[CHAPTER 83]
This feels completely different from when it was Seria.
Ah, I am sorry if I startled you by talking to you so suddenly.
No, that is all right, but…
My name is Julie.
…I am Jerena.
It is nice to meet you, Miss Julie.
I faced her with the calmest expression I could manage.
Pretending to meet someone for the first time while knowing all of their habits, preferences, and manner of speaking was something I had experienced many times, yet it never became familiar.
I glanced around quietly.
After confirming that Julie had approached me, Sian and Karin stepped a few paces away, as if to give us space.
Nobles who considered it impolite to eavesdrop on private conversations usually showed such silent consideration.
If Julie speaks softly, they will not be able to hear us.
Reassured, I stepped closer to Julie.
Julie, seemingly oblivious to my thoughts, bent her upper body toward me with an innocent expression and drew closer.
Um, by any chance…
Lowering her voice and covering her mouth as if sharing a secret, Julie whispered to me.
I leaned in as well, bringing my face closer and listening attentively.
After a brief hesitation, the words that followed were entirely unexpected.
That dress… where did you buy it?
…Pardon?
Well, actually, I have always wanted to try wearing black like that.
My mother has always been against it, so I have never worn it even once, but after seeing you today, I think she might reconsider.
Though her face reddened shyly, once she had started speaking, Julie poured out her words as if she had never hesitated at all.
Ah…
A small laugh slipped out of me without my realizing it.
From Julie’s words, it was clear how dearly loved she was within her family.
You are living happily.
You can smile so brightly now, even without my power.
It felt as though I had found yet another reason to continue this timeline.
Smiling gently, I told Julie the name of the boutique where I had purchased the dress.
Thank you.
You are so kind.
Normally, I would not just tell anyone this, but I will share my nickname with you as a special exception.
Julie smiled brightly.
It was a lively smile, completely different from when she had once suffered as a terminal patient.
If you meet me again next time, please call me Julie.
If you meet me again next time, please call me Julie.
Julie, who had once fled as if running away, had also told me her nickname back then.
Hearing the same words in such a different atmosphere gave me a fresh sense of emotion.
I will.
After hearing my answer, Julie smiled brightly once more and returned to where she had been standing before.
Now that my mood had lightened, I wondered why I had been so troubled by my earlier worries.
It was ridiculous.
What did the color of a dress even matter.
I knew none of it truly mattered, yet the moment I thought I did not fit in with the two of them, I had become strangely fixated on it.
Compared to the times when I worried about life and death or the World Tree, the concerns that had filled my mind until just moments ago felt small and utterly trivial.
I glanced down at my dress.
It was then that a voice suddenly reached my ear.
Do you not like the dress?
It was Karin Fischer.
She had been standing slightly farther away while I spoke with Julie, yet I had no idea when she had approached.
Karin’s gaze was fixed on my hand.
Before I realized it, my hand had been clutching the fabric of my dress tightly.
Did that young lady just say something—
No, not at all.
There is no way.
Worried that Karin might misunderstand Julie, I hurriedly waved my hand.
Then why did you look so troubled?
Um.
I hesitated for a moment.
Should I really tell Karin about such a trivial worry.
Would she think it was foolish.
I knew she was not that kind of person, but it still felt like an absurd concern.
However, since I could not think of any other excuse, I decided to answer honestly.
It is not that I dislike it.
I was just wondering if I should have worn something brighter.
Sian, who had been listening beside us, immediately cut in.
Why would you think that?
I nearly replied, Look at me right now, but barely swallowed the words back down.
Sian studied me quietly, then spoke.
His voice was exceedingly calm.
You are beautiful as you are.
I did not realize black could be such a beautiful color.
…What?
A murmur rippled through the surroundings.
Even Karin, standing beside us, looked thoroughly intrigued, as if to say, Just look at him.
Have confidence, Jerena.
You are more than beautiful enough.
So much so that I would want to cling to you, just as the rumors say.
Thump, thump.
The sound of my heart pounded loudly in my ears.
It felt as though someone had taken my heart out and held it right beside my ear.
Thump, thump, thump.
But this is… too loud, is it not?
Thump.
Kyaaah!
People around us began to scream one by one.
The pounding sound I had heard was not my heartbeat after all.
Bang.
Before I could even respond, a deafening roar shook the entire party hall.
My body, weakened after days of exhaustion, lost its balance and staggered.
Are you all right?
Sian quickly caught me, supporting my body so that I would not fall.
What in the world is this…
As I looked around, something caught my eye.
A black sky.
It was not dark because the sun had set.
Between the gaps, the sky still held the sunset hues appropriate for the time of day.
It seemed I was not the only one who felt the sense of wrongness.
People’s gazes slowly turned toward the windows.
It was as if dense black spiderwebs were wrapping this entire area tightly.
A demon…
Kyaaah!
The muttered word reached my ears with unnatural clarity.
It seemed others heard it just as clearly, and confusion quickly spread among the crowd.
Their confusion was understandable.
Only demons could do something like this, after all.
I must go.
Sian stared out the window with a grave expression, clearly sensing the seriousness of the situation.
Sister.
Huh?
Please take care of Jerena.
Me?
To Karin?
To someone who only just got out of bed?
Before I could voice any protest, Sian rushed off and disappeared.
Karin looked no less taken aback.
…He must think that my collapsing from bed is a thing of a past life.
Khup.
I recovered quickly, but Karin had already heard my laugh.
Or perhaps he worries about you that much.
At her added remark, I could no longer laugh.
Well then, shall we sit here?
Even as people panicked and ran about in confusion, Karin remained calm.
She even picked up finger food from a nearby table and ate it without concern.
It was as if she had known something like this would happen all along.
A chill ran down the back of my neck.
No, that is impossible.
How could Karin have known something like this.
Brushing off the thought, I sat down beside her.
She was already tasting the desserts she had neatly gathered onto a plate.
Mmm, it is delicious.
Jerena, would you like to try this?
Her behavior contrasted too sharply with the chaos around us.
…Are you not worried?
Pardon?
About the situation, or about Sir Sian…
Ah, do I look strange?
Only then did Karin give an awkward smile.
Honestly, she looked very strange.
She was so calm it was almost suspicious.
Is it because I am not startled or afraid?
It seemed Karin was well aware of that point herself.
After popping a macaron into her mouth, she pressed her fingers to her brow.
It has been a while since I ate something sweet, so my head hurts.
Karin.
Ah, all right.
Despite my anxious question, Karin smiled.
It was the same warm, kindly smile she had always shown me since awakening.
To start with the most important thing.
I already knew.
