Chapter 26
The next day, when I reported the completion of the escort request to the guild, regarding the cancellation of the escort request from the church before our departure, it was treated as a withdrawal of the request with no penalty. Maybe it was because I blew my top. I feel a little sorry about that.
I thought that since it was the day after the Fire Child’s return, they must be tired, so I waited a day before visiting the church. I found the Fire Child was sick in bed with a fever.
“Are you okay, Luca?”
“I have a fever.”
“I pushed you too hard. We should have taken more breaks on the journey.”
“That’s not it. I was fine the day I returned. Yesterday, when I told Kai I wanted to return to Ordequia, I had a fight with Kai. After that, I couldn’t sleep…”
“The exhaustion must have caught up with you. Get some rest.”
“Uncle, if Kai never forgives me, would it be okay if I returned to Ordequia?”
“Yeah.”
They had traveled for nearly twenty days, been in a completely new environment, talked with strangers at parties and tea parties, and then traveled again for a long time. It was impossible not to be tired. Probably the tension had finally snapped, and the fatigue hit all at once. It seemed falling ill had made them feel vulnerable.
The Water Priestess is envious of the Fire Priestess. The Water Priestess’s parents have never once come to visit. Since the Fire Priestess hasn’t spoken about her past, the Water Priestess believes she is cherished by her real parents.
When the Fire Priestess mentioned that she would eventually return to Ordequia to attend school, the Water Priestess got angry, asking why the Fire Priestess was the only one getting special treatment, and shut herself in her room. The Fire Priestess called out to her in front of her room for a while but wasn’t let in, and went to bed feeling dejected.
After the Fire Child went to sleep, the caretaker priest told me about what happened between the Fire and Water Children.
It was my first time in the Fire Child’s room, and it was neatly tidied up.
Everything from Ordequia was stored in boxes so they wouldn’t catch the Water Child’s eye. So that’s why I didn’t see any of it in the room.
This might be a bit troublesome. I’d heard that the Priestesses are raised considering the other Priestesses and priests as their family, so they don’t develop strong attachments to their blood relatives. So I hadn’t been concerned, but seeing the Fire Child, who is close in age, being loved by her family, it’s only natural for the Water Child to feel envious.
Moreover, the Water Child only sees the good parts. She hasn’t been told about what lies beneath.
“I think it can’t be helped. Fundamentally, the Fire Priestess and Water Priestess have backgrounds that are just too different. However, if their relationship were to deteriorate further…”
“An early return home might be unavoidable. I’ll be in the royal capital until things settle down between them. Please contact me at the inn if anything happens.”
The Water Child has been raised cherished within this church and doesn’t know the outside world. Both the facility director and Vio are hesitant to tell the Water Child about the Fire Child’s past. They probably think she wouldn’t understand even if she heard, and they don’t want her to develop a mistaken fear of the outside world. It would be better to tell her after she starts school and learns about the world outside.
After speaking with the facility director as well, I left the church.
Vio was planning to return to Ordequia soon to start preparing for school, but depending on the situation, those plans might change.
For a while, I took on day-trip or single-night requests, keeping an eye on the situation between the Fire and Water Children, but finally, the Fire Child reached her limit.
The Water Child completely refused to talk to the Fire Child, stubbornly rejecting even when other Priestesses and priests tried to mediate. After more than ten days of this, the Fire Child came crying to Vio.
“Is it wrong for me to want to return to Ordequia?”
“It’s not wrong, Luca. Kai is just jealous. This isn’t anyone’s fault.”
“But I wanted to be friends with Kai forever…”
The Fire Child, in tears, said she wanted to go back to Ordequia.
The Fire Child, an outsider, was the one who disturbed the peaceful operation of this long-tranquil facility. It probably hasn’t been very comfortable for her.
It was decided that the Fire Child would move to Ordequia as soon as preparations were complete.
With the Fire Child’s move to Ordequia, Vio’s and my adventurer life would also be put on hold for a while. This might even be retirement.
The Fire Child donated almost all of her belongings, including her newly made clothes, to the church. She only took back the things that held memories.
In the end, she parted ways without ever getting to talk properly with the Water Child, who didn’t even come to see her off. Let’s hope they can reconcile when they’re older.
“You are always welcome to return. This place will always be waiting for the Priestess. Please do your best in your new life in Ordequia.”
“Yes. Thank you for taking care of me for so long.”
“On behalf of the Viscount Folron house, I offer my sincerest thanks to the Priestesses, the Facility Director, and all the priests.”
Although Vio is formally no longer a member of the Viscount’s house, this time she still identified with it to express her gratitude.
After saying goodbye to the senior Priestesses and the priests who had looked after her for so long, the Fire Child climbed into the carriage, looking lonely.
‘Thank you for your cooperation. I pray the Water Child grows up healthy and well.’
I could tell the facility director and others were surprised by my words, which were directed at those present other than the Fire Child.
It’s true, I previously thought they might be spoiling her too much, but this situation isn’t really anyone’s fault. If I had to name someone, it’s us, for failing to consider the Water Child’s feelings.
It was precisely because the Water Child accepted her that the Fire Child’s life here was enjoyable. I’m grateful for that.
I hope the Water Child can accept her own circumstances and live her life positively.
I sat down next to the Fire Child and rubbed my head against her stomach. She lifted me onto her lap. Go ahead and pet me to fill the loneliness.
“Someday, let’s come back to visit Kai.”
“Yes.”
