"Did Elliot leave the capital to conduct his search smoothly?"
"It's in His Majesty's name that he goes out in search, so what can he do? And until he goes and checks directly, he will not be able to return to the capital until he has investigated thoroughly."
An accident that occurred on the estate of Alison, Russell's only sister.
Though it didn't make sense for the commander-in-chief to go directly, even so, Elliot was currently following Russell's orders, even if his orders were to investigate a series of fake murders.
Even if Elliot finds out about their intention to send him away from the capital, he has no choice but to go to the Marquis of Rosenberg.
...It's a means to buy some time.
Rose brought the teacup to her lips. Alas, the tea, which had been warm just minutes ago, cooled down during the duration of the sibling's conversation.
She didn't drink from it again and put it back down. Instead, she turned toward the open garden layout in the Manor.
It is the end of winter.
In just a few more days, early spring will come, and after the spring rain and cold weather, spring will unfold.
Rose smiled a small, bitter smile while angling her face away from Wells's view, who was sitting across from her.
Just last year, I wanted to get through the winter at least, but I was killed in the winter, and the Honeywell name fell. I wanted to overcome that period unconditionally and survive to see the next spring.
I thought I would just have to stop Elliot's plan to destroy the Honeywell family, but things turned out differently.
Rose felt her head hurt and touched her forehead.
"Rose, does your head hurt?"
In all honesty, she had just barely skimmed her fingers across her temples, but Wells got scared by her light actions and asked anxiously.
Rose shook her head, lowering her hand back into place.
"No, but what about the coming-of-age banquet held in the Imperial Palace? It will be held soon in the spring."
"Huh? There are quite a few children from the other families who have reached their coming of age, so we can't skip it this year. What happened between the Imperial Family, Honeywell, and Proud... It's His Majesty's will that we don't want to confuse everyone by telling everyone what will happen someday in the future."
In other words, the annual coming-of-age celebration banquet held by the Imperial Family will be held as planned.
Rose tilted her head slightly, lost in thought.
The coming-of-age celebration banquet was held in the Imperial Palace.
Her hand on her lap squeezed the hem of her skirt.
She was unable to speak as she opened and closed her mouth noiselessly. She took a short breath in and out to control her breathing and tried again.
"Brother."
"huh?"
"I also want to go to the coming-of-age celebration banquet. May I go?"
The coming-of-age celebration banquet hosted by the Imperial Palace was attended by the children of nobles who came of age this year.
Since it is literally a celebration of those who have come of age, it is not unusual for adults to attend and cheer them on.
However, it was a different story if Rose Honeywell was the person who had expressed her intention to attend.
No matter how many times Wells invited her to attend the Imperial Palace's celebration, it was Rose herself who refused with various excuses.
Wells had already noticed that Rose had feelings for Russell beyond platonic.
"If you have His Majesty in your heart, it would be better to not go."
It's advice I've already heard before, brother.
Rose slightly rolled her eyes in case Wells objected again.
Since they allowed me to attend the hunting festival, wouldn't they allow me to attend a coming-of-age banquet too?
However, even with the pretext of going to congratulate an acquaintance who had come of age, Rose did not have anyone close to her.
...If nothing had happened, Ilya would have attended the coming-of-age celebrations.
Rose shook her head and strongly opposed the feeling of falling into a bout of what-ifs.
It is true that Ilya has come of age this year, but there is no reason for Rose to think of her anymore.
"Rose."
Fortunately, Wells interrupted her train of thought and distracted her.
"Yes, brother?"
Tension crept across Rose's facial features. If Wells objected, Rose would be locked up in the Manor on the day of the coming-of-age banquet.
A sigh escaped Wells' mouth.
Thinking that her beloved brother wouldn't allow her to join, Rose's shoulders trembled.
"...Alright, My Rose, but you will come with me."
"Haa... Yes, I'll stay in the Manor---Huh?"
"What?"
Wells and Rose's wide eyes met exactly.
"You want to stay at the manor...?"
"Oh no! I want to go with my brother! I want to go!"
Rose had guessed that Wells' would object and resigned herself to staying at the Manor, so when she was proven wrong, she hurriedly denied him with a hasty gesture.
Wells stared at his little sister and gently smiled.
"You have changed, sister."
"I have?"
"Yes, you have. Up until last year, you were scared of meeting people and stayed locked away in the Manor. Besides me, the only people my beloved sister was close with were the butler and Anne."
"It was... In fact, even now, it is difficult to stay in a place where there are many people like this banquet, but... I still want to go."
"Don't worry, it's a banquet that I am required to attend, so it's good to be with me, especially with the current situation we're in. Even though Duke Proud isn't in the capital, we don't know who else is involved and lurking in the shadows."
"When the main characters of the coming-of-age celebration have finished dancing, I will definitely dance with my older brother this time. So, Brother! You couldn't dance with anyone until then."
Rose lightened the mood around the siblings with a reminder after the last dance.
A promise to dance with Wells had been left unfulfilled as, at the last banquet, Elliot had forced her into giving up her first dance to him, thus the promise between the siblings was overlooked due to the appearance of an obstruction.
Wells' face brightened as expected.
"Will you? It is an honor."
"My older brother leads me well, though I'm still a little confused about the dance line."
"Don't worry, all these years, I must have been practicing dancing just to dance with you, Rose."
"Lies!"
Rose burst into fits of laughter.
She knew Wells was not good at swordsmanship.
However, his body was flexible enough that he had the talent to absorb the dance steps perfectly, even if he only learned that particular dance for a short time.
No one knew his dancing skills, as he had never personally asked a woman to dance at a banquet, but Rose remembered them well.
As a child, Wells, who had his coming-of-age ceremony at the Manor, danced gracefully and perfectly with his sister and a distant relative.
Wells pushed the teacup aside, signaling the end of teatime, and stood up.
"I guess I have to go back to my office now."
"Are you not done with work yet?"
"There's only simple paperwork left, but the pressing work I need to complete is for the coming-of-age celebration schedule."
"But you wasted a lot of time because of me."
"What are you talking about, My Rose?"
Wells walked around the table and stood in front of Rose.
He caressed Rose's soft blonde hair and leaned down to meet her eyes.
"Tea time, as well as all the time I spend with you, is more precious and important to me than anything else. I will never take it as wasted time, Rose."
"Ahh."
Wells left Rose's bedroom, which allowed Anne to enter and begin clearing the table.
"Ah, tea time with the Master has been quite a bit longer than usual, Lady Rose."
Yes, my brother and I enjoyed our time. We talked a lot about this and that."
"I see, the expression of the Master as he walked away looked very good, as did yours."
"It must be because it's been a while since I had such a long tea time with my older brother."
Rose was in a very good mood.
Wells was someone who would always stand by Rose's side. Even if the world turned against her, she knew that he'd always have her back.
Feeling the warmth spreading through her heart, Rose pictured herself dancing with Wells at the coming-of-age banquet.
Wells is said to lead skillfully, but I also need to learn how to move gracefully.
Wells' job today was to make a list of attendees attending the upcoming coming-of-age celebration.
It was also one of his jobs to make and send out invitations to those who would be in attendance.
"Let's see which are the families that have young adults: Baron Lawton, Earl Calpan, Earl Bronte..."
As his memory was triggered, Wells' footsteps stopped abruptly as he was listing the families.
"I never thought Rose would take the initiative to say that she wants to go to the Imperial Palace's banquet."
Only he knew how much he wanted Rose to be involved in social activities, such as attending banquets and tea times, instead of being confined to the Manor.
He even had a chance to dance with Rose this time.
"When Rose was young, we danced together a few times, but I don't know if she remembers it."
It was a long time ago when their parents, the former Duke and Duchess of Honeywell, were still alive.
Wells's light laughter, brought on by the fond memories, gradually subsided.
"But the reason why she said she would go to the party held in the imperial Palace is clear..."
Russell came to the forefront of Wells' mind.
I don't know when she started feeling that way, but Rose had affection for Russell blooming in her heart.
Looking into Rose's eyes, it wasn't just longing for the emperor.
It was the same look she once wore when she gazed upon the face of Duke Proud. It is the look of love.
"Haa, really... I can't say much about it, but His Majesty..."
Russell, who excelled at hiding his emotions, did not show it on his face, but Wells, who had good senses, knew.
Russell also has feelings for Rose, and they are no different from hers.
"His Majesty is better than Duke Proud---no. The seat next to the emperor is not a place that a soft person like Rose can handle."
Knowing that a future with them together was nonsense, Wells nonetheless imagined Rose becoming the empress.
Though Rose was on a lower station than a person in the Royal Family, her title as a member of the ducal family was not inferior and would suit the position of empress quite well.
Who would dare challenge Rose, who was favored by the emperor and had Wells Honeywell as a brother?
But the nobles working in the Imperial Palace were formidable.
"Honeywell and families on friendly terms with us will be able to overlook Rose's small mistake. I wonder if those who don't are trying to find fault with her. Do I have to discipline myself in advance from now on?"
Wells muttered earnestly, couldn't hide his embarrassment, and recalled what he had said.
"Wells Honeywell! You, what kind of future are you talking about as if it's a fait accompli? I'm afraid someone might have heard my unwitting words."
[TL/N: fait accompli, meaning something that has already been set in stone even though others have yet to hear of it.]
Wells shook his head lightly and took a step forward.
"If two people are of the same mind, nothing could be better than that. Rose's happiness is my top priority, but... Even that will be difficult because of the soul sealed inside Rose."
Wells couldn't hide his regret, transferring his agitation to the speed of his stride.
I don't have time right now for such crazy fantasies.
Even a small amount of time cannot be wasted in preparing for the coming-of-age celebration and the selection of Tristan's Gloria for the founding ceremony.
The winter that hung over their heads was completely over.
When spring came to the capital of Tristan, Elliot Proud left the capital to investigate the strange events taking place at the Marquis of Rosenberg.
Despite making an ambitious plan to cause the demise of the empire, there was no sign of him delaying his leave for the Marquis of Rosenberg.
Just as usual, he remained the same as a servant who faithfully followed the emperor's orders without complaint.
When Elliot left for the capital with some knights, Rose felt a little breathless.
"The distance between the capital and the Marquis of Rosenberg is far, so it will be fine until he returns. The monster inside me will never wake up."
Left alone in her bedroom with nothing to occupy her time, Rose rested.
Although it is said that spring has arrived, it was still chilly outside with a hint of winter. These days, there wasn't much to see even if I took a walk in the garden, the flowers weren't blooming.
Lying on the bed and covering her neck with the blanket, Rose quietly raised her head at the sound of the bustling movements.
Anne was busily moving back and forth at a speed that showcased the term 'setting the soles of her feet on fire'. Rose stood up with a small sigh.
"Anne, I'm just attending the banquet at the Imperial Palace to celebrate. I will not be the main character."
Anne's hurried pace abruptly came to a standstill, as if her bones had suddenly run out of the essence of life.
"I know, but Lady Rose is Lady Rose. I want Lady Rose to be the most beautiful in the world. Of course, the usual Lady Rose is also beautiful, but still, more to the extent that everyone's jaws will drop! I want you to be admired."
"...Ahh... Thank you for thinking of me, but..."
Rose, speechless, muttered in reply.
Maybe it was because Anne didn't have many opportunities to dress Rose in splendid clothing, even at the banquet she once attended as a bridesmaid. It seemed that she was desperate to make Rose the most glamorous and beautiful woman in the world.
Facing Anne's unstoppable enthusiasm, Rose smiled awkwardly and looked at the calendar on the small nightstand next to the bed.
It wasn't long before Rose was due to attend the banquet.