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Chapter 15 Bertia 17 Years Old (5)Part 3/3
Translated by LynneSuzuran & Senhiro
"Eh? Lèse-majesté? Among other crimes? What are you talking about…"
"As a consequence, we agreed that along with Baron Inderon severing connections with you, we will be content with sending you to a monastery. Therefore, your life from now on and for your lifetime, you're going to pass your time in the monastery as Heronia, the commoner, without any connection to the Inderon Baron House. Of course, any attempt to flee will not be tolerated. That is all."
I finished speaking, having completely disregarded the former Baroness Heronia's jumbled talk.
When my words sank in for her, her face that was brimming with happiness became warped with anger and bafflement.
"Father!! What in the world is this about?! Even though I've always told you that I was a special existence, why is this…?!"
"Baron Inderon, you are permitted to speak."
Baron Inderon was about to snap angrily at his daughter to the point where his mouth was already open when he seemed to remember the king was present and sought permission with his eyes. My father slowly nodded in return.
"Heronia, are you still going to say such thing this late in the game? That's enough, please take a look at reality. You've brought about such a serious matter. By all rights, under the law, it wouldn't be strange for you to get a more severe punishment. Since it was a matter within the academy, you are able to get away with a punishment only to this degree. You should be grateful. I will also shoulder the fault of not being able to correct you despite having always having been anxious that things would turn out like this someday, so you should also reflect on your own action in the monastery for the remainder of your life, and this time, pray for the sake of other people every day. …These are my last words to my daughter."
In response to the words that were slowly strung together former-Baroness Heronia opened her eyes wide.
Perhaps he had never seen that kind of appearance before, as Baron Inderon finished his words, he cast his eyes downward and averted his gaze away from her.
"W, weird. This is weird! Everything had gone smoothly until I entered Halm Academy, so why did things become like this? I thought that my happy harem life would begin the moment I entered the academy, but why?! This kind of conclusion shouldn't have existed within that game!! Even though I am the heroine!!"
Having been forsaken by her parent, Baron Inderon, former-Baroness Heronia had a complete change in her countenance.
As she raised her voice, the knights stepped forward and held her down.
With her face flushed in fury now, I wonder if Baron Inderon's final show of love as a parent even managed to reach her?
Nay. She most likely didn't get it.
"That's right. What about Pi-chan? Where did Pi-chan go?! If that child were here, everyone would know that I'm a special being. After all, that child was a holy…"
"If it's about the bird you were keeping, he no longer exists in this world."
"……Eh?"
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Her gaze flickered around the empty air, looking for a help from the small bird who had continued to protect her by her side, for the special being who would have allowed her to be the [heroine], and then she stiffened.
No matter how much she searched, there was no sign of the bird…There couldn't be.
The people who weren't aware of that bird's existence frowned at her suspicious behavior.
The same was true for the people were aware of the bird's existence, yet were unaware of that bird's true identity.
However, a stinging air of tension ran only among those who knew of that bird's true identity.
With the situation being like this, no matter what she said, if the people here didn't even acknowledge it, it would just be taken as a lie without anyone believing in the existence of spirits.
Still, if you consider the worst case scenario, you couldn't help but to be on guard towards her behavior by all means.
"That time, in order to protect you—his master, his life was destroyed."
"N-no way…"
"That is the result of your action. Also, it's the future that the two of you chose."
"W-wrong… N-no way… Lies! Pi-chan!!"
Despite her angrily laying the blame on the others up until now and never repented or lamented for anyone other than herself, on former-Baroness Heronia's face, remorse and sorrow appeared for the first time.
Apparently, even though it was in a twisted form, there had certainly been a bond between her and her spirit.
I was a bit relieved about it. Could it mean I also possessed the heart to sympathize even if only a little, as I witnessed that light spirit's last moments right before my eyes?
"Pi-chan! Pi-chan! Pi-chan!!"
The voice of former-Baroness Heronia resounded within the silent room.
However, even if she continued to tearfully call the name of her absent friend, the eyes of everyone watching on were still cold.
That didn't mean that the hearts of the people in this place were cold, it meant that her actions had made them like that.
…Now then, the punishment has also been mostly settled, so shall I fulfill my promise in the end?
"Aah, that's right. It might be out of topic, but I was asked to relay a message to you."
Towards the girl who brokenly kept on calling for "Pi-chan," I said that in a slow and clear voice.
As a response to my words, she looked at me with a gaze that was similar to a scowl, and I showed her my usual smile.
"[He] wanted me to tell you that [Even if his figure couldn't be seen, he would always be by your side]."
The eyes of former-Baroness Heronia that were wet with tears were opened very wide.
Even if I didn't say who, she probably understood from the distinct wording.
The people who didn't know that the bird was a spirit should be contemplating who could possibly be applicable in this kind of conversation.
Or there might be some people who thought that I was joking or being sarcastic.
Well, at least they wouldn't take it as the words that the bird said.
"Uu… aa… aah…"
She couldn't even utter any words before the grief of losing the only friend who unconditionally became her ally and the words that the friend left behind. She only made some sounds that were similar to groans, and then simply cried without being able to even wipe away her tears.
Perhaps, her friend's death was a more painful reality to her than being accused of her crimes.
If that was the case, then why didn't she change the route to the calm future where she could spend her days with her friend, before things became this way? Though I was critical of her for it, we can't do anything about things that have already occurred.
That's why…
Let me provide you with a choice in light of my [gratitude] for the things that I was able to learn, and for the appeal that he made by risking his life.
I slowly approached her, as she continued to shed tears while staring at the floor in a daze and crouched over like a broken doll.
I commanded the people who tried to stop me out of worry with a light wave of my hand before I kneeled next to her and quietly brought my lips closer to her ears.
If it was the previous her, she would have boisterously made a racket going, "Ky, ky!", but now, she didn't even have the willpower to do so.
"This is a fragment of his consciousness… his soul. The monastery at the edge of the north believes in the [holy light]. If you continue to offer your prayers there, perhaps life would return once more to this fragment one day."
I told her in a voice that others couldn't hear and hung the leather strap of a pocket with a small white gem inside around her neck.
"That is [his] memento."
What was attached to the undecorated leather strap earlier was a fragment of the light spirit's core.
When he used up all his power and the thing that became his core was on the verge of shattering, I borrowed Zeno's power to stop it and that was what was left behind.
Since a part of his will was supposed to remain in this thing, if she were to continue concentrating her efforts on offering prayers in a place that contained powerful light energy, perhaps the power that would gather in the fragment's vicinity could allow him to regain his life as a spirit again.
Naturally, since the thing that remained on her hand was nothing more than a [fragment], it won't become a complete [Pi-chan] anymore, though.
However, I think that it's much more reasonable rather than thinking of him when seeing grains of light dispersed in the air, and also this way she would also feel hope.
"Now, let me present you with a choice."
A small amount of hope showed in her vacant eyes, and after looking at the white gem hanging on her neck, she slowly looked at my face.
"Between the monastery at the northernmost tip with a harsh environment and the monastery located in a relatively mild land that's only a 3 day journey by carriage from the royal capital, which one do you want to go to?"
"Ah… I…"
If it was the same as usual, there was no doubt that she'd choose the monastery closer to the royal capital.
After all, life would be remarkably easier in a mild temperate.
…However, light energy was quite weak there, so it won't be suitable for healing the light spirit that had already been destroyed.
Will she choose her own life, or will she choose a friend's life?
The light spirit gave up his own life for her sake.
That being the case, how far are you willing to go for his sake?
If, for example you don't have the will to go that far, then it'd be better for you to quickly release him.
So that he'd become a part of a new spirit that would be born one day, and find a new happiness.
"I-I…"
"The options that I'll give to you will only be those two options. After all, I'm not as soft-hearted as Bertia."
I faced her with a smile on my whole face, and she gulped while staring at me.
"I will… I will…"
Former-Baroness Heronia bit her lips firmly.
Then, after looking at the white gem for a while, she stared firmly at me with eyes that carried a passionate light.
"I will go to the north."
The girl who declared her will clearly with a heavy voice was no longer the [heroine].
She had changed into a woman who possessed a strong will and desire to help her friend.
……Probably, right?