Rosette hunched her shoulders.

‘Does he dislike my coming here?’

It could be so, after all. In the past, Elisha had also shown such dislike.

Back then, Elisha’s hostility had hurt her heart. But perhaps because she had already experienced it once, it didn’t upset her as much as before.

‘I’m not upset.’

No, actually that was a lie. Negative emotions never became familiar no matter how many times you experienced them, and her heart still ached.

However, if there was one thing different from before, it was that she could speak confidently to Isabel.

“I, I will really work hard.”

Rosette spoke, trying to raise her voice that kept wanting to shrink.

“I can do well with magic too. If I learn magic, I can take care of Isabel’s hair, and also, um, also keep the tea warm! So please don’t hate me too much.”

These were things Elisha had made Rosette do in the past.

But Isabel’s expression became strange as she listened to her words. She crossed her arms and said coolly,

“What do you take me for?”

“…Pardon?”

“Do you think I’m going to use you like a maid? And who said I hate you?”

“…?”

Isabel sighed deeply, seemingly frustrated by Rosette who just blinked, not understanding.

“Listen well, kiddo. The Adrien family has produced knights for generations. We’re a renowned swordsmanship family.”

“Yes.”

“There aren’t many people who know how to handle a delicate and sensitive kid like you.”

Was she trying to chase her away then? She had just managed to gather her courage to come here. Rosette gripped her skirt tightly with both hands.

“Is that okay with you? The knights will be noisily training in the training grounds every morning, you know.”

“It’s okay!”

“I’m saying we’re not the kind of quiet, proper noble family you might be thinking of.”

“I…”

Rosette spoke with conviction.

“I still like it!”

Isabel scrutinized Rosette up and down with a sharp gaze. She clearly looked doubtful of Rosette.

Rosette mumbled in a slightly smaller voice this time.

“I really can do well. I’ll work hard…”

“Who’s worried you can’t do it? I…!”

I?

As Rosette blinked, trying to guess the unfinished words, Isabel heaved a deep sigh.

“Fine, if you insist, then experience it for yourself.”

“Really?”

“And remember this.”

Isabel lowered her head to meet Rosette’s eyes.

“You don’t need to manage my hair or adjust the temperature of the tea. You shouldn’t do that.”

“But…”

“From now on, you are my sister and a member of the Adrien family. Be more confident. If not, I’ll tell Father to send you back. Understand?”

“…Yes.”

“Answer louder.”

“…Yes!”

“Good.”

Daniel and Duke Adrien, who had been listening to their conversation, smiled meaningfully at each other.

Seeing them, Isabel made a ‘hmph’ sound and raised her hand to ruffle Rosette’s hair. Unlike her gentle-looking face, her touch was quite rough.

“And from now on, call me ‘sister’. What’s with this ‘Lady Isabel’?”

“Can I really call you… sister?”

“Isn’t that obvious? Call that idiot ‘brother Lucas’.”

“Why am I an idiot!”

Lucas grumbled but soon approached Rosette with a wide grin.

“I’m so happy to have a little sister! But we have to go for morning training now. Let’s see each other later at breakfast time.”

“What…?”

“Bye!”

Lucas and Isabel left the reception room with disciplined steps. Daniel, who had been smiling the whole time, also left, saying he had to train.

After the stormy time passed, only Rosette and Duke Adrien remained in the reception room.

Rosette smoothed down her disheveled hair with her fingers while glancing at the Duke.

“Um…”

The Duke helped her tidy her hair instead. Rosette murmured in a dazed voice.

“Is it really okay like this?”

“Is there a problem?”

“No…”

She had expected more opposition. But Daniel and Lucas showed no signs of objection at all, and even Isabel, who had scrutinized Rosette most critically, seemed to have accepted her for now.

“I’m just feeling dazed.”

“That’s natural when your environment changes.”

Duke Adrien lightly rubbed her cheek and then straightened up.

“The head butler will guide you to your room. We’ll have a meal shortly, so rest until then. I’m going to oversee the training.”

“Um.”

Rosette grabbed the sleeve of Duke Adrien as he turned around. For a brief moment, she worried if she would be scolded for her rude action, but fortunately, Duke Adrien turned to her with a smile.

“Do you need something?”

“Well…”

Rosette, rolling her eyes, carefully asked.

“What should I do from now on?”

“Hmm?”

Duke Adrien shortly questioned, seemingly not understanding. Rosette mumbled in an even more shrinking voice.

“I mean, what should I do here from now on?”

The Duke, who had been listening to her words, stroked Rosette’s head with his large hand.

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand what you mean.”

“I, I can do everything well. I’ll study magic hard, and I’ll study history diligently too. Also…”

“Wait, wait a moment, child.”

Duke Adrien soothed in a gentle voice.

“You don’t have to do anything.”

“Pardon?”

This time, Rosette opened her already large eyes even wider, not understanding. Duke Adrien emphasized once more.

“You don’t have to do anything, child.”

“But…”

Rosette recalled the day she was adopted into the Dallas family.

From the day Duke Dallas brought Rosette, he emphasized that she must be perfect. His goal was to make Rosette the best magician.

Rosette tried and tried to live up to their expectations.

She wanted only one thing: the love of her family. Duke Dallas would praise her in a somewhat softer voice when she mastered difficult magic.

– Yes, well done.

The praise that was given only when she did well. Strangely, the more praise she heard, the more her throat burned and her thirst grew. So Rosette began to become more and more obsessed.

Was that why? Naturally, she thought there must have been a reason when Duke Adrien brought her.

But to say she doesn’t have to do anything. What does that mean?

As Rosette just blinked, unable to understand, Duke Adrien added an explanation.

“For the time being, just rest comfortably while adapting to this place. We’ll start magic lessons and basic lessons gradually after you’ve adjusted.”

“But…”

“Until then, just spend your time doing whatever you want, like a child would.”

He looked at Rosette’s thin wrist and added playfully.

“It would be even better if you eat well and become chubby.”

Then he left Rosette with the head butler and departed from the reception room.

‘Chubby…’

Rosette stared blankly at her frail frame. When she was in the orphanage, she didn’t realize how small her body was. There was so little food in the orphanage, and everyone was small.

But it seemed especially noticeable now, as the people of the Adrien family were particularly large.

Still…

‘I should eat well.’

She’ll grow tall too. Since she’s been adopted into the Adrien family, how about learning swordsmanship as well?

Thus, Rosette’s first goal upon entering the Adrien family became ‘eating well’.

* * *

“I will guide you to your room, Miss Rosette.”

The head butler with graying hair bowed to Rosette. Rosette was startled for a moment and was about to wave her hands, but then realizing her status, she straightened her back.

“Yes, no, okay.”

The head butler smiled as if she had done well and led the way. Rosette followed him, walking down the corridor and up the stairs.

“You can call me Sebastian.”

“Okay, Sebastian.”

“Once you get accustomed, we will assign you a personal maid. Until then, the maids will take turns serving you.”

“Okay.”

“Everyone is looking forward to meeting you.”

Is that really so? Rosette was skeptical about that. But she nodded without showing it. Fortunately, she seemed to have managed her expression well, as Sebastian guided her to her room without further comment.

“This is the room you will be using from now on. It’s next to Miss Isabel’s room.”

“Okay.”

“We couldn’t prepare new furniture in time due to the rush. We will gradually redecorate the interior to suit you. Now, please enter.”

Rosette, who had followed Sebastian inside, covered her mouth with both hands to suppress an escaping exclamation.

‘Is this really my room?’

It was a perfect room, to the point where she wondered if she had been guided to the wrong place.

The room, easily five times larger than the one she used in Duke Dallas’s house, was furnished with dazzling furniture that made her jaw drop just by looking at it.

Warm sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows connected to the terrace, and the bed, large enough for five adults to sleep comfortably, was filled with dolls.

She tried to calm herself, thinking she was too old to be excited about dolls, but she failed. Eventually, Rosette asked in an unknowingly excited voice,

“Is all this mine?”

Sebastian answered with a smile on his face.

“Yes, it is. If there’s anything you don’t like…”

“No!”

Rosette hastily replied.

“I like it! I like it very much.”

From the moment she entered this room, her heart had been beating so fast with joy. She was worried her heart might jump out of her mouth at this rate.

Rosette distanced herself from Sebastian to hide the sound of her rapidly beating heart. However he interpreted this, Sebastian stepped back slightly.

“I seem to have taken up too much of your time, Miss. You must be tired, so please rest now. I will send the maids.”

After he withdrew, Rosette threw herself onto the soft-looking bed. The bed, filled with plenty of cotton, was even more plush than it looked. She rolled around hugging a rabbit doll with a plump belly.

At this moment, she was happy enough not to think, ‘Do I deserve to enjoy this?’

How long had she been like that? A careful knocking sound was heard.

“Miss, may we come in?”

Hearing the voice from outside, she hurriedly got off the bed. There was no one watching, but she felt strangely embarrassed.

“Come in. No, enter.”

The door opened and three maids entered. They had reddish-brown, brown, and black hair respectively. They bowed to Rosette, who was trying her best to act calm.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss.”

However, Rosette couldn’t react calmly to the words that followed.

“We will assist you with your bath.”

Bath? You mean showing my naked body? Rosette fidgeted again.

“Um, that…”

“Yes, please speak.”

“I’d like to bathe alone…”

“Pardon?”

“I’m, I’m not a little kid. I used to wash well by myself before, and…”

Then she belatedly realized that young ladies in typical noble families receive assistance with bathing.

But she simply couldn’t muster the courage to show her skinny, unremarkable body.