Chapter 69

 

There’s no way.

 

On days when I worked hard, I concentrated four times a day.

 

Assimilation of Ser’s abilities wasn’t just simple training.

 

After I finished concentrating, sweat beaded on my forehead, and some days I was so exhausted that I collapsed on the bed and fell asleep without realizing it.

 

How hard it was!

 

“You’re born with the power of a seeker, Aika.”

 

“I know.”

 

“You can never break it. This is a God-given ability.”

 

“…”

 

“Maybe there will come a day when your life is in danger. So you have to make a choice for yourself. The more you try to save the small things, the more you miss out on the big things. I’m saying this for you.”

 

“…Okay.”

 

As the abilities grew more and more, Ser wanted to expand his abilities and become more enlightened, as if releasing a bundle of treasure.

 

“You’re young, so my abilities may be too much for you, but let’s try anyway.”

 

“Great, got it!”

 

When I spoke with enthusiasm, Ser bobbed its head as if it liked it.

 

“And I didn’t tell you this because I was afraid you would go down a bad path from a young age.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“If you use my abilities, it’s not a stretch to build a huge amount of wealth. Of course, you can’t commit a crime or anything like that. I plan to raise you right. Don’t you want to become a millionaire or billionaire? So, you have to develop the abilities.”

 

“Grandpa and Uncle have already become billionaires and millionaires, though…?”

 

Didn’t they say that Valliot was already the fastest and most wealthy family?

 

“I-It’s not yours. And I can collect more for you, you know?”

 

Ser hesitated.

 

“…I heard it’s all mine? That’s why Grandpa told me to grow up quickly.”

 

For some reason, I felt like Ser was glaring at me.

 

“Are you saying you have so much money that you don’t need me?”

 

I laughed out loud at Ser’s slightly sulky tone.

 

“Haha, it’s just a joke. Of course I need it! I will try my best.”

 

“You should have said that a long time ago.”

 

I looked at Ser and laughed, but when I heard a knock on the door, I covered my mouth.

 

***

 

“Miss, please have a snack.”

 

“Thank you, Zenda!”

 

“I also received a letter for the Miss.”

 

“Letter? From who?”

 

Instead of answering, Zenda put down a tray in front of me.

 

I saw a plate full of milk and cookies, and a pink envelope.

 

“It’s Russphe!”

 

I immediately guessed who sent the letter just by looking at the envelope.

 

Because I was waiting for a reply!

 

“I’ll open it for you.”

 

Zenda carefully opened the envelope so as not to damage it and handed it back to me.

 

“The letter smells nice.”

 

I put my nose to the letter and the envelope, sniffed it, and then handed the envelope back to Zenda.

 

“I see. I guess he sprayed perfume.”

 

“Can I send it like that next time too?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Then I should spray it and send it to him too!”

 

Waiting for Russphe’s reply was a very exciting and enjoyable time.

 

It was also good for practicing my handwriting, so I would sometimes write difficult words on purpose.

 

Zenda also told me that the number of misspellings has been decreasing since I wrote the letters.

 

The contents of the letters I shared with Russphe were mostly just writing down our daily routines.

 

On the day we took the Imperial language class, we wrote that we took the Imperial language class and also wrote down what we ate for snacks.

 

That’s why I knew what snack Russphe ate two days ago.

 

I wrote about the missing front tooth and sent it to him, but I didn’t think I could show him when I met him.

 

I read the content slowly and stopped at a certain section.

 

“Uh… Russphe may not be able to write letters for a while.”

 

“Oh my, why?”

 

“He said he had to go down to the estate with his father for a while. I guess he’s leaving the capital for a while like Uncle. He says it will take a few days.”

 

After telling Zenda, I read the letter again.

 

Summer flowers are blooming in the Marquis’ residence at the capital, but the Marquis’ territory is much further north than here, so summer comes slowly.

 

“It’s not very hot in the Marquis’ territory in the summer, and it snows a lot in the winter.”

 

“Ah, the March of Calpodia is between Warfordia and the Torrey region. Sometimes it snows all week.”

 

“Wow, that sounds fun.”

 

Zenda laughed.

 

“Snow is pretty, but if there is too much snow, it will be uncomfortable because the carriage won’t be able to move. And as far as I know, the March of Calpodia is as big and wide as the March of Leguier.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Although it’s almost opposite on the map. Cartiers and Torrey are the end and end of the south and the north.”

 

I see…

 

I nodded and turned to the back page.

 

Something between the letter fell out.

 

I was startled and looked down to find a flower pressed thinly between pages.

 

One was a purple flower with small flowers growing on a long stem, and the other was a flower with round yellow petals.

 

Although it wasn’t completely dry yet, the petals were soft to the touch.

 

“Oh my, it’s pressed flowers. Did he make it himself?”

 

“What flower is this?”

 

“Hmm, I think it’s lily turfs… It looks just like chickweed, right?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“I’m not sure about this. Is it an evening primrose?”

 

“This is pretty too.”

 

“I’ll leave it here first and store it separately so it doesn’t spoil.”

 

Zenda carefully picked up the book that was lying on the nightstand and placed the flowers in it so as not to damage it.

 

I brought my eyes to the letter again.

 

“…Aika, I will go to the estate instead and buy you a gift there. Russphe says he will buy me a gift when he comes here! And these are the flowers that bloomed at the Marquis’ residence a week ago. It took a while to dry. It’s written like this!”

 

That was the end of the letter.

 

He said he would write again after he returned.

 

“Are you going to write a reply?”

 

“Yes, he’s going next week, so I think Russphe will be able to see the reply I sent.”

 

“Then I’ll bring the stationery.”

 

“It’s gonna be fun. I also want to go to Grandpa’s territory and Uncle’s territory.”

 

I’ve never been there before.

 

“Won’t he go before the winter comes? He always prepared in the fall.”

 

“Really? But then I won’t be able to see Grandpa often.”

 

“That’s more so than now.”

 

I never thought of it because Mom had never taken me down to the Valliot estate.

 

It’s kind of sad that I won’t see Grandpa for a long time.

 

I folded the letter again neatly and put it in the envelope.

 

I need to quickly write a reply to Russphe.

 

I wrote and sent as many as three replies to Russphe on the stationery that Zenda had chosenㅡmost of them telling him to be carefulㅡand tried to communicate with Ser, yet Ser was quiet.

 

“Ser.”

 

It was a perfect time as Zenda went out and there was no time left until the evening.

 

It’s clearly awake.

 

To begin with, Ser doesn’t even sleep. Because it’s not a real snake.

 

“Ser? Why aren’t you answering?”

 

That’s strange.

 

If I talked to it first, it would, but there were very few cases where it didn’t answer.

 

Fortunately, though, I was fortunate to be living peacefully these days after preventing Leto’s attack.

 

Not long ago, I saw Uncle getting hurt, and then I kept seeing dangerous scenes with Grandpa and Leto.

 

Rather, I even thought that the danger might come because I gained the ability.

 

Accidents like this kept happening every few days or weeks, so I felt relieved that I had prevented them, but at the same time, I had these bad thoughts.

 

But four hours later.

 

I found out why Ser was intentionally silent.