CH 3.37

The Duchess corrected her words and said instead. Isabella leaned a bit, smiled at Rosé and gestured at her.

“Get closer to me a bit.”

“… Yes?”

“Why are you so surprised? I just wanted to give you something.”

Isabella smiled in a gentle voice. But Rosé felt the chill in her eyes looking at her. Of course, it doesn’t suit the gentleness of Isabella’s face.

Rosé was forced to approach Isabella. Then Isabella loosened the bracelet on her arm and pulled Rose’s arm.

“Qu, Queen Seon!”

Rosé was surprised and tried to pull out her arm, but Isabella filled her empty wrist a bracelet. As much as Isabella’s red hair, the red ruby was shining brightly.

“Your wrist is thin, so it goes well.”

“Your Majesty… this bracelet..”

“I want to give it to you because you saved Flitta’s life.”

“… Yes?”

While listening to Isabella’s words, she tried to urgently loosen the bracelet from her wrist.

“I do not deserve this, Your Majesty. Besides, I didn’t do that to receive a price. For me, being safe is enough…”

“You don’t want a price for it but you have received one from Haven, didn’t you?”

It was funny after Isabella raised hier hand to stop Rosé’s actions. Then she stared at her green eyes straight and added.

“You’ve become Flita’s exclusive maid. If you think about it, isn’t it more than a bracelet like this for a maid in charge of a princess?”

“That’s not true, Your Royal Highness. A maid in charge of a truly noble family might be suited for this present. How can you compare the position of a maid dedicated to a wear a bracelet that Your Royal Highness the Queen Seon cares about?”

Then, as the Duchess stepped in and spoke, Isabella waved at the Duchess.

“The Duchess is saying too much for me. What’s so great about a bracelet like this?”

“It’s amazing. Isn’t it a special gift from Prince Urtner for Your Royal Highness? That is dedicated for your eyes. The vivid color and brilliance of the ruby.”

The gaze of the Duchess was greedy. It was too precious for a maid like her. The Duchess drank a sip of tea without knowing it.

Isabella guessed what the Duchess was trying to get at but was hiding it. Then she opened her mouth gently at Rosé.

“I understand it, anyway. Just saving Haven’s child is qualified to have that bracelet.”

“But, Your Royal Highness.”

If Rosé could do it, she had already taken off that bracelet. It was not something to receive, so she bit her lips, looking at Isabella.

“Why, you received such a bracelet. Do you not like it? ”

Isabella asked her while smiling but she could feel a sharp gaze on her. Rosé shook her head and tried to explain.

“Not that, Your Royal Highness.”

It was because what Haven offered her was an opportunity to be around Flitta. Before she die, she was able to stay with her child for a while. She was able to take care of Flitta for a little while.

So she knew it was an excessive place for me- to be Flitta’s exclusive maid.

But this was different. This, it couldn’t mean anything to her. She had never fancied jewelry. Moreover, it was all the more so because it was given by Queen Seon.

Rosé seemed to be frozen as well as the bracelet on her wrist. Knowing that the Queen didn’t recognize her, she was afraid that the bracelet on her wrist was a mistake.

She wasn’t afraid of being caught, but she was afraid of being caught and kicked out. She was afraid she won’t have any chance to see Haven and Flitta once kicked out. So…

“The queen has given you a present. What are you doing? Kneel and thank her!”

The Duchess got frustrated seeing Rosé, who looked stupid not doing anything. At the same time, Rosé fell to the floor resigning.

“… Thank you, Your… Royal Highness.”

“What, it’s not much.”

Isabella laughed at the end of her lips. But her brow was slightly wrinkled.

‘One bracelet is not enough, is that what that maid was trying to say? Quite greedy yet trying to seduce Haven with that innocent look. Pretending to be nice and not greedy, right?’

Isabella looked at Rosé with cold eyes and recalled the words of Flita’s nanny.

If this was my maid, Isabella would have scratched off the skin of that innocent face right away. Or dig those grumpy green eyes of hers.

It was just a pity that this place was the Grand Duke’s house, and that the arrogant maid was his employee.

‘… Well, if she gets annoying, I can get rid of her somehow. ‘

She’s still just a mere maid. Isabella looked at Rosé and lifted the teacup. It was like throwing away a bracelet at the price of cleaning up a low-key girl.

* * *

Suddenly the window was dark. A little while ago, the evening was colored red, but the darkness came.

Rosé went down the stairs and stopped in the middle and threw attention to the dark window.

The moonlight that came through a large window fell over her face. That’s why? Her face looked more pale as if he would fall soon.

Today was a hard day. Her body and mind are tired.

No, it would be correct to say her mind was more tired than her body was. She moved all day due to the Queen’s commands, who showed excessive interest as if she was bothering her.

On top of that, other Grand Duke’s maids even looked at her with jealousy. Of course, it wasn’t something she could not understand. Objectively speaking, it would be an honor to be appointed by Queen Seon and serve her. It was only natural that the eyes and words of those who thought she had taken the chance from them was malicious.

… It was such an honor she had never wanted.

“Hooh… ”

Is it because he was paying attention to Queen like a celebrity all day? My head felt sticky and hurt.

She sighed and pressed her templkes with her palms and even went down the stairs. But her steps stopped again.

‘… Is Flitta sleeping? ‘

Rose’s eyes went upstairs.

She had never taken a glimpse of Flitta today. She had no time. The queen made her do trivial things so that she could not leave her.

‘It’s too late to go.’

It’s not very late, but it’s already late for a child. So she will not go there to see Flitta. Besides, she might accidentally wake her up.

Rosé looked up at the floor where Flitta’s bedroom was located with her longing eyes, then forcibly walked down the stairs.

Rose’s step toward her room gradually slowed down. Her body seemed to scream that it had met its limitations.

Rose forcibly dragged her tired body and grabbed her arm. More precisely, her wrist with the bracelet.

“… Now that I remember, what should I do with this?”

Rosé muttered on her own and frowned. Due to the forced of the Queen and Duchess, she had no choice but to wear the bracelet.

“Hooh… ”

Rosé sighed again and pressed her aching head with her hand. For now, she don’t have any option. No, it was unknown whether it would be in the future.

There’s no ‘freedom to refuse’ for a lowly person like her.

“… This is too much for me. ”

That’s she had an ominous feeling. There is no certainty, but she feels that this will bring bad omen someday.

‘… I think it’s okay. ‘

Rosé muttered inside and tried to shake off that feeling. She loosened the bracelet and put it in a skirt pocket and walked to her room.

At that tome.

Someone ran with the sound, and hugged the two legs of Rosé. The warm body temperature of the small body was quickly delivered to her.

“… Princess?”

She easily could know without the need to look down. What kind of mother cannot recognize her own child?

But she just couldn’t imagine Flitta was here. She was surprised then bent her knees and matched Flitta’s eyes. Encountering Rosé’s eyes, she laughed with her eyes shaped like full moons.

“How did you come here? Moreover, it’s time to sleep now. ”

“I came to me because I wanted to Rosé. I’m pretended asleep until Nanny got out.”

Flitta smiled with a casual look and pulled the blanket to the bottom of her eyes and pretended to sleep. Despite her mischievous appearance, Rosé couldn’t laugh.

After seeing Rose’s firm expression, Flitta slowly smiled and blinked. Then she looked at her fingers in her head and looked at Rose’s mouth and opened his mouth.

“Did I do wrong? I just didn’t see Rosé the whole day. So, hnngg, I missed you.”

“I wanted to see you,  too.”

Rosé comforted the crying child. Then Flitta pouted her mouth and asked again.

“Then, why are you angry?”

“I’m not angry. But… this is a place where you can come and go…”

“Rosé’s room?”

“A noble woman should not come to the room of employers. Besides, it’s a dark night. Wasn’t it scary?”