Chapter 77

The trio stopped at the same time as they heard the sudden call.

Startled, Alicia clung onto Rosetta by her sleeve.

As they looked up at the tree where that sound came from, the stranger’s voice shouted once more as though welcoming them.

“Here, over here!”

The owner of that voice was found to be sitting on a thick branch of a tree, waving at them.

Without a veil on his face, there was nothing covering his features.

Thanks to this, the man’s pale, platinum blond hair and blue eyes, which had the shade of the summer sky, could clearly be seen.

‘Blue eyes…’

Rosetta confirmed the man’s eyes and searched her thoughts.

In this world, House Valentine was known for their golden eyes while House Carter was known for their red eyes. And, there was another household known for those azure eyes.

It was the ‘Duchy of Freesia’, one of the three pillars of the empire.

Right, that man clearly hailed from House Freesia.

Rosetta raised her eyebrows.

In the middle of those slightly raised eyebrows, there was a small crease on her forehead.

If it was someone from any other noble household, they would have been able to pass by without acknowledging him. However, since that man was someone from a duchy, it was impossible not to greet him.

The veil that was covering her face was just a mesh fabric that was see-through, so he must have already noticed from which family she was from.

While Rosetta thought about many things, the man still continued to wave.

Every time he waved, the leaves hanging from the branches shook along with his movements.

Then, when the branch he was sitting on shook dangerously, the man stopped waving and blinked.

Slowly, he held onto the branch with one hand and leaned forward.

With an awkward smile, he spoke.

“Um… Ladies of House Valentine. It’s a coincidence that we met here, but may I ask for your help?”

‘I knew it.’

Rosetta let out a small sigh when he said ‘Ladies of House Valentine.’

She only thought that he might have noticed, but it was only a guess earlier.

“…What’s the matter, Young Duke?”

Rosetta replied lightly.

“It’s just… I came to help a cat because it looked like it couldn’t go down, but I couldn’t go down myself in the end because it’s scarier than I thought.”

“…Cat?”

Hearing the man’s trivial reason, Rosetta looked at his arms.

Sure enough, there was a cat in his arms just as he thought.

It was a cat that had bright blue eyes and black fur, but it was trembling as though it was terribly frightened.

Perhaps he felt Rosetta’s gaze, but the man gently patted the cat’s round head.

“Shall we help you go down?”

“Ah, yes. Please do, Princess.”

“…May we call someone else then?”

“No. Um, it’s just…”

The man trailed off, shaking his head awkwardly.

He glanced around for a moment, then he spoke in a whisper as though it was a secret.

“Can’t you just help me personally?”

“Pardon?”

Bewildered, Rosetta asked back. However, the man just bit his lower lip.

All Rosetta thought was that this man had no shame.

“I mean… I feel like people will laugh at me if they find out I shouted, ‘Please help me get down from this tree!’ And especially during a funeral…”

Well, he was at least still thinking about his family’s reputation.

After he whispered these words, the man smiled.

It looked like the bashful smile of a shy young man.

‘I wonder if he doesn’t think it’s shameful to ask me.’

Of course, Rosetta wasn’t moved by the boyish smile or anything.

‘You shouldn’t have done something shameful in the first place.’

Rosetta pushed down the cold criticism she had against the man. She nodded.

It was a reluctant yes.

Noticing this, the man smiled broadly.

Truthfully, it wasn’t that difficult to help a man down from a tree.

She just didn’t want to be entangled with anyone else anymore, and all she needed to do was ask someone else.

“Maxwell, help him.”

Rosetta whispered towards Cassion. At this, he bowed and soon approached the tree.

The tall Cassion climbed the tree effortlessly.

In just three moves, he reached the branch where the man was sitting. Then, supporting the man from the side, he jumped down to the ground with him.

There was a slight recoil, but that was all.

When the veil was raised for a moment, the expression he had was nonchalant and calm.

Cassion steadied the man on his side.

Blinking in surprise, the man burst into laughter and thanked Cassion.

With his unoccupied hand, tap tap, the man dusted off his wrinkled collar. Then, he stood in front of Rosetta and Alicia.

“Thank you, Your Ladyship. You definitely helped me save face.”

“It wasn’t anything difficult, well. In the future, please ask someone else to do it. Don’t go up there yourself.”

“Yes. I only did it this time without realizing it. I shouldn’t even look at a tree that I can’t climb.”

As he answered, the man scratched the cat beneath its chin.

“Other people should be the same, too. So that they won’t make the same mistake as me.”

Right, Butterfly?

The man muttered to the cat, petting its face.

As if answering him, the cat mewled pleasantly.

Alicia, who had been standing behind Rosetta all this time, peeked out when she heard the cat.

The eyes that were looking at the cat were sparkling brightly.

The look on her face was obviously saying, ‘I want to pet it, even just once.’

Noticing Alicia’s interest, the man raised his head.

He looked between Alicia and the cat alternately, then he chuckled softly. Then, he held out a hand with the cat on it.

“Would you like to hold it?”

“…H…Huh?”

Caught peeking, Alicia stuttered.

“Would you like to pet it?”

The bewildered golden eyes shook greatly.

She was very confused at that moment, but it still seemed like she wanted to hold it.

However, she didn’t have the courage to come close to a stranger.

When Rosetta noticed this, she held Alicia’s arm and whispered quietly.

“Try and hold it. When would you ever have the chance again?”

Her long eyelashes were quivering.

However, soon enough.

Alicia slowly held out her hands, which seemed to be shaking just as much as her nerves were.

“Then… please.”

At the timid woman’s small act of courage, the man smiled and gave her the cat.

Holding the cat in her arms now, Alicia smiled shyly.

For a moment, the man was dazed. But then, he turned to Rosetta and gulped dryly.

“Um, thank you again for helping me, Your Ladyship. May I ask for your name?”

Somewhere along his words, there was a hint of nervousness.

Rosetta turned away from Alicia, then she looked at the man.

The warmth that had been on his expression disappeared.

She glanced at the man with a subtle expression, however she soon drew a smile on her lips.

“I am Rosetta Valentine. This is my younger sister, Alicia Valentine.”

“Oh, yes, I am Alicia Valentine.”

She was busy petting the cat, but she bowed slightly and introduced herself.

With a loving gaze, Rosetta glanced towards Alicia. Then, she spoke once more.

“The one who helped you is my escort knight, Maxwell.”

“I am Maxwell, sir.”

Cassion also stepped forward and stood next to Rosetta, introducing himself.

As he moved, the drooping veil shook as well.

After the three introduced themselves one after another, the man slowly repeated the names in his mind.

‘Rosetta. Alicia. Maxwell.’

And, again. Rosetta.

While he silently repeated the name in his mind, a short period of silence stretched between them, but the man eventually gave his belated introduction.

“I am Daniel. Daniel Freesia.”

Daniel Freesia?

“…The youngest brother of Duke Freesia…?”

At the mention of the name ‘Daniel’, Rosetta confirmed the information she knew about him. In return, that man—Daniel—nodded.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“…Aha.”

Daniel Freesia.

The name rang a bell amidst the real Rosetta’s memories, and it was also a name that could be seen many times throughout the original novel.

He didn’t have a major role in the novel, but he was famous for being the very youngest member of House Freesia.

He was the youngest brother of the current Duke of Freesia, and he’s been ill since birth.

His entire family thought him to be praiseworthy for even just being able to breathe and stay alive thus far. That’s how much their love for the youngest continued.

Their affection for him began when he was still young, and it hadn’t changed even in the present day even when he was nearing the age of adulthood.

And this wouldn’t change in the future either.

In any noble household, when one of the siblings had taken up the position as the head of the family, it was only natural for the others to become independent and take on different titles. However…

As he occasionally appeared as a minor character in the novel, Daniel continued to live in the duke’s residence even after he came of age.

Still with the title of ‘Young Duke’.

It was as if the duke couldn’t cherish his youngest brother enough. It was the duke’s choice to coddle Daniel.

‘Well, it’s a good thing I helped you out.’

With this, Duke Freesia was going to owe her a favor, so this wasn’t that bad.

Since she helped the youngest sibling, couldn’t she ask for their help later?

She didn’t know if such a day would come, but she was willing to take any opportunity that would come her way.

“Ouch!”

As Rosetta was immersed in her thoughts of Daniel for a while, a small exclamation suddenly rang out from behind her.

The owner of that small yelp was Alicia.

Rosetta turned around in surprise.

Her silver hair fluttered in the air as she moved.

“What’s wrong, Alicia.”

“Sister…”

Alicia wept, clutching the back of her hand. The cat that had been in her embrace earlier was now nowhere to be found.

However, she still saw the retreating figure of the black cat as it disappeared into the shrubbery.

It seemed to have run away after biting Alicia’s hand.

“Are you alright? Let me see it.”

Rosetta anxiously examined Alicia’s hand.

Drops of blood emerged from the soft skin.

Seeing the brilliant pigment that contrasted with her pale skin, Alicia soon became tearful.

Because she had long-standing memories of being abused, she was very afraid of pain.

Rosetta rummaged through her pockets to find her handkerchief.

Before she could, Daniel held out a handkerchief of his own.

Alicia’s moist eyes turned towards Daniel.

He looked at the back of Alicia’s hand anxiously, then he spoke cautiously.

“For a moment, may I?”

“What?”

Instead of explaining, Daniel offered his hand along with the handkerchief.

Rosetta didn’t stop him.

She knew what he was about to do.

There were three noble households that were the pillars of this empire.

Among them, House Freesia was the family that reigned over ‘divine power’.