Chapter 69
We’re scheduled to stay in Sutherland for ten days.
During our stay, the delegation will be lodging at Commander Cyril’s mansion.
Even if several people share each room, I think it’s amazing that the mansion can accommodate a hundred guests at once.
After unpacking our luggage and taking a short break in the rooms we’d been assigned, we gathered in one room to hear about our schedule in Sutherland.
We were told that the ceremony would take place in seven days, and that until then we’d spend our time in Sutherland, relaxing and getting to know the residents.
―――The ceremony.
It was an event where prayers were offered for the residents of Sutherland who had lost their lives at the site of the tragedy.
According to the explanation, ten years ago, Commander Cyril’s mother, the Duchess at the time, lost her life in Sutherland.
Commander Cyril’s father, who was there at the time―――the Duke then, assumed the residents of Sutherland were responsible and led his knights in an attack on them.
The fighting between the knights and the residents lasted only two days, but the difference in their strength was clear, and several hundred residents were killed.
The circumstances eventually came to light, but it was impossible to reach a clear verdict on the residents’ guilt.
In other words, the Duchess had been thrown into the sea in an accident.
The residents had played no part in the Duchess’s accident, but they hadn’t actively tried to save her while she was drowning, and in the end, she drowned.
The kingdom declared that the residents should have taken active steps to save their lord’s wife in her time of danger, which earned the residents’ resentment.
Furthermore, the Duke had lost his life in the fighting. The House of Sutherland was given some penalties for losing both the Duke and Duchess, but the family was allowed to retain the ducal title and the land. That, too, angered the residents.
As a result, the residents, who had lost their companions, felt a deep hatred for the ducal family and the knights. Their relationship still hadn’t improved, even ten years later.
Perhaps because of all this, the kingdom eventually acknowledged some responsibility for the incident known as “Sutherland’s Lament,” and a member of the royal family visited every year to offer condolences.
The ceremony was held on the anniversary of the incident, and prayers were offered for the peace of the deceased residents.
“Hmm...”
After hearing the explanation, I tilted my head to one side.
From what I’d heard, the residents didn’t seem to have been clearly at fault.
The sea where the incident occurred had a swift current, and attempting a rescue would have been dangerous.
Even if they’d hesitated to jump into the sea, it couldn’t be helped, could it?
And yet, not only had so many of their companions been killed, the kingdom had ruled that their failure to attempt a rescue was a problem.
By contrast, the knights who had laid hands on the residents received only light punishments.
Despite the circumstances being enough to make anyone furious, the residents hadn’t resisted. They’d silently accepted everything.
For ten years, they’d endured the rule of the family of the Duke who had commanded the knights, without starting a single rebellion.
They had no obligation to welcome the royal family’s visits of condolence, either.
They could have flatly rejected us, saying, “We won’t accept your concern.”―――Though, in reality, they would probably have declined indirectly with all sorts of excuses―――but they hadn’t done that, either. They’d simply accepted us in silence.
...Yes, the residents of Sutherland must be very kindhearted.
I found myself idly thinking back to three hundred years ago.
The people of Sutherland had always laughed as if they were having a wonderful time.
Everyone had shown me their affection wholeheartedly, calling me “Great Saint-sama” this and “Great Saint-sama” that.
They’d made delicious food, picked beautiful flowers, and told me amusing stories.
They hadn’t left me alone for even a moment.
...Yes, they’d been kind, friendly, and loyal people.
Because that was probably who they truly were.
That was why I hoped they’d be able to understand Commander Cyril.
Commander Cyril was a kind and considerate knight.
He doted on the knights in his order, looking after them as if they were his own children—even though he was unmarried.
I wondered if the Commander wanted to cherish the residents in the same way and take care of them.
That was why this situation, where he couldn’t even approach them and they rejected him outright, must be painful for him...
If the residents got to know Commander Cyril, I was sure they’d become friends.
I stood up and walked over to the window.
Beyond it, Sutherland’s beautiful scenery stretched between the sea and the mountains.
...Perhaps Sutherland was a land of sorrow for Commander Cyril.
Commander Cyril had been seventeen ten years ago.
Losing both his parents in quick succession at seventeen must have been unbearably painful.
And it hadn’t been due to old age or an incurable illness. One had died in an accident, the other in battle.
Perhaps he’d kept wondering if he could have saved them, regretting it over and over.
On top of that, because of his parents, the residents he was supposed to protect had lost their lives.
As a result, the residents had put up a wall between them, and he couldn’t even get close to them.
...Yes, knowing the Commander Cyril I knew, I was sure this was an unbearable situation for him.
“Fia, it looks like we’re free for the rest of the day. Want to explore the area together?”
A sudden voice broke into my thoughts, and I blinked in surprise.
Everyone had apparently been dismissed, and Fabian was the only one who’d stayed behind to wait for me.
“Fabian. ...S-sorry, I was spacing out. Yes, I’d love to go with you!”
I answered hurriedly, and Fabian smiled.
“Good. Now I don’t have to explore by myself. Where would you like to go?”
“Huh? Anywhere? Then I want to see the sea! And the streets of Sutherland!”
“Is this your first time in Sutherland, Fia?”
“...Huh? Oh, y-yes.”
I’d actually visited once in my previous life, but I’d stayed for only a few hours and hadn’t left the lord’s mansion, so it wasn’t wrong to say this was my first time here.
“I’ve always wanted to see the sea in Sutherland. And the streets with their white walls that are supposed to sparkle in the sunlight.”
I remembered promising the residents, who’d been sad to see me go in my previous life, that I’d come back and take my time exploring the town next time.
...Ah, I never did get to keep that promise after all.
Then I had to fulfill it in this life.
Fabian and I walked together toward the shore.
The wind from the sea carried the scent of salt.
The soft crunch of sand beneath my feet felt pleasant.
I stopped for a moment and looked around.
The beautiful blue sea stretched endlessly before me.
...Ah, this was the land that Canopus, my bodyguard knight in my previous life, had loved.
And even now, three hundred years later, the residents still loved this beautiful land.
As I drew closer to the water’s edge, a particularly strong gust of wind blew my hair up.
“Oh, no, my hair’s getting all messy...!”
As I hurriedly held my hair down with my hands, a sweet little voice called from behind me, “Great Saint-sama!”
I turned around and saw several children, about five or six years old, gazing at me with sparkling eyes.
“Golden eyes! Red hair! It’s the Great Saint!”
They ran toward me, calling out happily, and one after another threw their arms around me.
I crouched down to catch them, but by the third child, I couldn’t withstand their momentum and toppled backward.
“Ahahahaha! Great Saint-sama!”
The children thought it was fun to pile on top of me, and I started laughing along with them.
“Ahahahaha! You kids managed to knock me over? What impressive skills!”
I rolled to the side to escape, then tickled the children as they laughed. A voice came from above us.
“You look like you’re having fun, Fia.”
I turned around with the children and saw Commander Cyril and Commander Curtis walking together.
“Oh, Commander Cyril. Yes, well, um... it’s just a little training.”
I hurriedly stood and turned to face the commanders. When I glanced at the children, they’d stopped laughing and were looking tense.
Oh my, they were laughing just a moment ago. What happened?.