“Please keep it a secret that we are helping.”
Elise advised Ilaria.
Ilaria’s eyes wavered with emotion.
She knew of the exploits Karan and Elise had carried out at the 1st and 2nd gates.
If those two helped, it could be kept secret even from King Magnus.
“I will swear to it.”
Elise smiled at Ilaria’s answer.
The night of the banquet deepened. It was time for Karan and Elise, the stars of the engagement ceremony, to return to their rooms.
“Ugh, I’m sad. Let’s play a bit more, Elise.”
As the drunken Jasmine clung to her, Deboa grabbed her arm and dragged her away.
“Get some good rest. You’ll have to wake up early to prepare. It will be hard work all day.”
The engagement ceremony would last all day long. It wouldn’t just be held in just one place.
Once at the palace, and once at the plaza.
The ceremony at the palace was the real engagement, while the one at the plaza was more to show the kingdom’s prosperity to the citizens.
At the same time, it had the nature of charity by feeding the kingdom’s people until they were full.
Even though Elise said she wanted a simple engagement ceremony, a large budget was required because of the plaza event.
She could cut back as much as she wanted on her own attire and accessories, but she couldn’t neglect properly preparing a feast for the kingdom’s citizens to eat richly for a day.
“Thanks for your consideration, Deboa. I’ll see you at tomorrow’s ceremony.”
Elise left the banquet hall first.
She wanted to at least greet Karan, but according to the superstitions, she must not see his face until the ceremony begins or it will bring bad luck.
Unlike Bedrokka, Tetris had many such taboos.
Elise thought they were nonsensical superstitions, but since she had decided to become a Tetrisian, she intended to follow them all.
Elise ignored Regina’s offer to accompany her and headed to her room. Besti chased after her.
“Miss, huff, Miss.”
With Besti’s elderly pace, it was difficult for her to chase after Elise. She had tried to approach quietly, but ended up calling out.
“Besti?”
Elise turned around. Behind her was an old woman leaning heavily on a cane, breathing laboriously.
Elise walked towards Besti. Meanwhile, Besti caught her breath.
“Besti, why did you come out? You should enjoy yourself.”
“It’s not a place suited for an old lady like me.”
“What does age matter?”
After saying that, Elise felt embarrassed.
She realized the awkwardness Besti must have felt amidst the boisterous banquet, with the young people exchanging furtive glances.
If it were her, she would have left much earlier. The fact that Besti remained at the banquet hall, which must have been boring for her until this hour, showed the depth of her feelings for Elise.
Elise’s nose stung with emotion.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t consider your situation, Besti. I should have told you that you could go in and rest early.”
“No, Miss Elise. Just seeing you looking so happy was enough joy for me.”
Elise touched her own face.
“Did I look happy?”
Instead of answering, Besti showed a contented smile.
“You seem happy?”
Is that so? Am I happy right now?
At Besti’s question, Elise examined her own feelings.
If asked whether it was good or bad, it was certainly good. She felt warm and like she could succeed at anything, and when she saw people, she immediately felt like smiling.
Is this what it feels like to be happy?
“I suppose so.”
Elise admitted it. Though an unfamiliar emotion, she willingly accepted it.
No, she didn’t even have a chance to accept it before it had already dyed her being.
Elise stroked the back of her neck. The feeling of discovering an unknown side of herself was novel and a bit awkward.
“Shall we have a cup of tea?”
She couldn’t shake the thought that she hadn’t properly hosted Besti.
Though late at night, she had some time to spare for Besti who had traveled a long way with her frail body.
“No need. Would you simply walk with this old lady for a bit?”
“Gladly.”
Elise stood beside Besti. The two walked side-by-side. Elise guided her to the rear garden.
Karan’s palace had several gardens, but Elise’s favorite was the back garden.
The modest garden, without grandiose sculptures or fountains, was just to Elise’s liking.
Even more so because few people visited it.
“You have something to say, don’t you?” Elise hinted once they arrived at the back garden, causing Besti to stop walking. Besti repeatedly stroked the carved weasel at the end of her cane.
“…It’s sooner than expected, Miss Elise.”
“The day Ragnaros awakens?”
Elise casually spoke the name Besti could not bring herself to utter. Besti gave a heavy nod.
“You cannot tell me the reason, I presume?”
She wondered if knowing the reason could help prevent it.
“I can only guess.”
“I want to hear Besti’s opinion.”
Besti pressed her dry, wrinkled lips together before parting them.
“Perhaps it senses a crisis. Since you have been handling things so well.”
Is the main body rising up because the gates, through which it should be gathering strength, have repeatedly fallen easily to humans?
“But that hardly seems like a good choice from Ragnaros’ perspective either.”
“How could insignificant beings like us fathom its perspective? But if I had to guess, it means to not give us time to prepare.”
Elise’s face darkened. Besti briefly regretted having said that to someone expecting a joyous occasion.
But that regret soon passed. Besti had been feeling her death approaching for some time now.
She couldn’t pinpoint exactly when, but her life force was fading.
She had to speak while she still could, so Elise could start preparing a bit sooner.
To Besti, Elise felt like the daughter she never had.
She felt affectionate towards her, wanted to help her, and wished her well no matter what.
“Just a moment, Besti.”
Elise became deep in thought. If Ragnaros awoke sooner, their inadequate preparations would cause many problems.
What problems might arise?
How could she best prevent them?
As Elise’s thoughts deepened, Besti spoke up with great tenderness.
“Miss Elise.”
Elise’s mind returned at the affectionate call.
“May I hold your hand for a moment?”
Besti’s request was quite sudden and unlike her.
She clearly had affection for Elise and expressed it in her own way, but not like this.
Elise’s eyes narrowed.
“Besti, what’s going on?”
Besti slowly shook her head. Not yet, nothing yet.
“This old lady must have made an unreasonable request, on such an auspicious occasion.”
Come to think of it, even Besti holding her back earlier was unlike her. There was plenty of time tomorrow or the day after.
“Get some good rest, Miss Elise.”
“Besti.”
Elise took Besti’s hand. She firmly grasped Besti’s rough, rigid hand like an old tree trunk.
“Besti, thank you.”
Only now did Elise notice Besti’s urgency. She didn’t know why Besti was being so urgent, but it made Elise feel rushed too.
“Whatever for…?”
“For everything.”
If not for Besti, Elise would not have prepared to face Ragnaros.
She would have leisurely assumed she had 10 years and dallied.
What then? The world would have completely collapsed.
In that case, Elise could not have survived.
Just recalling how she ruined her previous life filled her with terrible regret.
But if the life she reclaimed to take revenge ended up hastening the world’s destruction?
Elise’s life would have become hell.
Besti was the benefactor of Elise’s life and the savior of the world.
“Really, thank you Besti. Belatedly, but still.”
“Such words…to me…”
Besti’s chest tightened, leaving her unable to continue. Elise gripped her hand tighter.
“I’ll say it more often from now on. So Besti, you absolutely must come to my wedding too, alright?”
It felt like Besti was going somewhere far away. Her hesitation to answer made it seem even more so.
“Besti?”
Elise urged her for a response.
“Alright, Miss Elise.”
Only after Besti’s belated answer did Elise feel relieved.
The two exchanged gazes while holding each other’s hands, their eyes mixing trust and affection.
Someone was observing this scene. It was Iris.
When Elise left the banquet hall, Iris quietly followed behind her.
Disliking Elise’s good fortune, Iris wanted to at least ruin her mood.
But she was not the only one trailing Elise.
There was also an old woman hobbling along with a cane.
‘Who is this old hag?’
The old woman called out to Elise. Iris instinctively hid herself in the shadows.
After exchanging a few words, the old woman and Elise headed to the rear garden. Iris cast a veil of darkness spell.
A black shadow enveloped her figure as she followed the pair.
She wanted to get closer but it wasn’t easy. If Elise was perceptive, she might notice Iris’s magic.
Taking up position at a reasonable distance, Iris pricked up her ears.
Their conversation went on for quite a while.
“…Alright?”
“Yes, Miss Elise.”
What was she agreeing to?
It seemed Elise had given some sort of instruction. And then the two departed.
Iris looked back and forth between Elise and Besti before trailing after Besti.
‘There’s something about that old woman.’
Perhaps that was the reason Elise was having such success, Iris thought.
Thanks for the chapter