Please Answer Me - Chapter 146

The gifts ceased with the feather.

She had tried her best to hide the fact that the child was seeing things she shouldn’t have, but in the end, she couldn’t escape the previous king’s eyes.

After losing her precious child, she would often look at these items at night, her eyes welling up with tears. And when she finally recovered the child, battered and bruised, and the child awoke from a long sleep, smiling and calling her “Mother”…

The hand that held the feather trembled slightly.

She had to admit it at last. She was never someone who could truly belong to the royal family from the beginning.

A typical royal would have rejoiced at the birth of someone who could extend their power and influence, but she couldn’t bring herself to feel that way.

Yes, what I wanted from the beginning…

She calmed her ragged breathing and put the feather back into the drawer, closing it.

Having lost once, she became all the more attached. That’s why she had hoped the child to live a simple and peaceful life, forgetting painful memories. But before she knew it, that child had grown up and learned how to threaten her mother.

As she looked into Rosetta’s green eyes, burning with anger, the Queen felt a surge of emotion in her heart.

Remarkably, even though no one had taught you how to be strong, you had already learned it on your own.

If the child insists on breaking out of its shell and entering the world, then it’s the mother’s duty to help. A gentle smile spread across her lips.

12. The End of the Journey

At the appointed time, Rosetta rose from her seat.

She took one last look at the bedroom she had lived in for the past twenty years. The afternoon sunlight gently bathed the room, filled with feminine furniture and ornaments.

She had looked around the room before leaving for her previous journey as well. But that time, it wasn’t to say goodbye, but because she couldn’t contain her excitement, and she had flitted about the room, her steps light and eager. Little did she know what awaited her on that journey.

“Goodbye.”

With a light farewell, Rosetta left the room. The maids waiting outside immediately followed her. As she stepped into the corridor, six guards surrounded her. After glancing briefly at them, Rosetta straightened her shoulders and walked briskly.

Once Rosetta set out, Allen and the nanny were also supposed to leave this place. Though it would be tough to endure the long journey with their injured bodies, there was no other way for them to travel together.

Still, she wasn’t overly concerned. Arman wasn’t the meticulous type, so he likely wouldn’t suspect anything if Rosetta claimed she was too tired to continue and wanted to return early. As long as they could leave the Colosseum on time, the plan would be virtually a success.

As she stepped out of the building with a faint smile, Rosetta came to an abrupt halt.

A tall man was standing in front of the carriage she was supposed to take today. As she struggled to maintain her composure, the man approached her.

“It’s been a while, Rosetta.”

Instead of kissing the back of her hand, Iselle lightly kissed her cheek. Rosetta hoped her cheek wasn’t trembling from the tension.

“Iselle, why are you here…?”

Her cautious question was met with a smile from him. It was a smile as beautiful as that of an angel.

“Arman suddenly had something come up, so he couldn’t make it. He asked me to take care of you instead. Is that alright?”

Rosetta quickly realized that Arman had deliberately sent Iselle here. Since their engagement, Arman had enjoyed teasing them and meddling in their affairs. He must have noticed the recent awkwardness between them and wanted to give them some time together.

“Yes, of course.”

Rosetta nodded. Iselle was as perceptive and sharp as Rashid. If she let her guard down even a little, he would quickly notice she was hiding something, so it was best to act as naturally as possible.

Rosetta thought back to how she had treated Iselle recently. She had resigned herself to everything and simply gone along with whatever he wanted. Today would be no different.

With that thought in mind, Rosetta began to head toward the carriage but soon stopped again. Behind the carriage, over thirty knights were waiting. They all bowed in unison to Rosetta and Iselle.

The knights’ chests bore the insignia of a black eagle, not the golden bird symbolizing Lysa. It was the crest of the Grand Duchy of Hezen, meaning they were Iselle’s personal knights.

Why are these knights here instead of the palace guards?

Noticing Rosetta’s confusion, Iselle spoke first. “I’m in charge of your protection today, so I brought my own knights. It’s easier to guard someone with those you’re familiar with.”

“…But isn’t that too many? The Colosseum isn’t far from the palace.”

Iselle responded gently to her question. “Your safety is the top priority. Please bear with it, even if it’s uncomfortable. Arman also approved this arrangement.”

Rosetta lowered her gaze momentarily before giving a short nod.

An attendant opened the carriage door, and Iselle offered her his hand. Rosetta took his hand and boarded the carriage, followed by Iselle.

“Let’s go.”

At Iselle’s command, the carriage wheels began to turn. Not long after they started moving, Iselle asked, “Why isn’t Allen here?”

“I sent him on an errand.”

“More important than guarding the princess?”

“His grandmother is very ill. Anyone can guard me, but only Allen can visit his ailing grandmother.”

After that, the conversation lapsed into silence. Rosetta kept her gaze lowered, relieved that she was wearing a hat today. As long as she kept her head slightly bowed, her expression would be hidden beneath the brim.

“Rosetta, would you look at me?”

With a sorrowful voice, a long finger lightly touched the underside of Rosetta’s chin. Though there was no force behind it, the touch made it clear that refusal was not an option. Such contact would have been unthinkable for a princess, but as always, Iselle was the exception. Rosetta, too, didn’t expect formalities from someone who was no different from a brother to her.

But now, even though his words were a request, his touch was an undeniable command for her to lift her head.

This duality in his behavior was becoming suffocating.

When Rosetta finally lifted her head and looked him in the eye, his finger dropped away. He sighed softly as he gazed at her trembling green eyes, which were as calm as the surface of a lake rippled by a breeze.

“I want to apologize for what happened last time. I was too hasty. I’m sorry for the harsh words I said.”

Rosetta knew this wasn’t his true sentiment. He was more likely to mean the part where he said he wanted to cut off Rashid’s head and pickle it in salt.

“There’s nothing for you to apologize for. As my fiancé, you had every right to demand as much.”

“I promised I would wait until you were ready. That promise still stands. I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

“So, does this mean we’ve made up?”

“Yes.” Rosetta smiled at him, her expression as lovely as a flower. It was as if they had gone back to their childhood.

Iselle’s eyes scrutinized Rosetta’s face. For a brief moment, they gleamed sharply, but soon, he too wore a gentle smile on his lips.

“Did you know? The horse that wins the race today will be dedicated to you.”

“To me?”

“Yes. It’s fortunate that you’ve learned how to ride. When you move to the Grand Duchy, I’ll create a path just for you in the gardens. You’ll be able to ride whenever you want.”

Rosetta suppressed a bitter smile. It wasn’t far from her expectation that he would build a pretty garden for her to ride within, and nowhere else.

“Thank you.”

From then on, they exchanged small talk, as if nothing had happened between them. But even as she spoke with Iselle, Rosetta’s mind was preoccupied with other thoughts.

Now that Iselle had arrived, she could no longer use the excuse of fatigue to leave early. Unlike Arman, Iselle would insist on leaving with her. If that happened, they would run into Rashid and his group, who were waiting for her on the road back to the palace.

That couldn’t be allowed. The number of guards accompanying her had already tripled. Since they weren’t palace knights, they would prioritize Iselle’s orders. Rashid would be in danger.

Although she wanted to inform him that the plan had changed and that he should leave for now, she had no way to do so. Allen, who could have relayed the message, wasn’t there, and she couldn’t entrust such an important message to just anyone.

Most importantly, she couldn’t tell what Iselle was thinking. If he had already figured something out and was doing this on purpose…

“Rosetta.”

“Huh?”

At the sudden sound of his voice, Rosetta realized she had been lost in thought.

“We’ve arrived. We’re at the Colosseum.”

“Oh…”

Before she knew it, the massive circular structure loomed before her. The Colosseum had many entrances, but the carriage stopped right in front of the VIP entrance.

Iselle stepped out first, then offered his hand to help Rosetta down. As she descended with his assistance, numerous people lined up along the red carpet beneath her feet bowed deeply.

“Greetings to Your Highness, the Princess.”

Rosetta forced another bitter smile. She had asked Arman to make her entrance as discreet as possible, but it seemed the message hadn’t been conveyed.

“Rise.”

Rosetta led the way, and those who had risen from their bows followed her. As she stepped into the arena, a thunderous roar erupted from the crowd.