Captain! Where is the Battlefield?

“Where are you going?” 

  As Derivis asked, Rosalie hid the box she was holding behind her back. Fortunately, he was too busy watching Rosalie’s face to notice the box.

  “I’m just going out for a moment… Do you have any urgent business with me?”

  “No, I’m just here to see Nathan for a while.”

  “If you’re looking for Nathan, then he’s playing cards with Erudit inside the mansion. They’re quite engrossed in it since there’s a bet involved.”

  Rosalie felt relieved that he wasn’t asking about her destination. Upon reflection, she realized that she didn’t want to reveal anything about Sonia if she could help it. She didn’t want to see him upset.

  “It’s a victory for Nathan, then.”

  Rosalie nodded in agreement. Whatever cards Erudit held, Nathan would skillfully outwit him and he, being the cunning man he was, would undoubtedly keep that fact hidden.

  “I hope they’re not fighting when I get back to the mansion.”

  Rosalie said and suddenly remembered his previous question.

  “Is there anything bothering you?”

  Seeing him standing in front of the mansion, she had become so accustomed to his presence that she even felt a genuine sense of regret that he hadn’t visited the mansion for three days, not just for one. 

  Rosalie’s light chuckle brought a puzzled expression to Derivis’s face.

  “Why?”

  “I’ve just become so used to having you by my side.”

  Her answer, tinged with laughter, made Derivis wince slightly. Rosalie’s expression grew serious as she saw the complicated look on Derivis’ face.

  “Did something happen?”

  “No, it’s nothing.”

  He answered with his usual smile, but the worry in Rosalie’s eyes didn’t go away.

  “I’ll be back soon if you wait at the mansion.”

  “No, I just have something to tell Nathan before I go.”

  Still unconvinced, Rosalie tried to prolong the conversation. But she couldn’t with Whitney urging her to leave, and Derivis simply urged her on with a nonchalant look.

  “You should go.”

  “I’ll definitely talk to you later.”

  As Rosalie left reluctantly, Derivis simply nodded. As he watched Rosalie gradually fade from sight, he clenched his fists, suppressing the emotions that threatened to slip through the cracks.

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  Rosalie headed straight to the Count of Amins’ mansion. The butler, who was bewildered by the sudden visit, led Rosalie to the parlor.

  “Please wait a moment. Miss Sonia didn’t inform us of any visitors today…”

  Rosalie settled onto the sofa. The butler bowed politely and left. Shortly after, Sonia appeared, wearing a discontented expression.

  “You suddenly came without notice. I was surprised.”

  “I have something to tell you.”

  “Something to tell me?”

  “The conversation won’t take long.”

  After taking a sip of the steaming tea, Rosalie wordlessly slid the box across the table. Sonia’s face froze as she opened the lid of the box, staring at its contents.

  “This is Chatina, isn’t it?”

  “You recognized it as expected, given your interest in flowers.”

  “Rosalie, this isn’t a gift. If you call something like this a gift, you will definitely be ridiculed. I hope you don’t do this elsewhere.”

  With feigned politeness and sarcasm, Sonia’s attitude made Rosalie laugh bitterly.

  “You should know better than anyone why I gave this to you, shouldn’t you?”

  Sonia’s fingertips twitched in response to that question, but she quickly put on a smile and confidently retorted.

  “…Is it because of my money pouch that Devi told you about?”

  Sonia recalled Derivis, who had come to see her a while ago and asked about the money pouch.

  “I already explained that to Devi. Someone used my lost purse inappropriately… Rosalie, it’s not my fault. You got it wrong.”

  Sonia found Derivis’s sharp attitude quite bewildering as it was the first time she had seen him like that. However, she downplayed the situation, brushing it off as a lost pouch. And she planned to do the same right now.

  “You lied shamelessly to Derivis, who came to see you and trusted you.”

  “…What do you mean, I lied?”

  Sonia’s pupils trembled at the word ‘lie,’ and she couldn’t maintain her composure. Rosalie swallowed a sigh and decided that this was probably for the best; it was a lie, but at least it would keep Derivis out of trouble.

  “This is a warning. If you touch me again, you will end up like the demon with these Chatina leaves pierced into you.”

  Facing Rosalie’s unwavering confidence, Sonia struggled to hide her growing anxiety.

  ‘What does she know?’

  Unable to suppress the urge, she began to chew her lower lip unconsciously. Rosalie noticed that and smirked.

  “A long tail is easy to catch.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The maid you pushed is still alive, Sonia.”

  Sonia’s face completely crumbled.

  “…So what? Do you think that I, a noblewoman, will be affected by the testimony of a mere commoner maid? People will think the maid is lying, and I’ll make sure of that. The Count of Amins can do that!”

  Despite Sonia’s sharp attitude, Rosalie calmly picked up a Chatina leaf from the box and examined it closely.

  Sonia became even more agitated by Rosalie’s relaxed attitude as if they were having a leisurely tea time on a sunny afternoon.

  “That’s right. But the important thing is that I know the truth.”

  “Is that important? What can you do with just the testimony of a mere maid?”

  Rosalie tossed the Chatina leaf she had been holding onto the table, and Sonia stared at the sharp and firm leaf in front of her.

  “I told you, you’re going to meet a devilish end.”

  It was a chilling warning. Sonia felt a chill run down her spine at the sudden change in Rosalie’s demeanor; her instincts screamed for her to flee.

  But unlike her submissive body, her unyielding pride sparked a last ounce of resistance within her.

  “I’m not a devil. It’s not my fault.”

  “Do you know what people call those who resort to such tricks because things don’t go their way? Devils.”

  “If you hadn’t changed first, this wouldn’t have happened! If you hadn’t bothered me, acting like you were something!”

  “Don’t use me as an excuse for your ugly nature. It’s disgusting.”

  Sonia’s face turned red and she stood up abruptly, muttering angrily.

  “Devi believed me.”

  Rosalie also got up from the couch, and the two stared at each other.

  “That’s right. Be grateful for that.”

  ‘If it weren’t for that, I would have been even more ruthless.’ Rosalie thought and let out an inward sigh as she turned to leave the room.

  Shaking with rage at the thought of being belittled, Sonia couldn’t control her rage and threw the teapot full of hot tea with all her strength towards Rosalie, who was heading towards the door.

  “Who do you think you are?!”

  The teapot that Sonia threw confidently missed Rosalie, who dodged it effortlessly, and shattered into pieces on the floor. However, the hot tea that spilled out of the broken teapot splashed on Rosalie’s instep, scalding her delicate skin and turning it red.

  Rosalie tried to move, annoyed by Sonia’s over-the-line behavior, but the pain in her scalded left foot stopped her in her tracks.

  Sonia continued to scream furiously.

  “Who do you think you are to warn me?! Who do you think you are to look down on me!”

  “Sonia Amins!”

  When Sonia’s temper reached its peak, the door to the parlor burst open, accompanied by a low-pitched voice full of anger. Her face turned pale when she saw the man who had entered through the door.

  “Devi…”

  “What is going on here?”

  “Devi! This is…”

  Without listening to Sonia’s continued explanation, Derivis strode straight toward Rosalie. His gaze went towards the end of her dress, stained with tea, and the foot beneath. Rosalie was taken aback by his unexpected appearance.

  “Why are you here?”

  “…I had a strange feeling when Sonia talked about the pouch the other day, so I came back to check it out. I’m glad I did.”

  Rosalie rubbed her forehead. Apparently, his afternoon plans had been here. The situation she least wanted to encounter had suddenly engulfed her like a tidal wave. Derivis, noticing her scalded instep, regarded Sonia with a chilling look.

  “I won’t be fooled by your lies anymore.”

  Sonia, anxious to defuse the situation, called out to him urgently.

  “Devi! Please listen to me.”

  “Your words have already lost their credibility, Sonia.”

  “Devi!”

  “Sonia Amins. I saw with my own eyes how you harmed the Duchess of Judeheart. This will be reported to the Imperial Court, and if the County doesn’t compensate the Duchess adequately, the Imperial Court will not overlook it and will directly take it to an official trial.”

  The prospect of being reported to the Imperial Court and the damage to Sonia’s reputation became apparent in an instant. Her reputation was sure to be tarnished.

  Furthermore, it became clear that the rumors about the deteriorating relationship between Sonia and Derivis would become official, and she would lose the title of the Crown Prince’s best friend.

  “Derivis!”

  Sonia called out urgently to resist the decision.

  “This is final, Lady Amins.”

  Derivis ended his words coldly and turned his chilly gaze away from Sonia. It was a clear indication that he would no longer listen to her. He then turned to Rosalie with a look of deep concern and asked: 

  “Can you walk?”

  “Oh… I think I can if I take off my shoes. It feels like my feet are getting cramped.”

  “Your feet will get dirty. Excuse me for a moment.”

  Derivis slowly reached out his hand to Rosalie and carefully lifted her up. His firm arms provided stable support to the wide-eyed Rosalie.

  Sonia choked and murmured tearfully as she looked at the two.

  “Devi was my friend. He knew me longer than Rosalie and we were friends for a longer time. He should have prioritized me, shouldn’t he? Then why… why do I have to go through this?”