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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The Meaning of Family (3)
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This time, Rosette didn’t laugh. Instead, she widened her eyes and observed the four of them.
They all looked quite good with pink hair. Isabelle, in her white dress, looked especially angelic.
Rosette unconsciously touched her own hair.
*‘Pink can be that pretty.’*
And at the same time, she realized.
*‘They must have heard me say I wanted to change my hair color.’*
It seemed her family, who cherished and loved her, had decided to change their hair color for her sake.
*‘That couldn't have been an easy decision.’*
Once again, a warm feeling bubbled up in her chest. She was tired of saying it, but moments like these made her feel deeply loved.
Seeing Rosette blush, Daniel asked gently.
“Do you feel like we’re one family now?”
“…Yes.”
Unable to contain her shyness, Rosette tapped the tip of her shoe against the floor. There was a ticklish feeling in her throat.
Lucas chattered away.
“You silly goose! We’re a family even if our hair colors are different! Right, sis?”
“Well, yes. Our late mother had brown hair, after all.”
“That’s right! If having different hair colors means you’re not family, then does that mean our mom wasn’t family either?”
“But…”
*The late Duchess Adrian was family by blood.*
Rosette, who was about to chirp out those words, shut her mouth. She didn’t want to ruin the mood by saying them out loud.
Instead, she smiled brightly and said.
“You’re right! We are a family.”
“That’s right!”
“I’m an Adrian too!”
“You are!”
Lucas, getting excited along with her, grabbed Rosette’s pigtails and swayed them back and forth. Isabelle promptly scolded him for it.
“But Dad, sis, brother. Are you all going to live like this from now on?”
Daniel smiled playfully.
“That’s the plan. Why? You don’t like it? Does it look bad?”
“No! You look amazing! Really! But…”
Rosette mumbled.
“But I like it better when Dad, my sister, and my brother go back to being platinum blondes.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s your original hair color. I like you much better just the way you are.”
Daniel smiled and replied.
“We feel the same way, Rose.”
“The same?”
“Yes. We love you just the way you are now. Your hair is as pretty as a rose, and your face is adorable.”
“Right, right!”
“I have to agree with that.”
As Lucas and Isabelle chimed in, Rosette grew terribly embarrassed. She buried her face in her hands.
But she couldn’t hide her reddened ears. The three siblings and Duke Adrian laughed out loud.
“Ugh, I won’t think about changing my hair color anymore.”
“Good! That’s the spirit, pipsqueak!”
“So please, everyone, hurry and change back to platinum blonde.”
“Look up!”
When Rosette lifted her head at Lucas’s shout, what she saw were the four of them, back to their original hair colors.
*‘This suits them all so much better.’*
Rosette smiled faintly.
“And now that I think about it, I don’t think platinum blonde would suit me.”
Daniel chuckled.
“I’m sure our little one would have been pretty with platinum blonde hair too, but pink is prettier.”
Then, he took her small hand and led her away.
“Now, let’s eat.”
“Okay!”
Rosette trotted along after Daniel.
With every step, her silky pink hair swayed gently.
***
“Father!”
It was a dinner like any other. As everyone was waiting for dessert, Lucas shot his hand into the air, waiting for permission to speak.
Seeing Duke Adrian nod, he opened his mouth again.
“I heard our youngest is doing well in her studies.”
Isabelle muttered cynically.
“Unlike someone we know.”
“Be quiet!”
Lucas glared at Isabelle, his face flushing red. Isabelle just shrugged.
“I didn’t mention any names. Why, did it hit a nerve?”
“Grr!”
“So, what is it you want to say?”
Duke Adrian mediated. Lucas continued where he had left off.
“So, what I’m saying is, how about we give the little one a reward?”
“A reward?”
“Yes! For instance, we could go out to Roam Street and buy her a present!”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“It seems the one who wants to go to Roam Street isn’t Rose, but you, Lucas.”
Caught, Lucas awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
“Anyway. Our youngest has never really been outside, has she?”
“That’s true.”
Daniel nodded in agreement.
It had been about three months since Rosette had come to the Duke’s residence, but just as Lucas said, she had never properly set foot outside the estate. This was due to how protective the Adrians were.
Interest in Rosette Adrian was still running high in the capital. Duke Adrian, worried that some harm might befall her, was extremely reluctant to expose her to the public.
However, since there was so much to see and do at the estate, Rosette had no complaints.
But it seemed Lucas had other ideas. He now began to pester Rosette relentlessly.
“What do you say, pipsqueak? Don’t you want to go outside too?”
“I don’t really…”
“What? Why? Of course you should want to go!”
Overwhelmed by Lucas’s intensity, Rosette nodded.
“I-I want to go.”
“See! The little one says she wants to go too. Please?”
Duke Adrian looked back and forth between Lucas’s expectant face and Rosette’s belatedly excited one, lost in thought.
*‘It is about time to let her out. Besides, if it’s just a quick visit to Roam Street, nothing should happen.’*
He soon nodded.
“Alright, let’s do that.”
“Wow!”
Lucas was even happier than Rosette.
“Pipsqueak, let’s do lots of fun things when we go out!”
“Okay!”
Rosette, swept up in the excitement, replied.
And so, the date for Rosette’s first official outing was set.
***
The morning of the planned trip to the bustling Roam Street arrived. After bathing Rosette, Joan helped her into a pink outing dress. It was one that Mrs. Wide had gifted her some time ago.
She had wondered when she would ever get to wear it, and now the day had finally come.
“Wow, Young Lady. You look so beautiful!”
Listening to Joan’s praise, Rosette looked in the mirror. Standing there was a young lady who even she had to admit was pretty.
Fascinated by her doll-like appearance, she twirled on the spot. Her pink hair and the hem of her dress flew into the air before settling back down.
Joan clapped her hands.
“Everyone will be looking only at you when we go out.”
“Oh, no, they won’t.”
“It’s true. Have you ever seen me lie? Well then, shall we go? Everyone will be waiting.”
“Okay.”
When Rosette, holding Joan’s hand, arrived at the first-floor hall, Daniel and Duke Adrian were conversing with serious expressions.
Rosette gave Lucas a look, asking what was wrong, and he whispered back.
“Father said something came up.”
“Something came up?”
“Yeah, so we might not be able to go.”
“I see.”
Rosette didn’t show it, but she was a little sad. It was a shame to have dressed up in her outing dress for nothing.
Soon, Daniel and Duke Adrian finished their conversation and approached Rosette.
“I’m sorry, Rose. Something urgent came up for Dad, so it looks like I won’t be able to go.”
Duke Adrian was a father who always put his children first. For him to cancel so suddenly, after they had even prepared to go out, meant that something truly urgent had occurred.
That was why none of the four children complained. Only Lucas asked quietly.
“So, are we going another time?”
Though he tried to sound casual, a deep sense of disappointment was evident on Lucas’s face.
Just then, Daniel smiled faintly.
“If you all are okay with it, how about we go by ourselves, without Father?”
“By ourselves?”
“Yes. Father gave his permission. We’ll be safe if we take a few guards, and we’ve been out on our own a few times before. It’s just with Rose added to the group.”
“That’s right! We’ve already gone out without Father before! I’ll take good care of Rose!”
“Big brother is right! We’ll listen to him and be good!”
Duke Adrian’s expression finally relaxed.
“Alright. Lucas, you must take good care of Rosette.”
“Of course!”
Following Lucas, Daniel also added.
“I’ll look after the kids, so please don’t worry.”
“Alright.”
Duke Adrian bent down and stroked Rosette’s hair.
“I’m sorry I can’t go with you. Instead, have as much fun as you want with your sister and brothers.”
“Next time…”
“Hm?”
Rosette gathered her courage and whispered.
“Next time, you have to come with us. It’s a promise.”
She cautiously held out her right pinky finger. Duke Adrian’s eyes widened, then he smiled and linked his pinky with hers.
“Yes, I promise.”
***
To be honest, Rosette was very disappointed that Duke Adrian couldn’t come with them.
However, her heart soon softened like a marshmallow. It was because of the view of Roam Street from the carriage window.
“Woooow.”
As Rosette gazed out the window, letting out an involuntary gasp of awe, Lucas wore a proud expression.
“What do you think, pipsqueak? Amazing, isn’t it?”
“Yes!”
“Cool, right?”
“Yes! So cool!”
“You’re grateful to me, right? I was the one who said we should go out.”
Noticing the subtle nuance in his words, Rosette turned to look at Lucas. He was staring at her with an expectant look on his face.
After a moment of thought, Rosette spoke.
“Thank you, Lucas?”
Lucas cleared his throat with a cough and averted his gaze.
“Well, it’s nothing.”
Daniel smiled, and Isabelle clicked her tongue.
Noticing their gazes, Rosette spoke once more.
“Thank you, Daniel, and you too, Isabelle. I’m so happy thanks to you two.”
“Seeing you happy makes me happy too.”
“Well, we were planning on taking you out sometime anyway, so you don’t have to thank me.”
Their replies were as different as they were. Though their reactions were opposite, Rosette knew that they both cared for her.
She gave a faint smile and then pressed herself against the window again, observing the scenery outside.
*‘It’s really amazing!’*
The ornately decorated buildings and the nobles strolling down the street. It was a sight she had never seen before, in either her past or present life.
At the orphanage, she wouldn’t have even dared to come to a bustling place like this, and after being adopted by the Dallas family, she had all but lived confined to the estate.
In the past, she had only ever envied Elisha, who often talked about shopping and playing on Roam Street.
What kind of things would happen here? Rosette’s small heart pounded in her chest.
