Chapter Seventeen
_ The Priest Evan : 1
"Are you kidding me?!"
"Certainly not."
Elliot's reaction was one of shock, as he looked at Ariana who seemed bewildered and innocent.
'Ivan Jerome, the priest whom my father intensely hates, for a reason I don't know... And he rarely agrees to visit noble families...'
"Priest Ivan rarely goes to any noble family; maybe he won't accept..."
Ariana smiled at something she had read about in the novel.
'Ivan hates nobles, especially those who secretly followed the temple... Perhaps this inspired a plan for me.'
"It's alright, brother, send a request to the Temple for him, and if he doesn't come, I won't be upset; we can look for another priest, within this week."
Elliot's tense features relaxed, and he nodded his head.
"Okay, I will send a letter."
"Thank you, brother..."
Ariana smiled with a bright face, which made Elliot wonder, as he had missed her happy face when she was a child between her parents. Then he remembered something.
"Aya, have you stopped taking the medicine?!"
Ariana thought for a moment with worry. She had almost forgotten that the nickname Aya was also a title the former Marquis called his beloved daughter because Aya meant "miracle" or "grace" in some languages, while she and her friend had chosen the name because it meant "bright" or "colorful" in Japanese. She was about to ask him why he called her Aya, but she also noticed the content of the question: "Have you stopped taking the medicine?!"
'Did he know that the medicine negatively affects my health?! Is he testing me?! I will tell him that I haven't stopped the medicine...'
"Huh, I..."
Her voice broke off when a memory of the body crossed her mind...
[ "Stop drinking this medicine."]
[ "Why now?!"]
[ "I told you a long time ago not to drink it, so stop now..."]
[ "Are you now claiming to be a loving brother?!"]
[ "Aya! Stop testing my patience, I can't tell you anything... But if you want to live, leave this medicine."]
[ "Never call me by my nickname..."]
She had acted coldly, but when he left, she burst into tears. She was so sad. He was the brother she loved and who let her down when he distanced himself from her after the death of their parents...
'Now I understand, their relationship is strained, so Elliot Cillas was surprised by the request for a meeting and my casual conversation with him. Was he secretly supporting Ariana... Elliot knows something that no one else knows. I cannot ask for his help now, but I will ask for his assistance. Perhaps Ariana was sad because her brother left her, but now I realize a lot... Let's win over the favor of the older brother first.'
Elliot was surprised by Ariana's strange silence, so he looked at her worriedly and did not hide his anxiety due to the surprise, but Ariana noticed it. Ariana stood up calmly and said:
"Older brother, thank you, and I apologize for my anger towards you last time. I don't know what is happening, but I will trust my brother... But please, I want you to tell me everything so that I don't wrong my brother again..."
Elliot was shocked and didn't understand what he should do, so he spoke in a shaky voice and with a trembling heart.
"Then it's alright to have tea when you are free..."
He realized he had said a foolish sentence, and before he could correct it, Ariana spoke with a bright smile...
"I will be happy to."
"..."
She was about to leave but stopped when she noticed the amount of work, so she said gently, trying to win over her brother.
"If my brother wants help with the work, I would be happy to."
"But, you don't know how to manage the household and these complex matters."
"My brother will teach me, so I really would like to help..."
The shocked Elliot was happy, and tears nearly came out of his eyes, but he restrained his emotions and spoke soberly, saying,
"Okay, ask your maid to organize your schedule for two days a week for your lessons..."
"Thank you, brother."
Ariana was genuinely happy about the matter, then she bid Elliot farewell and left the office...
Elliot, who was astonished by the change in events, felt complexity and happiness and took out something palm-sized from his desk, looked at it closely, and sighed...
"Let's protect those who remain at least."
He returned the item to his desk, took out the luxurious writing tools, wrote some words on them, and then summoned the servant...
"Yes, sir."
"Send this letter to the Temple immediately, and tell them we are awaiting their reply within a week..."
. * * *.
It's been almost more than a week, and I am waiting for Cardinal Jerome's reply. Raf told me that Ivan is acting normally so that no one suspects that he was the one who asked him to examine me, and as is known, Ivan does not accept many noble cases...
The new thing in my life is that Elliot came to my room once and had a cup of tea with me, and even recommended that I go down to the conservatory because it is beautiful and I might like it. I liked the idea and went down to it the next day, and it was comfortable and refreshing, and since Raf forbade me from going out until further notice, the conservatory will be a place where I can relax. I miss Raf very much...
This week, I haven't met Raf at all. We only spoke through the communication jewel, and he barely told me some simple news. He told me that our condition will be stable for now, and he has been very busy bidding farewell to the external guests and a lot of political matters. I feel a great emptiness. I am not used to being cut off from him for such a long period. I looked at the small silver doll placed in front of me. I held it in my hand and started fiddling with it. Why hasn't he come all week?! Is he alright?! What happened to him?! Why doesn't he tell me anything?! Does he no longer need me?! Has he recovered?! I don't think so, there is still a lot of time. I am still sick, so even if he recovers, he will come and take care of me, but... If we both fully recover... will he leave me?! What does he need me for?! Aren't we friends?! Will we remain friends?! I don't want Raf to leave me even if I have to stay sick all my life.... What is this madness I am thinking?! Raf must live his life, rule the Empire, and get married... Get married?! A woman?! Will Raf be happy if he gets married?! Of course, he will be happy, why am I thinking foolishly?! But who is that woman who will make Raf happy?! There is no suitable woman yet.... And it's better that there isn't...
'You've gone mad, Aya, what are these thoughts?!'
Raf's absence and his strange behavior are driving me crazy. Raf, please come soon...
I almost grabbed and pulled my hair, but I backed down, and before I settled my seating
"Were you reading a book?! ..."
It was a familiar and unusual voice. I looked at the smiling Elliot with a happy face and returned the smile with a confused face, as the thoughts that crossed my mind moments ago hadn't allowed me to settle down yet, and Elliot seemed to notice my pale face.
"Sister, are you alright?!"
"I'm fine, but I didn't sleep well last night..."
I nodded to him, he sighed and sat in front of me and said with a face he tried to make bright,
"I asked for you in your room, but your maid told me you were here."
"Thank you, brother, for asking about me, but is there something wrong?!..."
I restored my expression to its correct form and interacted with Elliot gently. Elliot, who noticed my gentle tone, spoke in a more relaxed tone.
"Actually, there is something important I came for..."
"..."
I looked at him with anticipation and sparkling eyes, and he smiled and said,
"The good news is that Cardinal Jerome finally accepted the invitation, and he sent a letter confirming his attendance tomorrow afternoon..."
"That's the best news I've heard today..."
It was comforting news. At least maybe I will be able to ask the priest about Raf. I looked at Elliot with a bright and happy face, which made him look very happy. Then he took the book I had previously been reading and asked me,
"Sister, are you interested in herbal medicine and pharmacy?!"
I realized that the books I brought with me were about medicinal herbs. They were books I knew by heart, but I brought them because I felt bored and because there were no new books. I felt embarrassed.
"Kind of, it's a good and somewhat interesting field..."
Elliot smiled with a bright face, he really is a compassionate person...
"Well, since you like this field, why don't you study it at the Academy?"
"Yes?!"
"The new specialization at the Academy, the Emperor announced it at the last banquet, and if a high-ranking noblewoman enrolls in the new section, everyone will be excited about the matter..."
"Brother, are you joking with me?!"
"..."
"I turned twenty-one months ago, and applying to the Academy starts from the age of fifteen at most. How can I go to study at this age?!"
"Why not?! Aya, studying is not a problem, and if necessary, I will talk to His Majesty about your health condition that prevented you from academic study... I don't know much about His Majesty's opinion, but I will definitely convince him."
I felt my pulse racing with my breaths just at the mention of Raf. I missed him so much. I sighed and spoke,
"Brother, I am not very interested. I will just settle for the existing books. My health is not good for working even if I wished to..."
"Maybe one day we will find your cure, sister. You are not obliged to work, study what you love."
I felt suffocated, and I felt tears about to come out.
["It's alright, sister, I support you to complete your studies, maybe one day you will be cured..."]
It's a memory from my previous life. Elliot reminds me of my twin brother. I felt like I had a family in this life too..
"Okay, brother, I will think about it..."
Elliot smiled with a bright face and said,
"I will make sure to buy new books for you, send me a list of what you need. Well, my sister will definitely be the first in class..."
His face was enthusiastic, which made me truly happy.
"Brother, thank you..."
Elliot smiled with a bright face and excused himself to leave, and before he left,
"Oh! Sister, I'm thinking of starting your management lessons tomorrow morning..."
Was Elliot considering my suggestion this seriously? It's really nice. I tilted my head with a happy face.
"I would be happy to start..."
* * *
The next day came quickly, and Elliot was really fast, as Ariana's library was filled with many, many books. Many of them were about herbal medicine and pharmacy, and some were curriculum books for management and accounting, and their number could be counted on the fingers. The presence of the books was beautiful and enjoyable for Ariana...
She was drinking tea with a bright face, looked at the library in her room, and smiled widely.
"It seems my lady is happy."
"Certainly, my brother truly cares about me."
"The young master has always cared for the young miss."
She was speaking with a bright and excited face, so I looked at her.
"How?!"
"The young master is the one who takes care of everything concerning the miss, the food and drink, even the servants responsible for cleaning your room."
"Did Elliot do all of this for me?!"
"Yes, my lady."
Ariana felt happy, as Elliot's presence played a role in her experiencing many emotions she had lost since she moved to this world...
"My brother is wonderful, isn't he?!"
Marian laughed at the optimistic expression on her lady's face, then she remembered.
"Oh! My lady, Mister Lorenz will come to teach you in half an hour."
Ariana remembered what she had completely forgotten and nodded positively.
"What is my schedule for this week?!"
"You will study on Saturdays and Tuesdays, and the time has been set for two to three hours at most, at half past nine... And the young master said he would hand over the work to you as you progress in your studies."
"It seems my schedule is going to be busy."
She was really excited...
"My lady, when will the Lord come or when will you go to him so I can make sure to organize the schedule better?!..."
Ariana frowned and spoke with a very desperate and sad face.
"He didn't tell me anything, I feel worried..."
Marian felt that her lady was very sad, and it wasn't just worry but deeper feelings in her lady's heart, but she didn't know if her lady knew about it or not?! So she spoke in a gentle voice,
"Perhaps he is just busy, the Knights are busy bidding farewell to the Empire's guests this period..."
Ariana looked at Marian and remembered that Marian thought Raphaël was one of the Empire's Knights because she had seen his clothes that day. She sighed and tried to think positively....
'I will surely see him soon, I hope...'
Ariana looked at the hanging clock, then put down her teacup and stood up elegantly with an elegant smile.
"We shouldn't keep the teacher waiting for too long, should we?!..."
Marian nodded yes, and they smoothly moved towards the palace library on the first floor.
. * * *.
The man with slightly dark honey-brown hair, the color of his eyes, was rubbing his sweaty hands on his trousers, as he had received a request from a high-ranking noble, and despite his intelligence, the matter was very confusing—teaching the sick noble lady who had never appeared and ensuring it...
He wiped the sweat for the thousandth time, for even if he was a noble man, the family he was coming to work for was still that of a powerful, high-ranking Marquis who worked within the system..
Click!!!
The door opened, causing the man to rise from his thoughts, and his eyes fell upon the door, he opened his eyes wide... A beautiful girl with long honey-brown hair and eyes the color of the bright sky, with a beautiful, kind face and a generous smile, in a very elegant and very simple light purple dress with a simple accessory consisting of small pearl earrings and a silver necklace with a small jewel. Despite the simple appearance, nobility was exuding from her....
The man stood up awkwardly with a flushed face.
"Conal Lorenz, the second son of Count Lorenz, it is a great honor to teach the young Miss Cillas."
He bowed in an exaggerated manner in Ariana's view, who did not extend her hand and said in a gentle and gracious voice,
"Happy to meet the young master of Count Lorenz, take care of me, sir."
Ariana's gentle voice was like oil poured on fire. Conal's heart exploded, and he almost choked on his words; his face turned red as a tomato. Ariana, who didn't understand the matter, looked at him pitifully...
'Is he this nervous?! Poor thing...'
Ariana motioned for the young man to sit and sat across from him at a large table in the large palace library, which she was entering for the first time. Despite her astonishment, she pretended not to be.
She looked at the young man who barely sat down and said,
"Shall we start?!"
Conal was a thousand times nervous but finally began.
"We will start... with the basics, Miss... Th- then move on to the complex matters..."
Ariana nodded in understanding, and despite Conal's nervousness and trembling limbs, he completed the study session smoothly, and because Ariana was a diligent student, she wrote down all the important information and asked questions from time to time. Conal Lorenz was very impressed with Ariana, not only with her charming face but also with her clever mind. After finishing the lesson,
"I thank the young Miss for the honor of allowing me to teach you, it seems the Miss will learn everything quickly..."
Ariana felt refreshed upon finishing and smiled simply.
"Thank you, sir, Mister Lorenz is a wonderful teacher."
Conal's face turned red, and he bowed quickly and asked permission to leave. Ariana gave him permission and stood up to stretch her body, noticing the strange bracelet that she had almost forgotten about due to her getting used to it...
'I couldn't remove it from my hand despite its loose size, and when I asked Raf, he answered me the same thing—the bracelet was not removed from his hand, and we must wait for Ivan... When will Ivan come? Ivan Jerome, one of Cassian's strongest priests, intelligent, cunning, and with holy power, but the priest blindly followed Emperor Raphaël, and the strange thing is that he helped Duke Philip Silvano in destroying the authority of the Temple. The strange thing is, why did he help the man who killed his master?! And there is one thing—what makes Raf want to destroy the Temple?! I know they are corrupt, and I know they interfere in the system of governance, but what Raf cares about is his people, and he won't care about who has the power of authority. There is a bigger issue that makes Raf want to destroy the Temple, he even made Ivan abandon revenge for his master and go to destroy the Temple in the novel...'
"My lady, it is lunchtime."
Ariana looked at Marian who was smiling funnily and was puzzled. The two moved towards the third floor, and while going up, Ariana spoke,
"What is going on with you?! Marian."
...... To be continued ......