Chapter 207
Chapter 207
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Eighteen Years of Choices
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It's been eighteen years since I started living as Camellia.
If I count down to the month, it's almost nineteen—such a short time, really.
But in that span, I've felt far more than I ever imagined.
Right after I was born, my birth mother died shortly thereafter. Then came the first stepmother who ran away, followed by the second one.
In between, thanks to my nouveau riche father William, I got a crash course in a lot of things.
Along with that, I got close to the world of business, and eventually, at the tender age of eight, I started my own ventures.
"......."
After that, business brought in more profits than I could've dreamed, and it led me to a life far grander than my previous one.
Honestly, the initial push into business was largely William's influence, but in the end, it was my choice.
"I did what I wanted."
Going to the academy afterward was my decision too, and once there, so many other choices were mine.
Befriending all those girls at the academy.
Forming a club and hanging out with them.
Countless other things—all mostly driven by my own decisions.
"Yeah... in the end, I just did what I wanted."
Most of it stemmed from my desires, my choices.
Until now, I hadn't questioned or worried about those choices... but a few years ago, that changed.
Doubts and worries about Rozalin Rose—now Rozalin Leonhardt.
I'd probably harbored them long before attending the academy.
Of course, I'd hidden them even from myself.
"...It's time to get past this."
I'd spent so much time with no progress.
At eight, twelve, thirteen... and now eighteen.
All that time, and the only real achievement was business.
Sure, there were relationships with others and various other things, but the core issue from age eight remained unchanged.
I instinctively knew it was time to stop standing still.
"Hoo...."
I slowly rose from the chair and looked in the mirror.
The reflection showed a body much more grown than in my childhood.
My looks had always been stunningly beautiful—no need to dwell on that.
"Pretty doesn't even cover it."
What can I say.
With looks like these, wouldn't even a woman fall easily?
I'd thought that before, but lately, it felt even more true.
"In fact, everyone falls harder than expected...."
They really seemed to.
From Lize onward, cases like Ashley and Karen gave off that vibe.
I hadn't noticed before, but they all harbored more affection for me than I'd thought—and my appearance surely played a big role.
"What about Rozalin, though."
Who knows.
Well, for now, I'd decided to seduce her.
No idea how it'd go... but somehow, I'd make it work, right?
*
I visited Rozalin's room.
Pretended it was just a casual drop-in, like always.
"Mother, what's your schedule like today?"
"Probably just handling some paperwork again? Doesn't seem like anything else."
"Aha...."
I sat casually, chatting with her as usual.
Sure, I had designs on seducing her, but that didn't mean I'd disrupt her routine or act recklessly.
For now, take it slow.
"By the way, aren't you tired, Mother?"
"Hm? Suddenly?"
"I'm a bit worn out myself, but you haven't worked this hard before. I figured you might be."
"Ah...."
I played the role of a concerned daughter.
Of course, I did worry about her genuinely, but my ulterior motives outweighed that.
"You must be tired, right? Working so hard these past few months. Though compared to me, it's still easier...."
"You're pretty busy yourself, Mother."
"Hehe, can't be helped. It's all for you, Camellia. Knowing that makes it not so tough."
"Thanks for saying that."
Rozalin had never disliked me, not from the start.
If anything, she leaned far more toward liking me.
Honestly, I had no idea why she favored me this much.
I was practically a stranger, no blood ties at all.
Why treat the daughter of some trash family sold off to them so kindly?
Pity?
Empathy?
Whatever the reason for her generosity, it always left me full of questions.
Not that I disliked it.
"Hmm.... I'm always just receiving help—sorry about that."
"It's fine. It's all for you, Camellia. No need to apologize."
"...Haha."
Her smiling words like that always made me feel guilty.
She treated me like a precious daughter for no reason, but I wasn't that at all.
"Mother, how about I give you a massage?"
"A massage?"
"Yeah. I've gotten plenty from Lize, so I'm decent at it. Got some time, and I owe you so much. Feels right to repay a little."
Truth be told, I had no real skill in massages—I just brought it up.
All to touch her body legally, for once.
Not that it mattered; I'd groped her plenty while she slept.
"Hmm.... Rejecting my daughter? That'd feel kinda bad, huh?"
"No, really. If you don't want it, no pressure."
I'd said that, but I didn't expect actual refusal.
Not from Rozalin.
"Hehe, no. Shall we head to the bed? Or just do it here sitting?"
"Hmm.... For a proper one, lying down would be better. Sitting limits it to shoulders."
"Let's do that, then."
With that, she rose and headed to the bed herself.
Seeing her from behind, I might've smirked a bit wickedly.
Hard not to in this setup.
Following slowly, just her back view and nape lifted my mood already.
Her dress had some exposure too....
"......."
Couldn't help the wicked smile creeping in.
Trying to hide it, though.
"Hoo.... Definitely comfier than the chair."
"Your bed's insanely comfortable, Mother."
Oblivious, Rozalin lay down purely to receive some filial piety.
"Just like this?"
"Yeah, that works. Let me just pull the covers aside a bit...."
On the bed: Rozalin lying there, me sitting comfortably beside.
The room had only us anyway, but the bed felt even more intimate.
First, I admired her figure.
Always had, still did—Rozalin's body was perfection.
Weird thoughts kept popping up, but I held them back for now.
"Mother, I'll start slow, okay?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
"...Sure."
Somehow, it felt insanely erotic.
Not what she meant, but my mind went there anyway.
My hands started innocently at the shoulders.
"Hehe...."
Slowly kneading: press, press.
Never done this before, but she was a woman anyway.
Not athletic like Ivana, nor laboring physically like Lize.
Of course she'd be soft.
Squishy.
Squishy.
"..."
Oh.
"How's this? Shoulders seem a bit knotted."
"Hng.... Yeah, feels good...."
"Good to hear."
All sorts of naughty thoughts flooded in, but I kept massaging slowly.
From shoulders to wing bones, erector spinae.
Slow press, press.
"Hng.... Nn.... Hnng...."
My amateur kneading seemed surprisingly effective on her?
She started letting out soft, quiet moans.
Those faint sounds from earlier had me... aroused already.
They carried such an erotic undertone.
Especially from Rozalin—it hit too hard, making me press a spot harder instinctively.
I'd had similar thoughts groping other girls, but this felt intensely stronger.
Even from a mere massage.
"I'll move a bit lower."
"Mm.... Okay...."
Past the waist, skipping the hips, to the thighs.
Firm yet soft thighs.
Softer than Lize's, I knew from before....
"Hn, hng...."
Touching her awake thighs felt amazing.
And the soft moans continued as I kneaded them.
Just thighs, yet this reaction—curious, fun.
"......."
Next, a bit higher than thigh midpoint.
Right under the glutes, near the groin....
"Hngt... Nn, haa...."
"......."
...Damn, it's erotic as hell.