Chapter 4

When Calyx regained his senses in a hurry, she was also staring at him. As if she knew from the beginning that he was watching. Roselyn’s eyes were shining in the dark corner of the hall.

Calyx took a step and slowly approached Roselyn.

“Our mother is back. She wants us to have lunch together.”

Roselyn was pleased. But he’s sure it was the word ‘lunch’ which she set her mind on, not ‘mother’. When Calyx reached out his hand, Roselyn grabbed his hand and stood up.

“Calyx, let’s go together.”

‘Let’s go together’

Automation. He gave a bitter laugh. It was an amazing learning speed.

* * *

“Are you okay?”

Asked Alter, Calyx’s assistant, in an uninspired voice. Prior to the luncheon, Roselyn changed her pyjamas and went into her room to tidy up her hair. The two men stood nearby in the drawing room. Alter was looking at the wood pieces of the Othello board on the table.

He was wondering if Calyx wanted to play a game, but he was only drawing a heart with the black pieces.

He couldn’t figure out what he was doing.

“The eldest daughter of Count Red Wheel was missing, and I didn’t even know. She was hurt, but I didn’t know. She came back, but I didn’t know. You don’t even want to reveal anything right now, do you? You must be very disappointed.”

The Countess of Red Wheel, Edelweiss, only heard about her daughter’s disappearance two days ago. The six days while Roselyn was missing, then while Roselyn was treated at the County of Dry Thorns, and also when Roselyn returned to the County of the Red Wheel, Edelweiss did not know anything.

She was staying at the Count Red Wheels’ villa, which overlooks the sea off of Esther. Although she had no particular illness, the Countess was there for more than half a year, under the name of recuperation because she fell down and was sick frequently.

Carlyx recently learned that Edelweiss had collapsed.

Under the circumstances, he couldn’t say to his mother that her daughter was missing and he was preparing to hang white cloth for the funeral.

He delayed it day by day, saying, “If you find Roselyn, you should contact me. If you think she will live, you should contact me. If she can come home, you should contact me. And if she opens her eyes, you should contact me.” He delayed telling the Countess until three days ago, and only reached out to her two days ago.

Of course, when delivering the news, he left out all the details about her escape from death and the dangerous situation, saying only: “something unpleasant happened at the hunting grounds, and so she is at home resting her mind and recuperating.”

It was clear that she would faint if she was told the truth.

“You didn’t even talk about that?”

“What.”

“The Lady’s hair…”

Carlyx’s blue eyes shined darkly. Alter thought that Roselyn’s hair was…Well…If there’s a word to describe it, it would be ‘strange’ at the very least. But Calyx looked like he would murder anyone who spoke otherwise.

“….Her hair…..is a little…uh a little cute.”

“….”

Calyx was silent. Alter read the affirmative message from the silence. A sigh of relief came out. The road ahead was full of many tribulations.

Roselyn soon finished changing her clothes.

Although she was still bandaged in places, her sleeves were long enough to keep it almost hidden. The small scratch on her face was not much different from what she always looked like, while working as a knight.

The scattered hair was neatly arranged together, and a dress was worn. She had not looked this well-put-together in a long time. Calyx and Alter’s gaze scanned her body from top to bottom and stayed focused on her feet covered by the dress. A quick-witted maid lifted Roselyn’s dress slightly.

They nodded at the fact that she was wearing shoes. Well, she’s finally wearing shoes.

“My lady looks perfectly fine!”

Calyx’s elbow hit Alter’s side hard.

Alter fell over, gasping in pain. Carlyx trampled him, stepping over his writhing body on the floor and reached out to Roselyn.

“Shall we go, sister. Our mother is waiting.”

“Yeah, Calyx.”

After a full week, the changes were amazing.

Unlike her first day which consisted of short conversation, she began to regain her former self at an alarming rate. It was a surprising development to be able to speak out words, even though it was a woman’s way of speaking. She also constantly changed between honourifics and informal speech, randomly, depending on what she heard that day.

The butler praised the family, saying, “We have an unlimited number of geniuses”. Carlyx thought the atmosphere in this family was really extreme. Even so, she was still lacking a lot.

She was like a child who just repeated what she could hear.

Her vocabulary was at a level that other people would feel that something was strange. However, she was a soft and quiet person since long ago, she should be able to pass through a single, short meal with a simple answers.

No, she had to.

“What if she talks to you?” (Calyx to Roselyn)

“Yes, or no.” (Roselyn)

“What about when you eat”?

“I’ll use a fork, knife and a spoon.”

“You’re good to go.”

Looking at Roselyn’s confident expression, Calyx entered into the room where their mother was.

The chandelier, where the light scatters, is brilliantly situated in the skillfully decorated dinner hall, all planned by the Countess. Roselyn was glancing around the room in a raucous manner.

Calyx hugged a brunette woman as she stood up. She, in turn, hugged her son, whom she had not seen in months. She soon hugged Roselyn, grabbing her face looking at every detail.

“Our Rose. Your face is so damaged. Are you still very sick? Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“What’s with the lady’s face? I told you to quit the Knights, that’s what I said to do.”

“No.”

As soon as he met up with his mother, she exhausted both of the prepared answers. Calyx cut in quickly and arbitrated between the two.

“Mother! Thank you for coming all the way! You must be tired. Please, take a seat first.”

“Yeah, yeah. I was nagging at the sight of my sick child. Let’s sit down.”

“Yes.”

Roselyn answered very well.

‘If someone says something, you have to answer it.’

‘What I said had a tremendous effect. My sister seemed to never forget once she has been taught.’

While it was an strong-handed, short-term education, Roselyn could soon use her fork and knife well. Carlyx looked at the gains made through his tearful efforts. But Edelweiss, who remembers the old Roselyn, seemed to think she was lacking in a lot of ways.

Though she didn’t outright say anything, Edelweiss was slightly frowning and expressing some discomfort.

Roselyn opened her mouth too much, and the sound of chewing food was loud. If Roselyn had not been injured and recuperating, she would have heard a few reprimanding words.

Clatter. The sound of Roselyn dropping her spoon reverberated through the quiet space. Edelweiss’s brow twitched.

Calyx gave the sight a sigh. He had planned to slowly inform his mother about Roselyn’s condition, but now he thought she would have to be ready for the truth.

“Mother.”

“What’s wrong, Calyx.”

“I have something to tell you.”

“Yes, let’s start talking, but before that. Rose?”

Roselyn with food in her mouth replied, “Yes.”

Her reply caused Edelweiss’s face to frown.

“How… such… such a senseless act!”

It seemed like she wanted to say that right away.

“She just goes out every day, like a knight, getting hurt. Do you know that this mother of yours is always worried and anxious?”

“No.”

Calyx closed his eyes. His sister’s honesty struck him. Edelweiss was puzzled, so he added in a hurry.

“Mother, my sister…”

“No, I’m sorry. But you must have been disappointed that you were away from home. You’re a child from my own stomach, how can I not worry, Rose?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t know how surprised I was to hear that you’re hurt again. Even if you broke your arm, this child would go to work and never take a break. And so I was wondering what sort of event would cause this child to take a rest at home.”

“Yes.”

“So before I left the villa, I looked everywhere. It’s time for you to start a family too…”

“Mother!”

Calyx jumped to his feet.

It was a subject she was always worried about, but it was not something to say to his sister who survived from the brink of death.

Of course, it may be natural for parents to wish that their daughter marries into a safe house without having to wield a dangerous sword. But not once did Roselyn want that.

The two clashed repeatedly because each other’s ideals were so different. In the days when women were knighted, women could become merchants, and women wielded swords, Edelweiss was too old-fashioned. Edelweiss’s homeland was the Kingdom of Lagos, which even had the longest reign of queens compared to any other country on the continent.

“I don’t think you should talk about it now.”

“Someone would think I’m telling you to get married, Carl. Who told you that she should meet a potential candidate right now? I’m telling her to take a break and meet him when she feels better. What is this? How could this mother not pick a good person? He is a young Count at 31, and he is very good at business and has presence and a great character. I told him I had to go back to Esther, and he gave me a precious jewel from the East Continent. When they get engaged, he’d make it into a ring and our Rose would—”

Edelweiss couldn’t finish her words. It was because of Roselyn, who continued dine bravely even though her mother was talking to her. To be exact, her method of eating was the problem.

The audience was silent at the moment when Roselyn picked up the bread that had just fallen on the floor and ate it deliciously.

Calyx covered his face with his hands, making a rare, painful sound, and Alter, who was watching from behind, bowed… shaking his head.

Come to think of it, certainly at the time of table manners training, there was no instance of telling her not to eat what has been dropped on the floor. Calyx didn’t even think that such education would be needed in the first place.