Translator: Nox

Chapter 6

~Chapter 06~

The Kailas Dukedom was a family that rightfully deserved respect for leading the Kiphrene War to victory.

When everyone else held back because there was no gain to be had, it was the Kailas Dukedom that stepped forward with their army, driven solely by loyalty to the imperial family. Without them, who knows how far the Kiphrene War might have spread into the empire’s heartland. The sacrifices they made to achieve victory were immense as well. The Saint Clarissa Convent, which had dispatched medical personnel to the front lines, knew that fact all too well.

“My goodness…! What kind of outrageous nonsense is this!”

“The Listerwell Viscount’s side asked us to guide Miss Harriet strictly so that she could reflect properly.”

Agnes spoke, recalling the letter whose tone had been unusually sharp for a request to admit a young lady to the convent.

“She’ll need to brace herself. A young lady as headstrong as that won’t be able to endure convent life obediently.”

Impersonating another person, stealing a brooch at the Kailas Duke’s victory banquet, and being sent here for an unusually long period of reflection, to the point where even her own family had practically given up on her. From these clues alone, Catherine and Agnes could already foresee the hardships ahead. The two women simultaneously squeezed their eyes shut.

“We’ve given special treatment to the young ladies who’ve come to the convent so far, but we’ll have to be firm with Miss Harriet.”

“Since she’ll be staying for a long time, should we just have her live exactly like the nuns?”

“That would be best. The Listerwell family made a special request, after all.”

“What if she complains about being treated differently from the other young ladies?”

Catherine’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

“If she has complaints, tell her to go take them up with the family that sent her here. And let her know that if she doesn’t follow the convent’s rules, we won’t provide meals either.”

“Really? But what if she collapses from starvation…?”

“Sigh… We’ll think about that when the time comes.”

No matter how they thought about it, rough days seemed to lie ahead.

---

With a jolt, the carriage came to a complete stop.

“Miss, we’ve arrived!”

Harriet took a deep breath in and slowly let it out. Just sitting in the shaking carriage had been ordeal enough, but the days stretching out before her would clearly be far more grueling.

“I never dreamed I’d end up living in a convent.”

Fear of the unknown world seemed to tighten around her throat. But she couldn’t hesitate any longer. Shaking off her reluctance, Harriet smoothed her rumpled skirt hem, gathered her luggage, and stepped down from the carriage.

“Oh dear, I could have helped you with the luggage!”

“It’s fine. It’s not so heavy that I need someone else’s help, and from now on, I have to manage on my own anyway.”

“Still…”

“Really, it’s okay. I’m going in now, so you should head back too, sir. If you want to grab some lunch nearby, you’d better hurry.”

They had eaten a light snack inside the carriage, but the coachman, who had skipped breakfast and driven all morning, must be hungry by now. Harriet bid him farewell and turned toward the convent.

The convent building was surrounded by high walls with hardly any windows, and its roof came to a sharp point. The gray stone structure was covered in patches of black moss here and there, giving it a worn and shabby impression. Only the stone plaque above the entrance indicated that this was a convent.

“Elowan Sanctuary No. 128, Saint Clarissa Convent.”

“I thought a famous convent would be big and grand…”

Just looking at the exterior, which wouldn’t have been out of place on a royal prison, made her breath catch in her throat. The surroundings were nothing but olive groves and rocky hills, so the scenery wasn’t particularly beautiful either.

Harriet let out a deep sigh and knocked on the door with the knocker attached to the entrance. After a short wait, a small window in the door slid open abruptly, and someone inside peered out at her.

“Are you the young lady from the Listerwell family?”

“Yes. I’m Harriet Listerwell.”

“We’ve been expecting you. Please come in.”

As the door opened, a dim corridor appeared, dark even in broad daylight. The shadowed hallway and the nun’s sharp impression, at odds with her youthful face, only heightened Harriet’s anxiety. But she had no other choice.

Harriet followed the nun, taking in the stark interior of the convent. Normally, a guide would explain things to a visitor, but the nun kept her lips tightly pressed together and said nothing.

At last, they arrived at a room. The nun suddenly turned to Harriet and gave her a warning.

“You’re about to meet the Abbess. Straighten your posture and mind your manners. Do not raise your voice or show any rudeness.”

“…Understood.”

The nun frowned, displeased by Harriet’s delayed response, then knocked on the abbess’s door. His expression had softened into one of gentle warmth, completely different from the face he had shown Harriet moments before.

“Abbess, I’ve brought Miss Harriet Listerwell.”

“Come in.”

The door opened.

Inside the room, an elderly nun sat at a desk reading documents, with a younger nun standing beside her. The younger nun looked somewhat kindly, but the woman who was clearly the abbess wore silver-rimmed glasses over her black hair, had a lean build, and maintained a rigid posture, making her appear quite stern.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Harriet Listerwell. I’ll be staying here for a year.”

“You must have had a hard journey. I am Catherine Emillosa, Abbess of the Saint Clarissa Convent. This is Vice Abbess Agnes Valerie.”

Harriet smiled awkwardly and greeted them, but the atmosphere didn’t soften in the slightest. Catherine immediately continued with an explanation of convent life.

“Life here won’t be as comfortable or abundant as prayer alone. Since you’ve come to reflect, I assume you’re prepared for that much.”

Harriet swallowed dryly. She had imagined convent life many times, but her worst premonitions seemed to be coming true.

Ignoring Harriet’s evident anxiety, Catherine pressed on.

“The nuns here eat simple meals, wear only convent robes year-round, and use items made from the gifts from God, like the olives and herbs we harvest. You will live exactly like the nuns as well.”

“Ah…”

“I understand that physical labor must be unfamiliar for a noble young lady. But through this, you will be able to reflect on your past extravagance and indulgence.”

Harriet had never indulged in such extravagance or debauchery, but all she could do was nod.

“Emma, who showed you in, will explain the details. Emma, she’s in your care.”

“Yes, Abbess.”

Emma bowed politely, then shot Harriet a sharp glance.

“I’ll show you to your room.”

“Yes, then…”

As Harriet turned to leave the room, Catherine added one final remark.

“Oh, and starting tomorrow, you’ll address us as ‘Sister.’ Think of yourself as a true nun and live a life of reflection before God.”

Each repetition of the word ‘reflection’ brought a surge of injustice welling up inside her. Harriet wasn’t the one who needed to reflect.

‘Why am I being treated like a criminal? I didn’t do anything wrong, so why me…?’

She bit her trembling lip hard, but she couldn’t stop the tears from rising. Harriet hastily wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks with the back of her hand and bowed her head.

“…Understood.”

She couldn’t say anything more. If she opened her mouth, the tears would pour out even harder, and crying here would just make her look pathetic.

Sure enough, Emma let out a sigh loud enough for Harriet to hear.

“Please follow me.”

Harriet trailed after Emma without meeting the eyes of Catherine or Agnes. There was no warmth at all in the way they looked at her. Just like always.

「Oh my, look at her! She’s crying! Does she think someone will pity her if she cries?」

「Miss Bella, who got in trouble because of her, is staying strong, and yet she has no shame at all.」

The voices condemning her echoed vividly in Harriet’s ears.

But the sadness was fleeting. Upon arriving at her assigned room, Harriet was struck with shock.

“How is anyone supposed to live in such a tiny room?”

The room was so cramped that a single-person bed, a small chest of drawers that doubled as a wardrobe, a little table, and a rough wooden chair filled it almost completely. The floor was cold stone, without even a rug. This was the room where Harriet would be staying from now on.

As she stood there with her mouth agape, surveying the interior, Emma spoke in a dry tone.

“We’ll bring your convent robes and a meal shortly. But starting with dinner, you must come down to the dining hall at the set times. Meals are at 7 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m., with a light snack at 3 p.m.”

Those words snapped Harriet back to attention. Food and survival were the most important things, after all.

“Where is the dining hall?”