Volume 1 Chapter 65 The Abandoned Deus Via.bak
Sir Ciel gently stroked my hair and back to calm me down, then took my hand and helped me sit at the restaurant table.
After that, he brought a cup and teapot and poured me some chamomile tea.
When he added a piece of flower honey from a jar, the honey slowly melted and spread in the chamomile tea.
"...Ms. Lydia, let's drink tea and eat some rice balls. Then, we should also bring the mushroom hot pot. You can't think of good ideas when you're hungry."
"Yeah... I'll carry it."
"Sir Roxas, please sit down too, over here."
When Sir Ciel snapped his fingers, rice balls, mushroom hot pot, plates, chopsticks, and spoons appeared on the table in an instant.
"Your magic is amazing and so different from mine."
Sir Roxas, who sat next to me, said while watching the mushroom hot pot suddenly appear in his plate.
"I think Sir Roxas's time-stealing magic is better because it can help Ms. Lydia."
Sir Ciel said this and lightly clasped his hands while sitting across from me.
"...Considering how you were earlier, it seems like you were under some kind of curse related to memory loss. By eating your cooking, you've broken the curse, Ms. Lydia's... However, special magic usually can't be used on oneself."
"Yeah. Neither my brother nor I can use our own magic on ourselves."
Sir Roxas crossed his arms and said.
I took a sip of the chamomile tea that Sir Ciel made for me.
The sweetness and freshness spread in my mouth, making me feel a little relieved.
"In Ms. Lydia's case, since Ms. Lydia uses cooking as a medium to activate magic, should we think that it also affects herself? In this case, the one activating the magic is not Ms. Lydia, but the cooking. ...Anyway, there might still be some of the curse left in your body. Shall we eat a bit more, Ms. Lydia?"
"Y-yes... um, Sir Ciel and the others, please eat too... it's better when it's warm."
"Thank you. Then, I won't hold back."
"Ah. Let's eat. Today, I'm grateful to Lydia for making the food."
Since Sir Roxas and Sir Ciel said a prayer before the meal, I also put my hands together and quietly said, "God Ancestor Theobart, Goddess Alexandria, thank you for today's meal."
I took a bite of the mushroom hot pot with my chopsticks.
The mushrooms were crunchy, and the saltiness of the soy sauce and the flavor of the chicken meatballs soaked in, making it delicious.
The ginger in the chicken meatballs made the soup feel refreshing.
The mushrooms were tasty.
I wanted Mr. Lucian to try it too.
I wonder if Mr. Lucian is okay.
"Ugh..."
"Don't cry, Lydia. ...No, it's okay to cry. Come here."
Even though the food was delicious, I felt sad, and tears started to fall.
Sir Roxas spread his arms wide, so I declined, saying, "I'll pass..."
"Why?"
"Um, I just feel like it's not a good idea..."
"What do you mean?"
Sir Roxas was angry next to me. It was scary.
I could hug Sir Ciel because he was my friend, but Sir Roxas was just a kind acquaintance, so it felt wrong. Somehow.
"Ms. Lydia. It's delicious today too. It has a calming taste. It reminds me of a little happiness from the past... So, what happened?"
When Sir Ciel asked, I recalled what happened in Fetoru Forest and talked about it one by one.
Sir Ciel and Sir Roxas listened quietly.
Sir Roxas's expression gradually became serious, but Sir Ciel still had his usual gentle smile.
"...Mr. Lucian was trying to do something scary with the people from Kirschtein..."
"The old Kirschtein territory was under the care of the Margrave Wisteria family, wasn't it, Ciel?"
"...That's right. The old Kirschtein territory is next to the Margrave Wisteria family. Twenty years ago, to manage the Kirschtein territory after losing the royal family, the Margrave Wisteria family sent officials, and now, it is governed by Wilshark... the second son of the Margrave Wisteria family. ...It's called the land abandoned by God──the forsaken Deusvia."
"You talk about it like it's someone else's problem, don't you? Wilshark is your cousin. Ciel Wisteria. You're the rightful heir of the Wisteria family."
"...I've discarded that name. Right now, it's about Lucian."
Sir Roxas sighed deeply.
It seems Sir Roxas knows about Sir Ciel's background. Since he had been consulting Sir Ciel about Sir Rail, they might be close.
"Lucian is a survivor of the Kirschtein royal family, raised as an orphan in the old Kirschtein territory, changed his name, and became the captain of the Leonsroar knights... is that right?"
"Yes... that's what he said."
"Twenty years ago, when the suppression war happened, I was just born, and Ciel was 5. Naturally, I have no memories of it. The records that remain only praise our country, the Bernard royal family, and King Zeere. ...But I've heard rumors. It seems it was quite brutal."
"That's right. To leave no roots behind, the Kirschtein royal family, including those in the castle, women and children... were all exterminated. The palace was stained with blood, and when the Wisteria family visited the castle after the war... no, let's stop there. It's not something we should discuss in detail."
"...Is Lucian trying to destroy the Bernard royal family? No, reclaiming the Kirschtein territory comes first. The palace has both Saintwise and Leonsroar. Lucian, who was with Leonsroar, must understand that they are not opponents he can defeat in a straightforward battle."
Sir Roxas said in a calm voice.
It sounds like they're talking about Mr. Lucian in a way that makes him seem like an enemy.
That makes me really sad.
Just recently, we were eating together happily.
"...When a town is hit by war, it often becomes unsafe. Considering Lucian's situation... I can understand why he might think revenge is justice."
"B-but...! Mr. Lucian doesn't really want to do that... As the leader of Leonsroar, he said it was a lie, but he wants to live... I think he said that. ...It's not just Mr. Lucian's problem, so it feels like there's nothing we can do anymore..."
"Actually, Lydia was attacked, right? If he stops seeking revenge, Lucian might be judged as a traitor by the remaining Kirschtein people. Or... if he wakes them up, it could be Lydia. ...Even if we save just Lucian, the remnants will just turn into a mob."
"...This is troubling. It's easy to destroy things. But not destroying them is the hardest part. ...The resentment from the Kirschtein people must be deep. The abandoned Deusvia has people from the kingdom moving in, limiting the land where Kirschtein people can live. That discrimination still continues. It's hard to say not to resent."
"...I might not be able to fix everything... but Mr. Lucian... looked sad. He said he was happy. So, I think fighting is not the answer..."
I rubbed my tears away.
"Six months ago, when I first cooked for Mr. Lucian... he said it reminded him of the happy times from the past. He mentioned that he never really understood the taste of food... back then, the dish Mr. Lucian asked me to make was something I didn't know."
I tightly clasp my hands in front of my chest.
My voice trembles.
I never have confidence. I don't know if it will go well.
But──.
"I think it might be a Kirschtein dish. ...I want him to try it again. For Mr. Lucian and the sad people around him. ...Maybe they'll think about stopping the revenge. They might consider other ways..."
I can't believe something like that would change anything.
But if there's even a small chance, I want to do what I can.
Mr. Lucian is my friend.
"Lydia."
"Ms. Lydia..."
Sir Roxas sighed, and Sir Ciel smiled brightly.
"...I've heard your story."
At that moment, a voice suddenly echoed.
For some reason, the restaurant window was open, and a man with white hair, wearing a fox-like mask, was sitting there with his legs crossed.
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