Volume 10 Chapter 12 Memories Of Mother
Father fed me, and I quickly got full.
It felt like there was so much food on the table that I couldn't finish it all, but thanks to Eir-Eir, Nel-Nel, and Mer-Mer who eat a lot, the plates kept getting empty one after another.
"Wow, your animals eat so well, Lady Lydia! It really makes cooking worth it!"
The head chef was happily petting Eir-Eir and Nel-Nel.
Mer-Mer, not liking to be petted, jumped back onto my lap and curled up.
"It was really delicious, thank you!"
"Ugh, Lady Lydia... you've become so wonderful and beautifully delicate... I'll cook as much as you want... I'm truly sorry!"
"N-no, it's okay now. Thanks to you, I've learned to cook. Lobelia is quite popular, you know."
"It seems to be rumored as a restaurant with a saint... but no one seems to know where it is."
"Don't know where it is?"
"It's a hidden gem that only a few know about."
"Just a regular restaurant, though...?"
I feel like there are more customers, but I'm not really sure.
As I tilted my head at the chef's words, Father spoke up.
"That's probably because those around Lyd-Lyd are protecting her."
"Those around me?"
"Ah. Of course, His Majesty, but also Ciel, Lucian, Saintwise, Leonsroar, and the Girard family, and me too... If Saint's cooking can heal sickness and injuries, Lyd-Lyd's place would be overflowing with all sorts of people. So, they're probably making sure the rumors don't spread, or spreading different rumors to cleverly hide it. They say to hide a tree in the forest, right?"
"I wonder if I should hide in the forest..."
"Until now, I needed to protect Lyd-Lyd from the confusion that would arise from everyone knowing that Lyd-Lyd is a Saint and has that power."
With that said, my father straightened up.
Just a moment ago, he was smiling and saying, "Lyd-Lyd, aah," but now he spoke seriously with a stern expression.
"But──if Lyd-Lyd shows herself at the coronation in front of everyone, things won't be the same as before. Lyd-Lyd needs to fulfill her role as Lydia Rest. Of course, I'm not saying you should stop being Lobelia. But... as a Saint, you will have to work to heal people."
I stared at my father and blinked rapidly.
I see, that makes sense.
But──I'll be okay. If it were the old me, I would have run away saying I lacked confidence, but there are many people in this country who are suffering and in need.
I won't run away anymore.
"I'm okay. I... lived alone at Lobelia, met Sir Ciel, and then there were Sir Roxas, Sir Rail, Mr. Lucian, and Kirschtein, and Sir Stefan, and then the people of Edelstein. I learned that many people live with various feelings. ...I realized I'm not the only one who suffers."
"Lyd-Lyd..."
"I want to be helpful. As the daughter of the Rest Priest Family, I don't know what I can do, but if there's something I can do, I want to try. I'll do my best."
"Father will definitely protect you, Lyd-Lyd. Hearing those words made me feel at ease. To be honest, I was hesitating about you attending the coronation. I was worried that if you stepped out in front of so many people, you would lose your freedom."
"I think that's... okay. I want to fulfill my role. I want to be helpful. But there are also people who are free while fulfilling their roles... like Sir Rail and Elder Brother Chrisrain."
"Chrisrain isn't fulfilling his role, though."
My mother sighed and said.
That might be true, but Elder Brother Chrisrain isn't just giving up his position.
And then there's Mr. Tsukuyomi and Mx. Margaret.
I know there are all kinds of people living their lives in different ways. So, it's okay. I'm not scared.
"Lyd-Lyd. Tomorrow, I'm calling a tailor to make a dress. For now, stay here and relax. This is your home, Lyd-Lyd."
"Thank you, Father."
Hearing it called my home made me feel all warm and fuzzy.
As I smiled shyly, Father hugged me tight, and it kind of hurt a little.
Dad said he would talk to my father about things he had been hiding, so they went into a room together. I ended up taking a walk with my mother in the beautifully kept garden of the priest's house.
Eir-Eir and the others, who had eaten a lot, were taken away by the maids saying, "We're going to give you a bath."
Everyone was all bubbly, but when I said, "It's okay, once you're clean, you can take a nap on a fluffy cushion," they quietly let the maids carry them away.
From a little distance, I could hear the maids' cheerful voices saying, "So cute, little bird! I'm going to give the little bird a bath!" "I'm the bunny!" "We're the kitties!" "Come here, little fox!"
Maybe everyone wanted to touch Eir-Eir and the others.
They seem really popular. That's great.
In this season where I can feel the summer coming, the garden is bursting with all kinds of flowers.
The most common one is the blue rose.
"Lyd-Lyd. This is called the Tiansa rose, a blue rose that your father cultivated for me back in his school days."
"Father can grow roses?"
"He spent days locked up in the lab at school. When the blue rose bloomed...! He brought it to me and then just collapsed. Such a nostalgic memory."
Mother talks about it like it's a wonderful memory.
Now that I think about it, I hardly know anything about my mother and father.
I just never had the chance to talk slowly with them until now.
The blue rose had a sweet scent, like honey. It suited my beautiful mother with her long black hair perfectly.
"I think you heard from Chrisrain, but my hometown Elgard is known as a land of gourmet food. So, when I got married, I had the best chef in the Kingdom──now the head chef──hired to make delicious meals for me. He really worked hard for that."
"Father and Mother were close, weren't they?"
"Yes. There were many things that happened... and it turned out like that. When I came from another country, Sir Fer really supported me when I had no one else."
Walking leisurely under the rose arch, my mother smiled. She looked so confident and happy. The wind swayed her hair. Her eyes glistened with a hint of sadness and worry as she looked at me.
"So, Lyd-Lyd... I think it's been tough for you so far. But it's going to be tough from now on too. Finding someone to support you is really important."
"Someone to support me..."
"Yes. There are many people who like you, Lyd-Lyd. But your feelings are important too."
"My feelings."
I lowered my gaze. My feelings are important. That means I──
"It's been a while since I woke up. Lyd-Lyd, I wonder if you might have someone you like soon."
I clasped my hands in front of my chest.
Someone I think I like. I have many friends I care about.
But when I try to think seriously about a romantic partner, I can't help but feel embarrassed.
"I..."
"I'm not saying you have to. But it's better to have someone to rely on if you can. Someone who will support you when you're having a hard time. And someone you want to support when they're struggling. There must be someone out there."
I nodded slightly.
I still don't quite understand.
But I really get what my mother is saying.
For now, I'll finish the coronation and then look for a way to save Sylphina.
I felt like thinking about my own things could wait until later, but I didn't say that to my mother.
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