I Got My Engagement Annulled… Even Though We Were Never Engaged - Chapter 7

Phew, the storm has passed for now.

Yesterday, after somehow managing to successfully send Lord Fevan away, I arrived at the building housing the teleportation magic circle located in the southern part of the royal capital.

With my packed luggage and the sweets I bought as souvenirs for Father and Mother.

And also carrying the Eternal Rose that Lord Fevan had given me, which my older sister had insisted I take with me, I waited in line for the teleportation magic circle.

The teleportation magic circle cannot be activated by anyone who isn’t skilled in spatial attribute magic. Since this is a magic circle rather than a magical tool, it’s not something just anyone can use.

While I can use some spatial attribute magic myself, I don’t have enough aptitude to activate the magic circle. At best, I can only transfer small objects. I can’t transport people to different locations.

When my turn came, I paid the usage fee of one silver coin to be transported to the Cambrelive County territory.

After teleporting to the building with the teleportation magic circle in the town of Cambrelive County, I decided to walk from there to the country house. It’s close enough to reach in about thirty minutes on foot without needing a carriage.

Carrying my packed bag and the souvenirs, I trudged along toward the country house in the cool autumn breeze.

I was happy when the local residents I passed greeted me with “Welcome back.” Since we have a small territory, we’re quite close to the local people.

After walking for a while, Bail from the Cambrelive Count family arrived likely notified by the residents. The thirty-year-old is the son of Robinson and has been entrusted with managing the country house as the steward.

“Young lady! If you’re coming back, please let us know in advance! You’ll give us a shock!”

Bail has been with our family since I was born, so to me, he’s like an older brother with a significant age gap. Because of that, his tone is casual except when we have guests.

“Um, sorry, I decided suddenly.”

“Sigh, the mistress has been worried sick that something might have happened to you. Here, let me take your luggage.”

Since it was only about ten more minutes on foot, it seemed they hadn’t prepared a carriage.

With Bail carrying my luggage, I walked holding only the Eternal Rose.

“Young lady, who prefers sweets over flowers, what are you doing with something as fancy as a rose?”

“Well, I received it… Since it’s a rather precious rose, my older sister told me to bring it back, so I did…”

“A precious rose?”

“An Eternal Rose.”

“Wha?!

Bail nearly dropped the bag, hurriedly catching it.

“Why do you have something like that?! Don’t tell me, young lady, you did something incredible?! Something worthy of recognition from the royal family.”

In a way, it was incredible, but I didn’t do anything. I got caught up in it, and I certainly didn’t receive any recognition from the royal family.

Not knowing how to explain it, when I mentioned that I received it from someone, Bail made another grand misunderstanding: “Has spring finally come for the young lady?!”

“N-no, that’s not it!”

I was proposed to, but I refused, so it’s not like spring has arrived.

But even though I tried to return the rose I received, it wasn’t accepted, so I ended up keeping it.

Regardless of the reason, it’s still a precious rose, so I can’t just leave it lying around.

“For now, I thought I’d display it in the entrance or salon of the estate mansion.”

“W-well, speaking of Eternal Roses, they’re comparable to family treasures. This might make the master keel over and pass away.”

“Hey, stop saying such unlucky things!”

“Even if he doesn’t pass away, I think he’ll be overjoyed and dance with delight.”

“…That much?”

“Huh, didn’t you know, young lady? Apparently, the medicine Father is developing now requires an Eternal Rose to complete. He was frustrated because he couldn’t get one.”

“Really?!”

What timing. If, as Bail says, he gets so excited from being overjoyed that he passes away, what would I do?

“B-but, it’s an Eternal Rose, right? Is it okay to use it as medicine ingredients?”

“He said just one petal would be enough, so it should be fine, right?”

“W-well, if it’s just one petal… probably. But Eternal Roses aren’t something you can easily obtain. How did Father know this flower was necessary to complete the medicine?”

Tilting my head while gazing at the unfading rose, Bail laughed.

“Apparently, when he belonged to the Magical Medicine Research Institute, he once made a medicine using an Eternal Rose in the past. He said he knows because he analyzed its components back then.”

“Father is fearless.”

Normally, you wouldn’t use a rose said to become a family treasure if received for medicine experiments.

…I need to be careful about where I store this, or it might end up as Father’s experimental material.

I thought about placing it in the entrance or salon, but I’d better not. It’s safer to keep it in my room.

If one petal is needed for the medicine to restore Father’s health, I’ll provide it, but I’ll carefully store the rest. No matter the reason, I can’t just let something I received become experimental material for medicine.

While chatting idly with Bail, the mansion came into view.

At the entrance was Mother, waving her hands energetically. Even though she’s a countess, she’s quite bold. I think my older sister’s personality definitely comes from her.

“I’m home, Mother.”

“Welcome back~! But what happened? Weren’t you supposed to find a marriage partner this year?”

“That’s something my older sister started saying, not me. I came back because I was tired.”

“My, you say you’re tired, but the social season has only just begun a month ago. ”

Mother’s emerald eyes, so similar to my older sister’s, sparkled sharply.

“Aha, something happened. Confess.”

Sharp.

I suppose that’s a mother for you. But if I tell the truth honestly, it would mean revealing the crisis of the Marquis Levesius household’s near-explosion. I can’t say that.

“Now, now, it’s not good to stand chatting at the entrance forever. Adeline, welcome home. You’ve been well, Eternal Rose.”

Father, who had slowly walked to the entrance leaning on his cane, widened his eyes comically when he saw what I was holding.

As expected of a researcher. It’s impressive that he recognized what I was holding as an Eternal Rose at a glance.

“As expected of my daughter! To bring back something I’ve been wanting desperately! So, you came back for your Papa’s sake, didn’t you? I love you, Adeline!”

Father tossed his cane behind him, rushed over to me, hugged me, and started rubbing his cheek against mine. I wish he’d stop. His stubble is subtly painful.

“O-oh, you seem more energetic than I thought, Father…”

“Not really, my body still aches as usual. But that pain has flown away! Ah, Adeline, my beloved daughter.”

I swallowed the words, “In this case, what’s beloved is the Eternal Rose, isn’t it?”

“Dear, wasn’t it you who said it’s not good to stand chat at the entrance?”

Mother looked exasperated as she went to retrieve the cane thrown aside in the entrance hall.

“Oh, that’s right! Come, Adeline, let’s go inside.”

Father, in a cheerful mood, put his arm around my shoulder.

After receiving his cane from Mother, Father, leaning on it with one hand, led me to the dining room.

“Ah, Father, Mother, souvenirs… They’re sweets, you know.”

I made it clear to Father, who seemed to be expecting alcohol, and had Bail hand over the souvenir sweets.

Father looked disappointed for a moment, but knowing that the rose in my hand means his medicine is close to completion, he immediately returned to a beaming smile.

“…Father, I might give you one petal, but I’m not giving you the whole thing. I received it from someone, and it would be in poor taste if it all dissolved into your medicine, wouldn’t it?”

“My, such a precious thing. Who did you receive it from?”

Mother asked with a sweet smile.

I hesitated, at a loss for words. I can’t tell them everything, but if I say nothing, she’ll likely write to my older sister to ask about the situation. In that case, it’s better to reveal just part of it.

“Well, from a certain man…”

“What?!”

“You’re in the way. We’re at the good part now.”

Father tried to latch onto the word “man,” but Mother mercilessly pushed his face aside.

“Who is this man and where is he from? Why did he give you a rose? Come now, confess to your mother.”

“I-it’s a misunderstanding, sorry, but it’s not like we’re getting married or anything.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“…I refused.”

“My goodness!”

Mother put her hands to her cheeks, her eyes wide.

“Was he that unsuitable? But could an unsuitable man even obtain an Eternal Rose? Someone who uses such a precious thing for a proposal must be quite capable, I think. What was unsatisfactory? Was he a bear-like man with a bushy beard? I think bears are cute too.”

If asked whether he’s a capable man… well, I can only say it’s subtle. I think his abilities are high, but above all, he’s the type of scatterbrain who would mistakenly announce breaking off an engagement to another woman.

“Um…”

“Who is he and where is he from?”

I can’t defy Mother, who would investigate on her own if I don’t answer.

“Lord Fevan Levesius…”

“Fevan Levesius? You mean, from the Marquis Levesius household?!”

It wasn’t Mother but Father who let out a shrill cry.

“Oh my, a bigger figure than I expected.”

Mother’s eyes were also perfectly round.

Before they could interrogate me further, I repeated, this time in a louder voice:

“Anyway, I refused!”

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