Chapter 27
When Rose was young, she went to the sea holding hands with her parents and brothers. Even then, at the port where the Etoile family’s trading ships came in, the workers laid down such shiny things in front of them. She was holding the thing her mother had specifically requested, hugging her father and kissing him on the cheek. Her brothers had a sword fight on the deck with toy swords made of ivory.
Rose rode a horse with her father, Count Jared, and marveled at the sea bathed in sunlight. A large ship floating on the sea, like a treasure ship, kept dropping strange things on the ground.
The memory was so intense that even as an adult, Rose used to get excited for nothing on the day that a ship came in. Perhaps Rose has been fond of the sea since then, and she didn’t know why she thought of that scene when she saw her things.
“……Huh?!” Rose came to her senses and turned to Freddy.
“Oh, yes.”
“Now, what are we going to do with them?”
“Oh, please move them to the drawing room next to my room.”
“Of course. I’ll go ahead.” Freddy moved as if he had something to do.
“Kyah! Stern’s best merchant family, so the scale should be different. I’ll have to go down and take a look.” Janssen stuck out his tongue and looked out the window. Rose was a little embarrassed by the huge box sent from the house. It felt like she could fill a small mansion in it.
“Oh! His Majesty Maxim told me to tell you that you will be sleeping in the bedroom next to the office for the time being.”
“The office?”
“Yes. So, while you’re all well, don’t worry about anything else and just be comfortable.”
“Ah… Okay. Thank you.” As Rose answered with a puzzled face, Janssen quickly added more words.
“Originally, even before the wedding, His Majesty Maxim lived almost everyday in the office. He’s a workaholic, so don’t worry too much about it.” Rose nodded quietly as if she understood.
*** [I was only going to send the luggage that you couldn’t bring, but at Mrs. Audrey’s order, the number of carriages was increased by two. -Your brother, Hans.]
Reading the letter from her brother delivered by the coachman, Rose went to the drawing room. She grumbled as she looked at the items sent from home one by one.
‘Why the hell did you send something like this!’ As she touched the elegant set of tables and chairs engraved with ivory roses, she murmured inexplicably. Is it for when Rose sits here leisurely and drinks tea?
“Miss, there’s something stuck here!” Natalie quickly tore off the note on the table and handed it to Rose.
[We sent you a table and chairs that match your favorite tea leaves.] It was the handwriting of her mother, Countess Audrey.
“Here too!”
[I sent you some fabrics that match the color of your favorite earrings.]
“Another one!”
[I was going to send the painting teacher you liked, but he said he wouldn’t go even if he died, so he sent all the painting tools you need.] Rose laughed involuntarily. She laughed so much that tears welled up in her eyes.
Who is Countess Audrey? She vividly portrayed her mother commanding the servants to take care of their belongings while wiping her tears with a handkerchief. And saying that she will give any amount of money to Mr. Grim. Rose remembered his face. It must have turned white when he heard that he could go to Hellavant.
It would’ve been nice for Rose to see her mother, who had been in the bedroom to see if there was anything missing or if there was anything else to send, and then came back to check the luggage one by one. Thinking of Countess Audrey, who must have been so extraordinary, it felt strange to see the glamorous objects that did not match this castle at all.
Strangely, Rose’s body began to feel energized. Her mother’s efforts to take care of Rose, when she was feeling lonely in a strange place, worked. Then a maid came into the drawing room.
“Her Majesty the Queen, the wives have come to visit you.”
“What? Who said what?” Rose looked at the maid, wondering what to say. The noble wives who were standing behind the door made eye contact with Rose and greeted her with a sly smile.
‘Why me all of a sudden?’ Despite this thought, Rose naturally accepted their visit.
“Oh my God. What is all this?” Even though the wives already knew everything, they pretended to be startled and glanced at the fancy things. The box that Rose had not yet looked at was full of jewels, gorgeous dresses, and high-end shoes, so they couldn’t look at them. It was only the best things in Solstern, so their reaction was natural.
“Welcome. I didn’t expect you to visit me.” At Rose’s words, they looked at each other and approached the table where she was. As soon as the maid came to prepare the chairs, they took a seat around Rose and sat down one by one. An awkward atmosphere flowed between them for a moment.
“…” Their eyes, looking at Rose, gleamed with a little fear and curiosity.
Occasionally, when they met in the castle, Rose greeted the new mistress politely, but Mrs. Katrina’s eyes were also on her so it was uncomfortable to treat her naturally. Sitting right in front of them like this, they looked really strange. Rose wondered why they had come to her so suddenly, or if there had been any change of heart.
“I should have invited you first, but I’m not feeling well these days.” Before Rose could finish speaking, someone trembled and opened her mouth.
“No. No. It’s amazing that you’re still enduring like this despite the annoyance of Mrs. Katrina. Eup!”
“Hmm!” The lady next to her poked her side and covered her mouth lightly.
“Haha. That’s not what I meant.”
“What I meant was that Mrs. Katrina is of northern ethnicity, so I don’t know how difficult it is for you to deal with her.”
“Every time we talk, she’s cold.” Won, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly spoke.
“I can’t believe you’re from another country.”
“What do you mean?” Rose asked again, wondering if she had heard it wrong.
“Oh, you don’t know yet? Mrs. Katrina was from the Yank.” Rosé shook her head as if she did not know at all.
“Pierre Pieri died early when he was young, and she got married again when she was going to the frontier. It was quite noisy back then. It’s the first time a Lancert married an immigrant.”
“Because the royal family values pure blood.”
“I see. I had no idea.”
“How is the queen comfortable and able to adapt to an empty throne?” She did not forget to praise Rose at the end of the conversation. The wives looked at each other’s faces and nodded slightly. Rose just sat quietly, sipping tea and listening to them. The wives, no matter who spoke first, began to tell their feelings as if a dam had broken.
When she first saw Rose at the wedding, she thought she was just a kid. She seemed to think that a woman who would finally be the rival of Mrs. Katrina had appeared. But even then, she was careful in choosing every word, as she did not completely trust her. As the names of the unknown northern immigrants appeared and the wives began to whisper old stories that only they knew, Rose felt like she was wandering on a remote island alone.
Afterwards, she hardly understood what they were saying. It was surprising, however, that Mrs. Katrina was not like the people here.
“So, I was going to connect my niece, Miss Isla, with His Majesty Maxim, but the connection is broken so she must have been upset.” Rose, who was alone in thought, heard the name of an unfamiliar woman.
“Miss Isla?” When Rose asked, the wives looked bewildered and waved their hands slightly.
“No, no. Nothing.” It was strange why she was so embarrassed and in so much panic while saying that it was nothing. Rose didn’t ask any more. Another tumultuous day passed.
*** Natalie, who was embroidering on the sofa, looked worriedly at Rose, who was leaning against the window. Rose tapped her chin with her hand and kept muttering something to herself.
Then, soon after, she shook her head, smiled with satisfaction, and then sighed again. To others, she really looked strange.
‘Why are you talking like that? The person next to you is scared.’ After the wagons came from Solstern and the noble wives left, Lady Rose was in that state all the time.
She must have felt homesick by looking at the carriages and items sent by the Etoile family?
“Miss. What do you think?” Natalie eventually put the embroidery frame down on her lap and asked.
“Huh?” Suddenly, she laughed to herself and mumbled. “It’s so strange. I’m dying.”
“Me? Did you? When?” Rose opened her eyes wide and looked at Natalie as if she didn’t know.
“Look at this. Look at this. You just covered your mouth with your hand like this! Like this! You laughed.” As Natalie mimicked Rose with her noble gestures, Rose saw it and smiled.
“I guess that made you feel better.”
“Right. I’ll smile like that. It’s better to laugh than cry.” As Natalie said so, she followed Rose and forced a smile.
At first, Rose wondered why my mother, Countess Audrey, had sent me so much stuff. She thought it was very unusual. A surprise gift from home was surprisingly effective. Seeing beautiful things and changing things around Rose with stuff she was familiar with made her feel better. Rose was finally able to escape from the uncomfortable feeling of living in someone else’s castle. It was clearly understood that she was the mistress of this castle. And if Rose had to stay here, she was determined to make it a comfortable place like her own home.
After a few days of rest, her body improved and she began to move actively.
Chapter 27
When Rose was young, she went to the sea holding hands with her parents and brothers. Even then, at the port where the Etoile family’s trading ships came in, the workers laid down such shiny things in front of them. She was holding the thing her mother had specifically requested, hugging her father and kissing him on the cheek. Her brothers had a sword fight on the deck with toy swords made of ivory.
Rose rode a horse with her father, Count Jared, and marveled at the sea bathed in sunlight. A large ship floating on the sea, like a treasure ship, kept dropping strange things on the ground.
The memory was so intense that even as an adult, Rose used to get excited for nothing on the day that a ship came in. Perhaps Rose has been fond of the sea since then, and she didn’t know why she thought of that scene when she saw her things.
“……Huh?!” Rose came to her senses and turned to Freddy.
“Oh, yes.”
“Now, what are we going to do with them?”
“Oh, please move them to the drawing room next to my room.”
“Of course. I’ll go ahead.” Freddy moved as if he had something to do.
“Kyah! Stern’s best merchant family, so the scale should be different. I’ll have to go down and take a look.” Janssen stuck out his tongue and looked out the window. Rose was a little embarrassed by the huge box sent from the house. It felt like she could fill a small mansion in it.
“Oh! His Majesty Maxim told me to tell you that you will be sleeping in the bedroom next to the office for the time being.”
“The office?”
“Yes. So, while you’re all well, don’t worry about anything else and just be comfortable.”
“Ah… Okay. Thank you.” As Rose answered with a puzzled face, Janssen quickly added more words.
“Originally, even before the wedding, His Majesty Maxim lived almost everyday in the office. He’s a workaholic, so don’t worry too much about it.” Rose nodded quietly as if she understood.
*** [I was only going to send the luggage that you couldn’t bring, but at Mrs. Audrey’s order, the number of carriages was increased by two. -Your brother, Hans.]
Reading the letter from her brother delivered by the coachman, Rose went to the drawing room. She grumbled as she looked at the items sent from home one by one.
‘Why the hell did you send something like this!’ As she touched the elegant set of tables and chairs engraved with ivory roses, she murmured inexplicably. Is it for when Rose sits here leisurely and drinks tea?
“Miss, there’s something stuck here!” Natalie quickly tore off the note on the table and handed it to Rose.
[We sent you a table and chairs that match your favorite tea leaves.] It was the handwriting of her mother, Countess Audrey.
“Here too!”
[I sent you some fabrics that match the color of your favorite earrings.]
“Another one!”
[I was going to send the painting teacher you liked, but he said he wouldn’t go even if he died, so he sent all the painting tools you need.] Rose laughed involuntarily. She laughed so much that tears welled up in her eyes.
Who is Countess Audrey? She vividly portrayed her mother commanding the servants to take care of their belongings while wiping her tears with a handkerchief. And saying that she will give any amount of money to Mr. Grim. Rose remembered his face. It must have turned white when he heard that he could go to Hellavant.
It would’ve been nice for Rose to see her mother, who had been in the bedroom to see if there was anything missing or if there was anything else to send, and then came back to check the luggage one by one. Thinking of Countess Audrey, who must have been so extraordinary, it felt strange to see the glamorous objects that did not match this castle at all.
Strangely, Rose’s body began to feel energized. Her mother’s efforts to take care of Rose, when she was feeling lonely in a strange place, worked. Then a maid came into the drawing room.
“Her Majesty the Queen, the wives have come to visit you.”
“What? Who said what?” Rose looked at the maid, wondering what to say. The noble wives who were standing behind the door made eye contact with Rose and greeted her with a sly smile.
‘Why me all of a sudden?’ Despite this thought, Rose naturally accepted their visit.
“Oh my God. What is all this?” Even though the wives already knew everything, they pretended to be startled and glanced at the fancy things. The box that Rose had not yet looked at was full of jewels, gorgeous dresses, and high-end shoes, so they couldn’t look at them. It was only the best things in Solstern, so their reaction was natural.
“Welcome. I didn’t expect you to visit me.” At Rose’s words, they looked at each other and approached the table where she was. As soon as the maid came to prepare the chairs, they took a seat around Rose and sat down one by one. An awkward atmosphere flowed between them for a moment.
“…” Their eyes, looking at Rose, gleamed with a little fear and curiosity.
Occasionally, when they met in the castle, Rose greeted the new mistress politely, but Mrs. Katrina’s eyes were also on her so it was uncomfortable to treat her naturally. Sitting right in front of them like this, they looked really strange. Rose wondered why they had come to her so suddenly, or if there had been any change of heart.
“I should have invited you first, but I’m not feeling well these days.” Before Rose could finish speaking, someone trembled and opened her mouth.
“No. No. It’s amazing that you’re still enduring like this despite the annoyance of Mrs. Katrina. Eup!”
“Hmm!” The lady next to her poked her side and covered her mouth lightly.
“Haha. That’s not what I meant.”
“What I meant was that Mrs. Katrina is of northern ethnicity, so I don’t know how difficult it is for you to deal with her.”
“Every time we talk, she’s cold.” Won, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly spoke.
“I can’t believe you’re from another country.”
“What do you mean?” Rose asked again, wondering if she had heard it wrong.
“Oh, you don’t know yet? Mrs. Katrina was from the Yank.” Rosé shook her head as if she did not know at all.
“Pierre Pieri died early when he was young, and she got married again when she was going to the frontier. It was quite noisy back then. It’s the first time a Lancert married an immigrant.”
“Because the royal family values pure blood.”
“I see. I had no idea.”
“How is the queen comfortable and able to adapt to an empty throne?” She did not forget to praise Rose at the end of the conversation. The wives looked at each other’s faces and nodded slightly. Rose just sat quietly, sipping tea and listening to them. The wives, no matter who spoke first, began to tell their feelings as if a dam had broken.
When she first saw Rose at the wedding, she thought she was just a kid. She seemed to think that a woman who would finally be the rival of Mrs. Katrina had appeared. But even then, she was careful in choosing every word, as she did not completely trust her. As the names of the unknown northern immigrants appeared and the wives began to whisper old stories that only they knew, Rose felt like she was wandering on a remote island alone.
Afterwards, she hardly understood what they were saying. It was surprising, however, that Mrs. Katrina was not like the people here.
“So, I was going to connect my niece, Miss Isla, with His Majesty Maxim, but the connection is broken so she must have been upset.” Rose, who was alone in thought, heard the name of an unfamiliar woman.
“Miss Isla?” When Rose asked, the wives looked bewildered and waved their hands slightly.
“No, no. Nothing.” It was strange why she was so embarrassed and in so much panic while saying that it was nothing. Rose didn’t ask any more. Another tumultuous day passed.
*** Natalie, who was embroidering on the sofa, looked worriedly at Rose, who was leaning against the window. Rose tapped her chin with her hand and kept muttering something to herself.
Then, soon after, she shook her head, smiled with satisfaction, and then sighed again. To others, she really looked strange.
‘Why are you talking like that? The person next to you is scared.’ After the wagons came from Solstern and the noble wives left, Lady Rose was in that state all the time.
She must have felt homesick by looking at the carriages and items sent by the Etoile family?
“Miss. What do you think?” Natalie eventually put the embroidery frame down on her lap and asked.
“Huh?” Suddenly, she laughed to herself and mumbled. “It’s so strange. I’m dying.”
“Me? Did you? When?” Rose opened her eyes wide and looked at Natalie as if she didn’t know.
“Look at this. Look at this. You just covered your mouth with your hand like this! Like this! You laughed.” As Natalie mimicked Rose with her noble gestures, Rose saw it and smiled.
“I guess that made you feel better.”
“Right. I’ll smile like that. It’s better to laugh than cry.” As Natalie said so, she followed Rose and forced a smile.
At first, Rose wondered why my mother, Countess Audrey, had sent me so much stuff. She thought it was very unusual. A surprise gift from home was surprisingly effective. Seeing beautiful things and changing things around Rose with stuff she was familiar with made her feel better. Rose was finally able to escape from the uncomfortable feeling of living in someone else’s castle. It was clearly understood that she was the mistress of this castle. And if Rose had to stay here, she was determined to make it a comfortable place like her own home.
After a few days of rest, her body improved and she began to move actively.
