So familiar.
I don't know if it's her face that's familiar or if her aura is familiar.
Rose's impression of the woman was vague. Perhaps she hadn't met the woman before.
At her inquiry, the woman tilted her head as if lost in thought, then, having made up her mind, shook her head lightly.
"I know of Rose Honeywell, but... Well, if the two of us have met somewhere before, I don't remember."
Rose could also confirm that she had not seen the woman's face before.
She tended to remember everyone she'd met and spoken with.
But she could have been wrong, as it was extremely rare for Rose to talk to other nobles long enough to leave an impression.
"I must have mistaken you for someone else."
Rose quietly turned around. A rustling sound could be heard behind her back, as if the woman were tying the ribbon.
"It's all done."
"Thank you."
It was a basic, simple knot compared to the one Anne had tied at the mansion, but it didn't look bad.
Rose checked the appearance of her outfit other than the ribbon, making sure that nothing else was out of place, before she raised her head and met the woman's eyes.
The woman's eyes were still familiar to her, and Rose felt that something was deeply wrong.
Her lips parted, intending to voice her thoughts.
"Can you tell me your name? I would like to thank you for helping me."
"If you want to repay me, you don't have to."
"Ah...? So even getting your name...?"
"West. I go by Nina West, and I have come for this year's coming-of-age celebrations."
Nina West.
Rose remembered Countess West, whom she had met at the banquet earlier.
Their last name is the same, and she did say that she'd come with her niece. By chance, is this her?
"Are you perhaps Countess West's...?"
"Yes, but how do you know?"
"I just met the Countess a short while ago."
Rose's eyes looked at the clock on the wall beyond Nina's head.
"Well then, Lady West, I should be going now. I have an appointment. Are you going out too?"
"I'm going to rest a little longer here---wait a minute. Let me straighten your sleeves."
Nina lightly grabbed Rose's hands and lifted them up, straightening the sleeves on her dress.
Rose curiously stared at Nina and quickly removed her hands.
"Thank you. I will go first."
"Yes, Lady Honeywell, we will meet again soon."
"...What?"
"Gloria of Tristan... Did you not intend to apply to participate in the Gloria of Tristan?"
"I have no intention of taking part in the contest."
Rose firmly rejected. At her refusal, Nina wore a look of surprise.
Slowly, Nina closed the distance between the girls until there was barely any space left.
Rose intended to step back and distance herself, but before she could move, her hand was grabbed again.
"Why? Apply! If not you, who will be worthy of the title of Tristan's Gloria?"
"There are many people besides me who can do it, of course, those of whom deserve it. So, please release my arm."
Earlier, Rose had been able to easily tug her fingers from Nina's grip, so expecting the same outcome, she tugged, but this time it didn't budge.
Nina's strength is somewhat different from the power of an ordinary woman.
Rose felt fear creeping up from beneath her feet along the length of her spine.
Wells and the knight are outside, so if I shout, they'll come right into the break room. Stay calm!
Rose prepared to call Wells.
"Let go! Ah, brother---!"
"Ilya Titonsser."
As Rose tried to call Wells for help, her voice stopped abruptly.
Rose opened her eyes wide and looked at Nina.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ilya Titonsser. Are you looking for her now?"
"...Do you know who Ilya Titonsser is?"
"Yes. Who doesn't know about her these days? Actually, I met her on my way to the capital."
"What did she say? Where did you see her?"
Rose, who had been trying to keep her distance from the eerie girl, voluntarily closed the gap.
Nina lifted the corners of her lips into a small, victory smile and let go of Rose's hand.
"Join the Gloria of Tristan, and I'll let you know what you need when I see you there."
"Lady West, this is a serious situation. If you don't tell me what you know, Lady West will be penalized."
"But Ilya Titonsser looked very tired. I'm not harming her. I swear on West's name that I just... It's because I wanted to see Lady Rose become Tristan's Gloria."
"That, that---"
Rose didn't want to comply.
I had no intention of becoming Gloria of Tristan.
If she became the Gloria of Tristan, she would have to dance in the square during the opening ceremony and within the palace during the closing ceremony.
Rose couldn't do that.
Troubled, she bit her lip.
First of all, after answering as she wants, let's talk to my brother. It looks like the West family is hiding Ilya Titonsser.
After deliberating over her choices, Rose nodded.
"All right, I don't know if I can pass that competition successfully, but I will participate. Now, tell me where Ilya Titonsser is."
"I'll let you know when you become Tristan's Gloria. If you're going to break your promise to me and tell Duke Honeywell, you'd better not do it."
Nina could clearly see through Rose's plans.
Rose's shoulders trembled.
Admiring Rose's expression of surprise, Nina smiled softly once again.
"If you ignore my warning, or if Duke Honeywell does anything to the West family, I have no choice but to let Ilya Titonsser get away. Outside the capital, maybe even further outside the empire."
"..."
"Well then, don't you need to leave, Lady Honeywell? Don't you have an urgent appointment?"
Rose hesitated but chose to withdraw. Nina didn't move until Rose left.
Rose walked toward the door, holding the hem of her dress in her clenched fists, and left the break room with unprecedented speed.
"Rose, what happened inside?"
Wells ran to his beloved sister when he watched Rose race out of the break room as if being chased by ravenous monsters, then watched her lean against the closed door.
Rose shook her head instead of answering.
It's hard for her to get the words out.
She felt that instead of words, she would vomit the moment she opened her mouth.
Rose swallowed, calmed down, and then tried to speak.
"I think I delayed us and took too much time inside, so I came out in a hurry."
"You didn't take long."
"That's good. Then let's hurry, brother."
Rose grabbed ahold of Wells' hand and hinted at the knight.
The waiting knight took the lead once more, and Rose followed, with Wells trailing behind.
Rose didn't say another word all the way to Russell's location.
Unbeknownst to Wells, who was standing next to her, though she gave the illusion of a calm and collected young lady, her insides twisted and turned with nerves.
I feel sick to my stomach, like I'm going to throw up.
While Rose forcefully tried to calm down, they arrived at their destination.
It is a place Rose has been to once before.
When the knight informed Russell that Wells and Rose had arrived, a voice called out from inside.
Rose's heart beat violently at the soothing sound of Russell's voice.
"Please enter."
The knight bowed and opened the door.
Russell was seen relaxing on the couch facing them when they entered. He greeted them first.
"Here you are."
They bowed and greeted Russell with polite, courteous gestures.
While the emperor casually pointed them to the couch.
"We're alone. No one will see us."
Russell pointed at the red curtain to the side.
Behind the curtain was where Russell appeared and delivered a short speech at the beginning of the night's banquet.
"I wondered why you didn't call me here again today."
As soon as he sat down on the sofa, Wells spoke comfortably to the emperor, his best friend. Russell looked at Rose next to her brother and gave an awkward smile.
"Whoever sees me will know that I always call Wells to be by my side."
"I can't disobey the emperor."
"Isn't it good for Wells to come here anyway? Think of it as a win-win."
Wells' silence was all the confirmation he needed.
Instead, Wells decided to change the topic.
"Did you get a report from Duke Proud regarding his arrival at the Marquis of Rosenberg?"
"Yes, he said he was going to figure out the truth of the incident and took a few of the knights with him from the Marquis' Territory."
"I'm afraid it will soon be exposed that it was a fake accident used to get rid of him for a while."
"You don't have to worry about that. In fact, it is said that the wild beasts are running rampant these days. Allison said that if it were necessary, she would let the incident flow through as though it were the outcome of the actions of the wild beasts."
"I hope I can keep him occupied there for as long as possible."
"It depends on Allison's abilities."
Wells and Russell continued to discuss the details of Elliot's arrival at the Marquis of Rosenberg.
Rose wanted to listen to what they were saying, but her head was a mess with the memories of the break room, so she couldn't hear anything else.
I wonder if I can tell them about the conversation I had with Nina in the break room.
I don't know how she met Ilya, but it was hard to detect lies in her expression and tone.
...I don't think Nina West can do anything if I tell His Majesty and get help from the Imperial Family.
Before she helps Ilya, we should strike first.
...
But what if, somewhere along the line, the plan goes wrong?
Rose didn't want to rule out the slightest possibility of that happening.
Even if Ilya is currently moving about with Nina's help, it will be the end of her for us.
We would lose her trail forever!
...I wonder if Nina West will keep her promise.
Rose's thoughts deepened.
It is questionable why Nina insisted she participate in 'Gloria of Tristan', which she did not want to do herself.
"Lady Honeywell?"
Rose snapped back to reality thanks to Russell interrupting her thoughts.
When she came to her senses, she saw two men staring at her in concern.
"Yes? Your Majesty, did you call me?"
"Lady Honeywell was so still. I thought you were feeling uncomfortable."
"Oh, no! I was simply lost in thought."
Russell and Wells tilted their heads in sync.
Rose pondered whether to speak or not while the quick-witted two waited patiently for her, knowing she had to say something important.
Not long after, Rose looked up with a determined expression, as if she had made up her mind.
"Your Majesty, Brother, I... I want to be Tristan's Gloria at this founding festival."
Rose decided to do what she could within her power without risking the chance of her loved ones being harmed.
A few moments earlier.
Rose hurriedly left the break room, and footsteps were heard outside as she closed the door behind her.
A total of three pairs of footsteps sounded beyond the boundary of the door.
Nina, who was standing still, raised her hand and covered her face.
Her face was brimming with immense ecstasy as she closed her eyes, savoring the moment.
"Haa, as I thought, my real soul is still the best."
Nina opened her closed eyes and glimpsed her reflection in the mirror.
Even when she left Count West's mansion and arrived at the Imperial Palace, she had a somewhat lethargic and bewildered expression.
..But now I'm full of life.
I'm like a puppy meeting its lost owner.
Nina took a step away, heading behind the partition where she said she had been resting until Rose arrived.
The back of the partition was shaded from the light emitting from the corners of the break room.
Nina lowered her gaze with a nonchalant expression.
At her feet lay three women in uniforms issued by the Imperial Palace.
Nina crouched gracefully on one knee and put the back of her hand on the cheek of the fallen woman.
The temperature in the break room wasn't that low, but the woman's face was cold as ice. The two other women didn't fare any better.
Nina put her elbows on her knees and rested her chin on her palms.
"Haa, a soul is still needed. How do I dispose of these corpses? If it were my real body, I would be fine feasting on their flesh and bone, but this body is just a normal human. Haa..."
Though the words she uttered implied she was troubled, her expression and voice remained calm.
Looking at the three corpses, Nina raised the corner of her lips.
"After Rose Honeywell becomes Gloria of Tristan on the last day of the founding festival, I plan to decorate the celebrations with splendor. Ahaha! Do you like it? Do you like it?!"
Nina's bright laughter filled the quiet resting room with cold terror.