Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Father's Return
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William had returned.
We had already known he was coming back, and so did the servants in the mansion.
William often went away for a few weeks on business and then returned, so it wasn't particularly sudden or something to make a huge fuss over.
Perhaps because of that, he dove straight into work the moment he arrived, without any fanfare.
"The matters with the other families seem to have been resolved well too. Especially since even the Niesista Baron came by—things turned out nicely."
I thought so too, and William said the same. Honestly, it had gone well.
William and I were catching up in his study after a long while apart.
"The Niesista Baron said he'd come back again soon?"
"Yes. My proposal must have really piqued his interest. Things have gotten tense in Niesista Territory lately, with the territory's people growing dissatisfied."
"Good work. As expected of my daughter."
Well, that was true enough. It was because of William that I'd gotten involved in this in the first place.
He'd been teaching me how to handle money since I was little. It was hard to deny it outright.
On top of that, most of the information I got came through him. He'd helped me out in all sorts of ways.
"Whew. Anyway, how's your mother been this time?"
"She's kind. No big changes from before."
"Hmm..."
The previous mother had been kind too, right up until she ran away. Objectively speaking, that assessment fit.
Rozalin definitely wasn't a bad person. I just said it like it was.
"She's the youngest, not even the heir, but she's from the Rose Family. She'll be useful."
"Haha..."
William still saw his wife as nothing more than a trophy, a way to boost the family name and his own status.
I already knew that, and most of the mansion's servants probably did too. Yeah.
It was something we all knew, so there was no shock now. I just accepted it.
I wasn't expecting William to suddenly change, or even hoping for it. If anything, I was more worried about how Rozalin would react...
"...By the way, how did things go this time? You came back sooner than expected. Did everything work out?"
"Well, the eastern region doesn't exactly have nobles swimming in money. It wrapped up easier than last time. It'll probably hit the papers soon."
"I'm glad it went well."
"Yeah. It did this time too. Now, I'd love to start dealing with high-end families like Baal... but a duke's too much, huh."
"Can't be helped. Those people..."
"They pretend to love history more than anything. In the end, they love money just as much—they're just as blinded by it."
I agreed with William.
Honestly, it rubbed me the wrong way too. Maybe because I'd lived in the modern world, but that hypocrisy didn't sit well.
As if some nobles were born with impeccable pedigrees and got all the praise from the start.
"Anyway, thanks for handling this one so well. Keep it up next time."
"I'll do my best to live up to expectations. Though I might fail."
"As long as the losses aren't too big."
Yeah, fair enough. I wasn't burning through William's fortune on my ventures anyway.
We chatted along those lines for a bit before I left his study.
Since it had been a while since he'd been back at the mansion, he had plenty of paperwork and mansion-related matters to handle. So I stepped out.
With William's return after so long, the servants were all bustling about diligently.
Servants hauled luggage, maids carried snacks for him, and the butler hurried back and forth, assisting with his tasks.
"Hmm..."
No particular tasks for me, and the mansion was in a bit of an uproar anyway...
"Guess I'll go see Rozalin."
She didn't mind seeing me—in fact, she welcomed it.
Leaving William's study, I headed straight for Rozalin's room.
I walked down the slightly cluttered hallway.
"Camellia?"
"What are you up to?"
I knocked, got permission, and entered Rozalin's room.
She wasn't doing anything special—just sitting in a chair arranging flowers. Roses, specifically.
"I was getting bored, so I was doing a bit of flower arranging. What's up?"
"Uh..."
Her expression looked... a little off somehow.
I hadn't spent tons of time with Rozalin, but I could tell it wasn't a good one.
"Are you okay?"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"Uh... nothing."
I asked without thinking, but I didn't press.
She didn't seem like she wanted to answer. Better to switch topics. No need to dwell on it.
"I got bored and came to visit. Was that a bother...?"
"Huh? Not at all. I was just curious."
"I chatted with Father for a bit, but now I've got nothing to do and was feeling restless, so I came by."
Rozalin set aside her flower arranging and focused more on our conversation.
We sat facing each other in chairs. I had nothing else going on, so talking was fine. Plus, her earlier expression worried me.
"Did you talk well with the Family Head?"
"Yeah. He just got back after a while, but nothing weird. He was in a good mood—said the business went well this time, and the tea party stuff too."
Safe, everyday topics first. Better than anything awkward.
"I see. Well, you really pulled it off back then. The Family Head must have praised you."
"Hehe."
"And no other talk?"
"Hmm... nothing really. Just that stuff and a bit about how everyone's doing."
We'd touched on Rozalin too, but I glossed over it.
Telling her now didn't feel right.
I kept the chat going with her like that. I had no clue exactly what was on her mind, but at least... I could try to cheer her up.
We talked one-on-one for a good while. Her expression had improved since I'd first entered—at least that much was a relief.
"Camellia, it's about that time. Shall we sleep?"
"...Yeah. Let's."
It seemed like what she wanted. I decided to go along with it.
She and William must have talked before my chat with him—something probably happened then.
"......."
I climbed back into Rozalin's bed.
I'd been napping in her bed a lot lately, but it still felt... awkward.
Embarrassing, too.
A woman's bed had its own vibe. The scent was different, the soft plushness unique.
I was a woman too, so feeling this way about a bed was weird, but it was real.
Seeing Rozalin's genuine, casual smile from the bed... it felt a little off, making me blush.
"...Won't you sleep too, Mother?"
"Hm? Me?"
"...Yeah."
The words slipped out.
Lying here alone in her bed felt embarrassing and awkward.
She probably wasn't thinking anything of it—just looking at me normally.
"But me sleeping alone in Mother's bed... it feels kinda rude. It's not even mine...?"
I lay there, gazing cautiously at Rozalin sitting beside me.
Honestly, a little... yeah.
Taking over her bed and lounging so comfortably while she slept elsewhere felt wrong.
"So... um... what if we slept together...?"
...This is embarrassing.
It was just a daughter suggesting something to her mom, but it felt way too shy. Mothers and daughters sharing a bed shouldn't be weird.
Rozalin didn't look displeased at my words.
"Hmm... Should we?"
She gave a more positive response than I'd expected.
"...Of course, only if you don't mind..."
"I've got nothing else to do anyway? And I've kinda wanted to try sleeping like this with my daughter?"
"..."
She smiled.
No hint of negativity at all.
Truth be told, I hadn't anticipated her looking so genuinely fine about it.
I'd figured she'd say something like she wasn't sleepy but would stay by my side a bit—something practical like that.
"Hehe, wait just a sec. Let me change."
"........."
Rozalin got out of bed after saying that.
Maybe because she'd left the bed, I caught sight of her silhouette through the bed curtains.
-Swish...
"........."
It was awkward enough already, but of all things, the curtains showed her changing.
Just a shadow, but unmistakably Rozalin—undressing.
And the click as she removed her undergarments...
"...Whew."
I felt like a total pervert.
It was just about sleeping together.
How did it turn into this? Even though it was my suggestion.
"Camellia, ready to sleep now?"
"Y-yeah..."
Rozalin, in a negligee, slipped back into bed and asked.
Smiling normally. Looking at me with a perfectly ordinary gaze.
But I couldn't return a normal gaze.
"...Hehe, sharing a bed with someone feels like ages ago. Probably... not since I was really little and slept with my sister."
"Me too... feels like forever..."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
It really had been.
And... honestly, I wasn't even answering properly. Just echoing her vaguely.
Replying right now felt too embarrassing.
Even as a stepmother... she hadn't had her coming-of-age yet, but she was basically an adult, with stunning looks to boot.
Having someone so pretty and alluring lie beside me in just a black negligee... it was really... really...
"Shall we sleep?"
"...Yeah."
Awkward.
Rozalin lying down next to me to sleep, her pretty face... the negligee. The skin and curves visible because of it...