Chapter 35

-ˏˋ♡꒷︶꒦꒷︶︶︶꒷꒦꒷︶꒷♡ˎˊ˗

(3rd Person POV)

Gabriel clenched his teeth, determined.

Now, he realized that there is a faint hope and that Hildea does not despise him.

‘The first dance partner.’

It was something that he wanted for himself.

In an instant, the shy and disheartened young man disappeared, and a bloody beast with a sinister look took his place.

With his sharpened eyes, anyone would be afraid to look at him.

“Did she say invitation?”

‘I need to know those candidates in detail.’

He laughed like he was growling.

‘No one will ever be able to dance with Hildea in front of me.’

-ˏˋ ━━━━━━ ʚɞ ━━━━━━ ˊˎ-

(Hildea’s POV)

‘What the hell is going on?’

I held up a pen and wondered how to manage my facial expression.

‘Then, this isn’t some kind of a socialite joke that I don’t know about, right?’

I had to seriously think about whether there are things such as curses in this world.

‘Otherwise, how could these things happen one after another? Can it be that my reputation is already this bad? But maybe it’s because these were the ones who sent the invitation first?’

“Sister, what’s wrong? Why do you look so serious?”

As I reviewed the letters with a confused look on my face, I turned my head towards the cheerful voice.

Then I found myself looking at lovely pink hair and clear red eyes.

My cute little sister is smiling like a rabbit.

“Oh, Rosé. You’re here?”

“Yeah, I finished my afternoon training. Look, Sister. Do I have some biceps in my arms now?”

“……”

Seeing her brightly smiling face, I am momentarily speechless.

‘Dear little sister.’

‘Do you want to show off your biceps like that?’

“You don’t have to brag about it… And there is something more important than that.”

“More important than my muscles?”

I waved the letter that I was holding and lamented.

“Take a look at this?”

“Um, these are the invitations sent over by those young men, am I right? Oh wait, did you already send out a letter regarding your debutante partner?”

“I did, but then this letter came back so I’m at a loss as to what to do.”

“Wait, did something happen?”

“According to this letter, yes.”

Rosé poked her head out from behind and scanned the letter, playfully pressing my shoulder with the tip of her chin. ‘So mischievous…!’

“This person has a broken leg, while the other person has a broken wrist? Ah, this guy rolled down the stairs? Hey, what is all this?”

What Rosé said while frowning was literally what was written in the letter.

Thanks to my lovely little sister who insists that if I don’t bring a partner with me, she would also attend without a partner.

But the response that came back was:

‘Are they just making excuses just so that they can reject my offer?’

‘It makes me feel bad to think this way, even if the letter is true.’

‘It feels like this happened just because I asked them to be my partner?’

‘This makes me upset because those rumors about my congratulatory remarks will only inflate further. The curse of Hillington’s first child. The possibility that I could hear something like that again.’

Biting my lip slightly, I hear a shrill laugh next to me.

“Sister, Sister. It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Rosé has always been like this.

I squint my eyes as if looking straight towards a bright sun, without realizing that my cute little sister spoke as cheerfully as if she was singing.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but don’t be like this. If you’d like, we can ride a horse together.”

‘Her bright appearance is very comforting and there are times when I envy her for it, just like now.’

“Well, the white horse that Gabriel brought is very pretty, so it’s perfect for my sister…”

“Rosé. Please don’t change the subject. What’s important now is not horseback riding. You were the one who brought up the partner issue first. Did you forget?”

“That, that.”

“Come on, sit down. Let’s talk, Sister.”

With a strict expression on my face, I grabbed Rosériel’s arm and pulled her in front of me.

Rosé had a childish expression on her face that didn’t like to hear me nagging, so she almost felt relieved for a moment.

“Rosé. Are you not going to bring Gabriel as your partner?”

“Huh?”

“There’s no way that person wouldn’t have asked you, did you refuse him? I kept my mouth shut. I thought it wouldn’t be good to say something because I was caught between the two of you, but I don’t think that is the case now.”

“Wait, Sister… Who said that Gabriel is my partner?”

I tilt my head.

“No? But you said you were coming to see Gabriel today.”

“That was before my training.”

“What did you do then when you met him?”

Suddenly, Rosé coughed.

“Ummm, jewel, hmm, hmm hmmm. Just like my sister, I also received a necklace and earrings set! So, that’s why we met.”

Then I felt even weirder.

‘Is she saying that Gabriel gave it to me first, and then Rosé?’

“But he won’t become your partner?”

“Ugh.”

For some reason, Rosé made a face that looked like she was having an upset stomach.

I wanted to say something, but I just couldn’t say it. That was why I looked a bit frustrated.

It is the most out of character expression for Rosé, who has always been honest and straightforward.

I wondered if I should ask her. ‘Why are you so close then?’

No more than that.

‘But it seems that Gabriel hasn’t asked anyone to become his partner yet?’

And it looks like the relationship between the two isn’t the same as when we were young.

Even today, when walking around the mansion, it was not the first time that I have encountered the two chatting in the garden.

‘But the way he sincerely gave me the necklace last night, it is clear that Gabriel was asking permission so that he can ask Rosé to be his partner.’

However, it would be very upsetting if Rosé suddenly changes her mind just because of what I said at last night’s dinner.

As I tried to bend Rosé’s will with convincing words, my eyes, which were full of playfulness, suddenly hardened.

“Why are you laughing so much? Is something funny? I’m just saying this because I’m worried about you.”

“As much as my sister worries about me, I also worry about you. So, you better decide on your partner first. Once you have a partner, that will be the time I’ll decide! Simple as that.”

“I was doing that, but everyone rejected me so I don’t know what to do.”

“Oh.”

The decisive answer showed no sign of changing, so in the end, I raised both hands and feet.

There are few options left for me because all of the young men that I’ve sent my proposals to have become like that.

Even if I ask some of the Knights from the Duchy, I am not yet acquainted with them, so instead…

“Then I have no more options, Rosé.”

“What is it?”

I clench my teeth.

“I’m going to ask our father to partner up with me. Then you will be partnering with Gabriel as usual. Okay, Rosé?”

“Wait, that’s not the way to do it.”

I said those words with great determination, but then Rosé puffed her cheeks as if she was not agreeing to it.

‘This stubborn girl. What else does she dislike?’

“Why? You don’t like it?”

“Sister, can’t it be the other way around?”

“What?”

‘I almost opened my mouth. If it’s the other way around, does that mean that Rosé goes with our father and I go with Gabriel?’

“Of course not. What’s wrong with you, Rosé?”

“I don’t know why it’s not normal. My Sister, Gabriel, isn’t my fiance. None of us have decided yet.”

Rosériel said something serious after a while, but then, I unintentionally snorted at her words.

Of course, I didn’t mean to laugh at Rosé, but the situation itself is very funny.

‘Look, Rosé, the letters he sent to you and me are very different and the things he sent to the both of us are also different.’

‘The expression on his face whenever he looks at me is significantly different, so who would make such a mistake?’

‘This is something extremely obvious.’

I could say those words, but I didn’t want to offend my sweet little sister, who tends to always put me first.

“I don’t want us to fight over this kind of thing. You know what I mean, right?”

As I said those words as gently as possible and waved the back of my hand, my sweet sister, Rosé, nodded slowly as if she understood what I meant.

“Then I’ll go in as Gabriel’s partner, while, um, you will partner up with Father? Is that right?”

‘I don’t know if my dad will like it.’

‘But doesn’t Rosé seem nauseous for some reason?’

Anyway, I sighed and nodded, and Rosé, who had a wide smile, ran up to me, hugged me, and whispered that everything would be fine.

‘Indeed. I don’t know if it will turn out well, but I’m glad it ended up like this.’

I sigh and stroke Rose’s hair.

Although she ran wildly, her hair, which has always been taken care of under the hands of our maids, is very fine and soft.

Rosé smiled and she clenched her fingers meaninglessly.

The atmosphere has also become relaxed, and the maid who is observing us due to the possibility of a fight between the sisters seems to be relieved.

I laugh inside.

‘There’s no way that I’m going to fight Rosé.’

‘I can’t even imagine myself being angry with Rosé, but then, why did maids think that?’

“Still, continue to practice dancing, Rosé. Your dancing skills are… It’s difficult to say, but you’re a terrible dancer. I think it would be good to just leave everything to Gabriel.”

Nothing was mentioned about Gabriel being unable to dance in the original story, so it should be fine.

“Okay then, I’ll try my best not to split Gabriel’s toe in two.”

‘Why are you suddenly changing the genre to a thriller?’

“What I mean is… Ugh, who can stop you anyway?”

Rosé clapped and laughed as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world. I sighed once more at her playfulness.

“You have such a cute little sister named Rosériel, who listens like an angel to her sister!”

“I don’t know what to say anymore.”

The afternoon of that day ended with Rosériel smiling brightly.

-ˏˋ ━━━━━━ ʚɞ ━━━━━━ ˊˎ-

(3rd Person POV)

Humble meetings are usually done in secret.

One night, in the pale moonlight, a remarkably beautiful man hardened his eyes.

There was the sound of a door opening and the clacking sound of pointed shoes.

Someone walked in front of the young man, who happened to be kneeling and praying as if it was the most natural thing to do.

“Now you’re going back and forth like you’re visiting your temple. There are a lot of eyes here, as well.”

The beautiful young man, who slowly opened his eyes while talking calmly, was the Highest Priest, Chris.

And standing in front of him.

“Who dares to say something about me?  If it weren’t for you, I would have ripped that mouth apart.”

It was Djia, the only Empress of the Mielle Empire, who was smiling gracefully.

“Come on then.”

The Empress whispered.

“Let’s listen to the information you ask for.”

(PR/N: Anyone else wondering what happened to Rose’s communication device with the servants?)

TO BE CONTINUED…