“Alicia.”
When I return ho, Father is standing in front of the little cabin, waiting for .
Hmm, I get the feeling that he aged quite a bit since I last saw him. Despite the lines on his face, and the salt and pepper hair, Father is still as dashing as ever though…..
“What brings you here, Father?”
“Congratulations on obtaining level 90,” Father tells with a low, gentle voice.
…..Oh, right. This is the first ti I’m seeing him since I ca out of my seclusion.
“Thank you very much,” I say politely, giving him a light bow. Father’s expression grows strained as he looks at .
This should be our tearful, heartfelt reunion after all this ti, so why does he have that look on his face?
With his brows knitted, Father reaches out a hand to and, very lightly, traces his fingertips over the eye patch covering where my left eye should be.
Ah, so that’s why.
It’s fine, Father. It doesn’t bother . Besides, I’ve already given up on the idea of marriage in favor of pursuing my goals as a villainess. So, even if I’m not able to marry in the future, I don’t mind at all.
….Even though I’m giving him a reassuring smile, trying to convey all of this with my gaze, he is still looking at regretfully. As if he wants to apologize to .
“Father, I’m happy right now. So please don’t apologize or feel sorry for ,” I say emphatically. So of the pain seems to lessen in his eyes as he smiles at affectionately.
“I see….. And now that this is all over, you will be coming back ho, won’t you?”
“Ho?”
“Don’t tell you were planning to keep living in this little shack for the rest of your life?” Father says incredulously, his eyebrows arching up nearly to his hairline.
….I was though? After spending two whole years here, this little cabin has really started to feel like my actual ho. I’ve almost forgotten what it was like to live anywhere else.
…..But, maybe I should return to the mansion?
“Go imprison yourself in that little hut. Co ho….. Adults sure are demanding,” Gilles mutters acerbically. At his words, Father flinches, an anguished expression flitting across his face.
What Gilles said was certainly true. But I can’t really bla Father for this. He had never intended for to actually stay here for two years. He was rely worried for my wellbeing and suggested it because he wanted to quit my role of monitoring Liz-san…..
“There’s an extensive library on the estate, and intelligence gathering will be easier from there too, so it would be more convenient to return,” Gilles sighs. “And, I really don’t think a girl like you should be living in a place like this, Alicia.”
My eyes widen at Gilles’s sudden input. To think he would willingly offer up such advice just to help Father out….. It seems things have changed quite a bit between these two in the two years that I was gone.
“I suppose I will co back ho.”
Father’s face brightens the instant the words are out of my mouth.
He really wanted to co back ho that badly…..? Or, maybe it’s more than that. It seems he really was bothered by the years I stayed holed up in the little cabin.
“That’s great, isn’t it? Arnold?” Gilles quietly congratulates my father.
It’s been way too long! I take a good look around my room, surveying it. Ah, I missed this huge, comfortable bed. It looks like in my absence, soone has still been taking good care of this room for .
“Alicia-Sama–!” cries an excited voice as I hear soone knocking on my door.
…..Rosetta?
“Yes. You can co in,” I answer back calmly. As soon as I say the words, the door bursts open.
“Oh, Alicia-Sama! You have finally returned!”
The Rosetta from the ga was supposed to have hated Alicia, but my Rosetta is now looking at with tears in her eyes, clearly overjoyed at my hocoming.
Although the two of us never t with each other directly, Rosetta had been the one to bring whatever I needed during my stay in the little cabin.
“Alicia-Sama….. Your eye……” she gasps in horror, her eyes going as round as the wheels on our carriage.
Ugh, it’s gotten kind of annoying having to explain this to everyone.
“What…. happened?”
“I gave it away. To a certain soone.”
As I am saying this, I suddenly realize sothing. Even though Father had looked sad as he looked at my eye patch, he never asked anything about it.
That likely ans…. that he must have already known about it? Though, it’s not like I didn’t expect him to have heard at least sothing about my eye by now.
Although my reply was vague, Rosetta doesn’t press for further details. In fact, hearing my answer, she looks abashed for a split second and then, as if returning to her senses, she calms down and gracefully bows her head to .
“I sincerely apologize for acting on my personal feelings and disturbing you in your private quarters.”
“It’s fine. Thank you for worrying about ,” I say, lightly placing my hand on her head.
Rosetta glances up slightly at my touch and I can see she looks as if she’s about to cry. Why is she in tears again? I hadn’t been trying to be an to her just now? I’d been trying to be nice, actually! Could it be that I’ve gotten so good at being a villainess that I can bring soone to tears with a few words, even if it’s unintentional? Or did she hate having my hand on her head that much? Now that I think of it, Rosetta should actually be older than …..
“Alicia-Sama…… I’m really, really happy that you have co back,” Rosetta murmurs.
…..So she wasn’t upset. She had been moved to tears.
And then, with her eyes still wet, Rosetta looks up at and smiles in joy. It really does feel nice knowing that soone is this happy because of my return.
“Then, I will take my leave. I’m so sorry for having taken up so much of your ti,” Rosetta says, bowing to . She walks to the door and just as she’s opening it to leave, she pauses for a mont. Turning her head back to look at she says, “Oh. And, Alicia-Sama? You’ve beco so beautiful.”
With those final words, she beams at in delight, then turns around and walks out, closing the door behind her.
T/N: A happy reunion all around ❤ Though, it was a bit boring Am I the only one who wanted a bit more…. spice? I wanted her brainwashed brothers to stop her at the door! Or I wanted Henry to do sothing unexpected! Or….. What I really wanted to see was her mom. She was that mad when her idiot husband inadvertently cast their only daughter out of the house, but now that her baby girl is back, she isn’t the first one to welco her? Instead, her maid is the first one? That’s a little sad.
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