Episode 109. Give Me Your Daughter
Rose said goodbye to Jane and was reunited with Count Serviat and his wife.
Neruan escorted her to the Serviat mansion.
Fearing he might have to remove his helmet, he hurriedly left, saying he would come back to pick her up in the evening.
After leaving the capital, she visited Count Serviat and his wife's home for the first time. It had been a while since she'd seen the Count and his wife, so she was a little nervous.
After all, they weren't her real parents, so the distance between them was unavoidable.
"My dear!"
Rivera greeted Rose brightly as usual.
"You're here."
Daemon seemed indifferent, but his eyes were filled with affection for Rose.
"Still, it was good that you came."
She had actually been agonizing over whether or not to meet Count Serviat and his wife.
"I'm here."
Rose approached them with a bright expression.
"Oh my, we came empty-handed. Why did you bring so many things?"
Rivera was astonished at the sight of Rose, who had her hands full of gifts.
Daemon quietly helped Rose's luggage.
"It must be heavy. Why did you buy these?"
If she had misheard, it could easily have been misconstrued as a scolding. But Rose already knew his kind heart.
"I just bought them one by one, and before I knew it, they had piled up like this."
While in the capital, she had done some market research and wandered around various brands.
Trends change constantly, so it was good to be out in the field often. She couldn't just pass by the various brands.
She wanted to give something to Count Serviat and his wife.
"Oh, come on. I don't need any of this."
Rivera's eyes sparkled, despite her apology. Her hands were already unwrapping the boxes.
"Oh my, what is this?"
Rivera held a scarf in her hand.
It was a design popular among middle-aged women these days.
"Oh my. It's so pretty."
Rivera wrapped the scarf around her head and exclaimed, girlishly delighted.
Rose looked at Rivera with a proud expression, then pointed to another box.
“I heard people wrap scarves around their bag handles these days.”
“A bag? Rose, you bought a bag too?”
Rose nodded with a sheepish smile. However, Rivera’s expression hardened, unlike before.
“No, running a business must cost a lot of money. Why did you spend so much money?”
She felt uneasy, thinking Rose was spending money needlessly.
The scarf was affordable, so she could have been happy, but the bag was not.
And since it was an Hermea bag, which was notoriously expensive, Rivera felt extremely uneasy.
“Mom really doesn’t need this. Let’s go and get a refund.”
Rivera took Rose’s hand, ready to leave at any moment.
Looking at Rivera, she was reminded of her own mother.
When she gave her her first paycheck as a gift, her reaction was exactly the same as Rivera’s.
"Oh my, how much money can a newbie make? Mom doesn't need this. Let's go and get a refund. Don't buy it for Mom, buy it for Do-hyun instead."
"Uh. Mom. I bought it after much thought, and you're telling me to return it? Am I a little upset? And why are you only focusing on Do-hyun already? Mom comes first."
Rose said goodbye to Jane and was reunited with Count Serviat and his wife.
Neruan escorted her to the Serviat mansion.
Fearing he might have to remove his helmet, he hurriedly left, saying he would come back to pick her up in the evening.
After leaving the capital, she visited Count Serviat and his wife's home for the first time. It had been a while since she'd seen the Count and his wife, so she was a little nervous.
After all, they weren't her real parents, so the distance between them was unavoidable.
"My dear!"
Rivera greeted Rose brightly as usual.
"You're here."
Daemon seemed indifferent, but his eyes were filled with affection for Rose.
"Still, it was good that you came."
She had actually been agonizing over whether or not to meet Count Serviat and his wife.
"I'm here."
Rose approached them with a bright expression.
"Oh my, we came empty-handed. Why did you bring so many things?"
Rivera was astonished at the sight of Rose, who had her hands full of gifts.
Daemon quietly helped Rose's luggage.
"It must be heavy. Why did you buy these?"
If she had misheard, it could easily have been misconstrued as a scolding. But Rose already knew his kind heart.
"I just bought them one by one, and before I knew it, they had piled up like this."
While in the capital, she had done some market research and wandered around various brands.
Trends change constantly, so it was good to be out in the field often. She couldn't just pass by the various brands.
She wanted to give something to Count Serviat and his wife.
"Oh, come on. I don't need any of this."
Rivera's eyes sparkled, despite her apology. Her hands were already unwrapping the boxes.
"Oh my, what is this?"
Rivera held a scarf in her hand.
It was a design popular among middle-aged women these days.
"Oh my. It's so pretty."
Rivera wrapped the scarf around her head and exclaimed, girlishly delighted.
Rose looked at Rivera with a proud expression, then pointed to another box.
“I heard people wrap scarves around their bag handles these days.”
“A bag? Rose, you bought a bag too?”
Rose nodded with a sheepish smile. However, Rivera’s expression hardened, unlike before.
“No, running a business must cost a lot of money. Why did you spend so much money?”
She felt uneasy, thinking Rose was spending money needlessly.
The scarf was affordable, so she could have been happy, but the bag was not.
And since it was an Hermea bag, which was notoriously expensive, Rivera felt extremely uneasy.
“Mom really doesn’t need this. Let’s go and get a refund.”
Rivera took Rose’s hand, ready to leave at any moment.
Looking at Rivera, she was reminded of her own mother.
When she gave her her first paycheck as a gift, her reaction was exactly the same as Rivera’s.
"Oh my, how much money can a newbie make? Mom doesn't need this. Let's go and get a refund. Don't buy it for Mom, buy it for Do-hyun instead."
"Uh. Mom. I bought it after much thought, and you're telling me to return it? Am I a little upset? And why are you only focusing on Do-hyun already? Mom comes first."
"Of course. Do-hyun is your husband-to-be, that's why. How good is he to you? Mom is just so grateful whenever I see Do-hyun. He loves our daughter so much."
It was a memory so long ago that it was almost hazy.
Rose suddenly felt a surge of emotion as she remembered her mother from her past life.
"Oh my, Rose. Are you crying?"
She must have cried without realizing it. Rose quickly wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.
"Oh, no."
Rivera was extremely embarrassed by Rose's tears.
"Are you upset because Mom asked you to return it? That's not what I meant."
Rivera approached Rose, fidgeting. She studied her face.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know our daughter would be so heartbroken. I just thought you might be a burden... I felt bad for not being able to help you with your business, but just receiving it.”
Rose nodded, her eyes reddening. Forcing a smile, she spoke to Rivera.
“You’re surprised, right? Why am I crying like an idiot?”
She thought of her biological parents in Korea.
I should have been more polite.
Right now, even if I wanted to, I couldn't.
"Oh, really. Rose bought it for you. Why are you being so picky?"
Daemon slyly interjected.
His daughter's tears seemed to be truly heartbreaking.
"Don't embarrass her."
He seemed blunt, but he tried to comfort Rose.
"Oh, really. It's not like that, Rose. Thank you so much. Mom won't ask for a refund, so cheer up."
It was a little awkward that Rivera and Daemon had misunderstood her tears as being because of them, but there was no real excuse.
Rose nodded and thrust the box at Daemon.
"I bought this for Dad."
"Do you have one for me?"
"Yes."
How would Dsemon react?
Rivera was easy to read because her emotions were clearly visible, but Demon wasn't.
She knew he cared for her deeply, but it was difficult to know his tastes or other small details.
Daemon opened the box in silence.
Inside were clothes. They were from a relatively well-known menswear brand.
Daemon stared silently at the box.
"You don't like them?"
There was no reaction. The expressionless expression on Daemon's face as he took out the clothes made it difficult to read his mood.
"...This is a first,"
Aemon muttered in a low voice.
"You bought all these things."
From the way he spoke, it seemed he wasn't displeased.
'But... Rose has never given her parents a present before.'
She had lavished countless gifts on Eric, seemingly neglecting his parents.
"You're so grown up. I never dreamed the day would come when you would act like this."
"...That's it?"
Rose felt a strange sense of embarrassment at Daemon's words.
She scratched one cheek and rolled her eyes.
"You like them?"
"..."
Daemon remained silent. Rose glanced at Daemon. And then she was startled.
“Oh, you’re crying?”
He, who always had a scary expression on his face, was holding back tears.
It seemed Rose was no ordinary fool. Seeing him so touched by a mere gift...
“Oh my, you’re so reckless. Why are you crying when you scare a child?”
Rivera giggled teasingly, looking at Daemon’s face.
“When did I ever cry?”
Daemon, though he had tears welling up in his eyes, insisted he had never cried before.
“Rose, your father is like that. He may look tough on the outside, but you have no idea how tender he is on the inside.”
She giggled repeatedly, finding it amusing to see Daemon sniffling.
“You know how many times a day he whines about missing you. One time, he even held up your portrait and talked to it.”
“Stop it! Stop it! Why do you keep lying!”
Rivera’s words made Daemon snap and cut him off.
“Oh my, what a lie. It’s all true.”
It was a memory so long ago that it was almost hazy.
Rose suddenly felt a surge of emotion as she remembered her mother from her past life.
"Oh my, Rose. Are you crying?"
She must have cried without realizing it. Rose quickly wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.
"Oh, no."
Rivera was extremely embarrassed by Rose's tears.
"Are you upset because Mom asked you to return it? That's not what I meant."
Rivera approached Rose, fidgeting. She studied her face.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know our daughter would be so heartbroken. I just thought you might be a burden... I felt bad for not being able to help you with your business, but just receiving it.”
Rose nodded, her eyes reddening. Forcing a smile, she spoke to Rivera.
“You’re surprised, right? Why am I crying like an idiot?”
She thought of her biological parents in Korea.
I should have been more polite.
Right now, even if I wanted to, I couldn't.
"Oh, really. Rose bought it for you. Why are you being so picky?"
Daemon slyly interjected.
His daughter's tears seemed to be truly heartbreaking.
"Don't embarrass her."
He seemed blunt, but he tried to comfort Rose.
"Oh, really. It's not like that, Rose. Thank you so much. Mom won't ask for a refund, so cheer up."
It was a little awkward that Rivera and Daemon had misunderstood her tears as being because of them, but there was no real excuse.
Rose nodded and thrust the box at Daemon.
"I bought this for Dad."
"Do you have one for me?"
"Yes."
How would Dsemon react?
Rivera was easy to read because her emotions were clearly visible, but Demon wasn't.
She knew he cared for her deeply, but it was difficult to know his tastes or other small details.
Daemon opened the box in silence.
Inside were clothes. They were from a relatively well-known menswear brand.
Daemon stared silently at the box.
"You don't like them?"
There was no reaction. The expressionless expression on Daemon's face as he took out the clothes made it difficult to read his mood.
"...This is a first,"
Aemon muttered in a low voice.
"You bought all these things."
From the way he spoke, it seemed he wasn't displeased.
'But... Rose has never given her parents a present before.'
She had lavished countless gifts on Eric, seemingly neglecting his parents.
"You're so grown up. I never dreamed the day would come when you would act like this."
"...That's it?"
Rose felt a strange sense of embarrassment at Daemon's words.
She scratched one cheek and rolled her eyes.
"You like them?"
"..."
Daemon remained silent. Rose glanced at Daemon. And then she was startled.
“Oh, you’re crying?”
He, who always had a scary expression on his face, was holding back tears.
It seemed Rose was no ordinary fool. Seeing him so touched by a mere gift...
“Oh my, you’re so reckless. Why are you crying when you scare a child?”
Rivera giggled teasingly, looking at Daemon’s face.
“When did I ever cry?”
Daemon, though he had tears welling up in his eyes, insisted he had never cried before.
“Rose, your father is like that. He may look tough on the outside, but you have no idea how tender he is on the inside.”
She giggled repeatedly, finding it amusing to see Daemon sniffling.
“You know how many times a day he whines about missing you. One time, he even held up your portrait and talked to it.”
“Stop it! Stop it! Why do you keep lying!”
Rivera’s words made Daemon snap and cut him off.
“Oh my, what a lie. It’s all true.”
Was it really true?
Rose glanced at Demon’s face. His face was flushed as red as a carrot.
The embarrassment in his eyes was so palpable that you could tell at a glance how flustered he was.
Daemon and Rose’s eyes met.
He flinched at Rose’s sight and then coughed, pretending nothing was wrong.
“Ahem. Your mother is talking nonsense.”
Rivera watched Daemon like this and whispered to Rose.
“Isn’t your father really cute?”
“Enough! Go eat!”
Rivera stopped teasing Daemon. He wanted to tease him more, but he’d be pouting for a while.
“Come here.”
Rose was led by Rivera to the kitchen. The table was overflowing with all sorts of food.
“I thought I’d show off my cooking skills since you’re here. I cooked this with your father. He's a better cook than I thought.”
Rose stared at him with wide eyes, surprised that the seemingly patriarchal Daemon had cooked.
Embarrassed by Rose's gaze, Daemon simply glanced at the bridge of his nose and looked away.
"Wow, thank you."
Rose sat down with a sincere smile. It had been a long time since they had a family meal together.
Rose chatted away, sharing stories they hadn't had before.
"Judging by your expression, it seems business is going well."
"Yes. I was going to tell you that anyway. We held a conference today. People are responding better than I expected,"
Rose's eyes sparkled at the mention of business.
"I think we'll open in six months. And, I've been wanting to tell you for a while. How about coming to the Arteum Estate?"
"Arteum Estate?"
"Yes. I've been feeling uneasy. It's also concerning that Eric visited a few times while I was away, and Cedric has an even more fiery temper. That's why I'm worried."
Rose glanced at Demon’s face. His face was flushed as red as a carrot.
The embarrassment in his eyes was so palpable that you could tell at a glance how flustered he was.
Daemon and Rose’s eyes met.
He flinched at Rose’s sight and then coughed, pretending nothing was wrong.
“Ahem. Your mother is talking nonsense.”
Rivera watched Daemon like this and whispered to Rose.
“Isn’t your father really cute?”
“Enough! Go eat!”
Rivera stopped teasing Daemon. He wanted to tease him more, but he’d be pouting for a while.
“Come here.”
Rose was led by Rivera to the kitchen. The table was overflowing with all sorts of food.
“I thought I’d show off my cooking skills since you’re here. I cooked this with your father. He's a better cook than I thought.”
Rose stared at him with wide eyes, surprised that the seemingly patriarchal Daemon had cooked.
Embarrassed by Rose's gaze, Daemon simply glanced at the bridge of his nose and looked away.
"Wow, thank you."
Rose sat down with a sincere smile. It had been a long time since they had a family meal together.
Rose chatted away, sharing stories they hadn't had before.
"Judging by your expression, it seems business is going well."
"Yes. I was going to tell you that anyway. We held a conference today. People are responding better than I expected,"
Rose's eyes sparkled at the mention of business.
"I think we'll open in six months. And, I've been wanting to tell you for a while. How about coming to the Arteum Estate?"
"Arteum Estate?"
"Yes. I've been feeling uneasy. It's also concerning that Eric visited a few times while I was away, and Cedric has an even more fiery temper. That's why I'm worried."
She couldn't tell Count Serviat and his wife everything. She knew they would be worried.
"But... this is so sudden."
Rivera's expression softened at Rose's words.
She'd grown up in the capital her entire life. That's why she wasn't keen on going away. Above all, the Arteum Estate, of all places. She didn't want to go to a place with nothing but farmland.
Rose smiled faintly at the expected reaction.
It was like asking someone who used to live in Gangnam to live in a mountain valley with no infrastructure.
“Well, how about coming over for a visit? Even back then, you didn’t get to see the Arteum territory properly, did you?”
“If you’re going to come over for a visit, then so be it.”
He hadn’t particularly wanted to go, but since it was where Rose was, he nodded readily.
“By the way, how is the Grand Duke of Arteum? Why didn’t he come with you today?”
“The Grand Duke was busy and couldn’t come.”
“I see...”
Rivera trailed off.
'Is that fortunate? If their relationship had progressed, they would have spent the whole day together today.'
Was she overly worried, as Daemon had said?
However, despite Daemon’s words, Rivera subtly pried into the Grand Duke's story.
“Is the Grand Duke nice to you?”
“Yes. He’s a very kind person.”
Rivera and Daemon flinched at the word “kind. ” They say that even someone who isn’t kind at all is kind. Daemon and Rivera exchanged anxious glances.
Rivera swallowed hard and cautiously asked,
"Are you dating the Grand Duke?"
"Yes?"
Rose couldn't hide her bewilderment at the unexpected question.
'We are dating, but... Do I really have to tell them this?'
Relationships are personal.
Even in a parent-child relationship, there were things she wanted to keep hidden.
"Oh, no?"
Rose unconsciously blurted out a lie. As soon as she finished speaking, Rose's eyes flickered with anxiety.
However, there was one thing Rose had overlooked: the public confession she had made at Diana's birthday banquet to oust Eric. The Count and Lady Serviat had already heard about it.
The moment Rivera gave her a displeased look, there was a knock on the door.
Daemon immediately checked who it was.
"Your Highness? Why did you come all this way?"
The Grand Duke of Artaeum arrived, carrying a large flower basket.
Daemon entered the kitchen with the Grand Duke.
Rivera's eyes lit up. She quickly sat the Grand Duke down on a chair and smiled, almost uncomfortably.
"Oh, Grand Duke. Why did you buy all these things? You've grown so much taller."
"You're flattering me. You're the one who's getting more beautiful by the day."
Rivera giggled at the Grand Duke's words.
"I heard the news, too. I heard you're seeing our Rose on good terms."
Rose, who had been off guard, flinched. She rolled her eyes, unable to hide her embarrassment.
The Grand Duke looked at Rose, who was beside Rivera.
"It seems you've already informed Count and Lady Serviat."
How wonderful it must have been to meet him that she'd tell her parents right after seeing them.
On the other hand, he felt relieved. After all, the cold expression Rose had been giving him all morning had been bothering him.
'As expected, she was sensitive earlier because of the conference.'
It wasn't his lack of skill.
He put aside Julius's advice, which had been weighing heavily on his mind, and smiled.
"I was going to tell you anyway. This is the stage where we start with good feelings."
The Grand Dukesaid seriously.
For a moment, both Daemon and Rivera's eyes turned to Rose.
Their expressions, filled with betrayal, seemed to say, "You said you weren't dating?"
"But... this is so sudden."
Rivera's expression softened at Rose's words.
She'd grown up in the capital her entire life. That's why she wasn't keen on going away. Above all, the Arteum Estate, of all places. She didn't want to go to a place with nothing but farmland.
Rose smiled faintly at the expected reaction.
It was like asking someone who used to live in Gangnam to live in a mountain valley with no infrastructure.
“Well, how about coming over for a visit? Even back then, you didn’t get to see the Arteum territory properly, did you?”
“If you’re going to come over for a visit, then so be it.”
He hadn’t particularly wanted to go, but since it was where Rose was, he nodded readily.
“By the way, how is the Grand Duke of Arteum? Why didn’t he come with you today?”
“The Grand Duke was busy and couldn’t come.”
“I see...”
Rivera trailed off.
'Is that fortunate? If their relationship had progressed, they would have spent the whole day together today.'
Was she overly worried, as Daemon had said?
However, despite Daemon’s words, Rivera subtly pried into the Grand Duke's story.
“Is the Grand Duke nice to you?”
“Yes. He’s a very kind person.”
Rivera and Daemon flinched at the word “kind. ” They say that even someone who isn’t kind at all is kind. Daemon and Rivera exchanged anxious glances.
Rivera swallowed hard and cautiously asked,
"Are you dating the Grand Duke?"
"Yes?"
Rose couldn't hide her bewilderment at the unexpected question.
'We are dating, but... Do I really have to tell them this?'
Relationships are personal.
Even in a parent-child relationship, there were things she wanted to keep hidden.
"Oh, no?"
Rose unconsciously blurted out a lie. As soon as she finished speaking, Rose's eyes flickered with anxiety.
However, there was one thing Rose had overlooked: the public confession she had made at Diana's birthday banquet to oust Eric. The Count and Lady Serviat had already heard about it.
The moment Rivera gave her a displeased look, there was a knock on the door.
Daemon immediately checked who it was.
"Your Highness? Why did you come all this way?"
The Grand Duke of Artaeum arrived, carrying a large flower basket.
Daemon entered the kitchen with the Grand Duke.
Rivera's eyes lit up. She quickly sat the Grand Duke down on a chair and smiled, almost uncomfortably.
"Oh, Grand Duke. Why did you buy all these things? You've grown so much taller."
"You're flattering me. You're the one who's getting more beautiful by the day."
Rivera giggled at the Grand Duke's words.
"I heard the news, too. I heard you're seeing our Rose on good terms."
Rose, who had been off guard, flinched. She rolled her eyes, unable to hide her embarrassment.
The Grand Duke looked at Rose, who was beside Rivera.
"It seems you've already informed Count and Lady Serviat."
How wonderful it must have been to meet him that she'd tell her parents right after seeing them.
On the other hand, he felt relieved. After all, the cold expression Rose had been giving him all morning had been bothering him.
'As expected, she was sensitive earlier because of the conference.'
It wasn't his lack of skill.
He put aside Julius's advice, which had been weighing heavily on his mind, and smiled.
"I was going to tell you anyway. This is the stage where we start with good feelings."
The Grand Dukesaid seriously.
For a moment, both Daemon and Rivera's eyes turned to Rose.
Their expressions, filled with betrayal, seemed to say, "You said you weren't dating?"
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