Chapter 26

Because of how hard she bit down on her lower lip, blood profusely seeped out of the wound.

Feeling nervous like this wasn’t like her, but it was because of this ‘uncertainty.’

It was ironic, but she wasn’t sure if Cassion would open his eyes.

Since the time she brought him in, Cassion’s part in the novel had already been altered.

Because of this, all the parts related to ‘Cassion’ in the novel would be nothing short of uncertain prophecy.

When it came to simple plotlines, even if it was an uncertain prophecy, she thought that it would be fine even if she helped him, but…

This… this was a matter of life.

What if he wouldn’t open his eyes just like in the novel and instead he would take his last breath here?

Save me.’

The hushed voice that fell short as tears fell over a brilliant smile. The desperate voice seemed to overlap with the face of the man even as his eyes were closed.

It was a short-lived hallucination to appease her worries.

Rosetta carefully laid Cassion’s body on the floor.

‘Alright. Even if your mana doesn’t flow this time… Let’s just try to save you and think about that again later.’

Once he came back to life, there would be a way.

The fact that mana was trapped in his heart and the fact that Cassion had enormous mana application—these remained unchanged.

Therefore, there were many ways to make him a ‘mage’ even if there were a couple of setbacks.

She pressed over the smooth, pale bridge of his nose and lifted the man’s chin.

The slightly open lips had already lost their color, but the teeth inside the mouth were white and the tongue was too red.

“Haa.”

‘I can’t believe I’ll be using the CPR lessons I had back in middle school in this kind of place.’

Rosetta, who breathed in, slowly leaned over the man’s face.

The distance between them grew closer. The cold temperature of a body with a halted heart could be felt near her face.

Rosetta paused for a while, but continued leaning down once more.

Finally, their open lips locked.

It was her first time to breathe life into someone, so I felt strange.

Therefore, Rosetta did not know. Right after her lips touched.

The fact that the man’s heart has already begun to beat again.

And at that moment, his eyelashes that had been tightly closed, fluttered open for a moment. At which, the red eyes briefly showed awareness, but then faded into unconsciousness once more.

Warmth slowly returned to the cooled lips.

Those warm lips were both lukewarm, yet scorching.

* * *

Deep into the night, inside a room where Cassion was also staying in.

“If I hadn’t found you then, what would you have done? I know that a lot of suspicious people come to our hotel, but… It’s not easy to come in with someone bleeding so much like that.”

Placing Cassion back on the bed, Rosetta turned towards the sound of laughter that she heard from the other side of the room.

A woman leaning against an empty table, hiding her face under a blue veil, waved her hand toward Rosetta.

And they made eye contact.

Smiling lightly, Rosetta while correcting Cassion’s posture.

“I’m aware. It would have been a disaster if you hadn’t found us. It’s fortunate that you appeared as soon as I got near the hotel as if you had been surveilling us.”

“It’s really just a coincidence. There must really be such a thing like fate in the world. For example, the Princess and I are on the same page.”

The voice that responded was very shameless.

The gesture of the woman touching her chest as if she had nothing to hide was also exaggerated.

Rosetta was at a loss for words as she shook her head.

Right. Whether someone would throw a rope to a person who’s drowning, or should it be something as useless as underwear or a rubber band, it was up to the rescuer.

Anyway, wasn’t the important thing here the fact that she was ‘saved’?

It’s true that Blanca’s sudden appearance seemed very coincidental, but as a result, Rosetta was able to receive her help.

So she chose not to say anything more.

A few moments ago.

While Cassion was unconscious, she gave him CPR.

While breathing life into him, Rosetta realized at some point that his pulse had returned.

When she touched his pale face, she felt a weak sense of warmth beneath her touch even though his body was still as cold as a corpse’s.

“You’re alive.”

After a short sigh of relief, Rosetta picked him up and headed back to the hotel.

She also didn’t forget to fasten his cloak tightly so that his face and wounds wouldn’t be seen.

Although his unnecessarily long legs kept getting tangled, they were able to arrive at the hotel shortly after.

The question was how they would go in.

If they’re going in with their cloaks on, no matter who saw it, it was suspicious…

‘It would be suspicious for a man and a woman to enter the main doors like this so openly.’

And apart from that, since she was carrying the clearly collapsed man over her back like this, it was all the more suspicious.

Employees with lids over their mouths would pretend not to see it, but customers with curious eyes and flapping lips would blow this out of proportion.

Those who had a lot of money had rather cheap hobbies.

While she was mulling over where to hide Cassion while she would go in to ask help from an employee, someone approached her.

”Princess.”

A familiar whisper called to her.

She blinked and turned around, towards the direction of the voice.

However, she could see not even an anthill from where she was standing against the hotel’s outer wall.

She could feel a weak presence, but that was all.

”Blanca?”

Rosetta called the name in a small voice, but there was still no one who appeared in front of her.

‘Am I being haunted by a ghost?’

Suddenly? A ghost?

The corners of her lips tugged up at the ridiculous thought.

It was so funny even to Rosetta.

But then at that moment—

One part of the hotel’s outer wall began to open.

‘What is it this time.’

It was obviously a hidden door that would lead to a secret space.

And there was only one person who’d install something like that in the hotel.

The owner of the hotel herself.

Madam Blanca.

As expected, it was Madam Blanca who appeared through the door.

The owner of the hotel continued to cover her face with a blue veil.

”Over here, Princess.”

Blanca beckoned Rosetta with one hand as she held the door open, the gesture expressing something like Blanca’s secretive yet playful attitude.

Rosetta thought for a while about what she should do, but she didn’t need long.

It was a little dubious how the secret door opened here the moment she worried about how to enter the hotel, but there was no reason not to follow the owner.

Anyway, with Blanca’s help, Rosetta and Cassion arrived at her room on the fifth floor of the hotel.

They entered the fifth floor from behind the painting in the room, just as Blanca did earlier.

While thinking about the countless doors that she saw while walking behind Blanca, including this room, Rosetta thought…

‘Indeed, privacy in this hotel… is this really okay?’

She couldn’t help but think this, but since she received help in this way, she couldn’t condemn Blanca for it.

“You really didn’t follow me, right?”

Nevertheless, Rosetta had to ask because she felt uncomfortable.

Blanca listened to the question silently, then shook her head.

“Of course. It’s just that I noticed how two people in cloaks left… and I wondered when they would come back. And then, I checked through the window and saw you there.”

Just in case, if some complications occurred, what Blanca was saying was that she might have picked them up.

Her tone was still playful, but it didn’t seem like she was lying.

‘Certainly, I didn’t feel anyone on my trail while I was following Cassion. Maybe?’

In any case, Rosetta nodded.

“I’m touched that you trust me. I knew it. Could this perhaps be because we’re meant to be?”

“What nonsense are you…”

“Anyway.”

Blanca, who lightly covered Rosetta’s lips, slid down from her perch on the table.

“He doesn’t look so good… Should I call for the doctor again?”

At Blanca’s words, she turned and looked towards Cassion.

His sleeping face was peaceful.

Anyway, he was a man who looked innocent while he slept.

“It’s fine.”

“Then, let me know when you want me to call one. I’ll call the doctor anytime. As you know, he has a very heavy tongue.”

“Alright, thank you. But before that, I have more things I want to request from you.”

“Pardon? Again?”

Blanca asked about Rosetta’s request earlier.

Those were still under progress. Less than half a day has passed since that request was made.

However, what can she do?

Now that she thought about it, ‘Madam Blanca’ is the most important character who made Cassion the Duke.

“Yes. Anyway, isn’t this hotel good? I have a lot of requests.”

If Rosetta were to turn it around here, then it was her who needed Blanca’s help now.

The woman, who was silent for a while, suddenly burst into a peal of laughter.

“You’re really interesting. Do you know? If someone makes more than three requests, we call them a ‘regular’. Lady Rosetta is a client who’s become a regular customer in the shortest time.”

“Really? Then, shall we do something more shocking?”

“Is it more shocking than before? No, just how much are you going to surprise me?”

Unlike her words, her voice was filled with anticipation.

Rosetta glanced at her and took a slow step towards the table where Blanca was sitting.

When she pulled out an empty chair, Blanca naturally sat opposite Rosetta.

“So you’re quite serious?”

“I’d like to get things started in earnest. That’s why I came to this hotel. I thought you’d listen to my requests sincerely.”

“Thank you for the compliment. So, what is this shocking request?”

At a faint urge, Rosetta tapped the table with her fingertips.

The steady staccato broke through the silence.

With the shallow taps as a background music, Rosetta organized her thoughts, whether it would be alright to say what should be said in the future.

Words that are spilled out once couldn’t be picked back up again.

After a brief thought, she slowly opened her lips to speak.

“I’ll try to make you happy all my life.”

“Pardon?”

“You won’t need to look for anything interesting going on anymore. I’ll make it fun for you.”

“Are you perhaps proposing to me? That’s what it sounds like.”

Rosetta rolled her eyes at Blanca’s secretive tone.

But as she listened to it, the nuance was clear.

“I know, right. I should have bought a ring. Unfortunately, I’ll have to give it to you next time. I just need to buy a big diamond and put it in your fourth finger, hm?”

Blanca held up the back of her left hand, then she nodded.

Beyond the mesh lace gloves, a ring on her fourth finger caught Rosetta’s eye.

It was a ring with a purple gem on it.

“That’s a very tempting offer, but unfortunately, there’s already someone who occupied the fourth finger.”

“You’re married?”

Rosetta was genuinely surprised.

In the novel, Blanca being married was never mentioned.

In fact, the only information about her was that she was an amazing guild owner, and that she had a penchant for ‘interesting things’.

Still, given her free-spirited nature and profession, Rosetta thought that she would have been single…

Blanca quietly rubbed her left ring finger, exactly where the ring was.

After that gentle touch, a calm voice that didn’t match her demeanor came out of her lips.

“I used to be. It ended when the other person died.”