Mad Rosetta - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Mad Rosetta

Episode 20

Even When Watering a Sprout, One Must Be Careful (3)

“Sniff, waaaah… How could you leave me behind and go… *sob*…”

What was that sound?

Some young girl was sitting in the front row closest to the coffin, sobbing.

“Waaah, you were never helpful in my life, never helpful…! Damn it! Hey, you damn old man!”

Watching the child spout curses and even start shouting, I inwardly let out a hollow laugh.

‘Wow… Even if I’m tactless, I wouldn’t act like that at a funeral.’

The girl displayed truly high-level ingratitude.

She even pointed her finger at Dr. Dravu Beaumont’s coffin, and was eventually dragged away by others.

What was a bit strange was where the child had been sitting.

‘Surely the front row would have been reserved for close relatives…’

For being family of a doctor who belonged to the Academy and had produced many lasting research results, the child’s appearance was quite impoverished.

Even her mourning clothes looked like an out-of-season dress that had been dyed black.

Most of all, the child looked completely different from Dr. Beaumont’s other family members, so just as I was feeling puzzled, I heard Lianna’s sigh.

“I heard he took in a young granddaughter, but how could she be like that…”

“Took in?”

“I think she might be a child adopted by the doctor’s eldest son. There was quite a commotion about how he adopted a young orphan, hoping that one more person would enter the path of learning.”

Lianna criticized the girl who had already disappeared outside the monastery, saying she was probably too young to deeply understand the doctor’s kindness.

‘Isn’t it the same that she doesn’t know Benatra’s kindness regarding the luxury goods she consumes daily?’

For a moment, my true feelings almost burst out in anger, but I managed to hold them back by covering it with a cough.

Even when I managed to maintain my reason well, I needed Dr. Beaumont to deal with the monster in my head that kept popping up unexpectedly…

I stared at Dr. Beaumont’s coffin for a long time with a devastated heart.

* * *

After finishing dinner, we headed to a nearby lodging.

Even though I had only spent half a day with Lianna, I was completely drained from concentrating all my nerves on her.

“Let’s rest well today and return at dawn tomorrow, Rosetta. I’ve scheduled a luncheon with the Duke.”

Only after seeing Lianna head to her room first after finishing the lengthy pleasantries could I return to my reserved room.

Though it was far inferior to Rose Manor, the facilities of the inn we had rented entirely weren’t too bad either.

“It feels like it’s been a while since I helped you bathe, Miss.”

Penny, who was attending to my bath for the first time in a while instead of the other servants, smiled brightly.

I also leaned toward her in a languid mood.

“I prefer your touch over the other girls too. Makes me wonder if I promoted you for nothing.”

“Hehe, really?”

“Of course. Originally, when I decided to keep you by my side, wasn’t it after you finished bathing me… What was her name? Temari? Unlike that ill-mannered child, you performed your duties well from the start.”

“I just did what I was told to do.”

“That mindset is also one of the reasons I decided to keep you by my side. There are more people than you’d think who don’t do what’s expected, so a child like you, Penny, is precious.”

Penny said she was happy I spoke so kindly, and finished drying the remaining moisture and helped me change into nightclothes.

My tired body and mind seemed to relax a little.

Though I was disgusted by the sight of Sing lying on the bed and patting the spot next to him as soon as I came out of the bathroom.

【Come, here’s an arm pillow prepared just for you. This isn’t an opportunity that comes every day.】

“…”

【What’s with that look?】

Doesn’t he ever get tired?

Looking at him, it seemed like he was deliberately acting this way to make me sick of him.

After secretly shaking my head a couple of times, I approached Penny, who was preparing to move to a room downstairs.

As I played with the hair she had neatly combed for me, I paused for a moment before asking.

“You’re sharing a room with Mother’s maid, right?”

“Oh, you mean Lady Patra? Yes, I believe we’re sharing a room.”

“…If that maid named Patra asks about me, what do you plan to answer?”

“Huh? Um… I’ll tell her you’re kind and full of dignity!”

“What if she asks, ‘Isn’t it difficult serving Lady Rosetta?'”

“I should say ‘No!’ right?”

Haha, what a truly cheerful and lovely answer.

I smiled with satisfaction and asked one more question.

“What if she says that can’t be true and asks you to confide in her alone?”

“Uh… But Miss, servants are taught that we shouldn’t tell others about our masters. I don’t think Lady Patra would ask such things either.”

Penny tilted her head curiously while holding her luggage bag.

Honest, upright, and principled.

She had the admirable qualities of a truly virtuous person.

…So much so that I felt conflicted about ordering her to do something unseemly.

I held back my words for a moment, but soon opened my mouth.

“You’re right. But Penny, if Patra asks something similar to this… you must answer that you’re terribly troubled to death.”

“…What?”

“Say that I’m picky about food as a matter of course, often throw tantrums, and seem mentally unstable. You could even mention that old side table we threw away recently and say I broke it.”

Penny’s lips trembled with a thoughtful expression.

Her face showed the conflict between whether to ask for reasons or simply comply with her master’s orders.

“…Would that help you, Miss?”

“…”

“Could I be of help on the path you’re taking, Miss?”

Penny’s question left me momentarily breathless.

I had thought of her as just a commendable child who dutifully followed all my words despite my drastically changing attitude.

Thinking that she had been steadfastly maintaining her position, relying on her expectations and loyalty toward me while feeling endless doubts inside, made me feel inexplicably emotional.

I wasn’t a virtuous adult worthy of a young maid’s respect, nor was I generous enough to embrace those who disliked me with a charitable heart.

I was just someone desperately struggling to survive, trying to use everything available.

The child’s heart, looking at me with such honest eyes, felt so heavy that I couldn’t easily speak.

“…As much as you.”

“…”

“There’s no child I cherish as much as you. You are…”

Someone else is dying because they can’t even speak properly.

Penny, whose already round eyes grew even wider, soon smiled brightly and showed me her small, determined fist.

“Then I’ll do my best to speak ill of you, Miss!”

Saying she would visit again early in the morning, Penny finished her greetings once more and left the room.

【You’re quite the crybaby.】

“…”

【It’s quite strange that you weren’t known as the crybaby princess when you were young.】

Sing only spoke after the sound of the door properly closing.

I swatted away Sing’s touch, unsure whether he was wiping my tears or just fidgeting with my face.

He pouted his lips, saying he felt hurt.

That sight made me let out a deflated laugh.

While half-listening to Sing’s chatter about how he learned that people could cry silently, I wiped my eyes roughly.

“I’m crying from happiness, so mind your own business.”

【Of course you’d be happy. Such a wonderful child has come to your side, hasn’t she?】

He was right.

Even though I had only returned three years back, I now had two people supporting me.

Penny would probably still be cute with her protruding teeth even when she’s old and they fall out.

I was certain that even when the time came for her to leave my side someday, I would be able to wish for her happiness.

To do that, I needed to quickly find someone who could manufacture the cure again.

Only then could I maintain my sanity and prepare more thorough ways to protect myself and my people.

【You must be tired, so it would be best to sleep early today, darling.】

With those words, he laid me down on the bed.

As I just stared at him blankly, Sing expressed his confusion with his eyes as if asking what the problem was.

“Don’t you have something to do?”

【Hm? Ah, that’s right. I forgot the goodnight kiss.】

“Do you want to die?”

【I’m already dead though.】

“Ugh, stop it.”

Caught by Sing’s wordplay, I sat up and leaned my back against the headboard.

【My, such impatience.】

“Time is of the essence. Rather, you seem to be taking it too leisurely. I suppose that means you brought some useful news?”

【You’ve been showing signs of headaches all day. It was consideration for you, who spent the entire day stuck with Lianna.】

Though I felt grateful for his response, my urgency remained unchanged.

The only new information I had learned today at Dr. Dravu Beaumont’s funeral was that he had adopted a child with no connections through an heir, whether out of charitable spirit or whatever.

All that remained was the information Sing possessed.

Perhaps realizing I had no intention of backing down, he opened his mouth with a rather serious expression.

【I did obtain very meaningful information… Yes, for instance, a clue about the person who killed the doctor.】

“…What?”

【They were wearing leather gloves… I couldn’t see clearly because it was dark, but burn scars were visible between the sleeves. It seemed to be around the wrist area.】

“That’s not the issue. If what you’re saying is true, then there was a witness! Where is that person now?”

【Well, they’re dead, darling.】

“?”

【You told me to properly fulfill my role as a ghost, didn’t you?】

Goosebumps rose all over my body at the corners of his mouth slowly curling upward.

What he’s saying is, surely…

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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