Volume 1 Chapter 79 Rainy Town
Eiris is gone.
Sir Ciel's sleep magic is fading throughout the town.
We returned to the town because we were worried about what happened to everyone.
In front of the underground waterway, the Moon Soul Cult members, who seemed sane after eating my cooking, were taking the captured Judal somewhere under Mr. Lucian's orders.
The members were rescuing people from the cult from the half-collapsed underground waterway.
In the town, people who had woken from their dreams were arguing.
I couldn't tell the difference between the Kirschtein people and the Bernard people by their looks, but after living nearby for a long time, maybe I could figure out who was who.
In the town that Eiris destroyed, the voices of arguing adults and the cries of children echoed.
"The survivors from Kirschtein must have summoned that monster! Because of you, the town...!"
"You Bernard people are not satisfied with just trampling our land; you mock us Kirschtein people, treat us like sl*ves, and even want to kill us for crimes we didn't commit...!"
"Help... someone, there are children left inside the house...!"
"It's the fault of the Kirschtein people! Those cursed red moon witch's minions, filthy beast tamers!"
"Are you going to take our land and mock us...? We've endured for so long, but this is the limit!"
"Someone...!"
Eiris is gone.
Everyone should be sane now.
But the voices of conflict don't stop.
I gasped at the sight of people arguing in the broken town.
Children were crying, and mothers were crouching down, holding their kids close to protect them.
Even though there were voices asking for help, the shouts of anger were much louder.
"What a terrible sight! I came to the town worried, and this is...! We showed kindness to the Kirschtein people and let them live here, but they act like pests...! Summoning monsters and hurting our people...!"
When I heard a particularly loud voice from behind and turned around, there stood a man with chestnut-colored hair.
He was well-dressed and accompanied by his attendants.
"Wilshark..."
Sir Ciel said in a small voice.
Mr. Wilshark was, if I remember correctly, Sir Ciel's cousin who governed the old Kirschtein territory.
They didn't look much alike. Sir Ciel was beautiful like a candy sculpture, but Mr. Wilshark looked... well, scary.
"Ciel. Have you come to hunt monsters? How curious of you. A gem person like you killing monsters is like cannibalism! But thanks to you, the monster is gone. You still have that monstrous magic power. Ah, you were a monster to begin with."
Mr. Wilshark said, laughing loudly.
Blood-related──family, yet.
It's terrible.
I remember Francois from the Rest priest family, who mocked me.
At that time, I couldn't do anything. I could only hide in the shadows.
Even when Sir Stefan said awful things in the palace, Sir Ciel stayed silent.
Because Sir Ciel has the blood of the gem people, his actions could make the discrimination against them worse.
──And he's used to it, they say.
Used to it, so he feels nothing.
(No one can really feel nothing, right?)
I feel like my younger self was──similar to Sir Ciel.
But something inside me has been chipped away every time I was mocked.
I became empty, unable to think at all.
Just repeating breaths, like a doll.
"Mr. Wilshark. How can you laugh after seeing this disaster? As a lord, you have responsibilities."
Sir Roxas stepped in front of Mr. Wilshark and said coldly.
"Well, well, if it isn't Sir Roxas from the Duke Girard family. My father says he's lamenting about you. He says you're wasting time in the holy city and not coming back. Both sons of the Girard family are useless, he says."
"So what? It's just the ramblings of an old man who will retire soon. If you have time to mock me and Ciel, then settle this chaos. If this continues, there will be conflict again."
"And what of it? That monster was definitely summoned by the Kirschtein people. This is a good opportunity to cleanse this town of them. We'll capture them all and throw them in prison."
"Why would you say something like that..."
Eiris is gone.
Judal is also captured.
Mr. Lucian no longer has to start a war, yet nothing has changed.
The hatred amplified by Eiris still feels present.
It's painful, hurtful, sad.
Sir Ciel silenced Mr. Lucian with one hand as he began to speak.
"Ah, how ridiculous! Right now, saving lives is the priority. Leave it to me, the Hero Fox Mask! And Lucian, you're the captain of the Leonsroar knights, right? The knights are here to save the people of this town. Come on, let's go!"
Sir Rail, wearing a mask, called out cheerfully and pulled Mr. Lucian's arm.
Mr. Lucian nodded without saying anything and began helping people trapped under the collapsed buildings and treating injuries.
I want to help too, but──I can't use healing magic.
Cooking might have the power to heal, but right now, I have no ingredients or kitchen.
Sir Rail placed a hand on my shoulder and said softly, "Stay by Ciel's side for now."
Then, to rescue more people, Sir Rail easily jumped over the broken buildings and disappeared somewhere.
"──Wilshark. Are you serious about that?"
"You're able to speak, Ciel. It's been years since I last saw you talking. I thought gem people couldn't understand words. I wondered if they lacked intelligence."
I grab Sir Ciel's arm.
How terrible.
We're both human, so why──why say such awful things?
We look the same, speak the same words, and care for someone──having family, friends, eating meals, and sleeping.
We should be living similar days.
Sir Ciel places his hand over mine. It felt like he was saying it was okay.
"I'm... I've chosen silence until now. I ran away from the Wisteria house, gave up my name, and tried to avoid you all. But that was a mistake."
"What mistake? You, a freak who was kept alive by the kindness of the Wisteria family?"
"Wilshark. You, who hurt others for no reason, have no right to be a lord. I am Ciel Wisteria, the rightful heir of the Margrave Wisteria family, the son of Bianca. I will take care of the old Kirschtein territory."
"What are you saying now! The Margrave Wisteria family doesn't need you, you cursed child! Get lost, Ciel!"
"Shut up, Wilshark. ──Everyone, listen! The monsters are born from the tears of the moon. It's no one's fault. If you want to blame someone, blame the disputes caused by the ancient people. Disputes give birth to new witches. Monsters are born from the hatred of witches. The threat is gone. If you have time to blame someone, you should help the injured and rebuild the broken town!"
Sir Ciel's usually calm voice, which reminds me of flowing water, now echoes fiercely through the town.
His clear voice made the noise of the people quiet for a moment.
"Ciel, how dare you! You don't need to listen to this man's words! Capture the Kirschtein people and take them away...!"
"...Shut up."
From Sir Ciel's feet, I feel a terrifying presence.
Black chains are rising from the ground, trying to bind Mr. Wilshark.
This is not the usual gentle Sir Ciel.
──He's angry.
Mr. Wilshark's face twisted in fear.
"...No, this is wrong, I don't want this...! I hate it, I hate...!"
I thought Sir Ciel could be angrier.
But the Sir Ciel now is different.
He's always said that hatred only breeds new hatred.
Even though Eiris is gone, and there's no threat to the town anymore.
Mr. Lucian and Sir Rail are helping the injured.
It's sad, painful, and I feel helpless.
I cling to Sir Ciel's arm.
Something is about to overflow from my body.
Something I've never felt before──circulating through me.
"...This is... sugar."
In the palm of Sir Ciel's open hand, a candy like stardust falls, a pale pink color.
The sky was suddenly covered with fluffy, white clouds that looked like cotton candy.
From there, colorful things like snow were falling down.
Everyone looked up at the sky, amazed.
"Rock candy..."
Someone said quietly.
Small, star-shaped sugar pieces were slowly drifting down from the sky.
And then──the old Kirschtein street was filled with rock candy.
The sweet treats healed the wounds of the people who ate them and stopped their fights.
Sir Ciel, looking like he had lost his edge, made the black chains disappear and gently took my hand in the rain of rock candy.
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