Reincarnated as the mother of an otome game's villainess?!

Chapter 15. Eye in the Sky.

I was expecting some confusion, even hoping someone would spit their lemonades. But I wasn't prepared to see almost everyone looking at me as if I had suddenly grew horns. Even the Queen herself was lost for words, though she managed to remember to cover her mouth. The only ones who remained composed were the Doctor and Anna, the latter seemingly sharing my own confusion at everyone's expression. Maxwell was too busy re-reading the reports of the guards and everyone's testimony to pay much attention to our conversation.

—That's a Rose Nymph? That can't be... —Neil was the first one who dared to speak.

I nodded, and he didn't seem to distrust me, but he still couldn't believe it.

—And you said it sprouted directly from the seed? —Erzi asked.

—Yeah, even early yesterday there was nothing visible on her pot. What's so weird about it?

—M-madame —Victor intervened—, I might have forgotten to mention something important about the Nymphs on our talks. Those that have been sprouted by other people, they... well; they had allegedly sprouted as a regular sapling and then grow into a tree, before they would start to act like a creature. This whole process would take years, even most of their caretakers' lifetime. It is unheard that one will just sprout like this.

—Huh? W-wait? What does that mean? —I asked.

—I'm not sure, it could be something as simple as a mutation, or maybe it had to do something with how you planted it.

—I... I don't think I have done anything aside from what you taught me —I said.

But something did come to my mind. I had sung Violett to sleep while I was at the greenhouse a few times, and sometimes I would talk to the plants, even making voices for them. But I couldn't tell them, it was just too embarrassing. It was a secret only between me and the plants. And Carmila, who caught me in the middle of it once.

—Couldn't it have sensed that you were in danger, and sprouted to protect you? —Anna said.

—Could she? —I asked, looking at the Nymph, still sitting over my shoulder while eating a cookie.

—Well, some plants do bear fruits sooner when they are putting under stress —Victor said—, and that might apply to plant monsters too, but... to come up from the seed as an immature creature. I can't say for sure, maybe if I take it to my study and do a few tests.

The Nymph suddenly stood up and threw a hiss towards the botanist. Or at least, it attempted to do so; it sounded more like an angry kitten. Then she hugged my face, pricking my cheek with her tiny and numb thorns.

—I'm sorry, Victor, I think she is still too young —I said—, maybe in a few months she'll be a bit more independent?

—I understand. Still, this is a pretty unique situation; please allow me to take notes of her development.

—Of course. If she agrees with it.

I looked at the tiny Nymph and waited for a response. After a few seconds, she nodded and let go of my face, sitting once more on my shoulder and back to eating her cookie.

—I-impressive —was everything Victor could say.

—Have you given her a name? —Anna asked.

—Hmmm, not yet. Frankly, with everything that happened, naming her didn't even cross my mind.

I have never been too good at coming up with names. Even Violett's name was a suggestion of my late husband. Well, it would be more accurate to say he mentioned we should go with a flower pattern following my own name. But even if I used that pattern, I was already called Rosanne, it would be too confusing to name the Rose Nymph anything based on her own flower motif. And calling her any other flower's name would have been even more confusing.