Chapter 208

Chapter 208

* * *

I found myself back in my bed the next morning. Cassis had already left. I stared at the sunlight that shone through my window for a little while. It seemed particularly bright that day.

There were still so many words left unspoken, but it was a little too late for regrets. Cassis must have come all the way there out of concern for me, despite his own duties in Pedelian.

I rose from my bed, then walked up to my dressing table and checked the mirror. Thankfully, there were no signs of the previous night’s delights on my face. The way my eyes were calm and my body felt rejuvenated suggested that he had done something to me before leaving.

I checked to make sure my face was presentable before reclosing my eyes for a little while, then opening them again. I then stared at my cold expression one last time before turning away. Getting cold feet once last night was more than enough. I could neither retreat nor change the path I had chosen to take at that point.

The road ahead was still far too vast for me to waste time lingering in the past. From that point forward, I needed to only look and move forward.

With that thought in mind, I stepped out of my room.

* * *

After a few days, Jeremy and I headed back to Yggdrasil. A great deal of the castle had already been restored during our absence, but I didn’t feel anything particular toward the place since I hadn’t been gone all that long.

I was certain there would still be patients residing in the infirmary wing. I had heard that Sylvia had decided to stay behind before I left and felt that I should pay her a visit after settling back in.

“How awesome does the word ‘joint’ sound to you?”

Jeremy’s voice sounded from beside me, but it was clear he wasn’t directing them at me. He had been conversing with a servant for a while as though we had arrived at a public picnic. In fact, he acted in such a manner during the two days before we had even left Agrece.

“It means that from this point on, Xana and I will go to the same places, see the same things, think the same thoughts, and act the same way as a united front.”

“Ah, I see...”

“How great does that sound? Can you imagine?!” He kept prattling on about such nonsense to the attendant who had come out to escort us to the great conference hall. Honestly, it hardly qualified as a conversation. He rambled without waiting for an answer from either of us. “Pfft! Well, of course you wouldn’t know. I’m the only one in this entire world who can understand this feeling.”

If someone else were to have seen him act in such a boastful manner, they would have thought him nearly as bad as Noel Vertium. I could tell the attendant was struggling to keep his composure after enduring Jeremy’s repetitive speech. They appeared to be new, which was not surprising considering how many had died during the puppet invasion.

“Jeremy, at this rate we’re going to be late. Let’s hurry up.”

“Sure, Sis!”

Per usual, he offered a beaming smile with his reply. I had succeeded in getting him to stop harassing the attendant long enough to come toward me. Although it was customary for them to escort guests around the castle by taking the lead, the one accompanying us had lost his wits after seeing me.

Even after going on ahead, he continued to foolishly follow behind us as if he had forgotten his other duties. That was also how I was able to recognize that he was new at Yggdrasil Castle. The man had appeared fairly refined while putting up with my brother, but then lost all composure and stared blankly at my face more than once whenever I spoke.

If we hadn’t known where to go beforehand, Jeremy would have surely berated the man for making us even later. Of course, he never needed a reason to harass anyone who couldn’t keep their eyes off me. But at the moment, he was simply too delighted to notice.

It may have very well been one of the happiest moments of his life. Since I understood why he was acting that way, I continued to walk ahead unsure of whether to smile along with him or not. The meeting we were heading to was exclusively for each clan master and their respective heirs.

Seeing as how we were pressed for time, I figured the other clans had already taken their seats inside. The masters intended to discuss unprecedented topics since the puppet invasion had been as grave as the Fipellions’ monster rampage 500 years ago.

Once Jeremy and I reached the conference hall, we stopped in front of the large doors that were shut before us. When the attendant finally came to his senses, he ran forward to open the door.

“What are you doing?” Jeremy’s eyebrows shot high up just as the doors were opened.

The man flinched as he looked back at us. “I-I beg your pardon?”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?! You’ve forgotten the most important part.”

He panicked as my brother continued to cast a cold glare at him. I was equally perplexed, so I could only think of one way to help the poor man.

“What are you talking about?”

Just then, as if he had been struck with a bolt of lightning, the servant shouted, “Ah!” Then Jeremy nodded at him.

At last, with a more solemn expression, the servant roared at the top of his lungs while pushing the hall door open further.

“The joint Black Masters Jeremy and Roxana Agrece have arrived!”

I couldn’t help muttering to myself as I finally understood the two’s silent agreement. “Good grief, Jeremy... I guess you weren’t just gloating on the way here, huh?”

He reached his hand out toward me as I stood still in mild shock. “Let’s go, Sis.”

Yet again, all I could focus on was the beaming smile on his flawless face. The boy was simply impossible. I couldn’t suppress my own smile as I took his hand. And just like that, we walked in sync into the clan masters’ conference.

Each master and the remaining heirs had already been seated inside. They all looked at us curiously after our grandiose entrance. Cassis was the first to meet my gaze. I noticed a slight smile on his lips. Per usual, he and Roussel represented the Blue Pedelian, while Badrisha and Luzark sat as representatives of the Red Castro.

To my surprise, Hiakin had unexpectedly brought Pandora to represent the White Fipellion with him. She stared at Jeremy and me rather uncomfortably. Since Noel Vertium was still neither in good condition nor considered worthy to represent the Gold Vertium, a rather strange man had taken his seat in his stead. He was apparently a Gold clan member who had been selected to serve as their representative.

As Jeremy and I approached our designated seats, the wind blew in through the open windows. It carried in the fresh scent of green leaves from outside. The yellow sunlight lit up the hall as well. The season of fresh greens had truly arrived and heralded a new starting point for all of us.

Epilogue - The Story Right After the New Beginning

On a surprisingly bright summer morning, Maria’s face glowed. Her expression gave away before anyone could ask that she was in a considerably happy mood. Her son Deon had finally awoken from his comatose state.

“Beth, hand me the medicine.” She had made a habit of taking him his medicine herself, but still had to order the maid to prepare the tonics and supplements for him since the day he had regained consciousness. “I assume you followed my instructions.”

“Yes, my lady. I prepared five times the normal dosage.”

Maria was intent on doing everything she could to make sure her son would be up and about as soon as possible.

“Forgive me, but... isn’t this a bit too much for him?”

“Most medicines don’t work on Deon, so it has to be prepared this way. And so what if it’s a bit much? Everything in these medicinal herbs is beneficial.”

“V-very well.”

“Continue to spend everything you can on these medicines. We need him out of his bed as soon as possible.”

Anyone who might happen upon such a scene would likely assume that Maria was simply a loving, caring mother. However, Beth was well aware of her former master’s true intentions and secretly clicked her tongue in disgust.

The smaller woman was exuberant over the thought of finally being able to kick her son out of Sierra’s home. The only reason she seemed to be so invested in his well-being was to do precisely that as soon as possible. Only then would she finally be able to enjoy the peace and tranquility of having the house just to her and Sierra.

“Beth, are you alone?”

Just as Maria entered her son’s room, the lovely mistress of the dwelling appeared.

“Yes, Lady Sierra. Is there anything you’d like me to do for you?”

“No, no, nothing of that sort. I was just asking because I can’t seem to find Emily.”

“Oh, she already...”

She left the house almost immediately after hearing the maid’s explanation. Emily had been leaving her post more and more often as of late. It had seemed especially odd since she had been ordered by her original master Roxana to stay at Sierra’s side at all times.

When Sierra found herself in an open field, the steward stood in the most elevated portion in the area while staring off into the distance. “Emily, what are you doing here all by yourself?”

She turned around as soon as she heard her charge speak, then immediately approached to sink into a low bow. “Forgive me for leaving my post, my lady.”

“I didn’t come here to berate you.”

Emily then realized she had yet to answer Sierra’s previous question. “I was just taking a stroll. I thought it would be all right since Lady Maria was with Beth, but it seems I was mistaken.” She continued to rebuke herself with an expressionless face.

“But no matter how short the distance, it is still too dangerous for you to move about on your own. Please make sure to bring Beth with you next time.” The blond woman smiled faintly as the lecture continued. “Both you and Xana have a tendency to be overprotective of me.”

She glanced around at the field as she stood before the stoic woman. The grass had grown tall enough to brush against her knees during a low breeze.

“Emily.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“You’ve been here for quite a while as well.”

Having perhaps sensed something, the steward quickly turned her head. Sierra also shifted to meet her gaze directly. With a faint smile on her lips, she asked, “Isn’t there something you wish to tell me?”

Emily stared into her eyes silently before finally choosing to speak from the heart.