WTTAO CH 10

“Since His Majesty has asked me, Veleno, the High Priest, for my opinion, I shall offer it. In my view, at present, the blessings of the God Licht are far more abundant in the Ortia Empire than those of the spirits. Therefore, I believe it would be best for this year’s Founding Festival to have a theme praising the God Licht.”

“I object! It makes no sense to praise the God Licht at a festival meant to honor the heroes who founded the empire!”

“What are you talking about? We’ve been praising the founding heroes all this time. Wouldn’t it be better to praise the God Licht this time?”

Opposing and supporting opinions clashed from all sides.

Emperor Lassis watched the scene and let out a small sigh. His eyes looked quite weary.

But that weary expression lasted only for a moment before the emperor’s face became solemn again.

“After hearing the various opinions regarding the matter and giving it due consideration, I shall now announce my decision. This year’s Founding Festival will have a theme praising the God Licht.”

The heads of the Spirit User families and a few other nobles objected to the emperor’s decision. However, the emperor did not change his decision.

The corners of the snake-like High Priest Veleno’s lips curled upward in satisfaction.

“Where have you been running around to so much lately?”

Roselia encountered Sven in the hallway. She suppressed the urge to frown at his provocation and replied,

“Oh my. Isn’t that the capable Sven? I have absolutely no abilities, so I have to go out and about like this. So please don’t worry about me. I’ll be going now.”

Roselia quickly walked past Sven and entered the dining room first.

“Ha! That girl!”

Glaring at Roselia’s retreating back, Sven followed her into the dining room.

When Roselia entered, her father, Count Felis Hailen, was already there. Sven followed shortly afterward, greeted the count, and took his seat. The food was then served one dish after another.

Today’s main dishes were savory meat stew and delicately grilled salmon.

“Well, I’ve been rather busy, so it’s been a while since we’ve had a meal together. How have you two been?”

Count Felis asked Roselia and Sven how they had been while eating.

“I’ve been training frequently to tame my spirit.”

He must have been doing that training that can hardly even be called training again.

“I see. Don’t neglect your training, and make sure you devote yourself to your studies as well. And what about you, Roselia?”

Count Felis nodded at Sven’s answer before turning his gaze toward Roselia.

“Yes, Father! I didn’t just stay in my room. I’ve been doing all sorts of things. Taking walks in the garden, going outside to get some fresh air, things like that. Maybe because of that, I think I’m feeling healthier than before.”

“That’s good. It’s always a good thing to become healthier.”

Count Felis gave a faint smile after hearing her answer. Watching him from the side, the corners of Sven’s mouth twisted slightly.

“I hear a fever has been spreading throughout various parts of the empire. It seems people in our territory have already started falling ill as well. Be careful.”

With that, the count simply gave Roselia and Sven a word of caution, and the dry, brief meal came to an end.

After dinner, Roselia went out for a walk in the garden.

She was holding the gardening shears in one hand.

I originally ordered these as an excuse to meet Cardian, but they’re surprisingly well made.

She had brought them along both to enjoy her walk and to test their performance.

After walking for a while, she came across a beautifully arranged flower bed filled with red and yellow tulips, blooming as though they were competing with each other.

“Oh~ These tulips look nice. No one will even notice if I take a few.”

She carefully grasped the stem of a red tulip and cut it with the shears.

Snip.

It cut through the stem incredibly smoothly.

Just then—

Roselia suddenly stopped and looked toward the entrance of the garden, the freshly cut tulip still in her hand.

“I felt someone watching me just now…”

But there was no one at the entrance.

“Did I imagine it?”

She soon dismissed the thought and casually cut a mixture of red and yellow tulips.

Before long, she had gathered a beautiful bouquet.

Considering it was her first attempt at cutting flowers herself, the result was surprisingly good.

“All right, then. Shall I go to Father’s study?”

Holding the bouquet of tulips, Roselia headed toward the main building.

Her father shouldn’t be in his study at this hour.

When she reached the study, she opened the door and entered.

Beside the desk, she spotted an elegant antique vase.

It was a keepsake that had belonged to her late mother, Violetta.

Three years ago, a fire had broken out in the room where many of her mother’s belongings had been stored, and only this vase and a few other keepsakes had barely survived.

Afterward, Jaden, the butler, had told her that her father had brought the vase to his study.

Roselia placed the bouquet she had brought down and carefully filled the vase with water.

She then lovingly arranged the tulips inside it and placed the vase back on the table.

Just looking at it lifted her spirits.

“I hope it makes Father feel better, too.”

Roselia left the study and returned to her room.

As she sat on the sofa, Mary entered carrying tea and fruit.

“How did the thing I asked you about go?”

“I did exactly as you instructed.”

Roselia nodded and took a sip of the lemon tea Mary had brought.

Its refreshing flavor lingered in her mouth.

Just then, an urgent knock sounded from outside.

When Mary opened the door, Jaden, the butler, was standing there with a pale expression.

“What happened?”

“The head of the household has ordered you to come to his study immediately.”

“All right.”

Roselia quickly straightened her clothes and headed toward the study.

When she arrived and followed Jaden inside, Count Felis was standing there with Sven beside him.

But the looks they were giving her were anything but ordinary.

“Why did you call for me…?”

Before Roselia could finish her sentence, her eyes widened on their own.

“W-what on earth…”

The vase where she had placed the bouquet of tulips was shattered across the floor, its broken pieces scattered everywhere.

“Roselia. Did you put this bouquet of tulips in the vase?”

Count Felis looked at her with a cold gaze.

“Ah, yes. I did.”

“Then were you also the one who left the vase in this state?”

“No. I didn’t do it.”

Roselia answered Count Felis’s sharp question.

“She’s lying. I saw it with my own eyes. I clearly saw Roselia enter the study carrying the bouquet of tulips and then hurriedly leave.”

“Is what Sven says true?”

“It’s true that I entered the study carrying the tulips and then left. But I’m telling you again, I did not break the vase.”

Count Felis’s cold gaze remained fixed on her. He clearly didn’t seem inclined to believe her.

Count Felis Hailen was a man who believed only what he saw with his own eyes and valued the family more than any individual.

Wasn’t that why, despite Roselia being his only daughter, he had adopted his younger brother’s son simply because she was physically weak and her spirit ability had failed to manifest?

And even today, despite the circumstances clearly placing Roselia at a disadvantage, Count Felis didn’t believe his own daughter at all.

Roselia looked at Sven.

The corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly before dropping again as he met her gaze.

“No matter how much I tell you it wasn’t me, you still don’t believe me.”

“I’m only asking you to tell me the truth.”

“Then I’ll bring someone who can prove that I’m not the culprit.”

“A witness?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. Bring this witness.”

When Count Felis accepted Roselia’s request, she signaled to Mary, who was standing behind her.

Mary quietly disappeared outside the door.

Less than a minute later, she returned with a young maid.

“I brought her, Lady Roselia.”

The maid who entered with Mary lowered her head slightly, folded her hands neatly in front of her, and stood beside Roselia.

“She is my witness, Father.”

Count Felis looked the maid over suspiciously.

“Who are you?”

“I-I’m Mona, a maid in charge of cleaning the rooms in the main building.”

“All right. Since you claim to be a witness, tell me what you saw.”

“Yes. I had just finished cleaning the rooms upstairs and was passing through the hallway outside the study. That was when Lady Roselia had just left the study. But immediately afterward…”

“Afterward?”

Mona slightly raised her head and continued.

“Lord Sven… entered the study. Then, a short while later, I heard something crash and shatter, and Lord Sven hurriedly came out of the study.”

“Hey! You—what are you talking about?! When did I ever do that?! It wasn’t me! I didn’t do it!”

As soon as Mona finished her testimony, Sven shouted furiously, the veins on his forehead bulging.

“Enough! Be quiet, Sven. You said your name was Mona? If there is even a shred of falsehood in what you’ve said, dismissal will be the least of your punishment.”

“I-I swear. I’m absolutely not lying.”

Bang!

After hearing Mona’s words, Count Felis slammed his fist down on the study desk.

His fist was trembling violently.