READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 12
Chapter: 12
…Hmm.
I might be younger than I thought.
Well, obviously, my body is young, but these days, I really feel it more than ever. Just a sudden thought.
“Camelia, aren’t you tired today?”
“Huh…?”
“You slept really well yesterday during the day. So I wondered if you might feel sleepy again today.”
“Ah……..”
Yesterday, I really did sleep well. I mean, really well.
I’d say it was the best sleep I’ve had recently.
Sure, I had a good nap before without even realizing it, but sleeping in Rosalyn’s Room yesterday was definitely a top-tier experience.
Rosalyn was right there next to me, but she was reading a book while I just crashed on Rosalyn’s bed until almost dinner. I can only say it was amazing sleep.
“…I don’t feel that sleepy yet…”
“…Really?”
Rosalyn looked a bit disappointed.
But honestly, I wasn’t sleepy yet. It was still early for that anyway.
I definitely wasn’t the type to doze off before lunch like some sleepy bear.
Anyway, after sleeping so deeply yesterday, today was a class day. That might be why I couldn’t sleep even if I tried now.
“Hehe.”
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Huh? Just because?”
“…?”
For some reason, Rosalyn kept staring at me.
I was just killing time in the garden. Normally, when there’s nothing to do, I always hang out here drinking tea, so I was used to it.
Rosalyn just happened to be there too. Nothing major about it.
“Oh, I heard Baron William is coming back this time, right?”
“Yes. He’ll need a few more days, but he’s on his way…?”
“Actually, it’s my first time meeting him in person, so I’m a bit worried.”
“…What part are you worried about?”
Worried, huh…
There was so much to worry about. Way too much.
I thought I knew a good deal about William, but apparently, I felt more uneasy than I expected.
It was especially so since it was Rosalyn worried about him. Craving money, while flirting around in public… And honestly speaking, his looks…
…I suddenly feel like it’s amazing that I was born so pretty.
“This will be our first meeting, right? I’ve heard about him, but still…”
“Oh…”
“Of course, I know why this marriage was arranged… But I still want to maintain a smooth relationship.”
“…Really?”
“Yep.”
Rosalyn said it calmly, with a plain expression, but I couldn’t match that.
Rosalyn’s new mom could possibly vanish because of William, and it was always because of him that these situations arose. I couldn’t help but think that this time too… it could happen again.
I couldn’t shake that thought. Rosalyn hadn’t said anything like that yet.
“Hehe.”
“………”
Rosalyn just smiled casually and continued chatting, but ever since I heard her words about such things, I couldn’t feel at ease.
*
“Rize.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
“…No.”
I wanted to say something, but even as my personal maid, I felt it was inappropriate to say that.
Even if she was the closest to me, I thought it wasn’t right to gossip about William. Honestly, I wanted to talk freely, but…
“Ha…”
“Is there some worry on your mind?”
“…No. It’s nothing much.”
Classes were over, and after a quick bath before dinner, I was lying in my room.
Rize was standing quietly in my room, listening to me, as usual. I hadn’t asked her to do anything, so she was just standing there in silence.
“Ha…”
I only sighed.
Of course, I didn’t think Rosalyn was the type to suddenly disappear, but I couldn’t stop worrying.
There was already a precedent, and she had really bolted suddenly before. I couldn’t ignore the possibility that Rosalyn might run away three days, a week, or even a month later.
“Rize, do you ever think about marriage?”
“Are you talking to me…?”
“Yep. Just curious.”
“Not really…”
“Oh, I don’t mean right now. I mean later, when you’re an adult and don’t have to work as a maid.”
Just out of pure curiosity.
I had no intention of marrying a man, but others might not feel the same.
“What do you think?”
“Hmm… I haven’t really thought about it, so I’m not sure.”
I figured as much.
To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes. After all, this wasn’t a completely modern society. There were classes, and the distinction between low and high was prevalent.
It was a bit unrealistic to expect a romance that blossoms into a marriage with someone you truly love. More often than not, as I’ve seen… marriages were more about transactions between money and wealth.
“So, let’s say you did get married, but your spouse showed no interest in you and just wandered outside. What would you do?”
“Indifference… you mean?”
“Yeah. Just focusing on dowry and the likes.”
“Hmm…”
After listening to me, Rize put her hand on her chin and began to ponder.
It was an unfamiliar sight since she usually never thought about such things. Well, after all, I had said it.
“Well… If we got married for some mutual benefit and there’s no bond or communication, I guess… having an affair wouldn’t be a problem, right?”
“…Huh.”
“After all, the other person would probably have a real partner anyway… I think it would be better to go that route.”
“…Uh… that’s… more adult than I expected……..”
Honestly, I never saw Rize saying something like that.
Seriously.
She was just a middle schooler… no, a bit younger. I thought she’d say something innocent like, ‘I would just get along better with the person.’
But an affair? That really surprised me. It was quite mature, and a bit shocking.
“But… isn’t that a bit extreme…?”
“I was just giving an example. I wasn’t thinking of marriage in the first place.”
“I see…”
Anyway… I was surprised.
Of course, I was an adult and had seen my share of the bitter realities of society. But I honestly hadn’t expected Rize to say something like that.
So, I was just shocked. Honestly, it was unavoidable.
“Hmm…”
“Why are you like that? Did my answer not satisfy you?”
“Huh? No, it’s just… I think it’s somehow rational?”
It wasn’t exactly a clean or decent way, but…
Still, I figured that for someone in that situation, it might be the best option. I kind of thought that. To be honest, my last stepmother… might have been too kind…?
Honestly, my last stepmother never confronted William or did anything on her own. Thinking about it, it felt too pure of her.
“But why is this… No. Never mind.”
“Yep.”
Rize had a knack for this.
She didn’t ask unnecessary questions. She didn’t pry too much into the fact that I spoke surprisingly well for a kid regarding business or how keen I was on gambling.
She didn’t poke around about anything. Sure, that sort of thing was common among the household staff to some degree, but Rize was particularly good at avoiding that.
Which was part of why she was my personal maid.
“Sigh… I’m worried.”
William was likely going to do the same thing again. Just leaving Rosalyn, my new mom, to herself and wandering off to work.
He was such an odd person in many ways. He loved money and women but didn’t touch his wife at home.
“Rize, I want something sweet to eat.”
“Should I bring some treats?”
“Um… that would be nice… Ice cream would be good too… Just something sweet.”
I felt a bit off because I was worrying too much. Dinner was coming soon, but it wasn’t like it was right now.
…Or was it? Even with dinner so close, eating something might not be appropriate.
“Oh. Just grab a piece of candy or something.”
“I can get that to you right now.”
“…Huh.”
Saying that, she pulled out some candy from her maid uniform’s pocket.
…Why was it in her pocket? I’d never seen her eating candy on her own.
I was momentarily speechless as my eyes widened. It was so casual for her to pull out candy like that.
And not just one, but a surprising variety of flavors.
“…Strawberry. Apple. Chocolate. And…”
“Lemon.”
“…Wow, you’ve got a lot?”
“Yes.”
“………”
Hmm.
Had I known Rize carried around this much candy, I should have asked for some more often.
Anyway, I popped a candy from Rize in my mouth and decided to stop worrying for now. There wasn’t really a need to stress about what would happen if Rosalyn ran away before she even came back.
It felt silly somehow…?
*
“Camelia, are you sleepy?”
“…Yeah.”
Lately, I feel like I’ve been napping more than before…
Maybe the weather is warmer than it was, and I’m feeling drowsy during the day, but it definitely feels like I’ve been sleeping more.
In fact, there were times I woke up 10 to 30 minutes later than usual.
“Is it because the weather is warm…? I feel like I’ve been yawning a lot lately.”
“Um… I think so…”
Just like Rosalyn said.
The weather had gotten warmer, and the sunlight felt warmer than before… Sitting in the garden like this made me feel sleepier than I had before.
Right now… Honestly, my eyelids felt heavier…
“Ugh…”
“Camelia. You had class yesterday, so no classes today, right?”
“That’s right…? They don’t have back-to-back classes…?”
“Then shall we go take a nap in my room today?”
“….”
Once again, Rosalyn was suggesting a nap.
These days, she had been encouraging me to take naps quite a lot. Was it because I was yawning so much in front of her?
I really had been sleeping more, and surprisingly, it wasn’t a proposal I found unappealing.
I had actually woken up at 8 today… After lunch, I’ve felt drowsy ever since… Ugh…
“…Should we just sleep then?”
“Yep. Or how about we have lunch and right after that, we set an official nap time?”
“I’m not sure we need to go that far…”
“Well, you’ve been napping a lot lately, right? You dozed off before lunch last time, too. I think it wouldn’t hurt to set a regular nap schedule. My room has a really comfy bedroom. We could chat and then sleep there too?”
Uh… Rosalyn was being a bit more enthusiastic with her suggestions than I expected.
Honestly, Rosalyn’s bedroom was indeed nicer, cozier, and warmer than mine, making it appealing.
I had also been feeling sleepier lately and enjoyed the time spent with Rosalyn. Plus, I liked sharing a bed with her previously, so…
Before I knew it, I found myself accepting Rosalyn’s kind suggestion.
…Not for any strange reason at all.