Chapter 148: Chapter 148 - Lady Of the Rosario ( Part 1 )
Dawn gently caressed Rosario Village.
Cool breeze carried the scent of lavender and mountain lilies throughout its streets. The town had started to awaken – blacksmiths were hammering red-hot iron, merchants opened their modest stores and children ran around, chasing each other and laughing between the wooden houses.
For the first time in years, Rosario Village felt free of the burden of sadness.
The appearance of Jennie, Roxy and Snow was changing everything more than just with the help of their skills.
They were bringing smiles.
Jennie stepped out of the inn, holding a basket in her hand.
"I thought we could take some breakfast to Mrs. Agnes before fixing Mr. Holt’s fence."
Roxy stretched her arms.
"And what then?"
Jennie grinned.
"We’ll see who needs our help."
Snow yawned loudly.
"I vote we find my breakfast first."
"But you already had breakfast."
"That was first breakfast."
Roxy chuckled.
"You are impossible."
"I’ve been told."
And so they headed to the streets, waving to those people they had helped yesterday.
"Good morning, Miss Jennie!"
"Miss Roxy!"
"Big wolf is awake!"
Snow proudly puffed out his chest.
"I am famous."
Jennie chuckled.
"For eating."
"For being magnificent."
After several hours of working and helping people, the trio decided to pay a visit to Deressa.
Roxy took a bundle of wildflowers from her bag.
"I thought she’d like those."
"I’m sure she will."
Snow sniffed the flowers.
"They smell better than you."
"Thank you... I guess."
And so they finally arrived at the familiar little cottage, surrounded by colorful blossoms.
The garden looked more beautiful under the light of the morning sun.
White lilies swayed with the wind.
Butterflies flew around the flowers.
The serene sight was making the rest of the world seem very far away.
Jennie knocked at the door.
A few moments passed and...
The door opened.
"Oh."
Deressa smiled warmly.
"You came."
"We brought you flowers."
Roxy handed her the little bundle.
Deressa’s emerald eyes shone.
"They are beautiful."
"Thank you."
She accepted the bouquet carefully and put it into the little glass vase near the window.
This little act somehow made the cottage even cozier.
"Please, come in."
"I’ve just finished brewing tea."
Snow walked inside right away.
"I knew that visiting her is the correct choice."
Jennie chuckled.
"I guess you just came here for the tea."
"I refuse to comment."
And so they spent an hour or so talking in peace.
Deressa inquired about their travels.
Roxy told her about magical sea spirits whom they met down there.
Snow was proudly exaggerating his role in all their adventures.
"I defeated at least three hundred monsters."
Jennie raised her eyebrows at him.
"There were thirty."
"I just rounded them up."
"By two hundred and seventy?"
"It sounded more heroic."
Deressa laughed softly.
"I think both variants are great."
Her laugh was filling the little cottage again.
Soft.
Warm.
As the laugh of the wind chimes on a sunny afternoon.
Jennie couldn’t help but smile.
There was something about Deressa that was making everyone feel relaxed.
While the conversation was going on, Deressa reached for the teapot.
It was a very insignificant action.
But suddenly...
She flinched.
Just for a moment.
The teapot slipped slightly in her hand.
Jennie was quick to catch it.
"I’ve got it."
Deressa was surprised.
"Thank you."
"You looked dizzy."
"It happens."
Her smile didn’t disappear.
But Jennie noticed something else.
While Deressa took her hand back...
There appeared a very tiny stain of the crimson color on the edge of her black glove.
It was visible just for a second and then she pulled the sleeve of her dress down and hid it.
This move was so natural, that most people wouldn’t notice it.
Jennie noticed it though.
Being both Leonis and Jennie sharpened her perception much more than that of any ordinary people.
Jennie quietly gave back the teapot and didn’t mention anything else.
Conversation continued.
Or at least...
For everyone except for Jennie.
She stopped thinking about the conversation and was thinking about the blood.
There wasn’t much of it.
Only a few drops.
But the blood was fresh.
Deressa couldn’t hurt herself while cooking.
There weren’t any cuts on the table.
No broken cups and sharp objects anywhere around.
Where could that blood come from then?
Jennie drank her tea quietly.
She wouldn’t embarrass Deressa by asking anything in front of everyone.
Instead, she watched carefully.
Several minutes passed and...
Deressa excused herself.
"I’ll bring some fresh pastries."
She disappeared into the kitchen.
Jennie quietly followed her after a little while.
"Can I help?"
Deressa smiled next to the oven.
"I couldn’t possibly ask my guest to do that."
"I don’t mind."
They started preparing pastries in a silent comfort.
Everything was fine.
Until...
Deressa suddenly turned away.
Muffled cough escaped her lips.
"Cough..."
She quickly covered her mouth with her glove.
Second cough came and was slightly stronger than the previous one.
"Cough..."
When she took her hand away...
Jennie saw it.
There was another little stain of blood.
This time...
There wasn’t any doubt.
Blood.
Deressa noticed Jennie’s eyes.
For the first time since they met...
Her smile weakened a little bit.
But she instantly hid her hand behind her back.
"I’m sorry."
"I must look terrible."
Jennie shook her head gently.
"No."
"But..."
She hesitated.
"You’re coughing blood."
Silence fell between them.
Outside, birds were singing as if nothing was happening.
Deressa lowered her eyes.
"It’s nothing serious."
Jennie was skeptical.
"You should see a doctor."
"I’ve already seen one."
"And?"
Deressa smiled again.
The same gentle smile.
The same nice face.
But somehow...
It seemed more fragile than before.
"I just get sick easily."
Her answer came too fast.
Almost as if she was telling something rehearsed.
Jennie knew.
She was hiding something.
Not because she was afraid of them.
But because...
She didn’t want anyone to worry.
Jennie knew how it feels.
She had hidden too many things with her calm smiles in the past.
She decided not to push Deressa further.
Instead, she just nodded.
"If you ever need any help..."
"You only have to say."
Deressa looked at her in surprise.
And then...
For a little while...
Her eyes became a little bit moist.
"Thank you."
Her voice was just a whisper.
"You really are kind."
Jennie smiled gently.
"I’ve just met many people who bear their sorrow alone."
"No one should."
Those words hung in the air between them.
Neither of the women said anything anymore.
Outside, Roxy’s laughter echoed in through the open window while Snow complained loudly about being forced to carry another basket of vegetables.
Ordinary sounds of the life made the silence in the kitchen seem even more valuable.
As they went back to the others, Deressa’s cheerful smile was back.
She laughed.
She served tea.
She talked in the conversation as if nothing happened.
But only Jennie noticed that from time to time...
Deressa was unconsciously touching her sleeve with her gloved hand.
As if trying to hide something underneath the fabric.
Something much more dangerous than an ordinary illness.
Somewhere in the depths of her heart...
Jennie felt something unfamiliar.
She couldn’t explain what exactly.
But her instincts, gained in two lives of the battles, quietly told the same thing.
Deressa wasn’t just ill.
She was running out of time.
Rosario Village welcomed the low afternoon sun that signaled the end of the hectic day and the beginning of serene peace.
Children were playing in the square,
The sound of the smith’s hammer never faltered,
And the scent of fresh bread was in the air.
On her way out of Derresa’s cottage, Jennie walked calmly beside Roxy, with Snow stretching comfortably on the ground.
Roxy cast a look at Jennie.
"You’ve been awfully quiet."
Jennie gave her a smile.
"I’m thinking."
"About Derresa?"
Jennie nodded.
"She’s hiding something."
Snow’s ears perked up.
"I noticed."
"You did?"
"I smelt blood."
Roxy came to a stop.
"...Blood?"
Snow turned his head towards the flower-covered cottage.
"It wasn’t much."
"But..."
His golden eyes narrowed.
"It wasn’t from any wound."
Jennie slowly nodded.
"I thought the same."
Roxy looked concerned.
"If she’s really sick..."
Jennie sighed quietly.
"She isn’t ready to share it with us."
"So we’ll wait."
Roxy smiled.
"You’re too nice."
Jennie giggled quietly.
"I’ve simply learned that trying to force people to share their problems usually doesn’t work."
Snow stretched himself again.
"And besides..."
"If she’s in trouble..."
"We’ll probably be dragged into it anyway."
Roxy couldn’t argue with that.
The trio continued wandering around Rosario.
In contrast to the previous day, this time the villagers treated them warmly.
A butcher waved at them from his stand,
The children proudly showed Roxy the lights they could now create,
Mrs. Agnes tried to persuade Jennie to take another loaf of bread,
And Snow managed to somehow get three meat skewers without paying for them.
"I have become a favorite of the village."
Jennie looked at the smiling butcher.
"I think he just feels pity for your hunger."
"Same thing."
The calmness of the surrounding atmosphere almost let Jennie forget the unpleasant sensation left by the sickness of Deressa.
Almost.
Near the center of the village, a loud voice suddenly reverberated across the square.
"Move these crates before sunset!"
Jennie turned in the direction of the voice.
Luka Manjero was standing beside a wagon full of timber.
Villagers quickly started doing as he asked.
His voice sounded harsh and uninviting.
His expression was severe.
One young man accidentally dropped a heavy box.
Luka sighed.
"You’re moving it with your back again."
"I..."
"Move with your legs."
The young man blinked.
"Oh."
"...Right."
Although Luka’s tone was definitely harsh...
Jennie noticed something curious.
He wasn’t insulting anyone.
He was simply speaking bluntly.
When an old lady started struggling with a bag of grain, Luka silently took it from her and carried it into her house without her even asking him to do so.
He didn’t smile.
Didn’t accept any thanks.
Just walked away.
Jennie couldn’t help but smiling.
"He really isn’t as scary as he pretends to be."
Snow nodded.
"Don’t say that."
"It’ll spoil his image."
As Luka was walking away, Jennie noticed an old sword lying on his shoulder.
It looked...
Terrible.
The whole blade of it was rusted,
The guard was damaged beyond repair,
The leather hilt seemed to be falling apart.
It looked like it should be placed either in a museum...
Or burned in a furnace.
Roxy cast a look at it.
"Why would anyone keep such an old thing?"
Snow shrugged.
"Maybe he’s nostalgic."
Jennie continued looking at it.
Something about this sword seemed...
Strange.
Not dangerous.
Not cursed.
Just...
Misplaced.
Like its appearance was different from its true nature.
Suddenly...
A voice echoed in Jennie’s mind.
"...Jennie."
She blinked.
Excalibur?
The Divine Sword rarely said something without any reason.
Its ancient voice sounded unusually serious.
"...Look closer."
Jennie’s hand instinctively moved to her silver hairpin.
She concentrated her senses.
The rusty sword kept resting calmly on Luka’s shoulder.
Nothing happened.
No mana.
No aura.
Nothing.
I don’t understand.
Silence.
Then...
Excalibur echoed again.
"...This sword..."
Jennie’s heartbeat slowed down.
What’s wrong with it?
For a few moments...
Excalibur was silent.
Like it couldn’t believe what it’s feeling right now.
Finally...
Its voice returned.
Low.
Full of disbelief.
"...It shouldn’t be here."
Jennie’s eyes narrowed.
Explain.
"...I can’t be sure."
"...Its presence is concealed."
"...Buried under centuries of neglect."
"...But..."
The ancient sword paused.
Feeling that Jennie never saw from it before.
Uncertainty.
"...I recognize it."
Jennie’s breath froze for a second.
Only seven swords in the world could cause such reaction from Excalibur.
Seven.
No...
Six now.
As she was carrying two of them.
Slowly, Jennie looked at Luka again.
He was casually leaning the rusty sword against the wagon while helping villagers to unload the cargo.
He didn’t protect it.
Showed it off.
Clean it.
To him...
It was just a sword.
Nothing else.
Can it really...?
Excalibur interrupted her thoughts.
"...Don’t rush to conclusions."
"...But watch closer."
Luka noticed Jennie looking at him.
"What?"
Jennie gave a polite smile.
"I was looking at your sword."
He looked behind his shoulder.
"This old thing?"
"Yes."
He snorted.
"Don’t bother."
"It’s worthless."
Roxy blinked.
"You carry it everywhere."
"So?"
"It was the sword of my old man."
Luka scratched the back of his neck.
"Couldn’t bear throwing it away."
He casually drew the blade half of its scabbard.
The whole blade was rusted.
Big cracks were running on its surface.
It looked like it could cut nothing.
"There."
"Told you."
"Just an old junk."
Jennie looked at it carefully.
Ordinary person wouldn’t notice anything special about it.
Even Roxy just shrugged.
"It really is rusty."
Snow sniffed the blade.
"...Smells old."
Luka laughed.
"Exactly."
"So don’t waste your time on it."
He slid it back into its sheath.
"I’ve tried changing it."
"But somehow..."
He frowned.
"It always ended up being in my hands."
Jennie and Excalibur remained silent.
That...
Wasn’t normal.
As Luka was walking away, Jennie stood in the middle of the square.
The gentle breeze was blowing her silver hair.
Excalibur.
"...Yes?"
Is that...?
Long silence followed.
Finally...
The voice of the Divine Sword sounded with quiet certainty.
"...I still can’t be sure."
"...Its true form is still sealed."
"...Its spirit sleeps."
Jennie’s heart started beating faster.
"...But if I’m not wrong..."
A faint golden light started spreading from the hidden hairpin.
The ancient voice of Excalibur became almost respectful.
"...one of my brothers has been waiting here for a very long time."
Jennie slowly looked into the western sky.
Could it be...?
Another Divine Sword?
It hid itself behind rust and time...
And was carried unknowingly by the rough leader of a forgotten village?
In the distance, the wind suddenly swept over Rosario.
For a brief moment...
The rusty sword in the hand of Luka trembled.
No one noticed.
Except Excalibur.
And somewhere in the sleeping spirit of the blade...
An ancient spirit stirred for the first time in centuries.
