CH 15

Everything in this room had rare items. Not just this room, no matter where you looked around the mansion, there was nothing that wasn’t valuable. Just like Simon, who insisted on ‘only the best products.’ Even the doorknob was a delicate work of the craftsman.

The scale of his charity work was far beyond imagination. The initial budget for a shelter built in a slum was equivalent to a three year budget for an ordinary noble family. So, worrying about the future of this family wasn’t just because of her old age.

We need to be prepared for the unexpected. No one knows what will happen. Only then did her bottomless anxiety seem to go away a little. To do so, she needed external information. Whether it was about lands, buildings, or whatever, she needed information to make plans.

Just in time, I’m a bit curious about the world outside the mansion. But would Simon readily allow her to go out?

Not long ago, she said she wanted to see the beach. Not long after, she witnessed a pit being made in the garden corner, then Simon talked.

“Baby, I couldn’t give you a sea as a gift, so I prepared a small lake. When it’s finished, I will set you up a pretty boat.”

She smiled warmly at those words… At the same time, her heart felt heavy with guilt. After that, Elusiana couldn’t say anything carelessly. If she said she wanted to live in the imperial palace, it seemed they would even build a palace for her. That would lead to treason, no, it’s already treason.

So, how could she get out of the mansion?

Elusiana’s scarlet eyes suddenly sparkled as she sought a plausible excuse. Right! There’s such a way!

Glancing into the dressing room, she talked softly to Trisha, who could only barely see the end of her skirt. “Trisha, I forgot something urgent. I think I will have to go right away… It’s kind of weird to go together, right? Hmm, then, should I… go by myself?”

Elusiana slipped out of the dressing room and carefully closed the door.

“I’ve made it clear, Trisha. I didn’t sneak out.”

Barely holding back her laughter, Elusiana quickly moved. The place where Elusiana headed to was none other than Astein’s room.

* * *

“Lady!”

Elusiana and Astein made their way through the crowd with the restless knight behind them. In fact, the way she needed to get out of the mansion wasn’t much different. Wasn’t it because of ‘safety’ that Simon was hiding her in the mansion in the first place? Therefore, that problem could be solved by bringing her escort knight. Above all, when Simon was absent like this time, the one who held power would be his successor.

Ooh, this is the central square of the island! Elusiana, who reached the island’s central square in about ten minutes, exclaimed as she watched all directions around the square.

“Lady, please get back to the mansion. If the Master knows, you will be in big trouble.”

“Sir Ron, please wait a minute.”

An unusual landscape that seemed to be similar to the Middle Ages, but in some ways, it seemed quite advanced.  That was the case with the antique buildings that came into her view. In particular, the out-of-season flowers blooming around the central fountain were fresh and fragrant, as if they had been preserved.

“As, look there, it’s lisianthus.”

“…lisianthus… that’s right.”

Astein’s red pupils, quietly standing next to Elusiana, trembled slightly. Considering that he asked for the source when he saw her necklace, it was clear that ‘lisianthus’ had a special meaning for him. And it was the same with Elusiana, although the meaning was a little different.

Elusiana bent down and sniffed the scent of flowers.

“As. Do you know what the flower language of lisianthus means?”

“…I don’t know.”

“It’s unchanging love.”

Bitterness spread across her face as she recalled the past. She once thought she wanted to be loved like that. Even though she had nothing, she expected that she could receive something like that. But after all, she didn’t get it in her previous life.

Elusiana, who slightly touched the petals of the pink lisianthus, uttered in passing. “That’s why I came to like it. I wanted to believe that there was such love somewhere in the world.”

“…there is no such thing, Lusi.”

Elusiana smiled brightly at Astein, who looked somewhat angry.

“It’s not that it doesn’t exist, but I couldn’t find it. I gave up before I even found that person.”

“…you gave up and didn’t find that person?”

“Yes. So, try to find it from now on, As. There must be someone waiting for you somewhere.”

After turning her gaze away from lisianthus, Elusiana’s attention turned to strange and unfamiliar things. But Astein couldn’t take his eyes off the lisianthus for a while.

Ron, watching the two, felt as if his life had already ended due to heavy fatigue. The young lady had no intention of returning to the mansion immediately. Wasn’t the reason she left the mansion accompanied by me in order to obtain at least some ‘indulgence’? Ron let out a short sigh, worried about his own future.  

At that time, Elusiana, who was looking around quietly, suddenly started walking toward one of the many alleys.

“As! Hurry up, there’s fruit candy there!”

With a happy smile like a child who received a Christmas present, Astein smiled unconsciously and walked quickly to her place.

“Do you want strawberries?”

“I want… green grapes.”

“As, you like green grapes?”

With the sugar syrup applied to the surface of the cold fruit, it quickly hardened.

“Enjoy your meal.”

The two, holding the fruit candy handed over by the merchant, finally slowed down and savored the sweet taste.

“I think it tastes sweet enough to sting the tip of the tongue. Right?”

“…Yes.”

Astein answered with a frown as if he didn’t like sweets. Elusiana giggled as she chewed on the hardened candy.

“Do you hate sweets so much?”

Astein, who pushed the fruit candy far away, shook his head.

“Yes.”

“Why do you hate it so much?”

Astein, who wrinkled his nose, answered with a look of wonder what to do with this.

“Because it doesn’t suit me.”

“…uh, what?”

Elusiana panicked at the unexpected answer.

“Why do you like sweet things, Lusi?”

“Because— I-it makes me feel better?”

“It makes you feel better… That’s fascinating.”

Elusiana turned to the side at the low-pitched words from Astein. She was thinking about what to do with the fruit candy that he pushed away. Isn’t he weird? Isn’t it natural to eat something when you feel bad? It was like you couldn’t imagine a steamed bun without filling! How could he not know something that obvious… Wait.

Elusiana’s face, who was pondering Astein’s words, soon turned pale. Stupid. It’s been several months, and I already forgot it?!

For what reason did he come to the Viscount Waieos? In the first place, he had fled from ‘abuse’ with such a miserable appearance that made it difficult to see him as a human being. And maybe that someone—

Gasp! Maybe someone is still looking for Astein. It was a time when Elusiana, who was shocked inside, couldn’t find anything to say and was worried. Ron, who was following them, blocked their path.

“You can’t go any further, Lady. It’s the commoner area.”

“…commoner area?”

“Yes.”

Elusiana pondered for a moment. Central square or commoner area, which of the two was safer for Astein? The decision was already settled.

“Uh, um… I’m not sure, but is the commoner area a place I shouldn’t go?”

“It’s not like that, but it’s true that the security is worse than here.”

“Still—”

“No.”

Ron’s resolute answer, as if there was no room for objection, caused Elusiana to be troubled again. So where should we go? It would be better to stay out of sight until dark. They may have already been caught, but it was more likely not. Astein would have been taken away if they were already caught.

Elusiana looked at Astein to see if he had a good idea. But he didn’t seem to think of anything else, just walking side by side. Is it because it’s my duty, so he didn’t worry? Anyway, I have no idea what that expressionless face is thinking.

It would be difficult to dig up his bad memories. At that moment, Elusiana sighed deeply and looked beyond the commoner area. She had a brilliant idea in her head.

“Sir Ron, is there a slum beyond the commoner zone?”

“Yes.”

“Then… if I go there, is there a chance I can meet my father?”

A look of bewilderment appeared on Ron’s face at the completely unexpected question.

“Lady, are you thinking of going to the shelter in the slum?”

Elusiana, who smiled wider than ever, answered, snatching Astein’s arm beside her.

“Yes! I want to do that.”

“Lady! You can’t!”

“I’m going to see my father, but why are you stopping me by force?”

“T-that’s…!”

“Hurry up, Sir Ron. We must arrive before sunset. My father will be very happy if we go together. As, don’t you think so

“Hurry up, please. Sir Ron. We’ll be there before sunset. My father will be very happy if we go together. As, you think so too?”

Elusiana completely ignored Ron’s astonished gaze and stepped vigorously into the commoner area. A faint smile formed around Astein’s lips as he was dragged by her. With a ticklish whisper, as if saying a small chant.

“…Yes. He will be delighted. Just like me.”

However, it was a hasty judgment. If she had known what Simon was to the people in the slums, and if she had known what kind of ripple effect the appearance of her daughter, Elusiana, would have, she would never have had such a reckless thought. Because to them, Simon was as great as a blessing from God.