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‘Mother has been dying as much as Valentin has.’
His horrific deaths had been repeated for my mother as well. If I hadn't nested myself in this ship, the probability of my mother losing her life to a fall from a horse or falling into a waterway would have been much lower. However, knowing that saying such things would only break my parents' hearts, I kept my lips tightly sealed and returned to my room.
‘But then, how was I even able to be born?’
Despite Valentin's efforts, I am told that I never once saw the sun while this world repeated three times.
It was likely the same in the fourth world. Especially if I recall how Valentin whispered to me, "You should never have been born."
Hmm. Then was it just luck?
“Where is Father?”
I need to tell him to hurry up and get rid of that portrait. The answer came from behind me.
“Hello, Lara. Your father is in a meeting with Young Count Igor before moving to the holy hall. By the way, why don't you turn around and look this way?”
I turned to Tatyana and asked back.
“Igor?”
“My goodness... I thought it would be barely passable at best! Is that cape the work of Tolstoy's Emma? For a unique hobby of an idle noblewoman, I find it quite pleasing.”
Tatyana's prayer robes, as she spoke, were noticeably more modest and elegant than last year's. I tightly grasped Tatyana's hand as she looked with satisfaction at the pearl earrings in my ears.
Unlike Ivan, who openly showed his displeasure at today's attendance, the mature Tatyana cheers me on. It's probably because she knows that sulking doesn't change anything.
“You don't seem like Tanya today for some reason.”
“Fufu. If I'm not like myself, who do I seem like?”
“Just... an ordinary believer? Is it because you've stripped away, and stripped away, and stripped away everything because of me?”
She replied as she linked arms with me and stepped out of the drawing room.
“Of course. Today, this older sister's concept is Lara's maid. Though, of course, your sister believer for this year is Tolstoy's Emma, not me. Don't I look like... a devotee expressing love with a passionate gaze from afar?”
Sister believers and brother believers refer to the partners who stand by one's side to share a blessing when receiving a blessing prayer at the holy hall.
In gabrielism, since a blessing becomes more powerful and widely beneficial the more it is shared, blessing prayers were often conducted with two or more sister believers.
To understand the origin of this tradition, one would have to look into the history of the Order of the Oracle's birth, but since I've never looked into it and have no intention of doing so, I plan to live my whole life not knowing.
“Ah! Look there, Lara. There comes your future groom.”
“What?”
What kind of nonsense is that now?
Tatyana gave a sly smile and gestured with her chin toward the corridor. A tall man dressed in dark charcoal-grey clothing was approaching. Even from a distance, that familiar face was Igor.
“...Don't go around saying things like that. What if people misunderstand?”
“Oh my. Is our little kitten being serious right now? Hmm... Igor would be disappointed to hear that. He's meeting your father right now because of you. To be precise, your father cleared his schedule for that man. Aren't you curious about what the two of them discussed?”
“....”
“Though neither Father nor I have ever considered him a candidate for your groom. But watching him quietly, I thought Igor might be alright. Being a bit older and having firm convictions are downsides, but since he is the biological brother of your close friend, Tolstoy's Emma, if you form a bond, you can live without being lonely for the rest of your life... and since he has plenty of same-sex friends but almost no opposite-sex friends, it seems unlikely he'll cause any trouble. And above all...”
We stopped in our tracks and waited for Igor to approach.
Contrary to the blunt impression he gave at the Nikitin ball, Igor's face, as he drew closer, was noticeably softened by a faint gladness at the chance encounter.
“Shall we say he looks cute because he makes it so obvious that he sincerely likes you?”
“Please... please shut your mouth, Tanya.”
“Pfft.”
The moment I poked Tatyana's side with my elbow, Igor arrived. Bowing politely, he first kissed the back of Tatyana's hand.
“Seeing the two of you standing side by side was so dazzling that I thought I was dreaming. Good morning, Princess Tatyana. And Princess Larisa.”
If I wasn't mistaken—no, the feeling that Igor's lips lingered exceptionally long on the back of my hand certainly couldn't be my imagination alone. Tatyana, who had been observing Igor with a subtle gaze, spoke.
“Hearing such flattering words from you makes me wonder. I'm confused as to whether you mean the two of us were dazzling, or if only a specific person was dazzling.”
Igor, with his head bowed, replied in his characteristic firm voice.
“Please forgive me for withholding my words, as I do not wish to commit a discourtesy toward Your Highness.”
“My goodness. I don't care for a sly gentleman, but since I'm in a good mood today, I'll give you a special extra point.”
“...I do not know what kind of point it is, but I shall receive it with gratitude.”
I wanted to ask the blatantly amused Tatyana, ‘Did you give up on Sergei?’, but I'm not so oblivious as to actually say it out loud. I just swallowed a sigh, thinking she must have heard something from Ivan.
“Lara? Igor is a faithful believer recognized by Bishop Parben. On a day with such an important prayer as today, I think it would be good for you to engage in a theological Q&A with him.”
Why on earth should I engage in a theological Q&A? She really tries to link us for every possible reason.
“Weren't you struggling with the <Diary of Roo> a few weeks ago, saying you couldn't interpret it? Since there's some time before we head to the holy hall, why not get Igor's help?”
“...Ah.”
Right, that's it!
That cumbersome book wrapped in heavy chains that I had spent days looking at because of Valentin before giving up! The book for which I had requested a translation from Bishop Parben, but hadn't even been able to read the introduction because it wasn't my turn yet!
To think Tatyana's interference, which was likely just a prank, would be of such use.
“Igor, could you possibly spare some time for someone as ignorant of the Tiemut language as I am?”
Igor nodded readily.
“Of course. I will help with all my heart to the best of my ability.”
“Oh my. A boring answer, but even that is amusing, so a special extra...”
“Don't listen to her. Let's go, Igor.”
I arrived at my room in a single bound.
It seemed Emma had gone downstairs in the meantime. As I went to move the book I had practically thrown onto the drawer, I noticed a presence and turned around to see Igor standing alone beyond the door.
“Why are you just standing there?”
“...It is nothing.”
Nothing, my foot. It's obvious he feels awkward about coming inside.
Ignoring his hesitant steps, I hugged the filthily heavy book again.
“Wait a moment. I'll put it on the reading desk...”
“I will take it, Your Highness. Please step back.”
Igor approached quickly and took the book from me. Though the clanking chains seemed like they would be uncomfortable, he placed it on the wooden reading desk without a care and opened the cover.
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