~Chapter 96~
“How… do they even manage this?”
Father slowly stood up.
“There was a kidnapping not long ago. Everyone is too careless, don’t you think?”
Mother also muttered, her face turning cold.
“Then go ahead, Levi.”
“Yes.”
At Mother’s strange farewell, Father disappeared in a gust of wind. I blinked my eyes.
“Dad… where’s he going?”
“To… adjust things.”
“Huh?”
“Opinions. Seems like he thought of something to discuss with His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Oh.”
I see. That could happen.
But still, somehow…
‘Cheer up, Your Majesty the Emperor!’
For some reason, I wanted to cheer for the Emperor…
Rosetta headed with Rubian to the hot spring. She thought it would be so lovely to enjoy a warm bath at sunset with her daughter.
Rubian had done amazingly today.
She had bravely entered the maze competition, then stormed through the garden like a whirlwind and threw open the exit door first.
‘Everyone thought the Fourth Prince would win.’
Of course, I believed in my daughter!
“Good girl!”
Rosetta pulled Rubian into her arms and kissed her on the head. Rubian wriggled, blushing shyly.
But the way she kept clinging to her badge showed just how proud she was of herself.
“Alright, let’s take our clothes off now.”
“Yes!”
At the hot spring, they opened the changing tent. The maids were already waiting inside.
Rubian cheerfully followed in, but suddenly froze.
“M-Mom…”
“What is it?”
The girl held onto her clothes tightly and stepped back nervously.
“What’s wrong, Ruby?”
“Uh… bathroom…”
Rosetta frowned.
“Stomachache? Did you overdo it today? Let me see. I’ll—”
“No! I really just need the bathroom!”
Rubian quickly pulled away. Rosetta couldn’t get closer and raised her eyebrows.
“I’ll use the mansion bathroom!”
“What? There’s one nearby too—”
Whoosh. Rubian vanished before she could finish. Rosetta sighed and shook her head.
Sometimes she was like that.
Like she was being chased.
Like she was hiding something…
“Wait.”
Rosetta lifted her head.
Could it be that she was injured during the competition?
She remembered the wound she had seen on Rubian’s body. She had cried then without realizing, and Rubian had looked so apologetic…
So maybe she was hiding it this time?
Suddenly, she couldn’t stop worrying.
“Everyone, I’ll follow Rubian.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Rosetta hurried.
She walked fast along the shortcut path to the mansion, when suddenly she spotted silver hair.
Rosetta gasped.
“Ruby! Did you fall?”
“Ah! You scared me…”
The child spun around quickly. She had crouched in the bushes, maybe after tripping. Rubian pulled her clothes down and stood up fast.
“Let me see.”
“No, I’m fine!”
Rubian insisted she was okay, but Rosetta carefully checked her.
Thankfully, there were no injuries.
“Why are you here like this?”
“I remembered there’s a bathroom near the hot spring, so I was going back.”
She smiled. Rosetta relaxed her shoulders.
“See? You should’ve listened to Mom until the end before running.”
“Sorry.”
The child apologized with a pout. Rosetta held her hand tightly and walked back toward the hot spring.
“I can’t wait to go in!”
Rubian looked excited again.
“Can I go in the pink spring?”
“Of course.”
“Yay!”
Hmm, maybe I imagined it.
Rosetta smiled ahead.
She had a colorful past, full of experience. Among other things, she had developed sharp eyesight.
‘Before she pulled her clothes down… wasn’t there some mark?’
A dot? A pattern?
It had suddenly vanished.
‘Something like… the shape of a tree.’
Rosetta narrowed her eyes. She decided she would check again when they bathed together.
‘Maybe I was mistaken.’
And soon, her suspicion faded.
When the child undressed again, her back was smooth and white.
Rosetta told herself she had just seen the shadow of a tree in the sunset. Otherwise, how could it disappear?
Phew. I clutched my chest.
‘I forgot to hide the brand…’
Inside the maze, I had been caught in a dispel spell. A magic that removed every enchantment on my body.
That included the veil hiding the brand on my lower back.
And stupidly, I had forgotten to cover it again.
‘I must not lose focus.’
I steadied myself.
The tracking magician was still in Ibsen.
Like in the maze, he could suddenly appear before me again.
The thought made my hands and feet cold, my face stiff. Actually, I had been like that since we left the mansion.
At least Father and Mother thought I was just tired from the competition.
I hid my uneasy heart and sank into the warm hot spring.
Bubbles rose as I glanced sideways at Rosetta.
‘Still, I was really startled earlier.’
I had been trying to fix the brand in the bushes when Mom appeared. I was so shocked.
Thankfully, my magic had worked quickly, and she didn’t notice.
‘But…’
I raised my lips from the water and thought hard.
‘Did the brand get bigger?’
It looked like the branches had grown.
Was it my imagination?
I had never heard of a brand that grew.
But suddenly, I remembered the magician’s brand from my dream. The thin branches of the World Tree on his arm.
‘Huh? Why suddenly?’
I tilted my head in confusion. Maybe I had been thinking too much about brands.
“Ruby, let’s eat spicy stew!”
Mother’s bright face appeared suddenly.
I snapped out of my thoughts and nodded quickly. If I stayed gloomy, she might notice something.
“Yay, hot spring feast!”
I stood up with a big smile. My shadow stretched long in the sunset.
‘Ah.’
Walking while holding Rosetta’s hand, I thought faintly:
‘Maybe it’s not the brand that grew… maybe I just mistook my shadow stretching on my back.’
The next evening.
Finally, it was the day of the awards ceremony and party.
Mother Rosetta had barged into my room since the afternoon, busy dressing me up.
“Do we really have to do this much?”
“Of course! It’s your first party. You must be the cutest. And you’re the Shiny Festival first place winner too!”
“Hehe.”
My body squirmed with joy.
That’s right.
Earlier, a palace servant secretly told me the results of the star sticker count. I had ranked overall first.
Oh my. First competition, overall first place.
It really happened.
“I never thought I’d get first place… It’s all thanks to everyone’s support. I want to share this glory with my family—”
“Yes, yes. Save that for later! We need to get ready. Hazel!”
“Yes, Madam. I was waiting for your call.”
Soon Hazel and the maids rushed in like a parade. Just like during the prayer meeting, I was polished and transformed into a sparkling Rubian.
This time, I wore a light yellow striped children’s dress.
Once again, the mansion nearly collapsed under the weight of heart attacks. The famous doctor from the North had to rush over before we could head to the banquet.
In an open carriage, the dim sunset scenery flew past.
‘The awards. And the banquet!’
I was a little excited, but also nervous.
‘I just hope nothing troublesome happens.’
Ugh.
I fiddled with the soft red cloth that covered my lips.
