Chapter 12: Primula Rosemary’s Longing
“Rest… I wonder what he’s doing right now?”
In a room of the Rosemary Marquis House, the second daughter, Primula Rosemary, sighed as she sat before a mirror.
Before her on the vanity lay an array of cosmetics, and on the bed, several dresses were neatly arranged.
(I’ve never done my makeup before, but… I need to adorn myself, even just a little, for Rest…)
Primula was one of the twin sisters born into the Marquis family. Shy and often overshadowed by her elder sister, Viola, she was unusually practicing her makeup that night. The purpose was to entertain the boy they had invited to the mansion… Rest.
Since she could remember, Primula had always felt a complex in comparison to her sister, Viola. Viola possessed a stunning beauty with flowing golden hair, a strong personality, and exceptional magical talent. To Primula, her twin sister was both an object of admiration and an insurmountable wall.
As long as her sister was around, she could never be number one. She would always remain in second place. There was no way she could surpass her sister.
This awareness constantly lingered in her mind.
In reality, she probably didn’t need to belittle herself to such an extent. No one had the right to decide whether a rose or a lily was more beautiful. While Primula lacked the vibrant, powerful beauty that radiated from Viola, she possessed a delicate and graceful charm of her own. Their parents had never made a clear distinction between the two sisters. The complex that Primula harbored was merely a burden she had placed upon herself.
Despite her worries, Primula found herself invited alongside her sister to the Eberrn Honorary Viscount House. There, she was introduced to a boy named Cedric Eberrn, and all she felt towards him was an overwhelming discomfort.
(He keeps staring at my and my sister’s chests… How vulgar.)
While Viola had developed impressively for her age, it was actually Primula who had a larger bust. Being so brazenly gazed at made Primula feel an aversion towards Cedric. As they ventured deeper into the forest, her feelings of disgust only grew. Though he likely thought he was showcasing his strength, Cedric’s ruthless slaughter of monsters, stepping over their corpses while laughing, was nothing short of terrifying.
(I can never come to like this person… I don’t want to be around him.)
If her sister hadn’t been there, she would have fled at the first opportunity.
(If I were to marry, I want someone kind. I don’t need a wealthy man, nor do I need him to be handsome. I just want someone who respects my feelings and is compassionate…)
Such thoughts often occupied Primula’s mind, but finding a boy of her generation who met those criteria was no easy task. Most of the young men who appeared before her were the sons of nobles. Children born into the privileged class often had strong personalities and high pride. Not all of them were like that, but given that Primula was a marquis’s daughter, those who gathered around her were primarily drawn by power. Even those who weren’t interested in power tended to feel intimidated by her status as a marquis’s daughter, making it difficult for them to interact with her naturally.
“I’m sorry for what Cedric did. You don’t need to worry anymore; everything is fine.”
However, that boy suddenly appeared before Primula. He was the one who had rescued her from an attack by a White Fenrir, possessing gentle and soothing eyes. The boy who introduced himself as Cedric’s younger brother, Rest, seemed genuinely apologetic for the trouble his brother had caused, yet he interacted with Primula and her sister in a remarkably natural manner.
Moreover, he had used healing magic on the injured White Fenrir and its cub, allowing them to escape without taking their lives.
Primula, being the daughter of a court magician, understood how dangerous monsters could be and that they needed to be hunted for the sake of people’s livelihoods. Yet, she found herself irresistibly drawn to the boy who had saved her and her sister with such compassion, showing mercy by letting the White Fenrir go.
(A kind person… How wonderful it would be to have someone like him by my side as I go through life…)
Despite being of the same age, it felt as though she was interacting with someone much more mature. He was gentle, calm, composed, and dependable. Rest was the ideal man in Primula’s eyes.
(My sister seems to have an interest in Rest as well, but… I can’t lose this.)
Having lived in the shadow of her strong sister for so long, she felt that if she backed down again, she would spend her life in a place devoid of sunlight.
(No matter how much I love my sister, I can’t give up Rest. Absolutely not…!)
If it were impossible for her, then perhaps… She shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel the unsettling thoughts.
“I wonder what kind of dress Rest likes…”
Having finished her makeup practice, Primula spent the late hours of the night selecting a dress to show the first man she had ever found endearing.