Chapter 7

(What is this...?)

It's a mansion somewhere. In the front garden, there is a large tree with uniquely colored leaves. In a spacious living room with a big fireplace, a girl around ten years old is holding a doll with a smile.

The doll looks brand new, of course, with no holes in its cheeks, and its hair and dress are shiny.

A woman who seems to be the girl's mother speaks to her.

"Grandpa's gift, are you happy? Take good care of it."

"Yep! I named her Lily. We'll always be together!"

The girl is playing with the doll, and the doll, seated on a small chair with a toy cake in front of it, looks very happy—

Suddenly, she came to her senses.

(What was that just now...?)

A dream? No way. It's daytime, and I'm not sleeping. Then, what was that—

In her confused vision, the scene of the doll jumping at Diluc appeared.

Diluc, standing protectively in front of Yuno, radiates tension and anger.

(What should I do... Ah, right, the doll's name.)

"Lily!" she called out instinctively.

If the scene in her head was real, the doll's name is Lily.

"Your name is Lily, right? Marie named you that."

Ruben, taken aback by Yuno suddenly speaking to a magical artifact, asks, "What are you talking about...?"

Not just Ruben, everyone in the room looks at Yuno with the same puzzled expression.

But—

"Hey, it stopped..."

The doll's movement stopped. It hangs in the air, surprised.

Amid everyone's shock, the doll slowly descends as if its strength has left it, and then sits down on the corridor floor.

***

"I see. The magical doll—"

In the reception room on the first floor, the High Priest, who has finally arrived, listens to Ruben's account and his expression changes from apologetic to surprised.

"The doll is completely free of evil energy. You said your name is Yuno, right? So, you can use the 'Purification' magic, which is said to be lost..."

(Purification...?)

Yuno, holding the now calm doll on her lap, sits shallowly on the sofa. She feels uncomfortable under the attention of Diluc, the High Priest, and Ruben.

Ruben speaks to Yuno with a serious face.

"I confirmed with the maids who were on cleaning duty yesterday, and indeed, I had locked the door properly. So, you must have been the one who unlocked it today. You broke the seal."

"No way..."

"I find it hard to believe too, but it's a fact. And that doll. I hear it started moving when you touched it. This has never happened before, and only I and the High Priest can seal and unseal the magical artifacts in that room. As the High Priest said, you have the power of purification. A purification magic that others can't use."

(I can use magic...?)

No way. It's hard to believe. Her painful memories loudly deny it in her head.

But, but, maybe—. A hope she has never had before swells in her chest.

She has always been told that "a person who can't use magic has no value." But maybe it's different. Maybe she can use magic.

"That's good."

It's Diluc. His tone is indifferent, but he said something she never expected.

Surprised, Yuno hears him say in a reluctant tone,

"You've been troubled by this for a long time, haven't you? Your family will be happy, won't they?"

Yuno's face involuntarily twists. Thinking of her mother and Cindy still makes her heart cold.

Diluc looks at her curiously.

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing..."

She doesn't want anyone to know that she was disowned.

"—Right," Diluc frowns.

"So, the image you 'saw'—"

Yuno nods to Ruben's question. Indeed, this doll is called 'Lily,' and its owner was a girl named Marie.

"Marie's house is a large mansion... I saw a big tree in the garden. The tips of the leaves were red and very beautiful."

"Red tips?" Diluc reacts.

"It's an Allri tree. They're rare around here. I think I saw one in the garden of the Kafud Duke's house."

"Really?"

Was that really a real scene...

"I remember it well because the Duke's nephew is a knight. I think there was a little girl too. The Duke's granddaughter, about ten years old."

"That's her!"

She can't help but exclaim.

(Amazing. Marie really exists.)

Yuno, unusually excited, hears Diluc say in a low voice,

"That girl isn't Marie. The doll is quite old, so Marie must be much older now. Or—she might not be in this world anymore."

That's right. She's right. Her joy turns to disappointment. She spoke without thinking. She feels embarrassed and pitiful.

"I don't remember, but was there a woman named Marie in the Kafud Duke's family?"

"I've never heard of her."

Turning her gaze from Diluc and the High Priest, she looks at the doll on her lap. It sits quietly, a stark contrast to its behavior in the magical artifact room. It's too quiet.

Still, she remembers the poignant sound of calling it 'Marie.'

Looking at this doll, she remembers the doll she had as a child. The doll that Cindy took away, the doll that Yuno couldn't protect—

Yuno swallows hard and tentatively asks,

"Um, I'd like to ask about this doll at the Kafud Duke's house..."

It feels like the first time she's said she wants to do something.

But she wants to. This doll—Lily—must want to meet its owner, Marie. She wants to help them meet. For Lily's sake, and for the doll she had as a child.

"—Okay. I'll go with you."

Although he agrees verbally, Diluc's attitude remains cold. Still, he protected her then. She thinks that's enough, but her chest hurts.

To avoid the pain,

"Thank you. —That's good."

The doll, which had been unresponsive, finally lifts its head and looks at Yuno intently.

(Is she happy?)

Finally, her heart warms.

The High Priest, who has been watching, smiles.

"The doll seems to feel safe with you. It has the power but is free of evil, so it's safe now. Return it to its owner. If anything happens, Ruben has more magic power than I do, so he can be relied upon."

"You weren't very reliable just now."

Diluc laughs teasingly, and Ruben frowns.

(Ruben can laugh...?)

She shouldn't be thinking this, but she feels down again.

Ruben leaves the reception room to see the High Priest off, leaving Yuno and Diluc alone.

Silence descends immediately. Four years ago, she was thrilled by the short time they could spend together.

Not knowing what to do, Yuno feels uneasy. Diluc asks in a stiff voice,

"When the doll came at you in front of the magical artifact room, you tried to protect me. ...Why?"

At that moment, she reaffirmed her feelings. But she can't say that.

"Because... Diluc-sama protected me first..."

She can only stammer and look away.

Diluc looks at her intently, then finally relaxes his shoulders as if giving up.

"...Yuno, you haven't changed at all."

She's hurt by the comment, but it's true.

But the next words are unexpected.

"You haven't changed. You always care more about others than yourself. You've always been like that."

"Huh...?"

Surprised by the unexpected words, Yuno waits for Diluc's next words. But Diluc says nothing more.

"Um—"

She notices that the left sleeve of Diluc's shirt, where it's folded, is black. After four years of cleaning the palace, she notices the dirt easily. That black is—soot.

(Why would there be soot now, when it's not the season for fireplaces?)

It must have gotten on him when he protected her in front of the magical artifact room. She looks at her own left shoulder, which is also black with soot.

(Oh no...)

In a panic, she stands up without thinking and grabs Diluc's left sleeve.

Diluc, surprised by the sudden action, stares at her.

Yuno tries to brush off the dirt with both hands. It doesn't come off. What should she do? She caused a stain while being protected.

"I'm sorry. I'll clean it right away—"

Their eyes meet. Blue eyes are right in front of her, and before she can be surprised, she is drawn in.

Diluc, who is still looking at her, gasps. Then, as if unable to bear his feelings, he reaches out his arm.

"Yuno, I—"

"The High Priest has been sent off."

Ruben appears.

"Are you going to the Duke's house tomorrow? —Is something wrong?"

Ruben looks curiously at Diluc, whose hand is frozen in mid-air.

Diluc lets out a big sigh.

"—Nothing's wrong."

"Really? Diluc-sama, your face is red."

"It's not red."

"No, it is. Are you hot? It's cool today."

Ruben, glared at silently by Diluc, looks unconvinced.