Mad Rosetta - Chapter 88

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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 88

Land That Doesn’t Get Wet (4)

That little rascal. His fingers are quite adorable too.

Looking closely at the child’s face, I recalled glimpsing him briefly in the audience chamber.

‘…He looks much younger than Princess Julia.’

How old would he be? Three? Four? It was difficult to guess the age of the small boy who was younger than the First Princess I had encountered with Jeremiah.

It was only natural since Marmint was the only young child around me.

“Huff, Your Highness! Didn’t I tell you that you mustn’t enter so recklessly!”

“Ugh, Palpal. Let go of this…!”

…So he’s a Highness.

I wondered which family’s young master would burst through the doors of the royal palace, specifically the King’s private reception room, but it turns out he was royalty.

For a moment, I watched with an incredulous gaze as the knight hurriedly tried to hold the child and the young royal whined, trying to escape from his arms.

Perhaps he had only been chasing after the child’s heels, because the knight who finally noticed us sitting on the sofa was so startled his eyes looked ready to pop out.

“I, I apologize. To the distinguished guests visiting from Arcanis, this discourtesy-“

“Ah, I’m free.”

The knight knew well that he had committed a great rudeness, as his voice trembled while he apologized.

Though he couldn’t finish due to the child who had finally escaped from the knight’s arms.

The small, young royal who hurriedly approached and leaned toward me was quite an unfamiliar and bewildering presence.

So when I just stared awkwardly, the child asked with sparkling eyes.

“Sister!”

“…Pardon?”

“You’re the sister who came from Benatra, right? This Hazard really, really wanted to meet you-“

“Any further rudeness would be difficult to tolerate, Your Highness. Please restrain yourself.”

“Waaah. I hate Palpal! I was in the middle of greeting!”

…So what exactly is this about.

Because the knight lifted and held the child to prevent him from running away, the little one struggled and threw every tantrum he could.

‘Didn’t he just call me sister? Who did. Me?’

Father wouldn’t have sown other seeds by now… No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t think of anyone who would call me ‘sister.’

Seeing that he’s called ‘Your Highness,’ he seems to be the child of some other princess besides Mother. Then is he a cousin I don’t know?

I couldn’t hide my bewilderment as I exchanged glances with Sing once before looking at the child and knight.

“First, I apologize for the great discourtesy to the distinguished guests. I am Palamud Aun, belonging to the Royal Guard under the Terkikan Royal Family, serving Prince Hazard Kantoo. Due to these unavoidable circumstances-“

“That’s Palpal!”

“…If it would be acceptable, I would like to guide you to Prince Hazard’s reception room…”

Please don’t refuse, if only for the sake of this poor soul who’s now being grabbed by the collar.

…It seemed like I could hear those unspoken words.

“Si, sister…”

Look at that pitifully outstretched palm.

I had the trivial thought that even my heel would probably be bigger than that.

As soon as I arrived at the royal palace, I washed and dressed, immediately greeted the King in the audience chamber, and even heard all sorts of hidden stories in the reception room.

‘I’m tired…’

In short, I was in such a state of exhaustion that even taking a nap right now might not relieve my fatigue.

Moreover, no matter how much he’s a young prince of the kingdom, I hold the status of an imperial princess.

If I simply overlooked this cousin’s rudeness toward me, the child might face great humiliation later when blame is assigned.

‘…Hmm.’

Yet the reason my contemplation deepened was surely because of the child’s eyes that reminded me of the story with Mother.

– “Hmm, our little darling seems to be looking in the mirror quite often lately. What’s so unsatisfactory that you’re frowning?”

– “…Mother doesn’t understand my feelings.”

– “This child is openly saying things that make her mother feel sad. Stop the chatter and tell me, dear.”

– “You have to keep it secret from Father, okay? He’ll be hurt if he hears.”

– “You need to tell me what’s making you look so upset for me to understand.”

– “…It’s my eyes. I wish I had apricot blossom-like eyes like Mother.”

– “…Where did you hear such things?”

Was I seven years old? I think I was probably six.

I was so upset that I immediately answered Mother, who asked with a worried voice, pouting my lips as if I was about to cry.

– “At the birthday feast last time. I accidentally overheard the young lords talking, and they said that just looking at me felt like being glared at. They wondered who would take me.”

– “…How strange. Since that day, requests for meetings with our Coco haven’t stopped coming.”

– “Your expression is too scary, Mother.”

I learned for the first time that day.

That the angry face of someone with gentle features is truly indescribably frightening.

Unlike Father and me, she had clear and pale peach-colored eyes like rose quartz.

Her eye shape was naturally gentle and round, making her a woman who looked like a lamb – that was our Mother.

At that time, since the first gossip I’d heard from peers happened to be about appearance, I was only bothered by having inherited Father’s distinguished eyes.

Mother took a very deep and low sigh as if suppressing her rising anger, then sat me on her lap before speaking.

– “To come after hearing words that only worthless people would say… Coco, you seem to have momentarily forgotten how precious a gift you were born with.”

– “But…”

– “Your eyes, scattered with amethyst, are just like twilight from a fairy tale. And what about these elegantly upturned eye corners?”

– “…”

– “You don’t look naive or soft. Our Coco can show sharp authority just by standing still – you’ll become a true Benatra.”

– “…When you put it that way, I feel a little proud.”

– “Of course. An unwavering appearance is nothing short of good fortune for people in positions like you and Father.”

So it wouldn’t do to let your shoulders droop over a few worthless words, Mother said as she gently stroked around my eyes.

Mother’s gaze toward me was so warm and gentle.

Inwardly, I thought I was a little envious of her eyes that conveyed affection just by looking.

‘No matter how I look at it, they’re similar.’

I thought this as I carefully examined the child’s dejected face.

Very pale beige hair was neatly cut to match his eyebrows but slightly disheveled.

Like red ink bleeding in a ink wash painting, the child whose cheeks had reddened from anger had such a pretty face.

“…If it’s just for a moment, I suppose I could spare the time. If you’ll guide us, I’ll follow.”

I lost.

It wouldn’t be too late to get a good sleep after hearing why he calls me sister so familiarly.

Perhaps worried that I might refuse, the child’s complexion, which had been tearful, brightened noticeably, and it was quite a sight to see.

“Palpal! Sister says she’ll come with us!”

…But why ‘Palpal’ anyway?

* * *

Hazard’s room was full of various crafts and low furniture, clearly showing it was a place where a child was growing up.

Various soldier-shaped crafts matching an adult man’s height, and things like giant camel sculptures also contained the child’s tastes completely.

“You’re tired, so why did you follow? I said I could go alone.”

“She called you sister, darling. I couldn’t help but be curious about such a side of you.”

“…What’s this, it’s giving me chills.”

“I can’t miss this.”

Deliberately ignoring Sing who muttered with an almost solemn voice, I looked with tired eyes at Hazard who was patting the seat next to him.

Aren’t you a Highness?

Does the Terkikan Royal Family raise children in a free-range style without any cultivation or courtesy?

I had no choice but to bow my head low before taking a seat on the sofa.

“Let me formally greet Your Highness. I am Rosetta Coco of Duke Benatra’s house.”

“I am Fordicus Cessia of the Montague Marquess house, Your Highness. If you permit, may I sit beside you for a moment?”

“Uh, um…”

The etiquette wasn’t excessive, but nonetheless Hazard looked somewhat flustered as he alternately looked at me and Palpal, his knight.

I don’t know what signal he gave, but the child suppressed his excited mood a little and greeted with full courtesy.

“I apologize for the delayed introduction due to my excitement… I am Hazhar Kantu Terkikan.”

“….”

I hadn’t intended to intimidate him, but he’s completely shrunk down.

Feeling like an adult who had unnecessarily bullied a child, I awkwardly forced a smile to my lips.

“You welcomed us so warmly. I can only be grateful for Your Highness’s kindness.”

“Really, truly…?”

“Yes, of course. But if it’s not impolite, may I ask why you address me with a different title? Since I received no other instructions, I’d like to hear the answer from Your Highness.”

“…Ah!”

The child suddenly seemed to realize something, then immediately puffed out his chest with a triumphant expression and shouted in a confident voice.

“My mother, Her Highness Crown Princess Hanae Mirael, was the 1st Princess! Sister, you’re the daughter of the late 3rd Princess, right?”

“….”

“So you and I are cousins!”

Pride floated across Hazhar’s face as if asking ‘I explained that well, didn’t I?’

‘If she’s the Crown Princess, then she would be Mother’s older sister…’

It must have been the lady I saw with Hazhar in the audience chamber.

Setting aside the existence of this unknown cousin.

I had never heard that the Crown Princess, who was Father’s age, had such a young child, and an only son at that.

I was just thinking that Hazhar must have been raised quite preciously.

– “Even now, thinking about that time makes me dizzy. When my sisters grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and dragged me away, it was really…”

I don’t know why Mother’s utterly dizzy expression came to mind at this moment.

‘So that Crown Princess, who seemed so gentle and mild… was one of the sisters who grabbed Mother by the scruff of her neck when she tried to run away to meet Father?’

For a moment, I wondered if perhaps the free-spirited nature of this bold Crown Prince before me might be because the same blood as my mother flows through him.

I found myself thinking such self-deprecating thoughts.

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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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