Episode 84
Lilian lowered her hand that had been covering her face. She turned away from Theo. She had forgotten what was truly important to her.
Swan, you’re the only one for me.
“…Fine, go ahead and leave.”
“Lilian, wait—”
“I don’t need you. Go live your life as you please.”
With those words, Lilian left Theo behind and went back up to Cedric’s office.
Since her emotions had settled considerably, this time she knocked properly. In the meantime, Theo, who had hurried after her, caught up and gasped for breath behind her.
“Hey, Lilian! What in the world—”
“Let go.”
However, Lilian released Theo’s hand and entered the office. Cedric, who had finished his glass of cold water, glanced at Lilian and raised an eyebrow.
“Alright, dear. Is the conversation over?”
“Yes. I’ve made my decision.”
But it wasn’t about Theo.
“I’ll be going abroad to study.”
* * *
After that day, Lilian’s preparations for studying abroad progressed quickly and secretly.
Since it was important to avoid the eyes of the temple, Lilian was supposed to be known for a while as going to the southern region for recuperation. However, in reality, she was going to Boswick Duchy. It was a place where the influence of the temple was weak, making it less susceptible to the central authority of the Holy See. So it was suitable both for avoiding the eyes of the temple and for practicing sacred powers.
Once the minimum number of people to accompany her was decided, all preparations proceeded swiftly, and within a few days of the decision to study abroad, Lilian boarded the carriage.
Earlier than the day Theo decided to accept knighthood.
“Take care, Miss!”
“You must stay healthy!”
After bidding farewell to the servants, Lilian embraced Cedric once before boarding the carriage.
“We’ll depart now.”
As the carriage door closed, beyond the crowd, Theo’s red hair stood out. He always stood out wherever he went, being a head taller than most. Having particularly eye-catching red hair also contributed to that.
Theo couldn’t take his eyes off Lilian until the very end. There was a look on his face that seemed to want to say something very badly. But Lilian turned her head and drew the curtain closed.
‘I won’t rely on you anymore, Theo.’
I’ll protect what’s precious to me, so you should protect what’s precious to you.
And with that, Lilian departed.
Time passed quickly, three years later.
“Miss! A letter has arrived!”
“A letter?”
A blonde woman sitting at her desk raised her head. She, who was addressed as “Miss” by the person who brought the letter, frowned slightly as she opened the letter, which seemed troubling even at a glance. Her friend, who was sewing nearby, chuckled.
“Why do you dislike a letter from your hometown so much?”
“It’s from my hometown.”
“Is it a family issue? Is someone in your family sick?”
“No, my father is fine. But… it seems to be a family issue.”
The delicate fingertips of the woman speaking sifted through the letter. Written neatly in refined handwriting at the end of the paper were these words:
[…So it seems I can no longer postpone the succession. Come back as soon as you’ve checked the letter, Lilian.]
If it’s about succession, it’s definitely troublesome. Lilian, after reading the letter once more, folded it and put it back into the envelope. She no longer resembled a girl. Lilian had become an adult, and time had made her even more beautiful.
Her long brown hair had lightened, making her appear more fittingly blonde to anyone who saw her. The cynical atmosphere she once had now exuded a more elegant and seductive aura, befitting her age. However, it couldn’t be denied that she had become a bit heavier, calmer, and more difficult to approach than before.
Her friend, who was sewing beside her, had debated for about a week whether to speak up at first.
“It seems like she might be sociable if I speak up.”
Strange, isn’t it? That there’s a wall.
But she didn’t seem like a bad person, her friend thought inwardly.
“So, Lilian, are you going back to your hometown now?”
“Yeah, I guess I have to.”
Lilian answered, leaning against the window frame and gazing outside where the sunlight streamed in. Perhaps her hometown lay in that direction.
“I’ll be going back after three years.”
* * *
Stepping into the familiar gardens of Maynard, the first to greet her was undoubtedly Mary.
“Miss!”
“Mary! It’s been a while.”
Now that Mary had also aged and Lilian had become an adult, she couldn’t easily lift Lilian up in a hug as before. But to Lilian, Mary was like a mother. Lilian hugged Mary tightly before letting go.
“It’s been so long! You’ve grown so much.”
“Really? You seem the same, Mary. And so does Maynard.”
As Lilian looked around the mansion, she heard a familiar voice.
“Maynard hasn’t changed. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
“Dad!”
As Cedric opened his arms, Lilian hugged him as usual. Even though three years had passed since she left Maynard, Cedric had often visited her in the manor of the duchy she lived in, so it didn’t feel like it had been so long since they had seen each other like it did for others. But no matter how far apart they were, it was clear that they were now precious to Lilian.
After exchanging brief greetings, Lilian went straight to the place she had missed.
Click. As the key turned, the door opened, and beyond it was as tidy as Lilian remembered.
‘The annex is still the same.’
It seemed that the management had continued even in her absence. She had done well to remove Swan’s portrait. In fact, she wanted to see Swan’s face even there.
Lilian carefully placed Swan’s portrait back beside Agnes’s portrait.
Lilian had used a double frame to hide Swan’s portrait, so from the front, it looked like a still life painting of fruit. But behind it was Swan’s portrait. The compartment containing the still life painting was detachable, so when she wanted to see Swan’s portrait, she just had to remove the compartment.
Lilian placed Swan and Agnes side by side. The two similar faces seemed to smile at her.
‘I’ve come back, Swan.”’
To your home.
* * *
In fact, Lilian didn’t learn much in the Grand Duchy of Boswick.
Handling divine power ultimately required personal proficiency, so once you learned the method, you didn’t need any particular mentor afterward. Yet there were two reasons why Lilian didn’t return to Maynard.
The first reason was that she didn’t like the idea of adapting to Maynard without Theo. Occasionally, Mary’s letters contained news from Maynard, and naturally, it was also written that Theo had joined the Order of Knights. It was an unwelcome piece of news, but Lilian couldn’t help but wonder how things had turned out, whether she should laugh or cry when she received it.
“So now, even if I go back to Maynard as the Duchess, Theo won’t be there.”
There would no longer be footsteps that grumbled while looking for her even if she hid away. There would be no comfort on lonely days, and there would be no friend to share the truth with. Lilian didn’t want to face that fact. Although everything would be the same when she returned to Maynard, she couldn’t accept that Theo would be the only thing missing. So she didn’t go back.
Fortunately, there was a second reason that served as a good excuse for Lilian.
“They’re clamoring for you to succeed the duchy, Lilian.”
That’s it. The issue of succession.
After the Odile incident three years ago, Lilian had become the rightful heiress of the Maynard Duchy.
Thus, they clamored for Lilian to succeed. The reason was simple.
“In truth, the succession is just an excuse. They’re talking about marrying you off.”
To marry Lilian off.
