A Maiden’s Unwanted Heroic Epic

***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 252 Recollection***

Time flows. People depart.

Kalua passed away, and Mia followed suit the next year as if chasing after her.

And then, Elvena, shortly after.

Still, the days go on.

However, it was a daily life that seemed to be approaching its end.

Within three years, Anne's health began to deteriorate――

"It’s like an avalanche."

Late afternoon.

Sitting on the sofa, Selena, with a quill in hand, was writing when she spoke.

Reclining on the sofa with Selen’s thigh as a pillow, Kreschenta, lazily, turned to look up at her.

"...When one start to fall apart, everything else follows. But perhaps this is a happy way to end. People born around the same time, passing away around the same time."

"I don't care. Besides, that's an excuse for incompetence. Since death is inevitable, aren’t they just dressing it up with pretty words and claiming they're satisfied."

Kreschenta replied to Selene's words as if to cut her off.

"Fufu, you're really just like Krische, Kreschenta. You're saying the same thing, just in a different way."

"Onee-sama is certainly an idiot, but she's not wrong. She's much smarter than Selene-sama and the others."

Looking at Kreschenta’s beautiful face as she said this, Selene smiled bitterly and stroked her cheek.

Despite looking up with a displeased expression, the beautiful queen offered no resistance.

"If everyone were immortal, there would probably be no custom of glorifying death. Everyone would likely avoid and detest it. ...Claiming that death is beautiful is nothing more than a convenient excuse."

‘It's an excuse’, Kreschenta continued, smugly.

Selene thought about it for a moment, and then smiled, ‘Perhaps’.

"Well, it's probably better for society to consider it beautiful. Soldiers risk their lives for honor, so it's not a bad thing...However, it still seems foolish when you think about it from an individual perspective."

"That's an extreme statement. Maybe you should look at things a little more ambiguously."

"Ambiguous?"

"Yes. Many things... Including the human heart is an ambiguous thing."

‘――Including you.’

With a gentle smile, the old woman brushed the hair from the girl's forehead as she lay down.

“You are essentially a very kind girl, Kreschenta. The only difference between you and Krische is your way of thinking. The reason you pretend you we don't understand, make fun of others, and reject them is simply because you’re afraid to admit it. ...Right?”

"I am different from all of you. Please do not lump me in with you guys."

‘It seems there are many perfectionists’, Serena quietly shrugged her shoulder.

"Me, you, Bery, and Krische are all like that. Our ideals are so big, that's why we're so picky about even the smallest flaws. While it may be something that everyone experiences to some extent, it seems that only such people gather in this estate."

Bery, unable to find her own worth.

Krische, unable to accept her own flaws.

Selene, unable to accept her own incompetence.

And Kreschenta, believing herself to be flawless and perfect.

"It's a suffocating way to live. It would be better to relax a bit more. ... Even if you don't do it desperately, your body will naturally float on the water and drift."

"...What are you trying to say?"

"Even though you know, you're not being honest."

Selene let out a graceful laugh and gestured out of the room, telling her to go.

"Somehow or another you like Anne after all. Why don’t you just stay by her side and take care of her."

"I've done enough for her. Besides, what do you think of me? I'm the great Queen who rules the world."

Kreschenta said in exasperated.

"...As I've said from the beginning, I only need Onee-sama. What you think about me is just an added bonus. Since Onee-sama values you, I'll just treat you accordingly. ...And that's the case even now."

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Selene smiled wryly, laid her body on the sofa, and began to stroke Kreschenta’s head.

Then she narrowed her eyes.

"I probably won't have much time left either."

Lately, sge have had many opportunities to feel old.

As long as those with magic power can handle magic power, the effects of aging wouldn’t be that great.

When doing strenuous movements, one would be easily out of breath and joints will ache, that’s the extent of it.

However, recently, she had become less and less aware of how to manipulate magic power itself.

At the very least, it had become much more difficult to move magical power finely than before.

She was almost 100 years old――she had lived a long life.

It was not that long for magic possessors, but it was not that short if she consider it as her lifespan.

"...I see."

Kreschenta said as she twisted her body so that she was facing sideways, using Selene's thighs as a pillow――naturally hiding her expression.

After knowing each other for a long time, Kreschenta turned out to be an easy-to-understand girl.

"I decided to leave it up to Krische to decide what to do. So, the two of you should discuss what you want to do and then decide."

“...I don't know what you mean.”

"Fufu...just somehow?"

While patting her head, Selene continued to close her eyes.

"What is necessary for everything is a decision, and what is necessary to make a decision is a convinction. And I think that in order to do that, some kind of rite of passage is necessary."

At least Selene was like that, and Bery was probably like that too.

‘…until Selene calms down, until the suffering stops. ...Krische will always be by Selene's side.’

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No matter what, Krische visited her room that day.

――The fact that Krische accepted Selene’s existence was still deeply engraved in Selene’s heart.

That's why, before she knew it, she was moved and started to feel like a fool――that was why she was able to accept so many things.

Humans are weak and ambiguous creatures, and that's why they need a trigger.

For the courage to take a step forward.

"I just said it because I felt like you weren't accepting Krische wishes for some reason. ...If I'm wrong, that's fine."

Kreschenta did not respond to those words.

Selene patted her head without saying anything.

Her golden hair sparkles red in the sunlight shining through the window.

Her fingers glided silky smooth, even after decades.

Selene stroked her without getting tired of it, and suddenly Kreschenta opened her mouth.

"...I'm going to sleep like this."

‘I see’, Selene said with a wry smile and grabbed the blanket next to her.

Without asking any more, she wrapped the blanket around her small body.

"...Good night, Kreschenta."

Selene said in a voice full off love.

Without answering, Kreschenta closed her eyelids.

――Anne sighed, alone in Christand's kitchen.

There was a heavy atmosphere in the estate.

It seems to be getting stronger day by day, and even Anne could feel it.

That was just how much of a big presence Bery was in Christand.

If she were gone then――

‘Hmph!’

As if to dispel such foolish thoughts, Anne slapped her cheeks with both hands.

‘...What are you thinking, Anne? At times like this, you have to be strong.’

She said to herself――no, she did spoke it out loud, wiping her eyes.

Maybe she slapped herself too hard. It was hurt enough to bring tears to her eyes.

As she rubbed cheek that she slapped herself, she heard the sound of her front door opening――a Suiko’s growling voice from outside.

Krische must have headed to the battlefield.

She closed her eyes and nodded, leaving the kitchen and heading to Bery's place.

She trotted down the hallway, went upstairs, and entered a room.

‘Argan-sama’

Anne panicked and called out.

Bery was squatting in front of the wardrobe.

With her face down, she remained still.

When Bery noticed Anne, she smiled bitterly with a pale face.

‘...Anne-sama’

‘That, your body...’

‘I'm fine. It's just a little dizzy. ...Maybe it's because I tried to kept up appearance.’

With a troubled smile, she pinched her apron dress with her fingers.

Anne felt like she hadn't seen her in that outfit for a long time.

These days, Bery spends most of her time in her nightgown.

Bery quietly closed her eyes and steadied her breathing.

‘Anne-sama, would you mind helping me change clothes?’

‘Ye-yes.’

Arne immediately supported Bery’s body and made her sit on the bed.

She then took out a nightgown and got herself into bed.

She received the apron dress from Bery and unbuttoned it from the top.

She carefully took off the black dress from her shoulders and pulled it out from under her feet.

‘Kusu’, Bery let out a small laugh and looked up.

‘Fufu, it's embarrassing to say after asking for a favor... But still, it feels embarrassing after all.’

With a hint of red on her cheeks as she spoke.

Her large eyes narrowed gently, and her long eyelashes fluttered.

Perhaps it was because she had grown her hair longer than before.

She no longer looked like a servant but rather like a noble-born young lady. Once she removed the apron dress, she was simply beautiful.

Although she was petite, her voluptuous body made her look rather healthy, and she looked strangely delicate.

Perhaps it was because of her gentle, slender shoulders and her seemingly fragile waist.

From the first time they met, Anne thought she was a somewhat ephemeral person.

Now even more so.

Maybe it was because of her limbs, which have gotten thinner.

Anne shook her head as if to shake off that thoughts.

‘No, there's no need to feel embarrassed! To have such physical beauty is enviable to an average person like me... It is an honor for me to be able to take care of Argan-sama.’

‘P-physical beauty

She looked troubled as her gaze wandered.

‘――Was physical beauty strange?’

Even as she understood her own mistake, Anne brushed it aside for now.

‘When I think of the favor I have been given until now, there is no need e to hold back. Um, yes, yes, please treat me like a dog or anything.’

When she spun her words according to her heart, Bery seemed taken aback.

Bery opened her mouth slightly and stared at her Anne.

She then lowered her face and put her hand to her mouth.

She shook her shoulders happily and let out a modest laugh.

Bery told Arne, who is deep in thought, thinking she had made a mistake again.

‘Really, Anne-sama is a fun person. Fufu, really... As I said before, I've been thinking about it ever since Anne-sama came but’

‘Y-yes...”

"I'm sorry, please excuse me."

Bery wipe her eyes and looked up at her, and smiled as usual.

‘Actually... I was a little worried about working with other servants. I'm not good at socializing with people, so I wondered if we would be able to work together.’

She took the light peach nightgown from Anne's hand and put it on.

Bery looked a little embarrassed as she continued.

“But...Anne-sama is here, Elvena-sama is here, and both of you are serious, enthusiastic about work, and kind people...I'm really grateful for that now.''

‘I-if you say so, I'm the one who... Argan-sama is the one who has been very good to me. I'm sure Elvena-sama feels the same way...''

‘Besides’, Anne’s gaze wandered.

‘I have always made mistakes, and I feel like I am causing Argan-sama more trouble than anything.’

‘Never. ...The mansion has become quite lively, and I am very happy about it.’

Lovely and beautifulい――her baby face made her look younger than Anne, and her gentle smile reminds Anne of her mother and older sister.

She think I was probably struck by this.

She was pretty and dignified.

Bery Argan was such a woman.

Bery said thank you and bowed her head and went straight to the top of the bed.

Anne also bowed deeply and watched as Bery picked up her diary from the bedside table.

It was a diary of the dishes she had made.

There seem to be over ten books, and she seems to have been writing them down in her spare time.

Halfway through, the title changed from the simple ‘Cooking Diary’ to ‘Cooking Diary with Krische-sama’ and that was the one she chose for today.

Inside, she――sometimes the two of them wrote something on the same page.

Thinking of the two of them, Anne couldn't help but smile fondly.

‘...I hope Selene-sama and Krische-sama return safely soon.’

‘Yes. ...I'd like to do something to celebrate when they get back.'’

‘Please leave it to me. Elvena-sama and I will cooperate just give us instructions.’

‘Thank you’, Bery said, ‘there’s no need for that’, Anne replied

Then Anne suddenly noticed that the magic crystal that was also on the bedside table was a little empty, and she picked up the vial.

It was Bery’s medicine.

Confirming that there was almost none left by shaking it lightly, Anne looked at Bery.

"Ah... I took some this morning."

Bery said, looking a little troubled.

Anne had heard that it was for painkillers.

――She must drank it to see off Krische-sama.

Anne also asked what was the reason for her collapse.

‘It's okay. I only drank a little bit just to be sure. ...I'm not feeling too bad today.’

‘…yes’

Although that might be true, those words couldn’t be taken at face value.

Anne asked, while holding the small bottle thinking of grabbing a replacement

‘How about a meal?’

‘`Well...could I have some soup and fruit, please?’

‘Yes, understood.’

It seemed she wasn't too ill to eat.

Anne relaxed for now, then said ‘excuse me’, and bowed.

Anne opened the door and exit the hallway to the kitchen.

She knew there was a spare supply of medicine in the kitchen cupboard.

Removing the lid of the small bottle, she poured green powder from a small jar into it.

Nodding as she filled the bottle with powder, she decided to leave it there and went back upstairs.

‘...Your Majesty’

At the same time, Kreschenta appeared in the hallway.

From the stairs was Selene's room――where Kreschenta had been resting.

It seemed she had out of there, leaning against the door with her back.

She noticed Anne and looked at her, then at the vial Anne was holding.

‘The contents were running low, so I was replenishing―’

‘...You're unusually attentive.’

Kreschenta stood still for a moment, looking at the vial in Anne's hand, then at her own.

It felt strange somehow.

‘There’s no need. ...I made a new one.’

However Anne knew that Kreschenta’s mood hadn't been good lately because of Bery’s matter.

That was why, she brushed it off, thinking that was probably the reason.

‘Leave Argan-sama to me and do some other work.’

‘...Yes, understood.’

Perhaps if she had asked a bit more deeply, things might have changed.

She should have understood since she had spent so much time by Kreschenta’s side.

She should have been able to sense her feelings.

No matter how insensitive she was, surely.

――Because she was sure that was a certain form of love, she could believed it without a doubt.

A room in the mansion given to her.

“I’m sorry, taking Krische-sama’s time..."

"...Really. Anne likes breaking dishes until the very end. Even though Krische told Anne not to push herself too hard, Anne still insists on helping Krische and fell down and broke the dishes."

"…My apologies”

Anne obediently bowed to the angry girl in the apron dress from her bed.

In terms of her appearance, they were a girl and an old woman――but even now, their relationship had not changed.

“Anne do you remember? Anne broke a total of 127 plates. Broke 7 cups, 2 broomsticks, 3 vases, and 2 pots...No matter how many years Anne had become a servant, she never grew."

"……yes"

"It's calculated that one or two things are broken every year. Elvena breaks at most five plates, and even Selene only breaks about ten, so this is a huge number."

Krische with her hands on her hips glared at Anne with her adorable face.

Then her eyebrows twitched.

"Is it wrong?"

"...No, fufu, I never thought that even at this age I would still be scolded by Krische-sama."

"...That's Krische’s line. Really why is Anne so careless."

The girl sat down on the bed and poured herself a cup of tea.

She mixed a generous amount of honey and milk and handed it to Anne.

Though Anne didn't have a strange taste or was particularly fond of sweet things, Anne's palate was rough around the edges――preferring strong flavors.

"Thank you," Anne said, sipping her tea and sighing.

Then, as if she remembered something, she chuckled softly and put the tea down.

“I heard that one naturally calms down as they gets older, but that's not the case at all huh. I still don't have enough effort.''

“…In Anne’s case, Krische thinks her efforts are going in the wrong direction.”

Her lips pouted and she leaned closer.

She then tugged at Anne's cheek as if she were smoothing out her wrinkles.

“Once we reach there and Anne get better, Krische’ll have to teach Anne everything from scratch.”

"...Yes. Fufu, I still have a lot to learn."

After saying that, Krische seemed relieved and softened her stern face.

Krische narrowed her eyes on Anne's thigh, using it as a pillow.

“...Krische’s sure it'll be a lot of fun. Anne won’t have to say that her knees hurt or the back hurts, and Anne don't have to worry about anything, and we're all together. ...It may be a little difficult and inconvenient until Anne get used to the new body, but we have plenty of time.”

Krische took out a magic crystal from inside her apron.

Inside the slightly larger magic crystal than before, three lights shone.

"Oh?"

"It’s Lila. She said she wanted to serve Regalave-san and watch over Kreisharana...Krische talked about that at Regalave-san’s place before. It was about three days ago."

Anne couldn't understand the principle, but it seems that after death, one would naturally began to go inside this system.

She would probably be in there herself soon.

"...I see. The only ones left are me and Selene-sama."

"Don't forget, Gururun too."

“Ah, yes, Gururun-sama too…”

Anne smiled and looks out the window.

Was there really a lifespan for that big cat? It looked like it was still growing after several decades.

It had grown about twice as large since she first saw it.

"Maybe it's because the atmosphere is full of magic, but she seems to be especially energetic these days... maybe she'll be even more energetic if she goes over there... Even though all she does is eat and sleep."

"Fufu, that's probably the happiest thing. Elvena-sama is gone, and she seemed a little lonely, though."

Perhaps because her feeder was Elvena, after Krische and Bery, Gururun was attached to Elvena.

Anne smiled quietly as she remembered this.

――Lately, when she closes her eyes, only memories come to mind behind her eyelids.

Perhaps because her body didn’t move as much as before, she had more time to think about things and reminisce.

It didn’t feel bad, it felt good.

Even if she were to sleep like this and never wake up, she even thought that it would be okay.

"...Perhaps Gallen-sama felt the same way."

"...?"

Surrounded by countless bright and warm memories.

It would be the happiest thing to end your life like that.

Many people must have loved this kind girl deeply.

However, in the magic crystal that the girl held in her chest, there were only three lights.

She could understand the reason.

When she was young, it seemed like something just scary.

But she didn't think death was a bad thing.

Just like flower blooms and wither.

‘――In life, the things you can choose are trivial. Will you surrender to the gentle current, throw yourself into the torrent, or try to flow along a side stream?’

Like water flowing from upstream to downstream.

‘Or maybe... just letting the petals flowing by your side and touch your body.’

She recalled the words that were once spoken with love.

‘It's much happier to choose where you want to go and flow, rather than proceeding by inertia. Even if you regret it in the future, if it's the path you chose, you can at least be satisfied with it.’

It was nothing dramatic.

This might be a result of inertia.

But there was something about the feeling of going with the flow that made her feel good.

Perhaps there was no need for a reason.

Somehow, it felt right, so she followed it.

She had always been that kind of person――and even so, as long as she was convinced of it, it's fine.

"Krische-sama"

"what is it?"

Thinking about what she could do, Anne told Krische.

"There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

"Talk..."

Anne nodded and closed her eyes for a moment.

"...It was the day Argan-sama passed away."

Arne began to speak quietly.