Volume 6 Chapter 30 Yesterday And Today Are Different Days
Mr. Lucian, Elder Brother Chrisrain, and Sir Rail came back just as I was forcing down a tasteless breakfast and finishing my coffee with lots of milk.
"Welcome back, princess. Good morning. You look cute today! That cream-colored dress really suits you. It looks delicious, like buttercream!"
Sir Rail cheerfully opened the dining room door and hugged me from behind while I was sitting in my chair.
"It was cold on Peach Bun. You're warm, princess. Let me warm up a bit," he said, rubbing his cheek against my head.
"Sir Rail, Elder Brother Chrisrain, Mr. Lucian, welcome back... um, where's Sir Ciel...?"
I gently grabbed Sir Rail's arm around my neck and looked at Elder Brother Chrisrain and Mr. Lucian, who came in a little later.
Elder Brother Chrisrain sat down across from Sir Marx at the long table, looking confident and graceful, like he always lived in the Girard house.
Mr. Lucian stood next to me, lightly placing his hand on my shoulder before bowing with his hand on his chest.
"By royal order, I went to scout Edelstein. Lucian Kilkade, I have returned."
"Lucian, just be yourself. I know you're being polite because of Sir Marx, but this isn't the palace. If you're too formal, Lydia might get scared."
"Um, Sir Stefan, it's okay... I'm not scared or anything, I'm not a child..."
"Oh, really? I just... in my mind, Lydia feels like a 13-year-old girl. I'm sorry."
Sir Stefan said this to Mr. Lucian, who was greeting everyone formally.
It's rare to see Lucian looking like a knight, so I'm impressed by his politeness, but I'm not scared.
Sir Stefan still thinks of me as a girl.
I'm not that young anymore.Maybe that's why he said he thinks of me like a daughter.
Sir Stefan is still quite young himself.
"Well then, let's continue as usual. ...Lydia, I want you to listen carefully. The story about Leavis is true. I was attacked by Ciel in the skies over Edelstein."
Mr. Lucian said this quietly in a low, calm voice.
It took me a moment to understand his words.
It feels like the world has changed since I woke up this morning.
The world yesterday was peaceful and full, with its ups and downs, but it was fun.
I thought it would stay that way forever.
I remember Sir Ciel's cool voice wishing me happiness when he took me to my bedroom on New Year's Eve.
And I think back to the time when Sir Ciel was alone in a cold room on a snowy day.
I told Sir Ciel that I would cherish him. He said it's hard to cherish oneself──did my words not reach him?
Maybe I was being arrogant to think my feelings were understood.
I might not have known anything about Sir Ciel.
I didn't understand his position, what he was carrying, his relationship with the Margrave family, or the suffering of Gem's People. All of it.
I just felt pity, and sympathized.
I pretended to understand.
Because I did nothing. I thought it was sad, terrible, painful. But I didn't take any action.
"..."
Sir Rail wiped the tears that gathered at the corners of my eyes with a handkerchief.
Sir Ciel often comforted me.
When I first met Sir Ciel, I cried a lot more than I do now.
I remember Sir Ciel looking a bit troubled, saying, "Please don't cry, I'm sorry for making you cry."
The Sir Ciel I saw might have just been an illusion he created.
"Lydia, I'm sorry. I wish I had better news. ...Ciel attacked me and told me to inform the king. He said that people will be destroyed, and this country will be ruled by Gem's People. ...This is everything I saw. I only shared the facts, without my personal feelings."
Mr. Lucian quickly apologized to me and continued calmly.
"Ah. Thank you, Lucian. Are you hurt?"
Sir Stefan nodded. His serious expression was a bit different from the usual Sir Stefan.
Even though the official coronation hasn't happened yet, Sir Stefan, who is inheriting the throne from King Zeere, spoke like a holy king.
"I'm fine. I escaped quickly without fighting."
"I understand the report. Next, please share your personal feelings, Lucian."
"Yes. ...I don't want to believe that Ciel is confused. I think there must be some reason for his behavior."
"Mr. Lucian... that's true, right? Sir Ciel is a kind person..."
"Isn't that reason to protect Gem's People? That's why he opposed King Zeere. Letting Gem's People into the palace and even making one the head mage of Saintwise. One day, we'll be betrayed."
Sir Marx frowned as he said this.
I couldn't help but glare at him.
"Sir Ciel isn't that kind of person...!"
"Ms. Lydia. You don't know the relationship between Gem's People and our country. You might know it in theory, but you haven't really seen it."
"That might be true, but... I know Sir Ciel. I've been watching him closely for a long time...!"
"Lydia, calm down. Father, if you're going to say things like that, maybe you should leave. It's one thing to deal with the old ways from the Margrave's retirement and my father, but if they keep butting in, things will only get worse."
"Roxas... I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. Ms. Lydia, I apologize. I'm not blaming Gem's People or Ciel, but I meant that the Bernard people have done terrible things to Gem's People that could easily cause a riot."
After being scolded harshly by Sir Roxas, Sir Marx apologized.
To ease the tension, Elder Brother Chrisrain clapped his hands together with a sharp sound.
"I don't know much about this country, but arguing here won't help, right? The Wisteria army seems to be heading towards Edelstein."
"The army is led by the current Margrave, Clifford. Also, Lord Galeon is pushing himself to go to battle, even though he's over 60. It's only been a month since the new year started. It's cold, yet he's doing it."
Following Elder Brother Chrisrain, Sir Rail moved away from me and sat next to me, skillfully peeling an orange with a knife.
"When I tried to talk to Clifford and Lord Galeon, they just called me a failure from the Girard family and a cursed loser with White Moon disease. They didn't take me seriously at all."
"That old man has always been like that. He was rebellious even to King Zeere. He was happy to send the army to Kirschtein during the suppression."
"...Yeah, and the town of Kirschtein after the war was terrible. Most buildings were burned down... women and children were killed without mercy. That wasn't King Zeere's doing."
"Besides, taking over the town and streets was under Galeon's command. The Kirschtein people were saying that they burned down towns and villages in the Wisteria area and poisoned the waterways. It seemed like they really hated it."
"Oh, I see..."
Mr. Lucian sighed a bit, looking tired.
Sir Marx frowned and crossed his arms as he spoke.
"Plus, after they took his only daughter Bianca, whom he spoiled, he probably started to see other races as enemies. Before what happened to Bianca, he seemed like a calmer guy who could talk things out... but back then, people like me and Sir Zeere were probably just kids in Galeon's eyes."
"So, when the Wisteria army gets to Edelstein, the fighting will start, right...?"
I jumped up from my chair with a clatter.
Elder Brother Chrisrain was right. Staying here wouldn't change anything.
I have to go.
"I'm going to see Sir Ciel. He's the kind of person who stays quiet no matter what people say, just to protect the Gem's People. Plus, he keeps working hard on monster research to protect the Kingdom people without taking breaks...! So, I... I don't want Sir Ciel to get hurt, or for him to hurt someone else..."
Something feels off.
There's a big gap between yesterday and today, and it feels like something went wrong somewhere.
But I'm sure it's not too late.
So I need to hurry and go.
I want to meet him, talk to him, and if Sir Ciel is carrying something heavy alone, I want to help him carry it.
"I thought you'd say that, Lydia. Once I confirm the facts, I was planning to head to Edelstein. There's no mage in this country who can match Ciel. He could wipe out Galeon's army all by himself. He could easily take down both Galeon and Clifford. The only reason he hasn't done it so far is that he chose not to."
Sir Stefan stood up and smiled at me.
"Let's go help Ciel, Lydia. Just like you helped me."
"Yes...!"
"We're all going together, right? I wonder if everyone can fit on Peach Bun."
Elder Brother Chrisrain tilted his head. Sir Roxas raised a hand and said, "For transportation, we should use the Girard family's airship."
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