Few months ago...
Rose sat on a silver bench, her fingers absently running over the silk fabric of her gown.
The soft scent of roses surrounded her, but it didn't bring the usual comfort.
The garden was supposed to be her sanctuary, a place to escape the relentless demands of her family, but today, even the flowers seemed to mock her.
She sighed, glancing over at Mira, her trusted maid, who was carefully tending to the plants.
Rose had already heard the news; her upcoming engagement to Count Darvin's son was a done deal, sealed with her father's signature.
Rose hadn't been consulted, of course.
She wasn't allowed to have a say in such matters.
The Velmer name was too important, and alliances were everything.
Marriage wasn't about love; it was about strategy.
"Can you believe it, Mira?" Rose muttered, rubbing her temples.
"Count Darvin's son… A sword-wielding idiot who thinks swinging a blade makes him a worthy match,"
( She doesn't like swordsman )
Mira glanced up, her gentle expression softening as she understood the frustration in Rose's voice.
"My lady, Lord Darvin's son is quite talented with the sword. They say he's awakened the Sword Aura at such a young age… quite impressive, he is ideal man for many girls are your age, he even earned the title baron for himself,"
"Hmph! Impressive?" Rose scoffed, her voice rising slightly.
"It's nothing more than a show of muscle. If I wanted a husband with a sword, I could've had half the kingdom's knights. But I'm being sold off like some prized horse to a man who can barely string together a coherent sentence without boasting about his sword aura,"
Her hand clenched into a fist.
"I don't care about his sword or his so-called talent,"
Mira hesitated, sensing the tension in the air.
"But my lady… he is of high rank, and your father—"
"Yes, my father," Rose cut her off, her tone sharp.
"Always thinking of the family's future, never thinking about me. I'm a tool to him, Mira. A pawn to secure another alliance... Hmph! It really annoys me,"
Her frustration simmered, but she quickly masked it, settling back against the silver bench.
Mira wisely fell silent, not pressing further.
Rose's mind wandered, and as she looked up to the vast estate of House Velmer, she couldn't help but feel a sense of resentment rise up from deep within her.
Memories of her childhood flooded back.
Her father, Duke Velmer, towering and imposing, had always been the picture of control.
He never showed affection; his love was shown in grand gestures: battle victories, political triumphs, and endless feasts.
It is said that; her father is strongest human alive, capable of fighting even gods, possessing the title; Dragon slayer.
She had been groomed for greatness, trained in magic and strategy since childhood.
But never once had anyone cared to ask what Rose Velmer truly wanted.
Her mother was the same, though in a quieter way.
She too had been raised to serve the family's ambitions.
Rose had always known that her destiny was written out for her long before she could make choices of her own.
The family's wealth, power, and influence were paramount and she, with her rare gravity magic, was part of that equation.
Duke had four wives and 6 childs but all were political pawns.
Even now, as she sat in the sun-dappled garden, she could feel the pressure of her inheritance weighing on her shoulders.
Magic wasn't a gift, it was an expectation.
The gravity magic that had marked her as a prodigy, her ability to manipulate the very forces of nature, to crush enemies, and bend the world around her, was supposed to be her greatest asset.
Yet it had become the chains that bound her, not the crown that marked her as the kingdom's brightest star.
Rose closed her eyes and allowed herself a brief moment of peace, imagining a life outside of her duties.
She wanted to live the life of adveturer.
Roam and see the world.
Freedom.
No more weddings arranged for political leverage.
No more endless days filled with public appearances, endless etiquette lessons, and courtly smiles that hid the coldness beneath.
She could be more than just the Duke's daughter.
She could make a difference.
But the more she dreamed, the more impossible it seemed.
"Perhaps there's still time," she thought, but her mind quickly snapped back to reality.
Her father was too powerful.
His plans were too precise.
Count Darvin's son would be her husband.
It was as simple as that.
"Forgive me, my lady," Mira said, bowing slightly as she stood to fetch a new set of tools for the garden.
"But it seems your father is requesting your presence."
Rose's stomach twisted in irritation.
Another meeting, another discussion of her future.
"Of course," she said with a forced smile.
"Let's see what my esteemed father has planned for me next,"
As she stood, the weight of her magical potential, her family's legacy, and her helplessness grew more suffocating with every passing day.
It seemed like there was no escape.
Yet, deep down, Rose was determined.
She wanted to live a free life, live, sleep and roam as she wish.
And finally, she managed to escape.
Frist thing, she did was become adveturer.
She went to few adventure and one day she joined the Bulk's party.
And soon enough, there was quest to guide Saintess to nearby temple.
But who could have thought the task would turn into hell.
---
"You..." She gritted her teeth.
That idiot swordmans was way better than pathetic goblin.
She regretted leaving house.
"what me!? Don't worry I don't mind your dirty sweat or smell..." Saying that, Akira licked her cheek.
Slurp*
"Your sweat taste salty and sweet... Hehe! Didn't you said you love me too, don't worry, I see you as someone capable of standing beside me," Akira uttered.
"W-Wait..."
"NO! I can't wait... Let's do it, I wanna do it now,"
----
( Press F to pay respect to Akira, muhahaha)