"Sigh..." Roseliel let out a long breath, leaning weakly against the carriage window.
The day had been an absolute ordeal. Right now, every bone in her body was protesting, crying out for her bed. Even her golden hair seemed to have lost its usual luster, drooping lifelessly against her head.
Despite her immense distrust, Lucia had grudgingly allowed her to join the investigation for Seraphin's sake. However, given how late it had gotten today, the group decided to continue tomorrow.
For Roseliel, the hardest moment had actually already passed. She naturally knew full well who the true culprit was, as it had all been clearly explained in the game. From here on, she only needed to follow the game's progression to pass this hurdle.
The main reason she went to find Lucia was to make use of her status and strength.
Certain words would carry far more weight and credibility if spoken by this representative of the Holy See.
"My Lady, we have arrived," Luna's voice spoke from beside her ear.
Finally home.
"Mm," Roseliel answered weakly. "Hey, Luna, can you carry me inside?"
She asked half-jokingly.
"If you do not mind..." Who could have guessed that the other girl wouldn't refuse?
Roseliel, halfway through sitting up, instantly froze in place, the tips of her ears flushing slightly red.
She glanced at Luna out of the corner of her eye, only to find the girl looking completely unbothered, her expression as calm and routine as ever.
It was as if "carrying the master back to her room" was genuinely part of a personal maid's job description.
Having had zero connection to maids in her past life, Roseliel had no way of knowing whether that was actually true.
Right now, she only felt intensely embarrassed. No matter how you looked at it, her soul was that of a corporate worker nearly thirty years old. Being carried by a beautiful teenage girl...
Isn't that actually awesome?!
After tiring herself out all day, couldn't she enjoy herself a little?
"Luna is the absolute best~" She showed a bright smile and reached out both arms toward Luna, looking like a cat that had finally been offered food.
As Luna stepped closer, Roseliel naturally wrapped her arms around Luna's neck, surrendering her full weight to her. One of Luna's hands supported the side of Roseliel's waist while the other slipped under her knees, lifting Roseliel steadily in a textbook princess-carry.
So thin, so light.
That was Luna's very first thought.
Through the thin fabric, her hand against Roseliel's side could clearly feel the contour of her ribs. Nestled in her arms, Roseliel felt weightless, like carrying a kitten or a puppy.
The arrogant, high-and-mighty young lady of ordinary days was actually this small...
Luna felt a momentary daze.
Roseliel's head rested naturally against Luna's collarbone. The golden tips of her hair brushed softly against Luna's neck with the gentle breeze, tickling slightly. The young lady's eyes were half-lidded, as if she really had fallen asleep.
Luna felt some of her perceptions regarding the young lady shift slightly in her heart.
"What's wrong?" asked Roseliel, noticing that Luna had remained frozen in place.
Held in a princess-carry, Roseliel's lips were extremely close to Luna's ear. That weak, weary voice floated into Luna's ear, flushing the tips of her ears red as well.
"It's nothing." Luna took a deep breath. "Let us go."
Moonlight fell quietly over master and servant. Silence enveloped their surroundings, broken only by their alternating breaths—one light, one heavy—intertwining with each other.
"Luna, tell me the truth... am I pretty heavy?"
"Th-That is not true at all! Why would you think that?"
"Because I can feel you panting heavily! It clearly feels like you're hauling something heavy! Plus, you're walking so slowly, and your hands seem to be trembling. Are you tired? Put me down, I'll walk myself!"
Saying that, Roseliel squirmed, trying to break free from Luna's embrace.
Was her unusual behavior really that obvious? Luna was somewhat surprised, but she subconsciously tightened her arms, securing the young lady firmly in her embrace.
The vast gap in physical strength between the two quickly settled Roseliel down. Pouting her lips, she glared at Luna with an unhappy expression.
"I was just overly nervous. My apologies," Luna said softly to the person in her arms. "We will be inside soon."
...
When they were just a few steps away from the mansion, Roseliel still insisted on Luna putting her down. After all, it would be far too embarrassing if someone saw this.
She straightened her ruffled collar, pushed open the main door, and stepped inside. However, just as she turned past the foyer, she almost ran headfirst into two servants rushing by in a hurry.
"What is it? Rushing around in such a panic late at night," Roseliel asked with slight displeasure.
"My Lady, you are finally back!" One of them hurriedly approached upon seeing Roseliel.
"The envoy from the Ramazi family has been waiting for you for a long time. We did not know where you had gone and sent people everywhere to look for you."
The Ramazi family? Who was that?
Roseliel searched her memories from her past life, but came up empty.
"Word is it concerns your betrothal...!" the other servant added in a low voice.
Hearing this, Roseliel finally remembered.
Oh, right. The original villainess seemed to have a betrothed—a staple for any noble daughter in this kind of work.
However, since background details like this had zero connection to the main storyline, Roseliel hadn't bothered to memorize them at all.
In the original game, after Roseliel died, the engagement naturally fizzled out into nothing. But now that she was alive, things were likely to be much more troublesome.
"..." She fell silent for a moment, then turned to the two servants. "You two go tell that envoy that I'm dead."
"Huh?!"
"Is this the hospitality of the Rosenwal family?" a caustic voice sounded from the side. The two nearby servants hurriedly bowed their heads and stepped aside.
Roseliel turned her head to look. A man around forty years old walked out from the side parlor. His hair was meticulously combed, a monocle rested over his right eye, and he wore dark formal attire. Standing with a stiffly straight back, he gave off an exceedingly rigid impression.
"Who are you?" she asked in an annoyed tone.
"I am Fitch Douglas. I presume you are Miss Roseliel," he said with a slight nod, a meaningful smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
"My Lady, this gentleman is the envoy sent by the Ramazi family..." the servant beside her whispered in reminder.
Fitch was in no rush to state his business. Instead, he unhurriedly scanned his surroundings before letting his gaze settle on Roseliel. "As a noble—and an unwed lady at that—to return home at such a late hour. No wonder your reputation in social circles is so dismal."
"Did you come all the way here just to say this?" Roseliel stared at him, her tone calm.
Luna, standing to the side, felt it. This calmness was identical to the composure the young lady had shown this morning before heading to the Holy See alone. Beneath the surface, dark undercurrents were surging.
Fitch let out a contemptuous laugh. He bowed slightly and said in a faux-polite tone, "Miss Rosenwal, in light of recent events, I hereby formally propose on behalf of the Ramazi family that we annul your betrothal to our young master."
"If this offends you, I apologize. On behalf of the family, I offer our regrets."
At those words, Roseliel's eyebrows raised slightly.
What a classic engagement-annulment scene!
Still, it didn't particularly exceed her expectations. When disaster struck, everyone fled for themselves. Her engagement to the Ramazi family was merely an extremely traditional political marriage, devoid of any personal affection. Staying allied with her right now would likely bring immeasurable negative fallout to their family, so requesting an annulment was entirely logical.
"Oh." Thus, her response consisted of only that single word.
That's... it?
Fitch found it hard to believe his own ears.
Before Roseliel arrived, he had envisioned countless possibilities. He had expected her to use her noble status to suppress him, to painstakingly weigh the pros and cons with him, or even to throw a tantrum and weep like an ordinary little girl.
He had prepared thorough contingencies for every single scenario, except he never anticipated her response would be a simple, ordinary "Oh."
This was practically an insult to him and his family!
"Let me reiterate, Miss Roseliel," he said, adjusting his monocle before continuing. "Taking into account your current reputation, after thorough discussion within the family—including consulting the young master of Ramazi—it has been unanimously decided that your engagement will be annulled."
Hm, it must be that this young lady, who is still just a child, fails to realize the severity of the situation and thinks I am joking with her.
So he thought to himself.
He deliberately slowed his speech, pronouncing each word clearly, staring fixedly at Roseliel's face to see if he could catch even a sliver of panic on that delicate little face.
"I'm neither deaf nor stupid. There's no need to say it twice." Roseliel raised her head to glance at him, her expression and tone completely flat.
"You've said your piece. You may leave."
What bullshit betrothal? She didn't give a damn. Right now, all she wanted was to fall into a passionate sleep with her bed.
"Ha, haha, hahahahaha!"
Unexpectedly, Fitch suddenly burst into laughter, making no attempt to hide his derision.
"I have long heard of the Rosenwal family's famous 'Blue-Blooded Daughter,' and seeing you today proves the rumors true." After laughing, he raised his chin slightly, looking down at Roseliel like a conqueror.
He took a step forward, his voice neither loud nor soft, yet sharp enough to sting: "Across the entire royal capital, every noble lady and gentleman who ever had ties with you is frantically trying to prove their innocence, attempting to erase every trace of their connection to you! The gifts you once gave them have been dumped in heaps like trash. I do not wish to speak too rudely—"
He reached out a hand, pointing straight at Roseliel.
"—but in social circles today, you are nothing more than a rat crossing the street!"
Roseliel stared at him, her fingers clenching slightly into fists.
"You said earlier that I was rude. Is this your idea of courtesy?" Roseliel's voice was frigidly cold.
"Courtesy is reserved for nobles. As for you... heh." He sneered. "In a few days, you'll probably be reduced to wallowing among commoners."
"You..." Roseliel suddenly paused. She tilted her head, wearing an expression of earnest contemplation. "My apologies, which family were you from again? I really can't seem to remember."
"You!" Fitch was stunned with anger. Composing himself, he declared, "The Ramazi family! The pillar of the kingdom! The wealthiest family in all of Leonis..."
"Whatever your family is like doesn't matter at all," Roseliel interrupted him relentlessly. "Perhaps that family achieved a few things in the past, but today, they have made the most foolish decision in their history."
She no longer maintained her composure, hiding none of the fury in her words. Her azure-blue eyes locked dead onto Fitch, like a tiger watching its prey.
Slowly pacing over to stand before Fitch, she continued, "And very soon, they will pay the price for this mistake. Perhaps my hands are tied right now, but once all of this settles..."
"I will wipe that family out of this kingdom forever."
Fitch's lips twitched. Before he could retort, Roseliel spoke again: "By the way, which hand were you just pointing at me with? Your left hand? Or your right?"
She smiled faintly—a smile colder by far than Fitch's sneer a moment ago.
"Forget it... it doesn't matter."
"I will chop off both of your hands and let the stray dogs on the street taste what a noble tastes like."
Rate on N.U.
