Chapter 17 Part 3
Ah, the very thought is terrifying…!
Going back to that time without Hyle would indeed be dreadful.
If he didn’t know me, but I returned to the past alone with memories of our time together…
Surely there could be no crueler regression than that.
“Miss, today’s concept is pink roses. I’ve prepared a dress and accessories that match your beautiful pink eyes. Madame Antoinette says she designed it with great ambition.”
“Doesn’t that woman claim every dress is ambitious?”
“Ahaha… well, perhaps so…”
Thanks to the efforts of the many maids, the grooming finished earlier than expected.
A large pink rose was attached to my hair, which was gathered at the back, and earrings also featuring sparkling pink roses provided accent points.
Additionally, a crimson off-shoulder dress with thin, floating lace neatly arranged along the collarbone line clung to my body as if it had always been mine.
“Miss, as I always say, you’re at your most beautiful today.”
“It feels almost sinful that we got to see this magnificent appearance first…”
Hearing the beginning of their excessive flattery, a warning rang in my head.
Since the maids’ effusive praise, once started, tends to assault one’s ears for quite some time, it was best to avoid it preemptively.
“Thank you all, you’ve worked hard. I’ll wait by the entrance early.”
Before anyone could add anything, I quickly rose from my seat, finished the final preparations, and left the room immediately.
Fergio and Mattio had been practically living in the breeding grounds recently.
This was because of the first-class magical beast they had gone to capture based on information I had leaked not long ago.
While it was nice not to run into them because of this…
From what I’d overheard, it was a dangerous magical beast worth more than first-class.
In truth, that beast was a high-ranking demonic creature I had specially requested Caligo to bring discreetly from the demon realm.
The whole story was that I had placed the beast in a specific location and then leaked its whereabouts to Fergio and Mattio.
This was all deliberately done to empty the mansion so Xenoph could easily find me.
The problem was…
The first-class magical beast was actually brought as a decoy and would vanish like a bubble after a certain period.
While the beast’s existence was real, the power maintaining its form was not its own but temporarily borrowed from Caligo, making it unstable.
Glancing toward the breeding grounds, I anticipated that when the first-class beast disappeared, Mattio and Fergio’s fury would cause a major uproar.
…I should probably leave this mansion before then, right?
By that time, even those fools would surely know that I had become the Holy Maiden.
If that happened, it would be like pouring oil on a burning house.
“Hmm… did I come out too early?”
In my effort to avoid the maids, I arrived earlier than the appointed time.
Thinking I might as well tour the garden since I was early, I looked around and… wait.
Why do I see Hyle in front of me? It shouldn’t be time yet?
“Hyle…?”
Leaning against a black fence, Hyle quickly turned around upon hearing my voice.
When our eyes met, his green ones wide with surprise, we both drew in startled breaths almost simultaneously.
“…Rosiel? Why are you out so early?”
Surprised by each other’s unexpected appearance, we looked at one another for a moment before breaking into light laughter.
“What about you? When did you arrive? You should have said something if you were here. Why did you come so early?”
“Just because I wanted to.”
The faint smile on his reddish lips was quite pleasant to see.
Hyle’s black uniform was embroidered with a deep green pattern that matched his eye color, giving him a neat yet splendid appearance.
“You’re so transparent. I almost wasted precious time.”
“Well, that might not necessarily be the case.”
With these enigmatic words, Hyle approached me with slow movements.
Stopping with about two steps between us, he slowly lifted my hand.
“I used to wonder why your name is Rosiel.”
“Now I think I understand the reason,” he continued in a quiet, calm voice.
His gentle touch on the back of my hand was almost uncomfortably hot.
Come to think of it, didn’t ‘Rosiel’ mean ‘the one and only rose’ in the imperial language? Perhaps because of this, I was always surrounded by roses.
Recalling what I had completely forgotten thanks to him made me feel somewhat awkward.
In truth, contrary to its meaning, it wasn’t such a romantic name.
Originally, this name was given to me by Caligo, and in the demon realm, roses generally corresponded to a demon’s possessions.
In other words, even before I was born, he had branded me with this name, claiming me as his own.
But I quite liked the way Hyle called my name.
When he called me, it felt as if he was addressing me as myself, not as someone else’s possession.
“Hyle, I think you look quite pretty today.”
Looking at Hyle, who was still holding my hand, I expressed this brief appreciation.
Unlike other days when I might have said it casually, today he truly was pretty.
His neat black bangs, with glimpses of his pure white forehead showing through, were quite pleasing to the eye.
Additionally, his slightly reddish cheeks and the faint dark circles under his eyes were wickedly pretty.
“It was worth preparing early, then.”
“Haha, you’re even shameless.”
“You like me like this, don’t you?”
His cheerful gaze, as if seeking confirmation with a “Don’t you?”, was steadily directed at me.
I could only smile at his mischievous attitude.
It was really nothing special, yet strangely, I couldn’t help but smile.
Even knowing it was a problem, I had no desire to fix it.
I didn’t want to fix anything about Hyle anymore. Now I just wanted to accept him as he was.
“Rosiel, let’s get going. It’s just become the time we agreed upon.”
“Already? Time flies…”
Taking his outstretched hand and climbing into the carriage, the scenery outside began to change rapidly as usual.
“Today, the official announcement of you being the Holy Maiden will be made.”
“Hmm, it’s about time.”
Not particularly surprised by Hyle’s words, I quietly nodded.
Considering how incredibly busy the Grand Temple had been due to the incident Xenoph caused, having the Holy Maiden announcement today was actually quite prompt.
“Today, will you let me stay over?”
At my abruptly thrown question, Hyle’s eyes narrowed into thin crescents. Just like someone who had been waiting for those very words.
“Did I mention that I renovated that villa you visited last time?”
His faint, smiling voice settled in my ears like flowing water. He had already been preparing, it seemed.
Even to the extent of redecorating the house!
Perhaps because it was after Hyle’s confession, I could see clearly how specially he was treating me.
Of course, he had valued me in this way before too… but I hadn’t known then.
That it was all because he liked me.
I’d thought it was just his personality to be kind to others, but in reality, it was all favor and feelings directed at me.
“After the party, I need to stop by home briefly. I have to get Entrie, and release my magical beasts from the breeding grounds…”
“Then we should leave the party before the announcement is made. Once it’s officially announced, the Marquis Laté will know too.”
“That’s what we’ll have to do. Though… surely he wouldn’t try to kill me even if he found out?”
Responding to his words simply, I curved my lips slightly.
Though I was smiling and speaking jokingly now… in truth, it was difficult to assert that Mattio, despite being my father, wouldn’t harm me.
House Laté was an extraordinary family that couldn’t be judged by the standards of ordinary families.
To them, blood relations were merely a difference of whether there was value or not. Nothing more, nothing less.
Mattio, in particular, was especially severe in this regard.
Though it was long ago, when Fergio was young and couldn’t properly handle demonic powers, Mattio had immediately tried to kill him.
Fortunately, Fergio had merely struggled temporarily before skillfully demonstrating his control over the power, avoiding a terrible fate.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. So don’t worry.”
“You’ve been saying such pleasant things all day.”
