With her eyes closed, Rosetta breathed out.
In that dark world, the breath that expanded her lungs made her stomach tense.
As she breathed comfortably, she felt that her mind and body were becoming more organized.
Originally, controlling one's qi had to be done through constant practice through time.
In addition, Rosetta's body had yet to adapt to this strength, so she'd have to do this more often…
Anyway, it had been far too hectic these days, so this was the first time she had time alone. The amount of qi that she could use had gradually increased.
'I think it'd be better if I could practice in a separate closed building.'
However, she gave up that thought quickly because it wasn't the right time for it, and it'd be like saying, 'I came out of a cave and it's already been years'.
Until Cassion became stronger, she would have to play the role of protecting him.
The ideal scenario was that there'd be no one who could figure out who he was, but secrets were secrets in the end. They could be revealed.
If so, then the other side would be tenacious about getting rid of Cassion.
Then in the end, Rosetta will have to be the one to step up to the plate.
Cassion would likely be strong eventually, but his growth would take some time to build.
She would have to protect this sprout so that it wouldn't be trampled on. He should grow up well enough so that he could go against the male lead.
And there would be other requirements for that to happen.
The things that a person would need to climb to the top.
Money. People. Power.
Just as you can make a wish in Drag*n Ball after collecting them, all three of these requirements would make Cassion a Duke.
It would be difficult to attract people without money. It would become difficult to gain power without the support of people. And nothing could be done without power.
And just as with Madam Blanca, Rosetta would be able to get what she needed by using knowledge of the original novel properly.
The coming-of-age ball.
That was the D-day.
The health of the current Duke Carter would decline starting the coming-of-age ball.
So until that day, Rosetta would need to gather the necessary requisites one by one so that Cassion could stand tall in front of those people.
'There's much work to be done.'
Only one step had been taken.
Somehow, the time she had dedicated to training her mind was invaded by many different thoughts. This was why she couldn't do it.
With no other choice, she exhaled and stopped the directed flow of qi. She couldn't stop thinking, so she was forced to stop training.
When she stopped the repeated deep breathing, the anguish that she had been suppressing this whole time came like a lightning bolt.
Among them, the biggest anguish was regret.
'Ah, my mind's a mess.'
She just wanted to live a long, peaceful life.
Just now, she was thinking about her plan to make Cassion the next Duke, but now she was tasting some regret.
It would have been better to live without being tied up like this. She wasn't even the main character here.
She could have lived a comfortable life if she didn't get involved in the first place.
A determined resolution she made barely a week ago belatedly ended up as a source of regret.
However, it wasn't just regret that came in hindsight. Regrets, then afterward, something else hanging in the back.
Ultimately, in the end.
The memories that wouldn't let her give up on these annoying things to be done.
'I don't want to live like this, Sister.'
Suddenly, Alicia's voice from her dream rang behind her ears. And what flashed in her mind were those empty eyes that she couldn't forget.
And an expression that seemed to say, 'Save me.'
That's right. A face that looks like Rita.
Now, Rosetta jumped into this troublesome task to get rid of such a future.
The only thing one who could change Alicia's fate was Rosetta as she knew how the original plot would go.
And the small kindness that Rosetta showed had already changed Alicia.
Even if it was an insignificant act, it grew like a tempest borne out of a butterfly's wings.
Could anyone be able to stop a storm that had already begun?
Soon, Rosetta opened her eyes slowly.
The world, which had looked dark, gradually became brighter and clearer.
She stood up as slowly as she breathed in and out.
Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was already close to the time she promised to meet Alicia.
If she was late, Alicia might shed tears and look like a swollen dumpling again, so Rosetta made sure to be there on time.
'But that's cute too, so it should be alright.'
She had been sitting on the floor, so her dress was crumpled. After patting it down twice, she started for the door, but she stopped in her tracks.
This reminds her. There's something she had to check in advance.
She turned back from the door and went towards the walk-in closet. It was a space filled to the brim with clothes.
There were dark clothes that she didn't really wear, but there was something else she found.
A black cloak with a hood.
It was the same kind of cloak that she wore when she saved Cassion.
Long, dark. It was the ideal piece of clothing to hide in the dark.
In other words, it was the perfect outfit to wear when meeting someone at night.
'No, no please! Lady Rosetta! Rosetta! Please come here! I have something to tell you! Milady I'm— You must come to see me! Milady! You'll regret it if you don't come, you'll regret it!'
Katie.
Wasn't she waiting for Rosetta in that dark dungeon?
Even in a place like this, there's a lot of paperwork to be done before someone could be executed legally.
Especially when the head of the household wasn't here to do so.
Currently, the father of the three children, the Duke of Valentine, had left for the capital due to some important matter.
Therefore, all the preparations for the execution of Katie, a malicious criminal, were up to Damian.
It was all thanks to bureaucracy that Katie was still alive so far.
But once all those processes were dealt with, Katie's life would disappear, without even the chance to plead for life imprisonment instead.
So Rosetta had to meet her before that.
All the paperwork could be finished tomorrow right away, so she had to meet Katie today.
What kind of great secret did she have in store?
A slight curiosity arose.
* * *
"Sister, can I ask you about him? I'm just curious. What kind of man is he that you'd want him as an escort knight?"
Along with the sound of clattering cutlery, Alicia carefully asked.
There was a great deal of expectation from the eyes focused on Rosetta.
After chewing her food lightly, Rosetta answered.
"His name is Maxwell."
And Alicia echoed the name, "Maxwell…"
Still, the eye-sparkling curiosity didn't disappear.
Alicia blinked her big doe eyes and asked again.
"Are you close?"
Not minding propriety, she asked straightforwardly.
Her hands that were cutting her steak stopped. Then Rosetta stared back at Alicia.
"Alicia, eat the food that's on your plate first. It's going to get cold."
Rosetta diligently ate her own food, whereas Alicia's food didn't decrease as she continued asking questions with shining eyes.
There was a fork and knife in her hands, too, but she showed no intention to eat.
What else could be worse than eating cold steak?
After Rosetta pointed this out, Alicia's cheeks turned red. With a small nod, she soon moved her hands and took a bite for her to chew.
Only when she saw that Alicia was chewing her food did Rosetta speak.
"He's my childhood friend. I've known him for a long time, long before I entered this household, and we somehow stayed in touch through a few letters between us. It's been a while since we met, but as soon as we did, he fell down a flight of stairs to save me. Even in this world where you don't know who to trust, I want to trust him as my escort knight because there are very few who I believe in."
"…Oh my gosh..."
Alicia hurriedly chewed her food and said this.
She might think that what Rosetta and Maxwell had was a relationship that could only be seen in novels.
Reality was nothing but a tragedy.
However, Rosetta's expectations weren't met. In a good way.
Soon after, Alicia's smooth forehead began to have shallow wrinkles.
Then, her round shoulders drooped while she bowed her head slightly down.
Obviously, it was an expression of disappointment or concern.
"Alicia?"
At the call of her name, Alicia bit her lower lip.
Rosetta waited for Alicia to say something, observing her sudden change in demeanor.
The lips that were bitten by her white teeth eventually opened.
"…Then, Sister… With… Maxwell, you must be close to him, right? More so… than with me…"
As she spoke more, her voice gradually became smaller and smaller, and her pronunciation became less clear.
Even though the mumbled words sounded like gibberish by the end, Rosetta still understood.
She stared at Alicia for a moment.
Those honey-like eyes that glistened in the summer sun were filled with frustration.
"…Goodness."
With a short laugh, Rosetta let out a sigh.
Indeed. This was very much an Alicia-like response. The fact that Alicia didn't even doubt her somehow made her feel bitter.
Out of the blue, she thought of Cassion.
When he was in danger in that alley.
When she asked him, "Should I help you?' he couldn't answer because he was worried that Rosetta would get hurt.
Both Alicia and Cassion were so very alike. They both went beyond Rosetta's expectations.
When Rosetta had burst into laughter, Alicia suddenly looked resentful.
"Why are you laughing! I'm serious. I like Sister a lot, but Sister might not feel the same way. Besides, someone you trust… I… I don't know if you also consider me to be one…"
She was still murmuring, but she spoke a little louder than before. Though the area around her eyes started to become red.
Rosetta tried to rein in the laughter bubbling up. With only a slight smile on her lips, she made eye contact with the other person who seemed to be on the brink of sobbing at any moment.
"I like you more. And I trust you. You don't have to ask that."
"…Sister."
Eventually, Alicia reached up to cover her eyes with both hands.
As she tried to hide her face behind her hands, Rosetta eventually laughed out loud.
It was a pleasant dinner.
Rosetta didn't even know how long it had been since she had such a peaceful meal.
Just a few weeks ago, she had been trapped in a cold cage, eating alone as a man watched her closely.
When she suddenly recalled this, Rosetta stopped laughing.
Right. It can't be like that for Alicia. With Alicia being Alicia, such a future didn't suit her.
And so for a while, Rosetta thought that she would have any useless regrets.
Clatter.
She chewed a cold piece of steak as the sound of cutlery followed.
The taste was somewhat miserly.
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