Chapter 217
Chapter 217
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: A Quiet Succession
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Family Head succession ceremony ended without much fanfare.
Since it was just viscount level to begin with, there was no need for anything overly flashy or grand.
After the succession ceremony ended, we all had a meal together.
"Congratulations on becoming the Family Head."
"Pfft... It's not really something worth celebrating, but thanks, Ella."
"Why isn't this worth celebrating?"
"R-Right...! I think it's something to celebrate big time...!"
"Is that so?"
I wasn't sure.
I still didn't feel particularly happy about becoming the Family Head.
Sure, I'd become the most powerful person in the family... but I couldn't feel it at all, and it wasn't something I cared about.
Was it because it was just a family with a lot of money and few people?
"Anyway, thanks, everyone. For coming like this."
Of course, I wasn't idiot enough to make cynical remarks even in a situation like this.
These were friends who'd come all the way here for what was basically nothing special, because I wanted them to.
It was best to spend the time as enjoyably as possible.
Yeah.
Even though Rozalin had gone back to her room tired after handling the cleanup.
"I-It’s been so long since we’ve all gathered like this...!"
"Yeah. I’ve met up with Camellia, but it feels like forever since I’ve seen you two."
"Right...!"
"This one’s always been so busy. We haven’t had a reason to get together."
"Haha."
True enough.
It was mostly because I’d been so busy that we hadn’t all met up.
We had met individually, though?
"It would’ve been nice if Miss Ivana had come too."
"She’s way busier than us."
If Ivana had shown up here, it would’ve been all our academy friends together.
Honestly, it was a shame.
Of course, it couldn’t be helped, but regrets were regrets.
"But you. Do you have more free time now?"
"Probably. At least a lot more than last year."
"That’s a relief."
"Hehe, is it? Were you hoping to hang out with me?"
I teased Ella lightly.
She’d always been fun to tease, subtly.
"Well... maybe?"
"Pfft... Yeah, right."
Ella had grown a bit more honest compared to when we were kids.
Back then, she’d always act tough with stuff like this, but she’d gotten more straightforward with age.
"I wanted to hang out too. I’ve been so tired from work all the time. I wanted to see you, Ella, Older Sister, and Miss Grace more often."
"Really?"
"Of course? Why would I hate it?"
Not as much as Rozalin, but they were all pretty girls right up my alley.
No reason to dislike them.
Of course, Rozalin was already set as number one from the start...
Someday, I’d make the friends here—and others—partners like that too.
Though I didn’t say it out loud.
"Anyway, since it’s been so long, eat up before you go. The family chefs really went all out today."
For now, since we’d reunited after so long.
Better to spend time with the friends here than just think about Rozalin.
Rozalin alone was great, but hanging out with all these different pretty girls was honestly amazing too.
For the future... yeah.
*
Hanging out with my academy friends was basically always super fun.
They were all pretty, after all.
That’s a big reason we got close in the first place, anyway.
"Did you have fun with your friends today?"
"It’d been so long, so of course. They all said the food was great too."
"Hehe, that’s good."
"Right?"
After spending time with my friends, I headed to Rozalin’s room.
To see Rozalin, who’d come back into the mansion first after the succession ceremony to rest.
Of course, I’d properly seen my friends off before coming.
"Whew... Still, it’s a relief that one big thing went off without a hitch... right?"
"Yeah. It’s great that it ended well."
Rozalin had been super busy with succession stuff while I handled the business handover.
For this to end smoothly was truly a good thing.
If something minor had ruined Rozalin’s hard preparations and upset her, I would’ve been devastated.
"Mother, you must be tired."
"A little. With all the people here today and so much to prepare, maybe that’s why?"
"Couldn’t be helped. Even a small family gets guests on a day like this."
"Hehe, true."
"Plus it was my birthday and the succession, so probably more came."
By the way, Rozalin was sprawled on the bed.
From when I entered the room, even now as we sat on the bed talking.
"But it ended well, so I feel okay."
"Pfft..."
She really was a good person.
One of the reasons I’d always liked Rozalin.
Of course, her looks were so pretty and my type, but this personality was great too.
The kind who’d scold me if I did something bad, rather than hate me.
"Today was really all for Camellia. Yeah."
"I had a great time too, thanks to you, Mother."
"Then it’s perfect."
"Yeah. Perfect."
I was slowly patting Rozalin’s waist as we chatted like that.
Rozalin just lay there saying those things, me patting her waist and replying.
We just stayed like that.
Part of me wanted to enjoy more than just her waist, but she was too tired for that today.
"Happy birthday, Camellia. You’re a real adult now?"
"You already said it."
"But I wanted to say it again. How happy am I that our tiny Camellia from ten years ago grew up so pretty?"
"All thanks to you, Mother."
"No. Camellia would’ve grown this pretty no matter what, even without me."
Well, I’d heard compliments on my looks since I was little.
Normally, I’d brush them off easily, but from Rozalin, they felt especially good.
I wished she’d say more, like how I matched her tastes, made her heart race, stuff like that.
"Mother."
"Yeah?"
I almost said something that popped into my head.
It was pointless, and too early for now.
I held back.
"Want to drink together tonight?"
"Shall we?"
So I brought up this instead.
Things we couldn’t do during the day, we could at night.
Mostly sneaky stuff, but way easier for me than daytime.
So I just made a nighttime promise with Rozalin.
Like old times.
"I’m a real adult now anyway. No need to sip little by little like before."
"But didn’t I let you drink a bit too much? Even before you were an adult... we drank pretty often."
"Maybe I got my tolerance from Father?"
"Maybe... You never really got drunk drinking with me. You handle it way better than other kids."
I did have a strong tolerance.
We’d drunk a lot with Rozalin so far, but I’d never gotten wasted, and my capacity was pretty high overall.
"Anyway... you’re free tonight, right?"
"Of course. I won’t be busy for a while now."
"Now that you mention it, yeah."
In the end, I got to spend another night with Rozalin.
Honestly, nothing special, and we’d spent plenty of nights together already.
But even so, just making this little promise lifted my mood again.
I was looking forward to it.
"Mother, more massage?"
"I’d love that. I’ve been tired since morning, actually."
For now... I should rest a bit while touching Rozalin’s body.
I’d been busy lately too.
*
"I never imagined drinking with my grown daughter back then."
"You didn’t?"
"Of course? I didn’t think of it at all before coming here."
"I see..."
We ended up drinking in my room, not Rozalin’s.
Hers was fine, but since it was on the first floor, we chose my room at the far end of the second floor.
Rozalin didn’t mind, I just suggested it.
My intentions weren’t exactly pure.
"Anyway, I’m just happy to spend time like this with Camellia. Wasn’t planning to ruin the mood."
"Oh."
It was a good day, after all.
No reason for heavy or bad topics.
That’s why I’d set out drinks and snacks on the table.
"Shall I pour the drinks first?"
"Yes, please."
"We have wine and whiskey, but... let’s start with wine. Can’t go too strong right away."
"I’ll just have whatever you’re having, Mother."
"Hehe, got it. Still, wine to start."
I liked alcohol more than not, anyway.
Any drink was fine for me.
The two we had were so premium, order didn’t matter.
"Hehe..."
Truth be told, I was more excited and anticipating the night with Rozalin than the alcohol itself?
Especially since she was wearing that signature negligee she put on for bed every night.