Violet Zerotta’s Hasty Marriage - Chapter 59

The castle was situated on a quiet plain surrounded by tall mountains and a dense forest. As soon as the mountain path ended and the well-maintained road leading to the castle began, Aldrick urged his horse forward, galloping ahead of the group.

The soldiers guarding the gate recognized Aldrick’s face and opened the gate immediately. Without slowing much, Aldrick charged straight into the inner courtyard of the lord’s castle.

“Inform the Countess of my arrival.”

Just as he gave the order to the butler who had been awaiting his return, a familiar voice rang out in the distance.

“Aldrick! You’re back!”

Six years since their marriage, three since they had started living together.

By now, one might think he’d be used to it, but Aldrick still felt a flutter in his heart every time he heard her voice. His wife, Violet, was running toward him.

“Violet!”

Her brown hair fluttered in the wind, and her brown eyes sparkled with their usual liveliness. Even the look in her eyes, filled with boundless affection for him. Everything he had longed for was right there.

Overcome with joy, Aldrick leapt down from his horse, ready to rush toward her—if only for a moment.

“Aldrick, you arrived just in time! Because… something really big happened! I mean really big! Hurry and come see!”

At her urgent tone, Aldrick felt his heart drop.

Violet, who had been running toward him, stopped mid-step, waved him over, and quickly turned to disappear into the castle. It was clearly no small matter.

Something big? What on earth…

Could something have happened to Violet or Rosetta while he was away? He had asked the butler and knights repeatedly to take good care of them…

With his face tightening in concern, Aldrick followed her into the castle with long, hurried strides.

“Look! Can you believe your timing? It’s such a relief you got to see this!”

As soon as he stepped into the entrance, Aldrick saw what Violet had referred to as the “big deal”, and he was rendered speechless.

The “serious matter” she’d spoken of in such a grave tone was…

“Our Rosetta… Rosetta spoke! She said ‘no’! Can you believe it? She’s not even two years old yet, and she’s already expressing her own opinions. Aldrick, don’t you think… maybe Rosetta’s a genius?!”

It was their daughter, Rosetta Winter, proudly showing off her clumsy speech.

“….”

Of course, it was a moment so adorable and precious he wanted to capture it forever.

With rosy cheeks, fluffy brown curls like Violet’s, and green eyes just like Aldrick’s, Rosetta was a child anyone would find lovable, not just because she was their daughter.

Still, after being wound so tightly by the word “big deal,” he couldn’t help but feel a bit deflated.

“I thought something had really happened, Violet. You scared me.”

“What could be more important than Rosetta talking? Right, my little sweetheart?”

Violet laughed brightly as she scooped up the giggling child. Seeing them like that, Aldrick couldn’t help but drop his tension and laugh, too.

If she was smiling, then everything was alright.

“She’s already starting to talk? She’s grown so much while I was away… I really shouldn’t have gone to the capital.”

Before he’d left, she could barely say things like “mama” or “baba,” but apparently three months was a long time in a baby’s world.

“She’s been babbling all sorts of words for a while now. She even practiced, wanting to surprise you when you got back.”

“And I missed it… I guess I really shouldn’t leave the domain again if I can help it.”

Pushing aside his regret, Aldrick reached out to hold Rosetta, who was looking at him from Violet’s arms, but was unexpectedly refused.

Violet shook her head slightly with an apologetic expression.

“Uh… you’re all dusty. Maybe you should wash up before holding her?”

On top of that, Rosetta, who had always favored her mother, now found Aldrick unfamiliar after three months and refused his touch.

“Nwo.”

Snuggling deeper into Violet’s arms and expressing her newfound “no,” Rosetta made Violet beam with pride all over again.

Seeing the two brown-haired girls so tenderly wrapped up in each other while he was left out, Aldrick couldn’t help but feel, childishly, a little hurt.

“So… when are you planning to say, ‘Welcome back’?”

He asked, full of sulk, and only then did Violet look up at him with a guilty expression.

“Welcome back, Aldrick. Was the trip hard? You look healthy, so I’m relieved. I’m glad everything went well. I prayed every night for your safe return.”

She smiled kindly as she spoke, but by then, Aldrick’s feelings were already bruised. And besides, this wasn’t the kind of lukewarm greeting he had been hoping for.

T/N: It’s mentioned that Rosetta is two years old here, but I’m assuming they’re sticking to the Korean way of attributing age, that is, 1 year old when the child is born, then add 1 more year every New Year’s (not on their birthday).

Depending on which month she was born, Rosetta could be around 12 months old in international age, give or take a few months. Babies start talking around 12 to 18 months old.