To Be Together (2)
A noble girl sobbing so bitterly that the whole world feels unfair, and another girl standing before her in shabby clothes.
Two girls who, no matter how you looked at it, appeared to be the kind of scene where rich noble children bullied and tormented the less fortunate.
'Eh, what should I do?'
I was in a panic, twisting my feet in place. Should I run? Or stay?
I wanted to explain the situation, but would they even listen to the words of kids like us from the slums?
"Elly. Should we, should we run?"
"It's the unlucky ones who are at fault."
What a cold-hearted thing to say?
Thinking that and turning my head, I saw Elly's face, sweat pouring down, her pupils shaking.
Fortunately, Elly wasn't that cold-hearted yet.
Even if she suddenly pushed in and asked to be friends or tried on the crown, it wasn't too rough in rejecting her.
At twelve years old, there was enough potential for trauma. As a fan of the original novel The Holy Knight Who Wouldn't Save the World, I absolutely couldn't accept it.
It would be better if we could all be friends if possible.
If Haruna had more friends, maybe she could avoid Elly's black villain route.
"Is this what you did? That outfit... right? It's not that, right?"
The black-haired maid, with eyes half-lidded as she glared at us, continued to speak to the maid while sniffling through her tears from Haruna.
The maid, listening and widening her eyes, nodding with "Yes, that's right~", seemed to be helping Haruna defend us.
Haruna is really a kind girl.
"I understand the general situation."
Fortunately, she seemed to understand.
Thank you so much, maid-nim.
While I was relieved that things would end smoothly... a thunderous declaration fell from the maid's mouth.
"However, you must accompany us to our estate. Because you made our young lady cry."
The maid clenched her fist and smiled.
Elly and I looked at each other with awkward faces.
Well, we had no choice but to follow.
Even if it's bad, it won't be too bad, I thought, and followed behind Haruna and the maid.
"Uwaaaaa..."
"Wow..."
Following behind the maid and Haruna, a fairly large mansion appeared.
For a moment, I was amazed at the mansion seen only in romance fantasy, but when told to enter, I was overwhelmed by the grand, Gothic atmosphere that felt the passage of time.
Haruna, sniffling, went into the room alone.
It seems she saw Elly and turned around, becoming traumatized already.
"Oh dear, young lady too."
The maid looked at Haruna's back with a complicated expression.
Then she led us to the grand hall on the first floor of the mansion. When the door opened, there was a huge round table that I only saw in movies.
"So why did we come here?"
"Ah, it's nothing special. It seems the young lady caused a nuisance, so I thought I'd treat you to a light meal."
The maid answered politely to my question. Her attitude was completely different from before, and I was a bit surprised.
"I'll treat you to a delicious meal, so please wait a little." The maid said, seating us at the table and then disappearing.
So what was the fist-clenching threat earlier?
I just smiled with an absurd expression.
Elly didn't seem particularly surprised, looking around at the buildings.
It wasn't a look of amazement, but rather a searching gaze.
"Elly, what are you looking at?"
"Just... something feels familiar."
"Familiar?"
"Not exactly familiar, um... anyway, it's a strange feeling. When I see that."
Following Elly's pointing finger, there was a statue that looked like a goddess and several animals combined.
A statue of a woman extending her hand, and a bizarre statue with animal bodies, human faces, and six pairs of angel wings. Total two.
The woman statue was extending her hand to the bizarre statue, and the animal-human statue was looking down at it.
It was a statue that made you feel unpleasant if you looked at it.
The design sense wasn't to my liking either.
'Well, whether it's my taste or not doesn't matter.'
The important thing is that Elly, who grew up in the slums, probably had almost no chance to see such things.
Or did she go to church as a child?
Or maybe she accidentally saw something similar, or it was just her mood.
"Elly, did you go to church?"
"Church? No, I've never been."
Thinking about it, I realized I didn't know much about Elly.
Even though we've been close for a month, I knew almost nothing. I only knew the original story.
Therese knew nothing about Elly, and Elly knew nothing about Therese.
Even though we've been together, I realized I hadn't asked about the past.
"Um, Elly. I... seem to know very little about you."
I said, looking into Elly's golden eyes.
"So, about you. Won't you tell me a lot from now on? I want to know everything about Elly."
Actually, only then would the chance to stop Elly's black villain ending increase.
"...Yeah."
Elly answered quietly with a red face.
Why suddenly in a confession atmosphere?
"It's not some weird meaning! I just... I lost my memories."
Feeling guilty, I made up reasons.
"So, um! I want to know about the you I knew before... that's what I meant."
Elly smiled brightly.
"Then, how about we talk while sleeping about how we think about each other? No lying or hiding."
Is this like a pillow talk? It seemed kind of fun.
If done well, I might get secrets about Elly.
"The two of you seem to get along well."
"Ah, that..."
While I was opening my mouth wondering what to call the maid who appeared carrying a tray, she smiled and introduced her name.
"My name is Lugna. I am the servant who takes care of Haruna-nim."
After introducing herself as Lugna, she opened the tray. There was roasted turkey, deliciously cooked.
The aroma of steam rising, mixed with the savory meat and spices, smelled really appetizing.
This was the first time I saw roasted turkey. It was grander than chicken or anything.
Elly and I stared at the meat with dazed faces.
To us who had only eaten dried meat, hard bread, and strawberries until now, it was too stimulating food.
And all the fruits around it, this must be the real feast. I thought tears might come out.
"Actually, this food was meant for Haruna-nim, but since Haruna-nim locked herself in the room..."
Lugna smiling with an embarrassed face.
"Since there's leftover food anyway, please eat comfortably."
Even if it's leftover...
There is a saying that there is no free lunch in the world, so isn't there something they're asking for?
Elly also seemed unfamiliar with such goodwill.
If she got angry and scolded, I'd feel relieved, but why would she give such expensive food to us beggars?
"You can just eat it. We don't do things like asking for money after eating."
"But isn't there something you want to say?"
She wouldn't give food without any reason. When I asked, Lugna sighed once and opened her mouth.
"Actually... I have a request."
Look, as expected.
What kind of request? I looked at Lugna.
"It's nothing special."
The maid with black hair and black eyes bowed her head to us and made the request.
"Please, even if it's just for a short time, live with the young lady in this mansion and become friends."
"Eh?"
Surprised by the unexpected words, I asked back. Elly was also looking at Lugna with surprise. We two had just made Haruna cry a lot, and now asking to be friends.
"But you saw us crying, right? Even so, it's okay?"
"I know the situation. I know it's not your fault."
She said, raising her bowed head with shamelessness.
"Our young lady has never befriended peers and lacks common sense. After her father passed away when she was young, she stayed home."
Lugna looked at Elly.
"Even if it's embarrassing, I would appreciate it if you understood."
"No, I don't particularly..."
Elly stopped mid-sentence. It wasn't because she hated Haruna. She just drew the line because revealing she's the saint was inconvenient.
"I won't ask for free friendship. I can't give much, but I'll accept money or whatever you want."
"What you want?"
"The Ray family... although the Ray family isn't rich, I'll accept within the possible range."
Then, perhaps a recommendation letter for the academy.
Elly is set to enter the academy, but I have some ambiguity even if I awakened my mana, and living at the academy costs a lot of money.
Elly had the same thought and looked at me.
This proposal was better than I thought.
It was also uncomfortable to just leave Haruna alone, and for stopping Elly's black villain route, it would be good to try anything.
"Then, how long will we be staying at this mansion?"
Actually, staying in this mansion is a huge merit, but I wanted to enter the academy as soon as possible.
"Please stay for about a month."
A month, a rather ambiguous period. Looking at Lugna with suspicious eyes, she said in a lonely tone.
"The young lady's mother, that is, Haruna's mother, is seriously ill... It seems she won't last more than a month. Now, it's hard for her to talk."
I learned for the first time that Haruna's mother has a serious illness. Always bright and positive character, I never imagined such a past.
Looking at Lugna with a stunned expression.
"Illness?"
"I called the best doctors and priests, but they said there's no way... They said unless a saint comes, she can't be cured."
Saint. At that word, I flinched and looked at Elly.
"So, can you accompany the young lady until then?"