Mad Rosetta - Chapter 77

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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 77

What to Be Wary of During a Hunt Isn’t Just the Beasts (8)

“Why are you saying goodbye?”

“…Huh?”

“Didn’t you say you’d have me fitted for plenty of dresses while we’re in the capital? So why are you leaving farewells here like someone who’s going away?”

When I glared at him with raised eyebrows, Sing made that stupid face again.

“I can’t miss the chance to indulge in luxury with the Montague fortune. Hurry up and get in beside me.”

“…Okay.”

“We should go to Eturaine first. I couldn’t even attend the closing ceremony, let alone wear her dress.”

“Yeah, let’s go wherever you want to go.”

I wanted to ask outright where the dejected person from just moments ago had gone.

The guy who had been sulking until now was suddenly clinging to my side, grinning and telling me to do whatever I wanted, which was so pathetic it made me smile.

Apart from the petty sense of superiority I felt whenever I discovered you losing your composure because of me.

There was nothing more unpleasant to watch than a dejected fool.

‘Come to think of it… Lady Etienne will be shocked to see this mess.’

Traveling with a fiancé who committed adultery with the younger sister who tried to murder her client.

Summarized in one line, it was the ultimate disaster.

Since she found the flattery that everyone else does to be the most difficult thing in the world, she might show her contempt for the guy with her whole body.

* * *

After I returned to Benatra, the atmosphere in the household was truly chaotic.

“Waaah! L-Lady, what on earth happened!”

“Do you know how worried we were?”

“Your body! Is your body alright?”

As soon as I got out of the carriage, I had to comfort Penny and the children who came running to me crying.

“You’ve been through a lot, Rosetta. There’s much we need to discuss… but you must be tired from the journey, so go inside and rest first.”

I had to barely suppress the urge to spit in Lianna’s face as she came out to greet me with the attendants, speaking as if she truly regretted everything.

Still, I didn’t sense any wariness toward me in Lianna’s expression, which was darkly shadowed as if everything was tiresome.

From her perspective, she probably thought my request for Odette’s treatment was better than having to bail her daughter out of prison with bond money.

‘Though I didn’t do it for Lianna’s sake.’

It made me sick to my stomach, but this incident might make her think that I, whom she wanted to get rid of, might truly be a sister who cares for Odette.

I smiled bitterly without saying much and headed to Rose Manor.

“Hmm, certainly… it seems you received proper treatment. Your pulse is stable, and the aftereffects appear minimal.”

The physician who came running with great wariness upon hearing of my arrival was ultimately relieved, saying the Montague household seemed to have provided good initial care.

However, his diagnosis that the broken ribs would take at least a month to heal and that strenuous activities were absolutely forbidden ignited the children’s determination.

‘The social season is in full swing… I can’t even hold tea parties at home. Ugh! What a waste.’

Publicly, I would be a sister fallen into despair over her beloved younger sister’s behavior, so I couldn’t easily hold even modest gatherings.

Though I didn’t welcome sympathy, I thought there was no reason not to use it, and glanced at Penny and Sara who were stuck to the wall.

All I was doing was eating fig compote brought to my room… why were they watching me with such eyes?

“…I’m not planning to go anywhere, so you can attend to other matters.”

“Supporting you is our job, Lady.”

“T-that’s right.”

Penny’s firm voice sounded like she was disciplining a young lady who constantly caused trouble.

Our Penny… she used to be as fresh as an orange and so shy.

Having a master who got involved in incidents every day seemed to make her increasingly strict.

What could I do? As a sinner, all I could do was keep my head down and diligently eat my dessert.

After sending a message to the guild with exactly two people listed, and spending several days quietly answering various letters asking about my well-being.

“Father!”

“Coco!”

Father returned to the manor.

* * *

“Are you certain?”

“Yes. I’ve continued examining her, and for now, aftereffects like tinnitus and muscle stiffness have disappeared… If she waits for the fractures to heal and focuses on health management, there should be no major problems with her daily life going forward.”

“…I understand for now. You may withdraw.”

“Then I’ll visit the Lady again after dinner.”

This is really like sitting on a bed of thorns.

As soon as Father returned, without even changing his clothes, he took me straight to his study.

He replaced greetings with a single murderous glance at Lianna, who had come out to greet him with me.

Before I could even feel pleased at seeing Lianna’s humiliating situation, I had to be somewhat tense due to Father calling the physician to sternly inquire about my condition.

“I heard early from Stilling, so I won’t ask much.”

“…”

“Setting aside other matters, is it truly fact that you defended Bonita in court?”

…He must be really angry.

Seeing that he won’t even call my name.

Under Father’s fierce gaze, I had to choose my words carefully for a long time.

In this situation, if I pretended to be a good sister by mentioning Odette’s rehabilitation, I risked being branded as a daughter without sense as well.

“Rather than defending her… I made a realistic choice, Father.”

“…”

“F-Father knows better than I do, don’t you? Even if Bonita’s crimes were acknowledged, she’d be out soon anyway.”

“So? You appealed for leniency to realistically punish her? For the child who tried to kill you? You’re saying this to your father right now!”

As soon as Father roughly struck the table once, tea water splashed everywhere.

A servant who had been standing as if invisible quickly cleaned the table and served fresh tea before being dismissed, and I could only stiffen my shoulders with my lips pressed tight in shock.

Did he think I was making excuses because I forgave Odette?

I couldn’t think of any way to calm Father’s anger.

When I couldn’t even open my mouth in the frozen atmosphere.

Perhaps to mediate, Stilling quickly explained while watching Father’s mood from behind him.

“Lady… His Grace was planning to proceed with divorce from the Duchess over this matter.”

“…What?”

“I’m not trying to blame you, Lady. However… by appealing for leniency, it appeared you intended to keep the Duchess and Lady Bonita in the household, which is why His Grace is scolding you like this.”

Hearing Stilling’s troubled voice asking for understanding, I hurriedly looked at Father’s face.

I knew that expression better than anyone – anxiety and worry mixed together, struggling to contain rising anger.

‘Divorce? He was going to divorce Lianna?’

Though I thought Father wouldn’t just let Lianna and Odette be after this incident.

Why had I never once considered that he might proceed with divorce?

Especially when I naturally expected the scandalous marriage with Cessia to head toward annulment.

‘…This is quite a setback.’

Perhaps it was my mistake in vaguely considering Father as someone I needed to protect.

Because I knew what would happen in the future. Because Father would die before me due to the Epsilon mother and daughter.

Above all, because Father’s trust in Lianna and Odette was as great as his love for me…

So I excluded Father’s authority.

Thinking it was a mistake born from the arrogance of not wanting to thoroughly involve Father in my revenge, I felt almost ashamed.

“…Even if you look at me like that, Coco, there’s no changing my mind. You wouldn’t want to make this father into someone who would sit idle with a murderer in the house.”

Due to what happened in the courtroom, including Odette’s house arrest period, the divorce proceedings would take some time.

Nevertheless, Father, who threatened that the result wouldn’t change, still seemed to think I truly cherished the Epsilon mother and daughter like real family.

“…Just how fragile do you think I am?”

“What?”

I almost confessed everything due to the surging anguish.

That it wasn’t Father who hated them enough to want to kill them, but me.

Since being emotional would reduce the persuasiveness of my words, I deliberately relaxed my body and spoke again in a calm voice.

“I have absolutely no intention of dismissing this incident as Bonita’s ‘mistake,’ and I’ve never tried to cover for her. If I had known Father was even considering divorce, I wouldn’t have appealed for leniency.”

“….”

“The only one I can call family is Father, but it seems you didn’t know that.”

Perhaps because I had acted too well all this time, Father just gazed at me with a pitying expression.

He might think that this incident had deeply wounded me and caused me to close my heart toward Lianna and Odette.

It was truly an uncomfortable misunderstanding.

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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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