Chapter 24 - The Little one and the Duke, the Daughter and the Father

The next day, the Imperial Guards, who were dispatched to drag Count Semond to the underground prison of the Imperial Palace, came to the castle early in the morning.

Count Semond must have begged to let me meet him for the last time.

But Henriette blocked him. Thanks to that, I didn't hear the news until lunch was almost over.

"What's going on about the Count?"

"Um… I don't know about that."

Peina replied with a smile on her face.

She was washing me with the magic medicine given by Cecilia, a competent pharmacist in the imperial family.

What do you mean, it shows on your face.

In fact, I know because I roughly heard servants talking, but I still asked on purpose.

I want to hear more, but no one wants to tell me.

"I'm curious!"

"Oh, my God, it's a story that might cause a child to not be able to sleep at night! Honey, can you reach out your arms this time?"

"hmm"

This is the very end that Count Semond and his family will soon face, as I learned from the stories of the servants.

Count Semond will be executed by Henriette on charges of child abuse, bribery and attempted to overthrow the imperial authority.

Henriette did not stop at Count of Semond, but ended up purging the entire clan of Semond.

Countess Semond will be executed with her husband immediately today.

Shady was a child, so she was the only one who was not charged with anything, but she became an orphan.

I haven't heard much about what happened to her, who is about to lose her parents.

The confiscated County of Semond is expected to be absorbed by the Duke sooner or later.

And all the nobles who were found to have conspired against the Imperial family with my testimony will be arrested.

Unlike Count Semond's blabbering in the dungeon, his aides were only silent.

Rather, they said that everyone was afraid of Henriette and planned to run away, but hey, Henriette was the one who had already cut the heads of hundreds of nobles alone years ago.

I heard the knights saying that there would be no idiot who wanted to wage war against Henriette, who is nothing short of a one-man weapon alone.

And this is what I heard just before entering the bathroom, perhaps from the day he saved me from the slave market to today, he was planning to strike Count Semond and the other aristocrats.

As a result, it took quite a long time for Henriette to take down an out-of-sight opponent, the achievements of the Semond family, which had been built since his time, were erased from the whole country.

Starting with the eradication of the family's history, all the related clans were deposed and led to their downfall.

As a matter of fact, they even deleted the family register. Semond and all his vassals was no longer a family in this empire.

Count Semond and his wife and daughter, Shady, all the same.

They were executed by extermination of records and became people who were never born or killed in the world from the beginning.

That's all I've got.

That means there's more to it than this, how terrible is it that everyone won't even say a word when I'm listening?

I'm a little curious, but I don't want to push it.

"Oh, my lady! The magic drug must be working very well!"

The magic medicine that Cecilia had sent me since early morning removed the scar on my body little by little. I laughed at it.

A bird claps outside the window. The sun is smiling.

Still colored with a white winter, but looking at the warm permanent land, I stretched my languid limbs deeper into the water.

Within hours of completing my bath, Henriette's entourage gathered back to the duchy.

I went to the meeting room holding Peina's hand, and somehow the atmosphere felt more solemn than last time.

Thanks to this, as I stepped inside with nervousness, Henriette's aides, who are familiar with my face, looked at me and immediately commented on my face brightly.

"Oh, you're here, miss! Are you feeling better?"

"Y, yes."

"I heard you did something very big yesterday!"

"How wonderful of you to recognize the poisonous icoryl and save the Master's life!"

"Oh, my God, did the seven-year old lady distinguish the poisonous plant? Even with this wisdom, she saved the Master!"

Obviously, I said that I was able to save Henriette's life thanks to the ghost servants telling me everything from one to ten, but somehow the story seemed to be misrepresented.

So, as soon as I smiled in a perplexed manner, adults burst into laughter and began to support me even more.

Is it my illusion that Henriette sitting among them seems somehow proud?

It wasn't long before the meeting began.

I thought that the plan had already been successful, but I was called here for something else, and it didn't seem like it was about Count Semond.

Seeing Henriette's men and aides start to pull something out of the table each time, I open my eyes wide.

They were each taking over thick books and papers from servants.

"I'm sure they're all well prepared."

"Of course, Your Excellency said he would finish it today."

People are all starting to look at me. Henriette's gaze also touched me.

W, what is it? You're not going to end it's…

"Today, I will give you a name."

That's it.

I wonder if all these people were mobilized to give me a name.

Looking at them with a stunned face, Henriette opened his mouth.

"I don't want to keep calling you kid."

He do, but no, I don't hate it. Of course, I know Henriette has been trying to name me, but…

The idea was so sudden that it can't keep up with my head.

In the meantime, people were opening their own papers or books, one by one, in the most serious way.

Everything written over there seems to be a name. My mouth was wide open.

"The names came from fortune-tellers and nomenclowers who are well-known throughout the country, or from the towers that serve the Guardian star, who has exceptional power in naming names."

Led by those who spoke like that, Henriette's men and aides all began to present decent names that they had come up with.

"The name Peoria is derived from the imperial woman who was praised as a hero more than 500 years ago…"

"The name Alpena is also known as the true name of the old wise man who enshrined the crown of thorns in Cheonqing among the stars of the Guardian…"

"Agelia was known as one of the greatest masters of the Age of Eios 200 years ago, and her achievements were…"

Countless names came and went on the table.

It was also not common names. From the wise men of old times, heroes and poets whose names are engraved in history books, to the names of the once most beloved.

They were all so great names that I even thought it didn't make sense that one of them would be my name.

But, unexpectedly, Henriette frowned discontentedly.

"It's insignificant, are they just names that were popular in those days?"

"What about the name Tefeia? It's the real name of the 'Touch of Silence' that hits the deep sea, known as the hero-turned-Star of the Guardian."

"Eosis was the name of the emperor who led the ancient great empire of Galbaon to the halcyon era."

"Helenia is still one of the most prestigious sages of all time, and the true name of the frosted lanterns that illuminate the rocks of the Guardian."

This time, more names were pouring out than before.

How burdensome to have such names. To be honest, I can't calm down.

But apart from that, I started to get a little carried away.

It's been 7 years since I was possessed in a novel I wrote, and it was a little sad that I lived without a name.

Now so many people are trying to name me.

Although everyone seemed a little out of it, I was honestly glad.

Henriette was rejecting everything.

"Everything sucks. Is there a better name for my daughter?"

"How about Marie?"

"Where did it come from?"

"There is no other origin. However, this name is…"

For some reason, there was a tense atmosphere.

The person who brought it up spoke in a serious voice.

"Cute."

"…"

"It suits the lady."

Marie, it's like the name of a girl in a fairy tale.

Henriette had an unexpectedly troubled face, and eventually shook his head.

"I don't know how to say it. Anything else?"

Thanks to Henriette's fastidious eye, the meeting was only getting longer.

As I had nothing to do, I fell asleep little by little.

Blinking, trying to control the fading consciousness, the eyelids eventually became heavy.

I thought it would be okay to doze off for a while, so I closed my eyes with my heavy head hanging sideways.

Suddenly, many eyes seemed to fall toward me at once, but quickly withdrew. Instead, there was a faint sense of something sneaking under my head.

I leaned gently against the senses and took a short nap.

Then, I wonder if about half an hour has passed.

"Mmmm…"

Now that I can hear only the sound of the conversation going on and off the room, I woke up.

When I opened my eyes a little, I was leaning my head against Henriette's shoulder.

I could see his chair close to my seat. I thought he supported my head with his hand, but I guess he lent me his shoulder.

Maybe I should get up. I lift my head from his shoulder at that thought.

Drip.

"…"

...something that should not have come out of my mouth.

It looks like I drooled while sleeping. Even Henriette's luxurious outerwear was drooping with my saliva on it.

For a moment, I felt chills in my back.

'I, I'm screwed.'

If I get caught, it's over. I hurried to raise my hand and wipe my saliva, when I made eye contact with Henriette, who turned to me.

"…"

"…"

It can't be helped.

I leaned back on his shoulder, trying to resist the chewing sensation and yawning, closing my eyes again and hiding the drool with my head.

"oong… It's comfortable…"

I thought it was too obvious, but I still pretended to sleep.

"…"

Henriette was not saying anything for a moment.

I could feel his eyes reaching my eyelids, but I tried to ignore them and pretended to sleep with my eyes closed.

But it wasn't long before Henriette arranged his position. He held me in his arms and said to people.

"That's all for today's meeting."

"Yes?"

Surprised voices flew in.

"Your Excellency, however, has yet to name the lady, and there is more to show you today."

"Bring it next time."

Henriette answered calmly and hugged me deeper.

"The little one is sleeping."

A moment of turmoil subsided, and soon the sound of arranging the table began to come.

Henriette picked me up and walked out of the hall first. Aides, escorts and servants followed in a row after row.

Early summer's unique lukewarm and fragrant wind blew through the fluttering snow crystals.

Gently opened his eyes to the delicate wind of stroking his eyelashes, Henriette was taking me out and across the garden.

Nearby, light pink summer roses were in full bloom.

I saw more roses blooming than I saw the other day. It was a bright view as if cotton candy were tangled in every bush.

The servants who followed him said that it was a beautiful sight to see every year.

Do I now live in this castle and see that beautiful rose blossom and fall every year?

Suddenly, I felt completely relieved to think so.

Henriette's gaze also remained for a long time in front of the rose garden in the full bloom.

After arriving at the room, I was sleepy again.

"Good night."

Henriette, who laid me in bed and lowered me, whispered and stroked my cheek.

He seemed a little hesitant and then opened his mouth.

Perhaps looking at the rose bed, he alone had finished making the decision.

Which name comes out of his mouth.

"Rossette."

Rossette Charlotte.

As far as I know it was an old nickname for the summer rose, a symbol of the Wensgrey family. It's probably the name from there.

Thus, the kid, who was unnamed all her life, got an amazing name.

After that precious whisper, my name became Rossette Charlotte Wensgrey.