A Letter with the Wrong Date

"Already asleep?"

Bronya quietly entered Rosia's room. Seeing that the girl's breathing had gradually steadied, she gently pulled the blanket up a little higher.

Although Rosia did not toss and turn at night, she still did it instinctively.

"Phew..."

Even while sleeping, Rosia made faint little snoring sounds. They were very subtle, but in the quiet room, her breathing sounded rather pleasant.

The moonlight outside was beautiful. The scattered glimmers spilling into the room were like twinkling stars playing a melody belonging to the night sky beside the girl.

"This is..."

Bronya noticed the notebook on Rosia's desk, tied with a blue ribbon.

Just as she hesitated over whether to pick it up and read it, a soft murmur interrupted her thoughts.

"Mother Bronya... I'm sorry..."

Seeing Rosia's brows faintly knit together as though she were having a nightmare, Bronya gently stroked her head.

"It's okay, it's okay. Mommy's here..."

Only after a long while, when Rosia's expression finally relaxed, did Bronya let out a sigh of relief.

"Good night, Rosia. Sweet dreams."

After a while, Bronya lightly kissed her cheek, then left the room with a reassured expression.

"What did this little fool dream about?"

Not long after Bronya left, "Rosia" lay beside Rosia, swinging her legs in confusion.

"I keep feeling like you're hiding something from me, you little fool."

Recently, "Rosia" had constantly felt as though she had overlooked something.

"Forget it. You're carefree all day long, and whenever you lie, you start stumbling over your words. You can't hide anything from me."

"Rosia" poked her soft cheek and puffed out her lips.

"Sigh, I wonder whether that idiot in the Sea of Quanta can properly keep your Mother Seele safe..."

The claw she had given Black Seele was insignificant to "Rosia." One remaining claw was enough anyway.

"Old man, you should find someone sooner. Don't grow so old without even having a child..."

Looking at the game chat window from someone called "Genius Gamer Girl Bronie," the blond young man shut down his computer with a somewhat melancholy expression.

"That girl still knows exactly how to hit where it hurts."

There had not been much to do lately, so Otto simply decided to stay in the Far East a little longer.

After all, there were quite a few interesting people here.

"Amber, do you like this child?"

Otto and Amber shared all sorts of photos and footage coming out of St. Freya Academy, and every image and video had the same protagonist.

"Lord Bishop... she is very cute... um..."

Hearing Amber's hesitant tone, Otto chuckled softly.

"If you saw her in person..."

"No, Bishop. I like her very much. It's just... my heart rate rose a little too high just now."

Amber spoke quietly.

"Ha... That's not bad."

Otto found it perfectly normal. If she were not special, he would not have noticed her at first glance.

Of course, what Otto saw might have been slightly different from what they saw.

He merely felt that the light in the girl's eyes was far too brilliant, far too pure.

He liked such eyes, but people with eyes like that invariably ended up standing against him.

"Good morning..."

Rosia sat up like a kitten, rubbed the corners of her eyes, and made an adorably sleepy sound.

"It's not morning anymore."

"Rosia" sat beside her with her legs crossed.

She did not need much rest each day, so she was usually there whenever Rosia was awake.

"Ah... You didn't peek, did you?"

Seeing the notebook on the desk, Rosia realized that she had forgotten to put it away in the drawer last night. Her little face reddened.

If "Rosia" had watched while she was writing, it would not have been quite so embarrassing. But if someone discovered it after she had finished, especially after a whole day had passed, it brought an inexplicable sense of shame.

"Pfft... Who would want to read a little girl's diary? It'd be boring to death."

"Rosia" gave her a rare eye roll, then stuck out her tongue.

"I don't even need to think about it. You must be going on and on about your Mother Bronya again."

"Rosia" mocked.

"Mm, it's not really anything."

Although "Rosia's" teasing was strange, it was not far off. Rosia could only nod helplessly.

"So, have you figured out how you'll say goodbye later?"

"Rosia" asked casually.

"Time passes quickly. Before you know it, after all the laughing and playing, it'll be New Year's..."

"You probably won't get to see your Mother Seele."

"I know..."

Hearing "Rosia's" words, Rosia merely smiled faintly.

She gently gathered up her hair, carefully put on her hair accessory, then revealed a happy smile.

"You're such a fool."

"Rosia" could not help rubbing her cheeks, but Rosia caught her hand.

"I'm very happy, because Mother Bronya and the others treat me so well. They're all kind and gentle..."

"I feel fulfilled every day."

Rosia met her own gaze in the mirror.

Every day during this time was worth recording to her. Every day had its own meaning.

She would weave them into a painting, one that gradually took shape beneath spreading ink and interwoven threads.

"Six months is a long time to me, but..."

If Rosia was painting a picture now, then "Rosia" was putting that picture away.

When the scroll was finished...

"What about you?"

Chapter 30: A Letter with the Wrong Date

After the New Year, February.

The morning was as fresh as dew. Soft light descended from the sky, clear and ethereal.

The blue-haired girl sat on a bench at the academy. She held a storybook in her hands and softly hummed a nursery rhyme.

The nursery rhyme was simple, its melody slow and gentle.

Yet the girl's cheeks were a little rosy in the cold wind.

"Phew..."

She loosened her tightly wrapped scarf a little, exposing a sliver of fair skin at her neck as she let out a soft breath.

Valkyries passing by greeted the girl from time to time, and she answered each of them with a smile.

Some asked what she was doing, but the girl merely shook her head gently.

Until the person she was waiting for arrived.

The girl handed over the letter in her hand, along with the loose change that had been carefully folded and smoothed out piece by piece. Only then did she reveal a happy smile.

"Is this necessary?"

"Rosia" stood behind her, her wine-red eyes glinting.

"You barely have much to begin with, yet you spend money on this every month?"

"Ha... It's enough. I can just eat a little less cake and snacks this month."

Rosia breathed into her chilly hands to warm them, then smiled faintly.

"I hope... they all get delivered."

A few days earlier.

"Rosia, Bronya and Mei went shopping today. Do you want to come with me?"

Kiana, who had gotten up late, stretched lazily. After glancing at the note Mei had left behind, she ran to Rosia's room and asked.

"Sister Kiana, no..."

Rosia sat at her desk and gently shook her head.

"Mm, all right then. Rosia, are you doing homework? Want to play some games with me?"

Kiana was rather surprised. Normally, Rosia should have loved going out with Bronya.

"Wait for me a moment, Sister Kiana."

Rosia pursed her lips, lifted her pen, and looked deeply hesitant, as though something was troubling her.

"Ugh..."

Rejected, Kiana could only dejectedly play games alone. It was not until noon that she received a call from Mei.

"What? You won't be back until tonight?"

For some reason, hearing Mei say that made her happy instead.

That meant she still had an entire afternoon alone with Rosia today.

"Rosia, are you still busy?"

Kiana poked her head into Rosia's room and asked again.

"Mm, Sister Kiana, sit here with me for a little while. I'll be done soon."

Rosia nodded.

"Mm."

Sitting by Rosia's bed, Kiana watched the girl's serious expression.

Unlike her own room, Rosia's room looked even cleaner and tidier than Mei's.

Aside from the two stuffed pillow dolls she and Bronya had given her, there was basically nothing else. It made Kiana feel that the room was somewhat empty.

The room carried Rosia's unique scent. It smelled sweet, and one reason Kiana liked hugging Rosia was that sweet fragrance on her.

Especially after Rosia had taken a bath, the scent became particularly noticeable. Just looking at Rosia felt strangely tempting.

As she thought about it, Kiana gradually became sleepy, then slowly fell asleep on Rosia's bed.

"Mm?"