Chapter 83
Rick agreed to deliver one half of the green magical mirror to Lord Markus.
Riding a horse from this country to Tori takes almost the same amount of time as returning to the capital by carriage.
After parting ways with Rick, we safely returned to our country.
Leo and I immediately decided to take the other half of the mirror and visit Lady Melanie in her private room.
“—It’s been a while, Lady Melanie. How have you been feeling?”
“……”
At first, she refused to see us. But when I had a maid convey that I had something I wanted to give her, we were allowed to enter.
Lady Melanie was resting on the bed, sitting up slightly.
Leo and I kept a respectful distance as we spoke to her, but she didn’t respond. She clearly wasn’t in good health, and her profile, not even glancing at us, looked thinner than before.
“Um, I’ll keep this brief. We brought this for you today.”
“……”
I quietly approached the bed alone and held out the magical mirror.
“Please think of Lord Markus.”
“……”
At the mention of “Lord Markus,” Lady Melanie finally reacted and turned her gaze toward me.
With her slender arms, she accepted the mirror and stared at it intently. Then her expression suddenly changed.
“Mother…?”
“Markus…!?”
From the mirror came Lord Markus’s voice. I caught a brief glimpse from the side, and his face appeared in the mirror.
“Mother! Ah… have you been well?”
“And you… have you been keeping well?”
“I… I’m doing well. I train every day with the knights. Do I look a little stronger now?”
“Yes… yes… indeed…”
Tears seemed to glimmer in Lady Melanie’s eyes, but her complexion looked noticeably better than before.
“So, Mother, please make sure you eat properly, okay? I will grow strong and will surely return to you.”
“Yes… yes. Since you are doing your best, I must do the same.”
Thanks to Rick relaying something, Markus seemed very composed and determined. I sincerely hoped he was really doing well.
After a few minutes of conversation, Lady Melanie quietly hugged the mirror to her chest and called my name softly.
“Sybel.”
“Yes?”
“Did you really go all the way to a neighboring country just to obtain this mirror?”
“Yes…”
Had I done something unnecessary…?
I had worried that acting on my own might upset Lady Melanie.
But then—
“Thank you for doing this for me.”
“……No, Lady Melanie.”
Lady Melanie looked into my eyes and gave me a small smile.
For the first time in a long while, I saw Lady Melanie’s face straight on. Her cheeks were hollowed, and her golden hair lacked its usual shine.
Yet her blue eyes, the same as Markus’s, were moist with tears, gazing at me directly.
Seeing her expression, my chest tightened painfully.
“Thank you truly, Sybel… and Leo, too.”
“……”
This time, Lady Melanie turned her gaze to Leo, who was standing behind me. I slightly turned my head to look at him.
Leo’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment, then he gave a small smile and a light bow.
