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“What kind of accident did you have?”
A voice like thunder urged Rosina.
“…I apologize, Father.”
Rosina bit her lip.
From the day after she made a mistake at the banquet hall, her family was upset.
Her mother, who had gone out in the morning, had returned without being able to do fitting for her dresses.
She said she was rejected from the entrance with a shameful expression and her face flushed red.
However, that was nothing.
The fact that none of her dresses, accessories, or shoes could be fitted in the right place was only the base, and her father’s business started to go wrong right away.
However the rumor spread, as word spread that the Green Count family itself was in jeopardy, then other nobles secretly started to turn away.
Some people were anxious and abandoned their investment plans or came to get their already invested money back.
Even the only thing that went wrong was the relationship with the Valliot family, yet rumors spread that he was hated by the Emperor.
Originally, the Count’s family wouldn’t collapse like this, but Count Green was a greedy man.
He wanted to imitate and catch up with the Valliots, who quickly increased their funds and expanded their influence.
As a result, he raised a lot more funds than his own, and voices of concern grew.
Still, he was confident.
He was able to join hands with the Valliot family, which he had dreamed of.
However, the moment the longed-for dream came true, the funds that had been circulating so far were frozen, and even the business that had been involved with the Valliot family was reluctantly withdrawn.
Count Green couldn’t come to his senses.
It was only later that he realized that his daughter, who had kept her mouth shut, was the one who made it happen.
“Apologize? You know you’re sorry, yet you’re making that kind of problem? Huh? What can you do! You’ve made up your mind to ruin the family! I told you to please, watch your mouth and don’t make fun of me!”
Rosina wasn’t an openly mischievous child, but she did occasionally embarrass herself by slipping her tongue.
That’s why he had told her to be careful repeatedly, yet she ended up having a major accident.
Of all things! She touched Marquis Leguier, who shouldn’t be touched, this doom was inevitable.
In the first place, Marquis Leguier was reassuring if he had him on his side, but if he had him as an enemy, he was more troublesome than anyone else.
Since a few years ago, the Count Green had grown quite a bit as they drew along the Valliot family, and it was as if they scored a goal in an instant.
And a few months ago, he started a new business and was offering to recoup the huge investment funded by Marquis Leguier.
As soon as they truly recovered, the Green Count family might disappear without a trace.
He maintained trust with other families with the belief that he was doing solid business with the Valliot family, and he couldn’t bring it down.
But how could he appease someone he couldn’t communicate with?
“There are even rumors that our family is ruined! They even ask me to refund their investment money like crazy! What are you going to do with this? Huh? What can you do!!”
How to do this. What to do with this.
A deep sigh escaped Count Green’s lips.
Rosina bowed her head, her face already red and swollen from being hit on the cheek.
She heard that the Viscount Ritz, Celie’s family, was also getting quite annoyed now.
Perhaps the families of the two lords who were together with them won’t be safe either.
She couldn’t visit them in person, but they wouldn’t be fine either if she was like this.
“I-I will properly ask for forgiveness from Marquis Leguier and return.”
“Tsk. So wouldn’t this kind of thing have happened if you had gone quietly when I told you to get married? Tell him I’ll give him compensation, go ahead! If you can’t solve this problem, don’t call me father again!”
Bang!
In the end, Count Green, unable to hold back his anger, threw the vase against the wall and went outside.
Looking at the horribly broken pieces of the vase, Rosina tightly closed her eyes.
It wasn’t the time to build up her ego.
***
“One, twooo, threeee, fouuur, fiveee…”
I listened intently to Russphe’s words to count slowly to 10 with my eyes tightly closed.
I don’t know why.
I just did it because Russphe told me to.
The pouch is important, but Russphe’s request is also important.
I’ll just count to 10 like this and go call Zenda.
I counted the numbers while moving my hips in the same posture as before.
“Six, seveeeen, eight, nineeeeㅡten!”
My heart was in a hurry, that’s why the ‘ten’ was a little quicker.
“You can, haa, open your eyes.”
I opened my eyes at the sound of Russphe’s breathless voice.
And I was surprised.
“H-How?”
Russphe held a pouch in his hand.
Sweat dangling from my forehead.
“I… caught it.”
“Russphe did?”
“Y-Yeah.”
How did this happen?
It was obviously far enough out of Russphe’s reach, yet he brought the pouch while I was counting only to 10.
“Come on, take it. Shall I tie it up?”
I shook my head and accepted the pouch Russphe held out.
Surprised, I fiddled with the pouch, but to my surprise, there was no water at all.
“How did you do it?”
“Hm?”
“Did Russphe grab it while I was counting to 10?”
“Ah…, yeah.”
“It’s dangerous! I can ask Zenda, though.”
Russphe was almost in trouble.
“No, I did it with a branch.”
“With a branch?”
“Y-Yeah.”
But there wasn’t a single tree branch to be seen around us.
The men who work in the garden clean it up every day, so there aren’t many fallen leaves.
And there was a tree, but it was too big for our height to reach.
Or did Russphe drop it into the water while trying to get the pouch?
I quickly agreed and looked at Russphe.
“Then why are you sweating so much?”
I quickly tied the pouch Russphe had saved me to my dress.
Then I took a handkerchief from my other pocket and held it to Russphe’s forehead.
I pressed it down and wiped Russphe’s sweat.
As I’m so grateful for him saving this pouch.
“It’s hot… yeah.”
“You can’t do this. You’re in danger!”
“We’re friends. You said that a friend is a person who helps you when you are in trouble.”
“But not for anything dangerous.”
I refuted Russphe’s words.
I really appreciated Russphe for saving the pouch, but if I had known Russphe was pulling it out himself, I would have told him to never do it.
“Are you mad?”
Russphe looked at me and asked.
“Hm? I’m not?”
“I’m sorry…”
At that, I gasped and grabbed Russphe.
“Why are you sorry! I was worried that you might be in danger. Because I don’t want my friend to be in danger!”
Russphe turned his eyes and opened his mouth.
“Actually, Aika… you know.”
“Mm, hm.”
“Actually, I didn’t do it with a branch.”
“Then?”
“Uh, about that…”
Russphe stayed still, unable to speak for a long time.
“Are you sick somewhere?”
Somehow, I also sweat strangely.
Russphe shook his head from side to side.
“No, I’m fine. If I tell you, can Aika keep it a secret?”
What is it?
First of all, I nodded my head. I’m good at keeping Mom’s secrets.
“Yes, I will keep it a secret! What is it?”
“You can’t tell anyone.”
“Yep. What… is it?”
“Are you really not going to tell anyone?”
At those words, I knelt down, clenched my fists, and listened to Russphe.
At the same time, he also knelt down and sat down.
“Yep!”
Russphe checked the surroundings several times before opening his mouth.
“Actually…”
“Mmhm.”
“I used magic.”
“Huh? Magic?”
As Russphe whispered, my voice diminished as well.
We were now almost at each other’s heads.
“Mm, magic.”
Magic?
“Whoa! Isn’t that only in books?”
Russphe hurriedly put his finger to his lips.
I covered my mouth with both hands. UaakhㅡI should speak with a lesser volume!
“Kamaye says that very occasionally there are people who can use magic.”
“Is that Russphe?”
“Yeah, I guess so. I magically pulled out the pouch. It’s not dangerous at all, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Whoa… With magic?”
“Yeah. Actually, I didn’t use the branches, I’m sorry for lying.”
I shook my head. Magic, he said!
“No. That’s so cool! But why should you hide it?”
At those words, Russphe hesitated and couldn’t speak easily.
“I just thought it would be a bother.”
“What’s bothering you?”
“That…”