"Rose, how are you feeling?"
Rose heard Rinka's voice. She opened her eyes and saw Rinka as a black cat. Rinka is sitting next to Rose's head, kissing her cheek with her cold nose.
"Where am I?"
"A room in the medical wing."
I see, Rose thought. She was saved. That night, she was poisoned by her maid, Saira, and was saved by Rocco. She's alive, which means the antidote Rocco gave her worked.
"What about Rocco?"
"He is in the next room."
"Huh? Why?"
Rose was surprised and asked Rinka.
"When he rescued you, he was stabbed in the back with a knife. It seems that the knife was also coated with poison. It seemed that his body was dealing with the detoxification, but the area around the poison was pretty bad, so he had to be hospitalized."
"What's his condition?"
"Good. You were more dangerous."
Rinka said as she stood up, stretching her body as she yawned.
"Really?"
"What about you? Do you still hurt somewhere?"
"My head still hurts. Also my throat, it still hurts."
"Well, take a break. I'll call a medic."
"Thank you."
Rinka got off Rose's bed and transformed into a humanoid form. She went out of the hospital room and called for the doctor. A few minutes later, a medic came and took her temperature, checked her pulse, and ran various tests. She was instructed to drink her medicine. The medic cast a healing spell on her and urged her to rest again.
Perhaps because of the medicine, Rose fell asleep again. When she woke up, the sun had already set. As Rose sat upright on her bed, a Black Ops member offered her porridge and hot water. Rose could tell from his vibrations that this person was Rocco's subordinate and was the one who always exercised in the morning with Rose in the village. Even though his face is hidden by cloth, it is possible to tell him apart because each individual has different characteristics.
"Thank you. Thank you for the meal."
"No. Now, excuse me."
"That··."
Rose stopped him.
"Yes?"
"May I ask your name?"
He looked surprised, then bowed his head.
"I'm sorry. I don't have permission to tell you my name."
"I see. Sorry. Thank you."
"No problem. Now, please excuse me."
The Black Ops is also difficult in many ways, she thought. Rose was surprised he needed permission to tell her his name. After all, it is an organization with clear hierarchical relationships.
Feeling better than during the day, Rose got out of bed. Rose thought she should leave the room and visit Rocco next to her. When she looks into the room to say thank you for saving her, she finds Rocco sleeping on his stomach. His back is being treated with bandages. It appears that his wound was not completely closed.
"Heal!"
Rose cast a spell hoping to regenerate cells and clean up the poison around the wound. This was the magic Darga and Miraiya used when treating Moi with poison. It was a simple magic to eliminate poison, but it was a magic that was quite necessary for delicate nerves. It is a process that removes toxins from each millimeter-sized cell in the body. It was difficult, but Rose knew that if she could do this, she could recover him quickly by injecting cell regeneration and magic power. Seeing that Rocco was sleeping, Rose worked quietly. She worked her magic for about 30 minutes and sent the energy into Rocco's body. This will help Rocco heal faster, she thinks.
But even after all this work, Rocco is still sleeping. Rose wondered if he was feeling unwell after all.
Sorry, Rocco. He got hurt because of me, Rose thought.
Rose moved closer to his bed and was about to touch Rocco's blue scales when Myrina entered the room.
"Oh, Princess Rose. Are you visiting Rocco?"
"Yeah. I thought I'd say thank you as well."
"Thank you?"
Myrina tilted her head and asked.
"Rocco saved me, so I'm grateful for that. I also cast a recovery spell just in case."
"Princess Rose is injured too right now. You are still recovering, right? If you cast magic on him, you'll get sick. Besides, Rocco was just doing what's expected of a Black Ops. There is no need to apply the magic on him."
Rose seemed unconvinced by Myrina's words.
"Why are you saying that?"
"Pardon?"
"Rocco got injured trying to protect me. I think his injured back hurts. No matter how well-trained his body is, what hurts is hurts. He's not feeling well. Now he is resting and healing his body, isn't he?"
Rose said as she straightened Myrina.
"But it's okay. He'll recover soon. Rocco is a strong member."
"I know that too. Rocco is strong. But Rocco is also a person, what hurts is hurts, even if he doesn't say it. If no one cares about him, I'll tell Rocco, I care."
Myrina was speechless for a moment when she heard Rose's words. However, she objected again.
"Princess Rose, do you also understand that the lives of those in the Black Ops are disposable?"
"Yes, I know. So if no one cries for them, I will cry for them. If no one prays for their safety, I will pray for them. I don't know if my prayers will be answered, but at the very least, I'm concerned about Rocco and the other members outside this room, as well as you, just like I did with Rocco earlier. If you get hurt, I'll be worried about you. I'll cast recovery magic on you too. But you are strong and won't get hurt that easily."
Rose said and looked at Rocco again. Still asleep, Rose thought.
"Princess Rose is a very kind person. I'm sure Rocco will recover quickly. As the representative of the Black Ops, I would like to thank you."
Rose shook her head at Myrina's words.
"On the contrary. I'm the one who should say thank you. Thank you for saving my life. Please tell this to the Black Ops people who always protect me from the shadows."
"Princess Rose..."
"Ah, that's right. Myrina, once Rocco gets well, I have an appointment with him for lunch, so please stop him from leaving the palace without my notice. Rocco said that the mission is important, but I... Lunch with him is also an important thing to do.”
Rose said with a smile. Myrina looked at the sleeping Rocco with a surprised look on her face.
"Did you make such a promise?"
"Yeah. It's a promise just before the airship hit the mountain, so I must do it properly."
"I see. I understand. When he feels better, I will give Rocco a mission to have lunch with Princess Rose."
"Ahaha. You are an interesting person. Thank you. Now, I must return to my room, so please excuse me."
"Yes, Princess."
When Rose returned to her room, Rinka was already waiting for her. She told Rose that Suzu had called, and Rinka led her to Suzu's office. Rose was still wearing a nightgown but was told it was okay.
When Rose arrived at her office, several generals and ministers were there. There were so many papers on Suzu's desk, that Rose thought Suzu wouldn't finish reading them in one night.
"Rose, are you okay now?"
Suzu saw Rose, got up from her chair, went to her, and hugged her tightly. She also patted her head.
"I'm sorry for causing you concern."
"No need for honorifics. Rose is my sister."
"Yes, thank you."
"I never thought that that maid was involved with Ohgi."
Suzu returned to her chair. Rose was instructed to sit in the chair provided for her.
"But Rocco helped me, so I managed to get better."
"Yeah, I was surprised when I got the news from the guard who witnessed it. I thought it was happening again."
"What happened to my guard?"
Rose asked, and Suzu saw the minister nearby and asked.
"All three of Princess Rose's bodyguards were safe. They were only put to sleep by medicine, but we take this seriously and treat it as a failure, and they will be removed from their role as Princess Rose's guards. The same thing applied to Nina, the maid, too."
The minister standing nearby explained. Even though Rose has learned the name, it changed again.
"But now it's clear. Rose is being targeted after all."
Suzu folds her arms and looks at Rose.
"But the Queen didn’t have a bodyguard, did you?"
"Please call me sister."
"Yes, sister."
Rose was a little nervous, but she nodded.
"Good. That's right. I said that Ohgi would prepare my bodyguard, but I was so busy that I didn't realize whether or not he was really there. That was my fault. Well, Myrina sent me two women from the Black Ops as my guards. Basically, we will make a major change to the current system. We will choose some new generals and some suitable persons for lords."
"Sister will be busy."
"That's right. I have to thank Rose for getting the situation under control immediately. You were a great help. After that time, I was so busy that I couldn't see you very often, but when I thought things had calmed down, I couldn’t believe you were getting poisoned."
"Sorry."
"No, it's not Rose who's at fault, it's Saira's fault."
Suzu looked at Rose and clearly said.
"Where is Saira now?"
"She's already dead. Her body... split in two."
"Did Rocco kill her?"
"Probably so. But you don't have to worry about it. Next time, I'll carefully select the maids and guards for you, Rose. So don't worry. Also, one guard will be from the Black Ops."
"Thank you."
Rose nodded.
"If you don't like that room, you can move to a new room. Even the room next to mine is fine."
"No, it's fine now."
"Really? If you want to change your mood, there's a room a little further away. It's a beautiful two-story building surrounded by a pond. You can see your favorite starry sky from the roof."
"Oh, can I take a look?"
"Of course. You can go tomorrow. You can use that building whenever you like. You can also use the surrounding garden as you like. It was apparently built by the former king as a hobby room, but when it was completed, the previous king died in the war shortly after that. So it's a relatively new building."
Suzu said to Rose with a smile.
"I see. Well, I'll take a look tomorrow and then decide."
"That's right. It's already late at night and you're just recovering from illness, so return to your room. I've asked Rinka and the three Black Ops members to help you, so you can rest peacefully tonight."
"Yes. Good night, sister."
"Good night, Rose."
Rose bowed to Suzu, and she bowed to everyone there as well, before leaving and returning to her room. The room was empty, no one except the Black Ops members could enter it. What an atmosphere, Rose thought. Tonight she would sleep in the bed with her black cat, Rinka.
Next morning.
After breakfast, she visited the building that Suzu mentioned the night before. It's surrounded by walls and there's a door. When the guard saw Rose, he opened the door. There, there was a beautiful garden. Walking along the garden path, there is a large pond. There is a two-story building in the middle of the pond. It was an indescribably beautiful building.
When she crosses the red bridge to get to the building, she sees the entrance, whose pillars are decorated with carvings of dragons and flowers. There is a balcony on the second floor, from which she can climb onto the roof if she feels like it. The area around the pond is mostly trees and gardens, so she can probably see a beautiful starry sky without being obstructed by lights.
The building is empty but in good condition. The lower floor has an entrance and a large room. A short walk from the passage next to the living room leads to two maid's rooms and a kitchen. There are two bedrooms on the upper floors, and in front of the bedrooms is a living room facing the balcony. Bathrooms are usually located inside each bedroom. There are several guard buildings near the building's gate. Rose liked it so much that she decided to move within the same day.
The servants brought Rose's luggage and furniture. It was smaller than the living quarters in the palace, but the garden was spacious, so she liked it. Besides, it was a great place with a great view, Rose thought. The beds are all very nicely made and clean, matching the size of the room.
Rose thought that Suzu might have seen the late king's extravagant tastes. Suzu didn't use this building because she wasn't that interested. She used it on Rose because the building would break if nobody stayed there.
Rose was happy with the new room. When she went to Suzu's office to tell Suzu that the move was completed and to thank her, she received news from Myrina that Rocco had fully recovered. Myrina talked to Suzu about Rose's lunch appointment with Rocco, and Suzu promised to teach Rose how to make lunch dishes. Suzu said that after all, food made with heart is more pleasing.
Meals will be served in Rose's new garden palace. In addition, Suzu will even allow Rose to be just in two with Rocco.
Happy! I'm looking forward to lunch tomorrow! Rose smiled as she fell asleep.