Chapter 9
“So we meet again here, Emilia’s mother. I’ve just been appointed as the academy’s parents’ association president.”
Rosetta, who had been trying to shield Emilia from Irena, turned around at Marchioness Ruster’s words.
“Oh my! You can see me after all.”
“…Excuse me?”
Rosetta brightly smiled and gently linked arms with Aaron. It was a perfect capitalist smile, polished and radiant. Aaron quietly observed her as she instantly acted close and affectionate.
Unaware of Aaron’s gaze, Rosetta glared at the marchioness like a lioness spotting an opening.
“You greeted only Aaron even though I was standing right here, so I thought I must be invisible to you.”
Rosetta waved cheerfully at Irena. The marchioness’s expression cracked.
“You seem not to have heard me. I said I’m the parents’ association president.”
As if offended, Marchioness Ruster repeated her title.
“Oh! Then please work hard. We’re busy, so we’ll be going now.”
Rosetta dragged Aaron and Emilia away. She could practically feel the burning stares on her back. Things were difficult from the very start. It felt like encountering the final boss at level one, cold sweat trickling down her spine.
“Emilia, come here. We need to go inside now!”
After playing outside for a long time, Emilia sniffed and trotted over. Rosetta quickly took off the scarf around her own neck and wrapped it around Emilia’s.
“This isn’t pretty!”
Emilia stared at the blue scarf in shock.
“If you don’t wear this, Mommy’s neck won’t be pretty. Is that okay?”
“What does that mean?”
Emilia tilted her small head, her round eyes darting left and right.
“My good Emilia, won’t you help Mommy’s life-extension project?”
“Is it something good?”
“Of course! Something very, very good.”
It means Mommy’s head won’t be separated from her body.
Rosetta smiled brightly and gently pinched Emilia’s cheek. Encouraged by the praise, Emilia nodded enthusiastically.
“Alright! Mommy and Daddy will be watching from behind, so do your best!”
Rosetta patted Emilia’s bottom and nudged her forward. Emilia dashed off as if she’d been waiting for permission.
“Phew…”
After confirming Emilia was seated properly with the teacher’s help, Rosetta let out a huge sigh. The entrance ceremony hadn’t even started yet, and she already felt completely drained.
That was when—
“You’ll catch a cold.”
A brown scarf was suddenly draped around Rosetta’s slender neck. It was so long it nearly touched the floor. She looked up to the side.
What is this feeling?
Aaron, smiling foolishly while watching Emilia, had wrapped her in his scarf. And surrounding him were countless women gazing at him with adoration.
Rosetta glanced down at the scarf trailing across the floor.
It didn’t match her dress at all, but she didn’t refuse his kindness.
If she caught a cold, only she would suffer.
Rosetta promptly wrapped the long scarf around herself several times until it covered her face up to her eyes. She glanced around.
“Nice.”
She murmured in satisfaction at being slightly hidden from people’s gazes. But the moment she said it, Aaron’s large hand gently ruffled her hair.
“What are you doing?”
“You look like you want to hide. I’m helping.”
Just as Rosetta’s eyes sharpened at him messing up her carefully styled hair, the warmth of his hand made her nose sting.
“Look ahead.”
“…What?”
“Look ahead. Don’t hurt yourself by listening to things you don’t need to hear or seeing people you don’t need to see. Just watch our pretty daughter.”
Rosetta followed his words and looked at Emilia. Emilia had clearly been watching them and immediately raised both hands, waving energetically as soon as their eyes met.
“Emilia, be careful! You’ll bump into the kid next to you!”
Rosetta shouted, but her voice was muffled by Aaron’s scarf and barely came out.
She didn’t notice Aaron quietly watching her, because her eyes were fixed only on Emilia.
***
A week passed since Emilia started attending the academy.
“Are we all eating dinner together today?”
Emilia twirled happily in the dining hall, hands on her cheeks. Glitter fell from her outfit each time she spun, dirtying the floor.
Damn glitter.
The ribbons were gone, but glitter had taken their place. Covered head to toe in the academy’s latest trend, Emilia skipped to her seat.
Rosetta smiled at the trail of glitter scattered across the floor.
That’s the Milky Way. Proof that my life has been extended. Be quiet, mouth.
Rosetta took a deep breath as she looked at the glitter Emilia had dropped. Meanwhile, the bond between father and daughter was growing warmer, like a red sunset.
“Looks like you had a happy day again.”
Aaron greeted Emilia by rubbing his cheek against hers, which sparkled with glitter.
“Of course! Did you have a happy day too, Daddy?”
“Of course.”
Father and daughter smiled at each other. Watching them, Rosetta lightly gestured to the butler.
“The chef prepared something special. Sit down before it gets cold.”
At her cue, the butler, delighted by the rare family dinner, began bringing out the dishes.
“How is academy life?”
Holding his knife, Aaron asked gently. It was the first question he’d asked after finally sharing a meal together in a week.
Rosetta, who had been doing full-time solo parenting since being handed a ridiculous book titled How to Be a Good Mother, shot Aaron a sharp look.
Watching him wipe sauce from Emilia’s mouth like the world’s best father made her glare even harder.
“It was busy.”
Emilia answered firmly, chewing her meat.
“Busy?”
Aaron’s gaze shifted from Emilia to Rosetta. Rosetta shrugged casually while cutting her food.
“Who is it today, Emilia?”
Ignoring Aaron’s stare, Rosetta asked Emilia. Emilia’s face instantly turned red.
“…Senior Daniel Fobel. It’s really final this time! I swear!”
At Emilia’s declaration, Rosetta lifted her glass. Emilia had fallen for seven different boys in just one week.
Watching her live like a true harem-story heroine, Rosetta gave a thumbs-up.
She really was special from a young age.
Rosetta then looked at Aaron.
“It’s Emilia’s new boyfriend.”
At the casual reply, Aaron alternated his gaze between Emilia and Rosetta. His expression turned serious as he set down his utensils and wiped his mouth.
“What?”
“To be precise, her seventh crush.”
Rosetta raised her wineglass again. One thing she loved after becoming Rosetta Yeblein was having unlimited access to good wine.
Wine she once drank by the bottle during convenience-store promotions now tasted entirely different.
Being married to Aaron Biern meant living in wealth. Savoring expensive wine felt blissful.
If she couldn’t enjoy even this, she would’ve died of stress already.
In truth, Yuri-as-Rosetta should’ve been worrying less about being killed by the heroine’s father and more about becoming an alcoholic.
It’s fine. I’m still healthy.
Just as she smugly admired her younger-looking skin—
“My daughter has a crush?”
Aaron’s face hardened, anger flashing through his eyes. Rosetta slowly set down her wineglass.
What now?
Living with the constant fear of losing her head was exhausting.
“That’s normal at her age. There’s no need to overreact, Aaron.”
Rosetta whispered gently, sighing.
Is the problem the crush? Or is it Daniel Fobel?
Calming the heroine’s father was harder than she’d expected.
From living with Emilia, Rosetta had learned she was simple.
She knew what she liked, spoke her mind clearly, and never negotiated.
She was smart and decisive. Rosetta lost every morning battle, but at least didn’t have to worry afterward.
Aaron was different.
They lived in the same house but rarely met. Understanding his personality from a few lines of text was difficult.
Especially moments like this.
“What kind of kid is he?”
“A nine-year-old boy attending the academy.”
Rosetta looked at Aaron with disbelief and raised her wineglass again.
“Nine years old?”
“The perfect age, considering your daughter’s age.”
Aaron fell silent. Meanwhile, Emilia had finished her meal and looked at Rosetta.
After wiping her mouth neatly with a napkin, Emilia spoke.
“May I excuse myself?”
“Why, Emilia? Your favorite strawberry pie is coming.”
Rosetta asked gently. Emilia giving up strawberry pie was unthinkable.
“I think you two need some time alone.”
“…What?”
Both Aaron and Rosetta froze.
“Daddy came home early today. So from now on, it’s adult time.”
Behind Emilia’s bright smile was a level of slyness no one would expect from a seven-year-old.
