Episode 194
Unexpected guests often came again.
“I ran away.”
“…… Lapis?”
Someone hurriedly knocked on the door, and when I opened it, Lapis with a determined face was standing there.
“What do you mean?”
“So. I really ran away. I can't work for people like that anymore.”
Lazuri came up late and said hello.
“…… Would you like to come in for tea, both of you?”
Elisha accepted Lazri's greetings, she said.
As soon as Lapis sat down, business exploded just like Ilione.
“That person!”
“…… So, Lucerne?”
“Yes. He told me the whole truth about Master Pian. That's it. 'So you don't have to feel emotionally indebted to me anymore. And I don't really need you, so get out if you don't want to. I won't pay any penalties or ceremonies to break loyalty.' No. Where does it add up if someone tells me that I need it? Anyway. You're saying that we'll be the head of the Cartier family, so there's no need for us, right?”
“…….”
“You mean you're going to eat the head of that damn family. How did we get involved with that family? Who was betrayed?”
Elisha read a lot between the lines of Lapis's chaotic and furious words.
“Sorry. Lady. Lapis sometimes doesn't think like this. Cursing your wife in front of the mistress.”
Lazri apologized calmly from the side. However, he did not actively stop Lapis.
Elisha understood the situation without difficulty.
'Lucerne revealed Paian's will to the twins.'
If you interpret Lucerne's words, that was it. Now that there is no emotional debt to each other, you can leave. But, as always, the words were wrapped in vicious language.
'Others often let them go freely.'
But. Now, even if Elisha knew the family's secret, she knew too much. So, in fact, it was fortunate that she was spared if it was Lucerne's original personality.
…… No. Since she said she loved her, would she be the exception? But what the hell is that man's love…….
“Lady?”
Before I knew it, Lazli was looking at her with her serious face. Elisha shook her head briefly.
“So, until when are you going to run away?”
Lapis and Lazuli looked at each other.
“Both of us quit the Knights.”
“…… Okay?”
“Yes. From now on, Lapis and I are going to go to the Magic Tower for a while and study. After that, I travel a bit. I'll be back someday, but not right now. So far……. I went to war at a young age.”
“Good idea. It suits Lapis and Lazuli more.”
Lapis and Lazuli flinched. Lapis asked.
“Would you like me not to write an article?”
Elisha didn't know why the hell she was asking herself. But she thought of her childhood. Really……. These kids don't know whom to ask.
“Lapis, I like it when I can choose another path. Even if you come back later……. I may not be able to turn back then.”
Elisha recalled what she remembered about Lapis and Lazri from her past life. I really don't have much contact with them, so I don't remember anything. But she remembered seeing Lapis once.
Elisha remembers Lapis from her previous life as a very nervous and sensitive young man. He seemed a bit unhappy too.
At that time, the civil war of the Cartier family. The Black Lions who were attracted to it generally looked tired and unhappy.
“I……. Lady. Can I see you again?”
Elisha felt like she was being asked that question often these days.
“Why do you ask that?”
“Madam seems like someone who will disappear sometimes. Just……. I think so.”
Elisha stared blankly at Lapis.
“Come back anytime. I'll drop off some tea.”
Lapis' cheeks turned red and he nodded. Lapis and Lazri drank tea and talked for a long time before leaving.
“There…….”
“Yes?”
“Don't forget that bracelet. It is very good for self-defense.”
“Okay.”
At Lapis's words, Elisha nodded her head without thinking.
“And I'm no longer part of Sid.”
“…….”
“So if something happens, I can come running at any time. Next time……. Let me help you. If anything happens, please tell me too.”
“…… Yes.”
“I don't know what happened, but what did he do wrong that he's separating? I can't imagine someone else being the mistress.”
“…….”
It was an unexpected word. Elisha looked at Lapis and slowly nodded her head.
“Lapis. See you again.”
“…… Yes.”
Lapis nodded.
'Everyone is changing.'
Elisha thought. Life is like water flowing through her life, and when she felt the flow, she felt like an uninhabited island caught between the waves.
“Aren't you curious about the news of the general?”
Then Rajri asked. Elisha hesitated.
“That's the bad guy…….”
Lapis hastily tried to open his mouth.
“No.”
Elisha barely responded calmly.
“I am not curious.”
Lapis and Lazuli noticed each other. Elisha's curiosity grew, but she was very patient with her.
“Lady. Then we will go.”
“I will write you a letter.”
“Okay. Reply. I will definitely send it.”
Widely. The two boys left and the door closed. The afterglow left by the two boys lingered longer than expected.
* * *
A lot of good things have happened lately.
Elisha gradually learned about her own tastes and hobbies while living this refined life. In the past, she just ate what was there, and she was not a picky eater.
But she realized that she preferred raspberry jam to marmalade. She realized that she liked raspberry jam, but not too sour.
'For example, when I go to a bakery, they always have my favorite jam. That the jam gets more and more delicious.'
She really wasn't a big deal, but she had a life where she remembered those little happinesses.
She still liked going to the shrine, but she didn't pray.
At about 4:00 p.M., She went to the shrine, and the choir and musicians played not sacred chants, but secular songs.
Among them, there was a song called 'Golden Life'. Elisha said she loved listening to the song. Lucky for her, in her temple she often adopted the song as her study song. Elisha could hear her slowly.
As she passed the time like that, another lazy day passed by.
* * *
'My body is a bit strange.'
Elisha felt her body tremble one morning. Looking back, it was about this day in her previous life. She had been very ill.
She was alone for days in a small room under the stairs, and then without a meal she went out. After that, her body deteriorated greatly.
'…… Shouldn't I have just hired her maid to do her job.'
The mansion had a common maid for tasks such as cleaning and washing, but each of the wealthy bachelor residents hired a cook or maid.
Elisha wasn't doing it for her quiet life.
'It's inconvenient to live alone at times like this.'
She thought as she swallowed a dry cough into her mouth. Elisha felt her feverish head and she went out to the nearby grocery store to buy some food for her to eat for the next few days she'll probably be sick. She was mostly ready-to-eat fruit.
It was then. Soft music began to reverberate through the streets.
Priests were walking along the road, holding flowers and singing slowly. Looking closely, he was heading towards the main shrine in the center of the city.
'Peace to the dead.'
'Love to the child who left.'
Elisha followed them as if possessed.
“What is that matrix?”
Seeing the people disappear into the temple, Elisha asked a priest passing by. The priest politely replied.
“Today is the once-a-year memorial day for dead children.”
“Which children?”
“Any child. All. All the children who lived in this city. If there is a child who died in the same year. No. If there is a child who sadly passed away before the age of ten, we hold a memorial event including those who have died so far. Although this city is now affluent, before the river basin was developed, it was very poor and many children died. If you don't mind, you don't have to pay an offering. Go and offer flowers.”
“…… Okay. Thank you for letting me know.”
Elisha went inside the temple. The inside of the temple was gloomy. The children raised their innocent eyes and looked at Elisha. The children were offering colorfully colored stones to the altar.
Although the imperials were not very religious, marriages and funerals. Only those two relied on the temple.
“Take this.”
A red-cheeked child approached me. And she held out the blue stone to Elisha.
However, Elisha tinkered with the stone for a long time. She explained shyly that a child who saw Elisha like that.
“Ma'am. This is to comfort the souls of the dead children.”
“Yes, I see.”
Elisha thanked her and gave one of her silver coins to her child.
The child took it and went back to her group of friends.
Elisha slowly placed the blue stone on the altar.
She's not ready yet, she's not ready to face everything. Her head was aching as if the fever had risen in earnest.
