“What I want to hear is not an apology, but why Rosette was there.”

“Hic.”

Joseph, who had been shedding tears non-stop, soon pulled himself together and began to explain the situation.

“I swear I did not enter the Adrian family’s knighthood as a servant with any other intentions. That much I can assure you.”

“If not a spy, then why did you do it?”

“My younger sister, Melody, was taken hostage.”

While gasping for breath, he spoke as calmly as possible about what had happened.

The people who kidnapped Melody when she went out to play in the fields threatened him and told him to spray a magic potion on the duke’s carriage, and recently Daniel noticed the situation and told him to move up the plan.

And.

“But I said I couldn’t do it. Really.”

Assuming his words were true for now, Duke Adrian asked.

“Then how did you end up following me with Rosette?”

“I had felt for a while that there was another spy in the mansion besides me. Thinking that person might have done something to the carriage according to the original plan, I went to the carriage storage to check, and that’s when the young lady came.”

“Rosette?”

“Yes. The young lady already knew all the plans and tried to stop me.”

Duke Adrian rubbed his face in confusion.

“How did Rosette know?”

“I don’t know that either. However, the young lady thought the target was the young master.”

“Daniel?”

“Yes. And when she found out the real target was you, Your Grace…”

“She came to save me, I see.”

“That’s right.”

Joseph Oser hesitated for a moment before asking.

“Is the young lady alright?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“That…”

Joseph’s lips trembled, but he couldn’t say anything and just lowered his head. He couldn’t bring himself to mention that Rosette had promised to save his younger sister, Melody.

But as if reading his mind, the duke asked.

“What happened to your sister?”

“…I don’t know.”

Joseph started crying again.

“They said I would never see Melody again if I failed to complete the mission. But young lady Rosette said my sister would be safe.”

“…”

“I hope she’s safe, but whether Melody can actually be rescued…”

The duke’s heart softened. As far as he knew, Joseph’s sister Melody Oser was eight years old, the same age as Rosette.

Moreover, if Joseph’s words were true, he had helped him prepared to lose his sister.

If all this was real, it would be right to help Joseph, who had shown loyalty to him. Though he couldn’t keep him in the Adrian household anymore since he had tried to betray his master once, shouldn’t he save the innocent Melody?

But.

“I can’t believe your words yet. But I’ll look into it.”

“Your Grace, do you really mean that?”

Instead of answering that, Duke Adrian gestured to the knights waiting behind.

“Take him away.”

“Yes, sir.”

The faces of the knights taking away Joseph, who was once their comrade, were grim.

After they had completely disappeared, Duke Adrian instructed his informant hiding in the ceiling.

“A rat has snuck into the mansion. Find it as soon as possible.”

The informant who jumped down from the ceiling prostrated before him.

“Understood.”

“And also look into the mastermind behind this incident.”

“Yes, sir.”

After even the informant had disappeared, the duke sighed.

He had done all he could for now. All that was left was to wait for Rosette to wake up.

[This is the timeline separator] [Peep, peep!]

Pipi, who had been missing since morning, came flying in. Lucas, who had been secretly looking for Pipi, welcomed the bird.

“Hey, Chicky! Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you for ages.”

Over the past week, he had grown quite fond of this little bird that refused to leave Rosette’s side, and had even personally given it the name ‘Chicky’. The reason was that its peeping sounded like a chick.

[Peep!]

Not knowing that Pipi objected ‘My name is Pipi!’ every time he called it by that name.

“Yes, Chicky. Aren’t you honored that I was worried about you?”

[Peeep!]

“But what’s that?”

[Peep!]

Pipi landed on Rosette’s chest and put down the small white flower it had been holding in its beak.

Unlike the flowers grown in the Adrian mansion’s greenhouse, it was a wildflower that grew in the fields.

Lucas looked at the flower curiously.

“Oh, flowers are blooming already?”

[Peep!]

It had already been a week since Rosette fell asleep. During that time, Rosette had not woken up.

In the meantime, the month had changed to March, and the season was transitioning from winter to spring.

“I was planning to take the squirt out when spring came.”

Lucas muttered glumly as he picked up the flower Pipi had brought and tucked it behind the sleeping Rosette’s ear.

“Stupid squirt. Wake up soon. Even Chicky brought you a flower to see.”

[Peeep! Peep!]

“We need to train together soon too…”

Lucas couldn’t continue speaking and lowered his head. Tears fell from the eyes of the child whose chin was clenched like a walnut.

“Don’t die, squirt.”

Duke Adrian, who usually didn’t lose his temper, had even scolded the chief physician and Cellinne the day before, unable to wait any longer, asking why she wasn’t waking up.

To this, Cellinne had said, ‘It seems the recovery is slow because the young lady’s original internal mana was much more than I expected.’

Internal mana was a measure by which a magician’s ability could be gauged. The more internal mana one had, the more outstanding their abilities could be said to be.

That meant Rosette possessed even more remarkable skills than Duke Adrian had thought.

However, no one was happy about this fact. The situation was too grave to be happy.

[Peep, peeep.]

Pipi also cried sadly, rubbing its face against Rosette’s cheek, which had become gaunt again in the past week.

At that moment, no one saw Rosette’s small hand twitch.

[This is the timeline separator]

While asleep, Rosette had a nightmare. No, it would be inaccurate to call it a nightmare. Her dream merely showed what she had done in the past.

Many, many events flashed by. Mostly things Rosette had done for the Dallas family.

‘No, no.’

Rosette groaned even while dreaming. The dream showed her the last evil deed she had committed.

In the dream, Rosette sneaked into Adrian’s office wearing a hood.

Her hood was already damp with dark red blood from killing several knights.

−You’re quite skilled.

Duke Adrian, sensing her presence, had drawn his sword and was waiting for her.

−Did Marquis Dallas send you?

−…

Rosette approached him without answering. The moonlight streaming through the window dimly illuminated her face.

Duke Adrian’s face hardened as he confirmed her youthful appearance. He immediately gritted his teeth.

−That damned bastard, to use such a little one…

Rosette reflexively replied.

−I’m not little. I’m an adult now.

−An adult, you say?

Rosette, who hadn’t eaten properly and had been overworked, was very small. At most, she looked only about thirteen or fourteen years old.

Especially Duke Adrian, who had only seen the children of the Adrian family who were taller than their peers, couldn’t believe her words.

However, more shocking than Rosette’s youthful appearance was her emotionless expression.

Duke Adrian easily realized that she was accustomed to this kind of work.

−How long have you been doing this?

−…

Duke Adrian asked as he lowered the sword he had been pointing at Rosette.

−Doesn’t it pain you to be used by the marquis?

−…

−Seeing you reminds me of my daughter. It’s not too late even now. Go back. You’re not suited for this kind of work.

Those words stirred Rosette’s heart.

−I…

In truth, she didn’t want to do things like killing people.

But whenever she hesitated, Marquis Dallas controlled her using the magic he had implanted in her.

People would shout at her full of anger as she mercilessly used magic. Saying she was a murderer without blood or tears. Or they would beg for their lives.

But no one ever asked if it was painful for her. Not a single person.

Rosette raised her head and looked into Duke Adrian’s eyes. He had already sheathed his sword and was extending his right hand.

−Or I’ll help you escape.

−Ah…

At that moment, Rosette realized. That she could never harm this person.

So she turned her back to leave. But the moment she took a step.

−…!

Her body started moving on its own. It turned around and started walking towards Duke Adrian again, then reached out her hand towards him.

It was the moment Duke Adrian took her hand.

Regardless of her will, her mouth opened and chanted a spell. At the same time, the mana condensed around her became sharp blades and pierced through the duke’s stomach.

Blood flowed from the duke’s mouth.

No!

But Rosette couldn’t even say those words. Instead, what came out of her mouth was another magic spell.

The mana blades attacked the duke once more. The duke’s body crumbled as he was caught completely off guard without taking a defensive stance.

He barely managed to kneel on one knee while thrusting his scabbard into the ground.

−Ah… ah…

Rosette, whose body had somehow become free, knelt in front of him. For reasons unknown, tears started pouring from her eyes that had been dry.

She wanted to use healing magic but couldn’t. Marquis Dallas had taken measures to prevent Rosette from using healing magic in preparation for such a situation.

−I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I…

I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to live like this.

I just wanted to be happy…

Duke Adrian, watching her, wiped her tear-stained cheeks with his blood-stained hand.

−Don’t cry, child.

There was no trace of resentment to be found in the duke. If only he had hated Rosette like others did, perhaps it wouldn’t have been this painful.

The tears Rosette shed flowed down the duke’s fingers.

−Never go back to that man.

But if I don’t go back to Marquis Dallas, where should I go? That place is the only place I have to return to.

How can I escape this hell? No one has given me the answer. All people have given me are curses and blame.

So won’t you give me that answer? Please open your eyes.

Please.

Rosette knelt in front of the motionless Duke Adrian and cried endlessly.

Then, suddenly, someone extended a hand to her.

The large hand with thick joints had calluses all over. Anyone could see it was a swordsman’s hand.

“It’s time to wake up now, Rosette.”

A warm and kind voice.

“Dad has been waiting for a long time.”