No Need For Regrets

Chapter 13

 

[“Get out of the way!”]

 

The echoing sound of her voice. And the murmurs of the people around.

 

Only then did she remember. What happened that day.

 

“Now please tell me. Even if you really did hit someone, I won’t tell anyone! I promise.”

 

Was Kina trying to cheer up Seriniel or was she just joking around, she asked, shaking the bundle of herbs.

 

“…I didn’t hit anyone.”

 

Seriniel answered with a faint smile.

 

“Instead, I pushed hard.”

 

“…Madam? Directly?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Originally, her partner was supposed to be Calian. But he disappeared with the excuse of something urgent the day before. So he didn’t even show up at Seriniel’s debutante. Leraie, who was not a noble, couldn’t even attend.

 

Moreover, she had been weak since childhood, and she didn’t have many opportunities to make friends.

 

With her face covered, Seriniel eventually fled the debutante hall as if to escape. And then, secretly, she took a breath in the darkened garden.

 

And she encountered something unexpected.

 

“A group of nobles… were tormenting someone.”

 

They were all nobles, and they were all men.

 

Did a fight break out?

 

Suddenly, she thought so, but that thought quickly dissipated.

 

At the moment when her eyes met the boy who was rolling on the ground.

 

There was no emotion on the boy’s face. It wasn’t anger at being cowardly beaten by several people, or embarrassment, or even fear.

 

His pupils staring blankly at Seriniel were as empty as if they had died a long time ago.

 

So Seriniel realized. To that person, this kind of thing was everyday life.

 

[“Stop it!”]

 

Up to now, I still don’t know why. Where did that courage come from to intervene in that fight?

 

[“To torment someone like this with several people… What are you doing!”]

 

What did I hear then? I can’t remember anything, but I seem to have been told to get lost by some noble offspring who knew nothing.

 

Even if not only words but also shoves were directed at me.

 

Even among nobles, there were different ranks. If this was happening to me, the daughter of a Marquis, then undoubtedly they were the offspring of more powerful and influential families.

 

I knew that, but for some reason, I felt more buoyant.

 

[“Get out of the way!”]

 

After shouting loudly, I forcefully pushed away one of the nobles who was blocking the boy.

 

Then I reached out to the boy. To help him up.

 

Even if it wasn’t uncomfortable, it would be a lie. But if he left alone, I was worried that the boy would be dragged away somewhere again.

 

“And then?”

 

“The person being tormented and I returned to the banquet hall together… It was very awkward.”

 

The boy didn’t say anything to Seriniel. He didn’t even say thank you, nor did he apologize for almost getting hurt because of him.

 

He just stood by Seriniel’s side… silently looking only at her.

 

If it wasn’t uncomfortable, it would be surprising. But leaving alone, I was worried that the boy would be dragged away somewhere again.

 

“And then?”

 

After much thought, Seriniel eventually spoke to the boy first.

 

[Would you like to dance with me?]

 

“We danced together.”

 

I thought he might refuse. But the boy’s reaction was unexpected.

 

Instead of answering, he reached out his hand to Seriniel. Just as she did to him earlier.

 

“Although we both stumbled, it was enjoyable.”

 

In the eyes of others, Seriniel and the boy. Both of them would have been considered disgraceful.

 

Seriniel’s disheveled blonde hair and dress.

 

And the boy with clear marks on his face, and dirt on his clothes from being kicked on the ground.

 

Even though they looked like a disgrace, surprisingly, they seemed to have enjoyed themselves.

 

“That’s all there was to it. The debutante ended shortly afterward, and we parted ways.”

 

“I didn’t even ask his name.”

 

“I asked. First… which noble family’s offspring he was.”

 

At that question, the boy spoke up for the first time.

 

[I don’t have such a thing.]

 

“…What?”

 

Not having a family meant he wasn’t a noble. But how could he attend the debutante then? Could it be that he was tormented by others for that reason?

 

There were many questions, but the boy quickly disappeared after those words.

 

“But he didn’t tell me his name. That’s the end of it.”

 

“That’s a shame. It was hasty, but he was still my debutante partner.”

 

“…That’s right.”

 

It felt like his image was so vivid in front of her eyes that she had forgotten it until now.

 

The long hair cascading down, obscuring even the facial features.

 

And the black eyes that stared at me so intently. It was different from when I was being hit without any resistance, as if it were natural.

 

Even though I almost got into trouble because of that boy, it was still good.

 

“What… Once you die and come back to life, memories from the past are supposed to be completely forgotten… “

 

Moreover, after my body started hurting, I didn’t even have the energy to dwell on past memories.

 

“Die? Who?”

 

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

 

Seriniel, who belatedly realized, waved her hand and said. Then she thought to herself.

 

What happened to him now?

 

That boy.

 

“…I hope he’s living well.”

 

Even though he was tormented, beaten, and embarrassed, he didn’t utter a single whimper. That meant he had experienced many days like that.

 

And his eyes, which were so empty. Ironically, because of that, I could now vividly remember those eyes that seemed even sadder.

 

The boy, who seemed to have forgotten even his emotions, if he was overcoming everything bravely and living well…

 

Maybe I could too.

 

Although I knew it was an endless futile thought, still.

 

“I should take good care of this dress. It’s been a while since Madam laughed so much. Let’s take it out once in a while.”

 

Kina muttered as she took care of the dress.

 

“This… I’ll take care of it separately.”

 

“Earrings? But there’s only one pair, are you sure?”

 

Maybe it was lost in the chaos of the fight. The earring that was left with only one pair would probably never be worn again.

 

But it was okay.

 

“Yeah. I want to keep it.”

 

“Yes, then please take good care of it, as it may be too small to lose.”

 

In response to Kina’s words, Seriniel nodded instead of answering. Then she looked at the earrings again.

 

The earring resting on her white hand, shining like a star under the moonlight. Seriniel stared at it, thinking about the boy whose name she didn’t know.

 

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

 

The Rosenvester Duchy was as bustling as ever today.

 

In the past, this vast mansion would have been filled with the bright laughter of the ducal family.

 

And late at night, it would have been filled with the sounds of beatings and someone’s groans.

 

But now, those days were completely gone.

 

Unbelievably, it was all because of Lexion, who had completely seized control of the duchy.

 

“….”

 

Sitting at the table, Lexion was reading a letter from someone.

 

The sender was the Emperor.

 

The content was simple. It was just a list of several noble names.

 

But the meaning implied in it was far from simple.

 

The place where Lexion’s gaze stopped on the list was a paragraph with a familiar surname written on it.

 

-Belles Verdellet.

 

…The letter sent by the Emperor was a death warrant.

 

But Lexion’s decision not to go to war was not because of the Emperor’s order.

 

Rather, it was the opposite. The Emperor trusted Lexion greatly and regarded him as his own. So he hoped that Lexion would deal with troublesome nobles like thorns, but to be honest, that was none of Lexion’s concern.

 

For Lexion, who had decided to stay in the Empire, there was no reason to resist the Emperor’s command. When he heard that he wouldn’t participate in the next war, seeing the action of the Emperor, who sent this death warrant, confirmed that even more.

 

Although he had no interest in the geographical feud between nobles and royals, this time was different.

 

Belles Verdellet. Just having his name on the list of people to kill was enough.

 

After checking the list of nobles, Lexion threw the letter from the Emperor into the burning fireplace. The thin paper was engulfed by the red embers, and soon the letter disappeared as if it had never existed in the first place.

 

“….”

 

Watching the fireplace crackle quietly, Lexion slowly turned his head. Then he reached out towards a small jewelry box sitting on the table corner.

 

There was only one thing in the jewelry box.

 

A pair of earrings shining like stars under the moonlight.

 

It belonged to Seriniel.