Mad Rosetta - Chapter 85

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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 85

Land That Doesn’t Get Wet (1)

“Ah, Lady… You must return as quickly as possible, right? You absolutely must?”

At the border crossing into Terkikan, Penny was busy sobbing as if she were sending off her lover to war.

Due to the burdensome gazes of the Terkikan Royal Guard waiting on Grandfather’s orders, I couldn’t comfort her for long, but that had made even my nose tingle with emotion just a few hours ago.

“…It’s hot!”

Exhausted by the heat, I shouted out loud from atop the camel crossing the desert.

The sunlight pierced down like an awl, and no matter how much I squinted, my vision couldn’t focus and only turned white from the sand’s reflected glare.

When traveling by carriage within the Empire, I only felt slightly motion sick… But in this desert with hot winds blowing, I truly wanted to just faint.

‘Damn… Hot, so hot. I’ve only heard about it, but other people manage to travel through this just fine.’

With such thoughts, I looked at the other camels and the Royal Guard knights.

They were definitely treating me as an honored guest, as a kind of single-person temporary palanquin with a canopy was mounted on the camel I was riding.

And what about the interior? It was equipped with silk and high-quality cushions.

On top of that, they even hung curtains on the sides to help shield from the sun.

Meanwhile, the others were traveling on camels with nothing but their own bodies…

If I openly complained in this situation, I’d obviously become an honored guest who didn’t know their place.

‘…Some kind of cooling device. This thing they gave me because I was struggling seems completely useless since the weather is so hot.’

I glared at a device that looked similar to a hand mirror and clicked my tongue in dissatisfaction.

Terkikan was a closed kingdom.

Even when they had exchanges with other countries, there were clearly defined times and scopes, so various stories circulated among the people.

The most famous among them was the reputation of being ‘a country with advanced engineering.’

There was even a saying that whenever a renowned developer or inventor from any country emerged, you should first check if they were from Terkikan.

So I had secretly hoped that perhaps I could see or take some rare devices or equipment.

Well, my expectations were dashed by this cooling device that was useless to an Empire citizen who couldn’t adapt to the terrible heat.

“Darling, you haven’t fainted, have you?”

“…Yeah. I’m hanging in there.”

“Oh dear…”

Sing, who was riding a camel in a similar setup next to me, muttered as if troubled, then tilted only his head toward me and said,

“Still, don’t take off too many clothes so your sweat doesn’t suddenly cool.”

“Huh?”

Just as I was throwing off the shawl that had become sticky from the sweltering heat, I frowned in displeasure.

In this heat, telling me not to even take off clothes – did he want to kill me? I silently criticized him for that.

Several hours later.

“…C-cold!”

Before I could even realize the sun was starting to set, the temperature dropped suddenly and I was shivering while hastily pulling the coat I’d brought up to my neck.

Hot, then cold. What absolutely damnable weather.

I had learned since childhood that the climate of the Baharada Desert terrain around Terkikan was abnormal, but I hadn’t known it would be this extreme.

From what I’d learned, there was a trade route where rivers and seas met nearby, so you suffered from the desert’s hot heat during the day and had to endure cold from fierce sea winds at night.

My teachers’ lessons were spot on.

‘But no one told me it would be cold enough to freeze to death! What kind of country is this supposed to be!’

I was extremely on edge from this ecosystem I was experiencing for the first time.

I had to keep my eyes half-closed or shut so they wouldn’t sting from the swirling sandstorms, and whenever the palanquin shook violently from the motion, I invariably had to scream noisily.

Cold wind came through the fluttering collar, making me pull it tighter around my neck, and later even the sound of my teeth chattering could be heard.

Oh right, I’d heard that you die if you fall asleep in the cold. Perhaps that time was right now…

“…Darling! Rosette!”

“Gasp. Wh-what! Why!”

“…They say there’s an encampment nearby. They said to rest there, so just hang on a little longer.”

At his gentle, worried tone, I just nodded with a sickly face.

That guy, did he know Terkikan language too?

While I had learned it more deeply than others through Mother, Terkikan wasn’t included in essential foreign language education, so it was a bit surprising.

But then again, he was someone who rose from Crown Prince to Emperor.

Naturally he would have learned many things, so I just accepted it.

* * *

The encampment we arrived at was a kind of ‘resting point’ that existed at regular intervals throughout the desert.

They said it was used for watering livestock or simple food consumption.

Perhaps because of the food and shelter, it felt like a very comfortable space to me too.

“…I have a question.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“Does everyone sleep in the same room?”

“…”

But the problem was that it was so comfortable it looked more like communal lodging than an inn.

Since encampments were mainly used by armies or merchants traveling long distances, perhaps this was natural.

Seeing the knight’s expression as he chose his words somewhat awkwardly at my question, it seemed like sleeping huddled together with others was indeed correct.

“Well. Since there are quite a few people… I think you’ll have to understand.”

The middle-aged man was the deputy commander of the Royal Guard who had come to meet us at the border, and he introduced himself as Paladin Dante Athos.

I understood that the Royal Guard was composed of forces capable of performing external missions on behalf of the King or being deployed to battlefields.

It definitely seemed like Terkikan was paying special attention to taking me there.

In this situation, I couldn’t complain in front of the person overseeing the mission, so I decided to try to smile as if I were pleased.

“Would it be too rude to say I’m looking forward to this fresh experience?”

“…No, absolutely not.”

“Then I was just asking, so don’t worry about me.”

…Those words. Perhaps I should take them back.

Or should I just smile gratefully that it’s not bare sand?

Seeing the people crowding inside the tent made me break out in cold sweat even on this cold night.

‘At least the fortunate thing is that they sent maids too.’

As a grown adult, I couldn’t share a blanket with other men.

Since Terkikan had sent two maids along with the Royal Guard, if I slept close to them, I could somehow avoid controversy.

As soon as I entered the lodging, I could feel people subtly watching me. The atmosphere was quite uncomfortable.

I had to smile brightly again, both as an appeal that I was harmless and to say please treat me well.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

…I was told no and sent away.

At their chorus-like response that they’d call me when the sleeping arrangements were ready, I awkwardly scratched my neck and left.

They say if you can’t adapt to the environment, you’ll be eliminated.

I even thought that perhaps I would be the first to die if dropped in a remote place.

As I was just wandering around nearby, Count Athos, who happened to be passing by, looked around and said,

“If you stay out here like this, it might be hard on your body.”

“…They said they’d call me when the sleeping arrangements are finished.”

“Ah… Then would you like to come this way with me first? There’s a guard post, and though it’s outdoors, it should be less cold than here.”

He too seemed awkward as he pointed somewhere uncomfortably, and I walked beside Count Athos without complaint.

We chatted a little on the way, and Count Athos said his family had been producing knights who protected the royal family for generations.

“So now even my second son is working at the royal palace. Well, he’s quite hot-tempered… I’m always worried about him.”

“Oh… Then I might meet Count Athos’s second son.”

“You’ll probably have a high chance of that. That’s because… he…”

“…?”

After bragging about his son with a smile for a while, Count Athos’s reaction was strange as he gradually trailed off.

I turned my head in the direction his gaze was pointing.

“Wandering around dangerously in the middle of the night… Why are you walking around?”

Sing had appeared at some point and was looking at us with wary eyes.

‘…That bastard. He deliberately spoke in Imperial, didn’t he?’

I should be grateful he didn’t curse in Terkikan. Or should I point out his attitude of listening when told to listen, and staying quiet when told to stay quiet…

Count Athos politely bowed once and tactfully withdrew from the scene, which honestly made me feel rather sorry.

“Why did you come out?”

“I was trying to sleep, but my dreams were so violent, you see.”

Sing narrowed his eyes as if disgusted and glared into empty air.

Indeed, the guy living in Cessia’s body looked several times more tired than when he was a ghost.

Come to think of it, when I asked him before if he slept well, I think I got a similar answer.

When I stared at him intently, a gentle voice came back.

“It’s late, so I’ll tell you next time. There’s still a lot I haven’t told you.”

“…Why do you have so many secrets.”

I said that and turned around primly as if to say ‘whatever,’ taking the first step.

Unlike before, his attitude of hiding something no longer made me feel anxious.

I acted haughty toward the guy who was busy following me with quick steps, asking if I was angry.

After spending several days crossing the desert while mingling with people, buildings completely different from the Empire finally began to come into view.

The destination of our dust-covered journey.

It was Terkikan.

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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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