Chapter 729
They arrived at the highest peak of Leshill.
Since it was rough terrain where a carriage could not reach, they had to walk, and it took quite some time. By the time they reached the summit, the surroundings had already grown dim.
Swaaaaaa—!
The rain poured down harder. Simon was waiting with an umbrella open.
“Then, I’ll begin.”
From behind a boulder, Lete appeared, now dressed in the Efnelle uniform.
Standing, lightly steeped in solemnity, she knelt modestly on the wet grass and folded her hands together.
At this moment, there was not a trace of mischief in Lete, only seriousness. She folded her hands neatly and closed her eyes.
“Please put the umbrella away.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Simon stepped back, still holding the umbrella. Immediately, the fierce rain began pelting down on her small shoulders.
Her pure white hair grew heavy as it soaked, clinging down, and the water trickling along her skirt ran past her kneeling thighs to fall upon the ground.
Yet she did not mind at all. Simon thought it was astonishing concentration.
“O great Mother of all things.”
With her clear voice, the prayer began.
As though in response, the sky rippled, and the stars that had been completely hidden by the black clouds flickered once.
Soon, she began conducting, and the stars followed her command, stretching long tails across the heavens as though drawing pictures.
A power, the authority to move the night sky and the stars at will.
Even seeing it again, it was truly impressive.
Fwaak—!
Starlight poured down, the night sky itself seemed to shine a spotlight upon her. She furrowed her brows slightly, clenched her prayerful hands tighter, and grit her teeth.
Fwaaaaaaak—!
The brightness peaked, dazzling. The surroundings were bathed in white, and for an instant, Simon thought daytime had arrived. Then, as she released her clasped hands, she lifted her glowing eyes to the sky.
Simon also looked up.
“Ah.”
The dark clouds parted.
Before they knew it, the night sky opened, bright and clear.
Stars revealed their faces, twinkling above.
“Even though I’m such a disgraceful follower, running away and abandoning my duty, the starlight still answers me.”
She muttered.
“What nonsense. If you’re a disgraceful follower, then there wouldn’t be any followers left in the world.”
“Pfft.”
Lete burst into laughter.
Simon stepped to her side and draped his coat over her soaked body.
“Ah, thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
She stood up, and with a cute shake of her head, her drenched white hair whipped about, scattering droplets everywhere.
“Ugh.”
Simon raised his arms and stepped back. She laughed brightly.
“This way it’s fair. I can’t be the only one soaked, right?”
“That’s too much.”
Simon, replying glibly, suddenly flushed red and turned his head aside.
“?”
Lete tilted her head, then looked down at herself. The rain had soaked through her uniform, leaving the inside visible.
“Really now, making a fuss over just this.”
She tugged the coat tighter to cover herself, then flicked her white hair with a proud air and walked ahead.
“Let’s go down.”
“Ah, yeah.”
* * *
The rain stopped, and Simon and Lete returned home.
At the door, just as she raised her hand to knock, Lete suddenly exhaled nervously and crouched down.
“I, I can’t do it.”
“What?”
“I’m nervous....”
Tremble.
Her fingertips shook.
“To see Teacher Anna again after a year, I suddenly feel so nervous.”
It was a complete contrast from the bold figure who had just scoffed about a see-through uniform.
“Then I’ll open it. Mom!”
“Don’t you dare! You bastard!”
She lashed out with a lightning-fast roundhouse kick. Simon ducked, alarmed.
“What the hell was that for!”
“If anyone, anyone at all, so much as taints my emotional reunion with Teacher Anna even a speck! I’ll seriously kill them!”
She snarled, drawing a finger across her throat.
‘And she’s supposed to be a Saint?’
Simon smiled wryly, when a voice came from inside the house.
—Simon must be back, dear. I hear Lete’s voice too.
It was Anna’s voice.
Footsteps followed. Lete let out a startled “Ah!” and stumbled back. Her face flushed, she looked frantically around before darting behind Simon’s back.
Simon chuckled oddly, then held her shoulders and pushed her forward again.
She glared at him resentfully, then clasped her hands tightly against her chest and stared earnestly at the door.
Clack!
The door opened, and Anna appeared. She didn’t look surprised at all, only smiled with maternal warmth.
“Come in, Lete.”
At those gentle words,
“Ah.”
Tears spilled from Lete’s eyes.
Like broken floodgates, tears streamed endlessly. She tried to suppress it with a sharp inhale, embarrassed, but she couldn’t. At last she gave in, pouring her emotions out as she flung her arms wide and ran.
“Teacher Annaaa!”
She threw herself into Anna’s embrace. Anna received her firmly and patted her back.
Lete sniffled and sobbed.
“Hngh! It’s been so hard! Her Holiness the Pontifex is so strict, and, huff, Lady Israfil kept saying no, no, nagging constantly, and especially those perverted old geezers…!”
“There, there.”
Anna held her warmly, letting her cry her fill. Simon stood a bit apart, unable to find a moment to interject, the doorway blocked so he couldn’t enter either.
Anna looked over to Simon and smiled.
“Good work, son.”
“Yes, Mom.”
Still in Anna’s arms, Lete flushed and extended her middle finger.
—Stop staring and get lost.
She was too embarrassed to be seen like this.
Yet even as she flipped him off, hiccupping like a tragic heroine in Anna’s embrace, she somehow looked comical. Simon entered the house with a smiling face.
“You’ve returned, Simon.”
Richard was seated on a chair in the living room.
“Yes, Father!”
“The rain has stopped.”
“Lete used her power.”
“I see.”
Richard rose and went to greet Lete.
“Thanks to you, we’ve been spared a great burden.”
* * *
That evening, Anna had all the excuse she needed to prepare a grand dinner.
A feast to celebrate Simon’s return, Lete’s reunion, and the rain’s end.
“…This is ridiculous.”
It seemed the dining table’s legs groaned as though begging to be put out of misery. Centered around roast turkey, all sorts of dishes crowded the table.
Though the recent storm had made food scarce, for Anna it posed no problem. With just potatoes, she could produce over ten different dishes.
“Teacher Anna~ I’ll help you!”
“Thank you, but you’re a guest, Lete. Sit at the table and wait.”
Lete, already back to her lively self as if she’d never cried, clung to Anna like a child.
“How do you make this sauce for the potato stir-fry?”
Their cheerful chatter in the kitchen looked no different from a mother and daughter.
Soon, the twenty-course dinner was complete. They lit candles for atmosphere. The Follentia family and Lete sat together and shared a warm, joyful meal.
“Son, how about this lemon pie?”
“It’s so good. The gentle lemon fragrance isn’t too sweet, and it’s really nice!”
Simon ate while giving varied comments on each of his mother’s dishes. Though his words grew somewhat repetitive, Anna always cherished them like a child.
Soon the conversation shifted to Simon’s school. Richard’s expression hardened as he listened.
“So, the matter of the Student Council President has not yet been decided?”
“Yes.”
“…Ballack, huh.”
Richard closed his eyes, sinking into thought.
“I’ve heard that name somewhere before.”
In her pajamas, Lete waved her fork back and forth.
“Hmph, can’t even beat a third-year vice top student, what kind of disgrace is that. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
Anna brought out a new dish from the kitchen and set it on the table.
“From what I’ve heard, he sounds like a frightening person. There’s nothing good to come from getting involved with someone like that, Simon.”
“Yes, but still.”
Simon clenched his fist tightly.
“I can never forgive the one who did that to Senior Aizel. If Ballack wants to fight again, then I’ll fight too.”
“That’s the spirit!”
Richard slammed the table with a thud.
“Let’s have special training during the vacation. Before he graduates, you must crush him down and show the difference in power.”
“Dear! Isn’t it enough for him to live a healthy school life and graduate, why are you trying to incite another fight?”
As the two seemed about to begin another marital quarrel, Simon quickly shifted the topic to Lete. Richard and Anna were curious about the story behind her bursting into tears as soon as she arrived, and so Lete explained why she had run away from Federation and come to Leshill.
“Teacher Anna, how did you endure among such terrible people?”
“Hmm—”
Anna’s expression turned thoughtful.
“Well, during my time as a Saint, I don’t think there were people like that.”
“What? That can’t be true!”
Anna laughed elegantly.
“The bishops and archbishops all treated me kindly. People with such deep faith wouldn’t behave strangely, would they?”
It wasn’t much of a helpful answer.
Lete propped her chin on her hand and sighed deeply.
“Well, I get it. Teacher Anna gives off this overwhelming aura and presence, doesn’t she? Since you were the legendary Saint of Miracles, the weird ones probably kept their distance on their own.”
Anna in her youth.
The youngest Saint, and the strongest Saint.
In the Holy Federation, ever since ‘that incident’, her name has been quietly kept off official records, but even now she is remembered as a legendary figure.
Lete shrugged her shoulders.
“Meanwhile, I reek of being a greenhorn, so those dung-flies keep swarming around me.”
“Oh my, but you already look quite dignified and impressive as a Saint, Lete.”
“Please, spare me such empty consolation.”
When Lete crossed her arms and pretended to sulk, Anna stood up.
“It’s not consolation, it’s the truth. In my room, I still have the clothes I wore as a Saint. Would you like to try them on?”
Anna took Lete with her, and the men left behind naturally shifted to talking about necromancers. Simon shared stories of the north, which were certain to interest Richard the most.
Richard was especially shocked to hear that Xairos was still alive, and had become the new North Star, but when Simon explained at the end that Xairos had become the new North Star and joined the Legion, Richard finally sighed in relief.
“That’s good. Truly good. Well done, Simon.”
“It’s only what I had to do.”
“I’ve no face to see Xairos again.”
Richard closed and opened his eyes.
“So, how is Jin doing?”
“The Grand Duke? She’s doing great! She even asked me to send her regards.”
A subtle smile appeared on Richard’s lips.
“She must have grown into a fine woman, no doubt?”
“…Father.”
Just then, Anna’s presence was felt from behind. Richard quickly straightened up and pretended to be eating soup.
“Now! What do you two think?”
Anna stepped aside, and then Lete appeared, dressed in a white dress.
Simon was struck speechless at her appearance.
“Ugh, this thing’s way too tight.”
“Just endure it a little.”
It truly felt as though a Saint had entered their humble home. When Lete saw Simon staring blankly at her, she curved her lips into a meaningful smile, then spun around once in place.
“How do I look?”
“You, you look good in it.”
Smiling sweetly, Lete suddenly launched a graceful kick aimed at Simon’s head.
“Whoa!”
Simon jerked his head back in haste. Lete grabbed at her skirt and chuckled slyly.
“Ah, sorry. The look on your face just reminded me of those bishops who ogled me, and I wanted to kick you.”
“What nonsense!”
Anna clasped her hands together and looked at Richard.
“How is our Lete, dear?”
“Hm.”
Richard didn’t glance at Lete even once, instead stretching out his arm to the side, pointing at a family picture showing Anna in her dress.
“To my eyes, all I see is you in a dress, my dear.”
“Oh my~”
Richard had learned well how to survive in a jungle-like household.
* * *
At the same time.
The so-called “Room Where Time Rewinds”.
Creak—
Creakkkk—!
With a horrid noise like a wailing banshee, Jane, who had been asleep on her desk, opened her eyes.
‘It’s begun.’
The needles of all time-related artifacts were spinning counter-clockwise. Sand flowed upward in the hourglasses, from bottom to top.
Tick! Tick! Tick!
And at the center stood Neftis.
At last, she had completed a magical formula utilizing the power of time, and she swept her arm through the air.
Pachaaaaang!
The void shattered, and a great golden tunnel opened. Panting, Neftis raised both arms high and shouted.
“It’s doooone!”
Jane rose from her seat.
“You’ve completed it. A tunnel of time, to travel into the past.”
“Yes! Though, it’s not quite perfect yet!”
Jane rolled her shoulders and stepped forward.
“I’ll go myself.”
“No, Jane, you can’t.”
Neftis shook her head. Jane stopped and looked back at her.
“Then, will you send the Crows?”
“No, this time, something more important than strength is required.”
As she gestured to grasp the air, the golden portal warped smaller and slipped into her hand.
“And what is that?”
“Hmm. Let’s just say, inevitability.”
“What kind of riddle is that…”
“Tell the agents to unofficially prepare a teleportation magic circle, Jane.”
Neftis smiled gently.
“Our destination is Leshill.”
No comments yet. Be the first to leave a review!