Chapter 6 Part 6: Their Childhood

1.  (6)

He suggests they go on a trip.

Rosa does.

“Suddenly?”

“Yeah, to celebrate becoming an adult.”

Caron thought he misheard and doubted his ears. But Rosa was already listing the places she wanted to go.

“I want to go to Maryland in the south, where the seawater is pink, and I want to see the village of pygmies who build houses out of mushrooms.”

Just talking about it made her so excited that Caron, for a moment, found himself wanting to go too.

‘Ah…’

Suddenly, Caron realized.

The reason why Rosa was so excited. He understood. She had been frail since childhood and mostly stayed at the mansion or the villa.

Suddenly, Caron felt like a scumbag for wondering about this amidst all that.

“..Just the two of us?”

But he couldn’t help it. He was curious.

“Of course?”

Rosa looked at him strangely, as if asking why he was asking the obvious.

“It’s better to have fewer people. That way, we can move around freely without any restrictions.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

Caron said.

“Do you know how dangerous it is to travel with just the two of you?”

And a man and a woman at that.

Of course, Rosa didn’t catch the multiple meanings in that sentence.

“Then we’ll just stick to safe places. We’ll only travel on main roads during the day and stay in good accommodations.”

“We can’t always travel like that. What if we run into bandits or robbers?”

“Then, Caron, the apprentice knight, will protect me.”

That was true. Although he wasn’t really an apprentice knight.

“And don’t underestimate me. I’ve learned some self-defense.”

As if to show off, Rosa kicked her legs. Her legs, stretching out into the air, looked quite agile.

“How about that?”

Her naivety was so absurd that Caron couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

“..It’s a good kick.”

“So, we’re going, right?”

Was there even a need to 고민? He was just a very busy person.

But as Caron was agonizing over his schedule, he heard a sentence that made him snap to attention.

“If you don’t want to, it’s fine. I’ll just go with someone else.”

“I’ll go.”

Caron quickly responded.

“Just tell me exactly when and where.”

“About that.”

Rosa looked up at the sky. The red shadows of the sunset had already stretched to the ground.

“Let’s talk about it next time we meet.”

She stood up first.

“Hmm..”

And after smelling the red rose in her hand, she gave it back to Caron.

“Take it. I feel bad receiving it when I didn’t give you anything.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“Actually, I don’t think I should be the one receiving it.”

Caron looked like he was asking why. Rosa answered with a playful smile.

“So. You should give this to a girl you like later.”

The words were so sudden that Caron couldn’t say anything.

“See you next time!”

Rosa disappeared into the villa, waving her hand.

Sigh-

Caron let out a faint sigh. He was used to this by now.

‘Should I be more obvious..?’

Thinking that, Caron left the small villa. They had parted ways a little earlier than usual today because he was busy.

‘I’m used to this gaze too.’

The gaze that followed him from the villa.

Of course, they were people Count Anencia had put on her for her safety, so Caron didn’t pay them any mind.

As expected, as soon as he left the small village, the gaze that followed him disappeared.

He entered a small forest quite a distance from the village.

Clang-

A sword fight was taking place there.

A dozen or so armored knights clashed against each other relentlessly.

Clang-

A sharp energy flowed from the tip of the swords. Dust rose from the ground, and the surrounding air vibrated.

It had only been a short while ago that they had conquered the north with their lord, the second prince.

If an ordinary person saw this, they might tremble in fear.

That’s how elite these knights were.

But as soon as Caron entered the forest, all movement stopped.

“Your Highness.”

They bowed their heads in மரியாதை.

Looking at them without any particular emotion, Caron said expressionlessly, “Let’s go.”

The knights began to move in unison.

Caron looked towards the Eckshire villa, holding and releasing the rose in his hand.

As always, only a deep sense of longing remained.

But that was only for a moment.

His expression turned cold again, returning to that of a prince.

Jet-black, ashen hair, cold red eyes. The expressionless second prince of the empire.

Cayron Winslet.

He was Caron Huiswen only in front of Rosa.

Only she in this world could call him that.

‘I’ll come back again.’

So, leaving behind a vow that Rosa wouldn’t hear.

Caron slowly turned his horse towards the setting sun.

A few days later.

Rosa doubted her ears in broad daylight.

“What..? I must have misheard.”

It was just two weeks before the second prince’s victory celebration.

Thud-

The count put down the teacup he was holding and smiled gently.

“Rosa, my dear daughter. If you understood my words to mean that you should bring a fiancé, then you heard correctly.”

“No..”

She was utterly flustered.

“You’re joking..”

Of course, he wasn’t.

Having observed him for the past few years, the count was definitely not the type to joke about something like this.

“I say this after much deliberation.”

As he said, there was a deep furrow in the count’s brow. After agonizing over it for days and nights, he had come to this decision.

His daughter was not young. And the count knew about the boy his daughter had been meeting for years. He had even found out the boy’s identity two years ago.

‘Now, whether they get together or break up, one of the two must be chosen.’

That’s right. The family also needed to prepare themselves mentally. If Rosa married the second prince, the Anencia family would also have to enter the political arena.

‘And the second prince’s power…’

It wasn’t firmly established yet. Although his influence had been growing recently, the first prince was still dominant.

He could have stopped them from meeting in the first place. It would have been easy.

If they lost the fight for the throne, the consequences would be dire, but the reason he hadn’t stopped his daughter was solely because of the importance the boy held for her.

He knew how healthy and happy his daughter looked when she met the boy at the villa.

So, pretending not to know everything he knew, Count Anencia wanted to know only his daughter’s heart.

“Bring someone you like before the year ends. I will try my best to reflect your wishes, but I can’t make any promises if you exceed the deadline.”

The count said with a stern expression.

“..Father!”

Rosa stood up in a fluster.

“Keep in mind that both I and you have many options.”

The count held out a pile of invitations to Rosa.

This many even though she hadn’t made her debut in society.

Rosa’s face turned pale.

It was two weeks before the second prince’s victory celebration.

The sky was a deep crimson. Beneath it was a vast expanse of green. The Anencia estate, located in the northern part of the empire, had long been famous for its oat production. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that there were more windmills than houses.

When harvest season approached, this area would turn golden. Just looking at the windmill blades turning like pinwheels made one lose track of time. But why did those motionless blades seem so forlorn now?

Perhaps it was because of the worry she was harboring.

“Sigh~”

Rosa sighed. Sitting alone on a hill near the mansion, she was lost in thought. A magnificent view of the vast oat fields spread out beneath her eyes, but for some reason, the scenery didn’t quite register with her today.

‘Father was definitely serious…’

It wasn’t as if she hadn’t talked to the count these past few days. She had asked him to reconsider, that she wasn’t interested in relationships yet.

But each time, the count firmly shook his head.

“Rosa. I’m saying this for your own good.”

The emotion evident in his expression was clearly one of concern and worry.

“This is something you’ll have to face eventually anyway.”

The count stroked her hair with an affectionate touch.

“Think about it. You are quite unique among your peers.”

Indeed, that was true, as a noble’s debutante was held around the age of fifteen. From then on, they were treated as de facto adults in high society, and marriages between families were most active during this period.

It was different from the world she had come from. In this world, especially among nobles, it was unusual to be nineteen and not have a fiancé.

“I understand.”

In the end, Rosa answered like that, and the count emphasized one last thing.

[Remember, Rosa. Your will is the most important.]

But the meaning of those words didn’t quite sink in.

Perhaps she had forgotten. Her current status.

Even if she avoided marrying the second prince, she would eventually have to marry someone.

It was a matter of importance for the family rather than an individual’s will.

This was a world where the terms “marriage trade” and “marriage alliance” existed.

So, although Rosa had planned to prepare to leave home as soon as the second prince’s marriage was announced, that too was difficult to realize at the moment.

Realistically, there were many difficulties. She had to persuade those around her, and she needed a foundation and reason to support that persuasion.

‘Bring a fiancé…?’

Of course, there wasn’t one. Because she hadn’t met any men during that time.

‘..Why?’

Rosa was still puzzled. The count had readily understood when she said she didn’t want to go to social gatherings. He truly loved his daughter and was a father who respected her wishes.

Of course, that didn’t mean he wanted his daughter to remain single forever.

That was the heart of a parent.

In the end, Rosa stood up without resolving any of her worries. Just then, a faint citrus scent wafted in the wind.

“Rosa.”

Someone had come to find her.