— Father, Rigus’s POV —
As I gather the scattered glass with a broom, I hear laughter. When I look over, Agus and Rina are laughing happily. Their smiles naturally bring a smile to my face.
「I see. It is okay now」
Rina’s letter reached the Bishop. Therefore, I and my family will be saved.
I feel pain at my own inadequacy. The family I must protect. That family was hurt because of me.
Why did I help that woman back then? If that moment had not happened, things would not have turned out like this.
Viscount Bargal, who manages Lanca Village. The sister of the head of the house. When she divorced and returned home, various rumors were whispered. But no one felt sorry for her. Because everyone in Lanca Village knew her personality. It was rumored, 「How did he manage to marry her?」 when she got married.
That problematic existence was about to fall right in front of my eyes. So, I just reached out my hand. Just that alone. I thought I was doing what is natural for a human being.
But now, I would not have helped her. Even if it was the lowest action as a human being.
But it is too late to regret after getting involved. No, if I had sought help from the lord of Lanca Village and sent a letter, perhaps the result would have been different.
I underestimated that woman and my family too much. A noble and a commoner. Because there is a status difference, I thought her family would stop her even if she said she liked me. I never imagined that instead of stopping, she would try to lay hands on my family.
「Sigh」
「Are you okay?」
The adventurer Rudok looks at me with concern. He is also an existence connected by Agus and Rina.
「I am fine. I just feel that I could do nothing. I was supposed to protect them」
I look at Agus and Rina, who are checking torn books while laughing. I hear voices saying 「This is terrible」 or 「This is no good」, so it seems many books will have to be thrown away.
「They are wonderful children」
Looking at Rudok, I smile and nod.
「Yes. They are my proud children」
When did Agus become so reliable?
Rina, who used to be spoiled, has changed. It was after she nearly died from the curse. Her change was so drastic that I felt confused, as if she were no longer Rina. And that confusion was resolved when I heard the truth from the current Rina. Our daughter Rina had passed away. The current Rina is a blessing from the Goddess.
The curse scars and scratch marks left on her neck. The moment I saw them, my vision swayed. I did not fall, but I immediately understood what had happened. And anger welled up from the bottom of my heart. But the opponent was a noble. I endured it for the sake of my family.
But that woman’s family was the worst. They took Kana’s job, and they took my job too. Thinking we could no longer stay in Lanca Village, I tried to withdraw all the money I had saved for the children. But I could not. When I asked for the reason, I was told, 「By order from above」. Surprised by this unexpected turn, I was walking home unsteadily when I noticed two men following me constantly.
We were being watched. But we could not live in this village. I resolved to somehow escape with just Kana and the children. Agus and Rina stopped that resolution. 「Wait, because we sent a letter to the Bishop in the neighboring village」.
There is no Bishop in the church of the neighboring village either, just like here. But Rina has been able to see spirits, which I had been half-skeptical about since that day. So, I decided to trust Agus and Rina and observe the situation. Although Rina did not admit that she could see spirits for some reason.
As a result, Rina’s letter reached the Bishop, and my family and I were saved.
When I look at Rina, she is looking into the air and smiling slightly. I gently avert my gaze from there and put the collected glass into a box.
I have come to often see Rina looking into the air. But Rina wants to hide the existence called spirits. If that is the case, what I can do is probably to ask nothing and pretend not to notice.
Because Rina, who is a blessing from the Goddess, is my precious daughter.
-0-
— Brother, Agus’s Perspective —
On that day, I woke up gasping for air. And then, I realized. Something was tightly strangling my neck.
I desperately scratched at my neck to tear whatever it was away. But my fingers could not grasp anything, and as the suffocation grew worse, I was about to give up, thinking it was over. At that moment, I clearly heard a woman’s voice. My consciousness was hazy, so I do not know what she said. But the instant I heard that voice, I was able to breathe again.
Terrified and in pain, I covered myself with a blanket and trembled. As I hugged my shaking body, I noticed the room becoming bright. Managing to calm down, I changed clothes and stood in front of the mirror, gasping. The scratch marks remained on my neck. And the curse scars, discolored black.
I applied medicine to the scratches and hurried to my sister’s room. I was anxious that my sister might have been cursed in the same way. And when I saw the neck of my sister who came out of the room, I felt sad, thinking, 「As expected」.
Curse scars are shunned by people. Even though the cursed ones are not at fault, for some reason, people think, 「They were cursed because there was a cause」.
Both Rina and I might find life a bit harder from now on. But I will protect Rina. While applying medicine to the scratches, I vowed that.
But from that day on, Rina changed. Although she used to be very spoiled, for some reason, she kept a slight distance from me and our parents. And then I learned that my sister Rina had passed away. But Rina, the blessing from the Goddess, possessed the memories of sister Rina. Her gestures were the same too. So, to me, Rina is still Rina.
Perhaps because she is a blessing from the Goddess, Rina seems to be able to see spirits. For some reason, Rina does not admit that she can see spirits, but her gaze is definitely looking at something. Above all, she often looks into the air, smiling slightly or nodding. She does not admit it, but it is obvious.
I will protect my precious sister Rina. The vow from that day has not changed even for the current Rina. Because Rina is my cute younger sister.
But there is also anxiety. In the spirit books I read in the back of the church, it was written that those loved by spirits depart together with them. If a spirit tries to take Rina away, I will try to ask her to stay here.
「Ah」
Rustle rustle rustle.
When I look at Rina, she is sighing while looking at the remnants of books scattered on the floor.
「It is terrible. There was no need to tear them this much」
I nod hearing Rina’s words.
「That is true. It is excessive indeed」
We gather the remnants of the scattered books and put them into a basket to make them easier to carry. Rina also puts the book she was holding into the basket.
「If we dispose of the torn books, there will be no books left on the bookshelf」
Rina looks at the destroyed bookshelf.
「That is right」
Books are expensive. They are not something we can just ask for and buy. That is why we treated them with care.
「This is the last one」
I put the torn picture book into the basket and try to lift it. No, I give up due to its weight when I try to lift it.
「Onii-chan. I will help you carry it too」
Noticing my condition, Rina reaches for the handle of the basket.
「Thank you」
We move while carrying the basket together.
「For now, let us take it to Father」
Since they are paper, he might burn them for disposal, but we have not asked yet.
「Yes」
Even though we are carrying it together, the basket filled with many books is really heavy.
「Rina, are you okay?」
「I-I am f-fine」
Rina holds the handle of the basket with both hands.
Is she really okay?
「Ah, it is dangerous, so put it down immediately. I will carry it」
Rudok, who saw us, hurriedly comes to our side. Then, he lightly lifts the basket that we were struggling to carry together.
「Amazing」
Rina looks at Rudok, who is holding the luggage effortlessly.
「It was heavy, wasn’t it? Are you not injured?」
At Rudok’s question, Rina and I nod.
「I see, that is good. Since these book remnants will be burned, please leave them outside」
As expected, they will be burned.
「Yes. Please do」
Rudok takes the basket and goes outside through the broken window.
「Rudok is very strong, isn’t he?」
「Yes」
Maybe I should train too. Not only for Rina, but because I want to protect Suna as well.
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