Volume 7, Chapter 138: A Women’s Feast
Glossy golden hair and bright eyes. This woman’s actions felt strange. This peculiar woman was Ariene, the Songstress and Saint of the Cathedral. Mordeaux, the Lord of Belfein introduced this woman to both Filaret and Caria.
Even though this woman was a Saint, she did not seem to have a secular personality from the way she spoke. Rather, her voice had a familiar tone.
This woman. She was now in front of Caria. Ariene was having a chat with Mordeaux and Filaret. Their eyes probably reflected the kindness and friendliness of this woman.
Yet, Caria felt differently.
When Caria heard Ariene’s name. For a moment, Caria’s eyes reflected something completely different from those around her.
Caria recalled “that” particular night. Her silver eyes certainly noticed something relevant about the figure that stood in front of her.
“…I remember Lugis’ face when he told me the name Ariene. He showed me an expression full of warmth. An expression that he had never shown before.”
Her molars pressed forcibly inside Caria’s mouth. Her teeth overlapped with one another so strongly that they almost destroyed themselves.
“I felt tremendous humiliation that night. How many times did the river of emotions overflown from my chest as it tried to wash away my body?” Right now, that excruciating sensation emerged in Caria’s mind. Her fierce emotions were so uncontrolled that even green flames oozed from her eyes.
“The person who made me feel humiliated is now in front of me.” Caria put her furious power into her fingers unknowingly.
“Ah, no good. I know. I want to strangle her fine neck.” However, everything would collapse the moment Caria used the palm of her hands.
To tell the truth, Ariene did not humiliate nor despise Caria. Her presence only afflicted Caria through Lugis.
“I know. I really know. That man is the one who gave me all the misery that crawls in my chest.”
This fact boiled in Caria’s chest as if she had a fever. “Ah, cheap, how dare he mess with me? I will let that man pay the price of playing with my emotions.”
Caria joined the chat while restraining her lips, which were likely to open suddenly. Caria felt jealous of Filaret for the very first time because she could smile without knowing anything about Lugis and Ariene.
At the same time, Caria felt a sense of superiority since she knew more about Lugis. However, a sticky feeling bit her chest, which made her think that she, should not have known about this. This sticky feeling covered Caria’s heart in a distorted manner.
「…So what are you two doing in Belfein? 」
In the midst of a wave of conversation, words leaked out of Mordeaux’s mouth. Caria finally let out a sigh of relief.
Caria thought this Lord had euphemism of having guests at his home, but he certainly did not cut things out, exactly as the way of an aristocratic Lord. Caria heard that this Lord, Mordeaux, was a nobody at first. Did he reach this level with his own efforts? Indeed, Caria thought that his figure was that of a nobleman and not of nobody.
Caria kept an eye out for Filaret, who has been chatting vigorously. Her black eyes flashed as she nodded for a moment. Caria’s little lips opened in response.
「Yes, we have only one purpose by coming to Belfein…We are pursuing the shadow of the great sinner Lugis.」
While uttering those words, Caria’s silver eyes naturally caught Ariene’s appearance. Then, she saw it.
Ariene’s action was forcibly strict so that nobody would notice her nerviness. Ariene’s body movements, which were graceful until now, quivered for a moment. Caria’s silver eyes blinked.
“I knew it, it’s you. You are the human being that Lugis talked about during that night. There’s no mistake, you are not only the Songstress and Saint, but also Lugis’ acquaintance.” Caria’s gaze was narrowing, slightly sparkling the ferociousness at the edge of her eyes.
Following Caria’s words, Filaret opened her mouth.
「The feelings I have for him can no longer be expressed in words. Surely, yes, I definitely want to catch him with my hands. However, our power is not enough. We won’t be able to grab the shadow much less the tail of the beast.」
“Hmm, I see. Sure, she is not lying.” Caria was about to distort her cheeks when she noticed Filaret’s seriousness when professing those words to Mordeaux.
“I even feel like I am seeing a comedy of a bad nature. But that’s enough to convey our feelings to the other person.”
「…Even if we are ashamed by disrupting your daily affairs, we would like to ask His Excellency Lord Mordeaux for help. We want your guidance and support.」
Caria glanced at Ariene after adding those words. Since the momentary quiverers a minute ago, there had been no more deviation in her movements and facial expressions. Ariene seemed to nod and even sympathize with Filaret’s story as if she was truly by our side. Caria wondered if she was wrong about Ariene. Or maybe…
「Saint Ariene. You must have the same feelings as we do. As the prodigious Saint of the Cathedral, having such a great sinner is very unforgivable.」
Caria spoke while raising her eyebrows and keeping her cheeks from collapsing. Caria was testing Ariene on this very spot. Her purpose was for Ariene to give consent publicly in order to understand her hidden emotions.
Caria certainly noticed a slight reaction on Ariene’s complexion by mentioning Lugis’ name. Perhaps, Lugis’ feelings for Ariene were not one-sided. Caria thought that maybe she was right about this assumption.
“If their love is reciprocal, then it’s a good idea for me to use this land called Belfein to sever their ties with each other. I shall be the one to give you happiness, Lugis.”
“Their love is a love that won’t come true anyway, so the best medicine to forsake a forbidden love is by causing a big tragedy. I have nothing to worry about this. Beyond that tragedy, I will hold him firmly. I will comfort and hug him until he forgets his past thoughts. Finally, he will let me repaint all of his past thoughts with newer ones.”
Mordeaux also opened his thick lips to agree with Caria’s words.
Mordeaux said that she was by no doubt a memorable and devout Great Saint, since she was about to defeat many fearful candidates for the Saint position. Mordeaux also added that if there really were a great sinner in this city, then she would surely hang him with her own hands to show that she is the perfect choice to be proclaimed as Saint of the Cathedral, the powerful seat of the Great Holy Church. Mordeaux spoke in such a grand way.
Filaret and Caria’s cheeks squeezed involuntarily. Both of them did not speak out. They tried to hide explicit attitudes. Still, his words felt unpleasant. Too unpleasant for them since they had to swallow his words despite feeling differently.
Caria diverted her gaze from Mordeaux and overlapped her gaze with Ariene. Caria was eager for Ariene to agree with their words.
There was no abnormality in Ariene’s actions, facial expressions and eyes. Of course, she opened her mouth with a gentle and feminine smile.
「Yes, of course…It is impossible for me to choose otherwise.」
Caria also smiled when Ariene responded with such an elegant smile on her face. Caria felt her heart ringing aloud. Something unfamiliar emerged from the bottom of her chest.
Oh, I see. In other words, are you the same as me?
Caria felt as if she heard something muttering deep inside of her chest.