Episode 176

After returning from spending a few days with Lucerne, Jacob imprisoned Elisha completely. So he hadn't seen the sunlight properly since then.

'That's right. My destiny is the same in my previous life and in my current life.'

At this point, I wondered if I should just accept my fate.

'There is no way for something that is not precious to become precious. The value of the essence is the same.'

Upon realizing that, Elisha did not find it difficult to adapt. Her freedom anyway, her peace was far from her. If you think about it, many people who live poor and impoverished lives did that. I lived a rough life all my life.

'But you will abandon me again.'

Even if he had been released from Jacob in his previous life anyway, he would have died at the hands of Lucerne. He was not one to forgive the insults he had suffered.

So, even if Lucerne is acting capricious in this life, what will it change?

He said he loved Elisha. However, affection without normal emotional exchange was a little more painful than unrequited love. Discouragement brought detachment.

Elisha closed her eyes. She seems to have fallen asleep. I've been sleeping a lot lately.

When she opened her eyes again, Elisha felt her body shake in the air.

“When did you come?”

Elisha opened her eyes slowly. Lucerne was holding her.

“Just now.”

Elisha nodded her head. Lucerne came down to her basement again, holding her. He took her to her bedroom. Then he laid Elisha on her bed and freed her from her shackles. Elisha looked up at him as it was.

I really have nothing to say these days. Because nothing came to mind.

“Do you want to sleep better?”

Elisha shook her head.

“It is still daytime. It's okay.”

Lucerne nodded her head. Sophie prepared tea. Elisha got up on her own and she followed him out. It was time for tea.

*​ *​ *​

“The doctor says it's not a bad thing.”

Lucerne looked over at Elisha. She looked at him

“Why the hell are you doing this?”

Elisha didn't know what he meant. Indeed, now Elisha had nothing to hand to him. She just hoped she wouldn't tell her to get pregnant right away. In today's mood, as soon as you have a child, you'll be depressed.

“Is there anything else you want?”

Lucerne looked down at Elisha quietly. The look in her eyes as she looked at her was unfamiliar.

“You?”

“…… Yes?”

“What do you think will make you feel better?”

“Everything you want is here. You can embroider, and there are newspapers. Besides, there are books.”

Elisha calmly replied. I wondered if he had developed a new guided interrogation. Lucerne let out a short sigh.

“Would you feel better if you went outside?”

Elisha hesitated. I couldn't believe what he said.

“Are you serious?”

The first time Elisha showed interest, Lucerne nodded her head.

“Okay. You promised.”

“I can go out once a month……. You mean?”

Elisha looked at him. But that was a promise contingent on interrogation. His interrogation was unsuccessful.

“Do you want to interrogate me again?”

“No.”

Lucerne's expression changed.

“Don't deny that. It was a terrible memory.”

Elisha wondered what she really did that day.

“Are there really no conditions?”

Elisha was suspicious, so she asked again. Lucerne looked down at her ankles.

“Okay. If you behave as you do now, there are no conditions. And I can let you go out next month.”

“…… What if I don't behave?”

“You will pay more than you can imagine.”

“…….”

Elisha turned white. She is weak Now it was easily broken by his mean words or one attack.

Lucerne's eyes softened.

“Where do you want to go? As long as you don't think about running away, nothing bad will happen.”

Said Lucerne, pacing her child.

“Lady Rosaria.”

Elisha bowed her head.

“I want to meet Lady Rosaria…….”

“Rosaria?”

“Yes. She thinks meeting him and having a conversation will calm her mind a bit. And she read the newspaper. Saint Undine's coffin will be unveiled.”

Said Elisha. But she soon noticed him.

“I'm from a temple, so I feel comfortable when I go to a temple. If I have to go anywhere, I just want to go there.”

Lucerne stared at her. She wanted to sigh.

“I don't want to go so far as to arouse suspicion. There will be a festival on that day, so there must be a lot of people.”

“Is Rosaria special to you?”

“Yes?”

Elisha tilted her head.

“Yeah, that's right. Because he is the one who did me a favor without cost. But to him, I must have been just one of many orphans. Still, that's enough for me. My days in the Temple Monastery were the only time in my life when I felt peaceful and happy.”

“Do you want to go back?”

Elisha thought he was crazy.

“It used to be. When I got older, I wanted to end my life by going to a monastery at the end. But now that dream is gone.”

“I have no intention of sending it to the temple or anywhere else.”

“I know.”

Elisha nodded her head.

“But going to the temple for a day is fine.”

“…….”

Elisha's movements stopped.

“Really?”

Lucerne nodded her head.

To be honest, I was delighted. She hadn't felt that way in a very long time. Elisha was overjoyed, and she was afraid he would change his mind.

“Thanks.”

Elisha said softly.

“Thank you, Lucerne.”

*​ *​ *​

“It's been a long time since I've been out. What would you like to wear?”

As the promised day approached, Sophie became more excited. A trunk arrived from upstairs. In it, Elisha's dresses from her mansion were stacked neatly. Sophie picked out her clothes.

Elisha was sitting in front of the dressing table with an expressionless face.

“You seem to be giving me clothes.”

“Sure. If you need new clothes, ask for them. The general buys the lady anything she wants, right?”

“…….”

Elisha knew that what Sophie was saying was very sincere. Her annoyance with Sophie was meaningless. Sophie was really fundamentally like this. Just a pure child who can't tell the difference between good and evil.

Elisha chose a black silk dress from Sophie's selection of dresses for her.

“Do it with this.”

“Yes, you want to wear fancy things. I also think it would be really pretty if the mistress wore this.”

Elisha nodded her head. And let her hair down.

“You have to wear it to stand out. I don't know when I'll be able to go out again. I want to leave an impression in the memory of as many people as possible.”

Elisha added.

“I'll give you the most expensive jewelry as well.”

Sophie nodded his head. She painstakingly combed his hair and put on his make-up. She wore the most valuable red diamond necklace she'd ever owned on a large diamond necklace.

He wore the bracelet Lapis gave him on his arm, but he also had two other bracelets on his arm. Elisha put on her jewel-encrusted silk shoes for the last time.

“You've lost a bit of weight, but you're really pretty. It's blinding.”

She said with eyes that saw Sophie ecstatic. Elisha groped her cheek. After hearing her say that she was pretty, whether empty or otherwise, she made a habit of groping her cheeks to check her scars.

Elisha said she looked at herself in the mirror. Before her pale face died, she was like herself. But she was much more beautiful than her previous life.

“And……. This one.”

Sophie pulled a small silk pouch from inside the trunk. Elisha undid her silk pouch.

The dress Elisha wore on the day she drank rose poison. It was a silk pocket sewn inside the dress. Inside the silk pouch was a feather and a blue ribbon.

Elisha saw that and laughed cynically.

“But what is this?”

Elisha put a gold coin into the pocket.

“It was given to me by Lucerne.”

It was a very old ancient gold coin.

She asked if she needed anything from Elisha.

Elisha asked for an ancient gold coin, and he gave it away without a word. It was something he had received from Listralfo a long time ago.

“It is a valuable item. Ancient gold coins are of high purity and very expensive because there are collectors. Is it something with a story?”

“I just want to remember.”

Elisha said calmly. She recalled memories from her previous life of burying her gold coins as she cried in the rain.

It was an old, painful feeling. She wanted to relive that feeling. So, wouldn't she quickly fall in love with Lucerne?

Elisha thought cynically. At least Lucerne might have been delighted with her request for gold coins. Because she knew the story behind this ancient gold coin.

Listralpo told Lucerne to use the gold coin if he found a girl he liked. But looking at this situation, even the dead Lystral would laugh at it. A man who imprisons women while talking about love with her mouth.

'No. That might be a great Cartier.'

*​ *​ *​

“There are a lot of people.”

Elisha looked at the street. It hadn't been long since she had seen a wave of the huge crowd, and it even made her stomach ache. She lived too long detached from reality.

“Be careful.”

Lucerne rubbed the nape of Elisha's neck. Elisha knew it was her warning. No matter how much she runs away, Lucerne can always be found. In the place where his touch reaches out, he will be caught again soon.

“I am not stupid.”

Elisha said quietly.

“If I was a fool, I would have rebelled against you, right? You don't.”

“Okay. It's a smart way of thinking.”

Elisha stared at Lucerne opposite her in her carriage. The carriage started to move slowly, as if the people had stepped aside. The sun shining through the open curtains stained his face.

“When are you going to interrogate again?”

Elisha asked plainly.

“Are you thinking of blowing with your mouth?”

“My secrets?”

Elisha wanted to laugh.

“Do you believe me when I tell you?”

“…….”

“You said there was no trust between us.”

Elisha said calmly.

“Okay.”

Lucerne spoke briefly. Elisha saw a faint uneasiness spread across his grim face.

What the hell are you doing?

Elisha thought. The carriage moved tediously. Elisha looked to her side. Children were playing outside her window. Her chest throbbed.

'About four years old?'

She suddenly stopped breathing. Elisha placed her hand on her chest. Suddenly her head spun.

“Elisha?”

Lucerne put a hand on her cheek. His eyes seemed to be worried at first glance. Elisha shook her head.

“No, nothing……. Nothing. You'll be fine soon.”

Lucerne examined her body carefully.

“Why.”

He said with a sigh.

“Your condition is not getting better.”

Elisha stared at him. He really had no patience. He's not even denying sex, but he's got to be reprimanded for not feeling well.

“I will try.”

Elisha spoke briefly. Anyway, he allowed me to go out today. She should have pretended to appreciate his generosity.

Lucerne furrowed her brow once and put on a cynical expression. He said nothing more.