NOVEL WEB Chapter 8
Chapter: 8
After the tea party, I ended up spending more time with Rosalyn.
Well, it wasn’t really a problem since I had nothing else to do anyway. I wasn’t even sure when William would return, but since he wasn’t the type to get involved much anyway.
“How about this outfit?”
“Hahaha…”
“It seems like it would really suit Camelia. Don’t you like it?”
“…No, I’ll try it on.”
Today, we came to buy clothes.
Originally, the clothes weren’t for me but for Rosalyn. I figured my choices might not satisfy her. So I decided to pick out something that matched Rosalyn’s taste, and then this happened.
Somehow, I ended up browsing clothes meant for myself. This is definitely not what I intended.
“Hehe, since Camelia is cute, trying on such a pretty dress wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“Haha…”
Anyway… that’s how it turned out. Of course, I didn’t dislike it, so I was just following Rosalyn’s lead.
It wasn’t like it was unusual for a mother and daughter to buy clothes for each other. Yep, it was just that level of activity.
Honestly, I preferred this to something else. At least it was better than touching Rosalyn directly or anything like that…
“I’ll go put it on. Just a moment.”
“Okay, I’ll wait?”
Since I ran into Rosalyn in the bathroom, I felt a bit awkward.
After having seen her body covered only by a towel, I couldn’t help but have thoughts related to that every time I was near her.
Honestly… she was beautiful…
“Ha.”
I seriously felt like I was going crazy.
What am I, a teenager? I haven’t even hit puberty yet, and here I am, thinking these things… How pathetic. I felt really foolish, too.
Of course, I didn’t express these thoughts outwardly. I knew better than to act like this.
– Swoosh…
“Phew.”
Well, I slowly changed into the dress. I quickly took off the dress I was wearing and slipped into the new one.
It wasn’t hard to take off a dress made for kids.
“…It looks good.”
Looking at the outfit, it indeed suited me.
Honestly, there was no way something this pretty wouldn’t look good. I didn’t have an exact comparison for ‘stunning beauty’, but I felt my looks might qualify to some degree.
“I’m done dressing. How do I look?”
“You look amazing! So cute!”
“Is that… so?”
“Yep, Camelia. Would you like to try on something else? I found a shirt that I think the boys would like. How about it?”
“…I don’t mind. I think the shirt is fine too.”
Yeah… this was better, honestly. It was definitely better than changing into girls’ clothes in front of Rosalyn.
“Since Camelia is a bit smaller than her peers… it’s better to go for a smaller size, right?”
“…Yes.”
Aside from my figure, there was one disappointment: my height.
Compared to my peers, I was definitely shorter. I thought I wouldn’t be as tall as boys, but I was still small.
Last time at the tea party, I was about half a head shorter than the other kids…
“…Aren’t there anything to wear with a dress shirt?”
“Hmmm… should we try a skirt?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
So Rosalyn picked out clothes from the store freely, and what she chose was… an outfit that looked like a school uniform.
A white shirt with dark gray skirts. I looked like a real student.
With my small stature, I definitely gave off a more student-like vibe. Of course, I looked like an elementary school student at best.
“When you go to the academy later, you’ll wear something like this, right?”
“Yep. At the academy, both boys and girls have to wear the academy shirt. So this is probably the style? Though the emblem on the chest will be different, of course.”
“I see…”
“Of course, it’s still a bit far for our Camelia to go.”
“Yes. I’m only 8 right now. I have to be 13 before I can go… there’s still a long way to go.”
It felt similar to a high school setting. Though technically it was a small political arena, it was like a high school from the old world.
A place to educate children before becoming adults and help them grow as nobles.
Well, honestly, it was more about building connections than actual education.
“When the time comes, that small shirt you’re wearing now won’t fit anymore. I’m looking forward to it.”
“…That would be a relief.”
“Hmm?”
“…Lately, I feel like I haven’t grown much… But compared to the young ladies I saw recently, I’m definitely small… Even smaller than Rize…”
Honestly, I was worried.
If I continued like this, I might end up stuck at 130 when I became an adult. Of course, there’s still plenty of time, and I would naturally grow, but… I really wanted to surpass 140.
No matter what, I really didn’t want to be a little kid.
“Was that what you were worried about?”
“…Yes.”
Anyway, that was something that didn’t concern Rosalyn.
After all, Rosalyn had good proportions and was about average height for a girl.
She wasn’t exceptionally tall, probably just below 170, but her proportions made her appear long and elegant.
Honestly, she had that ideal body shape. Combined with Rosalyn’s pretty face, she looked undeniably beautiful and graceful.
To be honest, if I were to grow, I would want to have a body like Rosalyn’s, even if just a little. It was such a desirable figure.
Ah, but that doesn’t mean I was picturing her naked or anything. I was just thinking of her in normal clothes.
“Um… height…”
“……..”
Am I really out of options?
I was definitely shorter than my peers. Most girls at this age are usually taller than boys, but I was not even close to that.
I was clearly below average height. Just that in itself.
“Indeed, Camelia is short. Yep.”
“Guess so…”
“But among the friends I’ve seen, there was one who was really short when she was younger, even smaller than her little brother?”
Suddenly, Rosalyn took my hands and started to speak.
Was she trying to comfort me? Well, I was a bit disappointed, but I certainly wasn’t sad enough to cry about it.
“But by the time she grew up, she ended up taller than I expected.”
“…Really?”
“Yep, I think she was the tallest among the girls I knew back then.”
“I see…”
Still… I could hold on to a bit of hope…
Just from hearing a few words from Rosalyn, I felt reassured.
It was quite an awkward feeling in many ways.
*
Somehow, I ended up buying a few more outfits.
Not just the usual dresses, but also more active wear and clothes that seemed like they were meant for girls. Of course, it was mostly Rosalyn’s suggestions.
After that, we roughly loaded the carriage and returned to the mansion. Once there, I naturally started on my homework.
“Phew…”
“Young lady, you got that part wrong.”
“Again…?”
Why was this history assignment so difficult?
I had also gotten a question wrong today and was receiving help from Rize. It was so different from the history I knew that it was honestly challenging.
Well… I had improved from before, so maybe that was satisfactory?
“Rize.”
“Yes.”
“Rize… how tall are you right now?”
I remembered my conversation with Rosalyn earlier and asked her.
I was sure she was taller than me, but I didn’t know her exact height, and homework was dreadfully boring anyway.
“The last time I was measured, I was over 160.”
“Wow…”
I couldn’t help but express my admiration like a kid.
Well, I was a bit embarrassed, but there was no need to feel that way in front of Rize.
After all, she was my personal maid. Rize wasn’t someone who would go around telling others about stuff like this.
“Why do you ask?”
“Just wait a moment.”
I stood up from my chair and stood in front of Rize.
I just wanted to compare heights with her. There was an age difference, but I wanted to see how small I was and how big Rize was.
Since Rize was almost in her mid-teens, it was natural that she would be taller than me, and facing her made it all the more obvious.
“Hmm… you are definitely tall…”
“…?”
Rize looked puzzled and tilted her head slightly, but she didn’t seem too concerned.
When I stood in front of Rize, my line of sight was almost level with her chest. There was probably a difference of 20 to 30 centimeters.
I was still shorter than Rosalyn, but there was a clear difference compared to Rize, who was nearing her full height.
Rize probably would grow over 170cm.
For me, who didn’t even meet the average height for girls my age, that was incredibly enviable.
“Rize, can I hug you once?”
“W-What?”
“Just… I’m curious. I wonder what it feels like to hug someone shorter than me.”
With those thoughts about height lingering in my mind, I found myself wondering. A person shorter than me… Aside from really little kids, I thought there likely wouldn’t be anyone else. I was genuinely curious.
I sat on the chair in my room and tapped my thighs while looking at Rize.
“Come here.”
“Milady…?”
“Oh come on.”
When she didn’t come over, I made that noise as an encouragement.
Rize approached me, slowly knelt down, and gently tucked herself into my embrace.
I hugged Rize tightly, and she let out a sound that made it seem like she was slightly uncomfortable.
“Milady…? This kind of thing…”
“Hmmm… it feels nice.”
“Milady…?”
“Mmm… soft and comfortable.”
“P-Please stop…….”
Wearing a maid outfit with lots of frills and naturally having soft skin felt really pleasant.
Maybe it had been too long since I held someone like that.
After a while, I let Rize go. Immediately, she seemed embarrassed, blushing and avoiding my gaze, but I didn’t mind too much.
For me, Rize’s flustered behavior felt adorably cute and was reassuring to see.