Chapter 57: Elena, This Is the Truth

“Miss Fina, if the cake is too heavy, just put it on the table. I’ll take care of it later.”

“But Miss Anna, isn’t Miss Elena’s birthday tomorrow? If we prepare the cake tonight, even if we keep it until tomorrow morning, wouldn’t it be… not ideal?”

After picking up the cake, which was taller than her upper body, Fina could no longer see what was in front of her.

The cake wasn’t particularly heavy, but if she couldn’t even see the path clearly, there really was no way to carry it while walking.

“Miss Ai’er will probably be too eager to wait and want to eat it, and then Miss Elena will likely go along with Ai’er’s wishes. This cake probably won’t last the night.”

“If it’s Miss Ai’er… that really is true.”

Thinking of how Ai’er would be unable to move upon seeing the cake, the two maids both laughed.

The next moment, the sound of a key turning in the lock came from the entrance.

It was the sound of the two young ladies returning.

“Welcome back!”

Fina, who had trotted over, fetched slippers for Elena and Ai’er, then stood to the side, performing a standard maid’s bow to the two young ladies.

Anna, meanwhile, bowed from a slightly farther distance.

Ai’er looked toward Anna in the distance, but only for a moment, meeting the maid’s gaze.

Just as Anna felt a slight confusion, Ai’er averted her eyes again.

Miss Ai’er… does she have something to ask me?

For a while after entering, Ai’er occasionally stole glances at Anna, as if looking for an opportunity.

But every time Anna tried to meet the gaze of those pale golden eyes, the silver-haired girl would immediately tilt her head away, avoiding her look.

If Miss Ai’er needs it, then I’ll create an opportunity.

So, after another while, Anna found a chance to return to her room alone, quietly waiting.

Knock knock.

“Um… Miss Anna?”

“Miss Ai’er? What is it?”

“I have some things I’d like to talk to you about. That is, well… are you free now?”

“Please come in, Miss Ai’er.”

Miss Ai’er had indeed come to find her.

So Anna went to open the door, inviting the silver-haired girl inside.

But just as Anna gently closed the door, a sudden breeze brushed past the ends of her hair near her ear.

Anna blinked, but when she turned her head to look down the corridor, she didn’t see any open windows.

“Perhaps it was just my imagination.”

Muttering to herself, Anna closed the door.

On the table that had held the morning’s hot tea now sat a vase of white flowers.

These were given to her by Miss Ai’er, who said she had picked them from a random spot at The Academy.

Miss Ai’er said the flower’s name was “Stardust Flower,” symbolizing a ‘new beginning.’

This silver-haired girl told her to let go of past matters, saying that even risking her life to save Elena was just her own choice.

Miss Ai’er told her not to feel guilty about such things.

But…

Even if Miss Ai’er said that, Anna truly couldn’t bring herself to do it.

“A new beginning… that’s actually the difficult part.”

Whispering to herself, Anna shifted her gaze from the white flowers, then picked up the teapot, preparing hot tea for Ai’er once more.

“Miss Ai’er, what did you want to talk to me about?”

Ai’er gently held the teacup but remained silent, seeming as if she was about to stammer something, then closed her mouth again, softly blowing on the tea in the cup, stirring up a white mist.

Anna could tell the girl in front of her was thinking about how to begin, so she just smiled and waited.

Perhaps this silver-haired girl still has some questions to ask me, and probably… they’re related to Miss Elena.

I should mentally prepare myself, for now.

“Oh, Miss Ai’er, would you like some snacks?”

“Huh? Ah… y-yes.”

Anna stood up gently, about to head toward the door, but seemed to brush against something.

Puzzled, she turned around but didn’t see anything.

The lit night light, the teacup steaming with white mist, and Ai’er, still looking conflicted.

Other than that, there was nothing different in her room.

…I should still go get some snacks first.

So she turned again, reaching for the doorknob—

“Miss Anna, the Signature Book that Madam Serena gave you… is it still with you?”

O.O?!

The moment Ai’er’s words fell, the entire room became terrifyingly quiet.

In that instant, a chill shot up Anna’s spine.

She turned back somewhat dazedly, only to meet the girl’s golden eyes directly.

…This silver-haired girl knows about what happened back then.

But when did this silver-haired girl find out? How did she know?

And more importantly…

Does anyone else know?

Anna’s mouth opened and closed, but she couldn’t force out a single word.

She was like a statue, completely frozen in place by Ai’er’s sentence.

“Miss Anna, please sit down over here. I don’t need snacks anymore. Let’s… talk.”

Anna felt a wave of dizziness in her head. Her body moved like a marionette, stumbling to the table and sitting down.

“What… what do you want to ask?”

Anna’s words once again carried that humble tone.

It was like a trial delayed by nine years had finally dug up what she had buried deep in her heart.

“It’s about that… please allow me to apologize first. I know what I’m about to ask Miss Anna to talk about isn’t a pleasant memory. But—

Nine years ago, what exactly happened in that Border Village? And why was Madam Serena frozen in that massive block of ice…

All of this, could I trouble you, Miss Anna—

To tell me from beginning to end?”

After speaking, Ai’er, unnoticed, quietly glanced behind her with the corner of her eye.

But at this moment, nothing could be seen there.

At least… at this moment.

—

“Has everyone gone upstairs to rest?”

Fina, who was alone arranging plates and preparing dinner, felt a bit strange.

How to put it? It seemed to have started from when Miss Ai’er and Miss Elena returned.

Miss Ai’er seemed to have been stealing glances at Miss Anna from time to time, and Miss Elena had been stealing glances at Miss Ai’er.

Miss Anna, like herself, pretended not to notice…

And now, even though dinner hasn’t been eaten yet, everyone has gone upstairs.

Actually, originally only Miss Anna had gone upstairs.

But just now, after Miss Ai’er went over to Miss Elena and said something, she took Miss Elena upstairs with her.

Is everyone doing something upstairs?

“Don’t think about it, Fina. The sun has already set in the west, but the dinner plates and such aren’t ready yet.”

Humming a cheerful tune softly, Fina turned on all the lights in the dining room.

“I hope Miss Ai’er and Miss Elena can properly enjoy the birthday cake later~”

—

How long had it been?

From the moment she began speaking, recalling the events of nine years ago, Anna lost all sense of time’s passage.

Just by narrating those past events, Anna was surprised to realize—

She remembered almost every detail, every word she had said or heard.

It was as if she had become that girl again, racing headlong toward death, and that kind Madam had appeared before her eyes once more…

“…After that, I left the valley.

I didn’t know where to go. I seemed to have nothing left. The heart that had once sought revenge against the Magic Monsters felt so empty, so empty in that moment…

I remembered the words the Madam had entrusted to me at the very end, so I thought… I could do this thing first.

And what kind of person the so-called Witch really was… I should judge with my own eyes.

When I returned to the village, it had already become a ruin.

Rain was falling. The scent of blood that had once permeated the air had been replaced by the smell of earth. There wasn’t a single living thing in those ruins.

I walked to my parents’ grave, wanting to say goodbye—but the moment I saw the tombstone, I suddenly felt fear.

The life my parents had saved with their own lives ten years ago… I had… so easily wanted to throw it away before…”

As Anna spoke, she had unknowingly lowered her head, no longer looking at Ai’er beside her.

“After that, I ran toward the city where the Duke’s Mansion was located…

My clothes were tattered, and I didn’t have a single coin on me. But just as I was stopped by the guards, I met Mister Sebas.

After that, perhaps out of sympathy for my appearance, or perhaps because Mister Sebas saw potential in me…

I became Miss Elena’s maid.

During that time, I kept thinking about handing the Signature Book over to Mister Sebas, but as I spent more and more time by the young lady’s side… I found I could no longer do it.

The servants in the mansion were all good people… The young lady, though usually keeping some distance from everyone, would personally go to check on servants when they were sick, would hide far away by herself when her Mana Overflowed…

Even late at night when no one was around, she would endure the icy cold brought by her own mana alone, even crying…

But… me?

I almost… almost killed the young lady’s mother with my own hands!”

The moment her words fell, tears slid down Anna’s face, soaking a dark patch into the carpet.

“…What happened after that, the young lady probably already knows.

Miss Ai’er, this is the truth of everything.”

Anna raised her head again.

The corners of her eyes were red, and tears still reflected the flame of the night light on the table…

Yes, this was the truth.

Just as Ai’er had learned from the System.

“This is the truth of everything. So… just like I said, right? It’s not your fault. It really isn’t…

Right, Elena?”

Snap.

A sound like something shattering rang out.

A transparent Magic Barrier, like old wallpaper, gradually peeled away from in front of Elena.

And so, within Anna’s room, Elena appeared out of thin air.