Mad Rosetta - Chapter 60

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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 60

Golden Coffin (1)

Regardless of the inexplicable feeling of being deceived, I had to reflect on my own complacency.

Until now, I had only vaguely thought about getting revenge, but now that the time was approaching, I couldn’t help but discover myself weighing this and that.

Sing seemed to be asking me whether I had the courage to put even my own life on the line in order to take another’s life.

‘…Well, what can I do if I don’t have the courage? It’s already too late to turn back.’

As he said, it was the kind of thing only those who weren’t in their right mind would do.

Then I thought I would fall into hell this time.

The wounds they inflicted on me were too great to just ignore and cover up.

“Then I’ll need something like a dagger. Do you know where to stab so it hurts less?”

【…Where in the world would someone ask their lover such a thing.】

“That’s not even funny. Then what you said earlier, was that a love song?”

【Hmm.】

Sing, who had been laughing low as if embarrassed, got up from his chair and slowly approached me.

As I was pushed back by him coming close and fell onto the bed with a thud, Sing’s hand pressed down on my navel.

【It might not be a less painful spot, but at least with the rectus abdominis, it’s difficult to pierce through to the organs.】

“…”

【You could also ask Lady Etienne to make you a dress with back support after such a long time.】

He said that way, even if the wound was shallow or didn’t remain at all, there would be a high possibility of being excluded from the list of suspects, but his expression was truly strange.

Even though it was filled with his usual laughter, somehow he looked like he was forcing himself to say words he didn’t want to say.

I suddenly had a thought and grabbed his hand that was hovering around my navel area and asked.

“Sing, you know.”

【Yeah.】

“…If I kill Fordicus. If that completely resolves my grudge, will you disappear?”

Sing opened his eyes wide as if quite surprised.

Since he said his goal was to get revenge on Cessia’s mother by killing Cessia, I was worried that perhaps there wasn’t much time left to spend with Sing.

When I asked seriously, he seemed to ponder deeply before answering.

【I won’t disappear.】

“Ah, I see…”

【What we promised was that we would both finish our revenge. So we need to resolve all of your resentment too.】

Unlike him who replied that it was too early to worry, I felt like I had seen our ending early.

Those words were no different from meaning he would disappear once revenge on Lianna and Odette was finished too.

I didn’t want to confirm that fact, so I didn’t ask any more.

* * *

“You’ve come, Marahan.”

I sat on the terrace and waved my hand welcomingly, and Marahan bowed once before sitting in front of me.

“What matter made you ask for a meeting, Lady?”

“Well, it’s nothing significant. I just thought it had been a long time since we had an intimate conversation, so I called you. Please enjoy the refreshments comfortably.”

When I replied with a bright smile, Marahan relaxed her shoulders and dropped her tense expression.

‘Let me probe about the Butler.’

Actually, there were many significant reasons.

No matter how much I thought about it, even if I probed Penny or other servants, they were children who didn’t go to the Main Manor often, so there wouldn’t be much to gain.

So I called Marahan, who had worked at the manor longer than Lawrence.

It was only circumstantial evidence, so it was too early to confirm the Butler as the arsonist, but it was worth investigating.

“How are things lately? Has it been hectic because of me?”

“Please don’t say such things, Lady.”

“Haha, you don’t need to be so serious about it.”

Marahan’s lips curved sternly as if scolding a child, making me read unnecessary meaning into it.

She was originally the Duchess’s personal servant, but after I was born and grew up, she was assigned as the head servant of Rose Manor.

Given her position, she had no choice but to have many conversations with Lawrence, and she would know quite a lot about the servants’ family circumstances, even trivial matters.

‘I want to trust Marahan, but… should I lament my situation where I can no longer do so easily?’

With such thoughts, I made a rather bitter expression and fiddled with the rim of my teacup.

“Actually, Father seems quite anxious these past few days, so I don’t feel good about it.”

“Of course. We were all so shocked when we heard about your accident, Lady… We can fully understand the Duke’s feelings.”

“He must have thought of my late mother.”

As I said this and glanced at Marahan, I could see her face becoming somewhat subdued.

I paused for a moment and then spoke slowly, like someone lost in thought.

“These days, I think about what it would have been like if I hadn’t lost my memory.”

“…Have your memories, returned?”

“Haha, I wish they had.”

“Ah…”

Was she disappointed, or relieved?

I really hated myself for having to judge even that.

“Marahan, would you like it if I regained my memories?”

“…Well. Sometimes painful memories need to be forgotten. They say memory loss usually occurs to protect oneself from shock.”

“…”

“So if the time comes when you can accept them strongly, Lady, doesn’t that mean they’ll naturally return someday?”

Marahan’s smile as she said this felt only gentle and warm.

The wrinkles around her eyes, her eyes that seemed lost in memories as if thinking of my mother like I was, were like that.

“When that time comes, I only hope you’ll openly share memories of the late Duchess with the Duke.”

…If that’s acting, I’ll just let myself be fooled.

It was so heartfelt that it made my nose tingle, and I couldn’t possibly think that Marahan would try to harm me.

I deliberately put on only a light smile as if asking something trivial and complained.

“If the current Duchess heard that, she would be hurt.”

“Well, she might be.”

“Come to think of it, it’s already been three years since Father remarried. How is the Duchess? No particular problems with the Butler or, well, other attendants?”

“As far as I know, there are no major problems. The Butler also takes good care of the Duchess.”

“…Ah, I see.”

“I understand the Duchess received a lot of help from the Butler from when she first entered the manor.”

I rested my chin on my hand and looked at Marahan as if asking her to tell me more.

“It would be natural since he’s the Butler. But did Lawrence work that well?”

“Yes, as I remember… It was when the Duchess was still adapting, but the Butler quickly figured out her preferred foods and internal management methods and acted accordingly.”

“…Really? How capable.”

“Haha, I thought so too, so I asked him about it once. I heard that someone from the Butler’s family had worked at the Epsilon Baronage, so he received help from them.”

“…”

“It’s quite a connection. But I was impressed, thinking he was flawless when it came to work-related matters.”

As Marahan’s gentle voice continued, I felt my heart beating faster and faster.

It meant that someone from the Badam Family had been a butler at the Epsilon Baronage.

‘…Come to think of it, the Epsilon Estate would also be in the east. Then does that mean Lawrence might have known Lianna from when the remarriage talks with Father were happening?’

Wasn’t it too fishy to dismiss as mere coincidence?

I thought I needed to verify this when suddenly there was a knock and Penny entered.

“Lady. I’m sorry to interrupt. But a letter and gift have arrived from the Imperial Court.”

“…From the Imperial Palace?”

Just hearing the word ‘Imperial’ seemed to trigger my neurosis again as I bolted up from my seat.

After a servant put down the gift box and left, I opened the letter with an uneasy feeling.

“Coronation anniversary ceremony… Two months, two months from now?”

Wondering if I had read it wrong, I read the letters again, but it was definitely an invitation to an Imperial Court banquet to be held in summer.

Usually, coronation anniversary ceremonies are held grandly the year after coronation, meaning to wish for a long reign, and thereafter held every seven years.

Come to think of it, I vaguely remembered that around this time, Cessia and Odette had headed to the Imperial Court, leaving me behind.

‘…I never even received an invitation, come to think of it.’

So wondering if that’s why I had forgotten, I was carefully reading through the letter.

【It says they sent matching outfits with your fiancé.】

“….”

【Fordicus’s birthday week is around that time, probably?】

My fingers holding the letter trembled violently.

I was so shocked that despite Marahan and Penny watching, I found myself locking eyes with Sing with my mouth hanging wide open.

【…We’d better revise the plan, darling.】

Sing also sighed as if this was an unexpected turn of events.

The letter clearly stated that they had sent matching outfits with Fordicus, so I must attend the commemoration ceremony.

In other words, Cessia would attend the commemoration ceremony with me instead of hosting a birthday banquet.

‘Am I…going to commit murder at the Imperial Palace?’

The stakes had gotten way too high.

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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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