🌷 🌷 🌷
DESPITE its location on the outskirts of the city, the large family restaurant was busy well past the lunchtime rush. It was the afternoon on a weekend when Ophelia and Bernard arrived at the restaurant much earlier than the appointed time. Even so, the person they’d come to meet was already there waiting for them.
“Mother!”
The woman who turned with a broad smile at the sound of Ophelia’s voice was the Narve siblings’ mother, Emiliana. She had blonde hair that seemed to almost glow in the light pouring in through the restaurant’s large windows and an easygoing smile. The siblings were happy to see her looking just as youthful and energetic as the last time they’d met. After divorcing their father, she remarried and was now living as a commoner. Her husband was a tailor who ran a successful shop in the Royal City.
“Ophie! Bernie! How have you been?”
“We’re doing well. How are you?”
“As you can see, I’m doing just fine!”
Ophelia took the seat next to her mother, and Bernard sat across from them. It seemed that their mother had already ordered, because not a moment later, the server delivered three lunch sets to the table. Ophelia’s dish was missing the green peppers, and Bernard’s didn’t contain any celery. Ophelia couldn’t help being a bit embarrassed by the way their mother, with the best of intentions, continued to dote on them like children, no matter how old they got.
“Ophie, I read your letter. I was shocked to hear you’ve started working at the Ministry of Justice. That’s incredible!”
“I’m planning to return to the Architectural Institute as soon as possible.”
“Even if it’s only temporary, they need help that only you can provide. That’s really impressive. Are you working hard and doing your best every day?”
“Hehe, I haven’t missed work or been late even once!”
“In that case, it’s safe to assume you’re enjoying the job. The other employees are all treating you well, even though they know about your situation, right?”
Ophelia swallowed a spoonful of her soup and nodded, smiling brightly. Seeing this, Emiliana responded in a tone brimming with heartfelt delight, “I told you, didn’t I? I always said that someday a person would appear who would understand you just the way you are, Ophie.”
Emiliana tore her bread roll in half and placed the larger half on Bernard’s now-empty bread plate. “Hehe, don’t think I haven’t noticed you pouting over there, Bernie.”
“Huh? I’m not…” Bernard pressed one hand against his cheek and used the other to dunk the bread he’d received from Emiliana into his soup.
“Oh? I was under the impression you and Ophie were attached at the hip, but I suppose I was mistaken?”
“…We’re not like that.”
“As your mother, I’m relieved to see that you both seem to be making the most of your special abilities. You’re both very talented, you know.”
Ophelia’s eyes fell to the table in response.
For a long time, Emiliana had always praised Ophelia’s strange ability. She’d claimed it would one day come in handy for helping others.
They’d been living happily as a family of four until Ophelia had ruined everything. Even so, Emiliana never once blamed her daughter. The “miraculous divorce” wasn’t Ophelia’s fault. Instead, Emiliana conveyed in word and deed that she truly believed the entire ordeal had led to her current happiness.
Previously, Claudio had told her that there was “no need to run headfirst into danger,” but Ophelia had proceeded regardless. She didn’t want to let her mother down. She wanted to use her special ability to help others. That was all Ophelia had been thinking at the time. Her mother’s words gave her the strength to keep moving on legs that shook so hard she could barely stand and carry on through tears that threatened to obscure her vision.
Now that I think about it, the director never tried to force me to stop… Ophelia thought back to the events of that day. Ophelia must’ve been nearly incoherent as she stumbled along holding onto the wall for support, but Claudio had simply adjusted his pace to match hers and walked along behind her.
“Ophie? Your face has gotten a bit red?”
“Huh?! What? Maybe the meat was a bit spicier than I realized…”
“Hehe, your hands are trembling.”
“Oh!”
Grinning wickedly, Emiliana poked Ophelia’s cheek with her finger. Bernard watched with a fierce glare and took a giant bite out of his meat, chewing more aggressively than strictly necessary.
“So, have you met anyone nice at the Ministry of Justice?” Emiliana asked.
“Huh?”
“You’re really cute, Ophie, so now that you’re finally out from under Bernie’s thumb, I bet you’re super popular with all the young men, right?”
“Everyone is very kind to me, but nothing like what you’re suggesting.”
“Aw, that’s too bad. There’s no one who understands you and with whom you could live a peaceful life?”
Someone I could live happily with, who isn’t repulsed by my strange ability?
The only people who came to mind as fitting these requirements were her coworkers in the Director’s Office. Bruno, in particular, had been so kind to her that it had earned her the spite of women from other divisions. But the last face that she visualized was a stunningly beautiful one framed by long pink hair. For some reason, whenever she was with him, her shaking stopped. Why was that? Because she knew he would never lie? Ophelia forcibly cut her thoughts off there. It was better not to follow that line of thinking. Nothing could come of it.
“Oh my, that face you’re making tells me there is someone after all…”
“Ophie?!”
In his haste, Bernard accidentally jostled the table. Silverware clanged loudly against plates, drawing curious gazes from everyone in the restaurant. That made Ophelia equally flustered, and she began wringing her hands in front of her chest.
“Don’t be silly, of course not! Everyone working in the Director’s Office is way out of my league!”
“That’s too bad… How about you, Bernie?” Emiliana turned to her son. “With Ophie gone, have you finally started noticing girls?”
“There’s no way any of them would be interested in someone like me…”
“It’s true, Mother. He’s really quite pathetic!”
“That’s a terrible thing to say, Ophie!”
This time, their mother’s hearty laugh caused all eyes in the restaurant to again turn in their direction. Wiping away the tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes from laughing so hard, Emiliana reached into her bag and pulled out two packages wrapped in paper.
“Here, I have a present for each of you. I sewed all of my love into these.”
“Wow, what a cute blouse!”
“And a dashing shirt for me.”
Having grown up as the second daughter of an earl, Emiliana had always been talented at embroidery. She reluctantly went along with the marriage her parents arranged for her with Sigmond, but even then, her heart already belonged to her childhood friend, the tailor’s boy.
Ophelia hugged the blouse that she was certain her mother had sewn together with her husband.
The entire time Emiliana inquired after their father’s health, expressed her high expectations for bright futures for both her children, and relayed the details of her own peaceful, simple life with her husband, Ophelia’s body never trembled even the slightest. Well, she did shake a bit when her brother showed uncharacteristically considerate restraint, but regardless, Ophelia concluded that, in the end, this arrangement was truly what was best for everyone. Her ability proved it.
“Thank you, Mother. I’ll wear this to work tomorrow,” Ophelia said.
“Is it okay not to wear the Ministry of Justice’s uniform blouse?”
“It seems so. Everyone dresses pretty fancy. Oh, and the Ministry of Justice uniform is really cute; it has embroidery on the collar and sleeves of the jacket.”
Both Emiliana and Bernard seemed astounded by her words.
“Ophie… You are aware that the thread used in the embroidery on the Ministry of Justice uniform is a magical item, right?”
This time, it was Ophelia’s turn to be astounded by Bernard’s question.
“The thread is a magical item?”
“The embroidery on the jacket takes the place of an ID card. There’s a magical item installed in the entryway to the Ministry of Justice that reads the embroidery and allows you entrance to the building. This is a well-known fact; didn’t you know?”
“I had no idea…”
Seeing the still-stumped expression on Ophelia’s face, Bernard scratched his cheek guiltily. “Maybe he was right, and we really have been sheltering Ophie a bit too much…”
“Bernard, who told you something like that?” Ophelia asked.
“…Um, a friend…?”
One didn’t need Ophelia’s special ability to tell when Bernard was lying. Emiliana laughed at the way her son evasively looked everywhere but at his sister, then popped the last bite of her dessert into her mouth.
“I’m extremely disappointed with both of you for not even having any leads on a potential marriage partner at your ages. I’ll have you know that I’ve been polishing my skills so I can make the shirt for your wedding, Bernard, and the gloves for your wedding, Ophelia. Don’t let my efforts go to waste.”
“…Yes, Mother.”
“…Yes, Mother.”
Emiliana rewarded her children with a gentle smile after they answered in perfect unison.
Before her children could beat her to it, Emiliana quickly paid the bill, then, with a final enthusiastic wave, she disappeared into the bustling sea of people hurrying along the city streets.
“H-Hey, Ophie… Do you… Um, that is… Is there someone you like at the Ministry of Justice, I mean?”
“Bernard?”
“Oh! P-P-Please tell me it’s not that guy Angelo! Anyone but him!”
“I’m certainly not interested in him in that way, rest assured.”
“O-Of course not, what was I thinking? …I get the feeling he has really twisted interests…”
Bernard has really shrewd instincts at the strangest of times.
Of course, Ophelia couldn’t say that out loud. She wasn’t the type to gossip about other people’s proclivities, and furthermore, she had no desire to even think about Angelo’s.
“I said that to appease Mother, but I really don’t think marriage is in the cards for me. I don’t think there’s anyone who could stand being with me all the time,” Ophelia said.
“You’re probably right! But that’s okay, Ophie—you’ll always have me!”
Ophelia frowned at the sudden 180 that left Bernard so enthusiastic he practically took her hand. She’d intended to continue with “But you need to get married,” but now it would be awkward to say that with the turn the conversation had taken.
Ophelia was prepared to stand aside and let another woman take the spot at her brother’s side. She decided to ask Samael, who seemed like the helpful sort, to help her find someone to introduce to Bernard.
Ophelia trailed slowly behind her brother, who considerately led her along a less-crowded route in the direction of their home.