Chapter 23

"Miss Lissette, what happened to your face...!?"

When it was time for dinner and I headed to the dining room, Nadia, who was already seated, stood up as soon as she saw me and rushed over.

She must be referring to my swollen eyes.

"How painful... Did something difficult happen to you?"

"No, I just cried while reading a touching novel. I'm sorry to worry you over something trivial."

"I see. I'm relieved."

When I told her the lie I had prepared, she smiled with relief. Ralph, who was also already seated, looked relieved as well. Watching their kind expressions made my chest ache.

After that, as soon as Melvin delivered me to my room and I was alone, I burst into tears. For a while, I cried loudly and uncontrollably in my futon.

– Why do I, and only I, have to go through this? I haven't done anything wrong.

Why, I kept asking, a question that would never reach anyone and never receive an answer, as I cried and wailed.

A few hours later, exhausted from crying, I fell asleep. When I woke up, my mood had cleared.

If I could be freed from that monster, even if I couldn't carry my memories, I would surely be reborn as a normal human. Even though I failed in this life, there is a next life. That was all I could hope for now.

If there is a God, I pray that you make my next life happy, to make up for everything so far. With that prayer, I got out of bed.

"...What a terrible face."

Looking in the mirror, I saw my swollen eyes and puffy face from crying and falling asleep. It was truly a sight.

I kept applying cold compresses to my eyes, but they didn't fully recover by dinner.

"Really ugly, right? I'm sorry to be such an eyesore."

"That's not true. Miss Lissette is cute no matter what, I guarantee it."

"Again with that."

"It's true."

Every time I heard Ralph say such things, my chest ached. Just being greeted with his usual smile made my tear ducts loosen.

"Thank you. Oh, by the way..."

Trying to act as usual, I forced a smile and started a light conversation with a bright voice.

◇◇◇

"...Miss Lissette?"

"Y-You scared me! Ralph, you didn't make any noise."

"I'm sorry for startling you. It's just a habit."

Six days had passed, and I was set to leave the Marquis's house the next afternoon.

I had managed to act as usual, but thinking about leaving tomorrow, I couldn't sleep at all tonight. I got out of bed to get something to drink and was heading to the dining room when I was suddenly called from behind, making my heart nearly stop.

He had been working on paperwork until this hour.

"What are you doing out so late?"

"Well, I couldn't sleep..."

"I see. I'll prepare something warm for you to drink."

"...Ralph will?"

"Yes. Please sit there and wait."

I took his offer and sat in a nearby chair. He quickly made a honey-infused hot milk and gently handed it to me.

"...It's delicious. Thank you."

"I'm glad. You look cute drinking milk."

"Hehe, what's that?"

"I really like you."

Ralph really does love me too much. Every time I realized this over the past few days, I felt like crying, and I knew it was right to leave early.

"Miss Lissette seems less energetic lately. Is something bothering you?"

"Thinking about the monster makes me a bit anxious."

"...It would be strange not to be anxious. I'll do my best to make you feel more at ease."

"Ralph has already done so much for me."

It seems that mixing the truth with a lie is effective. He didn't even imagine that I was about to leave this place soon.

At the same time, my chest ached deeply. How much would he be hurt when I disappeared without a word?

I had written a letter explaining that I had asked the Holy Maidens to intervene and thanking him for everything. I planned to have it delivered to them after everything was over.

"...Ralph, thank you."

When I said this, wanting to express my gratitude, Ralph smiled like a child, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes, so I quickly looked down.

"I should be the one thanking you. Just being able to spend time with Miss Lissette makes me truly happy."

"...I see."

"Yes. I wish we could have days like this forever."

I desperately held back the words "I do too" that were about to spill out.

...The next day, after seeing off the two of them as they went to work and school, I used the magical tool I borrowed from Melvin to leave the house and boarded the carriage they had prepared for me, leaving the capital.

Two days later, I arrived at the small cottage in the forest that the Holy Maiden had prepared for me. It was a very quiet and beautiful place, and she had even provided many books to keep me from getting bored. It was the perfect place to spend my remaining days.

With protective magic against monsters and guards watching over me in shifts, I felt safe. The cottage itself was enchanted to be invisible to ordinary people.

With just a little over a month until my birthday, thinking about Ralph and Nadia still made my chest ache. But I decided to hide here and spend my days quietly and leisurely.

"...Why did you run away from me?"

A week later, I had no idea that Ralph, his body covered in blood and his expression hollow, would come to fetch me.