「Huh?」
When I opened my eyes, I was in an unfamiliar room. No, this is Rina’s room.
「Hmm?」
When I sat up, something fell in front of me. I picked it up and tilted my head.
「A wet towel? Did I have a fever and was sleeping?」
Did onii-chan put this towel here?
『Thank goodness, Rina! You woke up』
Yuu appears in front of me with an expression of immense relief for some reason.
「What is wrong?」
『Have you not realized? Rina, you were bedridden for two days』
Eh, two days?
『You suddenly started suffering while we were talking. Your brother Agus noticed immediately, but you had a high fever and did not regain consciousness. I could not do anything. I was so anxious, thinking you might go somewhere』
「Sorry. I made you worry」
Yuu shakes his head at me.
『I could not do anything, so there is no need to apologize. More importantly, Rina’s family had a hard time』
「Hard time? What happened?」
『Yes. The family of the person who cursed Rina and Agus came shouting into your house』
What?
『Apparently, the person who cast the curse is dying, and they were shouting that it was Rina’s and Agus’s fault』
「What is that? The one who cast the curse is at fault in the first place」
It seems there are penalties for nobles who use curses too. But is reality different?
『Right? When your father said that, the person who came shouting, who seemed to be the mother of the one who cast the curse, started saying things like, ‘It is your fault for not responding to my daughter’s feelings.’ She is crazy』
Yes, she is insane.
『Moreover, the person who came with the crazy mother shouted at Agus, ‘What exactly did you do to my lady?’ Your father immediately protected Agus and said, ‘Even though you are a priest, will you leave someone who used a curse unpunished? If the Main Church finds out about this, you will not get off lightly.’ Then, that person turned pale and hastily took his screaming mother and left』
「I cannot believe such things happened while I was bedridden」
Also, the person who shouted at onii-chan was a priest? Could it be that the nobles and the Church have a corrupt relationship? That would be terrible.
Ah, but he said they would not get off lightly if the Main Church found out. Does that mean only the local church nearby is bad?
『The church people are definitely bribed by the mother. They might even be involved in the curse』
「That is true. Still, instead of scolding the daughter who used a curse, they shout at the victim’s house」
『Like father, like daughter. They perfectly represent that saying』
Ah, really, that is exactly right.
「Rina? Are you awake?」
Ah, I was talking normally with Yuu. Was my voice okay?
「Mother, I am awake」
Mother, who gently opened the door, looks at me with worry. Her expression makes me feel sorry.
「Thank goodness. You were unconscious for two days」
Mother comes to my side and places her hand on my forehead. Then she looks relieved.
「Your fever has gone down. Do you think you can eat something?」
No, I cannot right now.
「I am not hungry, so I do not need anything now」
「Really? But can you not eat even a little bit?」
She seems very worried. I do not feel like eating much, but…
「If it is just a little bit」
「Understood. I will prepare it right away」
Mother leaves the room happily. I let out a small sigh.
「I made them worry」
『Ah, I have something to report』
When I look at Yuu, he has an awkward expression.
「What is wrong? Why that face?」
I am getting anxious.
『Rina’s family suspects the current Rina』
「Eh, but that is natural」
Rina’s family is very close. So, no matter how much I pretend to be Rina, there must be a sense of incongruity.
『And so…』
I look at Yuu, who pauses.
Huh? Although it is hard to tell because he is covering his mouth with his hand, he looks happy.
「What?」
I have a very bad feeling.
『They were talking about whether Rina might be the beloved child of a spirit』
「Huh?」
Ah, I spoke too loudly.
I hastily cover my mouth with my hand.
「Why did they think I am the beloved child of a spirit?」
『Apparently, Agus saw you talking to me like this several times』
I was being careful, but I ended up talking many times. Since I possessed Rina and did not know what to do, it was relieving to talk to Yuu, who knew the situation. But that was a mistake.
『Seeing Rina talking to the air, he seemed to think you were the beloved child of a spirit from a story』
I cannot believe there are spirits in this world.
『But your father said that spirits only appear in stories and do not actually exist. Your mother does not seem to think so, though. She said, ‘They exist’』
「What does that mean?」
『It seems there are those who believe spirits exist and those who do not in this world』
「Is that so」
Believing or not is up to each individual.
『You are quite calm』
「Eh?」
『Because you do not seem to care, even though it is similar to the ‘ghosts exist’ vs ‘ghosts do not exist’ debate』
「There is no point in worrying about it. Even if those who can see ghosts say ‘they exist’, to those who cannot see them, ‘they do not exist’ is the correct answer」
No matter how much those who can see explain, those who cannot see will never believe it. There are some who believe even without seeing, but they are only those who sense it despite not seeing, or those who simply consider that invisible beings exist.
『So, what kind of existence are spirits in this world?』
When I look at Yuu, he is looking at me with expectant eyes.
Sigh, his expression is extremely troublesome to me.
「Spirits, huh」
There is only one-story featuring spirits.
「They seem to appear in a book Mother read to me when I was little. The story goes like this」
「This is the story of a lively and cheerful girl living in a village.
One day, the girl’s mother fell ill.
The girl went into the forest to gather medicinal herbs for her mother.
However, the forest was full of dangers.
Even so, the girl continued to search for the herbs while trembling with fear.
A spirit appeared before the hardworking girl and said, ‘I will help you’.
The girl thanked the spirit and searched for the herbs together with it.
Finally, the girl found the herbs and hurried back to her mother.
When her mother’s illness was cured, the girl brought many sweets to the place where she met the spirit.」
「It was a story like that」
『Hmm? So, spirits are beings that help with something?』
「…Who knows?」
In the story I know, I do not understand what kind of existence spirits are.
Knock knock knock.
「Rina, sorry to keep you waiting」
When Mother enters the room with a tray, the gentle scent of milk fills the air.
「It is milk soup. Do you think you can eat this?」
「Yes, thank you」
The scent of milk seems to have made me hungry. I think I can eat this.
Mother places a chair beside the bed and watches me eat. It makes me a bit nervous.
「Thank you for the meal」
「Was it delicious?」
「Yes, thank you」
When I look at Mother, she is smiling gently. However, I feel a slight sense of incongruity.
Ah, I see. Although she is smiling, there is sadness in her eyes.
She has realized that I am not Rina.
I avert my gaze from Mother.
「…」
What should I say in a situation like this? Apologize? And after apologizing? Should I explain that the real Rina died from a curse?
「Rina」
I look at Mother.
「Your fever has gone down, but you should rest for a while. It is still the middle of the night, so let us go back to sleep」
「Yes. I will do that」
I need a little time. To face Rina’s family.
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