Chapter 156 - Blue Rose

Chaser’s change of heart was as foreign as water and oil. It would be more believable to say that Pudding will be a great eagle tomorrow.

However, Chaser did not open his mouth in the end.

It ended with a sting.

“No, rest. Iana. I think it will take a little more time.”

He spoke his words at will, hesitated, judged, and then went out. Before he left, he said a word.

“The rest of the items have been inspected. There will be no magical spells, no poison, no traps.”

With those words, the door closed.

Why did he look bitter from the back?

It was the lightest exit I saw in four years.

– The Black Rose is very strange, Nyang.

“I know… did he have an upset stomach?”

If I didn’t turn my words around for nothing, the heavy air left behind by Chaser would suffocate me.

What. He shouldn’t have just set the mood and left.

My gaze rested on the box he left behind.

First, I squatted down to take a look.

What was in the box was a few things. Something caught my eye among the things.

-Human, what is it, Nyan?

“Well….. A blackboard?”

I’m trying to express it as a blackboard here too.

It was a small blackboard with nothing written on it.

‘I can’t see the chalk.’

Only one blackboard? I looked back and forth.

On the back of the blackboard, a crooked rose is drawn, as if it was drawn by hand. There were also hollow grooves. I put my finger in it and it just fit.

Blue.

[Iana Rose Domulit.]

This is what Iana had before. ‘Iana’ had sloppy handwriting as if it was bad handwriting. It was in contrast to Chaser, who had a neat handwriting.

Hmm, did I use it while studying? It was when I thought about it insignificantly and put it down.

-Human, that seems a bit strange, Nyang.

“What? Chaser said there was no sign of magic? Poison or something.”

– No, it’s not….

Pudding hit me with its front paw.

-Writings are appearing, Nyang.

What? I hurriedly looked at the blackboard again. Indeed, as Pudding said, there was a faint light on the blackboard and there were letters that I could not see.

No, it was written down.

[“This is not a diary.”]

It was the same typeface as the name written on it. It was bad handwriting, but it wasn’t difficult to recognize.

[“It’s just a simple record.”]

… what’s this?

Without realizing it, I looked at Pudding.

The small cat tilted its head as if it itself didn’t know.

– Human, human. I feel a strange power here.

“A strange power?”

-It’s weird…. When there was the Black Rose, I didn’t feel it at all, Nyang. It is the power of roses.

Even Pudding, who said so, didn’t seem confident in its own words.

“…the power of the rose. Is it Chaser’s?”

No, he said it’s ‘Iana’’s….

– It’s not the power of the Black Rose. Totally different.

“What?”

Surprised, my hand slipped.

My finger tapped and hit the blackboard.

[“I’m going to hide this so no one can see it.”]

What. The text was erased and a new one was written.

“What’s this….”

I pressed it again as a test. When it finished writing, I tapped again, and another text was written.

[“Don’t let brother see it either. No, brother already knows. Does it matter? Because I love my brother? Although my brother wasn’t like that.”]

Except for the handwriting, it felt similar to a touch screen of the previous world.

[“Why didn’t you accept my love? We are strangers.”]

And I couldn’t keep up with the shocking facts that followed.

[“I have picked out only the facts from the life I have lived.”]

….Can I really see this?

Why did Chaser give this to me?

With a face that was so hesitant, not matching his arrogant disposition.

I hesitated, then tapped the blackboard again.

[“I am Iana Rose Domulit. But I am adopted. I mean, there was no blood, but everyone needed me.”

I opened my eyes wide at the words that came out.

[“I am the Blue Rose.”]

***

The day of the Imperial Banquet has come.

It was exactly the day before. We have to depart in half a day to get to the Imperial Palace.

They say they offer fancy accommodation, but I’m not interested in that.

I looked ahead and declared firmly.

“I won’t ride it.”

Then the people around me flinched and looked at me. Among them was Veronica, who was designated as my maid.

“Don’t you like it?”

Would I like it? I looked at the carriage with cold eyes.

…. A carriage led by 20 horses appeared. In the prison I had heard the story, but I didn’t expect it to look like this.

I can’t ride it because it’s flashy. This is abuse for horses.

“You’re so mean. My sister. I prepared it for a whole month for you.”

“It’s not a month.”

“…one week?”

It sounds like a week. A person who can build such a carriage overnight with one gesture.

Chaser lowered his eyes, revealing a sullen face. It didn’t work for me.

Instead, I spoke indifferently.

“…Brother, did you prepare another carriage?”

Then the sullen face smiled sweetly as if it had never been.

He took my hand and kissed it softly.

“My sister, every time you react as if you know me well, I’m in trouble.”

He buried his face in my hands and murmured.

“It’s love, isn’t it?”

Well. Is it true that the frog observing the snake is called affection?

I didn’t have to speak out.

The more this happens, the more I want to push him away, even if I am indifferent.

I closed my eyes and kept silent.

We arrived quickly at the Imperial Palace.

At sunset, when we arrived, a large number of people came out to greet us.

It was truly a landscape that showed the prestige of Duke Domulit.

At the same time, I was seized with the feeling that I was finally out on the right track.

Inside the palace, the maid of the palace was in charge of guiding the way and led me to my room.

For some reason, Chaser was with me on the way to my room.

I stopped walking and stared at him. He quickly noticed my gaze.

As if all his attention was focused only on me.

“Iana?”

“Brother.”

We both called each other at the same time, but Chaser was silent. He was telling me to talk first.

“What are the things you gave me? You said I used them before.”

“Ah.”

Chaser grinned.

“I was cleaning out the mansion’s warehouse, and it came out. I thought it would be nice to return it to you.”

“…after four years?”

I flapped my lips. There were so many things I wanted to say. But one thing had to be checked first.

Did Chaser know the hidden function on the chalkboard?

“You know, Domulit’s mansion is very spacious. It looks like someone put it there and then forgot it.”

It was a bit of a coincidence, but….

“There was a small blackboard there.”

“Blackboard? Ah.”

I looked carefully at his face.

“I see you’re talking about what you used to carry with you. You cherished it quite a bit.”

Chaser clenched his chin and rolled his eyes slightly.

“You’re the one who doesn’t show it to me.”

Just looking at it, Chaser knew nothing from his face.

“After all of your things were burned, it came into my hands. I wondered why you did this because it was a blank blackboard…”

It looked that way on the outside, but on the inside, you don’t know what it’s like.

I’m not good at fighting with brains, and I’m not even good or have talent. Most of the time, I tend to ask and answer questions honestly.

However, I gave up asking any more and turned my head. It required a lot of conversation. It won’t be too late to go back and see it again.

I’m a little tired of the long carriage trip.

“But why is brother accompanying me on the way to my room?”

Chaser bent his eyes.

“Escort.”

The maid seemed to be looking at us. For a moment, she blushed as she looked at Chaser, then skillfully regained her color.

I was reminded of his abilities. It doesn’t work for me, and for some reason, it was almost never used in front of me.

It was also a rare opportunity to see it in action.

“The Imperial Palace banquet starts tomorrow evening.”

“Huh.”

This was already known from Marshmel. Other than that, I was just hearing about all the approximate schedules.

“Originally, we gather four days before the start of the banquet and have lunch and tea parties during the day, or gather and hold a hunting party. You’re free to attend… Most of them participate. Whether it’s a lady or lord.”

I was tired, but listened carefully to Chaser’s explanation. Since I had come to an unfamiliar place, it seemed like it would be good to keep listening carefully.

“You mean I have to do it too?”

“No. It’s the other way around.”

Just then, the maid stopped her steps. At the same time we also stopped. Chaser leaned his back and whispered a little to me.

“You don’t have to do anything.”

He stood still, took my hand, and left a friendly greeting on the back of my hand.

“You don’t like being bothered or tired, don’t you?”

I wondered if it was really for me, but… what good is good, I smiled.

“You know me well.”

It was also correct.

“Everyone is very interested in my sister who has been to Kambrakam.”

“Then who gave such an achievement?”

It’s a prison experience. It wasn’t ordinary. Once again, my time has come again.

“Then, my sister, see you later.”

Chaser only went back after confirming that I had entered the room. It didn’t seem like he was going to come all the way here and spend the night in my room.

I heard he was right next to my room. I also wondered why he had to take me here.

However, each room was very large, so it was like using the entire hallway.

“All of the corridors at the east end are the spaces given down to the Duchy of Domulit. Please feel free to use them.”

The maid bowed her head deeply after explaining the room.