Welcome to the Rose Mansion - Chapter 74
She rubbed the handle of her teacup.
“Thank you for the offer, but I need to go back to Sylvester.”
“Ah, right. You’re working at the Otis family. I almost forgot.”
Robert rubbed his neck, frowning. Richelle was about to put her teacup on the table when she suddenly remembered.
Now that she thought about it, didn’t Robert know a lot about the Otis family?
Her heart began to race. This might be the perfect opportunity to find out what happened to the Otis family six years ago.
Richelle swallowed nervously and clasped her hands together.
“Robert, I heard you were once close with the Otis family.”
“Haha, that was a long time ago. When the Otis family stopped participating in social events, our private interactions naturally ceased as well. Now, we only have official contact.”
“I see… It must have been surprising.”
Robert spoke nonchalantly.
“Honestly, not really. The Otis family always had a strong tendency toward seclusion, so I figured the day would come eventually. It was unusual for the current Otis family to be so socially active in the first place.”
The Otis family was originally reclusive…?
As Richelle blinked in surprise, Robert burst into hearty laughter.
“Oh, Richelle. You seem very curious about the Otis family?”
“What? Yes?”
“Don’t be so startled. After all, it’s the Otis family, isn’t it? It’s rare to find someone who isn’t interested. Besides, since you work right in the middle of it all, it must be quite puzzling. The Otis family is rather unique.”
Robert downed his now-cold tea in one gulp and rested his chin on his hand. He seemed quite pleased to have an interesting topic to discuss.
“Where to begin… The Otis family has always been somewhat prestigious on its own. Was it that they were a branch family of the now-fallen Sylvester Earldom? I don’t quite remember the details, but… They were, frankly, dirt poor.”
“Poverty and the Otis family? They don’t seem to go together.”
“Right? But it’s true. They were so poor they had to live off the hospitality of House Sylvester. Then, one day, everything started to change.”
Robert swung his fist in the air energetically.
“The Otis family head, Neil Otis, whom everyone had disregarded, turned out to have the Midas touch. Every business he touched brought in immense profits. It was as if Lady Luck smiled only upon him.”
Richelle knew of Neil Otis. He was the man who revitalized the Otis family and was considered the de facto founding patriarch. His portrait hung on the third floor of Bertrand.
Robert continued his story.
“Neil Otis was incredibly successful. He married a noblewoman and even bought the Bertrand estate, which originally belonged to the Sylvester family. At that time, Bertrand was considered the most beautiful mansion in the country.”
“If it was that grand, it must have been a symbol of the Sylvester family.”
“Well, the last direct descendant of the Sylvester family, Lord Norman, had passed away by then, making the Sylvester title almost meaningless. Even so, Neil Otis had to pay an enormous price. He also hired countless artists and craftsmen to renovate the mansion, making it the hottest topic in high society.”
If so much effort had been put into the mansion, why was it now devoid of visitors?
Before Richelle could delve into her curiosity, Robert continued.
“When the renovation of Bertrand was completed, Neil Otis invited all the prominent figures of society to unveil the mansion. He then named it ‘Rose Mansion.’”
“…Rose Mansion.”
“I heard that Rose was the nickname of his younger sister who died young. The name was a tribute to her, who never got to enjoy her share of luxury. Naming the Otis symbol after his sister’s nickname shows how much he cherished her, doesn’t it?”
“…”
“Of course, it’s now known as Bertrand again. Hardly anyone remembers it was ever called ‘Rose Mansion.’”
No, that’s not true.
There was still someone who called Bertrand ‘Rose Mansion’.
[Welcome to the Rose Mansion.
This letter has been written to assist you in leading a safe and peaceful life in the manor for the coming year.]
The anonymous writer of the Bertrand rules.
‘My goodness.’
Why hadn’t she thought to find out who wrote the Bertrand rules before?
Why hadn’t she wondered why the note referred to Bertrand as ‘Rose Mansion’?
