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On a Distant Day, To the North [Part 1]

Translated by: ME

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---A certain day, in the distant future.

While waiting for Lola, who had come to visit Eides, Oleia paid a visit to Wellmy. A new life was currently growing within Wellmy's womb.

「Say, Oleia.」

「Yes, Lady Wellmy?」

Oleia answered as Wellmy gazed out the window. Sitting in her chair and stroking her stomach, Wellmy continued softly.

「Recently, I find myself thinking about it often. Why did Mother hate my sister so very much...?」

「...」

Oleia did not answer. It wasn't that she didn't have an answer, exactly.

「Was it because she adored me and wanted me to be the heir to the Earldom? But I feel like that wasn't the only reason...」

Wellmy spoke haltingly, as if talking to herself.

「I... I was afraid of Mother. Those eyes of hers, so full of hostility whenever she looked at Sister. But was that hatred really directed at her...?」

In the end, Oleia said nothing to Wellmy.

「I heard Father is preparing for a journey. He's heading north.」

「...」

「I wonder if he’s going to see Mother...」

Hearing those words brought back all the lingering doubts Oleia had harbored in the corners of her mind. Later, when she delivered a magical tool Lola had requested to Master Crates, she voiced her questions.

「...Master Crates.」

「Yes? What is it, Miss Oleia?」

Wellmy's biological father, who bore a striking resemblance to her but with a much softer expression, offered a gentle smile.

「Lady Wellmy mentioned that you are preparing for a trip. Forgive my prying, but where to?」

「...To the northern convent. I feel I must speak with Isabella at least once. Especially with Wellmy’s pregnancy.」

Master Crates added that he was still torn on whether he should actually tell her about the baby.

「My apologies... but would you spare a moment for me to tell you a story of the past?」

「Of course.」

「I dislike the former Countess.」

Oleia stated this clearly, causing Master Crates to blink in surprise, though he remained silent. Since she felt the need to explain exactly why she disliked her, Oleia continued.

「The Countess was someone who treated Lady Lola with terrible cruelty.」

「...I suppose so.」

「However, she was very kind to Lady Wellmy and the servants. She would say that since she was originally a commoner herself, she was no different from us.」

It was a distant memory now, but Oleia remembered. Isabella never forgot to show appreciation; she would look them in the eye, give them time off if they looked exhausted, and if there was a problem, she would step in and listen to their worries with genuine concern.

However, the moment it involved Lady Lola, she became like a different person. Because of that, within a few months, all the servants began to treat Lola harshly as well.

(She was so kind, so why only to Lady Lola?)

That question had smoldered in Oleia's chest for a long time.

「It is beyond my understanding why such a person was cruel only to Lady Lola. Once, long ago, when Lady Wellmy fell into the river and developed a high fever, the Countess did not help nurse her.」

At the time, Oleia had been inwardly furious.

(She made Lady Lola—whom she had just struck across the face—do the nursing, while she herself refused to help just because she was angry.) Or so Oleia had thought.

「But when I went into the hallway to change the water that had grown lukewarm, I found the Countess sitting on a chair in the corridor.」

Seeing Oleia freeze in shock, Isabella had smiled and put a finger to her lips.

『Wellmy is frightened of me because of what happened earlier. She won't be able to rest properly if someone like me is nearby, don't you think?』

Then, she took the bucket from Oleia and told her, 『I’ll leave this in front of the door later. You should go take a nap.』

『Um... in that case, perhaps we could let Lady Lola rest first...?』

When Oleia asked hesitantly, the Countess simply frowned and spoke curtly.

『This is the rest period I’ve given to you. Do as you please.』

With that, she had walked away.

「I do not know the Countess's true intentions. I never told the young ladies because I didn't want to cause them any unnecessary sadness. However, I did once overhear her muttering to herself in her room.」

『If only she were a more disagreeable child...』

Oleia had caught the faint murmur as Isabella stood by the window, looking out toward the annex.

「I thought perhaps you might understand something, Master Crates, so I decided to tell you.」

「Thank you, Miss Oleia.」

After listening in silence, Master Crates spoke with a somewhat happy smile.

「So Isabella hadn't changed at all. ...I had started to think that perhaps she had grown accustomed to luxury and become a different person, or that I had been deceived all along.」

He nodded repeatedly and scratched his cheek.

「I thought I was a fool with no eye for character, and that my lack of insight had caused Wellmy so much suffering... but it seems my vision was clouded in a different sense.」

「...」

「I will keep the image of the Isabella you saw after we parted close to my heart. The Isabella I knew was also a kind woman. Even when faced with the facts, I couldn't bring myself to believe she was the type of person to lead a double life and commit fraud. Your words have given me the conviction I needed.」

Oleia bowed her head in silence. She didn't know what the outcome of this conversation would be.

But perhaps, deep down, she too had been unable to truly hate Isabella.

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