The Exhausting Reality of Novel Transmigration

nca only stared at Rosetta for a moment, then she nodded.

‘Indeed.
It would probably be too much to bear for that soft-hearted noble lady.’

In no time at all, the name ‘Rosetta’ had become widespread across the whole empire.

Of course, there were some who looked at her favorably.

But most were already suspecting her, or perhaps marked her as the culprit already.

As far as the rumors had spread, even the unrelated, useless truth was revealed.

 

—Doesn’t she have a criminal’s blood flowing in her veins?

 

‘No, I’d much prefer that the truth is revealed, actually.’

Since the matter of lineage was brought up, at least not both of the ducal ladies would be smeared by it.

“But rumors are just rumors.
An investigation will take place, and the incident will subside over time.
Besides, when His Grace the Duke attended the state meeting at the Imperial Palace a few days ago, he sided with you after all.
Isn’t that right, Ducal Lady?”

Cough, cough…

The sudden bout of coughing was from Rosetta.

She set down the cup of black tea and pressed her lips together.

She had to cough a few more times until the scratching at her throat could subside.

It suddenly felt like she was drowning, even if she was on solid ground.

After her coughs died down, her golden eyes looked towards the person sitting across from her in disbelief.

Blanca’s eyes also widened as she asked.

“Oh my, you didn’t know?”

“…When you said, ‘Duke’, are you talking about my father?”

“Yes.
Duke Valentine raised his voice uncharacteristically, and even snarled at those people.
Towards the people who suspect you, Lady Rosetta.”

As her expression turned grim, Rosetta rubbed her fingertips against her throbbing temples.

‘The people who suspect me…’

In other words… he raised his voice towards everyone present in that meeting.

There wouldn’t be a single noble who wasn’t doubting her.

She couldn’t imagine it.

He had always been cold and aloof, showing zero emotion on his face.
But for him to raise his voice and snarl at people?

Even when he had ordered Katie’s execution back then, he showed his contempt only through his typical cold expression.

But… Him? Snapping at people?

And more than that, for Rosetta’s sake?

Momentarily reaching forward to lift her teacup, Rosetta soon leaned back against her seat once more.

‘As expected, you’re not doubting me.’

Despite having heard all those rumors, it seemed like he wasn’t suspecting her at all.

He didn’t doubt her on the day of the hunting festival itself, or ten days later, or even to this day.

Still though, it had been quite difficult to see them around ever since the hunting festival.

They would just stop by the mansion for a little while.
She’d say hello, then they’d be gone again in a flash.

The two of them were still in charge of the aftermath in the woods, busy chasing down any trace they could find of the monsters.

She heard briefly that they wouldn’t be done until a few days later.

‘It’ll be this weekend…’

She was suddenly overcome with the urge to run away.

How laughable.

With all the rumors and false accusations surrounding her, and with all the gazes following her everywhere, she never really gave this much thought before.

But it couldn’t be helped, and it was still clear in her mind—the tremendous relief that had washed over her the moment she saw that Damian and the duke were fine.

Originally, wasn’t relief rooted in fear?

Then what she feared was…

‘Family.’

That relationship.

Now that she had realized that she was wavering in the face of the very entity she’d been trying to push away, it was only human nature for her to want to run away.

“Since the situation has become like this, your birthday banquet might be a bit tough to get through.”

As Rosetta was restlessly thinking to herself, she was brought back from her reverie as Blanca brought up a different topic.

With her full attention back to the present now, Rosetta asked back.

“Birthday?”

Blanca nodded.

“Yes, your birthday.
Your coming-of-age birthday celebration is about to be held soon, right, Lady Rosetta?”

“Ah…”

Her voice expressed how much she was in a daze.

As if she really had forgotten.

Now that she was reminded of it, Rosetta realized that her birthday was only a month later.

So distracted as she was until now, she truly forgot.

Well, it’s not actually her birthday.

“I’m not interested in my birthday anyway, so it doesn’t matter.
Something like a birthday banquet or whatever, it’ll only be tiring.”

“Hmm.
But coming-of-age birthday celebrations are special.
Particularly within a ducal household.”

When Blanca’s voice dropped to a hushed whisper, Rosetta looked up.

‘Coming-of-age birthday celebrations are special…? And particularly within a ducal household…’

After briefly reflecting on Blanca’s words, Rosetta soon recalled something from the original novel.

“The sacred relic?”

At the answer that sounded more like a question, Blanca nodded one of her feet.

“Yes, since the descendants of the ducal households aren’t qualified to use their respective ‘sacred relics’ until they reach adulthood.”

Of course, just because one were to have their coming of age, didn’t mean that they could automatically use a sacred relic.

“…You seem to be familiar with the sacred relics?”

“Perhaps.
They interest me, that’s why.
Anyone who wields magic would find the sacred relics fascinating.”

Truthfully, Rosetta didn’t know much about the ‘sacred relics’.

In the original novel, the ‘sacred relics’ had only been mentioned in passing.
All that’s said was that they’re a special heirloom that’s passed down in each of the three ducal households.

And couldn’t glean much about them from Rosetta’s memories either.

The best that she knew was that each sacred relic had the attribute of each household’s power.

‘Then I believe, House Valentine’s sacred relic is…’

Flinch.

Her thoughts stopped there.

It felt like her mind was going completely white.

A faint chill ran down her nape.

…A book.

House Valentine’s sacred relic was a book.

‘Is it just a coincidence?’

Her, who repeatedly transmigrated into books.

And the only round that was strange—this fourth novel transmigration.

The dream she had at the hunting festival.

The voice she heard.

 

“You know… All this is what you wanted.

Rosetta.”

 

The chills running straight down her spine was a clear indication.

This was not a coincidence.