Mad Rosetta - Chapter 56

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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 56

I Have a Lover (2)

– “Butler, butler. What kind of gifts do men like?”

– “Hmm. Why would our Lady ask such a thing? Are you perhaps considering a gift for Young Master Montague?”

– “Keep it secret from Father. He doesn’t seem to like it much when I just mention Lord Cessia.”

– “Yes, I’ll keep quiet about it. But as for gifts that men would like, well… I think perhaps seeing a lovely lover like our Lady being happy would be the best gift of all.”

– “…If only the world had nothing but men like you, butler.”

– “Pardon?”

– “It wasn’t much help, but that was wonderful. You pass!”

When I gave him a thumbs up, Lawrence smiled warmly.

When his deep amber eyes sparkled within that kind smile, he looked just like an old tree that had grown up eating the fields…

I often felt as peaceful as someone resting under green shade.

‘…I’m being too sensitive. That can’t be right, Lawrence couldn’t be like that.’

The more I reflected on my memories with the head butler, the more I couldn’t believe it.

Laurence Badam.

He was from the eastern Badam Family that had produced butlers for generations, and had served our household for nearly 10 years.

He was the one who helped reduce the scale of the fire during Mother’s accident and prevented any more casualties from occurring.

Thanks to that, Lawrence was even promoted to head butler before long.

For such a person to not only be the very one who murdered Mother, but also a minion of the Epsilon mother and daughter…

It was an absurd theory.

– “Really, you truly don’t remember anything at all?”

Ah. I don’t know why Lawrence’s words from that time come to mind now.

– “Lady, this may be presumptuous of me to say… You don’t need to force yourself to try to remember things about the late Duchess.”

His advice that it was fine to live forgetting if it was painful.

Even though it was rare for the head butler to come to Rose Manor, Lawrence at that time came to check on me quite frequently.

Back then, there were quite a few people busy taking extreme care of me in my great grief, so I couldn’t feel anything particularly strange.

In fact, even looking back again, it could be considered something he might say out of worry for a young lady.

“Lady, are you alright…?”

While I was lost in thought, Penny asked cautiously.

What could I possibly answer to her worrying that my complexion looked too poor?

I had no choice but to reassure her that I was fine and send her outside.

With the click of the door closing, I muttered in bewilderment.

“…I don’t understand.”

【…】

“How on earth, why…? For what reason?”

Along with an uneasy feeling, suspicion and trust regarding that man seemed to collide within me.

Sing also seemed to have the same thoughts as me after hearing Penny’s story, as he came and sat by the bedside without any particular response.

I was too confused.

I had thought that only Lianna and Odette benefited when Dr. Beaumont was murdered.

So hadn’t I assumed that someone following their orders had killed the doctor?

Then the head butler was on the side of the Epsilon mother and daughter? That such a head butler murdered Mother? The one who had been watching over me since I was 8 years old?

…Then exactly when did they become accomplices?

“…Sing.”

【Yes, darling.】

“I, I told you before. On the day Mother passed away, Mother greeted her killer very peacefully.”

【You did.】

On that day when Sing and I decided to become lovers. I had confided only to him that my memories of the moment Mother died had returned.

Sing showed no sign of surprise at the part about me having amnesia, but when he heard that there was someone who murdered Mother, his face showed considerable bewilderment.

Judging by Mother’s attitude of warmly welcoming the visitor despite it being late at night, it was highly likely to be someone she knew.

So it was only a few days ago that I felt the need to investigate people who could freely enter and leave the manor.

But I didn’t know I could narrow down the candidates this quickly.

“I think we need to investigate Lawren…, no, the head butler.”

【Yes, then I’ll keep watch over him for a few days.】

“Find out if he has any connection to Lianna or Odette too. Since he’s worked here for a long time, I should also ask Father about the Badam House…”

While organizing my thoughts step by step and speaking, I suddenly felt chills down my spine.

‘…I can’t tell Father.’

There’s no way I could tell Father something like having regained my memories.

The moment I tell Father to be careful because the head butler is suspected of being a murderer, an investigation into Lawrence would begin.

However, like advisor Stilling, the head butler was also someone deeply involved in household affairs.

If we intentionally exclude him or conduct a background investigation and show any suspicious signs, Father would be in danger instead.

‘That absolutely cannot happen.’

Lawrence was not only a prime suspect who had murdered the Duchess, but also tried to kill me, the Duke’s daughter.

Perhaps in my past life, Lawrence was also the very one who helped Lianna poison Father.

“…What could be the reason for doing this?”

【…】

“There must be a reason for doing this to us, to our family…”

Not even a hollow laugh comes out.

This reality was just too overwhelming and hopeless.

I didn’t want to feel powerless anymore. Unless someone was trying to test me, the world couldn’t be this cruel to me.

In a situation where I’m suspecting someone I’ve known for nearly 10 years, if this continues, I might not be able to trust Penny, Marmint… all the people I cherish.

Thinking that way made many things feel futile, so I spoke with deliberate emptiness.

“Sing.”

【Yes, darling.】

“Now you’re the only one I can trust.”

【…】

“You… You at least must not betray me.”

As I recited as if in a daze, I finally realized.

Right, at least a ghost cannot weigh my life on scales like living people do.

So the only one I can completely trust is Sing, who seeks revenge together with me.

I needed to make at least this exception to escape from this terrible despair.

Sing’s eyes widened as if surprised by my words, but soon he made a sorrowful expression as if he was in more pain.

【You’re saying all sorts of things because you’re mentally and physically exhausted.】

“It’s 10 years… Lawrence is someone who has served our household for nearly 10 years.”

【Then we’ll just have to take 10 years’ worth of revenge.】

“Lawren, ha… After we deal with the head butler’s matter? If later someone else close to us tries to harm my family again? Will this ever end?”

【…】

“Just how long do I have to live trembling in fear day by day, afraid of dying…”

They say struggling in a swamp only makes you sink deeper, and that was exactly my situation.

Lianna, Odette, Cessia.

I thought they were the end of those who completely changed my life, which had been peaceful enough to be called tranquil, if not perfect.

But if it becomes an established fact that even someone I’ve known for 10 years is targeting our household, I would have to live with my guard constantly at its peak.

I was afraid of threatening Father and bringing down our house.

Was Sing displeased with me being like this?

After being silent for a long while, Sing gathered my hands together, brought them to his lips, and said.

【Just eliminate them each time.】

It was a very resolute tone.

【Punish them as much as they deceived you, and if someone else tries to harm you, repay them again. Even if it’s difficult, just do that. Darling.】

“…”

【Aren’t you the woman who stubbornly climbs through windows even after being betrayed by loved ones, even while poisoned? Hmm?】

“…Hic.”

【Even meeting a wicked thing like me and returning to the past… Doesn’t that mean even God opposes your death?】

Before I could even feel the bridge of my nose stinging, tears welled up first.

Was it because his voice was warm as he spoke while firmly holding my hands? It sounded like a prayer.

As if saying my struggles until now had meaning. As if asserting that I would continue to survive like that in the future.

It was merely listing what had happened so far, but ridiculously, it became comfort and I wept quietly.

【Rosette, darling. I’ve never seen anyone as strong as you.】

The guy who had approached at some point patted my back, tapping gently like soothing a child.

Does someone called strong also collapse so easily….

Contrary to my inner thoughts, wanting to hear more of that calm voice, I didn’t add any words.

【I’ve watched more than you think. You would cry alone even after scolding a servant. Even after overturning a table in front of your mother-in-law and sister-in-law. You sobbed the whole time saying you actually didn’t want to do that.】

“…Are you teasing me?”

【Haha, do you think that’s easy?】

“….”

【Even when you crumbled, you always raised your head again. Reflecting on your mistakes hundreds of times without giving up, and crying because of it—that’s truly being strong….】

…Is that so.

Even if broken. Even in such a state, if you get back up, is that also being strong?

When I lifted my head from his chest and looked up, Sing wiped my eyes with his thumb and said.

【I should show firsthand that no one who makes you cry gets away unscathed.】

“…What if you make me cry? You’re already dead.”

【…Haha, well.】

The hollow laughter sounded like fatigue had suddenly washed over him, or perhaps like he was blaming himself.

【If such a day comes… You would hate me.】

“….”

【I’d rather want to die again.】

At Sing’s expression as he joked asking me to spare him, I could no longer retort even jokingly.

Seeing how disappointed I felt.

I suppose I wanted to hear that such a thing would never happen.

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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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