Lucia Opens Up to Romina

“My name’s Romina,” the old woman said.

“I’m Celestino. This is Lucia.”

“Nice, nice to meet you...”

We had followed her to her house and introduced ourselves, but what followed was a weird silence. Missus Romina silently made us tea, and I looked up at Sir Celes, not knowing what I should say.

“I live alone. S’not much, but have some tea. Might not suit your city tastes, though.” She set the tea down in front of us. It smelled fragrant, and when I took a sip, it had a peculiar bitter taste, almost like medicinal tea. “So, ye wanna tell me the truth now?”

“The truth?”

“Don’t underestimate your elders. I’ve already lived a few of yer lifetimes.”

Missus Romina glared at Sir Celes, who seemed insistent upon hiding our identities.

“Sir Celes, let’s just tell the truth,” I implored. “Lying is just going to get more difficult.”

You couldn’t build good relationships on lies, and I didn’t think I could act naturally while lying. Saying that we were married... I knew anyone would be able to see through it with how awkward I was.

“...Lady Romina, please keep everything you hear here to yourself.” Sir Celes must have made up his mind. With a serious look, he corrected his posture and looked directly at her. “It’s true that we’ve come from Banfield on our way to the Capital. But, our final destination isn’t Hirsch, but Foristarn. We’re on our way to purify the Cristallo Sacro.”

“Purify?”

“You must have heard that a Sacred Maiden has been summoned from another world to purify the trees. We are part of her party. But we were in an accident, and swept down the river to here.”

Missus Romina’s eyes opened wide, as if she couldn’t believe us. “Didn’t expect ye to be so important. So ye were tryin’ to avoid a scandal by hidin’ your position?”

“Not quite a scandal, but if other countries were to know that we had an accident on our journey, there could be trouble. The Sacred Maiden’s Journey must be perfect. That is what I was told when we set off, and that is why I hid our identities.”

“That’s foolish of ye. No reason to hide ’em here. Maybe in a big town, but nothin’d happen if ye told the truth to the villagers. But I never got any schoolin’, so I dunno what the big shots’re thinkin’.”

So that’s why he lied. Pulling a small pendant from inside his shirt, Sir Celes showed it to Missus Romina. The small crystal hanging beside it sparkled in the morning light coming through the window.

“Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Celestino Clementi. I am the Captain of the Third Regiment of the Knights of the Kingdom of Banfield.”

“So you’re a Captain. That’s impressive. So who’s the girlie?”

What’s my position? Attendant?

“My name is Lucia Arca,” I said. Not knowing what to do, I just gave her my name. Since I wasn’t working anymore, it would be strange to tell her I’m a laundrymaid.

“Hmm, so the status difference was true. But you should keep up the married act. Here in Sherezo, we’re starvin’ for young men. Even if you’re foreign, you’re young and attractive... Ye might never get to leave again.”

“Huh!?”

Both Sir Celes and I were speechless. What does that mean?

“This is a small village, and most of us are older. But there’s one house with a young girlie,” she explained. “Her parents came back from the city with her a few years ago, and she’s wantin’ a husband. She wants to go back to the city to find one, and her family wants to keep her here. S’a pain. If they love her, they should let her go.”

She was right. If someone was searching for a husband, and Sir Celes came along... He was a perfect candidate, so of course they’d go straight for him!

“Might still be dangerous, though, even if ye keep up the married act. I wouldn’t blame ye, so the two of ye should get going, for your own good. Doesn’t look like the Captain’s lookin’ for a bride, anyway.”

“No, I don’t need one. I’ve already got someone.”

He has someone... When he said that, I felt like I had been hit by lightning. I thought that he loved Miss Maria, but... He has a lover back home in Arldat, huh. Ah, that’s right. He was such a wonderful, handsome person, so naturally he had a lover.

Neither Sir Celes or Missus Romina noticed that I was reeling from my broken heart, and they just continued their conversation.

“But, as you can see, we’re in a bit of trouble. Unfortunately, to get back to our party, we’ll need the lay of the land, the means to leave, and traveling expenses. You said that this village was called Sherezo? How far from Hirsch would you say it is?”

“Hirsch, huh... Wait a minute. I haven’t got a map, but I can draw ye somethin’ simple.”

Missus Romina pulled a piece of charcoal from the hearth and began drawing on the corner of the table.