Chapter 6: Rosie Wants To Explore The Castle

Aslan grabbed Rosie's body and helped the girl to her feet. He looked at the bottom of the river and found nothing there.

"So? What are you doing here, princess? Is it not enough for you to fall into the river once?" Rosie shook her head profusely, trying to deny Aslan's accusation.

"I'm just a little lost," she lied.

Aslan led the girl to leave the old bridge. The bridge had not been used for a long time. Even though it looked solid, there were some parts of the wood that were starting to rot.

It would be dangerous for the two of them to linger there.

"Lost? How could someone in a garden get lost all the way here?"

"That… I…" Rosie became tongue-tied. She had run out of excuses. She glanced at Aslan who was walking beside her. Rosie had to change the subject.

"The scenery here is great," said Rosie, suddenly praising the surrounding scenery.

"Thank you," replied Aslan expressionlessly.

Rosie tried to remember the information she had read about the man's personality. As a second male lead, of course, Aslan's life was not given much attention. Aslan was the quiet type, which fitted perfectly with Howland's extroverted character.

Aslan took Rosie back to his garden. Several of the knights looked down in shame at having neglected to keep Rosie from being alone.

He already had a bad feeling when he saw some maids who looked panicked running from the garden. And when Howland wasn't with him, he took the opportunity to ask what had happened.

As the owner of the castle, of course, he would take responsibility if something happened to the princess. Aslan also went to find the whereabouts of Princess Roseanne.

He hoped that this would all be over soon and Howland and his sister would return to the palace, leaving him alone and his serenity back. The idea of throwing a party didn't really come from him. Howland forced him to arrange one so he could socialize with the nobles.

"Duke Aslan… If I may ask, where is the end of that river located?"

Aslan closed his eyes. He didn't expect Howland's younger sister to be so troublesome. It was clear her brother forbade her to approach the river again, but she was still determined to look at the river again.

With his remaining composure, Aslan replied. "I'm sorry princess, I don't know either."

Rosie nodded as if she understood.

The two of them arrived at the door of the greenhouse garden. Aslan planned to leave the garden to summon a few extra knights to keep an eye on the princess, so the girl wouldn't be off from their surveillance.

"Then, I bid my farewell, Your Highness. Enjoy your time."

As Aslan was about to leave the place, Rosie grabbed the man's hand. Aslan glanced at the princess's hand that was holding him.

"Oops, sorry. I just wanted to invite you to have a little chat. Do you have time?"

Aslan looked at the garden table, which had some snacks and cups of tea on it.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I have tasks elsewhere."

Rosie smiled wryly, then released her grip from Aslan's hand. "I see. Alright, then thanks for the help earlier, Duke Aslan."

Aslan nodded briefly, then turned around. Rosie's eyes squinted into mere slits at Aslan's back, which kept drifting away.

"Damn you, Aslan. You gave me second-lead syndrome," Rosie cursed angrily.

***

Rosie spent her time in the garden. It was really boring. Almost every time she got up from the chair, everyone tensed up. Starting from Sarah to the knights who were with her.

In her previous life, Rosie was an active person. She often went coffee-shop hunting just to read books in her spare time. And every weekend, she would seek through many bookstores, picking out a new novel to read the following week.

Rosie had never been quiet all this time. She needed a new activity.

"Sarah, when will Duke Aslan's party take place?" Rosie asked the faithful maid standing behind her.

"Three more days, Your Highness."

That means she has three days before returning to the palace, right?

Let's see what Rosie could do during those three days.

Rosie was pacing out of the park. She forgot that her every move would always be followed. The maids and knights followed Rosie in a hurry.

As she passed the front yard of the castle, Rosie abruptly stopped, making the maids and knights behind her almost fall to their knees because the princess suddenly stopped like that.

Rosie glanced toward the second-floor balcony where she had met her brother and Aslan. Her gaze shifted to the row of windows beside the balcony and met the newly arrived figure of Aslan.

Rosie's smile curved up. Feeling watched by someone, Aslan glanced at the window and saw a group of people in the backyard. His brows furrowed as he saw the princess waving at him. Aslan, who wasn't too sure that the princess was greeting him, peeked to his side and found no one.

(That girl greets me? What for?) Aslan thought in confusion.

Not knowing how to reply to the greeting, he moved to the shadow so that he wouldn't be seen. Pretending that he didn't see the princess waving.

"Huh? He didn't see me?" murmured Rosie, astonished that Aslan walked away from the window.

The girl shrugged her shoulders and walked back to her room.

When she arrived in her room, the first thing Rosie did was pried the contents of her closet. She couldn't find any clothes to wear. All she got was an elaborately decorated dress. She would not be able to move freely in those dresses.

Rosie called Sarah for help.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Your Highness?" asked Sarah politely.

"Sarah, I need a shirt and pants," said Rosie as she pulled out all the dresses from the closet.

"Excuse me, Your Highness? Shirt and pants? Will Your Highness switch rooms with Prince Howland?"

Rosie turned to Sarah in confusion. "Huh? What are you saying? I don't understand. I need-"

Rosie realized that in the new world she lived in, women rarely wore pants, especially nobles. It seemed that their everyday clothes were these elaborate dresses.

"You don't need to know why. Just bring me men's clothes here. And! Don't say anything to Howland or Aslan."

Sarah wanted to ask one more time, but Rosie raised her hand with a smile. "Please?" she begged with puppy eyes.

Seeing the princess, who begged with sparkling eyes, Sarah immediately left the room with a pounding heart. She searched for what Rosie asked with a fluttering heart.

In the evening, Rosie was invited to have dinner together. Howland had been sitting with Aslan at the table, having a friendly conversation. When Rosie arrived, the two of them stopped their conversation to greet the girl.

Howland greeted Rosie so warmly that Rosie was mesmerized. She had never received such warm treatment before, and having Howland as an older brother was Rosie's greatest fortune in this second life.

It was just… would Rosie be able to hold on to it until the end? Or… failed to save Howland's soul in the end?

Rosie glanced at Aslan and smiled sweetly.

"Good afternoon, Duke Aslan," said Rosie, who then sat down in front of the Duke. Meanwhile, Howland occupied the head seat because Howland's ranking position was higher.

"Good evening, Your Highness," Aslan greeted back, expressionless as ever.

Rosie took the opportunity to get to know Aslan better. She used the listening tactics she had. She copied down everything she felt was important in her head, like… Duke Aslan wasn't interested in getting married yet.

Howland had introduced him to one of the daughters of a Marquess, but Aslan didn't like her. Besides, Aslan was going out of the castle for the next two days and he would only come back on the day of the party.

"Brother, will you also go with Duke Aslan?' Rosie asked Howland.

"Of course, I come here early for another visit," Howland replied gently.

Rosie refrained from smiling, which meant that she had free time to explore the castle and the area here while the two of them were away. Aslan, who had been watching the princess, had a bad feeling after seeing the girl's smile.

It felt like, for the first time, Aslan hesitated to leave his castle.