve lost interest because I was interrupted. Well, I promised to make sure he receives a fair punishment.”

“Wait a minute…!”

Before Duke Adrian could even ask a question, there was a flash of light and the child disappeared.

At that moment, the butterfly began to flap its wings again and fly outside. Hurrying after the butterfly, the Duke instructed the commander of the Knights.

“Marquis Dallas is inside. Capture him and hand him over to the guard.”

“What about you, Lord?”

“I’m going to find Rose.”

“We will go with you.”

“Me too.”

The Duke took a few knights and Celine who followed him and spurred their horses after the butterfly.

‘Just wait a little longer, Rose. Father will be there soon.’

Hoping that Rosette would be safe.

* * *

Rosette was sobbing and waiting for Pippi or Duke Adrian to come. She wanted to go back to the mansion herself, but she couldn’t.

‘I have to protect these children.’

She had to stand guard here in case someone came and harmed the children. Besides, she might get lost if she walked out into the forest, or she might miss Duke Adrian.

‘Pippi will be okay. She’s more agile and smarter than any other familiar. So don’t cry, Rosette Adrian.’

It was when she was comforting herself and holding on that the sound of horses’ hooves began to be heard in the distance.

‘Could it be…’

Rosette, who was hiding behind a tree trunk, peeked out to the side where the sound was coming from. Soon, Duke Adrian appeared riding his black horse.

“We must find Rose. Everyone, search the surroundings and go inside…”

“Father!”

“Rose?”

The Duke, who found Rosette, jumped off his horse. Rosette ran as hard as she could and hugged Duke Adrian. Duke Adrian was surprised, but he hugged her tightly.

“Oh my, Rose!”

“Father. Father.”

Rosette hugged his neck and burst into tears.

“I was scared.”

She thought she had become insensitive to most things because she had gone through many twists and turns in the past. But this time, she was really scared.

She wasn’t scared of being killed by Marquis Dallas. She was scared of losing her beloved father because of herself, and that the rest of her family would resent her for it.

“I’m so glad you’re safe. How much I…”

“Rose, just a moment. I’m okay, so just calm down for a moment.”

Duke Adrian tried to calm Rosette as calmly as possible and looked at her.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Did that man do anything to you?”

Rosette shook her head.

“I’m okay. He cut my hair, but he didn’t do anything else. Father, I was so worried that something would happen to you.”

“Rose, I was afraid of losing you…”

Duke Adrian couldn’t hold back his complex emotions and shed tears.

“I was scared.”

“Father…”

Rosette sniffled again, noticing the tears falling on her neck.

“I’m sorry. I’m still too lacking. I shouldn’t have been taken hostage in the first place.”

“No, Rose. It’s all my fault. I should have protected you properly, but I didn’t.”

“No, Father. It’s all my…”

Rosette, who was muttering bitterly, made a sound of “Ah!”.

“That’s right, Father. There are children captured by Marquis Dallas inside. Please save those children.”

“I understand.”

Duke Adrian gestured, and the knights went inside.

“The knights and Celine will take care of the children, so let’s go home now.”

“Yes.”

Duke Adrian carefully placed Rosette on the black horse and sat behind her.

On the way home, Rosette hesitated and asked.

“Um, Father. What about Pippi…?”