The person who had been praying to the Black Creator God's (검은 창조신) statue, which was turned upside down, lifted his eyelids at the sound of hurried footsteps. It was clear that it wasn't good news, but he seemed quite relaxed, as if it were none of his business.
"Lord Cellus."
All the priests of the Erebus Order had their vocal cords damaged by magic, resulting in a hoarse voice close to the sound of metal. It was impossible to discern gender or identity by voice alone, but the voice that called him was particularly low, making it easy to distinguish. The one called Cellus replied without turning around.
"Devotio, is there any progress?"
"...Since they've realized that mid-level demonic beasts are ineffective, we plan to demand spirit stones. They must have figured out that periodically emptying the spirit power increases the total amount, so there shouldn't be any difficulties. The problem is not that. 'Clavis' has found out about the existence of human experimentation. What if they try to break off the deal because of that?"
Cellus, who had steadfastly finished his prayer, slowly rose to his feet. The hem of his robe, dyed as dark as pitch, fluttered lightly.
"Our deal is simple anyway. Even if they try to break it off now, they'll eventually have to bend. We're their only hope, after all."
"But who knows what those eccentrics will do."
Although they had gathered black magicians out of necessity, they were not easy to control. Of course, they had already anticipated this, so it didn't matter. Their goal was one and the same.
"Then, we should also have a harvest to clean up the mess those eccentrics have made, shouldn't we?"
Cellus's attitude, as he murmured as if singing, remained calm throughout, which reassured Devotio. Those who joined the Erebus Order abandoned their identities and took on new names, so they were ignorant of each other's past identities, and that was the same for Cellus and Devotio.
However, Devotio knew. Even if he didn't know who Cellus was in the past, whenever he acted so nonchalantly, there was always a plausible solution. So, this time too, their great work would not be ruined. As always.
"Gather the eccentrics."
"As you command."
The sky, which had been covered by twilight, had already darkened. Turning his back on Devotio, who was hurrying out of the prayer room, Cellus knelt again before the overturned statue.
"Then, I should pray again."
For what the wanderers yearn for.
"For the dawn of the new dawn."
***
Two days later, after the report on human experimentation was submitted to the Emperor. Although it was a serious matter, it had left Theo's hands, and the backlog of work had been somewhat cleared, making it virtually a vacation.
Thinking that they could spend more time together for a while, Theo and I were wondering how to spend our time when Orca and Liam came to visit. They had investigated the villa near the beach that we had talked about in the glass greenhouse a few days ago and made a report.
"I had Liam make it as practice. It's the first report he's ever made, so please take that into consideration."
I wondered why they had made a report, but it seemed it was for Liam's practice. Even in the midst of all that, Orca seemed like a mother bird, laying the groundwork that it was his first time making one, lest he be scolded by Theo.
Theo chuckled and picked up the report, slowly examining it, and Liam froze. Knowing that it was made as practice, Theo wouldn't criticize him harshly, but he was so nervous, perhaps because of the pressure to do well, that I felt sorry for him.
"Not bad for a first attempt."
"R-Really?"
Liam, who had been frozen still as if he wasn't breathing, finally let out a sigh of relief. Orca smiled as if he was even more proud, but when he met his eyes, he immediately hardened his face. That tsundere....
"It's all thanks to my senior for teaching me so well!"
At Liam's shy words, Orca, who was trying to control his twitching lips, added.
"Of course. It's me who taught him, after all."
"That's right! Hahaha!"
They sure do get along…
"Ah, will Lord Shuian also be attending the upcoming Imperial Banquet?"
At Orca's question, Theo turned his head to me. Seeing his face, which clearly showed that he wanted me to go with him, I bit my lip for a moment to hold back a laugh and answered.
"Of course, I have to go."
"It must be quite uncomfortable for you. Thank you."
"It wasn't a big deal when I went last time. Don't worry. But is Ariel coming this time too?"
She seemed very uncomfortable when I saw her last time....
"Judging from the fact that there's no news yet, she probably won't be attending. There's no particular reason for her to attend this time either."
"Besides, she showed a lot of bad behavior last time, so she probably won't bring her out of embarrassment."
The Empress had marked Ariel as Ricardo's partner, so she had invited her to prove Ricardo's achievements and introduce her to the Emperor, but as Theo said, the Emperor had openly ignored Ricardo, so the Empress's pride must have been greatly hurt.
"But, why the Saintess? Don't tell me, are you asking because you want to see that woman?"
Theo's eyes immediately turned fierce. Theo had been wary of Ariel ever since he first saw her, and it had become even worse after Ariel had come to see me before. I smiled slyly and said.
"Of course not."
"Are you sure?"
"Hmm, if Theo spends a lot of time with me, then maybe I won't even think about her?"
Only then did Theo raise the corners of his mouth with a relieved face.
"I'll have to keep that in mind."
I smiled again, ignoring Orca, who was frowning with annoyance.
"Ah, I almost forgot. Actually, my sister said that she received a lot of help from Lord Shuian and wanted to repay you, although it's not comparable, so she sent you coffee and sandwiches. There's quite a lot, so it seems like His Highness and you can eat it together and still have leftovers. Would you like to accept it?"
"Reina did? Of course, I'll take it. Be sure to tell Reina thank you. No, I'll write a letter and give it to you, so please deliver it."
"Oh my, even a handwritten letter... It's enough that you enjoy the food... My sister will be very touched. Thank you so much!"
"What's so difficult about eating deliciously that you're thanking me so much?"
Then, did she recreate the recipe and send it back to me as I told her? I'm looking forward to it!
"Ah, instead of that, let's all eat together. You said there's a lot. How about eating in the glass greenhouse?"
Now, it truly rivaled the Sun Garden! Theo readily nodded at my question.
"If you wish, let's do that."
As soon as Theo's permission was given, Orca called the maids and immediately ordered them to set up a tea table in the glass greenhouse.
I was even more excited when he said that he would prepare it so that we could enjoy tea time in the greenhouse at any time, and as soon as the preparations were finished, I grabbed Theo's hand and dragged him away.
He smiled as if he thought I was cute for taking the lead, but he didn't forget to nag me not to rush because I could get hurt.
The tea table that the maids had prepared in the glass greenhouse was quite plausible even though it was made so suddenly, so I liked it very much. It'll be even prettier if I decorate it properly later, right? I'm so excited!
What Reina sent were sandwiches and coffee, and as Liam said, there was a lot, enough for the four of us to eat. It seemed like she had sent it thinking that the four of us would eat together in the first place.
I tried the coffee first. I was worried because I only told her the approximate recipe because I didn't know the measurements of the ingredients, but when I actually drank it, it tasted similar to the Americano or Cafe Latte I used to drink, which was amazing.
"How is it?"
"It's similar to what I used to drink. It's delicious."
"I'm glad. My sister seems to like it too, and she drinks it often according to this recipe."
The fact that she found the most ideal ratio recipe on her own with just the ingredients meant that Reina's senses were that much more outstanding, so I was impressed, but on the other hand, I suddenly remembered the countless coffees I had drunk with my younger sibling. He'll never know that I don't really like coffee.
"Your Highness, please try it quickly too. And Senior too!"
How could he be so happy? At Liam's urging, we all tasted the sandwiches and coffee.
The food that Reina sent was all delicious, and perhaps because it resembled the past me a little. I especially thought of that child.
***
Theo came over after showering while I was looking out the window.Theo came over after showering while I was looking out the window. He kept checking on my mood even after we left the glass greenhouse, so it seemed like he was very worried.
"I'm really okay."
"I know. Shuian is strong."
Theo readily agreed to my words, which I had said out of guilt, but he asked carefully.
"Were you thinking about your sibling?"
It wasn't wrong, but to be more precise, I was recalling past memories.
Memories, no matter how deeply buried, are easily unearthed with just a small trigger. The sharper it is, the more it hurts me. While I believe that it will be worn away by time and covered by tomorrow and eventually become dull, I only realize it after it is occasionally taken out.
Whether it has become dull enough that it can no longer hurt me, or whether it has rusted so much as a price for ignoring it and will tear me apart even more.
The memories of my family are mostly the latter, so sometimes they make me cry like a child. There are people who are living well. Why can't I do that? What is loneliness that makes me feel so suffocated? I try not to make a fuss, but it never goes as I want.
"Yeah. It just suddenly reminded me because it tasted similar to the coffee I used to drink."
I led Theo closer to the window with a sudden thought.
"Before I met Theo in the forest, when I was alone, I liked watching the night sky. That child liked constellations."
"Constellations?"
"I don't think there are any here, but in the place where I lived with my sibling, people named the shapes that came out by connecting the stars with lines. That's called a constellation. If it's the shape of a water bottle, it's Aquarius, if it's the shape of a fish, it's Pisces, and if it's the shape of a bull, it's Taurus. Besides, there are legends and myths associated with each constellation, and that child knew them all by heart."
Of course, what that child liked was an imaginary story that was far from modern astronomy, and he was even deeply immersed in constellation horoscopes.
"The sky that looked ordinary to my eyes was several stories to that child."
Even if I had to package astrology as something good, it was just pseudo-science to me, but at least the world in that child's eyes was more mysterious and colorful than mine.
"But, I couldn't understand it even after listening to the explanation. Even if you connect the stars, it's just a line, so how can it be the shape of a lion or the shape of a scale? So, since there was nothing to do in the forest, I tried to find it again while looking at the sky at night, but I couldn't find it. It's the same now."
I said, still keeping my eyes on the sky. There are so many stars in the sky, what kind of shape can you make? What kind of story is there? Is there a story that that child would like? I felt like I would never know, no matter how much time passed.
"Then, shall we make one ourselves?"
"What?"
"A constellation. I don't know what the principle is, but let's connect only the brightest stars first."
Theo, who was looking up at the sky like me, reached out his hand. I moved my gaze along his fingertips, but nothing came to mind. Theo narrowed his brows and tilted his head.
"Hmm... Is it a bit similar to a shield? Or a gourd? If you look closely, it looks like a rock...."
In the end, that meant he couldn't see anything either.
"Then, how about this? If you connect the one at the bottom with the one at the end, doesn't it look like a ribbon?"
Even Theo, who usually agreed with my opinion, was silent for a long time this time. We burst out laughing at the same time.
"Your sibling had a very difficult hobby."
"Yeah, it doesn't seem to suit us."
I still don't quite understand constellations, but even though I still miss the face that came to mind when I looked at that sky, so full of stars it felt like I could reach out and touch them.
It wasn't sad enough to make me cry anymore. I had only just realized that the memories I had buried, too afraid to even look at, had finally dulled. That alone was enough.
"Let's give up on our constellation and go to bed."
Theo burst out laughing at my silly pun.
Comments Box