Chapter — 19
After that day, the atmosphere in the ducal residence felt strange.
Two men were constantly watching Rosebell’s mood. It was one thing for Aren to be cautious, but she could not understand why the Duke himself was doing the same.
If she had to guess, it was probably because of what she had said about her mother.
“Rosebell.”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to visit Count Demetra’s territory?”
At the Duke’s sudden suggestion, Rosebell tilted her head in confusion. Seeing his daughter’s puzzled expression, the Duke burst into laughter.
“They contacted us to discuss the trade of wheat and wheat bran you mentioned before. Since it wasn’t my idea but something you personally asked for, I think it’s right that you go yourself.”
“But I’m still a child.”
“You said you wanted to become the head of the family. Was that just talk?”
“No!”
Startled, Rosebell straightened her posture and nodded quickly. She muttered that this was something necessary for a family head.
“There will be a boy around your age there. It would be nice for you to make a friend while you’re at it.”
“You’re not saying that as a roundabout way of telling me to marry into their family, are you?”
“What?”
Seeing the Duke’s fierce expression, Rosebell was certain that wasn’t his intention at all. He genuinely seemed to want her to make friends—but that felt impossible.
“They’re busy farming wheat over there too. Who has time to play around and make friends when there’s fieldwork to do?”
“Haa…”
The Duke sighed, as if he had expected this. After all, Count Demetra had the same worries.
He even thought that if they met, they would probably just talk about farm work the whole time.
The day of Rosebell’s departure drew near.
As luggage was loaded onto the carriage, Maria used the excuse of it being Rosebell’s first visit outside and went all out dressing her up.
Everyone said she looked beautiful, but the person herself felt like she was going to suffocate.
“This is child abuse… urgh.”
“What are you muttering about?”
“Shut up. I feel like I’m going to die from not being able to breathe.”
Aren thought that Rosebell’s temper always got worse whenever she wore a dress. Still, he understood why.
“That ribbon—I gave it to you, didn’t I?”
“Oh, yeah! Maria really loved it. Thanks to that, my braided hair looks so fancy!”
Rosebell gently shook her head, proudly showing off the ribbon. Aren felt his chest itch strangely and pressed his palm firmly over his heart.
Was this what it meant when feelings grew without an answer?
Watching Rosebell play with the long ribbon ends, Aren clenched his fist tightly.
He vowed that he wouldn’t leave her alone again, and that no matter what happened, he would stay by her side.
“I’ll buy you another one next time. How about a blue ribbon?”
“I’d love that! But don’t you think this one is really light and pretty? It’s like a jellyfish swimming in the water!”
“Jellyfish?”
“A sea creature! Can you even read books?”
At Rosebell’s sudden question, Aren shook his head.
“If you teach me, I can learn.”
“Of course I’ll teach you! I’ll teach you myself. And I’ll recommend books I enjoyed too.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Rosebell realized her mistake. She had never asked whether Aren could read or write.
She had to admit she’d been careless about him all this time.
“Then teach me little by little in the carriage. We won’t be bored on the way.”
“That’s a good idea, actually.”
At Aren’s unexpected response, Rosebell hurried back into the mansion. Seeing that, Maria’s face turned pale, but the Duke didn’t think much of it.
At this point, it would be stranger if his daughter suddenly started acting refined and proper.
“Aren.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Don’t take your eyes off her for even a moment.”
“Of course.”
Understanding what the Duke meant, Aren nodded. Then the Duke added,
“If Rosebell loses her temper and forgets to act like a lady, you must stop her no matter what. Understood?”
“Pardon? Ah—yes.”
Aren didn’t think she would actually do anything rude in someone else’s territory. Just as he was about to dismiss it as the Duke’s unnecessary worry, a sudden chill ran down his spine.
“Brr… what was that?”
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing. I’ll… do my best to stop her.”
Rosebell, unaware of the secret conversation between the two men, appeared carrying a large pile of things.
“Let’s go!”
“I’ll carry that. Please give it to me.”
“Huh?”
“Pardon?”
Rosebell frowned at Aren for suddenly speaking politely. But then she realized that once they left, he would have to speak that way anyway.
Thinking he was just practicing in advance, she accepted it.
“No, it’s fine. Father, we’re heading out!”
“Alright. Go and learn as much as you can. I’ll even allow you to buy a few things.”
“You mean I should check if there’s anything we could grow in our territory, right?”
“Smart girl.”
“Yes! We’ll be back!”
The Duke watched the two get into the carriage and waved them off with a bright smile.
While sincerely hoping they wouldn’t cause any trouble.
“By the way… why did the young lady pack those clothes?”
“What do you mean?”
At the maid’s puzzled words, the Duke felt sweat forming on his back.
Of course, within their own territory, it didn’t matter what she wore—but this was a visit to someone else’s land.
“She packed work clothes. Several sets, including brand-new ones.”
“What? Why are you only telling me now?!”
“The young lady said you gave your permission so readily, Your Grace…”
“Oh dear…”
The Duke was left speechless by his clever daughter’s actions.
He had suspected it—but he hadn’t expected her to actually pack work clothes. Still, he believed she wouldn’t walk around wearing them once she arrived.
At least, not if she considered her dignity as a noble.
She had left dressed properly, hadn’t she? And Maria had gone with her too, so things would probably be managed somehow.
The ducal household became quiet after the two left. It felt just like it had before Rosebell was injured.
“With just the two of them gone, the entire mansion feels empty.”
The Duke gave a bitter smile. He had never expected to grow this close to his daughter.
Because of that…
In the past, even if someone targeted this place, he would respond only to a certain extent. He thought it was enough to maintain just enough power to support his daughter once she left to live the life she wanted.
“Your Grace.”
“Yes. Have you found anything?”
“The surveillance intervals are getting shorter. And the person who encountered the young lady during the forest fire hasn’t been seen since.”
Although he hadn’t told Rosebell, the Duke had been watching the palace and nearby nobles more closely than ever.
Outwardly, he was known as a gentle noble with no skills beyond farming—but he had lived as a noble for a long time.
To protect himself and those dear to him, he needed to be capable of working in the shadows.
“They said he wasn’t dead…”
“Judging by the severe burns at the time, he may have been replaced. Or he may reappear once his injuries fully heal.”
“So there are no clues at all.”
“…Yes. I’m sorry.”
The Duke’s shadow lowered his head. Still, the Duke had a good idea of whose man that injured spy—or assassin—had been.
The visits had decreased too drastically. He knew well why that person was obsessed with the orchard, yet he acted as if there were other reasons.
And then, suddenly, the man changed. Even if he wore a gentle smile, there was no way the Duke didn’t know how he looked at Rosebell.
That was why the current distance between them felt like a blessing.
“What about the palace’s movements?”
“That’s a bit strange. Apple consumption has decreased compared to before.”
“Consumption? That doesn’t make sense…”
“For now, I’ll look into it through other means.”
“No. It’s better to stop here.”
The Duke had always kept a sharp eye on the palace, but recently, he had increased the intensity. That much was true.
There were no coincidences in this world. That was why the prince’s movements bothered him.
“How is the prince doing?”
“He’s quiet.”
“Quiet?”
“Yes. He hasn’t been meeting other nobles, and there don’t seem to be any major changes in his daily life.”
The Duke instinctively realized that the prince had noticed something. That meant they could no longer keep that maid there.
“Abandon that maid and look for someone else.”
“Without bringing in a new person?”
“It would only raise more suspicion. It would be better to transfer a maid from the Empress’s side, or move one from the Emperor’s side instead.”
“I’ll pass on the order.”
The Emperor and the Duke were bound by a secret oath known to no one else. If the Emperor refused to help him now, the Duke had no intention of continuing to play innocent and keep that promise any longer.
