-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Encounter (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rosette mumbled bashfully.
“It’s nothing, really. It’s super easy.”
“Let’s make some for Daniel and Isabelle too! And for Father!”
“Okay!”
The two children joined forces and focused on making flower rings. They had Bbi-bbi deliver the finished rings to their family in the mansion right away.
In return, Duke Adrian sent back a note that read, ‘Tell me if there's any gift you desire,’ while Daniel sent candy back with Bbi-bbi.
“Alright, this last one is for Isabelle! I'm counting on you again!”
[Bbi!]
Bbi-bbi flew off with vigor, heading for Isabelle, who was somewhere in the mansion.
“Alright, what should we do now?”
“I’m not sure.”
Just as the two children were putting their heads together, wondering what to do next, someone approached them from behind.
A sudden shadow fell over them, and Lucas turned his head to see who it was. He was startled.
“Y-Your Highness?”
Rosette was even more shocked. She whipped around, her eyes widening like saucers.
Rosette observed Joshua Ehrnhardt, who stood a few paces away.
He looked much younger than she remembered, but traces of his past self remained.
His fine silver hair shimmered in the sunlight, and his golden eyes, the symbol of the imperial family, shone brilliantly. Yet his expressionless face was stern, unbecoming of a twelve-year-old boy.
“Your Highness, I wasn't aware you were coming.”
Lucas fumbled for a moment before quickly bowing to show his respects. Joshua’s sharp gaze, however, was not on him, but fixed steadily on Rosette.
They were the eyes of a predator preparing to devour its herbivorous prey. Rosette tensed and backed away. She clenched her fist without realizing it, crushing the white clover in her hand.
“Hey, kid. What are you doing? You need to hurry up and…”
Lucas whispered to the dazed girl. But Rosette couldn't move.
It wasn't because she had never learned the etiquette for greeting royalty. Her mind had simply gone blank, leaving her unable to do anything.
Because Joshua's cold gaze was the same one that had condemned her in the past.
“I…”
If she could, she would have fallen to her knees before Joshua, weeping and begging. She would have told him that she had been adopted into the Adrian family to change everything, and pleaded for forgiveness for the past.
But Joshua didn't remember the past. So begging like that would be meaningless.
But still, how…
Rosette was frozen, unsure of what to do.
“Lucas, would you go and fetch Daniel for me?”
Joshua murmured softly. His tone was a request, but it sounded like a command.
Lucas glanced at Rosette, then disappeared into the mansion at Joshua's urging.
“I’ll go too…!”
Rosette tried to follow Lucas, but Joshua spoke first.
“You will stay here.”
*Why me?*
Rosette inadvertently looked up at Joshua, then quickly lowered her head in surprise. He had closed the distance between them in an instant. Belatedly, Rosette curtsied.
“It is an honor to meet Your High—”
[Bbi!]
As fate would have it, Bbi-bbi, having finished its delivery, flew down and landed on Rosette’s shoulder. The moment Joshua saw the little white bird tilting its head from side to side, a fire sparked in his eyes.
He muttered in a chilling voice.
“So it really is you.”
Then he asked sharply.
“Why are you here?”
Rosette didn't quite understand his question. *Does he think I'm a maid?* she wondered, and replied.
“I am a member of the Adrian family, and I was just playing here…”
“I'm asking why *you* are in the Adrian family.”
“…Pardon?”
“How could you, of all people, dare to be here.”
The moment she heard those words, filled with rage, Rosette understood.
*He knows.*
This boy knows everything she did to the Adrian family in the past.
That she killed Duke Adrian and Daniel, and that she brought the family to ruin.
How he knew didn't matter. What mattered was that he remembered a past that should have been forgotten.
“I…”
Instinctively, Rosette dropped to her knees before Joshua. Without warning, tears began to stream down her face.
“I mean, I…”
What could she say? She didn't know. She had never imagined that someone else might remember the past, so she hadn't prepared for this.
*Should I just beg for forgiveness? Ask him to spare me?*
*What in the world am I supposed to say?*
As Rosette knelt there, unable to speak, weeping silently,
“Kid! What's going on!”
Lucas, who had returned to the garden with Daniel, yelled at the scene before him. Seeing Rosette on her knees and crying, he instantly guessed what had happened while he was gone.
*His Highness must have gotten angry because she didn't greet him properly!*
Having thoroughly misunderstood the situation, Lucas stood fuming in front of Rosette with his arms spread wide, as if to protect his beloved sister from Joshua.
Rosette, on her knees and crying before Joshua! He could guess what had happened in his absence.
His Highness Joshua must have been bullying her! He probably ordered her to kneel for not showing proper respect.
Completely misreading the situation, Lucas stood fuming before Rosette. He spread his arms wide to protect his adorable sister from Joshua.
While Daniel, who had followed him, tried to assess the situation, Lucas confronted Joshua.
“It's wrong that the kid doesn't know the proper etiquette for royalty, but making a little girl like her kneel is too much, Your Highness!”
Joshua scoffed in disbelief. Daniel, finally grasping the situation, was shocked by Lucas's outburst and tried to stop him.
“Lucas, you can't speak to His Highness like that. Your Highness, I apologize on their behalf. My siblings are still young…”
“Enough. It's not the situation you're imagining, so there's no need to apologize or be alarmed.”
“Then?”
Joshua glanced at Rosette, as if telling her to explain. Rosette, helped to her feet by Lucas, wiped her tears and mumbled.
“I was just a little…”
“A little?”
“Surprised and nervous. It's my first time meeting the prince.”
She couldn't think of a better excuse, so she just made something up. It seemed to be enough.
Lucas relaxed and wiped Rosette's tear-stained cheeks. His touch was a little rough.
“That makes sense. But why cry? I was super nervous the first time I met His Highness, too. Come to think of it, you cry when you're flustered, don't you?”
“Mhm.”
“Alright, stop crying now and follow my lead. You just have to bow like this.”
Lucas demonstrated the greeting used for royalty. Daniel whispered.
“Lucas, that's the greeting for men.”
“Ah! Then I should go get Isabelle…!”
Joshua waved his hand dismissively.
“Never mind. I didn't come here expecting a formal greeting anyway.”
“Then would you like to come inside for some tea?”
“Since I'm already here, I might as well.”
Daniel led Joshua out of the garden.
“Let's go, too.”
Rosette followed Lucas, who was pulling her by the arm. She could hear the conversation between Daniel and Joshua up ahead.
“By the way, what brings you here without any notice? Did you forget to even send a servant ten minutes ahead this time?”
“I was just out for a stroll and decided to drop by…”
“It's a good thing Father is away. If he had seen you sneak over like this, he would have given you a piece of his mind, even if you are the prince.”
“That sounds like it would have been a good experience in its own right.”
“Your Highness.”
“No need to be so serious. I just came to see the youngest lady.”
Daniel sighed heavily.
“A person of your stature shouldn't be out with so few guards. What would you do if, by some chance, you were to find yourself in danger?”
“You sound just like my tutor when you say that.”
“That's because I'm saying what my father would have. And as for Rose…”
Daniel glanced back at Rosette for a moment before facing forward again.
“She seems quite shaken today, so I'll have her go to her room.”
“Do that. I've already accomplished my goal.”
“Your goal?”
“Something like that.”
“You wouldn't answer even if I asked, would you.”
Sighing once more, Daniel gestured to Lucas with his eyes.
“You, take Rose to her room.”
“Okay, I got it.”
“And don't cause any trouble.”
“What, do you think all I do is cause trouble?”
Lucas grumbled as he took Rosette's hand.
“Let's go, little one.”
“Mhm.”
Rosette walked past Joshua with Lucas and entered the mansion first.
Joshua's gaze followed her until she was completely out of sight.
***
“Kid, are you okay?”
Lucas peered at Rosette's face from inches away. Rosette pushed his face away with her palm.
“I'm… fine.”
“What's so scary about meeting the prince that you had to cry? Don't cry anymore, okay?”
“…Okay. But, Oppa. I want to be alone for a bit. Can I go to my room by myself?”
“Huh? Are you sure you'll be okay alone?”
“Yes.”
Rosette left Lucas and headed for her room. From outside, she could hear Lucas's booming voice shouting, “Isabelle! The kid was crying!”
She dismissed even Jane's attendance and curled up on the sofa. But before she could get lost in thought, Duke Adrian arrived.
“Rose, I heard from Lucas.”
He quickly approached and wrapped Rosette in a tight hug.
“You must have been very frightened.”
“I'm okay.”
“I'll speak to His Highness, so don't you worry about a thing.”
“Okay.”
With a look of pity, Duke Adrian gently stroked the reddened corners of Rosette's eyes.
“Get some rest now. Papa has to go see His Highness.”
“I'm fine, you can go.”
“Alright.”
After he left, Rosette was lost in thought.
*How does he remember? Did my magic go wrong?*
That couldn't be. She had turned back time perfectly, and there had been no penalties so far. Though she couldn't be sure about the future.
If that was the case, then something must have happened with Joshua.
But the how of it didn't matter. What truly mattered was that Joshua remembered everything she had done.
*He must have come here on purpose to see me, right?*
Joshua, remembering the past, must have been puzzled when Duke Adrian decided to adopt a child, something he hadn't done before.
Then, upon learning the child was a pink-haired girl named ‘Rosette,’ he must have suspected she was Rosette Dallas.
And he must have kept visiting the Adrian duchy all this time to confirm it.
*What in the world is he planning to do to me now?*
Rosette was terrified, having no idea how Joshua would act from now on.
