14. Secret

  <SECRET – Madam Rosalie> 

 SECRET 01# 

 The True Identity of Madam Rosalie

 The goddess Arne, who governed love and life, had twins — a son and a daughter. 

 The son carried arrows and diligently delivered divine blessings and love to humans, but the daughter had no interest in such tedious tasks. The daughter, who acted as she pleased, eventually fell to the human realm as punishment for violating the laws of heaven. 

 Though she retained divine power as the goddess’s daughter, she had to live in a human body in the mortal realm. The name she came to use on earth was ‘Rosalie.’ Though she had three husbands, she only took their wealth and never used their surnames, so people still called her ‘Madam Rosalie.’ 

 As if mocking her punishment, Rosalie adapted well to the human world. Unlike the boring celestial realm, the human world overflowed with all sorts of amusements. 

 Despite being such lowly beings who couldn’t even live a hundred years. 

 Humans had many desires and wants. Most interesting things happened because of those very desires. 

 Whether it was money, love, or honor…… 

 It was laughable how they fought, slandered, and clung to such trivial things that would disappear after a season. 

 Rosalie moderately exploited the nature of those desires for her entertainment. 

 With her divine blood, humans’ desires and actions were transparent to her. 

 Making money, having affairs, manipulating people — it was all too easy for Rosalie. Later, it became so boring it made her yawn. 

 Rosalie enjoyed playing with human men like toys. Though humans were pathetic, she rather enjoyed s*x in a human body. 

 She lived promiscuously, going through not just lovers but several husbands. 

 When her three husbands died prematurely, people began calling her a ‘witch.’ She didn’t care what mere humans called her. If they expected someone with divine blood to have supernatural powers and treated her like a madwoman, she might as well live up to those expectations. 

SECRET 02# 

 The Perfect Son of God

 She met Nicholas Reinhart when he was six years old. 

 In the rose greenhouse of the Grand Duke Reinhart’s estate. Madam Rosalie was sipping champagne with a bored expression. 

 ‘Tea parties’ were tedious. Accepting the invitation blindly just because she was told the hostess was the most noble lady aside from the imperial family was a mistake. 

 She had nothing better to do and was craving something sweet, so she dropped by. But there were no men, only overbearing noble ladies. 

 ‘The pool is… quite poor.’ 

 She thought the men would be decent since these were noble ladies. She’d been completely fooled. 

 Perhaps it was the bitter taste in her mouth. The more champagne she drank, the more parched she felt. Madam Rosalie’s eyes narrowed. 

 ‘Well, it’s not like there are absolutely no males.’ 

 The problem was there were no men who could play the role of a male. 

 A six-year-old little boy and a middle-aged butler serving tea…

 One was too young to be a man, one was too old. Neither was Madam Rosalie’s type. 

 ‘What a waste. Complete waste.’ 

 After looking back and forth between the two, Madam Rosalie’s face showed complete loss of interest as she munched on the chocolates in front of her. 

 “Congratulations on young lord Reinhart’s sixth birthday!” 

 Besides, if she’d known it was a tea party for a kid’s birthday, she definitely wouldn’t have come. 

 Madam Rosalie downed the remaining champagne in one go, feeling stifled. She planned to endure with the help of getting intoxicated. Thank goodness there was at least champagne. If she had to discuss the flavor profile of newly imported tea like those prim and proper noble ladies…

 She would have shot herself in the head with a pistol. 

 “Your Highness, you must be so pleased to have such a splendid son!” 

 “He’s only six but already so different. He seems destined for great things.” 

 Look at them fawning like that. 

 Such handmaidens always gather around the highest-ranking female in the group. 

 “Thank you. Our Nicki is handsome, isn’t he?” 

 …He’s only handsome in your eyes. 

 The child had brilliant golden hair and golden eyes. 

 His features were flawless, so strictly speaking, he did have beautiful looks. 

 He might be worth looking at after about fifteen more years, but for now he was just a child who still smelled of milk. 

 Whether handsome or not, seeing such a youngster as a male went against the laws of nature. 

 Madam Rosalie set down her champagne glass with a deep sigh. 

 “When he grows up, he’ll look like the sun god incarnate.” 

 “And his brilliant mind! He’s so intelligent. I hear he’s already reading books meant for advanced academy students?” 

 “The Knight Commander says he shows remarkable talent with the sword as well. He’ll be of great use to the Empire in the future.” 

 The Grand Duchess Reinhart made one comment, and ten, a hundred praises followed.

“You are too kind. Thank you all for taking your precious time to attend today for me.” 

 Today’s protagonist, Nicholas Reinhart (age 6), lifted the corners of his mouth as if the praise was natural, yet showed unchildlike modesty. 

 A child should act like a child. What’s with that elegant and flawless way of speaking like a little old man? 

 Are all humans of noble blood… naturally this insufferable? 

 Seeing that seemingly painted-on smile on his childish face made her blood boil. 

 “Oh my! How articulate he is! How adorable.” 

 “So mature too. He’d be perfect paired with Elizabeth since they’re the same age.” 

 “Well, there’s my Catherine too.” 

 “They’re all worth considering. Since he lacks nothing, young lord Reinhart will surely become the Empire’s most eligible bachelor when he grows up.” 

 Neither Grand Duchess Reinhart nor Nicholas Reinhart bothered to deny it.           

 Like mother, like son. The type who took their excellence for granted and were used to being praised. 

 They reminded her of the gods in the celestial realm, Madam Rosalie thought. 

 “I want to have a baby as wonderful as young Lord Reinhart too. Do you have any secrets to share?” 

 A noblewoman with a heavily pregnant belly asked the Grand Duchess Reinhart. 

 Grand Duchess Reinhart paused briefly before opening her mouth as if bestowing a favor.

 “I prayed to Goddess Arne morning and night. I asked her to let me bear a perfect son of god. Perhaps the goddess found my devotion touching.” 

 What is this, an acceptance speech? 

 Though she spoke modestly, she was answering on the premise that her son was indeed ‘a perfect son of god.’ 

 To claim ‘a perfect son of god’ when they were mere humans. 

 “The son is perfect but the daughter……” 

 “Even half as good would be fine……” 

 She recalled the gods in the celestial realm gossiping about ‘Goddess Arne’s twins,’ or more precisely, talking badly about ‘her.’ 

 They’re being ridiculous. 

 Who do they think caused me to end up like this? 

 Her hand gripped the stem of the glass tightly at the thought of that supposedly perfect son of god, her twin brother. 

 “So prayer is most important after all. I should strengthen my faith like Your Highness.” 

 “Well, prayer matters but children take after their parents. It’s only natural since the Grand Duke and Duchess are so exceptional.” 

 “Indeed. Goddess Arne herself would surely marvel at young lord Reinhart.” 

 …This is the worst. It was completely unbearable. 

 Sure, that golden child might have received Goddess Arne’s blessing at birth. 

 He was born with looks superior to others, an intelligent mind, and noble blood, so compared to others, perhaps he had. 

 But if Goddess Arne knew that this mere child was receiving more praise than herself, would she really stay quiet? The mother Madam Rosalie knew wasn’t such a benevolent goddess. 

 Hadn’t she sent her own daughter down to the human realm because she couldn’t stand her behavior? 

 Humans should act like humans. A goddess’s daughter should act like one. 

 That was important. The goddess they kept mentioning until their mouths went dry hated presumption most of all. 

***

 The tedious tea party continued for quite a while after that. Perhaps she’d had too much champagne. She felt tipsy. 

 After visiting the bathroom, Madam Rosalie was lying on a sofa behind a curtain in the powder room when she heard some women fixing their makeup and whispering. 

 “Why did she come?” 

 “Who?” 

 “Madam Rosalie. Guzzling champagne in broad daylight. Doesn’t she feel ashamed in front of a child?” 

 “That party animal at such a refined gathering…. I thought it was strange. Why did Her Highness invite her?” 

 …That woman is right here. 

 They must have been too focused on gossiping to notice. 

 “Her Highness is such a benevolent person. She never shows prejudice or discrimination against anyone.” 

 “True. She’s like Goddess Arne herself, no wonder she bore such a perfect son of god.” 

 They’re fawning even when she’s not around. It was sickening. 

 “Still though. Coming to an invitation without even bringing a birthday present, just showing up with nothing but herself. How incredibly rude.” 

 “I know. She doesn’t even know basic manners……” 

 Madam Rosalie, who had been lying on the sofa, got up and yanked the curtain open. 

 Click-clack. She strode through the women fixing their makeup. 

 “I brought one.” 

 “Pardon?” 

 “The kid’s birthday present. I said I brought one. I know that much about manners.” 

 She fixed her disheveled hair and smiled provocatively. 

 “Mine is something very precious, so I plan to give it to Her Highness separately.” 

 The noble ladies on either side flinched when she snapped open her silk fan with a sharp sound.