Chapter 27
…..Anyhow Esca-san didn't try going out again afterwards.
「I knew it」
Feria-san murmured dejectedly with a heavy air about her.
「I already knew it would turn out like this」
She gazed at the door that was slammed coldly upon her. It looked like she was trying to endure something.
Anyone would be rattled if they were just ignored and blatantly avoided by their own parent. I think that Feria-san is rather impressive for remaining quite composed even in this sort of situation.
Feria-san didn't move. I felt as if she would've stood there like that for many decades if I left her like this.
Perhaps she lost the energy to even walk?
Or was she waiting for her mother to appear again?
Either way, nothing will change if we continue to stand here.
The situation would definitely progress if I do so.
The risk is too high to just rush straight forth without figuring out the circumstances first.
(Kajero, can you hear me?)
I reached out telepathically to the most dependable doll that was surely within the vicinity.
(Yes, I am at your service)
(I think we should leave here for the time being, what do you think?)
(That would be best for the current situation, the lodging Miss Feria is staying at should suffice. I will guide you to the "Crow". I have to step away for a bit, but I will leave Walf as your escort so please be at ease)
Surprisingly, Feria-san responded to my offer quite easily. It seems she's trying her best to calm down the raging waves within her heart, perhaps she couldn't do anything other than that.
I arrived at an inn with two beautiful crows『Bustle of the Wharf』was written at the entrance's pavilion.
There are colorful flowers adoring the tables and the cleaning is superb enough to the point that there is no dust inside. The room is also clean and comfortable.
Feria-san approached the bed unsteadily and collapsed face-first onto it just like that. Then she slowly began trembling, even so I couldn't hear the sounds of her crying or breathing.
Such an ominous phrase crosses my mind.
I only heard the sound of my own heart within my own ears, which made it seem quite loud.
……It might be better to leave her alone for a while.
I was going to sit down on the edge of the bed, but as expected I should probably go out and…
「……Would you listen to my story?」
Feria-san reached out her hand.
Her fingertips brushed up against mine and touched upon what I couldn't bring myself to do.
「Just a little is fine, if you don't want to I will stop. I won't force you, I also question myself just what am I doing clinging to a child seven years younger than me but――」
I know, she was already troubled with what to do so she'll likely be overwhelmed if she didn't talk to someone.
Feria-san immediately grasped it.
Tight, too tight, with this amount of strength even if I tried to shake her off I probably wouldn't be released.
――I want you to stay here.
Her thoughts were painfully conveyed over to me.
「Is it really alright? Isn't this annoying?」
「I am also very concerned, because it involves the precious Feria-san. So please do tell me」
By no means was this a one-sided situation where she would complain to me while I accompanied her.
That's why there is no need to hold back.
I wonder if my intentions were conveyed to her.
Feria-san was hesitant at first in the beginning, but eventually she let loose everything she had contained in her heart to me.
「I said this before, but in Malgaroid it is quite normal to get married at about your age. Commoners might get married a bit later but it's still early compared to other countries. The reason why it became like this is due to a war that had been continuing until about 50 years ago, but that's a story for another time. Married at the age of 10, birth at the age of 12, this is the so-called "norm" of daughters from proper families. But I wasn't able to get along with any of them, our encounters were just due to misfortune and also bad luck on my part……in truth, I actually have four fiances」
「Isn't having multiple spouses polygamous?」
「You seem to know a lot of difficult words, it's quite unexpected for a 10-year old. But the present Malgaroid is monogamous」
This means that Feria-san missed the opportunity of marriage four times before.
「The first time was when I was six, the carriage which my fiance was riding on fell off from a cliff. He was the son of a highly prestigious household, so many adventurers were driven to search for the body. They searched for many months but they couldn't find him. It's likely he ended up in the belly of some beast. Next is when I was seven, it happened at the engagement announcement party. I thought that something flew from the ceiling and the next moment my fiance's head was rolling near my feet」
「That must've been quite……shocking」
「I've never been so scared in my entire life, my entire body felt paralyzed and I couldn't even crawl let alone escape. Fortunately, the assassin's target was only my fiance so I was spared. The truth is shrouded by darkness, but it seems it had something to do with troubles surrounding the next King.
I liked moving my body to begin with, but I guess I also wanted to escape from reality. I became so engrossed in it that I literally forgot to eat and sleep. There were days when I didn't even go home. Father and mother were initially mindful about it but they eventually tolerated it.
His tone was very patronizing, I suppose he was making light of me since I was a little girl. I was enraged and engaged him in combat without any hesitation. It was like I had completely cast myself aside and my fighting style was quite violent if I recall correctly」
「Did you win?」
「Of course, it was a complete victory, the other party could barely even resist……and as a result, the engagement was canceled」
I wonder if it was because she hurt his pride.
Although it would be rather meager in that case……
「And the next year, he suddenly died due to an illness in the lungs.
It seems he started vomiting blood all of a sudden in the middle of the streets and died just like that. At this point rumors started to spread, the daughter of the Louivas house is cursed…and so on」
The first one died in an accident, the second one was assassinated, the third one died of a disease.
But there are just some people who cannot be relieved unless they attribute it to whatever other reason possible――which in this case would be a curse.
「Because of that there wasn't anyone brave enough to marry me,
hence why I am late in marriage」
「But there was another fiance right?」
「I was 15, right after my master died. It was from the second son of a house that divided from the royal family some time ago, the proposal was abnormal. At the time it didn't appear to be a bad choice. His appearance captured the hearts of many noble daughters from everywhere. Furthermore, he was a swordsman from the same school as me. Although it was at different times, it seems that he was practicing under Master. He told me that I didn't have to bear his child immediately, he promised me that he was fine with allowing me to do what I wanted for while」
「Aren't these conditions perfect then?」
If this was the case then why?
「His personality, I was at a complete loss, he appeared gentle on the surface, but if there was anything he didn't like he would suddenly change. He would immediately release his anger on anything or anyone; there were servants that were even killed and raped. I couldn't marry such a man, it seems that his promise was only there as a bait to capture me. But because the opponent was a former royal family member, neither father nor mother were able to help me. My brother was also out of the kingdom at that time too.
I was all alone, every night I would stay up in my room holding my knees just thinking and thinking about it――in the end, I ran away from my house」
That was the only choice the isolated and unsupported Feria-san could come to in the end.
……I could tell from her expression that it was something she had never wanted.
「I think it was about half a year ago, I heard that the crimes of that evil man were exposed and he ended up being exiled from the country, so I decided to return to my parents' home」