Episode 117
On the day Lillian woke up, she had many conversations with Cedric. There was no need for any words of forgiveness or understanding between them. The expectation that Cedric would need explanations about Swan also proved to be unfounded. Cedric didn’t ask a single question about Swan.
At the end of their conversation, as Cedric gently stroked Lillian’s forehead while she lay on the bed, he said, “Darling, you are my daughter. Where you were born and how you grew up, none of that changes. Others will also think the same.”
“…Dad.”
“What’s gone is gone. What’s important is to protect the present.”
And it didn’t need to be said that Lillian was included in the ‘present’ Cedric spoke of. Lillian’s present was also here. What she needed to protect was not Swan, but the people by her side.
‘I… I have to keep living.’
She couldn’t keep clinging to memories from when she was ten years old.
While Lillian concealed her taste preferences, Cedric, who had been pondering something, spoke up.
“There’s just one strange thing.”
“What is it?”
“You said you didn’t feel any pain when you used the dagger. The doctor also said you were perfectly healthy.”
“…But I was unconscious.”
“That was simply due to exhaustion, nothing more than falling asleep from being tired. If you had been in pain, could you have run out like that as soon as you woke up?”
It made sense upon hearing it. Even after waking up, Lillian had heard the doctor’s opinion that she was very healthy.
If Victoria’s words were true, Lillian should have been severely affected by using the dagger. Surely, if someone who wasn’t Moonlight’s daughter used the dagger, they would die in terrible agony. However, Lillian was remarkably unharmed.
While Lillian’s expression stiffened, Cedric gently smiled and comforted his daughter under her blanket.
“It might be a good idea to look into it.”
There might still be things we don’t know.
* * *
Although Lillian had only been asleep for just under a day, much had happened during that time.
Asher and Victoria were aware of Lillian’s plan to infiltrate the temple, and they didn’t miss their chance.
As soon as the crystal was destroyed, the temple lost its faithful followers. Hidden among them were heretics and memories that had been dormant due to suggestion, causing the temple to collapse in an instant.
Of course, amidst all this chaos, there were various schemes from Victoria and other heretics, but Lillian couldn’t know the details.
All she heard was that the once imposing temple had collapsed in just two days.
The leaders of the temple were all imprisoned, awaiting punishment, and Victoria took advantage of the temple’s turmoil to become its new leader. With no one else remaining with as much divine power as Victoria, nor anyone as adept at wielding it, it was only natural.
From Lillian’s perspective, this sudden change was somewhat bewildering, but upon meeting Victoria again, she sensed that Victoria had anticipated this outcome.
“The sins hidden by the temple weren’t just about Moonlight’s daughters. They may have done whatever they wanted while believing in the suggestion, but now that it’s broken, it’s time for them to pay the price.”
“Did you anticipate all of this?”
“When you’ve lived for a long time, there are things you can know without necessarily peering into the future.”
Victoria no longer wore a mask, but her face remained unseen.
She concealed her face behind a veil draped over her hat. However, Lillian vaguely thought that the face behind it might be different from the one she vaguely remembered.
Victoria released Lillian from the oath of silence and said, “This is all thanks to you, Lillian Maynard.”
“… ”
“No matter how much we prepared, if you hadn’t had the courage, we wouldn’t have even attempted it. It was possible because you’ve been alive all this time, and because you resolved to help us.”
Lillian looked down at Victoria’s hand holding hers. The lady with gloves and a covered face revealed nothing about herself. Yet, sincerity could be felt in their touching hands and the voice that emanated from beyond.
“It’s time to tell her the truth.”
But before that, there were things to know. Lillian had always gone to where Victoria was to meet her, but today was different. The place they were conversing in was the drawing room of the Maynard estate.
The reason was simple. Lillian had something to ask of Victoria, which was why she summoned her.
Victoria no longer had any reason to refuse, so she readily complied with Lillian’s summons.
“If you ever need me in the future, don’t hesitate to call. We’re not strangers.”
“…Actually, there’s something I need to tell you first.”
“Intriguing. What is it?”
“Please grant my request first.”
Instead of answering, Lillian took Victoria to a different building. Specifically, where Agnes’s portrait was located.
Where Swan’s portrait had been destroyed.
Lillian handed the damaged Swan portrait to Victoria and said, “Please restore this portrait to its original state. Lord Fitzroy said that if it’s within your abilities, you can do it.”
“Asher always exaggerates. He tends to overestimate me.”
Victoria accepted the portrait with a voice that was either joyful or embarrassed.
“All I can do is take a moment from the past and overlay it onto this person’s face. So restoring it to its original state will be difficult. It may change slightly, maybe even look younger than you remember… or a different face altogether. Is that okay?”
“It doesn’t matter. As long as it’s the same person.”
As long as it’s Swan. Lillian nodded, and Victoria took off her gloves.
She didn’t need any special effort to use her divine power.
A shimmer enveloped the painting, and after a while, the figure in the portrait began to gradually emerge from the shimmer.
It was the image of a girl with a slightly younger appearance than ten years old, smiling broadly.
It was undoubtedly the form of the portrait, but something was off. As Lillian peered closer, she felt something vaguely familiar about it.
However, it only gave her a sense of resemblance; it couldn’t be said that it resembled the face she knew to any significant extent.
“Is there some misunderstanding? Swan didn’t look like this. She… had black hair. Her eyes were blue…”
The child in the portrait looked ordinary. Brown eyes and reddish-brown hair. A face that could be found in any village.
But there was a strange familiarity about it. While the overall impression didn’t resemble Swan at all, there were some similarities upon closer inspection.
However, it was only a sense of resemblance; it couldn’t be said that it resembled the face Lillian knew to the point of being unrecognizable.
“Was there some kind of mistake? Swan didn’t look like this. The girl in this portrait… she was the real lady of the manor’s daughter.”
Lillian said so, handing Victoria the pendant.
“This is the evidence. Swan is dead, and I brought it, but the owner of this item—”
“Haha!”
At that moment, Victoria suddenly burst into laughter. She laughed so much that it
was eerie, then, with a lingering laugh, she shouted,
“Agnes deceived us all!”
