Chapter 47

#047 Living Twice (5)

-Whoosh!

"What the...?"

Claudine Green muttered in a daze.

The inn she had cherished like family and loved like kin was now engulfed in flames.

The sudden and absurd nature of the event made her mind come to a complete halt.

"Is there really no one left inside? No one at all?"

"Maurice, calm down! Everyone was out to see off the prince. It's okay!"

Then, a familiar voice snapped her back to reality. Claudine quickly turned her head.

She saw the inn staff holding back Maurice, who was about to rush inside, and the villagers standing in shock.

She also noticed the children and their guardians who had already evacuated to the opposite side of the square.

Only then did a burning emotion rise in her chest.

"What are you all doing! Can't you quickly fetch water and put out the fire?"

Claudine shouted fiercely.

People began to shrink back, glancing at each other nervously.

Some stepped back, while others moved forward, creating a chaotic scene.

"Do you want to see the inn burn down? Do you want to lose all the gifts and tips? Move quickly!"

The woman's round eyes were filled with intense anger. Her words were spot on.

Yet, strangely, no one stepped forward to help.

The atmosphere was strangely different from that of a winter ten years ago.

Feeling suffocated, she took a step forward.

"Maurice! Don't just stand there, go fetch water!"

"Aunt... "

"Stop tormenting your nephew."

At that moment, someone stepped in front of the young man. Claudine recognized her.

One of the village representatives.

"Marie."

"Maurice and we no longer listen to you. I mean it."

Despite her trembling voice, Marie's eyes were unwavering.

Claudine gritted her teeth.

"Are you all crazy? Without Le Chiffre, Luc village is finished, finished!"

"It won't be. Our horticulture is thriving, and we have stored grain."

Marie replied calmly.

Claudine looked at her as if she had been struck hard on the back of the head.

Anger welled up inside her, making her mouth taste bitter.

These people. They must have set the inn on fire.

"You ungrateful... You don't even remember the kindness of being fed and clothed! Are you even human?"

She screamed. Then, she strode towards the well to fetch water.

People moved out of her way like the tide.

Blood trickled from her bitten lips, and her eyes glowed with a faint madness.

"Beasts! Even the village dogs have more conscience than you!"

Claudine cursed as she fetched water.

Water splashed on her elegantly dressed dress and dirtied her shoes, but she paid no attention, carrying the bucket.

People trembled with fear for their future and dread of Claudine.

But they clenched their teeth and closed their eyes, enduring.

Being together made them feel safe, and tomorrow would surely be fine.

"If I can save the inn, just wait and see! From now on, 80% of the gifts will go to—"

-Splash!

Claudine poured water on the first floor of the inn. Then, an unbelievable thing happened.

"What...?"

The water she had fetched scattered before it even touched the flames.

The droplets in the air floated back to the well as if returning home.

Children gasped in amazement at the sight.

"What, what is this? Why is this happening!"

Her voice filled the square.

Claudine huffed and ran back to the well with the bucket.

"Claudine, stop."

Someone tried to stop her, and she turned her head sharply.

The thorn in her side, village representative Teddy, stood in front of the elderly in the square.

"Shut up."

"Your father and you have suffered for a long time. But the ones you've shown kindness to are not us."

"Shut up, I said!"

"Your inn. You've cherished it by taking our money."

"What do you know!"

Claudine's veins bulged as she growled.

She ran back to the inn with the second bucket she had quickly filled.

She lifted it to her chest and poured it forcefully.

-Splash!

Large droplets danced in the air, still not touching the flames.

Claudine staggered, dazed.

Whatever they had done, the wicked villagers were clearly determined to destroy the inn.

There was no way to put out the fire like this. She slumped down in front of the inn.

"What gives you the right to ignore my father's contributions! Who are you to do this!"

She roared, her neck veins bulging, and her eyes bloodshot.

Her red face twitched as if it would burst at any moment.

"How did my father and I build this inn!"

"Raising someone else's child by tormenting them is not raising them. It's ruining them."

At that moment, a clear and resonant voice rang out.

Claudine and the villagers turned to the source of the sound.

The blue-jacketed princess, Cristel de Sarnaise, stood in the square.

*

-Whoosh...

"Wow..."

I had heard this would happen, but it was even more amazing to see it in person.

I held Demi tightly and watched the spectacle before my eyes.

The lesser panda stretched out its front paws and swiped at the flower flames.

"Goodness, how...?"

"It's the will of the deity, the will of the deity..."

The villagers murmured incessantly.

As soon as Cristel delivered her dramatic line, the flames of Le Chiffre Inn vanished in an instant.

It was more like they 'disappeared' rather than being extinguished.

The fire seemed to dissipate like a mirage...

"My goodness!"

"Wow!"

There was not even a trace of damage left! Exclamations of amazement poured out from the crowd.

The inn, which should have been reduced to blackened bones, was almost intact, with only slight scorch marks.

Even the flower beds were unscathed.

I was equally surprised, having accompanied Cristel.

"Princess, why did you buy such a magic tool?"

A 'magic tool that makes a loud noise without an explosion' was one thing, but a 'hollow flame magic tool'?

Both the purpose of sale and purchase seemed highly dubious.

I was seriously worried if it was okay to leave 'Rigo General Trading' as it was.

Was Cristel planning a revolution in her second life?

The red flavor that melts when bitten...

"Ugh, I suddenly used aether and feel dizzy."

She said something off-topic. Right, that was it.

"Please hold my arm."

Cristel smiled and quickly extended her right arm.

She had used aether to finely control the water Claudine poured on the inn from a distance.

I grabbed her elbow with one arm and began to transfer aether through contact.

From her appearance, it didn't seem like a serious deficiency, but maybe it was the type that didn't show outwardly?

"Thank you. Huh?"

Suddenly, I felt the ground beneath my feet give way.

I staggered, feeling a strangely familiar sensation of aether being drained from my body.

At the same time, someone grabbed the back of my neck.

Or, did they grab my neck first, and then the aether was drained?

Confused, I turned around.

"Prince."

"..."

Why is he so pale? Was he afraid Cristel would really burn down the inn?

"Let go a bit. Why do you grab someone's neck when they start to flail?"

The prince released his grip as if pushing my neck away. Cristel quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I must have absorbed too much aether because I was tired."

"It's fine. Please be more careful next time."

I said.

Since quick action was crucial, we had already agreed to transfer aether through physical contact.

It was probably difficult for Cristel to control this method, being her first time.

Wait, did I just casually promise a 'next time'?

"It's not acceptable! Viscount!"

A loud voice suddenly rang out. We turned to find the source.

The villagers' gazes were already fixed on the spot.

"Claudine Green. You are charged with insulting the royal family and extorting money from the residents of Luc village, making you a criminal to Emperor Frederick."

"No, Viscount! I am innocent!"

Claudine, who was in a mess, was being held up by a soldier.

After the luncheon yesterday, the prince had sent a message to the castle to reinforce the troops.

Soldiers who had been hiding on the outskirts of the village since dawn arrived with a transport carriage and tied up Claudine with ropes.

"But there's no evidence!"

"There is evidence. Here, the fee payment ledger your nephew Maurice has been keeping."

"Wh-what?"

Claudine's eyes widened.

Sir Elizabeth pulled out a stack of old papers from her coat with a face devoid of any smile.

Her gray eyes were as sharp as the tip of her sword.

"It's a record of the past ten years. The handwriting will need to be authenticated, but it's likely yours."

"How... How could this be..."

Claudine's lips trembled.

Her always kind and smiling face turned red and blue in an instant. It was eerie.

"Maurice! I told you to burn it right away!"

"Aunt, this wasn't the right thing to do. You know that... "

"You, who only ate and drank, are still holding me back? Are you even family!?"

Claudine spat at Maurice. But before the spit reached Maurice's face,

-Splash!

A large droplet hit Claudine's face.

Instantly drenched