TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 88
A sunny morning in the Capital.
Waking up earlier than usual, I put on my familiar Butler’s Attire and headed toward the kitchen.
-Tap tap tap.
While descending the stairs, I heard the sound of a chopping board being struck from the kitchen. Along with a humming tune, I saw the back figure of a Lady skillfully wielding a knife, prompting me to quicken my footsteps.
“Good morning, Rosanna. But… why are you cooking?”
Rosanna, wearing an apron and cooking in the kitchen, looked at me and smiled brightly.
“Why are you up so early? You should sleep more.”
“I usually wake up at this time.”
“Really? You live quite diligently.”
Rosanna said as she poured finely chopped King Oyster Mushrooms into a frying pan greased with oil.
“I wanted to cook for the first time in a while.”
“You could have asked a servant to do it. Why go to such trouble?”
“It’s homemade food, Ricardo.”
Rosanna smiled again and focused on cooking, while I quietly washed my hands and assisted her.
From the King Oyster Mushrooms and finely minced meat, I could deduce what Rosanna intended to prepare for breakfast. It seemed like risotto was on the menu this morning. I stationed myself in a corner of the kitchen and took charge of washing the rice.
“Oh… you’re helping?”
“Actually, I was planning to prepare breakfast, but I didn’t expect you to be here first, Rosanna.”
“Rosanna? Just call me Mother-in-Law comfortably.”
“You’re taking the joke too far.”
Rosanna let out the characteristic laugh of a noble and playfully tapped my shoulder with her fist. Responding to her affectionate jest, I offered a small smile in return.
Only the sounds of washing rice and knife skills filled the kitchen. A brief silence lingered before I cautiously spoke up.
“Rosanna…”
“Yes?”
“Do you not resent us?”
Thud. The sound of Rosanna’s knife skills, which had echoed in my ears, came to an abrupt stop.
It wasn’t a question I asked lightly. While last night had passed amicably, I thought it might not have been the same for her.
The position she should have held.
The events caused by us.
The fact that she, who should have reigned as a beast in high society, now had to be mindful of others wasn’t something that could be resolved with a mere apology.
I was curious about her true feelings regarding something deeper, something that perhaps couldn’t be forgiven.
Having no family myself, I couldn’t understand her decision.
As the awkward atmosphere made my mouth dry,
Rosanna spoke in a slightly heavy voice.
“I do.”
“…”
“I resent you very much.”
“Back then, I didn’t even think about seeing your faces. I wondered if the household would collapse as it was, and I even considered restarting my life as an adventurer.”
Rosanna resumed her knife skills as she spoke.
“But when I saw your faces, those thoughts disappeared. Especially when I saw Olivia unable to walk—it broke my heart.”
From Rosanna’s expression, focused on cooking with a bittersweet smile, I could sense the warmth of her character.
Standing there blankly, I spoke to her, my voice calm yet tinged with doubt about whether this was enough to resolve everything.
“Still… we…”
“Ricardo.”
Rosanna gestured with a kind smile.
“Could you bring me an onion?”
Understanding Rosanna’s action as her way of saying not to ask further, I lowered my head. Though I had lived a life without family, I felt as if I was beginning to understand its value.
“Understood.”
And just as the cooking was nearing completion,
-Air Raid Alarm!!!
-Empire Emergency!!!
The faint echo brought smiles to our lips.
“Pfft!”
“Young Lady!! Ha…”
Rosanna and I seemed to share a mutual understanding.
*
“Mmm.”
“Mmm.”
The father and daughter sat at the dining table, rubbing their sleepy eyes. With risotto containing mushrooms and hot soup before them, they continued to rub their drowsy eyes.
I placed knives and forks in front of the Young Lady and Darbav and greeted them with a bright smile.
“Good morning, Young Lady, and Head of the Household.”
“…It’s not morning.”
The Young Lady, with sleepy eyes, looked at the dawn-streaked sky and yawned. To her, waking up an hour earlier than usual must have made the world seem like midnight.
“The world has ended.”
“No, you’re just sleepy.”
The Young Lady nodded off as she greeted us.
“Olivia!”
“Mmm!”
“How can you doze off at the dining table? And you too, Devotee!”
“…Snore.”
Darbav had fallen asleep with his head on the table. Perhaps because they were father and daughter, their behaviors showed many similarities.
Letting out a deep sigh, Rosanna grabbed Darbav’s cheek and shook it. Though it might seem disrespectful to treat the Head of the Household this way, it was fitting, so I said nothing, instead mirroring her actions by grabbing the Young Lady’s cheek and shaking it as well.
“Ack!!! It’s tearing!”
“Please wake up.”
“Ah… I got it. Ack!”
With their heads wobbling, the Young Lady and Darbav greeted the morning.
Both of them, now sporting swollen cheeks, picked up their spoons and took a bite of the hot risotto.
“Oh!”
“It’s delicious.”
Their eyes widened as they sparkled with delight. Rosanna and I exchanged small smiles and nodded.
“I’m glad it tastes good.”
“Indeed, it seems to taste better because Ricardo helped.”
“Not at all. It’s because of your excellent cooking skills, Mother.”
“Hohoho. Did you just call me Mother? My, how sweet.”
“…”
Rosanna’s teasing was mischievous.
After the chaotic meal,
With their stomachs full, the Young Lady and Darbav sipped on the cocoa prepared for dessert, their expressions turning serious.
“Father.”
“What is it?”
“What are you doing today?”
“I’m going to relax.”
The Young Lady’s eyes widened.
“…Father, are you unemployed?”
Darbav, wearing a faintly bitter expression, nodded. Like a man who had lost billions, he lowered his head with a wry smile.
“Yes, didn’t you make me unemployed?”
“Sorry…”
“It’s fine. It’s nice to have a break for once. I could live like this forever.”
Listening to their conversation, Rosanna let out a deep sigh and spoke to Darbav.
“Dear.”
“Why call me? Your unemployed husband?”
“You should have said you took a day off today.”
“…Not funny.”
Darbav, with a regretful expression, spoke to the Young Lady, who had teary eyes. Feeling guilty for making her Father unemployed, the Young Lady nodded at the mixed affection and regret in Darbav’s eyes.
“Father is rich, so he doesn’t need to work.”
“I’m unemployed, so I can’t work…”
“That’s… enviable.”
In that moment, Darbav blurted out his true feelings.
Contrary to Darbav’s words, the Desmond Family was rapidly recovering from their fallen status. The Eldest Son Kyle, who had inherited Darbav’s talent, was growing the family’s business at an astonishing pace, and Darbav was also regaining influence within the Empire.
While it wasn’t as glorious as the Golden Age the Desmond Family enjoyed two years ago, they had at least recovered financially to their former state.
In other words,
it meant that the busy Darbav had taken a day off for the Young Lady’s sake.
Relieved by the assurance that her Father wasn’t unemployed, the Young Lady looked at Darbav with Bright, Shining Eyes.
“Father… you’re not unemployed?”
“That’s right. The world won’t leave someone as great as the best Head of the Family in history alone.”
“Oh…”
Olivia’s respect for her Father grew. Satisfied with her reaction, Darbav spoke to the Young Lady with a Satisfied Smile.
“In that sense, how about going out with Father after a long time? Dad Overflowing with Money wants to buy the Birthday Gift he couldn’t give you this time.”
After a moment of contemplation, the Young Lady awkwardly shook her head and replied.
“Ugh… no. Today, I’m going to the Tteokbokki Restaurant with Ricardo.”
Darbav’s face was filled with shock. Overwhelmed by the thought of not being able to spend time with his daughter, the Overprotective Daughter-Fool looked at me and said,
“Can’t you go another time?”
“I can.”
“Then today, you can spend time with me, Olivia.”
The Young Lady looked at me.
“Is it okay if I don’t go?”
“You can go tomorrow.”
“Oh…”
The Young Lady nodded and smiled brightly at Darbav.
“Father… let’s go!”
Darbav quickly prepared to leave. Dressed in an elegant uniform and carrying the Black Cane, a Noble’s Symbol, at his waist, Darbav.
Darbav held onto the Handle of Fairy Unit 1 with an excited expression. From the twitching corners of his mouth, I could sense Darbav’s anticipation.
Rosanna sighed as she watched Darbav.
“Can’t you leave that cane behind?”
Seeing the Black Cane, the only flaw in his otherwise perfect outfit, Rosanna sighed and spoke, but Darbav firmly shook his head and replied.
“I can’t leave behind a Noble’s Symbol.”
“Ha…”
Rosanna’s sighs grew more frequent with each passing day.
Despite Rosanna’s suggestion, Darbav, unfazed, looked at the Young Lady’s Wheelchair with Bright, Shining Eyes and asked,
“Hey, Olivia.”
“Yes?”
“Can I try riding it too?”
“…No.”
Darbav looked dejected.
“What a pity.”
*
And so, the next morning arrived.
The Servants of the estate began to move busily.
The Servants cleaned the estate and prepared a Grand Feast, while Rosanna, with a tense expression, looked toward the estate’s main gate.
“Olivia.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t pay attention to whatever your Older Brother says.”
“…”
Standing in front of the estate’s gate to greet the guest, the Young Lady couldn’t hide her nervous expression.
Even Darbav, who always smiled at the Young Lady, was staring at the gate with a Stern Expression.
“What should we have for dinner today?”
It seemed like he was thinking about the wrong thing.
After a brief moment,
the tightly closed gate of the estate opened, and the face of The Man with a cold impression came into view.
With Blue Eyes.
Sharp Eyes and dressed in a Black Uniform, The Man’s cold aura was evident.
With eyes tired from exhaustion, The Man looked at the Young Lady and me standing in front of the gate and let out a Deep Sigh.
“Ha…”
Desmond Kyle.
An outstanding Wizard of the Empire.
The Next Head of the Family of Desmond.
And Olivia’s Older Brother.
Kyle stood before me and spoke in a grim voice.
“Get out right now.”
Grinding his teeth, the sight of Kyle Clenching His Fist made the Young Lady’s eyes tremble violently.
“Leave… our estate this instant, Olivia. Before I throw you out myself.”
In Kyle’s words, Olivia was not included in “our.”