Villainess Wants to Live Freely Routh (El) POV

http://ncode.syosetu.com/n5260fe/83/

 

Ever since asking Grandpa Germa to train me, I’ve been waking up early every morning to do exercises with Allen.
My schedule for the day usually starts out with that, and then after finishing up whatever homework I have for school, I try to spend the rest of my day with Rose.

[Grandpa]: “Come on, keep it up keep it up. You’ll get sent to the afterlife right away if this is all you’ve got gyahaha!”

Just how much energy does this old man have? I can’t even begin to imagine. We beastmen should be far superior to humans physically, but I can’t imagine myself winning against him at all.
And the fact that Allen can keep up makes him a superhuman in his own right. I have to frantically give it my all just to be able to trail behind them like this.

[Grandpa]: “Yosh, that should be good enough for today. You both have school tomorrow, so let’s cut things short.”

[El & Allen]: “Yes, thank you very much!”

I was on my way back to my room to take a bath and clean off all my sweat before doing my homework when I ran into Rickert, the next head of the Winsley house.

[Rickert]: “Prince Routh, thanks for your hard work.”

[El]: “Are you just about to start your lessons Rickert?”

[Rickert]: “Yes, I still have a lot to learn before I’m anywhere near ready to take over. Oh and before I forget, Rose-chan wanted me to tell you she’s heading into the city with Anna today.”

[El]: “To the city? …….Okay. Thanks for telling me.”

I’ll have to readjust my plans for the day. Thinking that, I headed back to my room.

 

After that, it was around supper-time when I started feeling anxious that Rose hadn’t returned yet.

 

[El]: “Hey Allen, has Rose really not come home yet?”

[Allen]: “Yes, I’ve already confirmed with the servant who drove them out to the city. The original plan was for them to drive Rose-sama and Anna out into the city and then return home. However when it came time to pick Rose-sama up and the driver returned to the city, they were nowhere to be seen. At the time, the driver thought Rose-sama was merely running late because she was having fun and decided to wait for her.”

[El]: “So they waited, but she never showed?”

[Allen]: “Yes, which is why we are searching for them now. I’ll inform you as soon as we’ve found them, so please wait in your room until then.”

[El]: “I’m…”

[Allen]: “Prince Routh, if you were to go missing, it would become an international incident. Please, wait in your room.”

Before I could even say I was going to go, Allen cut me off.

[El]: “…….”

But there was nothing more I could say in response. If something were to happen because I ran off on my own, then in the worst case scenario things could lead to war…… Every fiber of my being wants to move because it’s Rose, but I’m stuck in my room all because of my status.

With all of the resources that the Winsley family could muster combined with Prince William’s efforts, we were able to find word of where Rose was taken about a week later.
With that information, an order of knights was dispatched to the residence of Count Damiel in order to find her. But, after a thorough search of the dungeon, they came back saying they could not find any trace of Rose or Anna.

[El]: “I thought you said she was at that count’s mansion? Then why haven’t you found Rose!?”

So when Prince William arrived at the Winsley family mansion to make his report, I confronted him.

[William]: “We’ve received multiple reports that Rose and her maid were taken there…..but one of the knights did report something strange after their visit.”

[Father]:¹ “Strange how Your Highness?”

It should be natural for Duke Winsley to be the person who wants Rose found the most as her father. And yet he hasn’t shown any signs of impatience here and maintains a calm tone.

[William]: “They said they heard a quiet yet strange noise coming from below them while they were searching the dungeon. ……I’m thinking there may be a hidden room located beneath there.”

[El]: “Then it’s my turn. I have a sense of smell several times more acute than any human. Please let me go.”

I didn’t give them the option of turning me down, and we were soon on our way toward Count Damiel’s mansion. Allen, the Duke, and Grandpa Germa decided to come with me soon after, and Rudolph, who was there while acting as Prince William’s guard, acted as our guide.

Rudolph used his authority as a knight of the royal family to stifle any objections from the servants and guided us through the mansion.
Arriving at the dungeon, I could hear voices. And then, I noticed Rose’s sweet scent in the air.

[El]: “Rose’s scent is coming from there!”

[Father]: “…..is there a hidden door?”

The Duke ran his hand across a wall on the opposite side of the wall until his fingers finally came across a groove inside the stone. With a little effort, the wall swung open, revealing a staircase leading downwards. I immediately bolted down, jumping down two steps at a time.

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1. I know it’s a little strange marking him down as father even when it’s not in Rose’s point of view, but it’s been so long since we’ve heard his actual name I figured nobody would know who I was talking about if I put down Clifford.

Chapter 70 ⊥ Routh(El) POV 2