Chapter 316
Chapter 316
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: A Sudden Trip Proposal
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“Camellia, how about we go on a trip together for a few days?”
“…Pardon? What’s that all about? A trip?”
It came out of nowhere while I was sorting through some documents in the most ordinary fashion. Rozalin had walked into my room and brought it up.
It felt so abrupt that I was genuinely puzzled, wondering what had prompted her to suggest a trip.
Rozalin rarely ever mentioned travel at all, and she wasn’t the type to proactively suggest doing things together, which made it all the more surprising.
This wasn’t even just about going out for a casual outing—it was a full trip?
It really was sudden.
“I just feel like you’ve been working too hard lately. I love seeing my daughter so diligent, but I still wish you’d take a little break. How about we go on a trip together?”
“……”
A trip.
It was a bit surprising to hear it from Rozalin’s lips, but the reason she gave made me hesitate a little.
Normally, with work still piling up, I would have postponed it, but her wish for me to rest tugged at my heartstrings.
“Where were you thinking of going?”
“Hm? I haven’t decided yet, but somewhere we can spend a few lighthearted days. Just the two of us.”
“Just the two of us?”
“Yeah, just us. We’ll leave the others here—you and me, Rozalin and Camellia. All alone.”
The trip suggestion was shocking enough, but what followed was even more surprising.
Suggesting a trip alone together wasn’t all that strange in theory, but because it was Rozalin, it felt off somehow.
I couldn’t help but find it curious.
She wasn’t the type to propose spending time just the two of us like this, especially not since I’d started dating the others—we’d been doing pretty much everything together as a group.
“It’s been quite a while since we spent time just the two of us, hasn’t it? I thought we could rest and catch up at the same time.”
“……”
“Or are you too busy?”
I was busy.
With territory matters finally wrapping up and the Rose Family succession ahead, there was indeed a lot on my plate…
“No, it’s fine. Let’s go. I don’t know where yet, but a trip it is.”
The words just slipped out.
As Rozalin said, it had been ages since we’d had time alone, and truthfully, I’d been feeling worn out lately.
It could double as giving Alexandra a break from my constant complaints about being tired.
Going on a trip myself would surely be a nice form of vacation.
“Really?”
“Yes. You want to go with me too, don’t you, Mother? I want to go as well.”
“Hehe, that’s a relief. I was a little worried you’d turn me down.”
“No way. How happy does this make me, having you suggest it? You’re worried about me, right? I’ve been working nonstop lately.”
Separate from her mention of time alone together, I couldn’t help but think the biggest reason stemmed from her concern for me.
Rozalin had always been like that, taking such good care of me.
Seeing me buried in work lately must have worried her, leading her to suggest this trip so I could rest a bit.
Of course, I knew it was about time for a break myself… but thinking the end was in sight, I’d just kept pushing through.
That was why I accepted her proposal.
“Good, I’m glad. As for the destination… I haven’t picked one yet, but I’ll figure it out.”
“You will?”
“Yeah, you’re busy these days, right? We’re not leaving tomorrow or anything, so you keep working until then. I’ll take my time choosing.”
…Was her real goal just to go on a trip with me after all?
Well, I didn’t mind either way.
*
I told Lize and Ashley about the trip Rozalin had suggested to me.
I half-expected some pushback, but maybe because Rozalin had always been so accommodating?
No one objected or brought up any issues with the trip—they just cheered us on and told us to have a safe journey.
It left me a little puzzled, honestly.
But it meant the harem was running smoothly, so I took it as a good sign.
“Haven’t been to the west in ages, huh?”
“Yeah. The west… I think the last time was before the academy, for business.”
“Hehe, that’s why I picked it. We’ve gone to the south and east plenty, and the north often too, but the west is rare.”
“Sounds fun. I’m looking forward to it.”
And so, the carriage carrying just Rozalin and me was headed west.
The west wasn’t somewhere I visited often, but for a healing trip, it seemed like a decent choice.
The north boasted snowcapped mountains, the south a scorching sun, the east beautiful coastlines—while the west was famous for its dense forests since ancient times.
Especially back in the mythic, fairy-tale eras, there were even tales of elves living there amid the thick, seemingly endless woodlands.
That was the west’s pride, its problem, and its everything.
“There’s a city… well, a village called Bosco. It’s bigger than you’d think, and it’s really nice. We’ll stay there for a few days.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Hehe, no wonder. It’s not super famous—just a quaint little rural village in the forest.”
Bosco.
It sounded like a remote village I’d never even heard of.
I had no idea how Rozalin had found out about it, but probably from academy connections?
That was the only time she’d had to mingle with people from other regions.
“The mountains are gorgeous. If I hadn’t gone to the Leonhardt Family and had struck out on my own… I might’ve ended up somewhere like that.”
“If you say so, Mother, it must be really nice.”
“Hehe, you can look forward to it. It’s the perfect place to soothe my daughter’s weary body and mind.”
“Yes, I’ll be counting on it.”
“Yeah, and it only takes two days to get there, so it won’t be an exhausting trip.”
The overall theme of the journey was healing in the forest—that summed it up.
Truthfully, I’d feel rested and happy anywhere as long as I could relax, but this was a spot Rozalin had specially chosen.
Even before arriving, I was starting to get a little excited.
The weather was drifting toward summer, so I’d figured it’d be the sea or the north, but the forested west was an unexpected twist that only added to the anticipation.
Considering she’d mulled it over for days after suggesting the trip…
It must be the best place in her mind.
“I can’t wait.”
“Hehe, don’t build it up too much. I’d be sad if my daughter got her hopes too high and ended up disappointed.”
“No, I’m not the type to get disappointed easily—you know that, Mother.”
“True, but meeting your expectations is still a lot of pressure. I’d hate for it to feel like I wasted your precious time.”
“Time spent with you is never a waste.”
“Hehe, that makes me so happy. But your time isn’t just ours alone, is it?”
Well, she had a point.
As she said, my time had long since stopped being solely my own.
Not just the girlfriends, but business, the territory, and various acquaintances had filled it up lately.
“Even so, at least time like this with you is just for us, Mother. Relax during the trip.”
“Alright, I will. But you try not to think about work at all, okay?”
“Of course. I’ll focus entirely on you, Mother.”
I was thrilled at the prospect of some intimate time with Rozalin anyway.
Healing was great, but it had been ages since we’d been alone together, and this was practically the first trip without worrying about the others at all.
Both Rozalin and I couldn’t help looking forward to it.
We hadn’t even arrived yet, but once we did, we were bound to have an amazing time.
I had no clue exactly what spot she’d picked, but it had to be good.
Morning, lunch, dinner, night… even dawn.
I was truly excited.