CH 20

Derivis’s bewildered expression gradually hardened.

“I have no intention of stopping this territorial war. On the contrary, I hope it happens. I just hope that the rumor about Your Highness the Crown Prince and me doesn’t reach the Marquis of Windell’s ears. It would be troublesome if he gets scared.” 

“Why aren’t you stopping the territorial war? And how did you find out?”

Rosalie didn’t answer Derivis’s barrage of questions. At the sight, Derivis sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“Damn… So this is why you made me promise not to ask you anything and to not stop you.”

His voice was full of regret as he muttered to himself and he seemed to be holding back his emotions. Derivis lowered his hand from his head and turned to Rosalie.

“What about the preparations for the territorial war?”

“I’m taking it step by step. I plan to go down to the territory soon.”

“When is that?”

Rosalie remained silent when asked again. It was a clear indication that she wouldn’t answer any further.

“Huh… I see. Today, I realized that the Duchess is even more reckless than I expected.”

“So I don’t think there’s anything Your Highness can do for me.”

Rosalie spoke firmly as she stood up from the sofa. She had no intention of receiving Derivis’s help since she had already decided to change her fate on her own. Her eyes and tone were cold, as if drawing a clear line in the sand.

Derivis, who had a serious expression, didn’t say anything in response, so Rosalie accepted it as a positive sign.

“Then I hope you return safely.”

Derivis also stood up from the sofa immediately. Every time she moved, the subtle scent of roses and the platinum-haired head that shone because it was still damp tested his self-restraint.

Before he could let go of his senses, Derivis turned and headed toward the terrace.

“Well, we’ll have to wait and see about that.”

Derivis uttered meaningful words to Rosalie and boldly jumped out of the third-floor terrace. When Rosalie looked out onto the terrace, he was already gone.

⊱⊱⊱────── {.⋅ ✧✧✧ ⋅.} ──────⊰⊰⊰

A few days later, Bianca brought a large box of candy to the mansion. The enormous size and weight of the box required two servants to carry it.

“Sister!”

Rosalie came downstairs from her office after hearing the news from Martin and ducked out of the way as Bianca rushed up to hug her. However, Bianca was undeterred and clung to Rosalie.

“If you need more candies, let me know!”

“You could have just sent the servants.”

“I came to see sister, too.”

Somehow, Rosalie had the illusion that Bianca looked like a puppy wagging its tail in her eyes. Unable to turn away someone who had come all the way to the mansion, Rosalie gestured to Martin.

“Alright. Let’s have a cup of tea first.”

“Okay!”

The two of them headed to the drawing room. Martin immediately brought out Earl Grey tea and refreshments, and Bianca chatted nonstop like a (1)fish out of water. At one point, when she was raving about jewelry and clothes, she clapped her hands and said.

“Let’s go shopping together next time!”

“Oh, I don’t think I can promise that since I’ll be going down to the territory soon.”

“Already?”

“I have some preparations to make. Once I confirm something, I’ll be going down immediately.”

Bianca, who was sipping her tea, suddenly burst into a bright smile as if she had come up with a great idea.

“Then let’s go now!”

“Now?”

“Yes! Let’s go now.”

Bianca had already put down the teacup she was holding and was getting up. Although Rosalie didn’t say anything about agreeing, Bianca had already pulled the doorknob of the drawing room.

The two of them left the mansion and visited a large dressing room with the most famous designers in the capital. The clothing room was extravagantly decorated with expensive ornaments and statues.

As soon as Bianca stepped into the dressing room, she was busy looking at the dresses on display, while Rosalie just looked at the dresses.

“Sister, look at this! It’s so pretty.”

Bianca pushed a cute pink dress with lots of frills towards Rosalie.

“It suits you very well.”

Despite Rosalie’s soulless compliment, Bianca blushed and picked out another dress. One of the clerks in the dressing room approached Rosalie, who was perusing the racks.

“How about this dress?”

In the clerk’s hand was a rich dress full of splendid jewels. At first glance, the dress looked uncomfortable to move in, and Rosalie made a face.

“It would look great on you.”

“Never mind.”

Rosalie turned her head and spotted a good-quality silk scarf. It wasn’t fancy, but she thought that the bright yellow color would go well with Emma.

“Does that come gift-wrapped?”

“Yes. Shall I do it for you?”

“Yes. I’d like to have it wrapped in yellow too, please.”

At Rosalie’s request, the clerk nodded and disappeared with the scarf. Spotting another cute dress, Bianca approached Rosalie with light steps.

“This one is pretty too, isn’t it?”

“That one would look good on you too.”

Bianca smiled and started walking around again. Looking at Bianca’s excited, childlike demeanor, Rosalie wondered inwardly, doubting.

‘She doesn’t seem like the villain in the novel when I see her like this.’

It didn’t take long for Rosalie to get an answer to her small doubts. As Bianca frantically wandered around the store, she accidentally bumped into a clerk.

“I’m sorry.”

Even when the clerk lowered their head to apologize, Bianca’s stern expression didn’t soften. Angrily, she snapped at the clerk.

“Can’t you watch where you’re going? Where are you even looking?”

“I’m so sorry, ma’am.”

Bianca remained sharp even as the clerk bowed their head once more. Seeing that, Rosalie secretly nodded her head.

‘She really is a villain.’

Another clerk who was watching the scene approached to apologize as well but ended up touching the statue next to Bianca that was modeled after an adult woman. The lightweight plaster statue started to wobble from the impact.

“Oh!”

Soon after, the statue tilted and began to fall towards Bianca. Bianca shut her eyes tightly as she watched the statue fall towards her.

“I think it would be better for the store to put these statues against the wall.”

Bianca slowly opened her eyes at the sound of Rosalie’s voice in her ears. Rosalie was supporting the statue with one arm and had embraced Bianca in the other, and Bianca blushed as she was held tightly.

“Yes! I’m really sorry! I’ll clean it up quickly!”

The clerks hurriedly removed the statue that Rosalie was holding.

“We’re so sorry!”

The clerks once again bowed to Rosalie and Bianca. Bianca started to get angry, but Rosalie stopped her.

“Now that we’ve received their apology, it would be better not to get angrier.”

“Yes. I won’t get angry, sister.”

Bianca calmed down as if she had never been angry. Rosalie avoided Bianca’s gaze as she found it hard to bear the sparkling eyes that were focused on her.

“Rosalie and Lady Bianca…?”

Sonia, who had been browsing clothes in another room in the dressing room, appeared due to the noise. She looked back and forth between Rosalie and Bianca, and Bianca frowned deeply at Sonia’s sudden appearance.

“Oh, I don’t think I ever gave you permission to use my name, Lady Amins.”

Sonia’s expression also hardened at Bianca’s direct sarcasm.

“Bianca, stop it.”

Bianca pouted at Rosalie’s dissuasion, but remembering their previous conversation, she meekly relinquished her aggressive demeanor.

“Yes, sister.”

Sonia flinched as Bianca naturally called Rosalie ‘sister’.

“Were you two shopping here or something?”

“Can’t you see it?”

Bianca’s tone still carried a significant amount of hostility. Rosalie sighed quietly then spoke up amidst the tense atmosphere.

“Sonia, I need to talk to you for a minute. Do you have a vacant room here?”

As Rosalie approached Sonia, the clerk next to them led them to a lounge located within the establishment.

Inside the room, there were small tables and chairs that were arranged. Rosalie sat down first, and Sonia followed suit, sitting on the opposite sofa.

“When did you two become so close that you went shopping together?”

“It hasn’t been that long.”

“You know that Lady Bright and I don’t get along. How could you befriend her knowing that?”

Sonia’s eyes that were looking at Rosalie were filled with sadness and disappointment. A look of embarrassment appeared on Rosalie’s face. 

“It happened because of the ball that was held sometime ago.”

“What the hell happened at the ball that night? Devi won’t tell me anything, even though I’ve never kept a secret from him. And you too!”

“I can’t explain everything yet, but I’ll tell you everything when the time comes.”

As Sonia’s eyes became teary, Rosalie gently spoke to her in a soothing tone.

“And Bianca won’t bother you anymore in the future. If you want an apology from her, I’ll arrange a meeting for you.”

Sonia’s expression stiffened as she flinched noticeably, and her tears dried up  instantly.

“How could you?” 

“The other day, Bianca told me that she would.”

“How could you, who’s never done anything I haven’t done before?”

“What do you mean?”

Sonia jumped to her feet at Rosalie’s sharp question. The smile had been wiped from her face, and only a cold expression remained. 

“Rosalie, keep your distance from Lady Bright. Just listen to my advice as usual.”

“There’s no reason to do that.”

“You’ve always listened to my advice! Why haven’t you been listening to me since the last ball?”

As Sonia’s voice grew louder, Rosalie also stood up. Sonia shut up as Rosalie’s stern face met hers. 

“I’ll say it again, there is no reason for me to listen to your orders.”

At Rosalie’s firm voice, Sonia turned around without saying anything and left the lounge. Rosalie didn’t try to stop her.

[Collection of Footnotes]

1) “A fish out of water” 

– In this context, it’s safe to say that she was being very chatty and lively, like how a fish would thrash around when brought out of the water.