HPMHP 63

 Chapter : 63

“You said you had something to tell me.”

“Obviously just a drunkard’s whining.”

“Sol.”

You may not speak gently, but at least don’t scratch people with your words.

“Really, this old man! I can’t live like this, it’s too unfair!”

Just look at that.

The Marquess of Bayern, who had been sniffling for a while, finally began shedding chicken-dropping-like tears in earnest. Rosetta shot Sol a glare.

“You made him cry.”

“Haa….”

Sol rubbed his face with his palm as if his head were starting to ache, his furrowed brow showing no sign of relaxing.

Judith Palmer clutched her pounding heart and took a deep breath.

How did I end up playing the role of a triple agent like this?

She had tried to use a brief break to make contact with the Imperial Princess, only to end up becoming a delivery person bringing the princess a guest instead.

“You didn’t see anything, and you didn’t hear anything.”

The warning left behind by the princess’s maid echoed in her ears.

After delivering the woman said to be Valeri’s half-sister to the Imperial Princess, Judith moved quickly to avoid prying eyes, her heart tightening with every step.

Did someone see me going in and out of the Ruby Palace?
She exercised extreme caution.

They said the western garden would be open, right?
At least if she passed through there, it would look like she’d taken another route.

Amelia said she’d stay around the lodgings… Haa. It’s frustrating not being able to check the time properly. Don’t they have wristwatches here?

Even if they did, her current finances wouldn’t allow it anyway.

Deciding she needed to hurry, Judith Palmer checked the direction of the sun.

That way should be west.

The sun sets in the west, after all.

Just as she headed toward the western garden—

Whoosh.

“……!”

A burly man suddenly appeared and struck Judith Palmer on the neck, knocking her unconscious.

The man swiftly hoisted her onto his shoulder and disappeared without a sound.

The Marquess of Bayern showed no sign of stopping once his tears began to flow.

She’d thought his drunken habit was rambling on about his inner thoughts, but apparently being unable to stop crying was part of it too.

“If Lady Valeri hadn’t… hadn’t caught that brown bear back then… then surely my daughter would have suffered something terrible, and my grandson would have been left alone, hic, sniff….”

Words poured from his mouth while tears streamed from his eyes, leaving him utterly beside himself.

“Please stop crying, Marquess of Bayern. In the end, everyone came out safe, didn’t they?”

Rosetta rolled her eyes once and added,

“Although a few knights were sacrificed, thanks to them I had the chance to take the shot. I think the real heroes are those knights.”

“…Lady Valeri is right. There were sacrifices as well.”

Perhaps recalling the knights who had died trying to stop the bear’s intrusion, the marquess’s gaze became clearer.

Seeing that, Rosetta finally breathed a sigh of relief. As expected of a former soldier, talking about the knights had an effect.

If I distract him like this and hurry him out…

Once they left the banquet hall, knights would be stationed there. She planned to ask them to escort the marquess back to his room. The knights would then call a servant and have the servant guide him properly.

As the marquess subtly tried to sit down again, Rosetta caught him and signaled to Sol with her eyes. He made no effort to hide his displeasure, but he still obediently supported the marquess as Rosetta asked.

Good. This should be enough for the two of us—no, the three of us—to leave the hall.

She had already made contact with the emperor. That was sufficient, so she thought they could leave now with the Marquess of Bayern.

Just as Rosetta turned her body—

“Grandpa!”

A small but astonishingly heavy weight charged at her with incredible momentum, enough to make her knees buckle.

“Ugh!”

Rosetta almost toppled over. Someone grabbed her arm just in time.

“Valeri!”

It was Countess Arena Belf.

Rosetta looked down at what was clinging to her calf. A lovely child with fluffy hair was hugging her leg tightly.

Seeing Angel clinging to Rosetta’s calf, Countess Arena Belf turned pale.

“You little rascal! I told you not to run at people like that!”

“Hwaaang…”

Angel hugged Rosetta even tighter with her big, round eyes. She had run over shouting for her grandfather, but instinctively knew Rosetta would help her.

“I’m fine, Lady Arena.”

“But still—”

Just then, the old man who had been shedding chicken-dropping-like tears moments ago broke into a wide smile, his face still wet.

“My puppy!”

“Grandpa…!”

Angel quickly transferred herself from Rosetta’s leg into her maternal grandfather’s arms. As Rosetta chuckled, Angel shouted with all her might,

“Where did you go? Do you know how much trouble I had looking for you?”

“Oh dear. You had a hard time? Are your legs okay?”

“Mm-hmm… a little sore! But it’s okay since I found Grandpa.”

Clinging to the marquess’s leg and mumbling, Angel looked mischievous yet adorable. The marquess, still tipsy, hugged her tightly and rubbed his face all over hers.

Rosetta couldn’t take her eyes off them.

Angel acting spoiled, and the Marquess of Bayern, unable to resist doting on such an unbearably lovable grandchild.

So this is family.

Watching them, a feeling welled up deep in her chest.

That feeling was envy.

If the ducal family hadn’t been wiped out, I would’ve had a grandfather like that too.

When her mother had still been alive, she sometimes spoke of her own father and brother.

A strict but deeply loving father, and a dependable yet playful older brother who liked to tease her, so they often bickered.

To Rosetta, they would have been her grandfather and uncle.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

As she quietly watched the marquess shower Angel with kisses while Angel, loving yet overwhelmed by her grandfather, tried to fend them off, a cool yet heavy familiar scent approached.

“Judging by that expression, you’re thinking about something pointless again.”

Sol wrapped an arm around Rosetta’s shoulders and flicked her forehead lightly with his knuckle. At the warning not to dwell on unnecessary thoughts, Rosetta covered her forehead.

“What do you mean pointless? How do you know whether my thoughts are pointless or not?”

“I can tell just by your eyes.”

Snorting, he flicked the tip of her nose this time and scolded her.

“…Ah!”

“You’re thinking you’re jealous. That’s why it’s pointless.”

Holding her nose, Rosetta pouted and leaned into his chest.

Every time he sharply pierced through her true feelings like this, her stomach churned.

How does he know my heart so well? It’s like he can see straight through me.

The strange realization of discovering her own preferences she hadn’t known when she was first shown Valeri’s room.

The sense of satisfaction at their first shared meal, which suited her taste perfectly.

…Maybe.

As those small coincidences piled up again and again, they became clues.

Sol might… actually like me.

When he said he didn’t remember her in the carriage on the way to his estate after the wedding, she’d been nothing but hurt. Yet at the same time, she’d felt relieved.

Because that meant he hadn’t remembered her and still broken his promise.

After all, the man who had risked his life to help her escape—
the man who had secretly sent a letter saying he would come for her—

“I did propose to you, but today is the first time I’ve ever seen you.”

There was no way he could have looked at her with such cold eyes, as if she were nothing.

So I need to know.

The reason he forgot her.

And the reason he knows her so thoroughly.