A Day Ten Years Later
One day ten years later,
Elysia stirred restlessly in her sleep.
Thinking it was a pleasant morning.
She had a dream.
The last memory he left behind. It wasn’t like a nightmare.
The only one who could draw his face and hear his still youthful voice.
Gray…
Gray Gray Gray Gray Gray Gray Gray Gray Gray…
Good…
Love…
Chop…
Juah…
Jjang… Juah…
Love you…
Where are you?
Where did you go?
You’re coming back, right?
I’m waiting here.
You promised, right?
You did promise, didn’t you?
You remember, right?
We were going to meet again. You said so.
So, you have to come soon…?
Knock. A light rustling sound came from inside after the gentle knock.
She thought she had woken up and pressed her ear to the door, but all she could barely hear were a few mumbled words that sounded like gibberish.
Followed by faint breathing.
Seeing the regular rhythm, it seemed she had no intention of waking up on time today either.
“Hooh! She still doesn’t change even with a lie-in.”
Elysia’s mornings were a bit later than everyone else’s.
She always made excuses about low blood pressure or being a morning person, but Lucia knew well that she had secret time until just before dawn.
If it were usual, she would have watched her sleep until noon.
But unfortunately, today was a regular service day.
The orphanage children would arrive at the temple soon.
It would be difficult for Lucia alone to handle the energetic energy of the children.
Moreover, there was a mountain of work from preparing food to controlling the kids. Hands were always lacking. Today, she had decided to wake Elysia without mercy.
Lucia first opened the curtains. The sky of the northern city, which had little to be proud of except the weather, was still floating with white clouds today.
Pulling down the blanket she had pulled up to the ends of her hair, Elysia curled up grumbling.
But Lucia didn’t yield either.
“Get up. It’s a service day today.”
“… Uh… Sister… bright…”
“Want to become a vampire that burns in the sunlight?”
“Uuu… Save… me…”
“Alright, now get up.”
Lucia lightly slapped her forehead.
Elysia only then pressed her forehead and got up from her seat.
If only she had come to her senses like that, but she sat on the bed, groaning, and again put a cup of water to her mouth. Fortunately, the cold water was enough to clear her mind.
“……… Tired…”
“Did you have a dream?”
“………… Yeah.”
“Don’t complain.”
With a bit of nagging, Elysia changed from loose pajamas to indoor wear and headed to the table in a daze.
Two other people were already sitting at the table.
Bishop Boris, who was reading the temple’s scripture, smiled at her red face.
“Oh, you’re awake. Lucia must have won.”
“Yawn… Good morning… Bishop Boris.”
“Today, we need some hands. It will be tiring, but if you help a little, it would be good. As you know, I have to go on a trip starting today.”
“Of course. It’s something I have to do, after all.”
“Trustworthy.”
“Hmm… You said it was a daily temple tour for the kids, right? Will they come soon?”
“Um, probably we have to send someone from our side to pick them up. The head of that side asked for it.”
“Then I’ll go.”
“Thank you.”
Elysia spread butter on the bread and filled her mouth with water.
… It had been a while since I ate breakfast. Sometimes it’s good to wake up early.
At that moment, someone pulled her sleeve.
Tina was next to her.
This little girl who lit her seventh candle in her life last month was the only daughter of Lucia and Boris.
Tina, who resembled Lucia more as the days passed, smiled bashfully and drew Elysia’s attention.
“Sister Lia! Want to show you something fun?”
“Uh…? Fun thing?”
“Look at this!”
With a “ding!” sound, Tina suddenly turned her back.
Boris warned not to show off clothes in front of the table, but Tina wasn’t the type to take such nagging to heart.
Elysia said with wide eyes.
“Red palm prints on her back.”
“Mom scolded me in the morning.”
“Last night, she secretly took out snacks, ate under the blanket, and fell asleep like that.”
“There was melted chocolate. I had no choice.”
“It can’t be helped. Still, you should brush your teeth properly before sleeping.”
Elysia smiled bitterly while stroking Tina’s head.
Then, as if she appeared out of nowhere, Lucia sighed softly. She put on an apron and whined.
“Can’t be helped, what can be helped. It was chocolate that was carefully warmed, but I didn’t know it would all be eaten while I was looking away for a moment.”
“It was delicious, Mom!”
“It was delicious, sister.”
“Glad it was delicious, you.”
“… If you don’t want to ruin the mood on a service day, each of you should start working slowly.”
“Sister is too absorbed. In the old days, you were much softer and kinder.”
“True true.”
“… No, you can’t remember that, Tina.”
“Uh? It’s that old?”
“Old… well, it is old. Sister was already vicious when Tina was born…”
Another slap.
“Yeah, sorry for becoming vicious. Raising two kids in the house, it’s inevitable to some extent. You guys experience it later too.”
“U……”
“Elysia, eat, wash, get ready, and bring the kids. Ah! Ask for a box of apples from the fruit shop on the way. Pay for it in my name, I already paid yesterday, so just receive the goods.”
“Got it.”
“Don’t forget to pray to Astasia-nim before leaving.”
“Got it.”
The small house attached to the Astasia Temple was hidden obliquely between a few lemon trees like hide and seek.
The small detached house that was originally meant to be a guest room was Elysia’s home. It had an exit to the garden, and when you open the inner door, it connects directly to the main house living room, so it was convenient in many ways.
Passing through such a room, at the edge of the garden, there was a small carved statue of the Astasia goddess, and offering a simple greeting every morning was a basic ritual for a priest.
The wake-up time may be late, but she hadn’t forgotten the prayer.
‘Goddess, please take care of “that person” so that he is safe today as well.’
The content of the prayer was always the same.
‘…… And I want to meet “that person” again someday. To be able to be with “that person”.’
‘I won’t miss it twice. No matter what I do, I won’t send him away.’
It was said that washing the mouth with the water flowing under the stone statue conveyed the prayer to the Astasia goddess.
Leaving aside faith, she didn’t think the Astasia goddess would fulfill her prayer as a mere believer.
However, no one knew if the omniscient goddess was carefully listening to even this kind of prayer of hers.
If the goddess was listening, it may be conveyed to that person someday.
If he came to find her with some small curiosity…
Then…
Knock knock!
“I want to go with Sister Lia to pick them up too!”
“No, you help Mom. You have to make and bring the things you ate freely yesterday!”
“Uuuuu! Me too! I want to go with Sister Lia!”
“This kid is really! Scold her, really!”
She woke up from light meditation in the voices of the mother and daughter crossing the garden.
Elysia smiled loosely and rubbed her cheeks.
Mouth and nose, ears, and finally eyes……
Elysia’s eyes were red like blood.
But in those eyes, no more inauspicious magic was harbored.
Everything was thanks to a boy ten years ago. Being able to live like this now was all thanks to him.
He gave everything like an angel descending from the sky and disappeared like dust.
He saved, he saved, and unfortunately went far away.
‘To meet him again… I’m ready to lose everything. I’m ready to do anything.’
‘I offer all of me to the goddess. If you want the rest of me…’
‘Anything. Any thing… Even if it’s something unforgivable, not understood…’
‘I love you, I like you, I miss you. That person who saved me, just once… Just once… I won’t miss it anymore. No matter what I do, I’ll keep him by my side. So…’
Elysia exhaled heavily.
She now knew how to wait to do that.
“…… I have to work hard today too!”
***
The will of the goddess.
I hate abstract words like this very much.
Why react so disproportionately to something insignificant?
Funny.
If you waste ten years under the pretext of “the goddess’s will”, anyone would end up like that.
The goddess who doesn’t know the name sent me to a quiet city this time. I can’t even guess how many “goddess’s will” this is.
“Thank you for saving me!”
The moment I arrived in the familiar city, the first thing I did was, coincidentally, save a girl who almost fell into the river.
I couldn’t ignore the girl flailing around.
When I asked why she was doing that on the dangerous railing, the girl smiled shyly and twisted her hair.
“That… um… I was distracted for a moment while taking care of my younger siblings.”
“Little siblings?”
“Yes! Today, our orphanage is visiting the Astasia goddess’s temple! Everyone can’t sit quietly because they’re excited.”
“.. Astasia Temple…”
“Have you been there? You look like a traveler just from your clothes.”
“Traveler…? I can see it as such for now……”
When I answered ambiguously, the girl tilted her head and invited me.
“I heard that a priest will come to the temple soon, if it’s okay, can you come with us? If it’s your first time, the road might be a bit complicated.”
“… No, thank you for the offer, but I’m fine. I’ll find the way slowly. I have time. You be careful from now on. I’ll go.”
“Eh? Ah! Ah, yes! Thank you for saving me!”
Instead of answering, I waved my hand and moved my feet.
At the same time, I happened to discover a female priest approaching the orphanage from afar.
The usual plain priestly attire.
But the back view with gorgeous silver hair flowing down was oddly familiar.
I felt a deep familiarity, but I didn’t bother to catch the priest who was already going far.
“…………?”
Perhaps…?
No… no way…
Even this ominous goddess might be possible.
‘Why?’
Astasia, who was sleeping quietly, asks.
“… No, just.”
I shrugged my shoulders towards the goddess’s letters rising on the alley wall.
“You said there is someone in this city who is waiting for me the most?”
‘Yeah. After all, there’s no place to go back to.’
“Who made me a drifting person without a place to settle, and now says such irresponsible words.”
‘Hoo… still resentful like that. You should learn some tolerance to forgive others soon.’
“Yes, I have something to ask the omniscient goddess who has broken my sociality to that extent.”
‘You asking me questions… It’s been a while.’
“Is it possible to remember someone for ten years just because you received help once?”
‘Oh ho, right. Hearing that you plan to claim the reward for saving that young girl from the river ten years later. Stingy.’
“I always think, what do you think of me?”
‘It depends on the degree.’
“Degree?”
‘Consider the situation and position of the person being helped, and the degree first. Saving someone from drowning in a shallow river and saving one’s life are completely different.’
“Indeed. Then, even in the case of disappearing without a word after helping and appearing suddenly after ten years, there’s nothing particularly to be picky about? For example… resentment or something.”
‘You thinking such things… I thought you would never empathize with others’ hearts for life, but it’s a big development.’
“… Answer me.”
‘If you disappear without a word and appear after ten years, of course, a mix of gratitude and longing will inevitably lead to resentment. But isn’t the joy greater than that?’
I only confirmed up to there and moved with light steps.
… The reason I couldn’t read the next sentence because of that was purely my fault.
‘No way, killing me.’