Volume 6 Chapter 56 The Place To Lean, Determination, And What Lies Ahead
The cracked earth, the airship, and Edelstein.
After the fluffy whipped cream piled up completely disappeared, everything returned to its original state without a single scratch.
I thought I'd be all sticky with whipped cream all over my body and clothes, but that wasn't the case. Just like nothing happened, my tired body and wounds healed, and the whipped cream vanished.
Sir Ciel says my power is similar to Saintwise's summoning magic. When summoned, it has a physical form, but once it disappears, nothing remains like a mere illusion.
I'm glad my clothes and hair didn't get all sticky. I'm not sure why it was whipped cream, but anyway, I'm relieved.
If I had gotten sticky, Elder Brother Chrisrain's fur would have been a real mess.
So, Eir-Eir and Ms. Famine, Nel-Nel, who were playing around all fluffy and messy with whipped cream, were safe too.
Even my dad, who was sitting still next to me like a statue, was okay.
I thought I'd have to get everyone in the bath right away, but it seems fine.
In fact, they're all smooth and fluffy.
Maybe my healing power works on skin and fur too.
I should tell Mx. Margaret next time. They'll probably be happy.
I'll tell my mother too. She'll definitely be pleased. And also, Fra-Fra.
Sir Filouz and Sir Galeon were tied up by Mr. Lucian and Sir Rail with ropes taken from Elder Brother Chrisrain's dimensional storage.
The Wisteria army didn't resist at all. Sir Clifford looked really confused as he watched Sir Galeon being captured.
The Gem's People looked the same.
It was like they were lost children who had just lost their parents.
"You've probably lived your whole life believing in the words of some absolute someone. Living by trusting someone's words without questioning them is really easy. After all, you don't have to think for yourself."
"Don't think for yourself...?"
"Yeah. There are people who live like that, Lydia. Of course, both you and I sometimes rely on someone else's words as a guide. We take in what we think is good, consult with someone, and decide our actions. This happens to everyone, right?"
"Yes. I often ask for advice."
Elder Brother Chrisrain stands next to me, arms crossed.
Eir-Eir and Ms. Famine are nestled in Elder Brother's fur.
Nel-Nel, being a bit of a bigger bunny, is being held by Elder Brother Chrisrain. "What a plump and delicious-looking bunny!" he says, and for a moment, Nel-Nel lets out a scared little "Fried Horse Mackarel..." sound.
"Oh, and then there's the method of relying on fortune-telling, like what Mx. Margaret does."
"Mx. Margaret's fortune-telling is popular, so they get a lot of customers."
"Yeah. When people are lost, they want to cling to something. The bigger the confusion, the more they want to hold on. But if it goes too far... they end up completely entrusting themselves to something absolute, to someone they believe is right... to someone they've been convinced by."
"Is that really a thing...?"
"A newborn baby trusts their parents. No matter what kind of parents they are, in a small child's world, there are only their parents and themselves. The only ones to trust and rely on are their parents."
"That's true..."
I looked down. I don't remember much from when I was very small, but as far as I can recall, I wasn't really liked by my father when I was young. Still, I don't think I ever hated him.
He is my father.
I felt lonely, sad, and wanted to be liked, but I don't think I ever questioned my father's words or actions. It was my fault for not having magic, and it was only natural that I wasn't liked.
I probably thought my father was right.
"But you know, as you grow up, you realize that there's no such thing as a perfect person, and that parents are just people too. They get angry and say unreasonable things. We start to form our own opinions and no longer rely on our parents for everything or just follow them blindly."
I nodded.
Honestly, I should probably go back to the priest's family, and I think my father and mother would have wanted me to come back too.
But I chose to stay in Lobelia. Because that's where I belong.
I made the choice to be away from my father and mother.
"──There are some who can't do that. It must be tough to struggle. Making your own decisions is really hard too. You end up putting that responsibility and pressure on someone stronger than you. And going against a strong presence is scary, you know? Clifford was probably raised to be that way. The Gem's People have probably lived like that for a long time too."
"Be strong. Think for yourself. It's easy to say, but making that commitment is hard."
Sir Roxas said with a furrowed brow.
He seemed angry about Sir Clifford, but at the same time, his tone sounded pitying.
"What will happen from now on...?"
I tightly clenched my hands.
Changing how people feel must be really difficult.
Even I had been told by Mx. Margaret for a long time, "You should fall in love, Lyd-Lyd," but I kept saying, "I hate guys!"
The reason I was able to change, the reason I can be here now,
is because I met Sir Ciel and became friends with him. Then I met Sir Roxas and Sir Rail, learned the truth about Mr. Lucian, and Sir Stefan returned to normal. Remembering my dad, and having Eir-Eir and the others by my side.
So many things happened, and naturally, I changed little by little.
For Sir Clifford and the Gem's People, just like when I was kidnapped while crying to Sir Ciel,
could this be the start of change?
"Clifford. You followed Lord Galeon, so you share the same guilt as him. But, I haven't heard your own words."
Sir Stefan said to Clifford.
Sir Galeon and Sir Filouz were tied up, with Mr. Lucian and Sir Rail holding the ropes.
Next to them, Clifford was kneeling on the ground, looking down. The Wisteria soldiers were also lowering their weapons, looking confused.
Sir Stefan, Sir Ciel, and Sir Marx stood side by side, with Gem's People lined up behind them.
"I... don't understand. Until now, everything I believed came from Sir Galeon's words. I looked down on Ciel, mocked him, and hated other races. I thought the Bernard people and the name Wisteria were the best."
"And now?"
"...What was this fight even for? I tried to kill the Gem's People who wouldn't even resist, and went against Your Majesty's words to destroy Edelstein. Ciel... risked his life to protect this country. I did cruel things to Ciel, so it's only natural I'd be abandoned."
Clifford placed his hand on his forehead and ruffled his hair in frustration.
"I have a wife and kids in Wisteria. I'm relieved to be alive and for this country to be safe. Yet, I've acted in ways that I can't even face Ciel for."
"...I think it's right to strip you all of your family name and return Wisteria's name to Ciel. But I doubt Ciel would want that."
"That's true. That name feels heavy for me. If I could, I'd prefer to stay as Saintwise's Ciel Vermilion."
Sir Ciel nodded quietly.
"I hope you will be freed from the curse of Lord Galeon. Together with Wilshark, and sometimes relying on Ciel and me, I wish for you to work for this country. For the sake of your wife and children, and for the people."
Hearing this from Sir Stefan, Sir Clifford cried as he pressed his forehead to the ground.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. And I'm sorry, Ciel...! I appreciate the generous mercy of Your Majesty, Saint Lydia, and Ciel... I dedicate this life to Your Majesty from now on...!"
"That's where you're wrong, Clifford. Even if you dedicate your life, Your Majesty wouldn't be happy about it. You need to think for yourself and choose the right actions from now on. Just like Ciel has always done."
"Mistakes can be corrected. You have been given a chance to start over. Cherish how fortunate that is and live with it."
With a sigh, Sir Rail said this, and then Mr. Lucian added, "Like me."
"The people of Gem's will lose their leader. But Ciel is by my side. I want to discuss with Ciel and everyone how we can help you all live peacefully and change this country. I want you to trust me and Ciel. ...For now, let's leave the security of your town to the Wisteria family. This is also a test for you, Clifford. Got it?"
"Yes! I will definitely fulfill my mission!"
Sir Clifford replied shortly and clearly to Sir Stefan.
"Ciel. I was thinking that treating you as a Gem's Person might be a form of discrimination. But you are a Gem's Person. The same blood flows in your body as that of Lord Filouz."
"Yes."
"From now on, you will be treated as both my subordinate and a member of the Edelstein royal family. For the future of this country. To live together with the Gem's People in the same nation."
"I don't mind. I'm Filouz's grandchild. As the top mage of Saintwise, I will protect the people of the Kingdom, and as Filouz's grandchild, I will protect the Gem's People. That is my role."
Sir Ciel says.
His expression was somehow bright.
Seeing Sir Ciel place his hand on his chest and bow to Sir Stefan, the Gem's People, who looked anxious and lost, softened their expressions in relief.
"...Big sister. I don't really understand the difficult stuff. But Sir Ciel is our prince, right?"
Rosamia, who was being hugged protectively by her parents a little distance away, says.
"Yes, that's right. He is the prince of Edelstein."
I smiled at Rosamia.
The prince of the sparkling Edelstein town.
I don't know what will happen next, but I'm sure it will go well.
If possible, I hope every day will be sweet, fun, and peaceful, like a fluffy cake piled high with whipped cream.
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