I slowly open my eyes. Looking out the window, I see the cityscape reddened by the sunset. Apparently, I had fallen asleep. I stand up since it must be almost time for dinner.
S–Lilia. There’s Mr. Broso outside the room.
Wondering why Broso was there, Lilia went to the door and opened it without saying a word.
“Broso…….Say something. Honestly, you’re scaring me.”
Broso lowers his head. Lilia gives a small sigh and invites Broso into the room.
Lilia and Broso sit across the table. As soon as they sit down, Broso takes off his helmet. Broso’s expression is dark. Then he bowed his head again.
“Broso, can you write?”
Doubtful, Broso nodded. Lilia cut out a blank page from the teaching material and handed it to Broso along with a pen.
“You use this,” she said. “What do you want?”
Broso immediately started to run his pen over the paper. When he finished writing, he returned it to Lilia. Upon receiving it, he read it out loud.
“I am sorry for the trouble Keith has caused you…….Oh, and by the way, I was in the vicinity.”
Broso is now always by Lilia’s side to protect her and he must have been by her side at that time. If that was the case, she wished he would have come out earlier and stopped her. She thought so, but shook her head. It was her own words and actions that had brought this on, and she couldn’t just pass the buck to Broso.
“I can’t pass the responsibility on to Broso. I was a little out of line myself.”
Hearing this, Broso breathed a sigh of relief. Keith was his brother after all so he must have been concerned. I envy that relationship a little bit.
S–I’m sure Lilia is worried about him, too. Lilia would be worried too if anything happened to Theo, right?
L –I wonder if it’s…….
S–I wonder if you do…….
“In case you don’t mind me asking, why didn’t you come out?”
When I asked him about it, he looked down as if he was thinking for a moment, and then he slowly picked up the pen. What he wrote was, in a sense, what I had expected.
“I don’t know what kind of contract you have with my brother, but if that’s the case, I don’t have a choice.”
Lilia waved her hand while wryly smiling at Broso, who bowed apologetically. However, it would be necessary to have a little talk with her brother. Just as she was thinking this, the door was opened with a bang.
“Lilia!”
It was my brother who entered. Lilia sighed loudly and smiled at her brother as he rushed toward her.
“Brother, what happened to your knock?”
The elder brother stops dead in his tracks but instead of leaving, he looked Lilia in the eye.
“Broso told me what happened. Lilia, are you all right?”
Apparently, she is really worried about her. Lilia was a little surprised, but nodded her head anyway.
“I’m fine, I am the cause.”
“That may be so, but……”
“The original cause was my brother, sir.”
Lilia opens her eyes wide and looks at Broso along with her brother who has a similar expression on his face. Broso was in agony and holding his throat with his hand.
“Take it easy. It was your brother who started it, but it was definitely me who said it. It’s not your concern.”
When I said this, Broso nodded emphatically.
S –He had a nice voice, by the way.
L –Yes, it was. I don’t know what Phrygia was thinking when she took it from him. Why didn’t she just let him stay by her side forever?
S –I’m afraid of that idea, too.
I exchanged a few words with Sakura and smiled slightly. I looked at my brother, who was staring at me worriedly.
”Lilia, are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, of course.”
Looking at Broso, she sees that he is also looking at her with concern. Lilia coughed deceptively.
“Are you two finished with your business?”
“Oh, yes……..No, wait a minute. Lilia. If you like, I can arrange a carriage to the main residence……”
“No need.”
Lilia’s immediate response seemed to amaze her brother. Next, however, he squinted his eyes with a bit of happiness.
“I understand but don’t overdo it.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Her brother nodded his head in satisfaction and looked at Broso. In response, Broso bowed to Lilia and stood up. He ran the pen one last time and returned it to Lilia. Lilia saw this and smiled thinly.
Her brother and Broso left the room. After seeing them off, Lilia looked down at the last piece of paper Broso had written.
S—Please let me help you if I can help you. Mr. Broso is a good man, isn’t he?
L–Seriously. He’s too good for my brother.
S–Aren’t you too hard on your brother?
Lilia stands up with a smile on her face as she replies, “That’s not true.” For now, she was able to calm down but she didn’t know what would happen when she saw Tina.
S- -Don’t take it too hard.
L–I know, I know.
Lilia took a slow, deep breath and left the room.
When she told her brother that she was going to the cafeteria, he rolled his eyes in surprise. From the way he was getting ready to leave, he apparently intended to get her something.
She thought he’s probably worrying too much, but Lilia has been a shut-in before, so she can’t just laugh it off.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded at her brother’s question and began to get ready to go to the dining hall, while her brother looked worried.
Tina helps out here during dinner time. In other words, once in the dining room…
“Ah……”
As a matter of course, she will meet Tina. Tina tried to smile, but it was awkward.
“Dear brother, I will head to my seat later.”
“I see…”
My brother nodded and headed for the corner seat where he always sat. Lilia looked away and then approached Tina. Tina jerked and her gaze wandered.
“Tina.”
She looks up at Lilia with a bewildered look as she calls out to her. In fact, she hasn’t decided what to say. So I took a slow breath and said,
“I admit that I have disappointed you.”
“Oh no, I can’t……be disappointed.”
“So you’re awake now, aren’t you?”
The circumstances of how we became friends were special. It has been less than a year since then and yet, Tina probably trusts Lilia too much. She didn’t know much about Lilia yet.
“You must see me with your own eyes. I don’t care how long it takes.”
Lilia turned her head when she said this. There is nothing more to say. And she will not pretend to be something she’s not anymore.
L–I’m not going to pretend anymore.
S–I’m sorry, I was in too much of a hurry, too. Let’s take it one step at a time.
Lilia nodded and went to the seat where her brother was sitting.
・・・・・
Sakura repeats her reflections as she watches the meal progress.
What had I done to Lilia? I had imposed my values on her one-sidedly and made her believe in me blindly.
Let’s admit it. What I was doing was not much different from what that son of a bitch was doing.
“It’s Lilia’s life, and if I don’t do it with her, there’s no point, right?”
Certainly, thinking ahead, the way things have been going is more convenient for Sakura. However, that is only if they succeed. If it fails, it will be meaningless.
“We must work together. This is important!”
Sakura says with a smile
–Sakura? What did you say?
Lilia’s voice was heard. Apparently, she heard it.
“What? Oh, let’s see……..Good luck together! Something like that.”
When I answered that, Lilia replied, “Yes, I guess so.” That made me a little happy.
“Yes, that’s right. It’s no good thinking that I only have one year left. There is still one more year. Let’s think that way. Let’s start over.”
I failed but it is not over yet. There is still time left until the time of my promise to the worst god.
Suddenly, I remembered what Lilia was thinking. Tina still did not know much about Lilia.
Slowly.
“Lilia can’t speak for others either.”
Tremendously.
“Lilia doesn’t know me either…….”
She laughed.
I slowly open my eyes. Looking out the window, I see the cityscape reddened by the sunset. Apparently, I had fallen asleep. I stand up since it must be almost time for dinner.
S–Lilia. There’s Mr. Broso outside the room.
Wondering why Broso was there, Lilia went to the door and opened it without saying a word.
“Broso…….Say something. Honestly, you’re scaring me.”
Broso lowers his head. Lilia gives a small sigh and invites Broso into the room.
Lilia and Broso sit across the table. As soon as they sit down, Broso takes off his helmet. Broso’s expression is dark. Then he bowed his head again.
“Broso, can you write?”
Doubtful, Broso nodded. Lilia cut out a blank page from the teaching material and handed it to Broso along with a pen.
“You use this,” she said. “What do you want?”
Broso immediately started to run his pen over the paper. When he finished writing, he returned it to Lilia. Upon receiving it, he read it out loud.
“I am sorry for the trouble Keith has caused you…….Oh, and by the way, I was in the vicinity.”
Broso is now always by Lilia’s side to protect her and he must have been by her side at that time. If that was the case, she wished he would have come out earlier and stopped her. She thought so, but shook her head. It was her own words and actions that had brought this on, and she couldn’t just pass the buck to Broso.
“I can’t pass the responsibility on to Broso. I was a little out of line myself.”
Hearing this, Broso breathed a sigh of relief. Keith was his brother after all so he must have been concerned. I envy that relationship a little bit.
S–I’m sure Lilia is worried about him, too. Lilia would be worried too if anything happened to Theo, right?
L –I wonder if it’s…….
S–I wonder if you do…….
“In case you don’t mind me asking, why didn’t you come out?”
When I asked him about it, he looked down as if he was thinking for a moment, and then he slowly picked up the pen. What he wrote was, in a sense, what I had expected.
“I don’t know what kind of contract you have with my brother, but if that’s the case, I don’t have a choice.”
Lilia waved her hand while wryly smiling at Broso, who bowed apologetically. However, it would be necessary to have a little talk with her brother. Just as she was thinking this, the door was opened with a bang.
“Lilia!”
It was my brother who entered. Lilia sighed loudly and smiled at her brother as he rushed toward her.
“Brother, what happened to your knock?”
The elder brother stops dead in his tracks but instead of leaving, he looked Lilia in the eye.
“Broso told me what happened. Lilia, are you all right?”
Apparently, she is really worried about her. Lilia was a little surprised, but nodded her head anyway.
“I’m fine, I am the cause.”
“That may be so, but……”
“The original cause was my brother, sir.”
Lilia opens her eyes wide and looks at Broso along with her brother who has a similar expression on his face. Broso was in agony and holding his throat with his hand.
“Take it easy. It was your brother who started it, but it was definitely me who said it. It’s not your concern.”
When I said this, Broso nodded emphatically.
S –He had a nice voice, by the way.
L –Yes, it was. I don’t know what Phrygia was thinking when she took it from him. Why didn’t she just let him stay by her side forever?
S –I’m afraid of that idea, too.
I exchanged a few words with Sakura and smiled slightly. I looked at my brother, who was staring at me worriedly.
”Lilia, are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, of course.”
Looking at Broso, she sees that he is also looking at her with concern. Lilia coughed deceptively.
“Are you two finished with your business?”
“Oh, yes……..No, wait a minute. Lilia. If you like, I can arrange a carriage to the main residence……”
“No need.”
Lilia’s immediate response seemed to amaze her brother. Next, however, he squinted his eyes with a bit of happiness.
“I understand but don’t overdo it.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Her brother nodded his head in satisfaction and looked at Broso. In response, Broso bowed to Lilia and stood up. He ran the pen one last time and returned it to Lilia. Lilia saw this and smiled thinly.
Her brother and Broso left the room. After seeing them off, Lilia looked down at the last piece of paper Broso had written.
S—Please let me help you if I can help you. Mr. Broso is a good man, isn’t he?
L–Seriously. He’s too good for my brother.
S–Aren’t you too hard on your brother?
Lilia stands up with a smile on her face as she replies, “That’s not true.” For now, she was able to calm down but she didn’t know what would happen when she saw Tina.
S- -Don’t take it too hard.
L–I know, I know.
Lilia took a slow, deep breath and left the room.
When she told her brother that she was going to the cafeteria, he rolled his eyes in surprise. From the way he was getting ready to leave, he apparently intended to get her something.
She thought he’s probably worrying too much, but Lilia has been a shut-in before, so she can’t just laugh it off.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded at her brother’s question and began to get ready to go to the dining hall, while her brother looked worried.
Tina helps out here during dinner time. In other words, once in the dining room…
“Ah……”
As a matter of course, she will meet Tina. Tina tried to smile, but it was awkward.
“Dear brother, I will head to my seat later.”
“I see…”
My brother nodded and headed for the corner seat where he always sat. Lilia looked away and then approached Tina. Tina jerked and her gaze wandered.
“Tina.”
She looks up at Lilia with a bewildered look as she calls out to her. In fact, she hasn’t decided what to say. So I took a slow breath and said,
“I admit that I have disappointed you.”
“Oh no, I can’t……be disappointed.”
“So you’re awake now, aren’t you?”
The circumstances of how we became friends were special. It has been less than a year since then and yet, Tina probably trusts Lilia too much. She didn’t know much about Lilia yet.
“You must see me with your own eyes. I don’t care how long it takes.”
Lilia turned her head when she said this. There is nothing more to say. And she will not pretend to be something she’s not anymore.
L–I’m not going to pretend anymore.
S–I’m sorry, I was in too much of a hurry, too. Let’s take it one step at a time.
Lilia nodded and went to the seat where her brother was sitting.
・・・・・
Sakura repeats her reflections as she watches the meal progress.
What had I done to Lilia? I had imposed my values on her one-sidedly and made her believe in me blindly.
Let’s admit it. What I was doing was not much different from what that son of a bitch was doing.
“It’s Lilia’s life, and if I don’t do it with her, there’s no point, right?”
Certainly, thinking ahead, the way things have been going is more convenient for Sakura. However, that is only if they succeed. If it fails, it will be meaningless.
“We must work together. This is important!”
Sakura says with a smile
–Sakura? What did you say?
Lilia’s voice was heard. Apparently, she heard it.
“What? Oh, let’s see……..Good luck together! Something like that.”
When I answered that, Lilia replied, “Yes, I guess so.” That made me a little happy.
“Yes, that’s right. It’s no good thinking that I only have one year left. There is still one more year. Let’s think that way. Let’s start over.”
I failed but it is not over yet. There is still time left until the time of my promise to the worst god.
Suddenly, I remembered what Lilia was thinking. Tina still did not know much about Lilia.
Slowly.
“Lilia can’t speak for others either.”
Tremendously.
“Lilia doesn’t know me either…….”
She laughed.
