I wonder if there was any man whose heart could not be moved by the unfolding scene in front of me.
Ever since I was born, this was the first time I truly felt my heart pounding.
In this secluded village, I had counted the ever-increasing number of graves, one by one.
Anyone who would take a trip to the outside world, regardless of how much they tried to avoid attention, would be hunted down for our goods like a rare animal.
Once, a child had died before I could arrive at a village because the road was obstructed.
As a pile of gold was handed to me that day, I was asked, “Would this be enough?”
I lamented my own powerlessness.
All I could do was apologise for the lives that I couldn’t save. I couldn’t even change the will of one villager. Miracle clan my ass. Does it look like someone as pathetic as me has the power of miracles?
Instead of honour, what was left in my chest were only feelings of guilt and disgust. I was being crushed as I walked this path all by myself.
I eventually lost sight of my pride.
But it was right here in my heart all along. As long as I have the desire to save someone, I will never lose my place as a Kua.
It was you, Marie. It was you who taught me that.
What do you call this feeling that sprouted in my chest, I wonder?
It was a mysterious feeling; I felt like cheering and crying as it welled up inside me. The world began to regain its colour as if it was being reborn.
The scenes and sights that I had taken for granted before were now becoming very dear to me.
Marie.
I’m so glad that I’ve met you.
The quietness spread once again.
It wasn’t because of any negativity or malice, though. Instead, some were heartbroken, and some were puzzled as Rolf stepped forward and revealed his face to the crowd.
It was only one small step, but it was so much more.
During the time when no one else dared to move, this action alone was the same as stepping into an unknown land. His small frame seemed to have grown by a little bit too.
“Sure.”
With that short reply, Rolf lifted a corner of his mouth and burst into a laugh.
“I’ll follow you. A brat like me might not be that useful, but I’ll help in any way I can. Just ask me anything.”
“…Huh?”
A creaking voice seemed to escape Marie’s lips.
The one most surprised might not be the villagers, but Marie herself.
Rolf deepened his smile even further when he saw Marie’s reaction, and with a rare, unimaginable, but dignified expression, he put one hand across his chest and gave a deep bow.
“I swear my loyalty to you, Your Highness.”
The once serene surroundings suddenly exploded.
“Hey, Rolf! What nonsense are you spouting!?”
“Don’t say words like that so easily.”
“I’m telling you! Shut up!”
Rolf was being held down by his parents on each side. But even when his mother smacked him on the head and his father got him around the collar, Rolf wasn’t giving up that easily.
“No! I won’t shut up! She could’ve fooled us by declaring herself as the Goddess. She could’ve even ordered us as a princess. But she didn’t do any of that. Just to protect our pride, she even lowered her head for us! It’s clear as day she was trying to talk to us on equal grounds as a fellow human being. What more does she need to do to prove her sincerity!?”
“…”
Rolf’s parents stopped moving.
The people around him looked at him with faces surprise and admiration, but no one uttered a single word. That’s because the issue wasn’t something so straightforward that we could immediately agree to it, nor was the problem something like a rotten kid’s prank that we could easily ignore.
Rolf’s words carried weight.
In response to Marie’s wish, he gave an answer that was so adult and sincere it was hard to think it came from the village’s number one brat. There was no easy way to deny it.
“M-Me… Me too!”
Lily was next to raise her hand.
Though she stuttered a bit.
“I too, would like to follow her, if you’d let me.”
Lily stared straight into Marie’s eyes as she held back her tears.
The fact that she couldn’t speak her heart was probably frustrating, so she clasped both hands on her chest and strongly shook her head. The tears that she had been holding back before flowed out and reflected the morning light. It sparkled as bright as her eyes.
“No, even if I’m not allowed, I want to go, so please take me with you! I’d like to proudly call myself a pharmacist and lead my own life like you do. I want to grow with you, Marie!”
“Lily…”
Marie started to choke on her words once Lily gave a resolute reply.
Parting the crowd, Marie rushed over to where Lily was and embraced her with full force. Lily was surprised, but that emotion was quickly replaced with joy. Finally, a smile suitable for a girl her age.
As the two hugged each other tightly, the crowd’s expressions softened.
“Isn’t the response you’re giving to Lily a bit different from the one you showed me?!”
“Well, there’s a teeny tiny difference in the everyday behaviour between the both of you.” Rolf’s father then added, ‘I’m sure of it!’ as he ruffled up his son’s hair.
“There’s no difference!”
“For you to be speaking to Marie like Lily does is a pipe dream. How about you work on your manners first, you shitty brat!”
“Shut it!”
Laughter broke out from everywhere and the atmosphere became lighter.
Lily and Marie looked at each other before laughing along with everyone. It was a natural and peaceful spectacle. However, we would never know what would happen instead had she chosen to deceive the clan.
It’s like a miracle.
The question was either to be divided or destroyed. In any case, both of them had a grim future. But Marie came down and took care of everything in one fell swoop.
“This is like a miracle come true.”
My father, who appeared next to me before I even noticed, said those words out loud as if he had read my mind.
“Our clan has always been conservative by nature. Many people are against change. That’s why I had to take a more forceful approach. I believed it was the only way. But that was a mistake on my part. It seems that I looked down too much on both the princess and our clan, huh.”
In a bitter voice, Father muttered quietly as if mocking himself.
But that wry smile only lasted a few seconds before he headed towards Marie.
“Your Highness.”
Marie stared back at Father and tensed up.
She let go of Lily and turned towards him, waiting for him to continue. Instead, Father suddenly lowered his head.
“C-Chief?”
“To force you to play a role that would damage your pride, bowing my head alone is nowhere near enough to atone for my sins. But if anything, please accept this apology of mine. I’m truly sorry to have involved you in this incident.”
Marie got impatient and lowered her brows, then slowly shook her head.
“…There’s no need to apologise. After all, I could only stay true to my heart in the end.”
“And albeit a little unexpected, you ultimately chose the right path.”
“Eh?”
Marie’s surprise was shown on her face.
Father looked up and stared straight into Marie’s eyes.
“I won’t say that everyone here is readily willing to swear allegiance to you, and I cannot give any decisions on behalf of the clan without setting up a proper meeting first. But we are still doctors. If there is a sick person in need, we will be there.”
“Then…!”
In response to Marie’s expectant look, Father let out a little smile.
‘Yes,‘ his low voice was filled with so much warmth even I hadn’t heard before.
“I will do my best to repay you for respecting us as who we are.”
Hearing Father’s words, Marie turned to Lily.
The two were so happy they hugged each other again. It was such a lovely scene that I caught myself tearing up.
Thank you very much, my dearest Lord.
You didn’t give up on us. You held strong and gave us the fairytale-like ending we wished for. Thank you.
I am truly glad that I’ve met you.
I wonder if there was any man whose heart could not be moved by the unfolding scene in front of me.
Ever since I was born, this was the first time I truly felt my heart pounding.
In this secluded village, I had counted the ever-increasing number of graves, one by one.
Anyone who would take a trip to the outside world, regardless of how much they tried to avoid attention, would be hunted down for our goods like a rare animal.
Once, a child had died before I could arrive at a village because the road was obstructed.
As a pile of gold was handed to me that day, I was asked, “Would this be enough?”
I lamented my own powerlessness.
All I could do was apologise for the lives that I couldn’t save. I couldn’t even change the will of one villager. Miracle clan my ass. Does it look like someone as pathetic as me has the power of miracles?
Instead of honour, what was left in my chest were only feelings of guilt and disgust. I was being crushed as I walked this path all by myself.
I eventually lost sight of my pride.
But it was right here in my heart all along. As long as I have the desire to save someone, I will never lose my place as a Kua.
It was you, Marie. It was you who taught me that.
What do you call this feeling that sprouted in my chest, I wonder?
It was a mysterious feeling; I felt like cheering and crying as it welled up inside me. The world began to regain its colour as if it was being reborn.
The scenes and sights that I had taken for granted before were now becoming very dear to me.
Marie.
I’m so glad that I’ve met you.
The quietness spread once again.
It wasn’t because of any negativity or malice, though. Instead, some were heartbroken, and some were puzzled as Rolf stepped forward and revealed his face to the crowd.
It was only one small step, but it was so much more.
During the time when no one else dared to move, this action alone was the same as stepping into an unknown land. His small frame seemed to have grown by a little bit too.
“Sure.”
With that short reply, Rolf lifted a corner of his mouth and burst into a laugh.
“I’ll follow you. A brat like me might not be that useful, but I’ll help in any way I can. Just ask me anything.”
“…Huh?”
A creaking voice seemed to escape Marie’s lips.
The one most surprised might not be the villagers, but Marie herself.
Rolf deepened his smile even further when he saw Marie’s reaction, and with a rare, unimaginable, but dignified expression, he put one hand across his chest and gave a deep bow.
“I swear my loyalty to you, Your Highness.”
The once serene surroundings suddenly exploded.
“Hey, Rolf! What nonsense are you spouting!?”
“Don’t say words like that so easily.”
“I’m telling you! Shut up!”
Rolf was being held down by his parents on each side. But even when his mother smacked him on the head and his father got him around the collar, Rolf wasn’t giving up that easily.
“No! I won’t shut up! She could’ve fooled us by declaring herself as the Goddess. She could’ve even ordered us as a princess. But she didn’t do any of that. Just to protect our pride, she even lowered her head for us! It’s clear as day she was trying to talk to us on equal grounds as a fellow human being. What more does she need to do to prove her sincerity!?”
“…”
Rolf’s parents stopped moving.
The people around him looked at him with faces surprise and admiration, but no one uttered a single word. That’s because the issue wasn’t something so straightforward that we could immediately agree to it, nor was the problem something like a rotten kid’s prank that we could easily ignore.
Rolf’s words carried weight.
In response to Marie’s wish, he gave an answer that was so adult and sincere it was hard to think it came from the village’s number one brat. There was no easy way to deny it.
“M-Me… Me too!”
Lily was next to raise her hand.
Though she stuttered a bit.
“I too, would like to follow her, if you’d let me.”
Lily stared straight into Marie’s eyes as she held back her tears.
The fact that she couldn’t speak her heart was probably frustrating, so she clasped both hands on her chest and strongly shook her head. The tears that she had been holding back before flowed out and reflected the morning light. It sparkled as bright as her eyes.
“No, even if I’m not allowed, I want to go, so please take me with you! I’d like to proudly call myself a pharmacist and lead my own life like you do. I want to grow with you, Marie!”
“Lily…”
Marie started to choke on her words once Lily gave a resolute reply.
Parting the crowd, Marie rushed over to where Lily was and embraced her with full force. Lily was surprised, but that emotion was quickly replaced with joy. Finally, a smile suitable for a girl her age.
As the two hugged each other tightly, the crowd’s expressions softened.
“Isn’t the response you’re giving to Lily a bit different from the one you showed me?!”
“Well, there’s a teeny tiny difference in the everyday behaviour between the both of you.” Rolf’s father then added, ‘I’m sure of it!’ as he ruffled up his son’s hair.
“There’s no difference!”
“For you to be speaking to Marie like Lily does is a pipe dream. How about you work on your manners first, you shitty brat!”
“Shut it!”
Laughter broke out from everywhere and the atmosphere became lighter.
Lily and Marie looked at each other before laughing along with everyone. It was a natural and peaceful spectacle. However, we would never know what would happen instead had she chosen to deceive the clan.
It’s like a miracle.
The question was either to be divided or destroyed. In any case, both of them had a grim future. But Marie came down and took care of everything in one fell swoop.
“This is like a miracle come true.”
My father, who appeared next to me before I even noticed, said those words out loud as if he had read my mind.
“Our clan has always been conservative by nature. Many people are against change. That’s why I had to take a more forceful approach. I believed it was the only way. But that was a mistake on my part. It seems that I looked down too much on both the princess and our clan, huh.”
In a bitter voice, Father muttered quietly as if mocking himself.
But that wry smile only lasted a few seconds before he headed towards Marie.
“Your Highness.”
Marie stared back at Father and tensed up.
She let go of Lily and turned towards him, waiting for him to continue. Instead, Father suddenly lowered his head.
“C-Chief?”
“To force you to play a role that would damage your pride, bowing my head alone is nowhere near enough to atone for my sins. But if anything, please accept this apology of mine. I’m truly sorry to have involved you in this incident.”
Marie got impatient and lowered her brows, then slowly shook her head.
“…There’s no need to apologise. After all, I could only stay true to my heart in the end.”
“And albeit a little unexpected, you ultimately chose the right path.”
“Eh?”
Marie’s surprise was shown on her face.
Father looked up and stared straight into Marie’s eyes.
“I won’t say that everyone here is readily willing to swear allegiance to you, and I cannot give any decisions on behalf of the clan without setting up a proper meeting first. But we are still doctors. If there is a sick person in need, we will be there.”
“Then…!”
In response to Marie’s expectant look, Father let out a little smile.
‘Yes,‘ his low voice was filled with so much warmth even I hadn’t heard before.
“I will do my best to repay you for respecting us as who we are.”
Hearing Father’s words, Marie turned to Lily.
The two were so happy they hugged each other again. It was such a lovely scene that I caught myself tearing up.
Thank you very much, my dearest Lord.
You didn’t give up on us. You held strong and gave us the fairytale-like ending we wished for. Thank you.
I am truly glad that I’ve met you.
