Extra 3.1 The Melancholy of Rose Garden
- This happened during the time Sharina and Riol went to the Glen Territory with the Gigan Eagle. The members of Rose Garden are talking about their recollections.
***
“What a terrible predicament we are in…”
After just one sip, Rosalind placed her tea cup back down on the saucer. Her beautiful, doll-like, face was slightly distorted.
“I still can’t believe it. There’s no way in the world His Highness Leonardo would favor such a girl! Such a pompous, airhead, uncouth noble girl—she’s way ahead of herself!”
Violet Rodriguez, who sat at the same table as Rosalind, shrieked. She could no longer contain her overflowing irritation.
“You’re right, indeed, Violet. That noble girl is by far the worst ever candidate to be the nation’s mother to grace this Earth…”
“Woe is me, how could this happen…”
Camilla Garry and Imelda Campbell nodded simultaneously—sharing the same feelings.
At of the moment, Rosalind and the others were on the rooftop of the Fala Rubia Academy. It was a greenhouse where only the Prince of Elgacia and Rose Garden members were allowed to enter. Such was the custom of the school for generations.
This was a place for the future king and his fiancée candidates to interact regularly and deepen their bonds. But, indeed, the figure that played the main role in deciding his future Queen and concubines—Leonardo—was nowhere to be seen.
He was probably having lunch with his Beloved Cat under the grooves in that courtyard… He would be eating the amateurish handmade sandwiches and cookies prepared by that girl.
Inside Rosalind’s mind, the terrible thing that had just happened the other day was conjured up vividly.
Her right hand, which was holding the teacup on the saucer, trembled with anger.
◇◇◇
Time wound to the next day. It was just after one of the annual events of Fala Rubia Academy—the freshman welcome party.
“Good morning, Your Highness Leonardo. I hope your day goes well.”
Rosalind, who arrived much earlier than usual, snuck in to the corner of the hallway overlooking the classroom entrance. Then, pretending she was happening to pass by, she greeted Leonardo.
Yesterday, at the dance party, she had advised Sharina, who left the venue with Leonardo.
However, that senseless girl, who dared to approach the Prince even after knowing he had fiancées, would most likely not give up merely because of such advice.
Then, if Sharina didn’t intent to stop approaching Leonardo, the least Rosalind could do was prevent Leonardo from approaching Sharina. Rosalind had been devising a plan on how to monopolize Leonardo’s attention and time all for herself.
“Fuun. Just by seeing your irritating face, my day is already ruined. Go back to your class.”
“—!!”
However, as soon as Leonardo saw Rosalind, his face immediately scrunched up—as if he was ready to throw up at any given moment.
“Y-Your Highness, please don’t say such a thing… Isn’t this the time for your weekly luncheon with us—the Rose Garden—on the rooftop greenhouse? I’m here to remind you of the invitation…”
Even though Rosalind was frightened by Leonardo’s cold tone—which was the exact opposite of the sweet voice he would use when he was with his Beloved Cat—she immediately recovered and resumed her talk.
It was already a usual thing for her. Indeed, when he was with his fiancée candidates, he was always cold. She was already used to that—there was no use getting hurt, now.
Despite so, when Rosalind thought about that girl, who could extort the words of love from Leonardo with ease, as if she could calm down—!
“Fuun. That kind of meritless, valueless, thing is undeserving of my time. There are four of you, what’s wrong with the four of you just eating together as it is?”
“B-but that doesn’t make any sense. Wasn’t this dictated by the King? For us to share a meal to deepen our fellowship with Your Highness once every week?”
Leonardo didn’t even bother mask his unhappiness towards Rosalind, who was suddenly persistent. Usually, Rosalind would relent and leave the issue. However, today, she didn’t seem keen on doing so.
Until now, no matter how cold Leonardo behaved towards the Rose Garden, Rosalind was fine with it. Because he treated every women like that. Because he preferred to not give any special treatment to anyone—or so she thought.
If until the end, Leonardo’s heart was unmoved, per the law of the houses, he would still have to oblige and decide on a Princess. Objectively speaking, Rosalind, the eldest daughter of the Duke Ariarose, who was the second most powerful family after the royalty, was the best candidate for a Princess.
That was why Rosalind couldn’t keep her calm when a mere nobody of a girl suddenly appeared and threatened not only her status, but the Rose Garden’s as whole.
It was the first time such had ever happened.
“How many times do I have to repeat myself—!? What an annoying woman—!! There’s no need to tell me twice—! I’m going back, now. Obviously, I won’t attend your worthless lunches—!”
Leonardo, who seemed to have given up on trying to turn Rosalind away, decided to ignore her completely and turned his back to her with a swift wave of his hand.
“Please wait, Your Highness—! Don’t say it’s worthless—! At today’s lunch party, we’ve prepared something that Your Highness would definitely like—!”
Rosalind desperately rushed to step in front of Leonardo. Once he entered the classroom, there was no way he would heed to anything she would say anymore. He spat out a little, offended, noise, however, he didn’t continue.
“…Ha? I wonder what the hell you’ve prepared. You better say it now. I absolutely won’t forgive you if it turns out to just be a waste of my time.”
He might had realized things would become progressively more troublesome if he ignored the adamant, noisy, Rosalind. Leonardo stopped—no, was forced to stop—and stared at Rosalind. His face was full of disgust.
“Well, we’ve prepared sandwiches… It’s a hearty sandwich, filled with hamburger, a sunny-side-up egg, and lettuce… There’s also a dessert called ‘Matcha’—cookies mixed with the exotic green tea; which is basically tea leaves steamed and turned into powder without being fermented.”
With her hands folded in front of her chest, she looked straight at her beloved Prince and appealed with a confident voice. The almighty, but also loveable, passionate figure of the lady praised as the ‘Ice Goddess’, was so attractive, the average men would have probably been enamored already.
“Kuh, …hahahahahaha—!! What, only that—!? And you dare act so confident about it—!? Rosalind Ariarose—!”
But, her charm didn’t work against her fiancé.
***T/N: YAYYY THE EXTRA’S HERE ///read that it’s about the two most annoying characters in the entire story/// …ugh, as much as I love you, Author, these two are uncalled-for… but yeah, I feel kinda sorry for Rosalind here. Such an asshole that ore-sama wannabe Prince is!
I’m really just sitting over here wondering why his parents only disowned him after the Duel. Even if his worst behavior happened when they were gone, a personality this bad doesn’t develop over night, and there’s no way he’s smart enough to fake being a good prince. By any account, it never should have gotten to the point where an innocent is threatened with banishment because of a personal grudge. His parents either should have punished him WAY before this (I mean we were at his coming of age party; how did this last past literal adulthood?) or given up and striped him of his position of crown prince/future king. I mean, you’d think they’d put more care and observation into the person that would one day rule the kingdom. I’m starting to hate the parents more than him (realistically speaking for someone as young as the prince his upbringing is at fault).
Think about it rationally. He’s still a top-shelf wizard, so he’s useful to the country.
And no matter how much of an idiot he is, he’s still their son. In the king or queen’s position, I’d at least make sure he didn’t starve. Maybe he’ll mature, but either way, he’s probably getting pigeon-holed somewhere where he can’t do any real harm.
Maybe a minor fief somewhere or a military position where he can serve as a glorified artillery piece.
the thing is that i dont actually dislike Rosalind since she’s similiar to the MC in a few ways. i feel like she actually likes/loves the prince and thats why she cant understand how anyone could NOT like him. in a way its sort of like how the MC is with Riol. she also cannot understand how someone is unable to figure out how charming and wonderful it is.
Now that you mention it….Sharina’s lucky the person she likes is down to earth and keeps snapping her back to reality instead of feeding her delusions….Then again, she finds that cool too lol
reading this now and I am cringing so hard. Lord save us from the hideous thing that is Prince Leo
“But, her charm didn’t work against her fiancé.”
Isn’t it future fiance or fiance candidate instead?
Thanks.
Rosalind always monologues about how leonardo is her FIANCE
And she is showing sign of possessiveness here and there… Its fitting of her imo
I’m really glad that asshole was disinherited. In retrospect him disbanding the Rose Garden was a good thing. That idiot is unsuited for politics or rule. And Rosalind…her passion(which blinds her to the idiot’s flaws) would make her to easy to manipulate in court so she really shouldn’t be a Queen. The one who should be the Queen….is someone from Rose Garden who’s calculative I think.
I don’t understand how someone could love such a narcissistic bastard in the first place. Us it his face or was he a cute child before puberty and his chu2 kicked in?
They are blind for his status as a royal, plus his talen and magic and his face is like a super star or a idol in from of the nolmar girls is just taht nothing more nothing less, that remember me when every grild was fall for juntin beaber and not want to listen wolds of criticins hi. Is exactly the same thing
I don’t remember that. I was more into Paramore when he debuted. Unlike others I couldn’t stand lyrical whining.
I see your point but your words are distorted
I thought I was going to read to enjoy it but when the asshole appeared I just felt like I could forget about my paperworks and go asshole hunting today……
I think Rosalind ain’t the best choice to be the queen she is basically like a double edge sword. A royalty being married to someone from the most poweful family second to your own would really help you increase your power but at the same time you are also increasing their power and based on Rosalind’s and her brother in-law’s personality I doubt that there is even one person who is good in their family. And I know they are loyal to death to the royal family but that is more dangerous cause if Rosalind and the asshole really got together and the day came that they got fed up with the prince’s arrogance and felt betrayed then their retaliation against him would be great. Luckily Riol prevented such a thing.
X2 here
Paperwork? Yay Gabe is still working.
Yup…..still working as it turns out I have a ton of leftover paperwork but still no pay….lolzzzz
That must be suuucks. Cant u demand paymmeeent
It happened due to unforeseen events so…….no, I can’t unless they decide to willingly pay me…….well anyways I started this job knowing such things will happen so I have no qualms about it and I only allot at least 1 to 2 hours of my day for those paperworks so its fine……
Good thing I got enough pay last time to last me while the community quarantine is in effect. So all I got to worry about now is which novel to read after I finish the one I am reading now……..
Gabe your intellectual prowess is greatly needed in articulating kingdom of everlasting night’s male lead’s tsundereness combined with jerkish attitude. Its getting out of hand.
RIP ice queen. Imitation is a form of flattery.