Mad Rosetta - Chapter 78

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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 78

What to Be Careful of During a Hunt Isn’t Just Beasts (9)

“But this incident has made one thing clear. Just like with Bonita, there might be another spark in this household, so it would be wise to be cautious.”

“…Certainly. I thought it was something we needed to keep in mind. Damn it, it feels like just yesterday we replaced all the attendants… How do these things keep happening in our household?”

Perhaps it was the sin of unknowingly bringing in impurities. But it was better to swallow words that would only make me feel worse if spoken.

I looked at Stilling, who was suggesting that we tighten security further and restrict the attendants’ activities outside their duties for the time being.

‘Until now, I thought I should suspect Stilling just like Lawrence, but…’

His attitude of actively supporting the divorce from Lianna was one thing.

Seeing how he presented various measures to prevent any possible mishaps, it was difficult to view him as a minion of the Epsilon mother and daughter.

Having decided to trust him, I spoke quite firmly.

“Father, you should have Stilling accompany you in all your daily activities for the time being. When you eat, and even when you go to bed.”

“…I’m grateful not to be suspected, but don’t you think this is excessive treatment for me, Lady?”

Despite Stilling’s disgusted reaction and Father glaring at him disapprovingly, I replied coldly.

“If you do this, Stilling won’t be able to avoid responsibility if something happens to Father.”

“…Lady?”

“Hey, hey. Coco?”

“So to avoid being involved in a disgraceful incident, won’t you serve my master with utmost sincerity? You will, won’t you, Stilling?”

When I smiled brightly and took a firm stance, Father and Stilling just exchanged glances with uncomfortable expressions but didn’t offer any particular refusal.

Since crazy people were running rampant in the household, it was beneficial for us to be thorough about everything too.

It was the moment I was about to bring up the topic of the marriage arrangement with House Montague.

“Duke, this is Lawrence. May I intrude for a moment?”

After a couple of knocks and Father’s permission, Lawrence entered the study.

He surely knew we were having a serious conversation, yet I couldn’t understand why he came despite reading the room.

‘…I’ll be able to find out something about you when I visit the guild soon.’

As I glared at Lawrence with that thought, he handed Father a letter while sending a worried look.

“I didn’t want to interrupt your time together… But it seemed urgent, so I had no choice but to come.”

“This is…”

“It’s from the Terkikan Kingdom.”

…From Terkikan?

I put down the tea I was holding due to a strange uneasiness, and Father seemed to have the same thought as our eyes met.

We knew this fear.

Even so, I didn’t like that Lawrence knew the contents of the letter in detail, so I told him he could leave and sent him out of the study.

“Ah, Father. It’s from the King, right? Yes? What does he say?”

“…”

“…It’s not, is it?”

Father’s expression, maintaining consistent silence, was gloomy beyond contemplation.

I hurriedly went to Father’s side and snatched the letter, and soon realized our anxiety had been justified even without reading it at length.

⌜To His Excellency, the esteemed Duke Benatra.

Though we reside in a distant foreign land, we of the Terkikan Royal Family, who have always prayed for the peace of the Empire and the ducal house, have recently learned of the precarious situation of Rosetta Coco Benitra, the eldest daughter of the late Princess Tabena Ariela, and are in deep shock and dismay… (omitted)

…Therefore, the Terkikan Royal Family judges that it can no longer tolerate the ducal daughter being exposed to the Empire’s political threats. We hereby officially notify through this letter that the ducal daughter will henceforth be placed under the protection of the Terkikan Royal House.⌟

‘…Wow, this is screwed.’

The Duke’s inadequacy as a guardian. A letter stating that since they couldn’t stand by and watch the royal bloodline be lost again, I should be entrusted to Terkikan.

In short, it was ‘Hand over my granddaughter.’

“…They say they’ll send a personal letter to the Imperial Palace soon too, Father.”

“…I saw that too.”

Looking at Father who was staring blankly into space as if his soul had left him, I smiled awkwardly but soon pondered the seriousness of the situation.

Certainly… Terkikan’s justification was reasonable.

They had sent a princess to the Empire for marriage, but she met a sudden death. The fact that a royal descendant faced assassination threats within just a few years was enough to break their trust in the Empire.

‘But this side isn’t without justification either.’

The fact that I was currently the only direct descendant of the ducal house, called a pillar of the Empire, alone could allow the Imperial Palace to raise the issue of succession.

Additionally, the ongoing marriage arrangement with House Montague would also serve as an excuse.

Since it was a union between prestigious houses, it was politically very significant, so the Imperial Palace could express their position.

The problem was that the justifications both countries presented were truly reasonable, so if handled poorly, there was a risk of it becoming a spark for conflict.

“What will you do, Father?”

“What do you mean what will I do. First, I’ll send a reply… Um, I’ll go see His Majesty the King…”

“…”

“…I guess I’ll have to grovel after all.”

As if facing his fate directly, Father’s voice carried a certain resignation.

I had heard enough to know that His Majesty the King didn’t view Father favorably, as he had served as a negotiator during past conflicts between the Empire and Terkikan.

Besides that, with all the trouble Mother caused – climbing through windows while talking about love, drilling holes in castle walls…

Due to Mother’s many incidents, Father’s position as a son-in-law was truly rock bottom.

– “Coco, you probably can’t remember… but your grandfather is truly a frightening person. Yes, so scary. I might cry as soon as I meet him, you know?”

– “What are you saying to the child, Soivan?”

…Well, it seemed his reluctance toward his father-in-law wasn’t entirely due to that reason.

Moreover, knowing that he had practically severed ties with his in-laws after Mother’s passing, I made up my mind and spoke.

“I’ll go.”

“?”

“To Terkikan. I think it would be better if I went to meet His Majesty the King.”

As soon as I said I wanted to meet my grandfather at least once anyway, Father’s expression hardened grimly.

“I forbid it.”

“…Father.”

“Absolutely not. Have you forgotten what your situation is right now? Who knows what might happen if you go all the way to that distant foreign country… I absolutely cannot allow it.”

“Then this might escalate into a diplomatic issue between the two countries. Perhaps to prevent conflict, the Imperial Palace might eventually allow me to be entrusted to them.”

“That problem is for this father to handle-“

“You’re hated by His Majesty the King.”

I couldn’t quite say I had no intention of hurting him at all.

I had learned that suppressing the opponent’s spirit was also one of the useful methods in the process of persuasion.

More than anything, I was curious about the face of this grandfather who supposedly handled other people’s fathers like catching mice.

“I’m not saying I don’t understand what you’re worried about, Father. So please organize a reliable knight order for me, and um… It would be good to request Terkikan’s protection from the border.”

“…Who did you take after? Your stubbornness seems to grow day by day.”

“Haha, you know, don’t you?”

When I smiled with my lips curled up high, Father also smiled faintly as if remembering Mother.

He always yielded to Mother, so there was no way he could win against her daughter.

‘I don’t even know how long the schedule to go to Terkikan and back will take… It would be better for Father to focus only on the divorce proceedings.’

Even if Lianna luckily accepted an amicable divorce, as long as Odette was a minor, the mediation period alone would take over three months.

Since it practically overlapped with Odette’s house arrest period, it was better not to expect Lianna’s side, who benefited from dragging out the time as much as possible, to cooperate.

Not to mention the procedures that became even more complicated due to the leniency I had requested.

‘Good grief. Solve one thing and another problem erupts elsewhere… I can clearly see Sing throwing a fit.’

If there was one thing I could view positively, it would be that there was now one more justification for delaying the broken engagement with Cessia, besides the Empress Dowager’s pressure.

For now, my marriage would have to be maintained if only to prevent the Terkikan Kingdom’s entrustment matter.

“Um, Father? So what I wanted to tell you is…”

Facing Father’s expression that seemed to ask ‘what now?’, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

He hadn’t been particularly fond of Cessia since childhood, so what should I do about this?

I had to smile as cheerfully and leisurely as possible, anticipating Father’s renewed indignation.

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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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