On the third of month six, Eda visited Ceres Temple, offered her prayer to God Ceres, and cast <Purification> on the temple head as well as a patient of the temple's choosing.
A surprising amount of people had gathered there.
Even townlords and priests from neighboring town came. And the biggest surprise was the presence of Marlia Fotos dispatched by the capital's Ceres Temple.
Marlia begrudgingly ranted on Norma. Complaining why Norma didn't accept Pentaros Fotos's proposal. But then as she continued on with her rant, she came to her own conclusion that Lecan was a much better partner for Norma.
Then she started deliriously making a fervent speech on how Lecan's and Norma's child should absolutely enter priesthood.
Norma nonchalantly implied how Pentaros has been scheming to take revenge on Lecan behind the scenes.
Marlia seethed with rage and promised that she would give Pentaros and the current head of Fotos a stern warning. Come to think of it, Amamir said something about how not even the head of Fotos Marquisate could go against this zealous woman.
Lecan made a huge amount of mana restoratives in the previous month, and Norma suggested to gift ten of them to Marlia. Marlia leaped and danced in joy, literally. Then after giving praises to the townlord, temple and Lecan, she went right back to the capital.
By the way, the vice temple head brought orphanage children to Lecan after the purification ceremony. Lecan almost found himself agreeing to come with the children to the orphanage as they surrounded him if not for Eda soothing them.
He made a visit to Chaney Company, but Chaney was out for a business at Vantaroy.
And so he finished everything he needed to do including making a mountain heap of mana restoratives.
It's finally time to take another shot at Dungeon Palcimo. Lecan and Eda left Vouka with Norma seeing them off.
"Ah, damn."
"What's wrong, Lecan?"
"I forgot to give Jericho the dragon's meat I saved for him."
"Lecan. Longarm Apes don't eat meat, you know."
"W...what."
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
7
Norma was enjoying tea with a blank stare once Lecan and Eda left.
Town of Vouka feels as if it's lost its lights to her once Lecan left.
The tea Jinga brewed even seemed flavorless.
It hit her like a carriage how much she loved Lecan before she realized.
Even still, Lecan will come back.
Lecan took a liking on the detached building. Norma had meticulously made doubly sure that nothing in it would potentially annoy Lecan during the construction.
Lecan seemed to find the medicine making hut exceed his expectations. He said he would make medicine here in the future. Meaning he will definitely come back whenever he needs more medicine.
Norma felt a huge sense of relief as well as realization on how her previous self wasn't as maddeningly craving for Lecan.
Just what was that anyway.
That burning passions where she couldn't be satisfied if she couldn't obtain Lecan.
Back then, when she got Lecan to agree to be her fiance and to live in the detached building, her blazing fiery obsession cooled down so much she wondered how she could have been so blinded by love.
But it's not like her feelings for Lecan weathered down or anything.
Her unilateral feeling of wanting to monopolize him shifted into a deep affection. If someone tried to pry Lecan off Norma, or tried to bring harm to Lecan, Norma would go up against that someone and sacrifice her everything to protect Lecan.
She can't tread on the same path as Lecan even now, but she's come at peace with that now. It's not that she doesn't want Lecan's children, but just being able to spend their days together in tranquil is more than good enough. She doesn't wish anything more than that.
Weirdly enough, the intense jealousy she felt toward Heles is nowhere to be found with Eda. It had always been like that, but even more apparent now.
It's because Eda is necessary if she wants to live happily in peace with Lecan. Lecan and Eda are attracted to each other. No doubt about that. And Lecan has the tendency to fight without caring about his own life, he's also a bearer of personality and fate that makes himself lunge into battlefields head-on. Hence, having someone like Eda as an object of affection and as his protector around him carries an important point to Lecan's survival and state of mind as well.
Or you could say that Norma loves the Lecan who cherishes Eda. She doesn't want to see a Lecan who would abandon and forget Eda. However, it's very possible for him to subconsciously leave Eda.
Hence, Norma pushed Lecan into getting engaged with Eda. As a result, Lecan, Norma and Eda are now connected as fiance and fiancees, and they live together in the detached building of Goncourt Mansion.
Lecan and Eda will come back here no matter where they go. That fact alone brings joy to Norma.
However, Lecan never directed that gentle smile he showed Eda during the engagement ceremony to Norma.
The one who gets to follow and save Lecan in his adventure is Eda, not Norma.
She would be lying if she said she didn't feel a hint of loneliness from that.
(My goodness, there really is no bound to human's greed.)
(When achieving happiness is simple, just know when to hold yourself back.)
(Otherwise that happiness won't last, I'm aware of that and yet.)
(I couldn't stop myself from dreaming to obtain more.)
As Norma sipped the cold tea, Jinga watched over her.
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