Chapter 37: Cecilia Everglenn (7)
Scratch, scratch.
The sound of peeling an apple quietly echoed inside the hospital room.
“……”
“……”
It was quiet.
Cecilia, who had come to visit me, had not said a single word so far and simply kept peeling apples.
With her looking almost humble in that moment, I too could do nothing but stay silent and watch her.
“Here.”
Before I knew it, she had peeled the apple with skillful hands and handed me a piece stuck on a fork.
“Eat.”
“Ah, yes.”
I picked up the apple she offered me.
The words of the old professor, who had just left earlier, telling me not to put anything in my mouth today suddenly came to mind, but it was too late to refuse now.
‘It tastes good.’
As I chewed the apple, Cecilia just quietly watched me eat without saying a word.
When I had eaten about half, she started peeling a pear this time.
“Here.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Next was a peach, and after that, an orange...
I kept accepting everything she handed me, all the while worrying about when and what I should say.
“Why.”
Suddenly, she carefully asked me a question.
“Why did you help me back then?”
Cecilia had stopped peeling and was now staring intently at me.
“You could have died.”
Even without her reminding me, I already knew that well.
That was why, at the last moment, I had wavered.
I already knew too well from experience just how painful death was.
“If I answer that it’s fine since I didn’t die, will you get angry?”
After a short thought, I gave my reply, and she nodded.
“Yes.”
Cecilia murmured in a trembling voice.
“Why on earth... you and I had no relation whatsoever...”
At her words, I blankly thought.
Now that she mentioned it, it was true...
“That’s right.”
Why did I do that.
Acting up like some kind of hero when I wasn’t.
Why on earth.
Why did I do that.
With no clear answer to her words, I quietly muttered to myself.
“Really.”
Why did I do that.
In my past life, she had saved my life.
But strictly speaking, the Cecilia who saved me back then and the Cecilia before me now were completely different people.
And if I were to be honest, she likely could have saved her own life even without me.
“Why...”
There was no special reason why one person saved another.
Those were the very words she had said when she saved me without the slightest hesitation, even though I had insulted and mocked her.
At the time, it was hard to accept, but only now did I realize those words had been etched into my heart.
“Was that it.”
Was that why.
When I recalled that hundreds of people would die.
I realized those words faintly echoed in my ears once more.
“……”
…No, truthfully, I had vaguely known it myself.
To save my family from annihilation.
And to never die so helplessly again.
I knew well enough that my actions were completely contrary to those goals.
Frankly speaking, if I had left it to someone like Professor Shagas and hidden somewhere safe, I wouldn’t have faced any danger at all.
With my knowledge of the future, I could have relied on other powerful people and begged for the lives of myself and my household.
But even knowing that, I had chosen to move, chosen to throw myself into danger.
Why on earth.
I didn’t know the reason.
And that was why I wanted to know.
…That was all.
“I told you before, didn’t I, that I would help you. And at that time, you were hoping for help.”
And somehow.
Now that I was seeing her face again like this, I felt as though I understood the reason, at least a little.
“For me, that alone was enough.”
“……”
“And it’s not like there always has to be a reason, is there?”
“…What?”
Facing Cecilia, who looked at me as though she had misheard, I couldn’t help but grin.
“There doesn’t always need to be some grand reason. For a person to save another.”
“……”
Cecilia just blankly looked at me.
As if she had lost her words.
‘Ah.’
And seeing her dazed expression, embarrassment suddenly welled up inside me, making my face burn.
‘…What on earth did I just blurt out?’
Was I going through some late puberty or something.
Even as I said it myself, goosebumps spread across my whole body.
I really needed to fix this habit of blurting things out first and thinking later, I cursed myself inwardly as I swallowed back my regret.
“I’ve felt this for a long time, but really...”
Cecilia fell silent for a moment as if weighing her words.
“You’re the type of person who suffers losses.”
Struggling to finish her words, she then slowly stood up.
And then she started tidying the area around us all of a sudden.
“They said you need to rest for now, so I’ll be leaving.”
“Ah, yes.”
“And.”
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded and looked at me.
“From now on, would it be alright if I called you Lian?”
“Pardon?”
“Because you.”
Cecilia spoke to me more quickly than usual.
“Because you called me Cecilia.”
Her face, as she said that, was faintly, ever so faintly flushed.
***
It was often said that this world was made up of five realms.
The Middle Realm, where humans, demonkind, and all manner of races lived together.
The Demon Realm, known as the domain of demons.
The Spirit Realm, where spirits and spiritual beings existed.
The Netherworld, where the dead who had lost their ties to the world fell into.
And the Origin Realm, which surrounded and encompassed the other four.
Lastly, it was said that there were gaps that existed between those five realms, serving almost like buffers, spaces hardly worthy of being called worlds.
And though only temporarily, to freely pass through those gaps.
That was the power of the Brand that Archbishop Rahma possessed.
The Brand.
Thanks to it, Rahma had reached a level in necromancy, his specialty, that ordinary people could not even imagine.
He could materialize his own soul and settle it into another body, something even Archmages would not dare to attempt.
Of course, despite its many restrictions and drawbacks, it was his final resort and secret weapon, worthy of being called a forbidden art.
In fact, through it Rahma had escaped death several times.
And naturally, this time as well, he had prepared his necromancy thoroughly as a safeguard for the unexpected.
It was a human action, born of a lifetime of caution and vigilance, and in the end, that near-paranoid obsession had saved his life.
“Keuhk!”
But even he had neither expected nor prepared for the current situation.
The first thing he saw when he regained consciousness was his shattered hideout and the sight of his subordinates lying dead without having put up any real resistance.
“You came earlier than expected, Archbishop Rahma.”
Because of the side effects of the ritual, he was now no different from a powerless ordinary man.
And the one who roughly stomped on his head muttered in an utterly businesslike tone.
Every time she spoke, her blue hair swayed.
“I had planned to wait here for at least a month, but since you came within a day, I can only be sincerely grateful.”
“I-I do not understand what you are saying! Why are you doing this to me?!”
Rahma cried out in a voice full of grievance, feigning ignorance.
It was the only option left for him in this situation.
But the one pressing down on his head only stared at him coldly.
“Are you trying to deny it?”
“N-no, it is not denial! I am nothing more than an ordinary hunter! I truly do not understand why you are treating me this way!”
“A hunter?”
She tilted her head as if puzzled.
“It seems I may have misunderstood.”
“Th-that’s right! I am not Rahma, my name is Johan…!”
And then, Lancia Jintia whispered.
“In that case, all the more reason there’s no need to let you live.”
“W-wait…!”
With a cracking sound, she slowly pressed down harder with her foot.
Agonizing pain as if his skull were being crushed burst through Rahma, and with it, a choking spurt of blood and a scream escaped his mouth.
“S-stop! Stop it, Lancia!”
Lancia tilted her head slightly and asked him.
“Well now, how did you come to know my name, Johan?”
“I-I! I only acted according to the will of Lord Ilionel!”
“……”
Rahma knew well that Lancia Jintia was a zealot beyond comparison to himself.
That was why he spoke the one name that could make her hesitate, and indeed, hearing that name, she showed the reaction he had expected.
Not missing that opening, Rahma began to plead in a desperate voice.
“You saw it too, did you not, the collapse of the Saintess’ statue was a kind of revelation directed at us! With the Knights appearing, with the Empire rising, naturally our power has waned, and the masses now chant the name of the Wolpen Knights like a prayer instead of Lord Ilionel! Even now, centuries later!”
“……”
“I only sounded an alarm! In accordance with His will…! An alarm to declare that the Evil God still endures, and that only prayers and faith toward Lord Ilionel can oppose him!”
Rahma spoke as if coughing up blood.
“I know full well how suspicious my actions must seem, Lancia. I know well that, regardless of my intent, what I have done thus far deserves nothing less than execution. But please, just a little more time! Once everything is finished, I will gladly throw myself upon the pyre! Just a little longer, and my plan—no, the holy will of Lord Ilionel—will be realized! I cannot, I must not die here yet!”
Lancia slowly nodded at his words.
“I see.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“It is only natural that one cannot oppose His will.”
“…! You understand! Then plea—aaaghhh!!!”
With another crack, Lancia pressed down again.
Rahma flailed, trying to pry her foot away, but it was nothing more than meaningless struggling.
“But as His proxy, I received the command to kill you. I accepted that command with humility and prayed to Lord Ilionel as I carried it out.”
She whispered.
“So you too, accept it with humility.”
Only upon seeing her eyes, fallen cold as ice, did Rahma realize that no words of his would change anything.
“If indeed all of your actions were truly for Lord Ilionel, then surely He Himself would have stopped me.”
Words that were as good as a death sentence.
Realizing there was no longer any way out, Rahma finally screamed in a frenzy.
“You disgusting wretch, do you even know who you’re spewing such filth at! A bitch who sold off her parents and village just to survive, daring to…! A filthy stray dog skulking in the shadows, a brat who still reeks of afterbirth, dares say she’ll kill me?! I’m not like you! I will never end in a place like this, in such a way…!”
Crack.
The sound of something shattering rang out.
And in contrast, the one who had been spewing curses without pause fell silent.
Lancia quietly lifted her foot and muttered as she looked down at the corpse with its head crushed.
Then, upon seeing his body begin to burn, she raised the bracelet on her hand to her lips.
“Mission complete. Rahma has been executed, and those hiding in the retreat have also been disposed of. The materials obtained will be sent immediately through a courier.”
[You always toil so much to carry out Lord Ilionel’s will, Lancia.]
At the voice coming from the bracelet, she bowed her head briefly.
“It is only humbling, Cardinal Bruyant.”
[Hoho. How modest you are.]
The voice let out a short laugh.
[More than that… Yes, was it not Lian Gwendil? Come to think of it, I heard it was also that man who prevented this disaster in advance…]
At the words Lian Gwendil, she hesitated for a moment, but Lancia did not show it outwardly.
“What would you have me do?”
The voice beyond the bracelet spoke with a sigh.
[If word spread that the Archbishop himself had in truth been a cultist of the Evil God, how blasphemous would that be?]
“…You wish for silence?”
[Too many already know, and their blood runs far too blue for that.]
The voice muttered as if it could not be helped.
[In any case, is that boy not also a follower of the Holy Sun Church? I know not the full details, but at least I believe he can be of benefit to us, not harm. More than anything, in terms of results, it is undeniable fact that thanks to him a great disaster was prevented… To attempt to harm such a boy instead of praising him would surely bring Lord Ilionel’s rebuke.]
But still, yes…
The voice quietly added.
[We cannot let such talent fall into another’s hands, especially not Cardinal Bernard’s.]
At those words, Lancia slightly, ever so slightly relaxed her expression, as if relieved, and asked again.
“Then you mean…”
[I would have you remain by that boy’s side for a time.]
The voice said.
[For now, we need to learn more about him in detail.]
Lancia only bowed her head quietly.
***
“It seems like you both have something you want to ask me.”
Velita, humming to herself, murmured as though singing.
“I’m in a good mood right now. I’ll answer, so why don’t you both spill everything openly?”
At her words, Tesrad naturally cast a soundproofing spell.
Only after confirming that the spell had been set did Anette, who had been silent, carefully open her mouth.
“I am grateful not only for your forgiveness of our impudence but also for granting us this chance to speak, Princess.”
Anette caught her breath for a moment, then spoke in as calm a voice as she could.
But both Velita and even Tesrad could sense the faint undercurrent of anger beneath her words.
“I cannot understand why Your Highness is so concerned with that man.”
“If I said it was love at first sight, would you believe me?”
Velita answered lightly with a small smile.
Anette simply waited in silence for her next words.
At the dry reaction, Velita pouted her lips as if disappointed.
“Tesrad, what about you? What did you think of him?”
“He was a man with ability beyond his years.”
Tesrad answered with a grave demeanor, setting aside his usual relaxed manner.
He pulled something out from his robes.
It was an herb bearing blue fruit.
“This herb was in his bag. It is a plant that terrifies giant ants.”
He shook his head as if in disbelief.
“It’s practically impossible to predict monsters. That means he somehow learned of the test beforehand. That alone is worth noting. Furthermore, upon further inquiry, I learned that he has not been a priest for long. Yet the prayers emanating from him were clearly beyond the level of an ordinary student. Considering that, he must surely be concealing power. I would estimate at least on par with an Archbishop…”
“Not that kind of answer, Tesrad.”
Velita muttered as though bored.
“I can see myself that he has ability. What I want to know is, in your view, what kind of man was he?”
“If I must say, he left a favorable impression.”
Tesrad nodded as he spoke.
“He seemed calculating, with a meticulous nature that kept even the smallest matters in mind. At times, it bordered on obsession… But from my standpoint, a sharp man is better than a dull one. At least you can hold a conversation with him.”
“And you, Anette?”
“I dislike him.”
Anette cut off her answer sharply.
Even she herself seemed taken aback at how firm her tone was, but Velita instead looked intrigued.
“Why? Because he stole my interest and affection from you?”
“I won’t deny that is partly true.”
Velita only let out a small laugh as she looked at Anette, who had spoken without any change in expression.
“Hmm, it seems there’s another reason. Care to tell me?”
“I have seen many like him. People who, despite lacking the ability, thrust their heads in everywhere.”
She spoke in a flat voice.
“Such people usually do not live out even their natural lifespan. They die young. And the problem is, they never go alone, but drag those around them down with them. I want nothing to do with such a foolish man.”
“That’s quite a harsh judgment. From what I saw, he didn’t seem that foolish.”
“And then there is his vulgar manner that bursts out in the moment.”
She added with a frown as if uncomfortable.
“It was the speech and behavior of a typical mercenary. Yet the problem is, he was never a mercenary, and has scarcely even left his territory. They say he rarely ever set foot outside his own estate. In many ways, a suspicious man.”
“Hm…”
Velita glanced out the window as if unconcerned.
She extended her finger lazily toward a butterfly fluttering outside.
“…He was looking somewhere else.”
As though enchanted, the butterfly flew to her.
Looking down at the butterfly that landed on her finger, she whispered.
“Do you remember the day of the consecration? When the rain fell… At that moment, he was staring at the statue. As though he had known from the start it was about to collapse.”
With a slight flick of her finger, she pinned the butterfly’s wings.
Even as the butterfly struggled, she continued smiling.
“And then, when our eyes met… For just a brief moment, but his eyes held clear contempt and hatred for me.”
With a giggle, she burst into laughter.
At that, Tesrad furrowed his brows slightly, and Anette pressed her lips tightly shut.
“There are usually two ways people overcome fear. They either run, or they burn with hostility… And he chose the latter. Which then raises another question.”
She slowly began to press down on the fluttering butterfly with her finger.
“The youngest son of a pitiful family with less than half a century of history.”
“Born not of the official wife but a concubine, with no inheritance rights, regarded as a burden, cast away into the Holy Sun Church.”
“A fool who wasted away in inferiority and self-loathing, never indulging in women, gambling, luxuries, or even hunting, nor forming any connections, but merely squandering his days.”
“A pathetic man who achieved nothing on his own, with only the feeble name of a minor merchant family to his credit.”
Like singing a song, Velita recited Lian Gwendil’s history without pause, then suddenly sighed.
“…That should be all of him.”
She giggled, saying that the man was far too different from what was written.
“There are many cases where rumor and reality differ. But… I felt an odd sense of incongruity from him. What did he see, what did he feel, what did he hide… And what did he see in me to look at me that way? Just what does he know?”
Smiling as she spoke, Velita quietly summoned mana.
“And what exactly happened in there?”
Fwoosh!
In an instant, the butterfly’s body went up in flames, and she whispered as she watched.
“I’ll have to see for myself.”
A smile spread across her lips.
She had a feeling she would not be bored for some time.
“It seems it will be fun again, after so long.”