Chapter 55 – Turbulence Part I
On July 14, 1187 AD, a rest day.
The construction of the new wing of the mansion had already begun days ago. Designed by Master Michel, the royal architect of the House of Esenber, the foundation was rapidly taking shape under his supervision. Stones were being delivered to the courtyard and piled up in recent days, and the craftsmen were diligently working. The once bright and clean Vilow Garden was bustling again.
According to Shalman, after some time, when the bottom floor and the grand hall were completed and the sky garden officially started, the side walls facing each other on the first and second floors would be knocked down to connect with the middle floor and the sky garden. Then, the two small buildings would truly become one.
In the future, if I have any requests, there’s no need to go through all the trouble of going downstairs, then out the door, and knocking on the neighbor’s door like before. Now, I only need to walk through the sky garden or the first-floor hall, less than a hundred steps, without even pushing a door, and directly enter the “No. 2 Villa on Orlund Street,” now the West Wing of the Vilow Mansion.
The East Wing is No. 3 Villa.
This means that in the future, if Victoria wants to launch another night raid on me, just like that night, she can simply take advantage of my drowsiness and act recklessly without needing any excuse like “renovating the bath.” She doesn’t even need to think; she only needs to walk less than a hundred steps to directly sneak into my second-floor room, and with just a few more steps, reach the bedroom door.
—I need to quickly put a steel lock on the bedroom door.
Thinking about that night and everything that happened, I felt extremely fearful…
I spent the first night back in a state of unease, and even in my dreams, it was about Victoria attacking me. She silently walked to my bedside, tied me up in a shameful position with hemp rope, her eyes filled with ferocity, and she grinned wickedly as she pounced onto the bed and tickled me.
I woke up in fright.
I woke up to see the wind and sun outside, the entire garden full of spring light.
Of course, it was still midsummer.
But for Esenber, July was already the end of summer, and such scorching weather could not last much longer. After early August, the overall temperature would drop sharply, the wind would turn cool, and I could finally wear my beautiful but hot dresses outside.
Thinking about this, I felt much better.
After bathing, I jumped down the stairs, cooked a bowl of peas, but felt unsatisfied, so I ate the breakfast that Shalman sent over, which finally gave me some satisfaction. Then I wanted to eat the almond cake I bought yesterday, wanting to read while eating, but construction started outside again. The craftsmen were chiseling stones, making a clanging noise that was too loud, making it impossible to concentrate, so I put down the book and went out.
Not long after entering the courtyard, I saw Shalman standing next to the fruit grove, talking to someone.
“Good morning, Miss Sylvie.”
She immediately stopped talking and bowed slightly, and the designer and craftsmen beside her followed suit.
“Good morning,” I politely responded.
I don’t know from when, but Shalman seemed to regard me as half a mistress… or perhaps the lady of the house. In short, she would fulfill all my requests—of course, I wouldn’t make unreasonable demands—she always paid attention to my condition, arranged three meals a day for me, provided services such as boiling water, washing clothes, managing household affairs, and purchasing necessities, and even ordered others to serve me when she wasn’t around. Not long ago, she offered to arrange two personal maids for me to continue serving me when I slept or traveled, but I declined.
I still didn’t quite get used to having people follow me around all the time, the noble treatment that was common in this world, I couldn’t quite enjoy it, feeling uncomfortable even at Santel堡. Even there, I rarely had servants follow me around.
This had nothing to do with my memories and habits from my previous life, but rather because the girl named Peilo never liked being waited on hand and foot, disliked being followed around all the time, or else she wouldn’t have secretly run out so many times and worked as a shop assistant in a bakery.
However, basic things that avoided having to do them myself, such as washing clothes, were naturally enjoyable when done by someone else. This meant I wouldn’t waste too much of my own time on trivial matters.
Therefore, regardless of whether it was Victoria’s command, I still felt grateful to Shalman because she was indeed meticulous and thoughtful, saving me a lot of effort.
The only flaw was that she was in cahoots with Victoria.
And now it seemed that she had become the general manager of the new mansion… regarding this point, I would have to be careful in the future… no, definitely be careful.
Especially when she and Victoria were both at the mansion, and they were bored…
Thinking here, I subconsciously turned my head and asked her, “Vicky… Her Majesty?”
“Her Majesty stayed at the palace last night. Recently, her Majesty has been very busy with numerous meetings and affairs, and may not return these days.”
“Oh…”
I breathed a sigh of relief inside—it was good this way, I didn’t have to worry about facing the embarrassing embarrassment that night, which made me sleep poorly.
But what came next was a slight sense of loss.
If Victoria wasn’t here, there wouldn’t be anyone to talk to…
I still had something to ask her…
Staying in the courtyard watching the construction for a while, I left Shalman’s side and returned to the mansion, cleaned up the dishes I used, threw them in the kitchen, and someone would wash them later. Then I sat on the sofa, hugged my legs, frowned, and began to worry about how to spend my rest day.
Outside, the clanging noises continued.
The mansion was too noisy during the day, making it impossible to concentrate on reading, and with so many people busy in the courtyard, I couldn’t practice swordsmanship either. Originally, I planned to seek Victoria’s advice on new problems after the craftsmen left in the evening, but Shalman said she couldn’t come back…
Being at home was boring, and going shopping was too hot, and I couldn’t think of anything to do.
Should I go to the dense forest outside the city…
I always felt… I’ve been eating too much recently, and the chaotic power inside seems to have expanded a lot…
After thinking for a long time, I decided to go to the church first, and then decide based on the time and weather when I came out.
So I changed into a dress, held an umbrella, greeted Shalman, went out onto the street, hailed a horse-drawn carriage, agreed on the price, put away the umbrella, got in, the driver flicked the whip, the hooves sounded, and the carriage galloped away in a burst of neighing sounds, heading towards Saint Zayri Cathedral.
It had been a long time since I saw Ellie, and I wanted to go see her again.
But when I arrived at the cathedral and asked the monks, I learned that Ellie and the others had already left.
“A few days ago, the restoration work of Catiloma was finally completed, and after that, the children all went back… Heh, when they were here, they would always run around in the nave or even the entrance hall, and we thought they were noisy. Now suddenly, there’s no one running around, and strangely, I feel a bit lonely…”
“Miss Sylvie, if you have compassion for Ellie, you can sincerely bless her now. Not long ago, the little girl made a lifelong vow to the great deity, promising to dedicate her life to faith and become an apprentice nun in the royal city diocese!”
“Ellie should be a nun. We all like that child. Almost no one among the clergy of Saint Zayri doesn’t like her.
, despite her young age, already possessed remarkable sanctity and prudence.”
“Kindness, patience, charity, grace, faithfulness, humility, and temperance—these excellent qualities, twelve-year-old little Ali has already acquired them all. Most importantly, she has a heart capable of embracing the world. Although compared to the admirable lady you are, her heart is still a bit tender, hehe.”
“But she is a good seed, truly a good seed. Given time, she might achieve great things. We have all seen this, which is why the Bishop recommended her to study in the Holy City. This is a rare opportunity!”
“She left with Cardinal Saint George’s entourage. The rhinoceros-drawn carriage set off on July 12th early in the morning. That day, all the children saw her off. The scene… ah, it was indeed heartbreaking, but I sincerely felt happy for her. Perhaps, after a few more years, Little Ali’s blessings from the power of faith will shock everyone! She might become the next candidate for the position of the Holy Maiden or enter the Choir of Saints… I have this premonition…”
The talkative monk talked to me about many things, and I don’t know if he was genuinely happy for Ali or just wanted to get closer to me.
But looking at his eyes, it didn’t seem like he was lying.
Ali became a nun.
I still remember that in the Winter City, when I was on my way to see Edward, I happened to meet her by chance. The little girl had innocent eyes and a clear smile. She guided me, and along the way, she shared her seemingly unreachable wish as if it were a fairy tale.
[I actually… I want to be the Holy Maiden… I want to pray to the gods so that everyone in the world, every child like me, can have enough food. This is my dream…]
Now, less than a year has passed, and the little girl has experienced much, yet she has already embarked on that path.
I am genuinely happy for her from the bottom of my heart.
But while feeling happy, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss: Ali has already left, and she didn’t even tell me goodbye…
Could it be that after those events, she doesn’t trust me anymore…
Doesn’t consider me as her sister anymore?
It’s also my fault…
These days, I haven’t visited her again…
Later, I tried to console myself.
Maybe she was too busy and didn’t have time to find me…
Thinking about these things, I wasn’t sure how I walked out of the church gate. Holding an umbrella, I stood alone by the street, watching the crowds pass by, and lost myself in thought. I didn’t feel like going to the dense forest outside the city, but I also didn’t really want to go back. I was hesitating where to go when I heard someone calling behind me.
“Miss! Wait! Please wait a moment—!”
I turned around and saw the monk who had been speaking to me chasing after me.
He looked flustered and out of breath, running out of the church, and stopped in front of me, bending down and resting on his knees for two seconds before speaking hurriedly, “Please don’t leave. His Holiness wants to see you; there is something important to inform you about.”
…………
In the countryside, by the lakeside.
A silver-haired woman with blue eyes, wearing a green dress, washed her face, tucked her hair behind her ears, and stood up. She gazed at the rippling lake in front of her, and at the distant Aham mountain shrouded in mist, resembling a fairyland. It seemed as if she saw birds flying over the mountain, passing through the lush green trees, and over the silver-leaved ashwoods blooming like a purple tide.
She stared at these scenes, her eyes distant and flickering, silent for a long time, as if in a trance.
After a while, an old man in plain clothes quietly approached her from behind, stopping two meters away. He lowered his head, making his already hunched back even lower.
“Miss Elina,” the old man whispered cautiously, “it’s getting late. Before dark, we need to reach the next resting point. Please get in the carriage…”
But the woman ignored him.
She continued to gaze at the mountain for a long time, then stretched out her fair hand, took out a small piece of cloth from her pocket, unwrapped it, revealing an old Gospel book and a palm-sized golden cross pendant.
The woman wrapped the chain of the cross around her palm, stroking the cover of the old book, feeling the embossed letters, then opened the first page and saw a name written in elegant handwriting.
[Teresa Antonier]
When she saw the name, a trace of indiscernible sorrow flashed in her eyes.
“Sebastian.”
She called out coldly, and the old man quickly responded, “Yes.”
“Do you know that Teresa loved to look at the scenery of this mountain?”
“This…”
The old man found it difficult, hesitated for a moment, and then truthfully said, “Your servant has been with you in the East for years and knows nothing about the lady Teresa in the West. I do not know her personality or preferences.”
“Do you know what she did for us and for this world during these years in the West?”
“Your servant knows.”
This time, the old man’s response was very decisive.
“Hmm.” The woman nodded, her expression stern, looking ahead. “Since you understand, then remember her.”
The woman closed the Gospel book in her hand.
“We cannot make the true sacrifice and dedication known to the public, nor can we make the world understand. Our strength is minuscule, so minuscule that we need to rely on people’s evil intentions to survive until now. And what we promised to accomplish was once barely hopeful.”
“Now, finally, someone has brought hope to us and to this world.”
She untied the chain and raised her hand, kissing the glittering golden cross in her palm.
“Our hero, the hero of this world, gave up her life, soul, and glory for this. Even at the last moment, she never forgot her mission, but she was placed in a dirty church after death, worshiped by the ignorant and unreflective masses. This is a desecration, so I took her out, but she cannot just come back with me and be cursed by the ignorant mob in the East for a hundred years. Do you understand this?”
“Yes.”
“She should stay in a place she loves, enjoying the clear mountains and waters, light clouds and gentle winds. This is the only thing we can do for her now.”
As she spoke, the woman put the cross pendant back into the cloth, wrapping it together with the Gospel book, tying it tightly, stepped forward two steps, and gently threw it into the lake.
The cloth traced a graceful arc in the air and splashed into the water with a “plop.”
It sank rapidly.
The woman stared at the ripples on the lake surface for a moment before speaking again, “So, rest in peace. When I lift the curtain of darkness and return the world to what we both expect, when I come back, you will be the pioneer of the new world. The mountain and lake you love will truly become a sacred site worshipped by the world.”
“Let’s go.”
With that, she turned and walked away towards the rhinoceros-drawn carriage nearby.
“We are going to find the land of the dragons.”
“Yes.”
The old man followed closely behind her, half a step slower.
“Sebastian.”
“Yes.”
“What was the name of the Knight of the Pope who fought to the end with her?”
“…Silviana.”
“Hmm.”
