EIITAB - Chapter 93 < The Successor >
Even if it is Trampled and Broken
Hestia was bitter but did not show anything. It might be difficult for them to accept her. She had guessed from the beginning that the castle's users would react this way to her. Perhaps, she even thought that it might be better not to build affection for her from the beginning.
But there was one thing Hestia didn't know. It was not intentional that the employees did not receive her greeting. To be precise, that wasn't the case. It was on this occasion that everyone who saw her up close learned that this is what it means to be mesmerized.
Hestia was beside herself with her appearance as well as her whole aura surrounding her. So the people didn't even properly realize that she had given them her greeting.
They weren't overwhelmed. Even though there aren't many, there are people in need in the North as well. The first one to choose is, of course, Duke Aslan Kalathi.
In addition, there were Dulcinea, who was picky and capricious, and uncles famous for their military power. In fact, speaking of difficulty, it was more difficult to deal with them than with Hestia.
However, there were really no words to explain why she took their breath away the moment they met her. They wonder if what they see is a real person. They wonder if this is the castle where they have always lived and worked.
It was hazy, as if they were dreaming, and their body and mind were both relaxed, making it difficult to react properly.
Meanwhile, Hestia, who had not heard the greeting from the servants, raised the corners of her mouth with difficulty. She didn't particularly want to catch them for their rudeness. So she took a step to pass but at that moment Aslan grabbed her arm and stopped her.
"Aslan?"
When she looked up at him to ask why, he was staring at the employees with a face and a fierce look in his eyes.
"Are deaf or is your mouth blocked?"
It was only after hearing his bloody voice that the workers finally came to their senses.
"... Yes?"
"Your mouth isn't covered, so are you deaf?"
As Aslan continued to sarcastically, the workers became even at a loss.
"My Lord. What do you mean...."
"I said this because I felt like your back was too straight even though the superior greeted you first."
His lips became even more plump.
"Or are you people who receive the rust I give you of higher status than the Duchess?"
Only then did the employees realize what had been pointed out and quickly came to their senses.
"S- sorry."
"See you, Duchess."
"Sorry for the delay in greeting you."
The servants were anxious and bowed deeply one by one towards the Duke and Duchess. When they behaved like that, it was Hestia who was in trouble.
'I didn't say hello to enforce discipline.'
Hestia, who was worried that even Aslan would lose the trust of his subordinates by taking her side with the Northerners, who were almost enemies, opened her mouth quickly.
"Aslan, stop scolding them. This is enough."
She glanced at Aslan with a look in her eyes that told him he had done something for nothing and then spoke to the employees.
"You guys, stop bowing your heads too."
"..."
However, the employees who had been scolded just before did not move. They were watching Aslan, not Hestia. Hestia realized that they would not straighten their backs unless they received his permission.
"How good,"
She said to herself. As she muttered, the vertical wrinkles between Aslan's eyebrows deepened. He let out a long, heavy sigh and spoke coldly.
"You're welcome. Are you doing this on purpose? How many times are you going to make me say it?"
"Oh, no."
"It can't be!"
Only then did the workers lift their upper bodies one by one, as if they had become springs. Hestia decided that, for their sake, it would be better to say goodbye and leave.
"Aslan, let's take a walk. I want to walk."
Aslan gave her a light tug and made her walk after him, pretending not to be able to resist.
"There was no need to go that far."
She whispered in a low voice that only Aslan could hear.
"Yes, we need to do it like this."
Aslan stubbornly responded without calming his expression.
"Your face is my face. So, be persistent and earn respect and greetings."
Hestia, who found it difficult to understand his leap of logic, muttered softly. She was kind of complaining.
"You are you and I am me, who thinks that way? So don't worry. Because no one would think that way."
Then Aslan stopped walking. He looked down at her quietly, with eyes that could not tell what was inside her, and then he took a deep breath.
Hestia, who realized that something had gone awry again, looked at him with a silent expression.
"...... Why?"
Hestia didn't know why he was angry, but Hestia was slightly cowering because she expected him to vent his nerves. But unexpectedly, Aslan was not annoyed. His neck moved greatly as if he was holding something back. Then, he opened his tightly closed lips.
"I think so."
The voice sounded like a sigh.
"So go anywhere, to anyone. Don't be ignored."
" ...!"
Hestia's purple eyes shook as she heard the unexpected words. That is what Aslan meant. Even if everyone in the world acknowledged it, hearing the one person who seemed like he would never accept it until the end said that, a little bit of overwhelming emotion flooded Into Hestia's heart.
She felt like her throat was full. It seemed as if she had gotten her emotions under control, and she nodded with a motion that made her say nothing.
"... All right."
In response to the obedient response, only then did Aslan move.
Without hesitation, he reached out to her and lifted her coat, which was slightly below her shoulders.
"Ah, thank you."
She nodded her head, cupping her open front legs tightly in her hands. The fur tickling her cheek felt very soft. Intoxicated by that sensation, Hestia added softly.
"This is so... it's warm. It's not cold at all."
".... I'm glad."
So the two continued their walk, talking without paying any attention to others.
Only after Hestia and Aslan were far away did the workers exhale the breath they had been holding and relieve the tension in their bodies. They resumed sweeping or mopping after a brief pause.
However, since all the attention was directed towards the owner and his wife, the movements of the hands could not help but be more shaky than before. They especially glanced at Hestia.
"People said she was a Saintess who gave the damned oracle, so I thought she looked vicious..."
"Doesn't she have a nice personality?"
"I mean. And she seems to be on good terms with our master?"
"Wow, I've never seen such a beautiful person in my life."
At someone's admiration, the youngest maid working in the kitchen wiped her nose and spoke proudly.
"I said it did that, right? She looked like a snow fairy?"
"It's true. Really."
Her appearance made everyone gasp in awe, regardless of gender. Then, one of the employees noticed Hestia's clothes and secretly smiled.
"By the way, that's the coat, right? This is a white raccoon that the owner deliberately caught while out hunting. I heard that he fried the seamstress so badly that he was handling the leather."
The maid who shared the room with the seamstress, Julieta, took her word immediately with a nod.
"That's right. Julieta must have had a hard time. She just finished it this morning. So, right now, she's sleeping, skipping breakfast and lunch, and I'm wondering if I should wake her up soon."
"She won't die if she starves for a day, so just let her sleep. She stayed up all night for a few nights."
Their chatter continued a little longer.
"But why did he bother to make me a new coat? He even caught such a precious white raccoon."
"Wouldn't that be obvious?"
A person who appeared to be quite an old-timer said, pointing at Hestia with her chin.
"She is a Princess and a Saintess. Maybe something is wrong with her body. The Southerners will probably take advantage of that and try to interfere. I guess the owner didn't want to give them an excuse because of his personality."
Because it was a fairly reasonable inference, the heads of each employee moved up and down.
"Well, she looks weak."
Hestia couldn't say she looked healthy even with empty words.
"It looks like she wasn't feeling well to begin with, but if she happens to collapse, isn't it all our fault?"
"Oh, no way."
A time when shared unrealistic worries. Someone brought up an issue that was similar to the conversation that had continued so far but was slightly different.
"But I wonder if only then will she be able to properly conceive a successor."
It was a worry that was almost a whisper, but everyone heard it. The crowd was suddenly engulfed in silence.
Only then did everyone seem to remember that Aslan's marriage was directly related to the next generation of Kalathi. There was a hint of worry in their eyes as they looked at Hestia.
Then, someone else suddenly spoke without thinking.
"But would he, my master, want to see the heir from that womb?"
This time too, everyone remained silent. This was because they instinctively felt that they should not speak carelessly about this issue.
The workers cleared their throats awkwardly and looked at each other.
"Oh my, I haven't cleaned that place yet."
"I have to go back now too."
Just like that, the conversation fizzled out and everyone returned to their original places as if they had promised.
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