Chapter 5:
Love in My Hands
“WHAT A LOVELY DAY IT IS, Lady Philia,” said Lena, gazing out the window.
The weather was mild, with the deep blue sky stretching out as far as the eye could see. The mere sight of it filled me with inner peace.
When Lena spotted the flower I was growing in a vase full of mana, her eyes began to sparkle. “Oh, how beautiful. Is this the Moontear Flower?”
That’s right. I’d started conducting research into the Moontear Flower. Although I’d completed the formula for the cure and saved Luke’s life, that didn’t mean the devil’s seed was truly conquered.
I needed a way to mass-produce my remedy. The battle wouldn’t truly be won until it was available to all. Only then would I feel comfortable sharing my victory with Elizabeth and my father.
With Mammon’s help, Mia and I had managed to retrieve some Moontear Flowers from the Volcanic Miasma Zone, but apothecaries couldn’t make regular trips there. Not only did one need permission from both Parnacorta and Girtonia to enter the area, but it was all but impossible to get there without help from Mammon, a demon familiar of an exorcist working for the head church in Dalbert. In other words, retrieving the flowers required the involvement of three different nations, and even then, the supply was limited.
Therefore, the most pressing task was to find a way to cultivate Moontear Flowers and grow them outside the Volcanic Miasma Zone.
“Prince Reichardt, Prince Fernand, and the Pope of Dalbert are all cooperating so I can start continent-wide research,” I told Lena.
Our findings, along with samples of the Moontear Flowers we collected on our expedition, had been shared with research institutions across the continent, allowing more people to take part in the project. So far, we knew that the unusual environment and light inside the Volcanic Miasma Zone were crucial to the Moontear Flower’s growth. I was basing my research on those findings.
“Oh. So that’s what you’ve been studying lately.”
“Yes. Luke has also returned to his apothecary work and is assisting with the research over in Gyptia.”
Luke, the first known person on the continent to have fully recovered from the once-incurable devil’s seed, had not only resumed his medical work, but was helping to find a way to grow Moontear Flowers at Gyptia’s research institute. He’d described it all to me in a recent letter.
“Lady Philia. Lady Grace of Bolmern is here to congratulate you.”
“Lady Grace is here?”
“Yes. She’s waiting in the reception room. She wants to speak with you before the ceremony.”
“Understood. I’ll be there right away!”
That’s right. Tomorrow was my wedding day.
So much had happened since Sir Osvalt proposed to me, but the wait was finally over. Tomorrow, I was getting married.
“Lady Philia! Congratulations on your marriage! Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on behalf of the entire Mattilas family! I was so excited about the ceremony tomorrow, I simply couldn’t stay away!”
“That’s very kind of you, Grace. You’re almost making me blush.”
“Hehe. That’s not like you, Lady Philia. Keep your head held high.”
“All right. I’ll do my best.”
When I walked into the reception room, Grace received me with a bright smile. We hadn’t seen each other in quite some time, but her cheerful demeanor quickly melted the ice. We spent some time catching up and exchanging small talk.
“I was so impressed when I heard that you’d created the cure for the disease that took dear Liz’s life. As your top apprentice, I couldn’t be any prouder.”
Grace’s eyes glistened as she spoke. She’d been close to Elizabeth while she was still alive, and I could tell that my work meant a lot to her.
“Prince Reichardt said he was pleased as well. Elizabeth was truly loved, wasn’t she?”
“Lady Philia…”
When Sir Osvalt and I shared the news with Prince Reichardt, he bowed in gratitude—a gesture that took me by surprise.
“Miss Philia,” he said, “it may be out of place for me to say this now, after I tried to stop you venturing into that hazardous region…but thank you for settling the score for Elizabeth.”
I would never be able to fathom how profound his love for his fiancée was. But when he lifted his head, he looked more at peace than I’d ever seen before.
Grace went on. “In Bolmern, my sister Emily has absolutely thrown herself into researching the Moontear Flower. You’ve inspired her to begin studying topics she never would have bothered with before.”
“Oh, is that right? Please give her my regards.”
“Of course. She’s obsessed with developing a more efficient cultivation method than yours. It’s preposterous, frankly…”
Grace sighed as she took a sip of her tea. Despite the way she made it sound, I detected a hint of pride on her face. Deep down, she respected her hard-working sister.
“Anyway, I can’t wait to see you in your wedding dress tomorrow, Lady Philia.”
“Of course. Thank you for taking the time to visit me.”
After our conversation came to a close, Grace bowed and left the mansion.
It was just past noon. My next guests would be arriving soon.
As it turned out, they showed up in only an hour.
“Lady Philia, you have some more visitors. Come on in, Lady Mia and Lady Hilda.”
“Philia! Congrats on the big day! I wanted to come earlier, but I had some last-minute saintly duties to take care of—”
“It’s a saint’s first responsibility to carry out as many of her obligations as she can manage. I’m sure Philia would hate for you to neglect your duties.”
Mia and Mother were already chattering away as they entered the reception room. Both saints were snowed under with work but, as promised, they’d managed to find the time to attend my wedding.
“Mia, Mother. Thank you for making the effort to come.”
“I wouldn’t miss your big day for the world, Philia. Mother was looking forward to it, too.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. That said, it’ll be a pleasure to witness you seizing the happiness your life has to offer you.”
My mother smiled at me. These days, she seemed more serene than before.
When I first came to Parnacorta, I never would have dreamed that I’d get married, let alone receive Mia and my mother’s blessings. I was so happy that this day had come.
“Prince Fernand says he’ll be here tomorrow,” Mia added.
“Will he? I’ll have to greet him once the ceremony is over. I need to thank him for everything he did for me.”
“Of course. I’ll pass on your thanks, too. I already told you this in my letter, but Prince Fernand was really impressed with the cure. He struggled with his own health for a long time, so he appreciates the noble work you’ve done in helping people who suffer illness.” Mia gleefully shared how Prince Fernand felt.
Given that I’d acted out of selfishness, I felt slightly guilty when people called my work noble. That said, I was happy to be able to help others.
“Mother,” I said, “I’m counting on you to walk me down the aisle tomorrow.”
“Yes, I know. I promise I won’t embarrass you.”
“I never imagined you would…”
Her response was nonchalant. Thinking about it now, I’d probably inherited her tendency to conceal her emotions. When I viewed myself from that perspective, aspects of my personality that once made me insecure began to feel like evidence of our familial bond. Perhaps someday I could even learn to love those sides of myself.
“Philia,” said Mother, “as I said before, it’s too late for me to start acting like your mother, but I’m pleased to see you commencing a new journey.” Without saying anything more, she quietly took a sip of Lena’s tea.
“Mother…”
I felt warmth slowly seeping through my chest, but I wasn’t sure why.
Maybe it was because we didn’t need to say much in order to communicate. Simply being in the same space was enough; our hearts shared more than words ever could.
I see it now, Mother. Love is something I’ve always had.
I hadn’t always been able to see it, but throughout my journey, I’d always been loved.
“I’m so excited about tomorrow, Philia.”
“Yes, so am I. As wonderful as marrying Sir Osvalt is, I’m even more delighted that so many people will be there to celebrate with us.”
I shared a nod with Mia, then looked up through the window. As before, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Tomorrow was sure to be a wonderful day.