Seijo ni Narunode Nidoume no Jinsei wa Katte ni Sasetemoraimasu ~Outaihi wa, Zensei de Watashi wo Futta Koibito Deshita~ - Chapter 12

PS: I should’ve used ‘shoot’ for ‘bud’ from the start but I forgot about that term ( /w)

“Eh?”

How could this be. The ring worn by the Gurd ojou-sama, Eugene’s marriage partner, was a gold ring. I remembered it clearly within my mind.

But how is that the ring Keeva held dear since childhood is silver.

(Why, I wonder…?)

Of course there was not much of a big difference between silver color and gold, since the design is the same. But there’s something bothering me, a cloud over my heart which made me impatient.

And to think now of all times, I recalled the words Keeva spoke when we met. “Your reaction do not match what happened in our previous life. Isn’t there probably a misunderstanding here?”

Even though I decided to listen to him that time, but after seeing the ring, I became upset and avoided Keeva ever since.

(I should’ve listened to him)

I started to regret.

It’s always like this. I can’t stay calm whenever it’s about Eugene, who was my lover then.

That was how much everything from Liz’s previous life occupied her heart. Like a pile stuck in her heart, no matter how hard she tries to pull it out, she is unable to.

(I wonder if it’s because I regretted it…)

I was too indulgent.

Even when Eugene betrayed me, dumped me, but Cecil-the old me, continued thinking of him till her death. And died all by herself. And Liz thought of it as dumb.

What a ridiculous life, what a waste of life, or so she felt pitiful of herself.

But even so, Liz now still tried to find herself within Eugene’s reincarnation, Keeva.

Even when it’s not possible that he still thinks of her, even when he had dumped her, she still hoped that she lingers somewhere within her past lover.

What a farce. How pitiful am I. What a disgrace I am.

–But, what if that wasn’t it?

What if the truth that happened in Liz’s previous life was not as she thought? What if.. Eugene still thinks of Cecil, even just a little–. Thinking of it made her even more unbearable.

Thinking back, her wanting to see the happenings of her previous life with her ‘intuition’ did not just happen once or twice. But no matter how hard she tried, the pain in her heart hinders her so.

Let’s ascertain it when I meet Keeva.

Liz then held her head high with resolve.

Ascertain things, and if it’s exactly what she thought that happened during her previous life then she will regret it even more than now. And the chances of it being true is higher as well.

But it’s alright. Let’s properly ascertain it. And so Liz resolved with light in her eyes.

“Lloyd-san! I would like to meet with Prince Keeva but, how can I meet with him?”

“Hah? Why so sudden…”

“Who should I ask a favor from? The head envoy?”

“Weell, the head envoy sure can help convey the word but tonight’s not possible anymore. Tomorrow morning, after the selection of the priestess candidates I will let him know”

Overwhelmed to accept by Liz who is unusually this aggressive, Lloyd grumbled on how ‘she really is a different person if it comes to Prince Keeva’.

“Then I’ll be back in my room”

Leaving envoy Lloyd after saying so, Liz ran back to her room to find the door was left opened and swallowed her breath

“What.. happened here..”

Fragments of the pot and soil scattered by the floor, and even the vase filled with water from the well fell, and the carpet turned wet. And in the center of the room, the holy bud filled with young stems and leaves stood still on the ground without any vessel or soil. Strong and firm it stood.

Morning came, unfortunately it was raining outside. The priestess candidates and envoys gathered by the hall in the second altar.

From an approximate of 30 candidates, only 12 budded. Dearly holding onto their precious pots and vases which had budded, their faces was filled with pride. Among them was one from the sneaky group of 3 ladies was definitely from a high class noble family.

Since Liz’s pot had shattered into pieces, she carried the bud within her arms.

Anyhow, it had grown as tall as to reach Liz’s waist and unfit to be called a bud any longer. The other candidates was astounded to how Liz brought in the holy bud with its roots sticking out within her armpit as if carrying a load of weight.

“Hold on! What do you think you’re doing!?”

“What you say.. Since the pot broke”

“And so that does not justify the way you’re holding it!? It’s the holy bud, mind you!?”

“Well, you see…Since there’s no other way to carry it.. Ah! Should I have carried it on my shoulder instead?”

“Not that!!”

“So energetic, these youngsters” and so the head envoy laughed out while entering.

The candidates all turned silent and made a deep bow.

The buds of each candidates varied in shapes and sizes, although there was none of red or blue colored, but the shape and sizes really varied. The head envoy who headed towards Liz who was in the most edge of the 12 made a grin.

“Well, this is something…”

He was speechless.

The other candidates’ bud are as they are, buds. But Liz’s can no longer be said so. Its height reaching one’s waist, a thick trunk, and plenty of leaves intertwining leaves.

And finally, a white root which stuck out which was plainly irregular.

The head envoy who repeated compared the irregular bud with the albino girl in a expressionless face whispered ‘ohoho’.

“ohoho, ohoho” as he nodded, he continued on looking through the 12 holy buds. All were cute shoots with two leaves pointing out and a soft stem.

(Why is mine so different from theirs)

Liz felt a little disheartened.

The last of the 12 was an old lady around 50 years old. Seeing her shoot, Liz felt somewhat relieved. Although not comparable to Liz’s, hers was relatively big and had green small leaves here and there, and was closer to Liz’s than the others.

However, the head envoy who stopped his steps then was not smiling any longer. And so he slowly, and with a cold voice asked.

“Are you serious about this? Or are you testing me, I wonder?”

Within moments, the old lady’s face turned red. Her body shaking, and continuously apologized while bowing with her head down. And as if running away, she exited the hall.

“What’s with that? Does that mean she’s disqualified? Why’s that?”

(What’s wrong?)

Even Liz was dumbfounded.

Envoy Lloyd who seemed uninterested while leaning against the wall with his arms crossed then said.

“That’s a carrot. Not the shoot of a holy seed, just a normal carrot’s shoot.”

Since her seed did not bud at all, she sneakily changed it with a carrot’s shoot from the field. She was desperate. And I can’t say I can’t sympathize with her.

“Good work. The 11 candidates here have qualified the first selection”

The head envoy conveyed in a dignified tone that the first selection is now over.

Liz hesitantly knocked on Claire’s door.

“Liz, you came”

Claire who greeted her with a smile on her face had cleared her room, and a big inflated bag with her things was left on the table.

“I’m leaving for home after this. Liz passed the selection, right? That’s a relief. I, even if I’m away, I’ll be rooting for you. Oh my, don’t make such a face”

Claire who tried to comfort Liz who was facing down almost crying, then looked to the ceiling while thinking of something, and after resolved herself she spoke up.

“You know, Liz. I know this may be sudden and it may not be related to you but… I wonder why.. I felt that I should let you know about this.. About my ancestor, about Eugene Haward..”