Episode 68
Until the next day, Elisha was out of work. She was grateful to the knights, and she was also worried that they would get hurt.
'Why is someone like me?'
Elisha was reassured by the Black Lion knights, but she was frustrated with herself for not being able to honestly express her gratitude. When she felt that she was so precious and protected, she was afraid. Too good to be afraid
The reason she fantasizes about it disappearing is because Elisha hasn't lived her smooth life.
Elisha was taking a leisurely walk in the backyard when she bumped into Nora. Nora spotted her Elisha and turned her head away from her.
“Nora, wait!”
Elisha followed Nora. Because her Nora was seen clutching her arm. At first glance, her shirt was stained with her blood.
“Are you hurt?”
“It's okay.”
Nora turned her head and gave her usual polite greeting. She had an attitude of avoiding but reluctantly saying hello. Elisha couldn't figure out why Nora was reacting this way.
“…… It's bleeding.”
“I have a constitution that heals faster than other people, so I loosened her bandage a little quickly and the wound burst.”
“I have to bleed. Come on, Nora.”
Elisha took Nora's hand and sat her on a bench in her garden.
“Can you show me your wounds?”
Said Elisha. Nora held out her arm. Elisha rolled up her bloody shirt and wrapped her silken handkerchief around Nora's wrist.
“It looks like a precious handkerchief…….”
“These things are not valuable at all.”
Elisha cut it off.
“There are really precious handkerchiefs.”
“What is it?”
“I don't have it now. It is a very old handkerchief.”
“You don't have it now, did you have it before?”
Elisha gave her a small nod.
“Yes. I didn't keep it for very long……. It was something I kept with me until the end.”
Elisha was thinking of her old handkerchief that Nora had given her in her previous life. She is, of course, Nora, who doesn't understand what Elisha is saying. Tilted her head.
“Nora, are you disappointed in me that I didn't go to say thank you to her?”
“Yes?”
“I thought you wanted to avoid me. Am I wrong, Nora?”
Nora raised her head. Then she looked at Elisha and she said hastily.
“No, it is not. I just…….”
Nora bit her lip and continued her words.
“I thought you were disappointed to see me fighting.”
“Why are you disappointed?”
“You must have known me as a great knight. You know it's not anymore.”
To Elisha, the words gradually became incomprehensible.
“What the hell is that?”
“…… I feel like a different person when I go to the battlefield. Become ferocious You have to pursue the enemy to the end and slay them to be satisfied. Maybe it's like exploding what was suppressed because of the times I've lived so far. There are times when it becomes more cruel than necessary.”
“…….”
“That's why I usually try to keep chivalry more thoroughly than others……. My nature is such a person. So I thought that it could not be helped, frail noble lady, when she saw me fighting, she was afraid of me.”
Elisha understood Nora's words. She laughed bitterly.
“Nora. It's really hard to be nice in a world like this, and even harder to be sane. Especially like Nora and me……. The same goes for children abandoned in monasteries.”
“Lady.”
“By that standard, I also……. It's the same person. So, I am grateful enough that Nora is a good person to me. And seeing Nora fight wasn't scary. It just hurts her heart that she was hurt because of me.”
Nora said nothing. Elisha also thought that Nora was fundamentally innocent.
'Come to think of it, there were times when I saw Lapis and wished I had a younger sister.'
Elisha thought about Nora's age. Come to think of it, she was also nineteen years old.
'You are truly a genius. Nora.'
Just as talent was important to wizards, talent was also important to swordsmen above a certain level. An excellent swordsman was not just strength and skill, but also a talent because he used magic.
'Come to think of it, when she was little, she wanted to have her little sister.'
Her mother passed away and she remembered her long grieving life. It was a very old memory for her, and it was only after she had been conscious of it many times that she remembered it.
'A younger sister like Nora would be nice too.'
There were women everywhere in the monastery. So, she assumed that if she had a family, then of course she was a woman.
“I……. Strangely, Nora doesn't feel far away. I don't know why either.”
“Lady.”
“So. Don't worry about these little things, Nora. I'm sorry for not being able to speak. Thank you for fighting for me.”
Of course, a few things were for Elisha, and most of them were for Lucerne. Or for the honor of the knights.
She thought maybe that's why she had a fight. But Elisha said that her share of fighting for her was to the dust. She would have been genuinely delighted. She could swear
Elisha had a long conversation with Nora that day and parted ways. Strangely, she felt at ease.
* * *
No matter what the fuss was yesterday. The mansion was peaceful again. The knights of the gymnasium trained, and the diligent Nora supervised them.
Ian disappeared somewhere again, and Corinne came to training and went to take a nap. Lazri and Lapis were locked in the lab.
Elisha called her merchant to her mansion in the afternoon to purchase the necessary furniture.
'There won't be a major war for a while, so Lucerne will stay in the capital.'
Then, here, too, it might be possible to receive guests and hold casual gatherings, as in ordinary noble mansions. The mansion lacks tableware to serve guests, so Elisha spent the afternoon choosing her plates.
“Elisha.”
So when she's looking at the merchant and the plate. Elisha is startled when Lucerne appears in her room.
“Lucerne. I didn't expect you to come here.”
“I'm here to keep an eye on you in case you save money again.”
Lucerne was so brazen that she even kissed Elisha on the cheek in front of her merchant. Elisha was frightened.
'Seriously, sometimes he does great things casually. This person.'
Even though she knew it was meaningless, she couldn't hide her emotions fluctuating at times like this.
“Don't worry, I'll buy you something nice.”
“Ah. Okay. You're doing great.”
Lucerne said. He even showed interest in what Elisha bought her. Of course, when I explained it, it was obvious that I was listening casually.
'This person really is a strange person.'
The words that followed became more and more incomprehensible.
“What time is it?”
“It's three o'clock.”
“When I'm done, I'll tell you to prepare tea.”
She usually had her tea at 3 o'clock. But he asks her for tea. Elisha had no right to refuse. Like that……. She didn't even hate it.
Then someone knocked on the door. It was Ian.
“General.”
Ian entered and whispered something in Lucerne's ear. Lucerne nodded his head.
“See you later in the tea room.”
“…… I know.”
Elisha nodded her head.
“Lucerne. If it's urgent, you can drink the tea later.”
“Not in a hurry. Come soon.”
Elisha nodded her head.
“Is there anything bigger going on in the house today?”
“Of course.”
Lucerne answered calmly. After Lucerne left, the careless merchant praised his couple, Geum-seul, as great. Elisha didn't know where to start clearing up her misunderstanding, so she decided to just divert her words.
* * *
Town! Town!
In the dark basement, an old magic crystal lamp hung from the ceiling and swayed. The man who was seated in the center and bound was twisting his body, but the bound body did not allow much movement.
The man had a cross scar on his face. He was the man who attacked Elisha at City Hall.
“He recklessly puts her husband's wife in a warehouse and binds her. What do you do when you touch your body? Husband upset.”
Lucerne clicked his tongue.
“If you want to run away, run properly.”
As Ian removed the gag, the man spoke desperately.
“I just said that if you do this one thing, I will let you go far away……. I was deceived by taking a lot of money! I didn't even know that the other was the general's wife. I never meant to hurt…….”
Lucerne beckoned and Ian was gagged again. Lucerne raised the corner of his mouth.
“Even if I gave him a chance to make his last will, he always said this.”
“I mean.”
Ian nodded his head. Lucerne glanced at Ian.
“Did you enjoy yesterday at the Temple Knights?”
“Yes. I was relieved. However, the man who directly harms his wife will not give in.”
“Not to mention that you have to protect her wife. Is not it.”
“If all the husbands in the world were like generals, there wouldn't be any families left behind.”
“I know.”
Lucerne wasn't offended by the joke either.
“Fortunately, there is a woman who can handle it well.”
“Yes. It is fortunate that the mansion is very peaceful.”
Ian nodded his head very sincerely. Lucerne lightly loosened his neck. A shadow moved slowly in front of the trembling man's eyes.
“Shadow.”
Lucerne whispered.
“Take care of it. I should go get some tea.”
Whoops, whoops! The man's last scream was gagged and couldn't even explode loudly.
“I will do it with my own hands at the end.”
At Lucerne's words, Ian lightly nodded his head. And he took a step back.
After the job, Lucerne lightly snapped his neck. Then Lucerne took off his bloody gloves and wiped his hands.
* * *
Elisha sat down at the table in the tea room and brewed tea slowly. Then there was the sound of the door opening.
“Did you do your job well? Has the imperial palace contacted you?”
Elisha asked without even raising her head.
“No. It was no big deal.”
Only then did Elisha see Lucerne. He seemed very calm, just like before.
“I just have something to finish.”
“Correcting for yesterday?”
“Not similar.”
Elisha nodded her head and handed Lucerne her car. He drank his tea slowly. Elisha glanced at him. There were often times when there was no talk between them.
But her silence was not very frustrating.
What a peaceful afternoon, Elisha thought.