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Chapter 10
“I’ll definitely succeed and make things easier for you, Priestess.”
In her previous life, by the time she had achieved success, this orphanage had already disappeared.
Priestess Marceria had died young from an illness after years of hardship, and the orphans who had lost their guardian had been scattered in different directions.
Marceria smiled gently.
“Don’t say things like that. If you’re happy, that’s enough for me.”
Even though Prim knew she was being sincere, she stubbornly insisted on what she had said.
After their conversation ended, Priestess Marceria picked Prim up and carried her out of the room.
But she soon stopped and smiled.
Rozien was sitting against the wall in the hallway. It was late, and the boy had fallen asleep while leaning against the wall.
“Rozien.”
“……!”
At Marceria’s voice, Rozien’s eyes opened wide and he quickly stood up.
“Are you done talking? All done?”
When the two of them nodded, he stretched his arms.
Marceria watched him yawn and asked,
“But have you been waiting here this whole time?”
“Yeah, well……”
Rozien scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed.
“Were you worried I might make Prim walk back by herself?”
“That’s not it. I was worried someone might bother her.”
Prim looked at Rozien in surprise.
But Rozien’s expression remained calm.
“She’s just small and white, like a little dog. There might be people who want to bully her.”
“I’m…… a dog?”
Prim blinked.
Only then did Rozien realize that his words sounded strange. He jumped in surprise.
“No, no! No. No, no!”
“You said ‘no’ five times. Strong denial is strong affirma—”
“Because you’re not! You’re a white skylark! A skylark! A cat! A chick!”
“Where have you ever seen a white chick?”
“You just feel like a white chick…… Ah, right! Lily of the Valley! Lily of the Valley!”
Watching the two children bicker, Priestess Marceria smiled.
But soon, she pressed her lips together bitterly.
She was worried about what would happen to the boy after the girl left, but there was nothing she could do.
It was still before sunrise when Prim gently shook Rozien in the bed beside hers.
“Rozien.”
“Mmm……? Prim?”
Rozien woke up quickly.
Children who had spent a long time wandering the streets tended to sleep lightly and wake up at even the smallest disturbance.
“I want to go to the temple.”
At Prim’s whisper, Rozien woke completely and got out of bed.
“We’ll have to come back soon, though.”
Once the sun rose fully, it would be time for breakfast, so they had to return before then and help prepare everything.
“Yeah. Even so.”
Rozien readily turned his back toward her.
Prim reached out and climbed onto his back.
Rozien quietly yawned as he slipped out of the children’s bedroom without making a sound.
“Up we go. What are you going to do at the temple?”
“I want to pray.”
“What are you going to pray for? To ask to pass the perfumer exam?”
At moments like this, Prim suddenly felt as if her heart were being tickled.
The Rozien she remembered from her previous life had been a man who did not pray to the gods.
But there had been a time when even he had thought about doing this.
There had been a time when he wondered whether he should pray to pass the exam.
Prim wrapped her arms tightly around Rozien’s neck and spoke quietly.
“That’s not something prayer can solve. I have to do it with my own ability.”
“……”
Rozien was silent for a moment.
Prim secretly watched his expression.
Did I say something strange?
“……Well, but it’s okay if you pray for me.”
“Oh, it’s okay? You’re saying I can pray for you?”
Rozien’s back shook slightly.
It seemed like he was trying not to laugh.
Prim quickly corrected herself.
“No, I mean, I’d like that. It’s a good thing.”
“What kind of answer is that? It’s not just ‘good.’ If I’m going to pray for you, shouldn’t you be grateful?”
“You’re right. Thank you. I’ll make all the perfumes you need, too. Even ones with blessings that you can spray on your sword.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Then I really can become a Grand Lord, right?”
“Yes.”
Prim answered immediately without even smiling.
That was why she had returned.
Instead, Rozien became embarrassed.
“Hey, hey. Don’t tell anyone else……”
“Tell them what?”
“Our plans for the future. It’s our secret. Just between the two of us.”
“Okay.”
Prim wondered if there was really anything to be embarrassed about, but she did not point it out. She simply nodded.
Rozien seated Prim in the very front of the temple, which was still dark because the sun had not risen yet, and then sat down beside her.
On the altar a little farther away was the bouquet Prim had made and offered not long ago.
Prim clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.
Rozien looked uninterested, but he copied her, clasping his hands and closing his eyes.
Feeling the bouquet’s slightly faded fragrance, Prim spoke inside her mind.
Varin.
Soon, Varin’s grumpy voice answered.
— A whole day has passed. You could at least have learned the prayer by now.
I’m in a hurry right now. I’m sorry. Varin, could you give me a divine revelation telling the Inquisitors to come here because Baron and Baroness Corvas are heretics?
The Baron and Baroness Corvas had adopted children from various places.
Of course, it was not because they intended to raise them well.
They wanted to use those children as ingredients to create fragrances containing evil power.
With the blood and tears of innocent children.
Why else would they have become so interested in Prim at first sight, treated her so carefully, and immediately said they wanted to adopt her?
It was probably because she was a child who could provide blood and tears simply by standing up.
Otherwise, why would they want to take in a cursed and unsettling child?
They intended to use the fragrances they made to deceive high-ranking nobles and Electors and gain power.
All of their attempts ultimately failed.
Human bodily fluids, such as tears and blood, almost never worked as fragrance materials in the first place. In other words, their perfumery had practically failed from the very beginning.
But before their crimes were completely exposed, Vianna was not the only child who continued to be sacrificed.
Other children were sacrificed as well.
The gods never accept human sacrifices.
Therefore, killing someone under the excuse of offering something to a god was, by definition, heresy.
Wasn’t that also why Yulberon’s followers had chased Prim in her previous life?
Because she had caused people to die in order to make fragrances.
Varin remained silent.
Prim cautiously opened one eye.
Rozien seemed to be praying carelessly with his eyes closed.
Meanwhile, the bouquet was trembling faintly on its own.
— I, I don’t have any Inquisitors……
Ah.
The current Varin had no Inquisitors.
He did not even have any believers.
He only had Priestess Marceria and Prim.
— You know you’re the only two I have right now!
Humiliation and embarrassment could be heard in the god’s voice.
Prim whispered again.
Of course I know. That’s not what I meant. I was wondering if you could ask Yulberon, the God of Justice and Pride.
— Th…… Ah……
There were Inquisitors directly under Luminoxia Isla who oversaw all the believers of the thirteen gods.
That included the six gods of Aiser, the six gods of Noxrak, and Varin, the god of the outskirts and the edge, the baked potato and asparagus.
But each individual god also had their own Inquisitors.
Among them, the Inquisitors under Yulberon, the God of Justice and Pride, were famous for being the most ruthless.
The leader of those who had chased Prim in her previous life had also been a follower of Yulberon.
With a god already carrying the title “Justice and Pride,” what more needed to be said?
Also, to move the Inquisitors directly under Luminoxia Isla, they needed an order from the High Seat and proper evidence.
But the Inquisitors under each individual god could act without evidence as long as they had a divine revelation from their god.
Just as they had chased Prim in her previous life after receiving Yulberon’s divine revelation.
Prim knew about Baron Corvas’s crimes because she had seen the future.
But right now, she had neither the strength nor the ability to gather evidence.
This was the best solution she could think of.
— ……My little Lily of the Valley.
Yes. Prim is right here.
Prim answered quietly.
— It’s not that I can’t contact Yulberon because I’m trying to protect my pride. ……Well, um, ahem. The thing is, even the fact that I can give you a divine revelation right now isn’t possible simply because of the fragrance from that bouquet.
Varin hurriedly continued.
— It takes an enormous amount of power to clearly communicate my will to a believer. It really isn’t easy! Directly telling someone the will of a god is a very serious matter!
Then how is it possible right now?
She had offered Varin only one bouquet.
How was he able to do it?
— You and I went through something very important together, remember? You are also proof of my miracle. So, my Lily of the Valley has become a holy relic touched by my power. It’s like there is a wide-open road between you and me.
— That’s why even a little fragrance is enough.
……Then.
Prim tightened her clasped hands.
What if I offer you more fragrance?
— Well…… if it’s a properly made fragrance, it’s not completely impossible. But I still need power to communicate with Yulberon. That guy has a very high opinion of himself. I’d probably have to push some fragrance over to him just to convince him to give a divine revelation. And he’ll probably demand that we provide the power for him to actually give the revelation, too.
But dealing with heresy is a great honor, isn’t it? Even then?
— The only evidence I can show Yulberon is my word that I want to protect you.
Varin hesitated before continuing.
— My little Lily of the Valley, I understand how you feel, and I’m sorry too…… but there isn’t even a proper perfumery here, let alone proper fragrance materials.
To create a fragrance powerful enough for that, she needed a well-organized workspace and refined, high-quality fragrance materials.
That was impossible in a poor orphanage like this.
But Prim’s clear green eyes shone brightly.
No. There is a place where the materials are ready.
— Oh, Prim, my Lily of the Valley! You don’t mean that crazy couple’s villa, do you?
Varin, if I offer you a fragrance, and if it’s enough, will you ask Yulberon to send his Inquisitors?
— Of course I will. But child, calm down! How is throwing yourself into danger to save that insolent little girl going to help the future of you and me?
Varin’s voice was gentle and soft, almost as if he were trying to tempt her.
But gods were neither merciful nor warm.
Toward those who did not believe in them, they could be indifferent, and sometimes even more cruel than that.
Prim briefly opened her eyes.
When she looked to the side, the boy was innocently murmuring a prayer.
I hope there are lots of potatoes on the table today. But please let Prim pass the perfumer exam, too. I’m going to work hard as well, but……
If Rozien knew what would happen, if he knew that Vianna would be adopted and murdered before she even reached adulthood, he would do anything he could to stop it.
Because he was a good person.
……You said the perfumery the Baron and Baroness left behind was incredible.
If I could have that perfumery now, then I wouldn’t have to worry about preparing for the perfumer qualification exam, either.
In fact, as things stood, Prim would have to borrow money just to prepare for the perfumer qualification exam.
But even borrowing money was not easy.
People did not lend money to just anyone.
— Do you really think that perfumery will fall into your hands? Even if Yulberon finds out that you have a share in this matter, that idiot isn’t going to casually give a divine revelation saying, “Everyone! Hurry to Sanvertal right now, eliminate the heretics, and hand all of their property over to Varin’s temple there.”
Varin sneered.
Prim tilted her head.
I’m going to be adopted by the Corvas couple.
— Huh?
Normally, children inherit their parents’ property, right?
Even though it’s the property of heretics, there will still be an innocent victim and heir, so I should be able to inherit it.
— Well, yes, I suppose…… but…… can you inherit the property of parents you killed?
I didn’t kill them.
That’s the job of Yulberon’s Inquisitors.
— But you ordered them to do it!
Only Varin and Yulberon know that.
Yulberon wouldn’t give some detailed divine revelation saying, “Prim reported her adoptive parents as heretics, so she cannot inherit their property,” would he?
Varin fell silent for a moment.
Like all skills, perfumery became dull if you stopped practicing.
In Varin’s plan, there was no period in which Prim’s senses could become dull or stagnant.
Prim had to become recognized as the greatest perfumer and rise to the top as quickly as possible.
Prim’s reasoning made sense.
But what if something went wrong?
They could not take that much of a risk right now.
To Varin, Prim was his only stake in the game.
They would be risking the entire stake for something worth less than the stake itself.
If things went wrong, they could lose everything.
— Th-then! More importantly! My Lily of the Valley! How are you planning to offer me a fragrance all the way over there? If you don’t come to this temple……!
I’ve thought about that, too.
— No, but……
Varin lost his chance to say anything more.
The bouquet suddenly dried up and crumbled as if it had been dried for ten years.
Even though there was a wide-open road between Prim and Varin, she could not travel along it for free.
While Varin shouted words Prim could no longer hear, Prim finished her prayer.
I’ll bring you an even better fragrance next time, Varin.
“Are you done? Shall we go?”
Rozien had finished his prayers long ago and had simply been watching Prim pray.
He quickly approached and picked her up onto his back.
“Rozien.”
“Yeah, why?”
Rozien adjusted Prim on his back.
It was also one of his habits.
Whenever Prim, whether she was being carried on his back or in his arms, spoke to him, Rozien always adjusted his hold on her once before answering.
Thinking that he had already had this habit back then made Prim’s heart ache strangely.
“……I want to ride the swing.”
“Oh! Sure, sure!”
At Prim’s one sentence saying she wanted to ride the swing, Rozien immediately climbed the hill with her on his back.
He seemed extremely happy that Prim had become interested in the swing.
Thinking about the swing she had completely neglected in her previous life, Prim swallowed her guilt like someone mixing sweet jam into tea and drinking it.
“The weather is really nice, isn’t it?”
Rozien said as he pushed the swing.
Prim looked at the early morning sky as the sun was just beginning to rise.
While they rode the swing, the two of them sometimes hummed along with the choir’s songs.
They also reviewed chess and Ancient Kölento, which Prim had suddenly started pestering Priestess Marceria to teach her together with him.
When the morning sun had fully risen, Prim said,
“Rozien, we’re family, right?”
“Of course! Of course!”
Rozien answered cheerfully.
After Prim had been cursed in her previous life, she had told Rozien to leave her.
An orphan who could not walk would only be a burden.
At that time, Rozien’s entire face had been wet with tears.
With a trembling voice and a forced smile, he had stubbornly insisted,
— We’re fa…… We’re practically family. No, we’re family, right? Aren’t we?
Their hair colors were different, and there was not a single resemblance between their faces. Anyone could see that they were unrelated.
But they stayed together.
There was simply no reason for them to separate.
Rozien was the one who called that family.
Because they were family, he promised that he would never leave her behind, no matter what happened.
— That’s why you protected me too……
After crying so hard that his eyes had become red and swollen, almost as red as his hair, Rozien picked Prim up again.
That was how the two of them had come this far.
And they had gone even farther.
Together.
“So even if we’re apart for a little while, we’ll meet again soon, right?”
“We can just not be apart.”
“……That’s right. We can just not be apart.”
But even if they really did have to be apart for a little while……
Prim spoke.
“……Rozien, they said I’m going to be adopted.”
The hand that had been gently pushing the swing stopped.
Prim tightened her grip on the swing’s ropes.
She wanted to see Rozien’s face behind her, but she could not force herself to turn around.
Instead, she spoke.
“They said Baron and Baroness Corvas want to adopt me.”
“……You…… You didn’t like those people.”
Rozien finally managed to speak.
His voice was numb and strained, as if he had caught a cold.
But he did not sound surprised by the unexpected news.
Once he finally found his voice, Rozien hurriedly added,
“If you say you don’t want to go, Priestess won’t force you to leave, either, right? Vianna has said several times that she doesn’t want to be adopted, hasn’t she?”
Because of Vianna’s striking appearance, there had been people willing to adopt even a child from this remote orphanage.
But whenever Vianna said she did not want to go, Marceria would come up with various excuses and refuse to send her away.
“I said I would go.”
At Prim’s words, Rozien finally ran around to stand in front of her.
His deep green eyes trembled like waves.
He opened his mouth as though he were about to shout.
“Even if you’re going to be adopted, you……!”
Prim knew what words he had swallowed.
You can’t even walk by yourself.
He was the one who had carried her everywhere.
He knew that better than anyone.
But Prim did not even have time to feel hurt.
Instead, Rozien looked even more shocked by his own thoughts.
