"This looks quite good!" Roselle's mother exclaimed as she traced her fingers over my embroidery work.

Feeling a bit shy, I scratched the back of my head.

"The color you chose for this flower really suits this handkerchief," she remarked, her tone amused.

With her comment, I snatched the handkerchief back from her hand.

"That's a dragon. A dragon, I tell you," I grumbled, examining the design again. I traced my finger over the intricate details, convinced that anyone could tell it was a dragon. Perhaps her eyes weren't as sharp as I thought.

"Is that so? My apologies," she said, her tone apologetic, though a small smile played at the corners of her lips, betraying her amusement.

*knock knock*

"Your ladyships, dinner is ready to be served," the maid announced.

I glanced out the window and noticed the sun was already setting. The time had flown by.

The baroness acknowledged the maid and began to prepare for us to leave.

I grabbed the handkerchief I had been working on and followed the baroness to the dining room to join Roselle's parents for dinner, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Eating dinner together was a ritual for them, a sacred tradition despite their busy schedules.

As we approached the dining room, I gently tugged on the fabric of the baroness's dress, halting her in her tracks.

She turned to me, curiosity in her eyes.

"Uhm, I want to know more about the past me," I said, feeling a bit shy since this was the first time, I had asked her for anything.

"I would be happy to share," she replied, smiling brightly, her expression reminiscent of those toothpaste commercials. She was truly a vision of beauty.

***

"Uhm, I want to know more about the past me," that’s what I said. I want to gain knowledge of the real Roselle.

I had anticipated that she would simply share stories with me, so I was taken aback by what followed. A nightly ritual of love and affection that I had never experienced before.

"Goodnight, my lovely daughter," she whispered, her touch gentle as she tucked me into bed.

"We love you," she added, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of joy and tenderness. It was as if my small opening up to them had brought them immeasurable happiness. This nightly routine had been a constant for the past 17 years, a ritual performed for the original Roselle.

Leaning in closer, I braced myself for what was to come.

Smooch

Her kiss landed softly on my forehead, followed by a comforting pat from the baron. "I love you, my dear. Have sweet dreams," he said warmly as they left the room.

Lying there, I couldn't help but feel a rush of emotions. Their love, originally meant for another, now enveloped me in a sense of warmth and security that I had never known before. It was a feeling I wished to savor, grateful to be the one receiving it now, even if the love was originally intended for someone else.

"Wow. What a sight. You're all flushed," Sir Gareth's voice interrupted my sweet moment as he stood beside my bed.

Feeling the warmth in my cheeks, I covered my face with my palms, trying to hide my embarrassment at being caught off guard.

"Shut up!" I retorted, though a smile tugged at the corners of my lips, enjoying the playful banter.

"Isn't it overwhelming to have parents like that? Especially now that you're an adult," he remarked, his expression genuinely curious.

I lowered my hands, meeting his gaze with a mixture of shyness and sincerity. "No, it's nice to have both a mother and a father," I admitted softly, feeling a sense of warmth and security wash over me.

"O-kay?" he responded, a hint of confusion in his voice.

I stood up from the bed and reached for the commoner's clothes that Sir Gareth had brought for me to change into.

"Her answer didn't really answer my question though," he murmured to himself as he made his way to the balcony and descended first.

After changing into the commoner's clothes, I made my way to the balcony, the same route I always took when leaving the manor secretly.

Sir Gareth awaited me just below my balcony.

As I followed him, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the comforting presence of family, even if it was in a world that wasn't originally mine.

But I suppose there would be no harm if I were to address them as Mother and Father while assuming the role of Roselle, correct?

***

"The sales they are bringing home is quite good but I can also see that their popularity is growing slow despite our recent event? Why is that?" I inquired, studying the report Alex had given me.

"The only factor that I can see is that the newspaper businesses are all focused on the recent endeavors of the imperial family, making our talents overshadowed," Alex explained.

"Hmmmm," I paused, pondering the situation for a moment. It seemed like a valid observation, but I couldn't help but wonder if there were other factors at play.

"How is the planning of the Got8 tour coming along?" I asked, meeting his gaze with interest.

"I can say that we are past the half of preparations needed to be done. We are now in contact with all the theater places where they will perform. The details are in these papers," he said, handing me a stack of documents that looked rather thick.

I glanced over at Sir Gareth and signaled for him to carry them too, as I planned to work through them at home. It seemed like there was still a lot to do, but progress was being made.

“Since our group is receiving less attention from the newspaper companies, would you consider an exclusive partnership with one newspaper?” Alex proposed, his tone thoughtful.

I paused, feeling the weight of his suggestion settle upon me. The idea of an exclusive partnership brought with it both promise and risk. On one hand, it could provide our guild with unparalleled exposure, but on the other, it could limit our reach and leave us vulnerable to the whims of a single publication.

“What we can offer to the partner we choose are exclusive insights into the group that won’t be available to others in exchange for a continuous spot in their newspaper,” I mused aloud, my mind already spinning with the possibilities.

“But if we want this to be successful, we should partner with an organization where we can leverage the buzz around the imperial family to benefit our Guild.” I added.

“Let’s partner up with Daily News,” I suggested, my voice growing more confident as I spoke. Daily News was renowned for its comprehensive coverage of events in the empire, and a partnership with them could provide us with the exposure we needed to stand out in the crowded media landscape.

“The Duke Theodore de Montfort and his family, who back Daily News, have a great image and wealth,” I explained, my thoughts racing ahead. “Their independence from the emperor’s influence is advantageous, as it allows us to work with them without political interference.”

“But I've reached out to them several times, and haven't heard back,” Alex pointed out, his brow furrowing with concern.

I paused, considering his words carefully. If Daily News was unresponsive, our plans would be dead in the water before they even began.

“Their main office is in the capital, right?” I asked, tapping my fingers on the table in front of me.

“Yes,” Alex confirmed, his curiosity piqued by my line of questioning.

“In that case, let's prepare to move our office to the capital,” I declared, my heart pounding with excitement at the prospect of a new chapter unfolding before us. “Recruit staff from there and reach out to the Dawn Guild for assistance in this endeavor.”

“Isn’t this a big leap?” Alex questioned; his concern evident in his voice.

“Have a little faith in me,” I reassured him with a smirk.

He tried to ease his worries, but the stress was visible on his face, mirroring my own inner turmoil.

“Take home some more face masks,” I joked, trying to lighten the mood, though my mind was already racing ahead to the challenges that lay ahead.

So, what gives me the confidence to take this big leap? I am the one and only 'PROTAGONIST'!

One of the advantages of being the protagonist is having an incredible amount of LUCK!

Oh, and I have the Warning Window that alerts me if my decision is leading to a bad ending. Since it hasn't appeared for quite a while now, I'm pretty sure that the path I'm on will lead me closer to this story's happily ever after!

And I believe it's time to reassure my parents that their daughter is capable enough to face life in the capital. With Sir Gareth's improved swordsmanship, they can rest assured that their worries for their daughter are unwarranted.

As I reflected on our conversation, I felt a surge of confidence welling up inside me. Despite the uncertainty that lay ahead, I was determined to see our plans through to fruition. After all, every great story needed a bold move to propel it forward, and this was ours.Top of Form