Chapter 75
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75.
"Come now, let me see your face, dear."
My father couldn't stop the tears streaming down his cheeks as he reached out to touch my face with trembling hands.
"Are you hurt anywhere? Any injuries? Have you been eating well?"
"Of course, I'm in perfect health. His Majesty has been so attentive to my meals that I worry my palate has become too particular."
He was so different from the father I knew that I found myself overwhelmed, my composure nearly cracking.
Yet what followed was a mixture of guilt and gratitude.
'I thought everything was truly fine because his letters said so.'
Clearly, that wasn't the case.
For a man who always insisted I maintain composure to display such raw emotion—it spoke volumes.
I withdrew a handkerchief and dried my father's tears, then opened my arms and held him close.
"I'm home, Father. So please, no more tears, yes?"
"Yes, yes."
Though even with my comfort, it took several more minutes before my father could finally stop weeping.
*
"You've cried enough tears for both of us, so I have none left to shed."
My mother's gentle reproach made my father's face flush with embarrassment.
"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. If I may be so bold, might we continue our conversation this evening?"
"Of course, Marchioness."
After assessing the situation, my mother instructed the Butler to show us to our rooms, then led my father away.
The Butler soon directed the other servants to carry our luggage and guided us upstairs to the second floor.
The Salice Marquis Household was not a particularly wealthy family, and even as a country estate, the manor was not exceptionally large.
The first floor contained a drawing room, a Dining Room, a modestly appointed Grand Hall, and a study, while the second floor had only about five bedrooms in total.
Consequently, Cassian Artez's room was not far from my own.
The western side of the second floor belonged to my parents, while the innermost of the three bedrooms on the eastern side was mine.
Diagonally across and closer to the staircase was the manor's only guest bedroom.
Naturally, it was modest compared to Cassian Artez's private quarters within the Winter Palace.
"Despite such short notice, they've prepared it so thoroughly—I can see how much Roselita's parents have been waiting for you."
My superior was not a man of narrow judgment who would assess everything by a room's dimensions.
Besides, he was someone who cared even less about sleeping arrangements than I did, so I hadn't worried much, but our servants seemed to relax only after hearing Cassian Artez's words.
"Should you require anything during your stay, Your Majesty, please summon us at any time."
"Thank you for your consideration."
After saying this to the Butler, Cassian Artez turned to me and added,
"Roselita, rest well until evening—don't spend the time worrying about me. I'll do the same."
His considerate words left a favorable impression on the Butler.
Once the Butler had escorted me to my room, he relaxed his expression and spoke with evident relief.
"I was inwardly worried about how much the journalists exaggerate their stories, especially given all the frightening rumors circulating about Prince Cassian Artez."
By that logic, I'd been the primary victim of bizarre articles over the past two years, wouldn't I?
Of course, I'd emphasized in multiple letters to my parents not to worry—
"But seeing you today, Miss, it's clear you've got His Highness well in hand! I always knew you wouldn't come out on the losing end!"
Huh...?
As I stared at him in bewilderment, the Butler laughed heartily and continued.
"Ever since you made Count Theodima Youngshik cry so badly in your childhood, I was slightly concerned you were pretending to be docile, but what a relief to see that was unfounded."
That was something from when I was ten years old.
The Butler then proceeded to explain clearly about the other servants who had previously served me.
"You've heard that Jane, who originally attended to you, married a merchant dealing with the Anden Kingdom half a year ago, haven't you?"
"Yes, Mother mentioned it in a letter."
But I'd felt uneasy about the merchant guild's reputation.
Naturally, I'd written back to Mother about those concerns.
"Jane finished settling the household accounts before the new year began! She said once she obtained access to the ledgers, it was quick work—there were so many obvious loopholes."
"What about my stepfather? He was the most suspicious one."
"He was caught embezzling and cast out. The guild master has quite a fiery temperament, after all. No matter how beautiful a wife might be, a husband who damages the guild's reputation is worthless to him."
"That's a relief. I was worried because I remembered the guild master being quite a fearsome person."
"Put your mind at ease, Miss. Jane learned well from you, so she's receiving considerable favor."
The Butler went on to share the good news that thanks to that matter, after the Marquis Household had fallen into debt and other servants had to leave their positions, they'd all managed to find good marriages, receive salary increases, or move to better positions.
When I relaxed at his words, the Butler smiled broadly and spoke.
"Now you can finally get some proper rest, can't you?"
At that, I felt caught off guard and simply scratched my cheek.
"As expected, the Marchioness knows you best, Miss."
The Butler said this with a smile and left the room.
It seemed Mother had anticipated my thoughts and instructed the Butler beforehand.
Thanks to that, I sprawled comfortably on the sofa.
Dinner would be around eight o'clock, so I'd rest a bit, wash up, and head down.
His Highness said I needn't worry about him, but still, he was a guest....
With such thoughts, reassured at last, I surrendered to the encroaching drowsiness and fell asleep.
*
How long had I been asleep?
"...Gasp."
As I opened my eyes to someone gently tapping my shoulder, I heard a playful laugh.
"It's fine, Roselita. It's only just past seven."
My mother lifted me from the sofa with a warm chuckle, patting my back reassuringly.
"You looked so exhausted when you came home that I wondered if you'd end up sleeping like this again."
At her words, I laughed foolishly and stretched languidly.
"Actually, Mother was quite startled by the First Prince."
"His Highness? Why?"
Had he been inspecting the manor throughout?
He was the type who would infiltrate battlefields or tax inspection sites and mentally map out the internal structures....
"Well, dinner is at eight, so I came to wake you around this time, and I happened to run into him."
"Ah...."
"At first I asked if he needed anything, but he said he thought you'd be disappointed if he didn't wake you."
At that, I could only let out a hollow laugh.
My superior had somehow grasped all of my behavioral patterns....
"So, about that."
"Yes?"
Suddenly, Mother's gaze grew serious.
"Your father and I have always trusted you, you know that, right?"
"Of course."
"Still, well, even though you're engaged, you're not married yet."
"...Pardon?"
I was startled by the sudden turn in conversation and looked at my mother.
She finished her words with an even sterner expression.
"You must think carefully for yourself and only act in ways you can take responsibility for. Be cautious where you need to be!"
Then, apparently embarrassed herself, she pushed me toward the bathroom.
What did Cassian Artez understanding my daily patterns have to do with "that" topic...?
It was simply that I'd been so overwhelmed with work that we'd often stayed up late together.
'Besides, it's not even a real engagement.'
At first I was drawn in by the money, and now it's for the safety of myself, Wilhelmina, and Cassian Artez...!
There were many entangled circumstances, and I hadn't told them because they'd worry more if I mentioned it was a contract.
Carrying some indignation, I lowered myself into the bathtub filled with warm water.
...Surely Mother didn't give Cassian Artez similar warnings, did she?
I splashed water over my face, desperately hoping such a horrifying situation hadn't occurred.
*
While Roselita Salice was soaking away her grievances in the bath, the culprit(?) who had provided the excuse was leisurely admiring the modest garden of Salice Manor.
Cassian Artez found himself genuinely grateful that he'd switched duties with First Prince Charlie, despite the slight inconvenience.
'Hmm, if I trade this, Mother would be delighted, but then I'd have to work late, wouldn't I?'
'Is that not acceptable?'
'Come now, of course it is. My dear brother is asking me for something for the very first time.'
'Do you have conditions?'
'Brother, please ask me properly—say "Big Brother, I'm asking you"—and I'll trade with you.'
It wasn't a difficult condition at all.
The moment Cassian Artez heard those words from First Prince Charlie, he immediately delivered the phrase in his characteristically monotone voice—"Big Brother, I'm asking you"—and smoothly exchanged duties.
What possible value could such a meaningless phrase hold?
He found himself wishing Roselita Salice could have witnessed the slack-jawed expressions of those Summer Palace fools who'd entered to report on duties, their mouths agape at his deadpan delivery.
Still, seeing Roselita Salice's happiness made it all worthwhile.
He wouldn't have minded if First Prince Charlie called him by that strange "Big Brother" title for the rest of his life.
Cassian Artez, who had momentarily lost himself in thought, turned his body as he moved a protruding stone from the garden path to the side.
He'd been aware of the lingering presence for some time now.
"Would you mind showing me around the garden?"
Roselita's Father, the Marquis Salice, cleared his throat at those words and nodded with an awkward smile.
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