Chapter 33 Part 2: Blushed Red

Rosa’s daily routine is set.

First, she sees off Cayron as he leaves the castle.

“Really.. it’s so unnecessarily big.”

Rosa’s lips pouted as she said that.

To fasten the cravat around Cayron’s neck, she inevitably has to stand on her tiptoes.

Cayron, of course, heard her small whisper.

Even though she says that, she’s not really complaining.

Rather, Cayron honestly found her attitude of trying to hide her awkwardness cute.

He slightly lowered his head.

“Is it easier?”

Suddenly, the touch she felt on her neck stopped.

Thick and soft silver eyelashes, soft, rosy lips.

They were reflected in Cayron’s eyes.

That close distance.

Suddenly, it seemed like there was no air between them.

They both held their breath without realizing it.

Then, Rosa suddenly tightened the cravat.

“Have a good day. Cayron.”

As she was about to turn around, Cayron grabbed her wrist.

And he took a step towards her as she stopped.

“Yeah. I’ll be back.”

He lightly hugged Rosa from behind.

And after patting her head, he walked away with heavy steps.

The handmaiden Reina and the head butler Hamel seemed to have become somewhat accustomed to the two of them.

They saw Cayron off with a neat expression.

“Then have a good day. Your Highness.”

‘Really. What’s wrong with him?’

Rosa was flustered inside.

Cayron is just acting.

It’s just a slight variation from what he’s always done.

Still, it’s awkward.

In moments like this, she feels like she’s really Cayron’s wife.

‘No. Why am I like this?’

Somehow after that evening.

She feels uncomfortable facing Cayron.

It’s not exactly always like that.

‘But when he touches me like this..’

She’s become more conscious of it than before.

That doesn’t mean she feels anything romantic towards Cayron.

Absolutely not.

She cried in front of Cayron and received unexpected comfort from him.

‘It was really a comfort.’

It’s a bit of a strange way, but she certainly felt stable.

The countless scars that filled his body.

Cayron has lived a much harder life than she thought.

Maybe that’s the reason why her perception changed.

From a young boy who seemed like a younger brother, he now feels like an adult.

The opposite s*x, and an adult male.

Those are not necessarily synonymous.

But even if it’s the opposite s*x you don’t care about, it’s natural to be conscious of close contact.

“Haaa-“

Rosa sighed.

It was her recent worry that Cayron would never know.

“Then Your Highness. Shall we talk?”

That’s right.

She was going to talk to Hamel.

She is the Archduchess of Elchen.

There must be tasks that only the Archduchess can do.

When Rosa asked to be informed of them, Hamel readily agreed.

“It will only take the time for a cup of tea. Still, I can’t have you stand and listen to me.. Would you mind coming to my office for a moment?”

“Sure.”

The two moved.

The office in the soft morning sunlight.

A tea set was placed on a wooden table.

Hamel started the conversation with a smile.

“Usually, the duties of the lady of the house are precisely defined.”

The lady of the house has the authority to give final approval for events such as social gatherings, to write the list of invitations herself.

She also decides which projects to sponsor with the remaining budget of the estate, and in practice, all the supplies needed for the household are managed by the Archduchess.

“Sometimes, you may plan tea parties yourself to promote friendship among prominent figures in the region or noble ladies.”

‘Promoting friendship is also a task.’

Hamel smiled slightly at Rosa’s expression.

“In fact, they may seem trivial, but they are also very important tasks. The atmosphere of the inner castle and the estate, and smooth relations with other families. Your Highness helps the Archduke, who is busy with other tasks, by fulfilling the role of the lady of the house.”

In a word, it’s no different from the word wifely support.

The act of a wife helping her husband.

What does it matter if she’s not a real wife?

Rosa wanted to help Cayron.

But as the year draws to a close.

“Is there anything left for me to handle?”

“Of course. Your Highness. There is one thing that requires Your Highness’s signature. But how about discussing it with the handmaidens?”

The document that Hamel handed over with a smile had the words ‘Lantern Festival’ written on it.

Rosa arranged a meeting with the handmaidens after a long time.

She wanted to hear more about the Lantern Festival.

“It’s been a while. Your Highness.”

“It’s the first time since the last tea party.”

The sisters Wendy and Rudy greeted her brightly.

They were wearing simple, everyday dresses.

The two sisters are also handmaidens of the Archduke’s family.

They commute because they are not Rosa’s exclusive handmaidens.

But they had heard plenty from Reina, who had been accompanying Rosa lately.

The sisters’ eyes were filled with goodwill.

Bella Isöynak.

It seems that she was not well-liked among the handmaidens.

“Really, I was surprised.”

“Such an imposing presence from such a delicate figure..”

Wendy, especially among the sisters, never stopped talking.

“It’s amazing. Your Highness. How is your skin so fair?”

Actually, she didn’t know.

Rosa’s skin was rather fairer than that of the noble ladies of the North.

It was so white and clear that at a glance, you could see the blood vessels on her wrist.

“Maybe it’s because I don’t go out much?”

When she said that, the sisters smiled vaguely.

“No way. You must have been very busy.”

“Didn’t you have that title? The flower of the social circle.”

Rosa answered.

“I didn’t go out to social gatherings much. I only made my debut in the social circle after my coming-of-age ceremony.”

The sisters were surprised as if they had rabbit eyes.

Such small talk was only for a moment.

“So. Should I just sign this document as it is?”

“Yes. Your Highness.”

Head Handmaiden Louise answered.

“When Your Highness was not feeling well for a while. The Archduke approved it in advance.”

It’s not just because of her health.

Rosa was not yet familiar with the situation here.

The document contained the amount that the Archduke’s family would spend this time, the procedures for the event.

And a list of the nobles who will be visiting.

“I see. More than that, I’m curious about what exactly the Lantern Festival is and how it’s conducted.”

The sisters Wendy and Rudy took turns answering.

“It’s a festival to end the year.”

“It’s more like a culture than a festival.”

A custom that has existed since a long time ago.

During the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the year.

People make lanterns containing their wishes and send them up to the sky.

“It would be better to tell you the origin of the lanterns..”

Head Handmaiden Louise is a middle-aged lady.

Her now-white blonde hair sat atop a gentle impression.

At first glance, she was so quiet that she seemed to have no presence, but she was someone who silently worked in her place.

Reina added.

‘The Head Handmaiden probably knows best. She’s lived in this Arnad since she was born.’

“That’s right.”

Louise nodded and spoke.

As if an elder were reading a fairy tale, the story began.

“Lanterns are very important items. Especially for lost hunters, they are directly related to survival.”

A cold, harsh winter forest.

Lost hunters wander in search of lanterns.

A faint lantern hanging on the threshold.

That itself was a symbol of salvation.

“It’s a story of the great hunter Iolard from a long time ago.”

The founder of the land of Elchen, the great Iolard, got lost in a vast coniferous forest.

Of course, it was while hunting a divine beast.

“His body was getting colder, it was dark all around, and he hadn’t slept properly for two days, so his stamina was at rock bottom. His feet, which had been walking all day, were covered with blisters.”

Just before he was completely exhausted.

He happens to find a lantern.

A lantern on the verge of going out was hanging under the threshold of a shabby hut.

Iolard swept his hoarfrost-covered gray hair and gradually approached the small hut.

“Hello. Is anyone there..?”

After a while.

Surprisingly, an answer was heard.

“Who is it?”

It was a woman’s voice.

“I am a lost hunter named Iolard. Is the master of the house not here?”

“Even if you say you’re a hunter, I don’t know what kind of person you are.”

At that time.

A white, furry animal popped out of Iolard’s arms.

It was an animal called a Brurba, whimpering and moaning.

“I understand that you are anxious. You don’t have to let me in. However, this young animal has done nothing wrong. If you really don’t want to let me in, please let the animal in. The young one is shivering in the cold.”

After a while.

The door opened.

She was a silver-haired woman, beautiful enough to be called a fairy.

“Oh my. It really is a Brurba.”

She said as if it were fascinating.

The woman knows Brurbas well.

Maybe no one knows them better than she does.

This mysterious animal never follows anyone who is not of a good nature.

However, the man who was supposed to answer is collapsed.

He confirmed that the door was open and immediately passed out on the spot.

“He’s not dead, is he..?”

The woman swept his gray hair.

Just in case, she lifted his eyelid with her hand and saw a red eye similar to hers.

Head Handmaiden Louise’s story continued.

“The woman sighed deeply and brought him inside. And she nursed him diligently for days.”

When Iolard finally regained consciousness, he offered to provide firewood for the woman as a token of his gratitude.

“Let me repay you.”

The woman, who had been strongly refusing, finally agreed when he kept pushing.

At first it was one day, then two days, four days, and a week.

The time the two spent together gradually increased.

“The two were instinctively drawn to each other.”

One hut.

And two young, attractive people.

The two became lovers.

However.

One day, the woman suddenly disappeared.

Iolard almost searched the entire forest to find her.

And he released lanterns.

Unusual lanterns made to float up into the sky.

Hoping that she would see his lanterns somewhere and respond.

Rosa was inadvertently immersed in the story.

“So what happened? Did they meet again?”

At Rosa’s question, Louise shook her head.

The weather was clearly getting warmer.

The evenings became shorter, and the days became a little longer.

Rosa’s riding practice also continued.

‘Because the Lantern Festival is tomorrow.’

She was thinking of doing a lot while she had time.

She was now at a point where she could afford to think about other things while on horseback.

Of course, Bender was by her side.

He rode alongside her to prevent any accidents.

A few days ago, Rosa heard an impressive story.

It was about the origin of the Lantern Festival.

The word meaning mirage, Istasia.

It was the name of the destroyed capital of Elchen, and at the same time, the name that Iolard longed for.

In the end, the two never met again.

The great hunter Iolard longed for her until the day he died.

However, the ritual of floating lanterns continued even after his death.

If it just ended like that, it would be too tragic a story.

But some time after his death, there was a sighting that was passed down.

A beautiful woman with silver hair appeared in front of his tombstone.

She stood there for a few days with a sad expression, then left a single flower and suddenly disappeared.

[Depending on the interpretation, it could be a tragedy.]

Louise said.

[But there is also this view. His wish to remember and float the lanterns was carried on, and they were finally able to meet even after death.]

The Lantern Festival held here at the end of every year contains the story of those two people.

It was a ritual containing the belief that someday, wishes will be fulfilled.

Rosa felt a slight ache in her heart.

‘Was I weak to this kind of thing? It’s a story that could be anywhere.’

Certainly, the origin of the Lantern Festival was a story she had never heard before.

Probably, in the original work, the origin was omitted and it was just used to create the atmosphere.

‘But it’s a shame.’

Rosa knew one fact.

It’s a fact that doesn’t need to be said again, but she’s a transmigrator.

Of course, she knew the twists and settings of the original work roughly.

‘Cayron is a descendant of Iolard.’

Jet-black gray hair, cool red eyes.

Overwhelming combat power and the ability to regenerate wounds.

He is the first hunter, and the last great hunter.

A descendant of the hunter Iolard.

The king who will rebuild the fallen Elchen, and the legitimate bloodline to walk that path.

And he ends up with the female lead of the original work, Freya.

She has radiant, sun-like blonde hair, unlike Istasia, who has pure white silver hair.

‘It’s a shame.’

If she were the author.

She would have made both main characters reincarnations.

‘So Iolard and Istasia would meet again.’

That would be a little more of a happy ending.

Of course, Freya was not the reincarnation of Istasia in many ways.

Even the described personalities are very different.

“Shall we stop here for today?”

In the meantime, she had completed one course.

The horse she had become close to, Lactea, wagged its tail and led them back to the stable.

“Thank you. Bender.”

Then she went to the pure white foal.

It’s still a small foal, so the surrounding fence is also quite low.

“Good boy.”

Rosa brought the back of her hand through the gap.

A rough tongue licked the back of her hand.

“Oh my. It’s dirty. Your Highness.”

Bender was at a loss for what to do.

“Shall I bring water to wash your hands?”

Reina was also restless.

Still, Rosa just smiled.

“It’s okay. It’s Ron, after all.”

“Ron..?”

Suddenly, such a voice was heard.

“Have you come. Your Highness.”

Cayron was in the stable.

Rosa asked.

“What are you doing here so early?”

“I wanted to see you.”

Cayron said that without even blinking.

“Oh my, my.”

Reina covered her mouth with her hand.

Rosa threw a piece of grass that was next to her at Cayron.

Of course, the grass fell to the ground powerlessly.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Just answer.”

Cayron chuckled and approached, standing next to Rosa.

“Just finished work early. I went to the outer castle courtyard, but you weren’t there.”

“I’m quite used to it now. Horseback riding.”

“So what is Ron?”

Cayron’s attention was there.

“This foal’s name.”

“Ron..?”

It was a simple name, literally his nickname split in half.

But a foal having a person’s name, no one would be happy about it.

“Aren’t there many other names?”

“What?”

Cayron answered.

“Like Whitey, or Jjongjjong.”

“What is that?”

Rosa laughed.

“Whitey is one thing, but what is Jjongjjong?”

“Because foals bounce when they run.”

Seeing Rosa, who was holding her stomach and laughing, Cayron scratched his head.

He didn’t mean to be funny.

“Dinner. We’ll eat together, right?”

“Yes.”

Rosa nodded.

She already seems to be quite close to the foal.

Cayron suddenly wondered about one thing.

“Lactea and the foal I gave you. Which one do you like better?”

Rosa didn’t even worry.

“Well.. The foal you gave me? Lactea is pretty too, though.”

“Of course.”

Cayron was satisfied.

He took Rosa’s hand.

Rosa was surprised.

“Oh, my hand has Ron’s saliva on it.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

It’s not a big deal.

Cayron had no intention of letting go of Rosa’s hand.

And so the evening before the Lantern Festival and the wedding night passed.