Chapter 310
Chapter 310
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Preparations for the Move to Rose
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Preparations for moving to Rose Territory.
Things were progressing faster than expected.
Recently, Alexandra had been focusing on developing the territory while stabilizing the residents.
She even welcomed the tasks I had requested.
After receiving her reply letter, I immediately dispatched several of my businesses to Rose Territory, naturally beginning to stabilize it.
"Mother, I'm thinking of going to Rose around next week. Would you like to come with me?"
"You're going already?"
"It's not fully complete yet, but the preparations are already sufficient. It's just an inspection trip to check if things are really going well. Nothing more."
"Ah.... It's only been about a month. It's changed that much already?"
"That's how capable Mother's daughter is."
One month.
Business-wise, it was an incredibly short time, but we'd already achieved that much progress.
Compared to before, consumption within the territory had increased significantly, and along with it, the proportion of residents earning money had grown.
In many ways, life had become more comfortable than before.
Of course, part of it was thanks to the businesses I dispatched, but facts were facts.
"If we go now, the streets will be much livelier than before. Even if we pop into a decent bar like we used to, it'll be packed with people for sure."
"Really?"
"Hee hee, it's your daughter, after all. Have some faith."
Just looking at the recent reports I'd received, sales in Rose had risen more than expected.
In reality, it would probably be in even better shape than anticipated.
On top of that, with about three months having passed, the graffiti on the Rose mansion should be cleaned up nicely by now...?
All in all, it was the perfect time for a visit.
"There might be a bit of work to do once we're there, so it'll be busy.... I'll leave Teacher at the mansion, and it'll just be me, Mother, and Lize."
"Is it okay not to bring Ashley?"
"If it's a place with a ton of work, she'd probably hate it. Remember how she always complained whenever you had her working inside the mansion before?"
"Oh, right.... She was exhausted back then. Yeah."
"So, I'm letting her rest easy. Even last time we went to Rose, she was bored out of her mind because there was nothing to do and she couldn't even sleep."
For someone like Ashley, it seemed better to have her come only when she was at 100% capacity.
She was the type who focused on results over process, whether teaching magic or anything else.
Her personality was just too averse to hassle.
"Alright, then let's do that."
"Hee hee hee, yes. I'll prepare the carriage and luggage separately."
And just like that, the trip to Rose was decided much more quickly.
Once I mentioned I was going, Rozalin had no reason not to join.
It was only natural, really.
Of course, it was also natural that I smiled because I was happy she was coming along.
*
"For now, I told Aunt Alexandra to tidy up the roads leading to the territory. The roads were always in such bad shape every time we went, right?"
"Hee hee, they really were. My back hurt so much the first time I took Camellia there."
"Yes, so I specifically told her to prioritize that. Back then, it wasn't feasible for Rose to build up its internal strength anyway."
Inside the carriage heading to Rose, we chatted about it for the first time in ages.
Normally, Rozalin and I rarely talked about Rose.
At first, we had no information about it, and our relationship wasn't that close or affectionate yet.
Later, there were much darker stories we deliberately avoided.
But now that I'd eliminated all the scum who tormented Rozalin, we could talk about it casually like this without any issues.
"So we tackled that first, gave them some money to drastically cut the exorbitant taxes they'd been squeezing from the residents, and while we were at it, added branches of my businesses and distribution lines...."
"Yeah, I see?"
"Yes, that's how we made it much better than before."
...Truth be told, these were boring topics Rozalin didn't know much about.
But because she kept nodding along and responding kindly... I ended up rambling on without realizing it.
I hadn't intended to go into such detail.
I caught on midway and wrapped it up appropriately.
"Oh, and before, Lize wanted to build an ice cream shop in the plaza. I prepared for that too."
"Ice cream?"
"...It's something Young Lady has loved since childhood. She likes other desserts too, but she really loves ice cream. So...."
"Oh, is that why you mentioned it? How thoughtful."
"...You're too kind. Madam could have thought of it too."
And naturally, it flowed into lighter chit-chat.
After all, only I had anything to say about business or Rose Territory's development; the other two didn't.
They just helped me keep talking.
"Hee hee, no. I might have even opposed an ice cream shop. Remember when Camellia ate too much as a kid and caught a bad cold?"
"That's true, but... I can't stop her from enjoying what she likes...."
"Camellia was always stubborn like that, even back then. So headstrong from childhood, yes. I'd tell her to go to bed early, but she'd stay up until midnight every time?"
"I had a lot to do back then."
"Even so, what could a kid who couldn't even attend the academy have been so busy with? I couldn't understand it at first."
"Hee hee...."
Was that how it was?
I wouldn't know.
Even if it was childhood for me, I didn't see it that way.
I'd been taking incredibly tough lessons and starting businesses right from then.
Naturally, viewing that period as a typical childhood was a bit off.
"But even then, I listened to Mother pretty well."
"...Did you?"
"It stopped there because it was Mother's words. I never even paid attention to Lize's nagging."
"Really."
Back then, I was... extremely weak to Rozalin, my stepmother.
Of course, the ice cream thing was something even I couldn't argue about, but generally, I was super compliant.
Whenever Rozalin suggested something, I'd usually go along with it.
If I went somewhere, she'd often follow, which meant I had to sneak around for any mischief at night...?
I had my own circumstances too, in many ways.
"But our daughter has grown up so remarkably now. I'm satisfied."
"She grew up amazingly well, didn't she? So pretty too."
"Hmm.... If she'd slept earlier in her childhood, maybe she'd have grown to 170 cm?"
"Hee hee hee, you think?"
I definitely didn't sleep properly from childhood.
But since my chest and other parts developed nicely, I had no complaints.
Not tall, but at 160 cm, not tiny either.
With good proportions too, I had zero negative feelings about my body.
"Of course, I... like how our daughter is a bit more petite than me."
"I'm a little disappointed. It would've been nice to hug Mother with really broad shoulders. Being a bit shorter makes it tricky."
"Hee hee, if you'd been taller than me, wouldn't you have been disappointed about not being able to do that to Lize?"
"Uh.... Maybe?"
Lize was a bit over 170 cm.
About the same as Ivana and Karen—pretty tall for a woman.
Being just a little taller than Rozalin probably wouldn't have satisfied me.
"Our current height feels just right. Small, but... everyone can hug me the same way, and I can hug them."
"I think so too. Being hugged by my daughter is nice, but nothing beats hugging her."
"Oh, Mother. You thought that way?"
"...Not in a naughty sense. I meant actual hugs."
"Hee hee hee, joking. Just joking."
We chattered about height, enjoyed the sandwiches Lize prepared midway, and passed the time in the carriage.
A place that once filled me with worry on the first visit.
Rose Earldom, where last time I'd gone prepared to crush those tormenting Rozalin.
But this time, I could head there just laughing idly with my lovers.
It made me incredibly happy.
"Teacher, stop lying on my shoulder and just lie down fully in the back. The rear seat is empty."
"Eeeh.... It's comfy now too....?"
"You're hogging my shoulder saying you're sleepy. Lize has been glaring at you since earlier."
"Oh.... Yeah, got it. I'll go to the back.... Yawn...."
"...I, I never did that, Young Lady."
"Then why were you staring so much earlier? I could tell you were worried about Teacher drooling on my shoulder."
"Ah, that...."
Even my cuddle pillow Ashley... was sleeping so soundly despite the bumpy carriage.
It seemed I wasn't the only one enjoying the trip to Rose.
Ashley had probably been lured by the idea of just relaxing, unlike last time when I'd forced her to adjust her schedule because of work.
Anyway, it was truly great that no one seemed displeased at all.