Chapter : 10
Good grief. What on earth is that?
The visitor was a middle-aged man.
Dressed in white from head to toe, he looked to be about sixty.
Despite the deep wrinkles on his face, his steps were unexpectedly firm—because…
My god… he’s basically a walking lump of gold.
It was all the jewelry he was wearing.
A gold necklace as thick as a thumbnail, massive gold earrings, and both hands stacked with chunky gold rings.
It was hard to tell whether a person was wearing gold, or the gold was wearing a person.
Just from the color, that’s at least 18k… If I sold all that, it’d feed a commoner family for half a year.
While Rosetta was clicking her tongue internally, Juan Mach quickly jumped up to greet the middle-aged man.
“What brings you here, Elder Gerach?”
Elder?
Dressed like that?
“I’ve come to show something to Riche.”
At that, Juan Mach looked troubled.
“As you can see, Lady Riche is currently out.”
“Where has she gone?”
“Well…”
When Juan didn’t answer, Elder Gerach nodded knowingly.
“She’s gone to that room again?”
“…Yes.”
“Honestly! I even had a new ring made for my dear Riche and yet—hm?”
Elder Gerach, clicking his tongue, finally noticed Rosetta. His wrinkled eyes narrowed. Then he slapped his palm with a fist.
“Red hair, yellow eyes, unnecessarily tall…!”
What?
Unnecessarily?
“You must be this season’s Valeri!”
“And who might you be?”
When Rosetta replied coldly, the elder’s mouth twitched. Then he burst into hearty laughter.
“My apologies! I am Adolf Gerach of the Council of Elders.”
“‘I am’?”
“…Ahem. Adolf Gerach.”
Only then did Rosetta extend her hand.
“Pleasure to meet you, Elder Gerach. I’m Rosetta…”
She almost introduced herself as a member of the Fabinyu family out of habit, but instead smiled brightly.
“Rosetta Valeri Iglesias.”
* * *
Once they moved to the parlor, Rosetta sipped her drink and watched the elder.
Elder Gerach had been speaking only to Juan Mach from the moment they sat down.
“So then, what do you think?”
“Y-yes… sir?”
“…You. Were you even listening?”
“S-sorry, sir. I haven’t been sleeping well these days…”
After thirty straight minutes of listening to Adolf Gerach talk only about himself, Juan’s soul had left his body.
Gerach slapped him on the shoulder.
“Young men shouldn’t be like this already!”
“Ugh…!”
“You’ll come with me to pray later!”
Watching Juan wobble, Rosetta clicked her tongue inwardly.
No wonder people tremble when they hear his voice.
He talked nonstop and expected constant enthusiastic responses. Of course it was exhausting.
“Here, look at this.”
Gerach proudly spread his fingers.
“A gold ring I had made to celebrate Riche’s return. Well? Isn’t it marvelous?”
“Y-yes…”
“Gold is practically Riche’s symbol. Only gold can compare to her beautiful hair. She’ll surely recognize my devotion. Hahaha!”
“Haha… ha.”
“With such a glorious symbol adorning my hand, my prayers will surely bring blessings to the lambs of Aterashi! Young people these days have no sense of—”
—Pfft!
Gerach’s head snapped around.
Rosetta was shaking with suppressed laughter. His eyes blazed.
“Did you just…”
Laugh?
“What is so amusing?”
“My apologies.”
It slipped out on its own.
Pressing down her laughter, Rosetta set her glass down.
“Getting a gold ring made specifically for prayer… It’s just not something I expected.”
She gave a small, amused smile. Gerach’s hooked nose twitched—Is she mocking me?
He exploded.
“Valeri or not, you cannot disrespect an elder! And when I intend to pray for Riche, how dare you—!”
“A-hahaha!”
Rosetta finally burst out, clutching her stomach. Gerach’s face turned beet red.
“What in the world is so funny?!”
“Oh, my stomach…”
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Rosetta said,
“Do blessings fall from the sky just because you pray? Selling the gold ring and donating the money would be far more effective.”
“M-my dear, that is not the point—faith is what matters!”
“Faith, hmm…”
Resting her chin on her hand, Rosetta smiled.
“In that case, you must have done the northern ice-fall cold-water purification ritual, right?”
“Cold-water… what?”
He looked like he had never heard such words in his life. Rosetta exaggerated her expression deliberately.
“Oh my! Are you seriously preaching about the importance of faith without even completing such a famous pilgrimage rite? If you want to talk about devotion, you need the ability to act. Don’t you think so, Mach?”
“Y-yes? …Ah, yes! Absolutely true!”
Juan answered quickly, voice trembling.
He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Elder Gerach… losing?
To see that stubborn old man flustered was exhilarating.
Juan even felt as if a holy radiance were shining behind the woman—no, the Valeri—in front of him.
Rosetta tilted her head at Gerach.
“Don’t tell me you haven’t done it.”
“I—I’m far too old for such a thing!”
“Oh dear.”
Rosetta reached for a cookie and spoke in an almost pitying tone.
“It’s good for your health. You should try it during your pilgrimage.”
“How ridiculous!”
“Oh, and remove any jewelry before you get in.”
“…Why the jewelry?”
“It’s nothing serious.”
Biting into the cookie, she smiled slyly.
“Metal reacts to temperature changes, you know? If you get frostbite like that, you may need amputation.”
“A-amput—!”
Amputation?!
Gerach’s face went pale. He could no longer endure it and leapt to his feet.
“I—just remembered something urgent. I shall take my leave!”
He hurried out. Just then, Sol Riche was coming down the hall toward the parlor and saw the elder fleeing.
Watching Gerach flee, Sol asked Rosetta,
“What happened?”
“No idea. We only exchanged a few pleasantries and he suddenly bolted.”
Shrugging, Rosetta finished her cookie. Juan Mach looked at her with newfound respect.
* * *
With only the three of them left, Rosetta lifted her teacup.
“So. Why did you call for me?”
“Hm?”
“The servant said you summoned me.”
Sol, who had sat down as well, tilted his head as if wondering did I?
Rosetta’s expression hardened.
Was this yet another prank by the staff?
Seeing her reaction, Sol chuckled and raised one corner of his mouth.
“Ah. It’s nothing serious. A letter arrived from your family.”
“A letter?”
It hadn’t even been a week since she left House Fabinyu—already a letter?
Who could it be? Father or Julieta… Whatever it is, it can’t be good. Is it about the dowry?
Her original dowry had mostly been spent preparing the wedding, and the rest used as a foothold for the Fabinyu family to absorb the assets of House Genomguard.
So Rosetta now was basically a penniless bride.
But since her groom had changed from a bankrupt marquess to Sol Riche—one of the wealthiest men alive—everything was different.
Her father had probably been salivating nonstop, body trembling with greed, waiting for the enormous dowry the Iglesias family traditionally sent to the bride’s family.
Unlike normal custom—where the bride brings wealth to the groom’s house—the Archducal House of Iglesias had a tradition of sending a dowry to the bride’s family.
“I was hoping to discuss something with you anyway.”
“Discuss?”
Sol motioned for her to speak, but Rosetta hesitated.
Noticing she wanted to be alone with Sol, Juan Mach stood up.
“I’ll return to my duties. I wish you two a pleasant time.”
He bowed politely to Rosetta and left. Sol, watching his chief aide’s oddly respectful behavior, frowned in confusion and turned to Rosetta.
“What kind of magic did you use?”
End Of Chapter : 10
