Chapter 272
Chapter 272
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Road to the Rose Territory
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"Ugh...."
"Still worried? I told you it's fine, no problems at all."
"Even so, how can I not worry? It's still a count's family, after all."
"No, really. It's okay. There's not a single issue."
Riding in the carriage with Rozalin, we were heading toward the Rose Family.
Of course, it wasn't just the two of us inside.
Lize and Ashley were riding along too.
But right now, it was time to look after Rozalin, who kept fretting on her own.
This was the path to putting the finishing touches on the Rose Family.
They were already ruined beyond repair from repeated business failures and mounting debts.
They were barely clinging to their extravagance by selling off the family's prized heirlooms.
There was really nothing more to say.
No matter what, the Leonhardt side had no choice but to come out on top.
It was almost amusing, in a way.
Even when I was little, and during the last visit when I'd tagged along with Rozalin, we'd had far more money than they did.
To think it took driving them all the way to the brink like this before we could finally end it.
The name and history of a count's family deserved some respect, I suppose.
Of course, the current lot were just trash.
"Mother, you really don't need to worry. Just trust me."
"...All right."
Rozalin was worrying a ton.
But in truth, this wasn't an attack—it was practically a negotiation trip.
Not just a hollow shell of a name anymore; even that shell was cracked beyond repair, with not a shred of their former glory left.
We were essentially offering to buy out a family like that.
And it doubled as an investment to revive them properly, unlike how those fools were handling it.
Plus, it painted a nice picture of someone with Rose blood continuing the line.
If we just wanted to crush them completely, we could spread nasty rumors through the territory, ruin all the crops to stir up the people's anger, and direct that fury straight at the Rose Family....
"Pfft...."
Anyway, this was a meeting to negotiate taking their place, not just toppling them outright.
We hadn't sent word ahead or anything.
Worst case, we could just seize it by force.
"Yawn.... Teacher, is it okay sleeping like that? The carriage is bouncing a bit."
"It's fiiiine...."
"Pfft.... Really? Gonna sleep again?"
"Yeah, 'cause once we get there... I won't be able to rest for a while...?"
"Fair point."
Ashley had her role to play, after all.
Though it would be best if she didn't have to step in.... We had knights with us anyway.
It probably wouldn't get too rough.
"Hmm...."
One carriage was loaded with jewels and luxuries, while the other two carried knights.
One from our family, the other from the Rosaki side.
Not a huge number, but each was worth a hundred men, you could say.
They sure as hell wouldn't lose to the Rose Knight Order, who did nothing but guzzle beer day in and day out.
"This is gonna be fun. Pfft...."
I was already looking forward to it.
Curious how the Roses would react, too.
"Oh, Mother. Once we take over the Rose Territory, what should we do with the buildings? Leave them as is? Or tear them down and build new ones?"
"That might be too extravagant.... Remodeling the interiors is one thing, but doing it all...."
"Hmm.... Yeah, I get that. It wouldn't look good to the territory's people either. Starting construction right away after a new lord arrives? Bad optics for sure."
Security was decent enough, but public sentiment wasn't great.
Not outright hostile, but plenty of reasons for discontent lately.
Taxes hiked despite it being a count's territory... and the knights handling village security were idiots to boot.
"Hmm...."
Worst case, if managing the territory proved tricky, I could always hand it off to Ivana or the Rosaki sisters.
I was good at business, but territory management? Never tried it.
For now, I shoved those thoughts aside and focused on dealing with the Roses first.
*
"Ugh... damn.... This is seriously uncomfortable. How long has it been since they last maintained these roads?"
"...You got that right."
"Lize, the ride here was super bumpy for you too, right? Worse than last time?"
"Definitely getting rougher."
"Sigh.... I could've sworn we fixed the roads a bit last time. They haven't touched them since? Unbelievable."
We rode straight on until we decided to stop at the same midway inn as a few years back.
Pretty sure it was like this before.
I distinctly remembered improving the roads somewhat during my previous visit.
How the hell did they revert to this crap so fast?
Did these idiots never leave their territory?
"Haah.... My back hurts."
The carriage had jostled us something fierce the whole way.
The roads were in such abysmal shape—worse than rural backroads—that it shook nonstop, and the visible decay didn't help the ride one bit.
"Urgh...."
Anyway, that's how we ended up at the inn.
No reason to push straight through, and it was getting late anyway.
"Teacher, you comfy?"
"Mm-hmm...."
Maybe I should follow Ashley's lead and just sprawl on the bed to rest.
"The carriage was so... so shaky today, couldn't sleep right.... Now it's... so coooomfy...."
"Comfy, huh?"
"Yeah......."
Even Ashley, who'd toughed it out, hadn't slept well.
Best to ignore the road's state and just relax.
"Whew.... Finally feels like I can breathe."
"Mother, all washed up?"
"Yeah, the water was pretty nice. Honestly, way better than I expected."
"We paid top coin for it. Gotta get top-tier quality from the best room in the inn."
As I lounged on the bed, Rozalin emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a white robe.
Her hair was damp, skin still glistening with moisture... but she was beautiful anyway.
And she'd been wiped out from the carriage ride too.
"Come here. I'll dry your hair."
"Hee hee, would you?"
It'd been a while since I did some normal doting instead of the sexy kind.
Not that drying hair wasn't basically skinship.
"Pfft...."
Whatever.
Point was, the road to Rose sucked.
Even this inn, which wasn't anything special, felt like a luxury spot by comparison.
That said, the inn itself was decent enough.
We'd booked the best room for the four of us, and it wasn't bad at all.
"Yawwwn...."
"Tired, right? That ride was exhausting."
"Guess age catches up eventually? Hee hee, I am beat."
Just watching Rozalin, freshly bathed and yawning contentedly on the bed, said it all.
In the carriage, the jolts had interrupted even her yawns.
This was real comfort.
"Hair's all dry now. Need anything else?"
"This is plenty. No need to bother my daughter when you're tired too."
"It's no big deal. Just brush and use the magic tool to dry—that's it."
"Hee hee, still, I hate relying on you too much."
Rozalin's expression was worlds better than during the ride.
She'd looked uncomfortable and grumpy in the carriage.
Now, post-bath, she sat on the bed with a much softer look, nestling slightly into my arms to rest.
A huge improvement.
"Camellia, I don't know about the buildings, but... those roads into the territory definitely need a proper overhaul."
"Pfft.... Yeah?"
When we'd talked buildings during the ride, she'd said no need to bother.
But she couldn't ignore the neglected roads on the way.
Well, revamping the roads was essential to reviving the Rose Territory anyway.
I'd been planning it.
We had to get back to Leonhardt Manor eventually.
No way in that road condition.
"Miss, aren't you going to wash up?"
"Hm? Why?"
"Oh, if you weren't, I was going to go first. If you want more time chatting with Madam, I'll make it quick."
"Nah. Uh.... Teacher?"
Rozalin was technically the senior among us.
Age aside.
Mother of the family head, after all.
Bathroom yielded to her first, naturally.
That's why I'd been chilling with Ashley on the big bed.
"Mmm...."
"Off to bathe. Hurry and strip."
"Mmm...? Now...?"
"Yeah, all three of us. The tub's big enough."
"Tiiiired...."
"Better than crashing now—warm soak to melt away the aches, fluffy-dry hair, then bed. Way nicer, right?"
"Mm.... Yeah, thaaat...."
"Pfft, come on. Upper body first."
"Mm...."
The second Lize mentioned bathing first, I started undressing Ashley.
Bathing together and eyeing bodies? Pure bliss.
Clothed, they looked great—but naked, in their rawest form? Even better.
.
.
.
"Uh.... I didn't expect this, but if you're happy, Miss, no issue."
"Pfft, yeah? You don't like piling in together, Lize?"
"Not that, but I figured you'd chat more with Madam."
"I wanna hang with Lize too, not just Mother—and Teacher, obviously."
"Mmmph...."
And so, leaving Rozalin behind, the three of us headed to the bathroom.
Small compared to the mansion's, sure.
But fine for a few women.
"Pfft...."
Any bad mood from those Rose bastards? Gone in a flash.
Started during my chat with Rozalin earlier, really.
Nothing beats quality time with favorites for stress relief.