The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 97

97. Ines Rivera

February 5, 2024

The black-haired woman, Ines, smiled and gave a slight curtsy.

“Hello, Princess Adrian. Daniel has told me so much about you.”

“Princess Adrian is far too formal. Please, just call me Rosette. And relax, please speak comfortably.”

“May I?”

“Of course. If you’re Daniel’s fiancée, that makes you like an older sister to me. In a month, we’ll officially be family.”

Daniel had become engaged to Ines Rivera two years prior. The story goes that they fell in love after Ines offered Daniel a handkerchief at a hunting competition three years before that.

Ines was eager to marry quickly, but Daniel insisted that Rosette be present, so they scheduled the wedding for this spring.

Rosette had learned all of this through Lucas’s letters. Lucas always spoke very highly of Ines.

Perhaps because of that, Rosette felt an immediate fondness for her, even though this was their first meeting.

‘This is different from the past, too.’

In the past, Daniel had neither a fiancée nor a lover when he died. The Adrian and Rivera families didn’t interact much, so Daniel and Ines probably weren’t close then, either.

‘Maybe it’s because Daniel didn’t attend the hunting competition in the past.’

It was a relief that the present was changing for the better compared to the past.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Rosette. I look forward to getting to know you. I’ll drop the formalities as we go.”

Ines smiled brightly and hugged Rosette, who returned the embrace warmly.

“I understand. By the way, I’m eager to hear all about how you and Daniel met.”

“Oh my, ‘Young Lady,’ that’s disappointing! Please, call me Ines. If you’re Daniel’s sister, you’re my sister too.”

“Okay, Ines.”

Ines’s eyes widened momentarily at Rosette’s use of “sister” before she smiled shyly.

The five of them, including Ines, enjoyed refreshments and chatted in a small family parlor.

Rosette was particularly interested in hearing the story of Daniel and Ines’s courtship. Daniel was visibly embarrassed, while Ines happily recounted the details.

“I’ve always liked Daniel. In fact, you could say that almost every lady my age harbored a secret crush on Daniel. That’s how popular he is.”

“Is that so? I’ve been away, so I’m out of the loop.”

“He’s incredibly popular. Everyone tries to give him handkerchiefs at the hunting competition.”

“But hyung [older brother] never accepted any of them,” Lucas interjected.

“That’s right. Everyone knows Daniel doesn’t accept them, but they still prepare handkerchiefs just in case. I was one of them, too. To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes when I offered Daniel a handkerchief that day.”

Rosette’s eyes sparkled.

“And oppa [older brother] accepted Ines’s handkerchief?”

“That’s right. My heart still flutters when I think about it.”

Ines took a dramatic deep breath.

“Originally, fortune favors the bold. Ines unnie [older sister] is with oppa now because she was brave that day.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course.”

Rosette chuckled, looking at Daniel and Ines. They seemed like a well-matched couple. Both were easygoing and kind-hearted, suggesting they would get along well.

“Come to think of it, why doesn’t Lucas oppa have a fiancée yet?”

“Well, me? I’m engaged to the sword.”

“What a convenient excuse,” Isabelle, who had been listening quietly, scoffed. Lucas snorted.

“It’s true.”

Lucas insisted, “I’ve decided to dedicate my life to the sword.”

“I’ll remember that. Just try to get married later.”

“What about you, noona [older sister]? Why aren’t you dating?”

Daniel intervened, stopping the escalating argument between his younger siblings.

“Okay, okay, you two, stop it. More importantly, I’m curious about Rosette’s love life. Did anything happen at the academy?”

Lucas and Isabelle turned to Rosette simultaneously. Lucas asked accusingly, “That’s right! Brat, what about you? Don’t tell me you went to the academy to study and ended up dating?”

Lucas was smiling, but his eyes were intense.

Even though she hadn’t actually had a boyfriend, he looked ready to turn the mansion upside down if she said yes.

Daniel and Isabelle were also focused on Rosette, trying to appear nonchalant. Only Ines was excited, saying, “Oh my, young men and women can date at the academy, can’t they?”

“Um, me?”

Rosette, caught off guard, glared at Daniel, the instigator, and answered, “I didn’t.”

“That’s a relief… no, why not? Don’t tell me no one confessed to you? Are there only people without eyes at that academy?”

“No, there was someone who confessed…”

“What? How dare they? Who do they think they are, confessing to her?”

Which tune should she dance to? Rosette sighed.

Lucas continued to fume.

“Huxley? Don’t tell me that damn Huxley confessed, too?”

Rosette reflexively shook her head. If she told the truth, Lucas would be furious.

But strangely, Lucas started to get angry again.

“What, did he get another woman? That damn Huxley, what’s wrong with our Rosette!”

“Oh, oppa, really!”

The topic ended with Rosette playfully hitting Lucas’s back a few times.

It was a relief that the question of why she had rejected all the confessions didn’t come up.

The four Adrian siblings had successfully reunited. After chatting for a long time, they dispersed to their rooms, promising to gather again in the evening when Duke Adrian returned.

That evening, Rosette heard the news of Duke Adrian’s return and rushed out of her room.

“Father!”

The Duke, hurrying into the mansion, was startled to see her.

“Rose.”

“Father!”

Rosette ran down the stairs and embraced him.

“My goodness, Rose. You’ve grown so much. You’ve done so well on your own, even without your father.”

“Hic, Father. Father.”

“Yes, Rose. Father is here.”

The arms of Duke Adrian, whom she hadn’t embraced in three years, were still wide and warm. Rosette repeated only the word “Father,” like a child who had just learned it.

Duke Adrian hugged Rosette tightly, filled with longing for the past three years, and patted her gently.

There were many things she wanted to say when she met her father.

But for now, the word “Father” alone was enough.

She was relieved to see that her siblings and Duke Adrian were all well and healthy.

They were surprised by each other’s changed appearances, but they were still a loving family, just as they had been. Rosette smiled in relief as she nestled in the Duke’s arms.

That’s how Rosette returned to everyone’s embrace.

* * *

The next day, morning. Rosette woke up as usual.

[Beep beep!]

“Beep-beep, did you sleep well, too?”

[Beep!]

“It’s good to be back home, isn’t it?”

Rosette kissed Beep-beep’s cheek, who was buzzing with excitement, then put on her swordsmanship training clothes and headed to the training grounds. Beep-beep followed, fluttering behind her.

The training grounds were more lively than usual. The knights weren’t training but were gathered in small groups, chatting.

The topic of their conversation was Joan and Chris, who had returned as a couple.

“Wow, Sir Kellen, I envy you. The lord sent you to escort the young lady, and you came back with love.”

Chris was surrounded by people, smiling happily.

“Please tell us everything that happened. I’m dying of curiosity.”

“We just lived like everyone else.”

“Like everyone else? Then what about Sir Oser?”

“That’s right! What did Joseph Oser do for seven years!”

“I! I was protecting the young lady…!”

“That’s a lame excuse!”

Rosette chuckled as she grabbed a wooden sword. The knights noticed her and rushed over.

“Young lady, you’re here?”

“You must be tired. Why didn’t you rest longer and come out so early?”

“I kept up with morning training with Joseph and Chris even at the academy, so I’m used to it. Actually, I couldn’t work out on the ship, so my body feels stiff.”

Rosette stretched her arms and loosened her shoulders. The knights cheered at each stretch.

“Oh, the young lady is truly an Adrian.”

“Your posture is perfect!”

The atmosphere, where praise was lavished even when she just breathed, was nostalgic.

‘That’s right, it used to be like this.’

These knights would praise eight-year-old Rosette even if she just ran a little, and they would worry she might fall and get hurt.

‘It’s embarrassing, but I don’t dislike it.’

It felt like she was receiving a lot of love and care.

Joan, Joseph, and Chris indulged her, but Rosette had tried to become more mature while in the Kingdom of Ivelyn. She wanted to avoid being looked down upon.

Everywhere you go, there are people who are jealous, and some students were unhappy with Rosette, a foreigner who suddenly appeared and took the top spot.

Rosette worked hard to earn their respect.

But here, it was okay to be pampered. Rosette felt even better as she realized she was home.

‘But I shouldn’t get spoiled.’

Rosette thought, grabbed a wooden sword, and took a stance. The knights reacted dramatically.

“Anyone would think you’re a knight, not a mage!”

Rosette boasted proudly, “You know, I can create something similar to aura with mana.”

When she demonstrated by covering the wooden sword with mana, the knights were genuinely shocked.

“No, how is that possible?”

“Are geniuses able to excel in any field?”

Just then, Lucas’s voice was heard from afar.

“Everyone’s standing around instead of training… Huh? Brat, you’re out here instead of sleeping in?”

“Oppa!”

“Let’s see. Has your skill improved in seven years?”

“Of course. I even sparred with Joseph sometimes!”

“You sparred?”

“Yes!”

Hearing Rosette’s answer, Lucas gestured to the knights. One of them, sensing his intention, handed him his wooden sword.

“Then, brat, shall we spar? Let’s see how much you’ve improved.”

The knights were in an uproar.

“No, Young Master!”

“What if the young lady gets hurt!”

Lucas ignored the knights’ worries and took a stance.

“Come on, brat. Attack oppa.”

One of the knights whispered to Rosette, “The young master doesn’t know you can create an aura with mana, so attack with it.”

Rosette chuckled and nodded.

Soon after, Rosette’s wooden sword, rushing toward Lucas, glowed with mana.

“Wait a minute! What is that, brat! This isn’t fair!”

Only Lucas’s surprised scream echoed across the training grounds.