Chapter 6

For Eleana, the days spent at the Easton Chamber of Commerce were fresh and new.

Recording sales and entering them into the ledger, as well as writing documents in foreign languages, were experiences she could not have had in the detached house of the Barley family.

At Zagary's mansion, she was given a room among the servants, and on her days off, she helped with cleaning and laundry. Occasionally, she was taught how to cook.

Amidst these fulfilling days, time flew by, and Eleana turned fourteen.

"Eleana, I'm sorry, but can you handle this too?"

The accounting manager, Pierre, brought a large stack of invoices. It was already close to evening, but Eleana cheerfully replied, "Sure!" and rolled up her sleeves to process the invoices one after another.

The employees, including Pierre, were fond of this hardworking girl.

They probably sensed that she had a complicated background, but they appreciated her respectful distance and did not pry.

Eleana worked diligently.

"I'll help you."

Billy, who sat next to her, took half of the invoices. He was three years her senior and often looked after her.

Billy was the one who had taught her the accounting job from scratch.

"Thank you so much!"

When Eleana thanked him with a smile, Billy's face turned red.

"By the way, the Harvest Festival is coming up soon. Have you ever been to it, Eleana?"

Once a year, in the fall, the Harvest Festival was held. A ceremony to pray for a good harvest in the coming year was held in front of the temple, and the town bustled with various stalls until nightfall.

The prominent nobles were invited to the temple, but Eleana had never attended the festival. It was because it rained.

(If it pours, the festival will be ruined.)

Since the Queen's garden party, she had not received any invitations. She was probably forgotten.

"No. I've never been to the capital, and even if I had, I don't think my parents would have allowed it."

"What! Even children participate in the Harvest Festival?"

Eleana could only give a wry smile at Billy's astonishment.

"Yes, my parents are strict."

"Would you like to go?"

Eleana's heart skipped a beat at Billy's invitation. It was a different kind of excitement, a nervous flutter.

If she used an umbrella at night, she would surely be suspected.

While thinking of a way to decline without causing a fuss, Pierre came to her rescue.

"On that day, Eleana has an appointment with President Zagary, so she can't."

"That's right."

"Is that so? Well, there's nothing we can do."

Billy reluctantly accepted it, his shoulders drooping in disappointment.

"Come on, if we don't get to work, we won't be able to go home."

Pointed out by Pierre, the two of them hurriedly started processing the invoices.

When Eleana returned to her room at Zagary's mansion, she sighed.

"What's wrong, what's wrong?"

Liam appeared, fidgeting.

Since starting work at the Easton Chamber of Commerce, Liam had returned to being a talking gecko. His great efforts before coming to the capital were a thing of the past, and now he spent his free time napping on Eleana's shoulder.

"There's a Harvest Festival."

"Do you want to go?"

"No. My senior at the chamber invited me, but I lied to decline it, and now I feel bad."

"Why don't you go?"

"It's impossible. It will rain."

"Is rain a bad thing? Abundance comes with rain. It's a shame they don't invite you. That's why the royal family's blessing is weakening."

"The royal family's blessing is weakening!?"

This country had been blessed with good harvests for a long time. The people could live without hunger thanks to the royal family's "Abundance" blessing. A weakening of this power was not a good sign.

"That's right. The current 'Sunny' blessing is weak, but the next generation's 'Abundance' blessing is even weaker. The three blessings are based on harmony. If the balance is right, your participation in the Harvest Festival wouldn't cause a downpour. Your blessing is a bit... quite strong, you know."

"Now that you mention it, Mother always attended the ceremony every year. I thought her blessing was weak, but that's not the case."

"The previous Halforde family's blessing was also quite strong. Well, things will happen as they will. There's no need for you to worry."

"You're right, there's nothing I can do."

"Exactly. Since you're in the capital, why don't you go to the Harvest Festival?"

"If you say so, Liam, maybe I will."

Just a little bit—.

If it rained, she would deal with it then. More than anything, she wanted to walk outside without an umbrella for the first time in a long time.

On the day of the Harvest Festival, after the servants had left, she secretly went to the temple with Liam.

As the sun set, the high priest would offer the queen, who possessed the "Abundance" blessing, a sacrifice to the goddess, watched by the nobles and the people.

"Over here."

Liam, in his youth form, secured a spot in the crowd and beckoned her.

Eleana snapped her umbrella shut and joined Liam, where she could see the silver-haired priest solemnly offering prayers.

Torches were lit, and the flames grew brighter as night approached.

The queen, holding rice and wheat, slowly approached the entrance of the temple. Eleana was captivated by the Harvest Festival ceremony she had never seen before.

(Here comes the climax.)

Just as she swallowed hard, the rain started to fall, drop by drop.

"Oh..."

She had expected it, but the ceremony did not stop, so she stayed.

The queen's brow twitched for a moment, but she continued to offer the sacrifice to the goddess. She knelt, spread her arms wide, and as she performed the prayer, the rain intensified.

The nobles were confused but could not leave the queen and got wet. The crowd had already dispersed.

Liam draped a hooded cloak over Eleana's shoulders and said, "Let's go," leading her away.

People ran to find shelter from the rain. The stall owners hurriedly packed up their shops. The festival was ruined, and business was over.

"I feel like I caused trouble."

"But sometimes, rain is good."

Liam looked comfortable in the rain. The spirit animal of the Rain blessing loved water.

"Yes, I like the rain too."

Eleana enjoyed drinking tea on rainy days. When the surroundings became quiet and only the sound of rain could be heard, it helped her forget the daily noise, the loneliness of being excluded from social events, the reality of her father's absence, and the anxiety about the future.

When they arrived at Zagary's mansion, the maids, Betty and Eva, brought towels.

"You mustn't catch a cold, so please take a bath quickly."

Eva was very caring. If her stepmother had been like this, it would have been great.

While thinking this, Eleana took off her soaked, clinging clothes.

"Even the queen will have to think of you now."

While Eleana was in the bath, Liam was secretly smirking, but she did not notice.