Volume 1 Chapter 85 Prophecy About Lydia
Mx. Margaret looked at me with a concerned gaze.
"Lyd-Lyd. You don't remember much about your mother, do you? Even in the priest family, it was like a taboo; no one talked about Lyd-Lyd's real mother."
"Y-yes, that's right. I can't remember much because my mother passed away when I was very small..."
"Didn't you talk about that with Stefan?"
"When I met His Highness, I wasn't really the type to talk much. Um, how should I put it, I was kind of gloomy."
I said this while gently poking the sleeping Eir-Eir.
Talking about my past feels a bit embarrassing.
"I-I'm not bright even now, but... back then, I was even gloomier. I could barely answer when His Highness asked me questions."
"I'm not blaming you. Just checking. Didn't Stefan say anything about your mother... Madam Tiansa?"
"No... My friendship with His Highness lasted only about 6 months. My father refused to let His Highness come to the priest family, so I could only meet His Highness when I was invited from the castle... so it was just a few times."
During those few invitations, Sir Stefan eagerly talked to me during our short encounters.
I was always gloomy, but talking to Sir Stefan made me feel a little brighter.
Even if it only lasted for 6 months.
"His Highness was kind back then, so it seems like he avoided bringing up my family... He took me to see plays and read books together... He said hr would definitely take me out of the Rest priest family... I wish my bedhead would stay for the whole day..."
"He seemd like a different person from His Highness now."
"That's true... Back then, His Highness was also said to be equal, kind, and excellent like King Zeere, worthy of receiving the holy sword Laevateinn."
Mr. Lucian and Sir Ciel said this with a somewhat troubled expression.
"Isn't it because he's just following that girl with the poodle-like name?"
Sir Roxas said dismissively.
"The princess from back then must have been cute too."
"Men are weak against fragile women. They want to protect them. Even now, you seem a bit timid, making me want to carry you away."
While they were having a serious conversation, only Sir Rail and Mr. Tsukuyomi were leisurely drinking booze and eating mushroom tempura. Evening drinks.
"Lyd-Lyd... your mother is Tiansa Elgard. She's the princess of the neighboring country, the Elgard Kingdom to the south."
"Is that so...?"
"Yes. When I was at the Great Temple, I was a hidden presence deep within it. Being a star-reading priest is that special. Only a few people could hear my prophecies. Like King Zeere and the Head Priest."
I knew my mother's name was Tiansa.
But today was the first time I learned about her background.
"So, I wasn't really familiar with the world outside, and I didn't know much about the inner workings of the Rest priest family. But you see, when Madam Tiansa married into the Rest family, I started to question my own existence... It was because I heard about the war in Kirschtein."
It seemed I was the only one surprised about my mother's background.
Since everyone was close to the castle, they might have known something.
Maybe they didn't dig deeper because it wouldn't change anything now, just like Sir Stefan.
"I conveyed the prophecies I saw in my dreams as King Zeere and the Head Priest told me to, but I wondered if that was right... And then, I had another dream."
"That was a prophecy, right?"
When Sir Ciel asked, Mx. Margaret nodded.
"Yes. It was about Madam Tiansa being pregnant. The temple was filled with a festive atmosphere at that time. I had a bad dream... So, I went to see Madam Tiansa. I snuck away secretly."
"Does that mean it was something you couldn't tell King Zeere or the Head Priest?"
"At that time, I couldn't judge that. Even now, I don't know if what I did was right."
Mx. Margaret took a breath.
Then, after hesitating for a while, they spoke.
"It's about the child in Madam Tiansa's womb, Lyd-Lyd. Lyd-Lyd has the power of the goddess Alexandria. But someone is coming to steal that power. If the goddess's power is taken away, Lyd-Lyd will die."
"...W-What? Am I going to die...?"
I flinched.
In surprise, I gripped Eir-Eir's body a bit too hard, and the sleeping Eir-Eir let out a small, annoyed sound, "Pumpkin..."
"The prophecy said... so. But I don't know any specific details. I don't know who 'someone' is or when it will happen. But I felt I had to tell Madam Tiansa. I couldn't tell King Zeere or the Head Priest. When I heard the rumors of the massacre in Kirschtein, I didn't know who I could trust or not."
"Ms. Lydia's goddess power is likely sealed within her body. Right now, it's leaking out through cooking, and in Kirschtein, there was a rain of sugar candies that healed and restored the town and people... The seal seems to be coming undone for some reason, but I don't know why."
Sir Ciel said this, crossing his arms and looking down.
"In Mx. Margaret's prophecy, Ms. Lydia's power is taken away. But in reality, it is sealed. What is happening?"
"I don't know. What I saw cannot be changed. Because of me, because I had a dream, the yet-to-be-born Lyd-Lyd will die. ...I can't continue being a star reader after that. Right after, I ran away from the Great Temple. ...I am weak, really weak, and a useless person... I'm sorry, Lyd-Lyd."
"You don't need to apologize, Mx. Margaret... I am alive, and Mx. Margaret, you knew about me, so you helped me when I ran away to the town, right?"
I smiled brightly at Mx. Margaret, who looked like they might cry.
Mx. Margaret could have kept the prophecy they saw a secret.
But maybe they thought of a way to help me and only told my mother about the prophecy.
If I were Mx. Margaret, I would probably be suffering a lot.
It must be very painful to know that your words and dreams decide someone's fate.
The people of Kirschtein call me a saint, but that feels heavy for me.
I am happy to be able to help someone, but I think I am not such a great person.
My body feels restless, then cold, and my chest tightens. I want to run away.
Being a cook at Lobelia Diner House is the easiest for me.
Mx. Margaret and I are not the same, but I feel like I understand her feelings a little.
"...Yes. After that, I used a special medicine to suppress my magic power, so I didn't see the future anymore, but instead, I started doing fortune-telling."
Mx. Margaret took out an aromatic cigarette and twirled it between their fingers.
I wonder if the chocolate-scented aromatic cigarette they always smokes has a magic suppressor in it.
Is it safe for their body?
"I can know some things through fortune-telling. I always worried about whether Lyd-Lyd was safe. If Lyd-Lyd's life was in danger, I might not be able to do anything, but I wanted to go help. ...So, that day, I knew you would appear here, and I was waiting."
"Thank you, Mx. Margaret. ...I thought I was all alone, but you have always been worried about me, haven't you? Mx. Margaret, you weren't really a butcher, were you?"
"The butcher shop and this place, I got them from an old couple I met by chance in the town. They said they had no heirs left. I had nowhere to go, and I didn't want to leave the holy city where Lyd-Lyd is, so I thought it was just right."
Mx. Margaret lowered their shoulders apologetically and said, "I'm sorry for deceiving you, Lyd-Lyd."
"Mx. Margaret... Right now, I'm a cook for Robelia, and Mx. Margaret is a butcher. ...I think that's fine..."
"Lyd-Lyd. ...I think that's fine too. I hope this way of life continues forever. ...But if my prediction comes true, Lyd-Lyd will die. ...For some reason, your power seems sealed right now, but the power of the goddess is within you. If that's the case, someone will come to take it away."
Saying this, Mx. Margaret pointed at Eir-Eir.
"That might be about the witch's daughter. I don't have the power to fight, so you need a knight to protect Lyd-Lyd. Right now, ...because Lyd-Lyd has worked hard until now, there are 4 reliable knights."
"I... don't want to be protected. I don't want my friends to get hurt."
"Friends, huh? Me too...!?"
"Y-yes... Sir Roxas also ate with us and listened to our important stories..."
After Sir Roxas next to me stood up, shaking his chair, he somehow clenched his hands tightly, then cleared his throat to cover it up, and quietly sat back down.
"You don't have to worry, princess. It's the hero's job to protect you. Besides, I'm strong. ...No, we are, I guess."
"...I'm a bit surprised that 4 people who could probably destroy a country gathered together. But you're ready. What you four have to do to protect Lyd-Lyd is to find the other 3 witch's daughters. And probably, one of them is in the royal palace."
On Mx. Margaret's open palm, a card with a picture of a man hanging upside down from a tree spun around.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)