Chapter 19: Fragment of Truth
Somehow, I safely finished the birthday party as Ralph’s fiancée, and now I’m being rocked in the carriage on the way back with Ralph. As soon as we left the venue, the tension that had been built up suddenly snapped, and I was overwhelmed with fatigue. I felt like jumping into bed right away.
By the way, why are we alone together? It’s because Nadia said to Ralph, “It’s your birthday, so I’ll give you some space for today,” and put us both in the carriage.
Ralph, sitting across from me, had the same smiling face as always and continued to gaze at me.
“Lisette-sama, thank you so much for today.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t be of much help, I’m sorry.”
That being said, I didn’t make any major mistakes myself, and it seems that the fact that he truly has a fiancée has spread, which is good.
And thinking that now is a good timing, I took out a small package from my bag and handed it to Ralph.
“. . .What’s this?”
“It’s a birthday present. It’s nothing special and I’m embarrassed, but if you don’t mind, please accept it.”
Inside was just an embroidered handkerchief. It may be too ordinary, but financially, this was the limit. Still, because I was skilled at embroidery, I think it turned out to look just as good as store-bought ones.
Ralph stared at the present in silence for a while, but eventually raised his face and looked at me with a teary-eyed expression.
“I’m really, really happy. I’ll treasure it forever.”
“Hehe, I’m glad.”
My heart warmed up as Ralph was so happy that it made me feel apologetic.
──Why does he like me so much?
Just by helping him once that day, would it really make him so attached and like me so much? I pondered such thoughts for a moment.
“Can I hug you?”
“Huh?”
To an unexpected request, I let out a silly voice. As I looked at Ralph in surprise, our eyes and gazes intertwined, as if bathed in intense heat.
“I just can’t help but feel that way.”
Although he often says how much he likes me, he never tried to touch me beyond occasionally holding hands. That’s why I was bewildered.
Ralph seemed somewhat troubled or pained for some reason. Before I knew it, I found myself nodding slightly.
Soon, he moved next to me and gently enclosed me in his arms, as if handling fragile goods.
“Lisette-sama, I love you. I really, really love you.”
It was warm, and there was a gentle scent. My heartbeat was loud and fast to the point of surprise, and I couldn’t help but feel my own heart pounding.
“I will only love you, forever.”
While being embraced, I couldn’t see his expression, but his voice sounded like he was about to cry.
And so, I gently stroked his soft silver hair.
❂❂❂❂❂❂
A week later, in the afternoon, I was heading to the temple with Ralph. It was to meet saintess Beverly-sama.
When we arrived at the temple and were led to a room, there was a woman surrounded by a large number of guards. She was a very beautiful woman with impressively fair skin.
“It’s been a while, Ralph. You don’t seem well.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re still such a boring man.”
“Today, I want you to meet Lisette-sama.”
While feeling nervous about Ralph’s indifferent attitude even towards saint-sama, I bowed my head slightly behind him.
“Nice to meet you.”
Then suddenly, she turned her gaze towards me, furrowed her brows, and covered her mouth with her hand. In an instant, her complexion turned pale, and my heart made an unpleasant sound.
“. . .How did it come to this?”
“Huh?”
“Anyway, please have a seat.”
We were urged to sit in chairs facing each other across the table. There was a nostalgic air emanating from her, for some reason.
“I am Beverly. I am the current saintess.”
“I’m Lisette Ashburton.”
She murmured, “Lisette, huh?” and smiled softly.
“But it doesn’t seem like Ralph’s worries were spot on. It’s not like she herself is a monster or has something inside her. She’s just heavily marked.”
“Marked?”
“Yes.”
Saintess-sama stared at the area around my heart and continued.
“Based on what I lightly heard from Ralph, it seems that it’s marking Lisette as its own prey.”
“That’s. . .”
“And it’s not an ordinary monster either. Judging from this ominousness and magical power, it’s undoubtedly of the Demon Lord class.”
I had forgotten to even breathe in the face of such a terrifying story that exceeded my imagination.
However, somewhere in my heart, I even found it convincing. I knew that it was definitely not an ordinary monster.
In the midst of that, Ralph’s warm and large hand immediately enveloped my trembling palm.
“Lisette-sama, it’s okay.”
“. . .Thank you.”
After he said that, even after hearing such a story, I started to feel like everything would be alright.
“Anyway, try to remember everything you can.”
“Understood.”
From then on, I told him everything that had happened from the first time I was eaten by that monster until now. Saintess-sama, like Ralph, listened silently until the end, but eventually let out a deep sigh.
“You weakened the sanctuary.”
“Huh?”
“Someone in your state couldn’t possibly live a normal life in the sanctuary. You endured well.”
“. . .Ah.”
I realized that perhaps the cause of the health problems that had continued since arriving at the sanctuary was because of that.
But strangely, symptoms such as coughing up blood and insomnia had subsided after a year.
“Maybe instinctively, you took away the power of the sanctuary. Whether it was to create a more livable environment for yourself or to protect your body, I don’t know.”
“That’s. . .”
“As evidence, the same magical power as what exists in that land is inside Lisette’s body.”
It truly became an incomprehensible story. I couldn’t believe that I had taken away the power of the sanctuary. Who am I exactly? Even thinking about myself becomes terrifying.
The reason she immediately said, “How did it come to this?” when she saw me was because the magical power of the sanctuary and the magical power of the monster were mixed up and in a mess inside my body.
“But I feel like I’m starting to understand a little.”
Saintess-sama muttered and looked at me with her golden eyes.
“When was it that Lisette was eaten for the first time?”
“. . .I’m sorry, I don’t know.”
At that time, living in a rural village, I didn’t know about eras or anything. Besides, it seemed like quite some time had passed until I was reincarnated again.
That’s why I had no idea how long ago it was.
“It was 547 years ago.”
“Huh?”
For some reason, Ralph, who was next to me, stated it clearly.
