Chapter 13 Part 8

“……”

“And he’s the same golden-haired “Clover” who once stayed with Rosie.”

There was no lying to Mother when she already knew everything. I let out a sigh of resignation, and Father, his face stiff and unreadable, gestured to a chair next to him.

“Oh my, so I’m finally being included in this discussion?”

Mother sat down, her tone light but her words laced with sharpness. She fixed Father with a look of exasperation, one so pointed that it made his previously tearful and emotional demeanor falter. He glanced away, visibly flustered.

“Rosie.”

“Yes, Mother?”

“……”

But instead of looking at the direction her gaze initially seemed to go, Mother turned toward me, seated across from them. Startled to be addressed so unexpectedly, I answered hesitantly, only to have Mother grasp my hand warmly with a loving smile.

“Our little Rosie has grown so much, hasn’t she?”

“…What?”

“Darling, what nonsense are you—”

Father, visibly flustered, tried to intervene, but Mother didn’t so much as glance his way as she continued speaking.

“Forget everything this man has said to you. If people’s feelings could be controlled as they pleased, I wouldn’t have married this foolish man in the first place.”

“Foolish… man?!”

“……”

Mother’s expression only grew brighter, as if sharing this moment with me brought her boundless joy. Her smile radiated warmth and reassurance, a beacon of comfort that pierced through the tension in the room.

“I trust your choices completely, my dear. You can ignore everything that coward has said. If you ever make a choice that turns out to be wrong, we’ll wait for you until you make it right. And if that choice leaves you hurt, we’ll be here to dry your tears and help you heal when you return to us.”

“……”

“……”

“We, too, are far from being perfect parents,” Mother said softly. “We make mistakes, sometimes more than we’d like. Yet we have the nerve to hope you’ll always see us as perfect. Isn’t that contradictory? You’ll make mistakes too, Rosie. That’s just part of life, and it’s nothing to be afraid of. Mistakes open the door to your future. And until you find your way, we’ll always be right here beside you.”

Ah, Mother was giving me courage. No matter which path I chose, she was promising unconditional support and love. She was telling me it was okay to follow my heart, no matter where it led me.

Her voice carried such sincerity, her expression so steady and full of unwavering affection. It was that enduring love, the force that had always held me together, limitless like an unending ocean.

“…What am I supposed to say to that now?” Father muttered, his tone tinged with exasperation.

“That’s why you’re the foolish one,” Mother replied with a teasing smirk. “Do you even realize why Rosie works so hard? Honestly, the men in this family wouldn’t know what to do with themselves if they ever developed some awareness.”

Despite her grumbling, their hands were entwined tightly, as though they would never let go. Then, as if to remind me that I was part of this circle, Mother tugged on my hand and placed it between theirs. Her gesture spoke louder than words—it was a silent but powerful declaration: I belonged, no matter what.

Mother’s words filled the courage I had been lacking, as if she had sensed the fear that held me back from taking that final step.

When I witnessed the end of Daisy Queenie, there was no way I hadn’t thought of Ten. I had removed the greatest obstacle between us, and I wanted to run to him immediately. Yet, I couldn’t. The distance I had created between us felt so insurmountable that I couldn’t muster the courage to try to close it.

It was then that I realized it had always been Ten who tried to bridge the gap between us. From the beginning to the end, every effort to keep us connected had been his. The moment he let go, the chasm between us widened so much that it felt impossible to return to what we once had.

I knew how reckless I had been from the first time we met to the last moment we shared. Ever since my memories of the past merged with my present, I had been wandering aimlessly, unable to truly settle into this world.

It was Ten’s presence that anchored me, grounding me in this reality. He showed me that I wasn’t just someone meant to surrender to fate. Through the changing dynamic between us, I came to understand that this world wasn’t merely a figment of my imagination but a real place where I had to live with my own will.

It was because of Ten that I accepted my new life, embraced this world, and resolved to live on even with my imperfections. And now, it was my turn to hold on to him. If our connection had endured this far because of his efforts, then now I would do the same. Just as he once reached out to me, I would reach out until he chose to hold on to me again.

“I will go to Ten.”

As I finally broke the long silence, my mother, who was smiling, and my father, who wore a worried expression, both turned their eyes toward me. Though their expressions differed, I knew that every emotion they felt was for my sake. My father’s love, hoping I would avoid being hurt, and my mother’s love, respecting my will even if it meant enduring failure.

“If that’s your choice… then I will respect it.”

“We will always be a place you can return to.”

To enter the palace, one naturally needs an entry permit. While countless people come and go from the palace, every one of them has the necessary credentials to do so. For someone like me, who hadn’t prepared in advance, my mother graciously stepped up to help.

“You mentioned someone named Canerva Gray from the delegation staying at Dorothea Palace?”

“Yes, from what I saw, he seems to be one of Ten’s closest aides. If I send word to him, Ten will receive it.”

“Alright, I’ll deliver the letter to him. Since I’ll be heading to the palace anyway, I might as well stretch my legs.”

“Please… I’m counting on you.”

I entrusted the letter to my mother, who, as a former captain of the Imperial Knights, still held an active palace entry permit. Since I couldn’t enter myself, I had to rely on Canerva Gray to relay my message to Ten. If it was Canerva Gray, I was certain he would quickly grasp my intentions.

The last time we negotiated, I realized just how extraordinarily sharp he was. Coming from Endeavor’s chancellor family, it was easy to imagine how much education he must have undergone, but even so, he far exceeded expectations. If I were to speculate, he could very well aim for the next chancellor position.

Now that I think about it, the fact that Ten has someone of such high caliber under his command means Ten himself must have built an impressive power base.

I had worked hard to lay the groundwork, hoping his path would be smooth, but in a foreign nation like Endeavor—a powerful empire akin to Rohan—my efforts likely held little significance.

To see someone as capable as Canerva Gray pledge his loyalty to Ten spoke volumes about how much effort and hardship Ten must have endured. Thinking about all that he had endured, only to return and be met with my harsh words… I convinced myself it was for his sake, but in truth, it was nothing more than my arrogance.

My parents told me that even if I failed and got hurt in the process, they would always stand by me. They reminded me that no one is perfect from the start. Even if my choices caused them pain, they said they would continue to believe in me.

I needed to be that kind of person for Ten as well. If I truly cared for him, I shouldn’t have blinded myself under the guise of doing it for his sake or severed his will. Instead, I should have supported the path he truly wanted to take. What I had believed to be affection was, in reality, nothing more than self-satisfaction disguised as love. I realized this once again in that moment.

Only now do I feel certain of where I need to go. And I know what I must do.

So, this time, I wanted to face him honestly. Even if it was already too late.