It's a dream, so, well...
"...Welcome back."
It should be okay to say at least this much, right?
No answer came.
A quiet stillness settled, and my consciousness sank back below the surface.
And then.
"Thank you, Milady. This time, I will truly give my life to protect you..."
With the voice faintly heard in my dream, I drifted off to sleep again.
However, the next morning, when I opened my eyes, I realized.
It wasn't a dream.
Marine had returned.
The next day, a ceremony was prepared to recognize the children who passed the qualification exam as true Lordbells.
From early morning, it was busy with preparations for the ceremony.
My room was no exception.
I sat on the bed, watching Marine, who had been running around frantically since before sunrise.
When Marine tripped over the carpet, I unconsciously reached out, then let out a long sigh.
Unable to bear it any longer, I said,
"Marine, you don't have to prepare so much."
I said it to ease Marine's burden.
But Marine shouted with fire in her eyes,
"What do you mean by that?!"
Then, waving a pure white uniform in front of me, she fervently explained,
"What kind of day is today! It's the day to be rewarded for all of Milady's hard work! It has to be more perfect than ever!"
"Well..."
That's true, but...
"This uniform, which only direct descendants who have passed the difficult exam and are recognized as true Lordbells are qualified to wear! The day Milady will wear this has come. I, Marine, am so overwhelmed with emotion that I'm about to cry!"
Marine really cried.
I never expected her to actually cry, so I quickly approached Marine, patted her back, and asked,
"Marine, are you okay?"
At the same time, I wondered.
Is this really something to be so flustered about?
Well...
'It is an unprecedented event.'
I could understand why Marine was making such a fuss.
'In the history of the Lordbells, there has never been a case where a bastard was recognized as a direct descendant.'
It's a historic moment, and she's probably even more excited because she's been watching how hard I've been working.
Then Marine sniffled and asked,
"Aren't you happy, Milady?"
Well.
One thing was clear.
'I would have been very happy before.'
Not just happy. I would have pinched my cheeks over and over again, wondering if it was a dream, and been so overwhelmed that I wouldn't have been able to sleep all night.
But now, it's like...
'I don't feel much emotion.'
Of course, I'm happy.
If I'm recognized as a direct descendant, I can go in and out of the non-public areas of the library, and then I can get the <Book of Ayla>, and find clues to undo the seal of the Evil God.
From the beginning, Aen's purpose in joining the Lordbell Knights was to find the <Book of Ayla>.
'If I find the <Book of Ayla>, then I can leave the duchy.'
That way, I can save Aen from death.
So, from here is a real step.
If you think about it in that sense...
"I'm happy."
Only then did I finally smile.
Marine stared at me for a moment.
"If Milady is happy, then I'm happy too."
We laughed together.
Thanks to Marine's busy movements since dawn, there was quite a bit of time left until the ceremony.
In the meantime, Marine organized my luggage.
It was because I was going back to the main house right after the ceremony.
I didn't have anything to do, so I watched Marine packing her luggage.
I tried to help, but she vehemently opposed it, so we agreed to just watch from the side.
I looked at the scarred hands carefully folding one piece of clothing, then looked at Marine's face.
"Hmm hmm~!"
Over the cheerful humming, the scarred appearance from the brutal torture overlapped.
It was only a few days ago.
Not enough to be healed in just a few days.
I wondered if she was pretending to be okay.
I stared at Marine, who was humming, and poked her in the side.
"......?"
Marine looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"Milady, what are you doing?"
There was no sign of pain at all.
I thought about glossing over it, watching Marine looking at her side, wondering if something was묻었, but I decided to just ask directly.
"You were hurt a lot back then."
"Yes?"
"Doesn't it still hurt?"
"Ah......"
Marine's eyes shook slightly.
She covered her deeply wounded side and smiled, answering.
"I'm okay."
"But......"
You haven't been treated, so there's no way such a big injury would be okay.
When I looked at her with that thought, Marine slightly averted her gaze.
What is it?
Marine's demeanor was somehow strange.
"Marine, are you really okay?"
It's not that I'm suspicious of Marine now, but her appearance was so suspicious that I kept pushing.
"Should I call a doctor or something?"
Marine shook her head at my question.
Soon, she hesitated and answered.
"Actually... I got treated."
"You got treated?"
I asked back with surprised eyes.
Marine nodded.
Who on earth, how?
At the time, Marine was a prisoner, so who would dare treat Marine?
I stared at her with that question in my eyes.
Reading the gaze, Marine hesitated and revealed the truth.
"Actually, the head of the family..."
"The Duke?"
The culprit was an unexpected person.
Marine let out a small sigh and told me everything that had happened.
"The night Milady visited, the head of the family came to see me in person. I thought he was going to execute me now, but he attached a healer and treated me directly."
"A healer......"
Ligrine said that the healer had requested a direct visit to the temple for my treatment after the ogre's surprise attack.
Perhaps the healer who visited for my treatment stayed and treated Marine.
By the Duke.
'He went that far?'
Of course, Marine's injury at the time was so severe that it wouldn't be strange if she died immediately, so to make a deal with me, he had to keep Marine alive.
'But in that case, a doctor would have been enough.'
No, I didn't even need to go to a doctor.
The condition of the deal was 'to return Marine to my maid', so even if he only gave her proper treatment and sent her back, it wouldn't be a breach of contract.
'Rather, I expected him to do that.'
Because this contract was practically a blackmail as a duke.
'What on earth is he thinking?'
I was confused by the Duke's actions, which were different from my expectations.
What benefit would there be for him to treat Marine?
'It's definitely not to buy my favor...'
Kkuuung.
I tried to guess the Duke's thoughts by wracking my brain, but I couldn't get a grasp of it.
Maybe Marine knows the reason?
I thought so and looked at Marine.
"Ha, haha..."
Marine gave an awkward laugh and avoided my gaze.
Just in time.
Knock knock.
A voice was heard from beyond the door along with the knock.
"Lady Lucia, it's time to leave."
Then Marine stood up as if she had been waiting.
"Th, that's right, it's already time! You have to go quickly, Milady! What if you're late. I'll be waiting while I finish packing!"
She even pushed me on the back.
Hmm......
'It doesn't seem that important.'
I don't want to make Marine, who came back from the torture, feel awkward.
Should I just let it go at this point?
"Okay, I'll be back."
"Yes, yes. See you later!"
I turned around and left the room, waving at Marine.
A servant was waiting in front of the door.
The servant bowed to me and said.
"I will guide you to the ceremony venue."
"Please."
"Yes. Please follow me."
The servant walked ahead.
I turned around at the door and followed the servant.
Finally today, I am recognized as a direct Lordbell.
Tak.
When Lucia left and the door closed, Marine stopped the hand that had been waving so enthusiastically.
The smile on her lips slowly faded.
Marine, who lowered her hand, muttered softly.
"...I'm sorry, Milady."
The fact that she had made another secret from Lucia made her heart ache as if it were melting.
She knew what Lucia was suspecting.
She wanted to tell everything if she could.
What happened to Marine last night.
But......
'I can't tell you.'
Marine shook her head.
And to calm her shaking heart, she recalled the memories of last night.
Comments
Post a Comment