Final Chapter 4: Another Ending (Present)
“Is she really my child?”
My husband, who always smiles when he looks at our six-year-old daughter, asked this with a puzzled expression.
Despite her position allowing her to indulge in any whim, Selina has been diligently engaged in various lessons since she was little. She fervently studies not only etiquette but also horse riding, swordsmanship, self-defense, and even magic. And she excels in all of them.
The tutors all say in unison,
“Lady Selina is a genius.”
I was relieved. This way, no one would suspect my infidelity. Though it did seem a bit too perfect.
However, when she turned ten, Selina said something outrageous.
“I want my own attendant. And I want them to be a child of the same age.”
Even my husband was perplexed by this. What could a ten-year-old possibly do with another ten-year-old as an attendant?
Usually, it’s customary to assign an attendant of a more suitable age, who has received proper education.
Yet, my husband tried to grant this request, but Selina added another condition.
“I want to choose from those less fortunate. For example, children who are suffering in orphanages.”
For a noble, having an attendant of a certain status is a symbol of prestige. But she wanted to choose from the very bottom. Even I frowned at this.
Selina insisted,
“Even if they are born into humble circumstances, they are still human. I believe that with proper education, they can grow into respectable individuals.”
Could a ten-year-old truly say such things? Growing up in this household, how did she come to such ideas?
In the end, my husband complied with Selina’s request. He had promised to grant her any whim, but this was quite a feat.
Selina went to the orphanage with her father and brought back six problematic children.
For my husband, who appears to treat everyone equally but harbors a strong sense of discrimination, this must have been unbearable.
“I don’t understand that child.”
The husband who always smiled now seemed troubled. Our extremely talented daughter who wanted orphans as her attendants; he couldn’t decide if it was due to her nature as a member of the duchy.
Though he said he’d let her indulge in luxury, he never imagined she’d build a training facility in the garden instead of buying clothes or jewelry. She even assigned her tutors to educate the orphans.
The orphans’ grades were quite good. This contradicted my husband’s belief that a person’s abilities are determined by their birth.
“No, Selina has exceptional talent. That’s why she could turn even orphans into useful people.”
My husband comforted himself with this thought.
But Selina’s rampage didn’t stop there. She picked up six stray dogs and had the orphans take care of them.
At first, the dogs ran around the mansion, causing even my usually smiling husband to force a grin.
I found it amusing, but the presence of stray dogs in the mansion was still irksome.
However, that didn’t last long. The dogs were soon well-trained by the orphans, becoming even more disciplined than the ones kept by nobles. Though they were overly affectionate towards Selina.
Furthermore, the head of the orphanage, who came to check on the situation, highly praised Selina’s skill in educating the orphans. As a result, she became known among the nobility as a talented lady.
Some called her “the kind lady who raises orphans and stray dogs into respectable beings.”
Yet, despite her training the orphans far more rigorously than knights and soldiers preparing for war, she was still seen as kind.
(Note: Memory about the dogs later fades.)
Finally, the king himself requested to meet her.
“Selina will likely become the crown prince’s fiancée on her own merit. She is an amazing child. The pride of the Rosenberg family.”
Fourteen years after her birth, after many struggles, my husband finally acknowledged Selina as his daughter.
It was a long time coming. Days filled with a sense of powerlessness.
However, I couldn’t let my guard down. Selina was a child whose next actions were unpredictable.
My premonition was correct.
“I will go to Lake Elfen for the summer.”
Selina spoke like an ordinary noble’s daughter.
But the carriage prepared for the trip was loaded with weapons and armor, looking more like a military expedition.
“Could it be that Selina intends to start a war?”
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Though we saw her off, my husband was genuinely worried. Selina and her attendants, despite their youth, were abnormally well-trained. They took with them the mithril equipment stored by the duchy, making their armament formidable. They could easily conquer a small noble’s territory. I, too, was a bit concerned.
However, contrary to our fears, Selina did not start a war. Instead, she defeated the legendary monster, the Serpent.
It made no sense.
But this feat rapidly boosted Selina’s reputation, with some even calling her the reincarnation of the [Saint].
Selina, now relied upon by the king and the entire nation, vanquished monsters plaguing the people one after another, making her name known far and wide.
“A magic swordsman excelling in both swordsmanship and magic.”
“A saint accompanied by six attendants.”
“A war maiden who shows no mercy, even to women and children, who stand in her way.”
At this point, it seemed strange to me that she was my daughter, but her face undeniably looked like mine.
After entering Rosewood Academy, despite being a first-year, she effectively became the queen of the academy, even overshadowing Prince Edward.
Her attendants seemed to have rough methods of managing the students, but the voices of praise outweighed the criticisms. “She is forming her own faction, looking ahead to the future,” they said.
Her fame grew so much that even when Prince Edward broke off their engagement, she didn’t seem to care.
Instead, she boldly proposed demanding land from the royal family as compensation, impressing my husband.
“She chose substance over name. Not many could do that. Our house will reach its peak during Selina’s time.”
Despite losing the chance to be queen, my husband praised Selina. He now placed his full trust in her.
After graduating from the academy, Selina married Marius.
Marius, though from a viscount’s family and of much lower status, held the title of one of the top seven mages in the country, which my husband did not oppose.
Rather, he was pleased that the bloodline of mages in the family would be strengthened.
–How foolish–
Not a single drop of your blood will remain.
Before the marriage, I had a union with my cousin. Since coming to this house, I had been drinking a potion to prevent conception.
A secret potion obtained from an apothecary with whom my family had longstanding ties. It looked like nothing more than tea to an outsider.
Selina is the child of my cousin, not carrying any of the duchy’s blood.
I will never allow your blood to persist.
I will never forgive you for killing my beloved.
The Rosenberg duchy will be taken over by us.
The family you scorned for their lower status will become the duchy.
God will never overlook evil. Everyone will face their reckoning someday.
Serves you right.
TLNOTE :
Otherwise check the internet archive
While waiting, I implore you dear readers to read other masterpiece novels that also written by the same author :
- When the Monster Meat I Ate Led Me to the Throne
- Who killed the Hero?
- The Suspects of Necromancy
- The Exiled Merchant Saves the World with the Power of Gold (translated by my friend meerkat)
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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