Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Meeting Mother
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After Rozalin entered the mansion, nothing much happened. Just... a little self-introduction?
That’s when I finally learned her age.
Rozalin was sixteen, still a minor, but... it wasn’t a huge issue.
In this era, it was surprisingly common for young girls to marry middle-aged men, and things felt so vague anyway. Of course, on a personal level, it was a bit... pitiful.
After all, the age gap was only eight years.
I was eight, and Rozalin was sixteen, so it really wasn’t that big a difference. It wasn’t like the typical age gap between a normal mom and daughter that I’d known in my original life.
“So, Lady Camellia... do you usually spend time alone?”
“Mm... yeah. Father’s always away on business trips for work, and even when he’s not, he’s rarely here during the day. Most of the week, I was on my own.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s the truth, isn’t it? It wasn’t even that hard.”
If anything, it was a good thing. Honestly, William was ugly and fat—I couldn’t stand him.
With how much meat he scarfed down, he was bound to end up with diabetes or high blood pressure later.
By contrast, Rozalin... she was truly beautiful. So much so that my eyes kept drifting to her neck or wrists without me realizing it.
Of course, Rozalin didn’t notice those glances.
“But... how should I address you?”
“Why?”
“Well... you’re Father’s wife, right? So, for now...? Does that make you... Mother...?”
A new stepmother always felt awkward. Rozalin’s personality was nicer than the last one’s, and I liked her, so we were keeping things friendly and sweet.
But in the end, she was still a stranger.
We’d only just met today.
It was hard to suddenly act close. Awkward to treat her casually, awkward to be formal... just that kind of relationship.
New family members were always like that.
Especially... when it was a mom.
“Of course, you can call me Mother. I’m the Matriarch of the Leonhardt Family now... It’s a bit embarrassing to say it myself, but that’s how it is, right? So I have to be your mother, Lady Camellia.”
“I see...”
What was it... She was a different type from the people I usually saw, so it felt a little off.
Father—William—was always out screwing other women. Then he’d wander around making money from business. In the end, the previous mom... bolted.
Maybe that’s why. When I met Rozalin’s eyes as she smiled kindly and said those words, a strange feeling washed over me unbidden.
“Then... Mother...?”
“That sounds nice. It already feels like we’re family.”
“Yeah... I guess...”
Was it because her face was so pretty? It felt kinda... embarrassing.
Honestly, calling a high-school-aged girl “Mother” was a little awkward.
The last mom had been at least in her twenties, but Rozalin was so young... and this felt weird in its own way.
My heart was pounding faster than usual...
“Lady Camellia. Are you all right?”
“...You can call me Camellia. Casually.”
“Shall I?”
“And... you can use informal speech. You’re... Mother, right?”
I hadn’t planned to go this far originally.
I’d just intended to tell her that our family was fine, not bad, that she was welcome. Things like that.
After all, what I really wanted was for Rozalin to stay long-term as my mom.
“...Oh, I have a gift for you.”
Was it because Rozalin was so beautiful? Or because her tone was so gentle?
My eyes drifted to her neck again, and that’s when it finally hit me.
I wasn’t usually the type to forget something like this.
“Butler.”
“Yes.”
“Bring it here.”
“Understood.”
I’d meant to give it right away, but the conversation was more interesting than I’d expected, so I kept going without thinking.
Blah blah blah, a necklace made by a capital artisan. I’d already seen the real thing.
A pretty necklace with a red gem embedded—probably a ruby.
Rozalin was from the Rose Family, and their symbol was the red rose, so I’d chosen a red stone on purpose.
Her hair was black, though.
Gifts always turned into whatever the giver intended anyway.
“Mother. This is... a little welcome gift from me. To show how truly welcome you are to our family.”
“Oh my...”
“It’s a necklace commissioned from a capital artisan. Do you like it?”
William might be a trash father, but he’d taught me one thing well: expensive is good, and even better is more expensive.
“Please accept it.”
“It’s... so beautiful.”
“Right? I had it made not too flashy. I’m glad if you like it.”
Really. I’d debated making it super ornate... but went with this instead.
A gift that was too flashy might backfire.
I was an eight-year-old kid giving it. Sure, eight was young, but something too extravagant could come off as showing off and turn her off.
My goal was to win Rozalin’s favor and keep her in this mansion long-term.
“Camellia? Will you put it on for me?”
“Huh?”
“It’s a necklace. Tradition says the giver should do it.”
“Uh...”
I hadn’t expected that.
Well...
It wasn’t wrong, so I went behind her.
I was short, but with her sitting in the chair, I could manage to clasp it around her neck. It was a bit of a stretch.
“......”
As I tried to fasten it from behind, her pure white nape came into view.
Maybe because we were so close, but I caught a faint rose scent.
I found myself staring at her nape, frozen, necklace in hand.
So white. So smooth-looking... like it’d taste good if I licked it...
“Camellia? Is something wrong?”
“Ah, n-no... nothing.”
...What was I thinking?
Anyway... that’s how the conversation with Rozalin went.
After chatting enough, I showed her around the mansion and explained her bedroom.
Ring the bell, and a servant would come—order baths or cleaning as needed.
She was nobility, so she probably could’ve figured it all out herself without me saying. But Rozalin nodded prettily at every little thing I said, responding sweetly.
...She was honestly pretty.
“She was pretty. Really.”
I muttered that to myself, staring at the ceiling in my room.
No one was there—neither Rozalin, nor the butler, nor servants, nor William.
“Of course she is at sixteen. Right in the bloom of her beauty.”
I turned to the mirror. It was a full-length one, so even lying in bed, I could see my face.
A pretty little blonde with blue eyes, sprawled alone on the bed.
Compared to Rozalin, I really was just a kid in height and build.
“Mother, huh.”
Truth be told, Rozalin didn’t feel like a mom.
Sure, she was kind, sweet... mature in those ways. Even at sixteen, as a noble, she’d have learned etiquette and such thoroughly.
Of course... but even so, I couldn’t help feeling she wasn’t a real mom or mother figure.
She was on the family register as one now, though.
Still... right now, she felt more like a big sister or something. After all... a sixteen-year-old mom was weird...?
“That must be why.”
With the last mom, the bigger age gap at least gave some sense of “mom.”
Because the difference was greater.
“Once some time passes, it’ll be fine. Yeah.”
I promised myself that.
And as I did, I thought about Rozalin, whom I’d met for the first time today.
Sixteen, but in my past-life terms, that was like eighteen. Basically an adult.
Yet her face had this mature cuteness to it. Like a rose personified.
No wonder the Rose Family named her Rozalin.
“At least she’s good.”
Unlike the last one, she didn’t seem like she’d run off in the middle of the night.
With the previous mom... I’d just started bonding by the end. Then she vanished without a word, not even leaving a letter.
“......”
I hugged my body-pillow tight.
So fluffy and cozy.
Clutching a pillow bigger than me always calmed me down.
Maybe it was the comfort.
More than that, I wondered if Rozalin’s room was okay. I’d decorated it myself, but... I didn’t really know women’s tastes.
Even though I’d been born a girl, my own room was super stark.
Big bed, vanity, full-length mirror, desk, bookshelf.
No one would guess it belonged to an eight-year-old girl. William hated that stuff, and I wasn’t into pink and frilly either.
“I did what the butler and maids suggested...”
Who knows.
In the end, all I could do was hug the big pillow tight.
Tomorrow... maybe a walk around the mansion grounds with Rozalin. Not just inside, but outside too. Or we could go out and buy her some clothes.
Anything... in a direction she’d like.
Yeah. That sounds good.
I’d only met Rozalin today, but she didn’t seem to dislike me at all.
“...Oh, right. Homework.”
...I’d even gone to college.
Not a top-tier one, mind you.
But even for a college grad like me, homework was annoying as ever.
Not because it was hard—because it was too easy.
The occasional tutor lessons were boring as hell.
The finance? Economics? Business? classes William added last time were way more fun.
Seemed to suit me...
“But I shouldn’t have shown interest.”
William thought I had a knack for business. Reality? Just an adult mind doing basic thinking.
Now I had an extra tutor and more homework.
Suddenly, I missed Rozalin. Better to chat and relax with her than do this crap...
Yeah. She really did feel like a mom.
I’d have to take back what I said earlier about her not feeling like one.
Missing someone I’d just met proved otherwise.