Chapter 282
Chapter 282
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Rose Family Follies
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"...Wow."
"Auntie thinks it's pretty amazing too, right?"
"Yeah, even I didn't see this coming. No, I couldn't have imagined it."
"Yeah. I was amazed too."
A small cabin.
A tiny house with blackout curtains drawn tight to keep any light from leaking out, just like always.
Inside that room, I was chatting with a woman with red hair.
"I knew Rose was stupid, but I never imagined the whole family would be this idiotic."
"Same here."
"Oh my, you've spent way more time around here than I have. How could you not know?"
"If it were you, could you make sense of the current situation?"
"Pfft..."
Fair enough.
Even I couldn't wrap my head around it.
"They'll definitely try to cut me off while dealing with Christina."
"Did you help with the business, Auntie?"
"Nope. It's just a convenient side effect. Mom and Dad's alchemy is decent enough. As long as those two are okay, they'll chop me out for sure since I could get in the way."
"Hmm..."
"And that guy who just keeps boozing... well, no real difference there."
"It's way, way stupider than I thought."
"Calling it stupid doesn't even do it justice."
"Pfft."
Alexandra Rose was sipping her wine with a look of utter disbelief.
I had planned to deal with the family.
But maybe she only intended to target Christina?
Hearing that her own father would cut her loose in the process didn't sit well with anyone.
Still...
Even I had muttered curses to myself in astonishment after piecing it together.
It was only natural.
"But you're really going to set Father up in a nice villa?"
"A villa... yeah? You can see the seaside, and that town on the outskirts of Melnik in the east is lovely."
"Uh... really?"
"Yes."
I intended to keep my word.
I planned to give him a decent seaside villa.
Let him stay there.
Of course, I'd make sure he could spend the rest of his days there.
"Isn't this supposed to be revenge or something?"
"It is."
"Then why..."
"Be so lenient?"
"Yeah."
Alexandra eyed me suspiciously, clearly puzzled by my actions.
It was a total departure from everything I'd said and done before.
My main goal was to crush the trash who'd tormented Rozalin.
Yet here I was, handing one of them—Count Rose—a cushy villa stay.
Naturally, Alexandra would find it odd.
Anyone else would react the same way.
"Hmm... I said it was a villa, and that it had a great sea view, right?"
"...Yeah?"
"Pffft. Not a single lie there. I really do plan to send the count to a place like that. And while I'm at it... his daughter, Christina Rose, too."
"...?"
Once before.
On my way to meet the Rosaki sisters, I'd bought a plot of land near Melnik.
Not just a good sea view—the site was right on the beach, with the ocean practically at the doorstep.
I'd hired some workers to build a waterborne villa there.
Even in a world with advanced magic, those weren't common, and I'd kept it all hush-hush, so it cost a fortune...
"Don't worry. I have zero plans to wrap this up neatly like you think, Auntie."
"W-Well, if you say so, I guess that's that."
"Yes, you'll love it for sure. We should go check it out together next time."
"...Hmm."
She still looked unsure.
But once she saw what became of them, she'd be giggling for sure.
"Pffft..."
Rozalin spending her days alone in this massive mansion, this vast territory.
Trapped in an environment where she couldn't even get proper help when she needed it.
Living as if she were utterly alone in the world, like sinking deeper and deeper into dark waters...
"Haa..."
I knew it all.
I remembered it all.
*
"Mm... Camellia, you're really okay, right?"
"Yes, everything. It's going perfectly."
"If that's the case... that's enough."
"Mother, just relax and wait. Everything's heading toward the end now. All you need to do is watch the finale and laugh it off—that's it."
"Okay."
I stroked Rozalin's hair as she nestled in my arms, reassuring her like that.
She was older than me, my mother.
Lately, though, she felt more fragile like this than I expected.
She must be pretty worried about what I was doing.
Not about herself or others—but me.
I didn't mind her concern at all.
Her worried gaze and expression were so endearing I just had to hold her.
Part of me wanted to spend the night with her even more intensely, more thrillingly...
But things weren't wrapped up yet.
"Mother, once this is all more or less done, how about we all head down to Leonhardt Mansion for a vacation?"
"Is that okay? There might be things left here..."
"You don't need to worry about that, Mother. Just stay happy and enjoy yourself."
"Really...?"
"Yes."
I'd once suggested Rozalin becoming head of the Rose family.
At first, I thought it might actually be worth trying.
It'd be a great way to screw over the Roses.
But... I decided against it.
"It's true."
"If my daughter says so, then it must be."
"Yes."
Rozalin had helped out at Leonhardt Mansion plenty of times.
Like right before I took over as family head, or managing the servants inside.
From now on, I wanted to make sure she never had to do that again.
Unless she really wanted to, of course—but generally, I wanted her to relax.
"Once we're back at the mansion, what do you want to do first?"
"Be with Camellia all day."
"Pffft... again?"
"I want to hold my daughter, praise her for working so hard."
"Looks like I'll have to work way harder than now to earn all that praise."
"I can give my daughter all the praise she deserves anytime, you know?"
Here I was holding her.
But this conversation made it feel like she'd pulled me into her embrace instead.
Warm and cozy.
"Working even harder would make Mother's praise that much sweeter."
"Hehe, is that so?"
"Yes. And isn't there anything else you want to do? We can't really do everything we want while we're here."
"Hmm... ah."
"There is something."
"I want to meet Camellia's other children properly. Like I mentioned before."
"Pfft, I'm working hard on that already. No worries."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes."
It was already in motion.
I'd gotten permission from Lize and Ashley, and I'd brought it up with the Rosaki sisters when borrowing their knights.
I'd sent letters to Ella and Ivana already.
Rozalin had mentioned it, and Karen too, so I'd started preparations early.
I'd planned to do it a bit later originally.
Anyway.
"Aside from that... nothing really. What I want most is what we're doing right now...?"
"Being with me?"
"Yeah."
"You answered that awfully quick."
Her casual affirmation was truly a sight to behold.
She used to blush a little back then.
"Pffft..."
"What?"
"Just happy. How could I not be, with Mother like this?"
She was so lovable.
The more I knew Rozalin, the more time we spent together...
The deeper my love for her grew—I could feel it.
It wasn't just her, but since she was the one I spent the most time with.
She was the first one I'd realized I loved.
"......"
"What? Something wrong?"
"You're just so beautiful, Mother."
"Wha—? Suddenly?"
"Pfft... I just keep looking because you're so pretty. My mother is too pretty, cute, and lovable. I want to squeeze you even tighter."
"I-Is that so...? Then do it."
"No. Right now, more than hugging, I want something... stickier."
I cupped Rozalin's chin with one hand as she lay in my arms and slowly drew her face toward mine.
She understood what I wanted from my words and actions.
What followed was inevitable.
At first, we were awkward, bumping teeth because we didn't know how.
Now, it was effortless.
Just passing love between us.
"Mm... haa, mmph.... smooch.... pfft...?"
We'd already lost track of time, and dinner was done.
No real tasks left.
The Leonhardt knights and servants wandering the guest building would be turning in soon.
Just a little...
We'd been holding back lately, and with no one else in the room but us...
"Hn...?"
"Shall we?"
"If Camellia wants to."
"...Yes."
Slowly.
Very.
Gently.
I began sliding my hand, resting on Rozalin's thigh, inward bit by bit...
"Young Lady?"
"Ah."
Lize entered the room mid-motion, and Rozalin and I quickly aborted.
She'd said she had a small errand... and I'd been looking forward to some long-overdue time with Rozalin.
A bit... no, a lot disappointing.
"......"
I needed to gather all my lovers for a talk as soon as possible.