Chapter 19
Translator: True Detective
[The Saintess Awakens - 09]
Walking slowly, there was a room I happened to see by chance.
Probably Ellyn's room.
I opened the door and went inside half out of curiosity. Whether it was because she had a somewhat clumsy side not even locking it, or if she was just that focused on something else, a floral scent fitting for Ellyn seemed to drift out from inside.
The flowers in the room were white, and their scent tickled the tip of my nose, making it a place that strongly gave off the feeling of a 'young girl's' room in many ways.
Because the Grand Cathedral itself was originally somewhat closed-off and not very positive toward worldly things, my room as a Saintess was rather plain.
It had a bed, a dining table, a desk, and a place to put books, and it was spacious enough to be hard to believe it was a personal room, but nevertheless, I couldn't erase the feeling that it was empty. In contrast, this room was smaller than mine, but it definitely had everything it needed, and gave the feeling of being full.
"A room full of heart must surely refer to a room like this."
The things in my room are there because they are necessary, because they are useful.
But the things in Ellyn's room are there because she likes them, because they are trendy, and so on and so forth.
There were many things present for those reasons. Ornaments, clothes, flowers—all of them let me know how Ellyn was living her life. Slowly, I placed my hand on a flower that Ellyn seemed to cherish. If I made all these flowers disappear, it seemed Ellyn would cry.
Thinking that Ed and Ellyn were probably talking alone right now, I felt an urge fueled by that displeasure to destroy everything.
Why?
An answer does not come out.
Why am I feeling displeasure at the fact that those two are together?
Feeling like something might change if I could find that answer, I sat on a chair in Ellyn's room and thought for a moment, but no particular answer came out.
Ed often says.
That I am special.
But being special isn't necessarily a 'good thing'. Being special means being 'not normal' in both a good sense and a bad sense. I couldn't know whether people would view that favorably or unfavorably, or whether it was good or bad for living in the world.
For example, stories like a hero being treated as a monster by people because of their overwhelmingly immense power were commonly seen.
Or having six fingers, or having a problem with one of the five senses from birth—discriminating against such things by calling them wrong is truly seen often, and it was happening even as time passed like this.
I know that as knowledge.
Then what do I think of those persecuted and discriminated people?
I do nothing.
I first have the thought, 'What does it matter to me if they live a life like that?'.
To which Ed said.
—The reason we take care of such people is not merely because of morals. It is because if we acknowledge such discrimination one by one, there might someday be an element of discrimination that comes to me.
He said that if you discriminate like that, if you leave people who are discriminated against alone, someday when the irrationality of discrimination comes to you, no one will help you, and they will instead stand on the side of the discriminators and torment you.
Emotions, morals, ethics.
Knowing better than anyone else that he couldn't persuade me with such things, whenever I pointed it out in most of his education, Ed explained 'why it is necessary', not 'why it is good'.
He tried to persuade me somehow.
The reason this is necessary.
The reason I have to do this.
Using reason, not emotion, he wanted me to be on the side of good. Because it was the first time I was educated in that way, I became interested in that education that started by accepting my innate nature first. How will he try to persuade me next time?
What kind of good point will he give me this time?
That kind of curiosity and inquiry has continued until now, and Ed has never disappointed me even once, properly answering everything. Of course, there were times when I couldn't accept the answer, but the attitude of Ed answering without a moment's hesitation was quite interesting.
"……It's foolish." I let out a small sigh, leaning back in the chair.
I couldn't understand what I was doing right now. As I slowly stood up, a breeze blew. 'Huh? I'm sure the window was.' It had been locked.
In the deep night, the moonlight shone softly, and it seemed a shadow could be seen amidst that moonlight. When I turned my head, the window was open, and a cold wind was coming in from that window. And it seemed someone could be seen at that window.
"You are Ellyn Frendisiv, right?"
"What?"
"I'll have to ask you to come along quietly. This is a job for us too, so I'd appreciate it if you'd follow quietly."
"E-Ellyn has been kidnapped!? K-K-K-Kidnapped……!"
"Calm down, Ellyn."
"E-Ellyn!"
I entered Ellyn's room and examined the surroundings.
There are no signs of a struggle.
No matter how young the Saintess is, she learned mana manipulation from me. Moreover, considering the latent abilities she originally possessed, it makes no sense unless the opponent was considerably strong. In that case, either it was someone strong enough to subdue the Saintess in a single blow, or perhaps the Saintess had absolutely no will to resist.
"The maid who discovered it first. Your name is……."
"I-It is Maria."
"Maria, could you please explain the situation in detail at the time of your first discovery?"
"Yes……. I coincidentally saw the Saintess entering Lady Ellyn's room, and I was watching over her just in case. I waited for a few minutes, but there was no response, so I went inside just in case, but……. This situation right now……."
Footprints of an unknown person.
It seemed they had no intention of hiding the fact that it was a kidnapping.
There were no signs of a struggle in the room, footprints remained, and an open window.
It could be considered a common-sense reaction for the word 'kidnapping' to naturally come to mind. It seemed best to think there was no possibility of the maid being an accomplice. I don't know what she was thinking, but it seemed highly likely that the Saintess was taken voluntarily, meaning……. without resisting.
What is she thinking?
"There is a possibility the Saintess was taken in Ellyn's place."
"W-What?"
"What do you mean by that?"
They were looking at me with questioning faces.
"This place is not the Saintess's room, but Ellyn's room. Furthermore, the Saintess and Ellyn can be seen as looking similar if one does not know their detailed appearances. Their hair color is the same, and their hairstyles are similar. Let alone the fact that if the Saintess was in Ellyn's room, it would not be strange for the kidnappers to mistake her."
Besides, unlike her time in the Grand Cathedral, the Saintess was wearing a dress befitting her status this time, so they would have had no choice but to misunderstand even more. If that's the case, the target wasn't the Saintess, but Ellyn.
Since crimes of kidnapping a noble's child and then demanding money have always existed, it wouldn't be strange, but something feels awkward.
A sense of incongruity kept bothering me.
Looking only at what can be seen now, it was just one of those kidnapping incidents that could happen anytime, where they merely mistook the target. If there was a difference, it was just that the Saintess was taken without resisting, but this was a judgment on the Saintess's part, not the kidnappers', so it wasn't something to feel incongruity over.
"E-Ed."
"Yes, please speak."
"S-Save my Sister."
"……." The words of a pure and innocent child.
I was always weak to those words.
Above all, the words asking to save family were practically fatal. Whatever the case, the obligation for me to save the Saintess did not exist. Because I was merely her educator. However, I did not have the option of just leaving her be.
"I ask of you. Please bring my daughter back." "If it is money you need, we have it. I know you are merely an educator, but." I was a little surprised that the parents behind her were asking for a favor. Since they must know me, asking me wasn't that strange of a thing. Although there must be people capable of fighting to some extent in this mansion, there probably wasn't anyone stronger than me.
Just.
I was surprised because Franz and Emily's expressions looked more desperate than I thought.
Perhaps noticing that I was a little surprised, Franz made an expression as if trembling with a sense of self-reproach.
"Yes, I am terrified of my daughter."
"……." "Honey." "May I ask this of you?"
He doesn't state any excuses or justifications.
He merely stated the plain truth. She is the daughter he brought into the world, but she was an existence too alien and powerful. Perhaps if left alone like this, she might just deal with the kidnappers on her own and return. Even so, the face asking for the favor looked desperate. Humans are contradictory beings.
The phrase 'love-hate', loving while hating, doesn't exist for nothing.
Feeling this emotion while also feeling that emotion. Envying while also being jealous.
Loving while also hating. Disliking while also being interested.
That is why, despite feeling fear and wanting to look away, they cannot completely avert their gaze. Sending the letter every year was Ellyn's choice, but accepting that choice without rejecting it must definitely have been the choice of the parents, Franz and Emily.
I stood up and let out a short breath.
"Understood. I will try my best." There might be a happy ending for this family. That alone seemed like enough reason to move.