11 Life in the Heathfield Duchy (1)

My father the Duke De Falco was worried in leaving me in the duchy of Heathfield at first. He needed to go back to our own duchy in the Draconian Empire and he was reluctant to leave me behind at first, but I persisted in living here with the reason of I want to get to know the duchy that I will be married into.

My father agreed but with the condition of leaving his most capable butler Smith as my guardian. He bought a huge estate not far from the duke of Heathfield's estate and there I will spend my years until before my debut in high society.

"Remember that you will come back to the empire when it is time for your debut." My father who was about to leave for the empire said.

"I know father." I replied. "I will not forget."

"Do not forget to everything I have told you…" My father said. "Be on your best behavior. You are a daughter of the De Falco duchy of the Draconian Empire. Show them you are a lady of class."

My father was still worried of my childish acts. He was worried that my image might be fouled if I show people here in the duchy of Heathfield my bad manners. But I am not the old Rosaline. I will never embarrass myself especially in front of my bias, the male protagonist.

"Do not worry to much father, I have grown up. I am not a child anymore." I replied. "And Smith here will be always on the guard for sure. I will trust that he would scold me if I had made improper acts as that could ruin my image as a lady."

"I will watch the lady at all times, my lord." Smith bowed his head to my father.

Smith and father was near of age, thus they are both advance in years. Smith had all the experience he needs as a capable butler and guardian to Rosaline.

"Yes, please do so." My father said to Smith. "I am just sad to see you grow up so fast. This will be the first time we will be apart for this long."

"Do not worry father, I will always write to you." I replied.

"And I will do so in return." My father said. "Well then, I will be off."

Before my father can get into the carriage, the duke of Heathfield came in horseback with the male protagonist. He alighted his horse and walked towards my father.

"I would like to send you of, duke." The duke of Heathfield said.

"It will be an honor, duke Heathfield." My father replied. "Young lord Vladford, please take care of my Rose while she is here. I know that you are one capable young man and I will put my faith in you."

"I promise to keep her safe and sound, my lord." Vladford replied.

After the incident with the snow wolves, I was afraid that there might be a rift with my father and the male protagonist, but thankfully it did not. The male protagonist had expressed his guilt about what had happened and vowed that it will not happened again.

"Well, I better get going." My father said. "There is a long journey ahead of me."

My father had gone inside the carriage and the duke of Heathfield together with his knights escorted my father's carriage outside the capital.

The journey from the capital of the duchy of Heathfield Wisteria to our own duchy in the Draconian Empire would take a full two months by a horse drawn carriage. There are no airplanes or cars here that can make the journey more faster like in my original world.

"Are you not going with them?" I asked the male lead who was left behind.

"You are here so why would I leave?" Vladford said as a mater of factly.

"O-Oh… is that so." I blushed instantly feeling shy.

"Rose!" I heard Hilna's voice from afar. I saw her and Jacob in horse back coming towards us. "I heard you are going to live here with us? Is it true?" She asked excitedly.

"Yes, it is." I smiled. "My father gave me his blessings."

"Looks like not just blessings." Hilna said and looked at the huge estate behind me.

"Why, what is it?" I looked around just to see the new bought estate my father purchased for my stay here.

"This estate was a property of a widowed baroness who had no heir and thus upon her death the title of the estate was given back to the duke. This has been for sale ever since, but because it was a huge estate the price is not cheap. You would need to be rich to be able to buy this estate." Jacob was the one that explained.

"Well, duke De Falco is not just someone." Vladford said. "He is one of the successful businessmen here in the main continent."

I have been in Rosaline's body for quite sometime and in that short period of time I have seen how wealthy Duke De Falco is. It felt I hit the jackpot being Rosaline. But after going thru my memory of the game, I cannot remember a character or even and NPC that is Rosaline De Falco.

'Maybe she dies even before the game begins.' I shuddered by the thought. 'Well, let us not dwell on those thoughts. We are here right now and best to make use of the time.'

"Hey Rose, have you learned horse back riding yet?" Hilna asked.

"A little." I replied. "Vlad has been such an attentive teacher that at least I am now able to ride a horse slowly."

"I told you he would be a great instructor." Hilna winked at me knowingly. "Why don't we ride to the top of Willtop. You can see the whole of Wisteria there."

"The whole of Wisteria?" I asked. I looked at the male protagonist hoping that he would approve of me going by horseback. He is still my teacher after all and I am needed of his approval.

"If you are free for the day then I could not see any problem with it." Vladford replied. "The trail leading to Willtop is good for beginners. I am sure you can tread there by horseback easily."

"Thank you!" I smiled in delight.

I turned around to ask Smith to get my horse ready in the stables.