Though I spent most of my time inside, I headed to the crowded community well once every morning to get myself water. There, we’d all have a little chat before returning inside. Since Riunione was a remote village, we didn’t get much news from outside. Not many people believed Mister Guido about the monsters disappearing, and the older they got, the less they’d leave their homes. Given that no one had seen a single monster for months now, they all seemed to finally understand that the Sacred Maiden had cleansed them away.
“To think that there’d come a day where we wouldn’t have to fear the monsters.”
“Gramma, didn’t Olga say that’s what Guido told her?”
“About the Sacred Maiden? My late husband would’ve been happy.”
The old ladies held hands happily, tears in their eyes. As someone who had seen the trees purified myself, I’d wanted to tell them all it was true sooner, but I stayed silent. My secret had to hold, after all. But I was glad that they all understood now.
“I wonder if we could travel to other villages now?”
“I’d want to go visit my daughter in the capital. She’s never been able to come home with her child, even with her husband, Guido.”
“I’d like to see the capital for once in my life. Maybe we could all go together once spring comes.”
“We’ll have to find horses for that.”
“True. We’ve only got goats. I wonder if we could hook them up to a wagon?”
Despite both being in the north, Kyriest was a week’s hard ride from Arldat, with Riunione being even farther, and requiring a mountain crossing to get there.
While they were all talking, we suddenly heard a commotion at the village entrance. When we looked, there was a carriage that no one recognized pulling up. I went pale at the sight. Though I had been let go as a dead woman, I could still technically be called “wanted.” Could the King have learned that I was alive? Oh no, if he did, that would mean that everyone was in danger!
But fortunately for me, the passengers in the carriage chased away all my fears. The only occupants were a woman and a small child.
“Mama!” The woman shouted towards those of us surrounding the well.
Missus Olga’s face lit up when she saw her. “Bice!”
From the way that Missus Olga ran to hug the woman, I gathered that she was the daughter who had moved to the capital.
“Oh my, thank you for coming! I’ve been worried sick since you couldn’t come home after having your baby! You must be Juste. You’re so big... How have you been?”
“Great! Juste, this is your grandma. Say hello.”
“Hi...”
“Hello! Ahh, he’s so smart!” Seeing the little boy say hello from behind his mother’s skirt, Missus Olga broke out into a smile. “I’m so happy to finally meet you. But isn’t this a long way from the capital?”
“Really long. But we’re finally rid of the monsters. Ah...that’s right. Have you heard that the King has changed?”
“What!?” Everyone cried out in shock, myself included.
A new king. That had to be the Crown Prince, Prince Edoardo. Which meant that even if I was found to be alive, everyone would be safe? I clutched my chest with both hands as my heart tightened. Could I go back to being “Lucia?” I wanted to go home, if I could. Back to where everyone else was waiting. Back to Sir Celes.
“It really does take a long time for news to get here, huh? Must be a pain — not even hearing something as important as a new king being crowned. But now that the Sacred Maiden has cleansed all the monsters, there are more carriages going out to more places. We’ll probably even be able to send letters back and forth soon.”
“Well, whoever our king is, it doesn’t make much of a difference to us here.”
“That is, unless the taxes change too!”
While Miss Bice sighed with a hand to her cheek, all of the older ladies laughed loudly.
“Hm? I’ve never seen you before.” Miss Bice suddenly looked over at me. It was only expected she’d be suspicious seeing someone she’d never met before in her hometown.
“Guido brought her back,” Missus Olga replied with a smile. “...You didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t. What’s your name?” Furrowing her brows, Miss Bice looked me up and down. Her husband brought a woman she didn’t know to her mother, so she must have been worried.
“Um, my name is Notte. Mister Guido saved my life and sent me here to Missus Olga since I had nowhere else to go.”
“Oh... Well, if he brought you to my mother, there’s probably nothing funny going on. I’m sorry for not knowing. Why didn’t he bring you to Arldat instead?” Miss Bice still looked bothered while I panicked internally. “...It’s fine. I’ll just get his side of the story. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Bice, Guido’s wife. So, Notte, where are you from?”
“Ah... Um...”
“You look a lot like the girl they’re searching for in the capital, but your hair is a different color, and your names aren’t the same. Must not be her, then.”
I instinctively reached towards my short hair. Since I’d been dying it with herbs, now it was a reddish color.
“Searching for? A girl like Notte?”
“Yeah. The one they’re looking for is the second Sacred Maiden who cleansed the Cristallo Sacro — and was engaged to the Dragonslayer. She’s all that you hear about in the capital, since the royal theater started playing in celebration of the new king! She helped the first Sacred Maiden when she was suffering in a new world, tamed the sacred dragon, cleansed the trees... And after all she did, the previous king tried to have her killed, so the Dragonslayer searches for his love. It seems he really is out there searching for her, so they know she’s alive. It’s not just a story! Both His Majesty and the Sacred Maiden have confirmed the story!”
Though she laughed and added that none of us would’ve known, I had stopped listening.
Sir Astorga told them I was alive? Then why are they searching? What about Mister Guido? My heart was thumping. If he’d been searching for me, even though I was supposed to be dead... I might have been too simple-minded, but just that was enough to make me happy.
“Um... Is that true?” I asked Miss Bice, holding my shaking hands tightly.
“Yep. Sir Celestino is searching the entire country for her. The knight searching for his lady-love — what a romantic situation!”
As she swooned, my mind spiraled further. Sir Celes is searching for me? I couldn’t take in all this new information at once. The King had abdicated; the prince ascended the throne; the way my story was being treated in the capital... And — Sir Celes was searching for me.
I touched my chest softly, trying to calm my raging heart. I wanted to go back right then. But how was I going to get there? I didn’t know if they’d believe me if I admitted I was Lucia, and there’s nothing they could do to help me, anyway. Even if I was to go along with Miss Bice and her son, I didn’t have any money to pay for the ride.
Just as I was about to cry...
“Soap!”
“Huh?” Looking up, I saw a pair of ashen eyes peeking up at me from behind Miss Bice’s skirt.
“Did the sad go away, miss?”
“Juste!”
Juste pouted at his mother’s complaint. “Mommy, Soap is a happy spell! Lady Maria said so in the play. Soap made her smile, so it’s a happy spell. Lady Lucia used Soap when everyone was sad or needed help, and everyone got happy! So I’m casting it on the miss.”
“Ah!” I gasped. I couldn’t even begin to describe how I felt.
Unable to hold back, I covered my face with both hands. I’d promised myself I wouldn’t cry, but I couldn’t stop the tears. Miss Maria... You really thought my Soap was a happy spell? Even after it took so much from you and made you suffer?
“Miss?” Juste looked at me, worried.
“Thank you. I’m, I’m fine... Your magic really works.” I uncovered my face and put on the best smile I could. I doubt I did a very good job, though. Both Missus Olga and Miss Bice looked concerned, too. I felt bad for making them worry, but I shouldn’t be crying here. I had somewhere else I needed to go home to.
I want to see him right now. The moment I thought that —
“Lucia!”
— I heard the familiar voice scream my name.