Fostering the Male Lead

‘I’m sure I’m going to enjoy it.’

When I was satisfied, Hissen handed me a letter.

“This is a letter from His Highness to My Lady .”

I quickly opened the letter, wondering how on earth he would have explained this situation.

[Rosetta, do you like the present? I didn’t know what you’d like, so I prepared everything. Of course I’ll be the biggest gift. You can look forward to it tomorrow.]

‘Has he gone crazy?’

The hand holding the letter tightened. Hissen’s face darkened at the crumpled paper.

“Tell him he’d better be prepared when we meet tomorrow.”

“Yes, My Lady.”

“And make sure to tell him that if he’s not pretty, I’ll beat him with this pillow.”

Hissen swallowed his saliva as I shook the heavy pillow threateningly.

“Yes, I will definitely convey this to him.”

Just try not to look pretty. I won’t let you go. Staring at the letter, I turned my back.

“Rosé, aren’t you going to look at them?”

“You can look at them as much as you want.”

“There’s something cute, too”.

Lanoa, buried among the presents piled up in the hall, shook the puppy doll. It had a strange resemblance to Shasha and attracted my attention. His hair was slick and his ears were sharp. Even its color was silver.

As I was climbing the stairs, I turned around and sat down next to Lanoa. Up close, the bright yellow eyes were the same color.

“Here’s a note, too. Let’s see, it’s modeled after your cutie, Shasha, yuck.”

Lanoa, who was reading the note sarcastically, gagged. He grabbed its tail with his index finger and thumb and handed the doll to me, as if he would get goosebumps if he thought the doll was Shasha.

“I can’t just look at it because it looks like him.”

“Why, it’s very cute.”

When I hugged the fluffy doll tightly, soft fur brushed my cheek.

‘It’s cute. I like it.’

When I thought this doll was Shasha, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Do you like dogs that much?””

“Yes, I find them cute.”

“You’re eighteen years old, not eight.”

Laughing at me, who had a puppy doll in one hand and a pillow in the other, Lanoa teased me, saying that it would be perfect if I just put on my inner-wear.

“Little Rosetta, go to bed now.”

“Shut up.”

“It’s not that you can’t sleep alone because you’re scared, right? . Argh!”

Great. Let’s do a performance test right now.

Lanoa, who was hit on the shoulder by the pillow I swung, screamed, “What is this? Is this a pillow? Did you put stones inside it?”

Ignoring him rubbing his shoulders with surprised eyes, I went up the stairs.

Lanoa shouted from behind. “Hey, look forward to this older brother’s gift tomorrow!”

What do you mean by ‘look forward’? I’ll be just glad if you don’t give me weird things.

Recalling the birthday presents Lanoa gave every year, it was better to set aside all expectations early. What was it last year? Wasn’t it a strange pot he found while traveling to the nearby country?

It reminded me of the memory that Rosetta, who was angry because a snake came out of there, stepped on it and killed it.

“Since you already gave me a snake, you won’t give it again, right?”

As for a snake, Lumiyan was enough.

Anyway, what is this troublemaker doing? After proudly declaring that he would make me a birthday present, he didn’t even show his nose.

‘I just hope he didn’t get into any accident.’

I went back to my bedroom to avoid the noisy hall. But it wasn’t a safe place either. I sighed when I saw the boxes piled up in the corner of the room. When did that get here?

“M-My Lady.”

“What?”

“Please open this.”

The shining eyes of the maids poked me. Seeing the sorrowful eyes of the three, I reluctantly untied the ribbon. What appeared were ivory shoes. The design decorated with gold on the heel was impressive.

“Oh, my God, it’s so beautiful.”

“Your Highness must have wanted you to wear them.”

“Oh, my God.”

I knew it would be seen in that way. I decisively cut them off before they could spread their delusions.

“It’s not like that. He just gave it to me as a friend.”

“Ah, a friend gives so many presents.”

“And it’s all to your taste!”

The maids, already in love with their sweet imagination, brought out the boxes and held it out to me. In the end, I had no choice but to sit down and unwrap all the presents.

*  *  *

The morning of the coming-of-age ceremony was bright.

Unlike the last banquet, I got enough sleep and was able to start the day with clear eyes. It was thanks to the maids who were worried that I would wake up all night again this time, and prepared all sorts of scented candles that were said to be good for sleep.

“Good morning. Miss.”

It was morning, the sun had just begun to rise, and the sky was pale blue.

“It’s just daybreak.”

When I replied in a tired voice, the maids firmly shook their heads.

“If you want to become the most beautiful woman in the empire, you have to endure this much.”

“I have no desire to be the most beautiful in the empire. Let’s do it in moderation, huh?”

I tried to calm my enthusiastic maids, but no one listened to me. Even Marina, who was the only one listening to me, led me into the bathroom, saying that I should be more beautiful than anyone else today.

I don’t know. I hope it works out.

I quietly surrendered myself, and the maids, excited by my cooperative attitude, flew around me as if they had wings.

“Do it in moderation.”

“We haven’t even started yet. Please look forward to it!”

The maid who put me on the dressing table took out a makeup brush with a graceful gesture.

“Isn’t it too much?”

“We’re not even halfway there yet.”