Chapter 2 (2/2)
The expression on everyone’s face was of exhaustion There was irritation, eyes wavering with anxiety, and people walking here and there People ere of high status, people ere of no status, everyone was clearly tired
In the midst of all of this, two youths returned on horseback Everyone’s reaction when they saw those tas intense, relieved sighs mixed with joyful shouts and there were even those who cried when the tension was cut Yuna faltered at this reception; she hadn’t expected that the saint’s disappearance would create such a large chaos She could feel vividly how important the existence of the saint was But it certainly was a serious affair in the country if the saint disappeared On top of that, if she had actually been dead… it was scary to iine the chaos then
One shadoalked calet off the horse Yuna, as concerned about the muddy and heavy hem of her one-piece dress, suddenly noticed the shadow and raised her head
It was a young woman Her body was covered in a deeply-colored robe Yuna couldn’t see it clearly because of the dark, but it looked purple? Much like the black-haired youngpresence that a servant couldn’t possibly have Moreover, she had distinct and exceedingly beautiful features However, there was also a characteristic inapproachable atmosphere around her
“It appears that both of you are unharmed”
The woman said in aaze rested on her
“Yes Thank you for your concern, Sister Yodel”
Except the woman, called Yodel by the black-haired man, was calm to the point where one wouldn’t even think she had been worried
“Lady Celiastina”
Being called out to by that wohten her back in sudden nervousness Of course this is what she would be called but, even though she knew that, there was an unspeakable sense of discomfort
“Y-Yes?”
“Do you realize how much time everyone has lost for your sake? Everyone postponed their work to search for you For what reason did you leave? If it is not a reason that can be understood, then everyone here will be unable to withdraw quietly”
“T-That is, um…”
Yuna was lost There was no way she could talk about the reason If she said that she went into the forest to search for a place to co chaos would be impossible to recover from And, firstly, she herself would like to ask why the saint ended her own life
Yodel’s brow furrowed and she glared at Yuna who couldn’t string her words properly Yuna unintentionally dropped her eyes, becoer boiling up inside of her A cold anger Noticing this, Yuna beca
(These aren’t… s)
Of course she knew the feeling of anger It wouldn’t be strange to feel that towards Yodel as staring at her with obvious hostility, but for sos It was like her heart had becory at Yodel
“Sister Yodel, this conversation can be done tomorrow Let us all retire for today”
The young man concluded their conversation in place of Yuna, who had re to push the issue any more than that
“Everyone, Saint Celiastina has returned safely She appears to be exhausted but otherwise unharer is to be sent promptly with orders for the search parties to return That is all”
The youngthe chaos was calreat authority since no one interjected and, as ordered, they dispersed and returned to their stations Even though there must have been many questions they wanted to ask like where the saint went and why her appearance was so dirty, but not a single person voiced this While adates by the hand, past a row of bright fla at the entrance of the palace The young h this was reasonable since it wasn’t his first tilanced curtly at Yuna and took his leave with these feords, “Excuse me”
(W… as that?)
Yuna sighed, suddenly feeling tired
Itthrown into a world she didn’t understand, but it was also because of the harsh attitude fro man and Yodel Their attitude pierced Yuna It doesn’t look like they were just angry because of Celiastina disappearing on her own She felt so like hatred For a second that young ht at her with those eyes But then after that he only sent her looks distorted with contempt
If it was nothing, then they wouldn’t have that attitude, right? Most likely there was a dispute between the to do with But there didn’t see any feelings of dissatisfaction, Yuna let herself be pulled by the maids into a nearby room
In a short time an elderly man entered the room The man, as a doctor, efficiently checked Yuna’s state and confirreat injuries It was all done very businesslike without hile word like “You must have had a hard time”, but maybe it wasn’t easy to speak to the saint At the end all he asked was “Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”, to which Yuna answered she was fine, and then he quickly withdrew from the room
Then they uided by the ht about it, she was soaked wet and covered inof the saint If that was true, then sheexamined by the doctor
Suddenly, the maids said “Excuse me” and started to reo, she had been living as a co help to take a bath!? Even though she knew this was common practice for nobility, she pulled away to refuse them at once
“Lady Celiastina?”
The maids knitted their brows, puzzled, at Yuna suddenly withdrawing
“Ah, no, um, I-I’ll be fine alone”
At her hesitant answer, the maids’ eyes widened in surprise
“Is so the matter?”
“No, I just want to enter the bath alone today”
“Please do not say such a thing We cannot allow Lady Celiastina to bathe alone”
They had a point She was the saint ent out alone, unreasonably, and becauilty of other eccentricities She ht have people who need to stay by her side to watch her However…
“Um, please, let me enter alone”
“But–“
“I’ll be FINE!”
She said this with unintentional force and the maids’ faces were suddenly filled with fear And then, ireatly and repeated, “We apologize deeply”, over and over
“U-Um…”
“We have offended you greatly with our lack of thought We will call for replacery”
There was nothing to be angry about It was Yuna as taken aback by the sudden fear in the maids This wasn’t a situation where she could speak poorly with the iveness with pale faces But, during her confusion, the ed, and it wasn’t a situation where she could say so like “I’ll enter alone” And so, in the end, Yuna left everything up to thelike her face was aflame with embarrassment
It was ht by the time Yuna was returned to her room and finally alone
Even though she said returned, this was Yuna’s first tie and luxurious, a ridiculous room that could fit Yuna’s house many tinize set up around the room which would have cost her entire family many hundreds of years of work to purchase If she hadn’t been in her current situation she would have been wandering around in delight, but she didn’t even have the energy to feel excited Yuna threw herself on the soft canopy bed and heaved a large sigh
(Tired… I’m so tired…)
It can’t be helped in a situation like this where she didn’t even know right fro about how this would continue day after day ic for the tiirl without a burden
(Ah, but I can’t return to that anymore Because Yuna is dead Once the real Celiastina’s soul returns, this time I will head to the afterlife I will disappear… from this world)
Yuna thought that this was cruel If only she had just died co that, she started to feel a bit of hate towards that light She felt sorry for herself and how she had to live through these days while being tor death But now that it’s come to this, it is unavoidable for her to live while always being aware of the form of death It wouldn’t leave her mind She would die, she would die, in the near future…
It was also sad that she couldn’t see her parents Once the current situation calo out to see theht that she immediately shook her head Yuna was sure that her parents wereto see theht, it was unfilial of her to die earlier than her parents She couldn’t face theht?
No ht she just became depressed
Yuna e rooth mirror in the corner, which reminded her that she hadn’t checked her own appearance yet Thinking that suddenly, Yuna got out of bed quietly and timidly approached the mirror She stood in front of the mirror, nervous, and slowly raised her head
And then Yuna was astonished
What was this Was this the appearance of a human?
There stood an absurdly beautiful woman Pale translucent skin and distinct purple eyes Pale blonde hair that stretched directly to her waist and looked as if it were glihtly in shock right now Her long eyelashes, which swayed each time she blinked, would catch the eyes of anyone And then, on her neck, the symbol of a saint, the “Holy Mark”, was firmly etched
“W-Wow…”
Certainly, she had heard rumors about Saint Celiastina’s beauty and how it surpassed any treasures of this world But she had thought those were just floords to praise the saint She rong Those weren’t just flattery She’s never seen a beauty like this before Yodel, who she had just oes without saying that everything about Celiastina was arranged in such a way that Yuna could not even compare
“This is… Lady Celiastina”
Yuna recalled the look of conteelic woman
Just this beauty alone would make anyone prostrate themselves before it, but he hated her Why?
(– Argh, I keep on thinking about that Stop, stop Anyway, let’s sleep for today To to be just as hard)
Shaking her head, she thought about soht now, Yuna knew no one and she would be in a situation where the people around her knew her Sooner or later, the people around herat her with suspicion But Celiastina was definitely going to return one day Yuna had to do her best to quickly become familiar with this place so that Celiastina, when she returned, would not be suspicious That was her mission
Her life up until now had ended And now, a new life had begun The girl who had once been Yuna closed her eyes and firmly accepted that fact
A/N: I’e frohout this story If you’re enjoying this story please consider buying the books fro the author!