Volume 4 Chapter 13 Part 5 (2/2)

Every single trace of the flower’s existence would soon be destroyed. There was no helping it. But even so, even if the Governess understood that, she was still feeling guilt and regret about that.

「But still.」

「It’s fine, really. And thank you, Leti.」

It was spare, but the Governess could sense the feelings lurking behind those words. She looked at Juri-kun for a moment before she let out a long sigh. Sometimes she forgot that even though this man looked like a twelve-year-old, he was much older than that. Compared to him, she thought of herself as a terrible Governess, someone who did terribly at her job and lived in fear of the foreign nations. Juri thought it was kind of cute of her to be like that, but that it was also pitiful. She was much more than that.

He still remembered the day when he met her for the first time, when she was brought to the ruins by her father, just like her grandfather did with her father before that and so on for the last three hundred years. Her bright face, her resolute eyes and her hair, just like that woman.

–––––– Whose hair was just so beautiful.

Before anyone could notice, her eyes opened wide and tears began to flow down from them and drip down her cheeks. For as long as he remembered, he felt truly surprised and frustrated at the same time.

That’s it. Letishela was no longer a little girl but a full-fledged Governess. She was her own person, not Elizabel. And she surely wasn’t something like her incarnation. She was a woman who lost her parents at a young age and was thrusted into a position that was not meant for someone so young, entrusted with knowledge that no young person should be forced to bear at a young age.

From that moment, almost eighteen years have already passed.

「I’m truly grateful to you.」

Seeing her with her cheeks flushed red , trembling lips and runny nose, Juri was at a loss for words. He never thought that someone would do something like that for him. But it was already too late. And the feeling he felt on that day all those years ago would only continue.

「Juri-onii-sama?」

「Hm?」

As soon as he raised his face he felt that something was strange. He felt a soft sensation on his lips, accompanied by surprising warmth. He would never expect something like that to happen. That Letishela would kiss him just like that. His eyes widened with surprise. He was unable to move. And soon enough, white light clouded his vision.

「…… Sorry, Leti.」

「!!!」

That Court Wizard said that only the power of true love could dispel the curse that was put on him. So when nothing happened, the Governess opened her eyes wide in shock, stood up and ran away with tears in her eyes. Seeing that, Juri couldn’t help it but smile bitterly.

「It would be great if he could be like those two, but sadly that could never be.」

Please tell me, Elizabel.

He asked that question into empty space, but there was no one here to answer him. He knew that all too well. But even so, he felt as though he could hear a quiet and sad cry coming from somewhere in the distance.