I came to find flowers (1)
As we walked towards the office with Nadia, the butler bowed his head politely.
“The Marquis is still talking to a guest. I apologize, but please wait in the reception room.”
“It seems like it’ll be over soon, so I’ll wait here.”
I walked to the window across from the office and looked outside.
Clear sky, green forest, bees flying around a vase of flowers on the windowsill.
'Pretty.'
This is what leaves, clouds, windowsills, and bees look like.
Although I had only been blind for five years, everything was new and wonderful, as if I had opened my eyes for the first time since I was born.
Wheeing.
The bees were fluttering excitedly around the white roses.
Cute.
I was a moment of silently smiling and staring intently at the yellow and black stripes.
“...!”
A large hand suddenly appeared from behind and grabbed the bee.
Fingers with bulging joints. The back of the hand is covered in calluses.
The hand holding the bee stretched out through the window and then slowly opened.
Wheeing-
I personally experienced how trivial and vain the feeling called love is.
It made no sense to harbor such irrational and destructive feelings toward my benefactor.
I just wanted to fulfill my benefactor's wish even if it meant giving everything I had.
Please don't die
In place of the last request, I couldn't grant it.
“If you’re not in love with him, why are you interested in him?”
“I have something to find.”
“What is that?”
I thought of someone's shoulder with a peculiarly shaped scar.
"Flower."
As we walked towards the office with Nadia, the butler bowed his head politely.
“The Marquis is still talking to a guest. I apologize, but please wait in the reception room.”
“It seems like it’ll be over soon, so I’ll wait here.”
I walked to the window across from the office and looked outside.
Clear sky, green forest, bees flying around a vase of flowers on the windowsill.
'Pretty.'
This is what leaves, clouds, windowsills, and bees look like.
Although I had only been blind for five years, everything was new and wonderful, as if I had opened my eyes for the first time since I was born.
Wheeing.
The bees were fluttering excitedly around the white roses.
Cute.
I was a moment of silently smiling and staring intently at the yellow and black stripes.
“...!”
A large hand suddenly appeared from behind and grabbed the bee.
Fingers with bulging joints. The back of the hand is covered in calluses.
The hand holding the bee stretched out through the window and then slowly opened.
Wheeing-
The bee trapped inside the fist flew away in a panic.
'Who is it?'
I couldn't turn my head. If I were myself, I wouldn't have known anything.
As I was waiting for the man to disappear, an unforgettable scent brushed past my nose.
'This is...'
A heavy soapy smell.
It was a scent that didn't match the desert, which was full of nothing but heat and sand.
I couldn't stand it any longer and turned around.
He's tall. I'm not short either, but I could barely reach his shoulders.
When I raised my head, a sharply chiseled neck and strong jawline came into view.
The lips are tightly closed, and the line from the sharp philtrum to the high tip of the nose is elegant.
'He's handsome.'
Our eyes met at the same time as the thought.
Golden eyes.
He tilted his head slightly with a puzzled look.
He quickly lowered his gaze and asked, just before he realized I was looking at him.
“Nadia, who is in front of me?”
“Uh... That, that..."
The man answered.
“This is Ian Tennessee Eldern.”
“...This is Millenia Astrod.”
When I held out my hand, he gently squeezed my fingertips and kissed the back of my hand lightly.
“Young Lady?”
“Ah... I’m sorry.”
Without realizing it, I let go of Ian's hand, which I had been holding tightly.
“It smells good.”
"Yes?"
“What kind of soap do you use? I want to use it too.”
“...”
Suddenly the surroundings became quiet.
At the same time, Ian's cheeks turned slightly red.
Why are you like that? Is it hot?
Before I could ask again, Nadia hurriedly pulled me towards her.
“Ahahaha, uh, our young lady has a very sensitive sense of smell... Young lady? Should we go in quickly? The Marquis is waiting for you.”
“Wait a minute. I can’t hear the answer yet...”
“Please come and get it.”
Nadia gritted her teeth and muttered as if chewing. I was pushed into the office by the force.
Currently, Eldern is neutral, but if Oslo becomes more powerful, it will side with the First Prince.
Of course, it was a hostile relationship with me.
So I didn't know that his hands resembled my benefactor's hands so much.
Of course, the knights' hands have similar characteristics, so it's difficult to make a conclusion based on this alone.
But could it even resemble a body odor mixed with soap?
'Could it be that the little Duke is my benefactor? That doesn't make sense.'
In my previous life, Ian died in a war with demons before I was even imprisoned.
So, he couldn't have been a benefactor who came all the way to the desert for me.
'Wait a minute, I thought they said they didn't find the body?'
So I belatedly remembered that Duke Eldern did not hold a funeral for Ian.
The boy who comforted me was my benefactor, so if Ian were alive at that time, he might have been unable to let go of his old friendship and done me a favor.
“Millenia, what are you thinking so deeply about?”
“Ah... No, Father. Please speak.”
“First, sit down.”
As I sat down on the sofa, following Nadia's lead, my father sat across from me and stared at me quietly.
“Do you remember what you said? You said that things would be coming into the house soon, so don’t burn them.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“I was wondering what on earth you were talking about, but the next day, Kjer started confiscating prohibited items at 71st Street.”
“...”
“I left it as you said, but it was still difficult. Among the prohibited items, some had to be incinerated immediately.”
A faint smile spread across my father's stern face.
“But today, I heard from Duke Eldern that the ‘Savior’ in the duchy has found a cure for the plague.”
“I heard that too. All they need is the herbs needed for the cure.”
“I heard that they are having trouble securing the quantity because it is a medicinal herb whose cultivation is prohibited. But coincidentally, our family had the medicinal herb in stock.”
“That’s good. Are you saying there’s enough quantity?”
“You don’t ask what kind of herb it is.”
“Ah... What kind of herb is it?”
“It’s Montpain. As you know, it’s the raw material of ‘dreams.’”
My father had already seen through my thoughts.
As I smiled silently, my father's smile also deepened. His eyes, which were always stiff and blunt, softened.
The Prophet cannot see the future that is directly connected to the Guardian.
That's why in my past life, I was able to warn the Third Prince about Eldern's plague in advance, but I wasn't able to tell him how to cure it.
Because the person who created that cure was the 'Savior'.
Of course, I now knew the cure. I also knew that its key ingredient was a forbidden herb called Montpain.
The smile that had spread across my father's lips disappeared. He rose from the sofa, his stern expression returning to his former self.
“I have accepted Eldern’s request for cooperation. I will send the goods after I finish reporting to His Majesty, so please be aware of that.”
“Yes, I will. By the way, I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
“I want to convert my assets into cash. Is that possible?”
“Are you talking about the legacy your maternal grandfather left you?”
"Yes."
“...It’s yours, so what you do with it is up to you. I’ll tell the older one.”
"Thank you."
“Yes, now go out and try.”
As I was leaving the office with Nadia, my father called me back.
“Millenia.”
"Yes?"
“Thanks to you, the people of Eldern were able to receive treatment.”
“...”
“Well done.”
As soon as we came out into the hallway, Nadia started talking at a rapid pace.
“Did you know that they would need Montpain? Is that why you ate the ‘dream’ on purpose? So that the Grand Master would confiscate them all?”
In the future I know, the Eldern family fails to save Montpain.
An imperial investigation team commissioned by Oslo seized Montpain from 71st Street, but the imperial warehouse that was storing it was destroyed by a mysterious fire.
In the end, Eldern, who failed to stop the epidemic in time, suffered a severe blow and was unable to provide much help when he later became the First Prince's force.
Now the future has changed.
Eldern will secure Montpain without a problem, many people will be able to receive timely treatment, and the First Prince's power will not be weakened.
It feels strange. It feels like the first time I've used my abilities properly.
I'm not a prophet anymore.
“No, then you could have at least told me in advance. I didn’t even know that...”
“Did you swear?”
“You call that a lie? When you drank all that ‘dream’, how many times did I curse inwardly...?”
“Yes.”
“Anyway, it’s good. There’s a saying that if Eldern offers you a hand, you should give it to him even if it means selling your house. Since they received help from us, they’ll pay us back tenfold later.”
The Eldern family was a family that repaid grudges twice and favors tenfold.
In addition, they were so loyal that they would never betray their master even if they died.
That's why Oslo burned down the warehouse.
Eldern was unable to be persuaded, so he was left with a fatal wound, preventing the cure of the plague.
The conversation was interrupted for a moment as the maids passed by. I waited for the maids to move away and then asked as if talking to myself.
“How old is Duke Eldern?”
“He is the same age as the young Master, right? Twenty-three.”
“There was a party when I was chosen as a prophet. Did he come too?”
“Of course, he came. At that time, not only all the houses of the Empire but also the Holy Nation of Shancrecia and the Grand Duchy of Romenya sent envoys.”
So when I first met him, Ian was nineteen years old. That's within the expected age range for a boy.
Nadia suddenly stopped walking and looked at me.
“Miss, why did you do that to the little Duke earlier?”
“What am I?”
“You said you should share the soap. Doesn’t that mean you should wash together?”
“What? No, I meant that I wanted to use that soap too. Washing together? That’s ridiculous.”
“Why doesn’t that make sense? People look like that. Their shoulders are so broad! Their rear end is so killer!”
"Whether the backside kills or saves me, I got it wrong. He's not that kind of thing for me."
'Who is it?'
I couldn't turn my head. If I were myself, I wouldn't have known anything.
As I was waiting for the man to disappear, an unforgettable scent brushed past my nose.
'This is...'
A heavy soapy smell.
It was a scent that didn't match the desert, which was full of nothing but heat and sand.
I couldn't stand it any longer and turned around.
He's tall. I'm not short either, but I could barely reach his shoulders.
When I raised my head, a sharply chiseled neck and strong jawline came into view.
The lips are tightly closed, and the line from the sharp philtrum to the high tip of the nose is elegant.
'He's handsome.'
Our eyes met at the same time as the thought.
Golden eyes.
He tilted his head slightly with a puzzled look.
He quickly lowered his gaze and asked, just before he realized I was looking at him.
“Nadia, who is in front of me?”
“Uh... That, that..."
The man answered.
“This is Ian Tennessee Eldern.”
“...This is Millenia Astrod.”
When I held out my hand, he gently squeezed my fingertips and kissed the back of my hand lightly.
“Young Lady?”
“Ah... I’m sorry.”
Without realizing it, I let go of Ian's hand, which I had been holding tightly.
“It smells good.”
"Yes?"
“What kind of soap do you use? I want to use it too.”
“...”
Suddenly the surroundings became quiet.
At the same time, Ian's cheeks turned slightly red.
Why are you like that? Is it hot?
Before I could ask again, Nadia hurriedly pulled me towards her.
“Ahahaha, uh, our young lady has a very sensitive sense of smell... Young lady? Should we go in quickly? The Marquis is waiting for you.”
“Wait a minute. I can’t hear the answer yet...”
“Please come and get it.”
Nadia gritted her teeth and muttered as if chewing. I was pushed into the office by the force.
Currently, Eldern is neutral, but if Oslo becomes more powerful, it will side with the First Prince.
Of course, it was a hostile relationship with me.
So I didn't know that his hands resembled my benefactor's hands so much.
Of course, the knights' hands have similar characteristics, so it's difficult to make a conclusion based on this alone.
But could it even resemble a body odor mixed with soap?
'Could it be that the little Duke is my benefactor? That doesn't make sense.'
In my previous life, Ian died in a war with demons before I was even imprisoned.
So, he couldn't have been a benefactor who came all the way to the desert for me.
'Wait a minute, I thought they said they didn't find the body?'
So I belatedly remembered that Duke Eldern did not hold a funeral for Ian.
The boy who comforted me was my benefactor, so if Ian were alive at that time, he might have been unable to let go of his old friendship and done me a favor.
“Millenia, what are you thinking so deeply about?”
“Ah... No, Father. Please speak.”
“First, sit down.”
As I sat down on the sofa, following Nadia's lead, my father sat across from me and stared at me quietly.
“Do you remember what you said? You said that things would be coming into the house soon, so don’t burn them.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“I was wondering what on earth you were talking about, but the next day, Kjer started confiscating prohibited items at 71st Street.”
“...”
“I left it as you said, but it was still difficult. Among the prohibited items, some had to be incinerated immediately.”
A faint smile spread across my father's stern face.
“But today, I heard from Duke Eldern that the ‘Savior’ in the duchy has found a cure for the plague.”
“I heard that too. All they need is the herbs needed for the cure.”
“I heard that they are having trouble securing the quantity because it is a medicinal herb whose cultivation is prohibited. But coincidentally, our family had the medicinal herb in stock.”
“That’s good. Are you saying there’s enough quantity?”
“You don’t ask what kind of herb it is.”
“Ah... What kind of herb is it?”
“It’s Montpain. As you know, it’s the raw material of ‘dreams.’”
My father had already seen through my thoughts.
As I smiled silently, my father's smile also deepened. His eyes, which were always stiff and blunt, softened.
The Prophet cannot see the future that is directly connected to the Guardian.
That's why in my past life, I was able to warn the Third Prince about Eldern's plague in advance, but I wasn't able to tell him how to cure it.
Because the person who created that cure was the 'Savior'.
Of course, I now knew the cure. I also knew that its key ingredient was a forbidden herb called Montpain.
The smile that had spread across my father's lips disappeared. He rose from the sofa, his stern expression returning to his former self.
“I have accepted Eldern’s request for cooperation. I will send the goods after I finish reporting to His Majesty, so please be aware of that.”
“Yes, I will. By the way, I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
“I want to convert my assets into cash. Is that possible?”
“Are you talking about the legacy your maternal grandfather left you?”
"Yes."
“...It’s yours, so what you do with it is up to you. I’ll tell the older one.”
"Thank you."
“Yes, now go out and try.”
As I was leaving the office with Nadia, my father called me back.
“Millenia.”
"Yes?"
“Thanks to you, the people of Eldern were able to receive treatment.”
“...”
“Well done.”
As soon as we came out into the hallway, Nadia started talking at a rapid pace.
“Did you know that they would need Montpain? Is that why you ate the ‘dream’ on purpose? So that the Grand Master would confiscate them all?”
In the future I know, the Eldern family fails to save Montpain.
An imperial investigation team commissioned by Oslo seized Montpain from 71st Street, but the imperial warehouse that was storing it was destroyed by a mysterious fire.
In the end, Eldern, who failed to stop the epidemic in time, suffered a severe blow and was unable to provide much help when he later became the First Prince's force.
Now the future has changed.
Eldern will secure Montpain without a problem, many people will be able to receive timely treatment, and the First Prince's power will not be weakened.
It feels strange. It feels like the first time I've used my abilities properly.
I'm not a prophet anymore.
“No, then you could have at least told me in advance. I didn’t even know that...”
“Did you swear?”
“You call that a lie? When you drank all that ‘dream’, how many times did I curse inwardly...?”
“Yes.”
“Anyway, it’s good. There’s a saying that if Eldern offers you a hand, you should give it to him even if it means selling your house. Since they received help from us, they’ll pay us back tenfold later.”
The Eldern family was a family that repaid grudges twice and favors tenfold.
In addition, they were so loyal that they would never betray their master even if they died.
That's why Oslo burned down the warehouse.
Eldern was unable to be persuaded, so he was left with a fatal wound, preventing the cure of the plague.
The conversation was interrupted for a moment as the maids passed by. I waited for the maids to move away and then asked as if talking to myself.
“How old is Duke Eldern?”
“He is the same age as the young Master, right? Twenty-three.”
“There was a party when I was chosen as a prophet. Did he come too?”
“Of course, he came. At that time, not only all the houses of the Empire but also the Holy Nation of Shancrecia and the Grand Duchy of Romenya sent envoys.”
So when I first met him, Ian was nineteen years old. That's within the expected age range for a boy.
Nadia suddenly stopped walking and looked at me.
“Miss, why did you do that to the little Duke earlier?”
“What am I?”
“You said you should share the soap. Doesn’t that mean you should wash together?”
“What? No, I meant that I wanted to use that soap too. Washing together? That’s ridiculous.”
“Why doesn’t that make sense? People look like that. Their shoulders are so broad! Their rear end is so killer!”
"Whether the backside kills or saves me, I got it wrong. He's not that kind of thing for me."
I personally experienced how trivial and vain the feeling called love is.
It made no sense to harbor such irrational and destructive feelings toward my benefactor.
I just wanted to fulfill my benefactor's wish even if it meant giving everything I had.
Please don't die
In place of the last request, I couldn't grant it.
“If you’re not in love with him, why are you interested in him?”
“I have something to find.”
“What is that?”
I thought of someone's shoulder with a peculiarly shaped scar.
"Flower."
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