183 - Pieces of the Broken Glass Slipper
Shattered Glass Slipper Shards Chapter 183
==========
To the people of the Empire, the Eastern Continent was a mysterious world, seemingly shrouded in a vague mist.
Although they steadily engaged in trade and accepted its culture, people inherently tend to fear or fantasize about things different from themselves.
High society leaned more towards the latter feeling, as the mysteriously beautiful patterns and the culture, so calm it was almost static, conveyed an enigmatic sensation.
The shop we entered was similar. Perhaps targeting noblewomen in the city center, the interior was filled with fantastical items from the Eastern Continent. Even the fragrant tea scent wafting through the air was like that. It felt as if not just my head, but my entire body was being cleansed.
"You must be from the Bishvarts Family."
The shopkeeper recognized my family the moment he saw me. It was remarkable since I wasn't wearing anything symbolizing my family. He continued speaking to me, who was on guard, with a gentle smile.
"I sold the tea the Countess is drinking. So, of course, I would know."
Even if Mother drinks tea sold here, the one actually coming to buy it would be a maid. Yet he recognized me just from that? It shouldn't be possible. I didn't hide my suspicious gaze and spoke in a sharp voice.
"That alone shouldn't tell you where I'm from."
"I have a very special talent. Before coming here, I made a living using that talent."
"Talent?"
"I'm very good at fortune-telling. Remarkably so."
Not even a bitter laugh escaped at the nonsense. I spoke to him again in a sarcastic tone.
"So your fortune-telling reveals even the family name accurately?"
The shopkeeper slowly stroked his long beard, which hung down to his navel, and replied.
"Ah, that's intuition."
I let out a sigh and said to Sir Ayres.
"We should leave."
It seemed we had entered a strange place. Now that I thought about it, this Eastern Continent native looked suspicious from his appearance alone. It was hard to believe he was the owner of this neat and elegant shop.
He wore a hood pulled down low enough to cover his eyes, and proudly displayed his beard, which was long enough to hang to his navel, split into two strands and tied—the knots of the cords were all shaped like ribbons. To others, he looked ridiculous enough to be called a madman.
And what about the long sleeves with frayed ends? On the slightly worn fabric, two patterns, like flattened tadpoles, were linked together as if chasing each other's tails. His horizontally wide body was filled with a pungent smell of alcohol that assaulted the nose more than the clean scent of tea leaves.
The owner of a tea shop being a drunkard—could there be a more suspicious situation?
"O-oh, please wait a moment."
As the shopkeeper approached me, Sir Ayres immediately drew his sword to threaten him. The instantly aimed sword tip was targeting the shopkeeper's philtrum.
"I, I was just going to give you this. S-so, please move the sword away... H, hehehehe."
Lying blatantly on his outstretched palm was a single crescent-shaped cookie. He said it was a cookie containing a fortune.
"Even I, who made it, don't know what fortune is inside. It simply appears as fate dictates. I wanted to give this to you, miss."
"To me? Why?"
"Because the wind of fate whispered to me to do so."
Speaking of hearing fate through the wind resembled the Vagus (wandering fortune-tellers).
However, I was merely doubtful of how mystical he, a mere tea shop owner, could be. Because he didn't look like a fortune-teller at all.
Nevertheless, I accepted the cookie because he was from the Eastern Continent. Like others in high society, I too held a vague sense of mystery towards the Eastern Continent.
So, even if he looked closer to a swindler, I thought he might have some skill.
"Hold both ends of the cookie and split it exactly in half. But you must do it when you're alone. Without any thoughts, break it decisively. Then a piece of paper with the fortune written on it will appear."
"Is the fortune the same for everyone?"
"No. It's different for each person."
"Then has that fortune ever been accurate?"
The shopkeeper took a brief breath, then shook his head gently with a soft smile.
"Even if fate determines the path, it's the human heart that follows it, so what can I say?"
It was a statement close to nonsense. Perhaps it was a scam to bewilder people like this and extort money. But his eyes were utterly serious, so I found myself listening to his voice without realizing it.
"How do I interpret it?"
"You'll know naturally when you see it. Because that's what the cookie was made for."
Strangely, the man suddenly seemed like a dizzyingly great prophet. A mysterious dignity was flowing from his very being.
"Could you put the sword away now?"
Was that why? Sir Ayres also couldn't offer any proper retort and sheathed his sword with a smooth motion.
I don't know where in his words made me lower my guard, but strangely, an impulse that we should put the sword away was arising not only in Sir Ayres but in me as well.
Even as Sir Ayres put his sword back into its scabbard, he skillfully shielded me, preparing for any potential attack. Instinctively.
However, the owner didn't approach me further and instead bowed obsequiously, asking if I needed tea leaves. The prophet emitting a mysterious aura had vanished, and only a worn-out merchant remained.
"Speaking of this tea..."
What mysterious dignity? My eyes must have been mistaken for a moment.
Feeling deflated, I swallowed a sigh that threatened to burst out. And instead of falling for his sales tactics, I turned around and left the shop. Even though the owner's voice calling me from behind sounded pitiful. I was holding the cookie he gave me in my hand.
Should I have just not taken it?
Sir Ayres, seeing me looking at the cookie, waited calmly without saying a word.
Though I had accepted the fortune cookie as if bewitched, once I left the shop, my mood felt strangely subdued.
I thought about why the shopkeeper just now, the previous Vagus, and the dead Witch all try to unsettle me by talking about fortunes. Are they telling me to decide on some action based on this and act? I really don't know.
Since I don't believe in God, I once thought the one who sent me here might be the devil. A God wouldn't protect someone like me, who acts viciously without any intention of reforming. But if there's a reason I returned?
It was when I couldn't overcome my low spirits and accidentally turned my head to the side. I saw a familiar profile walking towards that alley.
'The Witch? Didn't they say she was dead?'
I quickened my pace and chased after her. Sir Ayres was calling me from behind, but I couldn't hear a thing at that moment. Because I was so focused on the thought of catching her, I had no capacity to pay attention to anything else.
But when I stepped into the alley entrance, I was met with an utterly empty scene, not a shadow in sight.
"She's gone. Did I see wrong...?"
"What's the matter?"
Sir Ayres, who had belatedly followed, asked me. Without taking my eyes off the alley, I muttered, 'I think I saw wrong.'
"What do you mean you saw wrong?"
"It seems I was mistaken. I'm sorry, Sir Ayres. I made you go through unnecessary trouble."
All dignity aside, impulsively running here had all been in vain. I could only feel sorry for Sir Ayres, who had followed me without knowing why.
Well, it's impossible for someone known to be dead to be alive and well, walking around. It seems I saw an illusion while feeling strange. That tea shop really was weird after all.
"Are you alright? Shall we return to the mansion?"
I gave a soft smile towards Sir Ayres, who was looking at me with a worried face.
"No. I haven't yet received the comfort you promised me. So, I'm fine."
If I had waited just a little longer before leaving the alley, I might have seen that 'Witch.' But at that time, thinking I had seen wrong, I hurriedly moved on.
Thus, I missed the first opportunity to see her, alive again. Unfortunately so.
The outing with Sir Ayres didn't last long. Not only were we surrounded by people who recognized me, preventing us from moving forward, but also because of the soldiers sent by the Crown Prince's order to find him. Sir Ayres made a very regretful expression and couldn't easily take a step.
"His Highness is summoning you."
Yet he stubbornly insisted that he would see me home until the end. At the man's words that he wouldn't go unless I granted even that, I had no choice but to reluctantly nod.
Sir Ayres watched me get off at the mansion's main gate, kissed the back of my hand, and only then turned to leave. On his face, as he asked to meet outside again next time, lay an unquenched thirst.
The butler, upon my return, brought up the matter of my guardian and said there were no further schedules for today. Then he informed me that Mother felt mild labor pains and asked if we shouldn't have a midwife on standby.
"Spare no expense in arranging an experienced midwife, a personal physician, and others to assist them. If anything happens, inform me immediately."
"What about dinner?"
"I have no appetite."
"Miss Roena will be dining alone then."
I looked at the butler and blinked my eyes as if to say, 'What are you talking about?'
"Are you telling me to force down food I can't even swallow for her sake?"
"That's not it. You misunderstand."
I let out a small sigh and said to him.
"It seems you always think of only one person. Even though you should naturally be thinking of three people."
"That's not true, miss."
"If that's really the case, then don't force me to do something I said I wouldn't do for someone's sake. Don't make me say it twice. Understand?"
"...Yes."
Being an intelligent person, he must have clearly understood what I meant. So, he probably won't repeat such a mistake next time.
Amusingly, the butler thought of me as a pitiful girl with no one to rely on. Ultimately, as someone who would have to return everything to Roena—that kind of unfortunate person.
Even though he knows the Bishvarts Family is now in my hands, he keeps denying reality. What is he trying to do with a flower raised in a greenhouse? He has no idea how much tougher the vitality of a wildflower that grew weathering storms is.
"Please keep a close watch on Mother. And make sure to tell the head maid properly. I'm counting on you."
"Yes. Then, please rest."
Not even a hollow laugh came out at my listless voice. Without even thinking of looking back, I walked straight into my room.
With Marie's help, I changed into comfortable clothes and loosely let down my hair. The cookie I brought had been sitting on the side table for a while.
After warning Marie and the other maids not to touch it under any circumstances, I sat on the sofa and leaned back.
But suddenly, the door opened and someone rushed in. The voice calling 'Sissae!' was Roena's.
"Why are you changing my maids?"
She brought it up out of the blue. With a face flushed bright red. At Roena's words, I let out a short exclamation as if I had just remembered.
Ah, now that I think about it, lately, I've been having Mlang move the maids around Roena here and there. In fact, it was a situation where they were being scattered about so they couldn't act together.
"The head maid did it, so why are you asking me?"
"But you approved it."
"Of course I did, but it was because there was a valid reason. But you shouldn't suddenly appear like this and get angry without even knowing the proper reason. Roena, haven't you been neglecting your etiquette education lately?"
At my nonchalant reply, Roena's brow slightly contorted. She let out one rough breath, then came and stood before me. And without even being told to sit, she sat down on her own and stared straight at me.
"Why are you doing this? What's the valid reason?"
Her face looked extremely unstable, like a child who had lost its mother. Roena was currently tasting the sense of crisis that her foundation was being taken away.
