Volume 1 Chapter 17 Lydia, Just A Little Bit Of Recovery
I was kidnapped to the palace in the afternoon.
After making 20 hamburgers and arguing with Sir Stefan, I didn't notice that evening was creeping into the town.
In the orange-tinted sky, a red moon and a white moon were shining.
As the twilight settled over the town, Sir Ciel was carrying me as he walked.
"...Ms. Lydia. ...It's dangerous to speak to His Highness the Crown Prince like that."
Once the palace was completely out of sight, Sir Ciel said this with a somewhat troubled expression.
The orange light reflected off the jewels in Sir Ciel's hair, making them sparkle beautifully.
I thought he looked glamorous, but it was because he was a Gelhyum.
The Gelhyum sparkled all over like a mineral, but Sir Ciel was different.
Sir Stefan said he was a mixed breed.
In other words, Sir Ciel probably has some Gelhyum blood mixed in, not pure Gelhyum.
Even so, he still gets treated badly.
"I think His Highness... used to be a more gentle person, but somehow... he seems irritated, maybe because he's aware of his upcoming coronation. I think the situation with the broken engagement with Ms. Lydia is terrible, but there's more to it."
"Is it about insulting Sir Ciel...?"
"My situation is fine. ...But dismissing a maid from the castle just for mocking Lady Francois, or punishing the nobles and attendants who voiced their opinions about Ms. Lydia's situation... Of course, I am certainly to blame for bringing you into the palace where His Highness resides."
"That's alright, Sir Ciel. ...I should be the one to apologize."
As I was quietly held by Sir Ciel, I reflected on my actions.
"I never thought I had any power, and I still don't. So, I can't believe I could help anyone... Even though you were in trouble, I acted poorly. I'm sorry, Sir Ciel..."
"I should be the one apologizing. ...I said I wasn't deceiving you, but I've been lying all along. I only thought about how to make you listen to me."
When Sir Ciel came to me, I definitely thought he was a womanizer like Mr. Lucian.
He was too close.
But now, Sir Ciel feels different somehow.
"Coming to you in desperation to help my subordinates... that was just an excuse. I'm sorry."
"I'm not angry anymore. ...I'm just glad that Sir Ciel are doing well. I didn't want to see His Highness, but I'm glad I could voice my complaints. That awful person... I feel relieved to no longer be engaged to him..."
As I said that, tears started to well up in the corners of my eyes.
When I was just chosen as his fiancée, Sir Stefan was still kind to me.
There was definitely a faint longing and a feeling of love.
That shattered into pieces, scattered across the evening sky, and disappeared.
I think it's the worst.
I think it's terrible.
But, there were some good things, even if just a little. Just a little.
"Ms. Lydia... Thank you. I couldn't protect you, and instead, you ended up protecting me. It's pathetic, isn't it? I'm supposed to be much older than you."
"Sir Ciel is an adult, so you must be holding back, right...?"
"...I wonder. I've forgotten. The Gem People are hated, and it can't be helped. That's our position. I'm grateful to His Majesty the King for promoting me to my current position. Right now, it's the best... It's easier to research the Tears of the Moon and Rosalacrima."
"You're talking about the day the monsters fall, right...?"
"Yes... The reason the Gelhyum are discriminated against is that the Gem People are monsters that fell from the moon. Intelligent monsters... That's what the people of the kingdom think."
"...That's an old story, and now..."
I shook my head.
But I understand. That's just a facade.
Even now, there are many who don't see the Gelhyum as the same kind of people as themselves.
Sir Stefan's words are harsh, but it's not that unusual.
"No, I'm sorry... I just lied. That's not true, is it, Sir Ciel... You've been told many terrible things, haven't you? I also said I hated you. I'm sorry."
Being called useless.
Being called unnecessary.
I'm plain and unnoticeable, and no one knows where I am.
No one looks at me.
It's really painful. Being disliked and looked down on for doing nothing is very hard.
I know that, yet I did the same thing.
Sir Ciel apologized to me many times, but I disliked him just because he was a man.
I called him a pervert and said it over and over.
But, this can't be helped. He forced me to be taken away.
Still, he apologized to me. I shouldn't stay angry forever.
"Ms. Lydia... I was happy. You dislike me not because I'm a gem person, but because I'm a man. Of course, it might be because you didn't know I had gem blood... But it made me a bit happy that you looked down on me, not because of my bloodline, but because of me."
"Um, I'm sorry."
"And you got angry when I was mocked. Thank you. You are a kind person."
"I have a lot of personal grudges against His Highness!"
"But you got angry for my sake. I'm sorry for making you cry, Ms. Lydia. I swear I won't show my face in front of you again because you dislike me."
"Sir Ciel..."
Sir Ciel is smiling sadly with his brows furrowed.
It makes my heart ache.
I'm just like Sir Stefan.
My stubborn attitude hurt Sir Ciel.
Even though I don't know him well, I rejected him.
In the first place, isn't it wrong to refuse customers who come to eat at the restaurant just because they are men?
Ah.
Mr. Lucian is different. He's a womanizer.
"...Sir Ciel, um, um..."
"Ms. Lydia?"
"Well, um... Sir Ciel, would you like to have dinner with me? It's already that time... if you don't mind..."
"Is it okay...? I'm so happy. Your cooking is more delicious than any meal I've ever had. I thought it would be a shame not to be able to eat it."
When Sir Ciel said that and smiled so happily, I felt relieved.
I rubbed the tears that had gathered at the corners of my eyes and smiled back.
For the first time in a while, I felt like I could really smile.
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