Mad Rosetta - Chapter 4

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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 4

Rosetta Coco Benitra (4)

The sour smell emanating from me suggested that wicked thing had mixed vinegar instead of fragrant oil.

“Hey, you. How long have you been working here?”

“Hah… A little over a year.”

Perhaps I didn’t hit her hard enough, as the servant I struck even sighed and answered leisurely.

“I see. A little over a year… That should be enough time to know your master’s preferences even with your eyes closed.”

Just from that look asking ‘what do you want me to do about it,’ you act like you’re the master, you rotten thing.

I pretended to be calm, but inside I could barely contain my blazing anger and once again dug my nails into my thigh.

I had gripped it so much that there were scars all over.

“What is your name?”

“…Temari.”

“Very well, Temari. Go out and call the head maid.”

“The head maid is on vacation, so she’s not at her post yet.”

Vacation?

No wonder she was being so brazen – it was almost laughable what she was relying on.

With no supervisor present, she probably thought that even if she got scolded, it would just pass as me throwing another tantrum as usual.

“When does she return?”

“Hah… I believe sometime this morning, but I don’t know the details.”

“Is that so? Then it can’t be helped. Bring the butler immediately instead.”

If the supervisor is absent, just bring another supervisor, right?

Temari’s eyes widened at my command to bring the butler.

“…Right now?”

“Are you questioning me right now?”

“The butler is very busy-“

I cut off her words and fairly slapped her left and right cheeks once each.

Whether red from anger or from being hit, I couldn’t tell, but Temari glared at me with a flushed face.

“I command you for the last time. Bring the butler.”

In less than a few minutes, there were a couple of knocks from outside.

I nodded once to instruct the remaining servant to open the door.

It was quite amusing to see the butler’s rigid face, which had been offering polite morning greetings, hurriedly bow upon discovering me wearing only a robe.

Temari, standing behind the butler, wore a confident expression as if she had gained a reliable backer.

She probably babbled whatever suited her while bringing him here.

“I heard you were looking for me.”

“Is it true that the servant standing arrogantly behind you with her nose in the air has been working here for over a year?”

“Yes. That’s about right.”

“Very well, butler. Then do you know what fragrant oil I use?”

“…I believe you mainly enjoy Romeo’s Garden in Orphedom.”

“You know well. Then I ask again. Is there any reason to keep a fool in the Duke’s estate who couldn’t learn even her master’s preferred fragrant oil over a period of more than a year?”

Was it because I had burned all the Panilnia in the room?

Until my death, I had been poisoned by Panilnia for so long that it was difficult to think or act properly.

But now I felt like my tongue was flying.

‘I’ll crush them all starting today.’

I waited for the butler’s answer with a triumphant expression, and he cast a peculiar glance for a moment.

Well… normally my little master would have vented her anger by yelling at the servants and kicking them out of the room, so it must have seemed unusual that today she was scolding with such reasonable words.

“…How about I take her and educate her thoroughly, and you generously forgive this incident, Lady?”

The butler replied that he understood I must be quite displeased and sent a disapproving look toward Temari.

Hmm, it seems the butler also thinks I’ve become easy to handle. He’s proposing conditions.

I sighed as if troubled and answered.

“If thorough education for a year didn’t work, I don’t think a few more days will make her learn. If you won’t comply, I’ll go directly to father and report this myself.”

As I finished speaking and turned toward the bathroom, Temari finally cried out as if wronged.

“The disposal of servants is the Duchess’s jurisdiction!”

When she not only snapped at her master but also huffed angrily, the butler quickly scolded Temari for raising her voice.

No, don’t be too harsh on her.

I’m so grateful for that rotten thing who can also speak correctly.

“Did you just say it’s mother’s jurisdiction?”

“…Ah! That’s not what I meant. I, I misspoke.”

“Did you misspeak? Then you mean it’s not mother’s jurisdiction.”

“…”

“Tsk, how careless.”

The servant named Temari finally clasped her hands together tightly and bowed her head, not knowing what to do.

I shook my head while touching my forehead as if lamenting.

“Your servants’ mistakes are proof that the lady of the house has been negligent in managing the household. So I should immediately run to father and report mother’s negligence in detail to strip her of her qualifications and give you a more appropriate punishment.”

Temari looked back and forth between the butler and me with a pale face.

Tears welled up in her eyes, showing she never expected that her one careless remark would lead to questioning the qualifications of Lianna, the current Duke’s wife.

The butler also seemed to think things were getting too serious, as he quickly bowed his head and appealed to me with an earnest voice.

“Lady. I was inexperienced and made a poor judgment. I will report today’s incident to the Duchess in detail and punish Temari.”

“…It would be troublesome if even you, the butler, are inexperienced.”

“I apologize. I will take comprehensive measures to ensure this never happens again.”

“Take her away.”

Perhaps feeling sorry for her own situation, Temari finally showed tears.

As the butler left the room with her, all that remained was silence between the red-haired servant and me.

At the news of her colleague’s sudden downfall that unfolded before her eyes, the young servant just pressed her lips together and waited for her own treatment.

“What is your name?”

“…Penny Haffner, Lady.”

“Very well, Penny Haffner. What do you want to do from now on?”

“The, the bath water has cooled, so I’ll reheat it… and prepare the fragrant oil suitable for you, Lady.”

Though trembling like a rabbit, she spoke clearly, seeming to have some sense.

I assigned Penny to handle bathing assistance and grooming for the time being.

Her reply that she would serve me faithfully wasn’t entirely false, as during Penny’s washing, so much accumulated grime came out that we had to change the bath water two more times.

It was a refreshing body scent I hadn’t felt in a long time.

* * *

On my way to the main manor, I was somewhat intoxicated by the freshness.

That Penny girl had quite good skills.

Normally, three or four maids would have clustered around to help with grooming. Setting aside that it took quite a while for Penny to do it alone, I had overlooked that there were no suitable indoor dresses to wear due to my long reclusive life.

But wearing a dress that was completely out of fashion would already remind me of Odette’s saintly act, which soured my mood.

– “Sob sob, sister Rosetta. If there’s any dress of mine you fancy, please feel free to take it.”

Crazy, absolutely not!

I’d rather go naked than imagine Odette acting pitifully to gain the servants’ favor – it made my neck tense.

Just as I was thinking of making an excuse that I woke up too early and went back to sleep, even if it meant getting some criticism.

Penny came out of the wardrobe with a dress, her face somewhat darkened.

It was a very pretty Tiffany blue dress.

“It seems to be a gift, left unopened in its packaging. Thanks to that, no dust accumulated and it’s very clean.”

Are you reporting your colleagues’ work negligence like this?

Penny looked happy as she efficiently gathered some matching accessories along with the dress and placed them in front of the mirror.

She had reason to be excited. Servants who attend to a lady should at least have the pleasure of seeing pretty and sparkling things…

But all I had shown her was the disastrous state of my room and nightclothes yellowed with bodily waste.

“Wasn’t there a name of who sent the gift?”

“No. There was no separate note.”

There was only one person in the world who could send me a gift without a sender, so I decided not to ask any more questions.

How much time had passed since I entrusted myself to Penny’s care?

When Penny said I could open my eyes now, I was able to see my reflection in the mirror.

【Oh, you’re pretty.】

That wasn’t what I said.

It was praise from Sing, who had somehow come up behind me and was standing there like a lecher saying, “Hey, what’s the name of that lady passing by? What’s your mailing address?”

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to deny it, but I couldn’t become someone who screams “shut up” at thin air because of Penny standing beside me.

‘Just moments ago, I looked like skin and bones…’

When she applied a light pink tint over my sunken cheeks and protruding collarbones, it made me look quite prettily filled out.

My dull skin had gained a radiance that wasn’t there before, whatever she had applied to it.

And that wasn’t all. To cover my unsightly thin body, Penny pulled out a thick shawl from a corner of the wardrobe and draped it over me.

Thanks to that, I seemed to have reached the appearance of someone crying and begging for divine protection, so I laughed softly.

“Your skills are quite impressive.”

“Ah… Th-thank you, Lady.”

What’s with her? Why is her face getting redder and redder?

Just when Penny, suddenly blushing on both cheeks, seemed like a young girl experiencing her first love, she hurriedly finished putting on a pearl necklace studded with fine gold details.

It was neither too flashy nor too plain, but bright and subtle—perfectly formal attire. I praised her generously, telling her to handle my styling next time too, and stood up from my seat.

Even during this, Sing was staring so intently it felt like he’d bore a hole through my head, so I glared at him once, and he muttered seriously while resting his chin on his hand.

【You really should become my darling…】

What is this crazy bastard babbling about?

Since I couldn’t become a delusional lady cursing at thin air, I kept my mouth shut.

Afterward, I headed to the main manor with Penny and Sing trailing behind me, and arrived in front of the dining hall.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Lady.”

The butler, who had experienced the earlier commotion, spotted me and bowed his head low.

The dining hall doors seemed to open incredibly slowly.

Was it purely because of my reluctance to enter? Or perhaps it was because the doorkeeper looking at me with displeasure was getting on my nerves.

“You’re late, Rosetta. Are you still not feeling well? You could have eaten in your room…”

“I should have come with you. Sister, please sit down quickly. Everyone’s been waiting.”

But what mattered now was the fact that my heart was racing violently again at the sight of them before my eyes.

Lianna and Odette.

Those who dared to sneak into this Benitra like little mice and brought down Father and me… Those viper-like creatures.

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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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