Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Never Gambling Again
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"I'll never... gamble again...!"
"Do it again."
"N-No! I'll never! Gamble! Again!!!"
I shouted those words in Rozalin's room at the top of my lungs. If I didn't make a huge fuss like this, I was sure I'd get scolded even more.
I'd already been thoroughly lectured ever since stepping into the room.
It started with how much I'd spent on gambling today, then how much I'd won. She was a little surprised when I told her the amount I'd brought back, of course.
Anyway... I'd been scolded like never before. I don't think I'd ever been yelled at this badly in either of my lives.
Thankfully, there were no spankings or any violent punishments.
"I really... won't do it again..."
"You mean it?"
"Yes........"
I put everything I had into the performance.
With my current acting skills, I was confident I could snag a Best Actress or Best Actor award without breaking a sweat. I tilted my gaze upward just a bit, shaping my eyes and brows into the picture of utter remorse.
For some reason, this always made me look pitiful.
"I wasn't planning to go to the casino that often. No... I just heard I could make a lot of money there..."
"..."
Did it work?
"Madam, I really... won't go back. I promise."
"...Fine. I get it. Well... um..."
One thing was clear: my acting had worked. Quitting the casino cold turkey was a tall order, though. It was the main source of my funds, after all.
I understood Rozalin's worry and why she'd scolded me, but swearing off it entirely... wasn't really an option, was it?
Sure, if I were actually a kid, I shouldn't, but I'd lived as an adult once already...?
"Sigh... I'm sorry, Camellia. When the butler suddenly told me you'd gone to the casino, I was so shocked..."
"N-No...! It was my fault...?"
"I'm still sorry. I think I lost my temper too much."
"No..."
Truth be told... it didn't feel like she'd been that angry. She'd scolded me, sure, but there wasn't a hint of real fury in it.
If anything... she looked apologetic.
Was it because she'd yelled at me? I wasn't sure, but it seemed she wasn't truly mad, so I counted myself lucky.
"I didn't mean to get angry... I was just worried. I even thought about coming to find you myself at one point... But the butler and everyone else said you were fine, so I waited."
I hadn't known about that. Rozalin explained while gently stroking my hair.
Aside from Rozalin, who'd only recently moved into the mansion... no one really interfered with my personal life.
Not even William. Maybe everyone here just cared more about money than anything else. From the family head on down to the servants, they all seemed that way.
As long as the money kept flowing, they didn't need to meddle in things we hadn't ordered them to do.
Stuff like that.
"I'm really sorry."
"No. And it's not just about going there—I should've told you before heading out."
"...You're so mature."
"Next time, I won't go anywhere like that. I'll always let you know when I go out."
With a smile instead of the gloomy expression from before.
I said it in the most adorably girlish way possible. Reassuring Rozalin was the top priority right now.
I'd sneak out anyway, and I'd hit the casino again later to refill my funds. But for the moment, easing her worries came first.
"Rozalin, um... have you had lunch?"
"Not yet. And you... oh."
She must not have eaten because of me.
She'd said she'd been waiting, so it made sense. I felt bad for her in all sorts of ways.
And so, we ended up having lunch together. It wasn't exactly planned, but we were both starving, so it worked out.
Plus, after the scolding session, we both needed to lighten the mood.
By now, I was used to it. In fact, eating with Rozalin felt more natural than dining alone.
I'd always eaten by myself before, and it had felt so empty.
"Hehe..."
"Tasty?"
"Yes, super tasty."
It was a little embarrassing, but probably because I was with Rozalin.
I'd always sat alone at that huge table, tackling massive spreads by myself. I'd tried getting Lize to join me, but she insisted on eating with the other maids and servants...
So whenever William was away, I'd wander around the table picking at the feast alone. But now I didn't have to.
"Camellia? Try some of this too. I know you like meat, but you have to eat your vegetables."
"Yes."
Rozalin fed it to me.
Well, not exactly fed—more like offered it to me.
She didn't fork it and put it in my mouth, at least. Yeah, that sounds right.
"Classes are tomorrow, right?"
"Yes. No classes today."
We chatted about this and that over lunch.
Ordinary mother-daughter stuff, like whether I'd done my homework and what it was. We even touched on some cultured noble topics.
I didn't know much and fumbled some answers, but Rozalin seemed happy, so no problem.
"I heard there's been a ton of circus performances in the capital lately... or rather, the central district. Not great as a business venture?"
"Oh... I've heard about that too. But... it seems tough. You'd need people who've already reached a certain level with magic-like skills... I think investing in theater might be better."
"You're so smart, Camellia."
"You're too kind."
Really.
Our conversations with Rozalin covered more ground than I'd expected.
Even as the youngest of the Rose Family, a count's household, she fit right in with business talk.
Well, she asked the questions, and I gave decent answers. But the conversation never lagged.
Which made it even better.
Before, meals were silent, the only sounds my fork and knife clinking against the plate as I lost interest midway and picked at the food.
Comparing then to now... yeah, now was way better. Definitely.
"Yawn..."
Lunch done, we took a leisurely stroll in the garden.
Gotta let it digest a bit.
We'd probably have tea afterward and kill time that way.
That was noble life in a nutshell.
Unless you were William, hyper-focused on business, kids and housewives didn't have much to do.
And the Leonhardt Family didn't mingle much with others.
"Camellia, sleepy?"
"Huh?"
"You keep yawning. Thought you might be tired."
"Oh......"
I had yawned... but that much?
Not sure.
"A little... maybe?"
"What time did you go to bed last night?"
"Midnight...?"
"........."
"...What's wrong?"
Rozalin fixed me with a slightly cold stare again.
It felt like the casino scolding all over. No way... because I stayed up late?
"Isn't that... too late?"
"It is, but... I had a bit of trouble sleeping last night...?"
I tried making excuses.
Truth was, I'd stayed up messing around, but saying that would make her furious.
So I went with the excuse, hoping to brush it off. I'd already been scolded once today. Didn't want more...
"I got less sleep than usual... haha..."
"...I see."
"Yes. That's why I yawned a bit."
Casual as could be.
Like it was really just that. I didn't want her worrying or scolding me again.
"...No classes later today, and no other plans, right?"
"Yes? That's right?"
Rozalin asked suddenly. No idea why she was double-checking. Did she have something to do?
"Then how about my room?"
"...Pardon?"
Her abrupt words left me genuinely puzzled, blurting out a response.
Why her room all of a sudden? Business? I asked, and with my hand in hers, we went straight from the garden to Rozalin's room.
"Uh........"
I hadn't visited Rozalin's room much since she moved into the mansion.
Maybe just that first day when she showed it to me. It was her room, after all.
I had my own, and my sleeping arrangements were fine—no reason to come.
But now, here I was, no reason and all.
At Rozalin's insistence—which felt more like an order.
"Just sit there for a sec."
"Yes...?"
"Needs a little tidying. You're still small, so anything too high could be dangerous."
"...?"
She said that and headed to the back of the room, toward the bed.
Curtains draped the bed, so I couldn't see what Rozalin was doing on the other side. Grabbing something?
Rustling sounds. I waited quietly. Why did this room smell so nice, though?
Like... roses. I wasn't big on flowers, but yeah, definitely rose scent.
"...Amazing."
Same mansion, different rooms, yet the scents were worlds apart. My room never smelled like roses.
"Camellia? Come here."
"...Yes?"
I followed her to the bed, and then...
"This should work for sleeping, right?"
"What is this now..."
"You've got nothing to do, you're sleepy, lunch is done? So... I'll help you with a quick nap."
She drew back the curtains, revealing the bed—arranged like an oversized cradle.
Pillows on both sides, a low one at the head.
"...Sleep here?"
"Yeah. Unless... it's too weird?"
"No, it's not that..."
Her apologetic look—like she'd overstepped—made me reassure her without thinking. It wasn't weird, but...
I got her intentions, and they made perfect sense.
The issue was... sleeping in another woman's bed felt a bit...
"What if you're not sleepy and I dragged you here...?"
"...No."
But I couldn't say that. She'd done it out of genuine care.
Worried about my lack of sleep, she'd even prepared a spot to help me rest.
"...Okay. I'll nap... just a bit. Too much sleep... and tomorrow'll be rough?"
We were in Rozalin's room together, now lying on her bed. Embarrassing, face heating up, but I kept a straight face.
Acting was my strong suit.
"Hehe, sleep well. I'll wake you when it's time."
"...Huh?"
And then... Rozalin climbed into the bed beside me.
"Suddenly..."
Why...?