Translator: Missme
Editor: Aru
“Well, I’ll be on my way. I hope you get home safely, Lady Vessel.”
“Thank you for taking care of me.”
At Caleb’s greeting, Vivian bowed her back.
After finishing his duty, Caleb turned around without hesitation.
Looking at his back, Vivian bit her lower lip.
However, as soon as the guard called her, she turned around with a smile, looking as sweet as usual.
* * * * *
“Take this, Miss Lena.”
Suddenly, a bouquet of flowers came into my arms.
I looked at Count Van Der with a puzzled face.
“Why a bouquet?”
“It means congratulations. You’ve become Kitara, right?”
“How did you know?”
“There’s a way to know everything.”
Count van der shrugged lightly.
Seeing that, I had a hunch.
That’s what the watcher she had put on me in the past.
I took the Count to the parlour room, and as soon as I sat down, she said.
“His Highness was surprised to hear that. And he asked me to say congratulations instead.”
“Thank you.”
I answered half-heartedly. That human being is nothing.
I guess the Count will say something better to him for me.
Count Van Der’s visit was quite periodic, so the maids quickly brought the tea, perhaps because they had prepared it in advance, and the Count also lifted the cup without hesitation.
“More than that, there will be more invitations now.”
“The invitation?”
“You became Kitara, right? People will probably try to invite Miss Lena soon. One of the hobbies of some nobles is to invite Kitara to a party.”
“It must be a secret that I’m Kitara, so how do they know it’s me and send me an invitation?”
“There’s no secret in the world. In particular, in the case of Kitara, it will be revealed if you watch the priest’s movements for a few days and track where they go.”
“… It’s a little scary.”
What was so amazing about becoming a Kitara?
“I fully understand Miss Lena’s mind. However, Kitara was usually selected among commoners, and it seems to be an honour as it is rare to go to the noblemen’s mansion and sing.”
I let the Count’s words slip through my earlobe.
Because it’s not the case for me.
“Anyway, you’d better be careful for the time being. I hope that doesn’t happen, but sometimes some people don’t care about the means and methods.”
“Thank you for taking care of me.”
Count Va Der smiled softly, answering, “that’s nothing” to my gratefulness.
* * * * *
After the Count returned, I headed to Natalie’s house in a rented carriage.
It was because I decided to visit the temple today to treat Mila’s eyes.
Perhaps because it was a very important day, Natalie rarely changed her duty schedule and stayed at home, and the three of us headed to the temple together.
“What brings you here?”
When asked by the priest, I carefully held out the back of my hand which was previously blessed by the Great High Priest when I became the Kitara.
Then, the priest nodded as if he knew it, and said, ‘This way,’ and led us into a room.
After waiting for a while, the door reopened and an old man who looked quite old came in.
“Welcome, Kitara-nim.”
“Great High Priest…?”
“It’s been a week.”
I was very embarrassed when I saw The Great High Priest.
Obviously, the priest, who previously explained the benefits of Kitara, said that Kitara could receive treatment from all the High Priests except the Great High Priest.
So I had never expected the Great High Priest would come…
“Is this the child to who you want her eyes to be treated?”
“Oh, yes.”
While I was embarrassed, The Great High Priest sat across from us casually, looked at Mila, and patted the seat next to him.
“Child, can you come over here for a second?”
Mila looked at Natalie as if she could go, and she nodded.
Only then did Mila sit close to the side of the Great High Priest.
“You are a kind child. Close your eyes for a moment.”
Mila closed her eyes, and The Great High Priest covered the corners of Mila’s eyes.
Soon, the white light that I had seen before flowed under the old man’s hand and faded.
“Will you open your eyes now?”
The Great High Priest took off his hand and asked, and Mila opened her eyes carefully.
Mila, who had blinked several times, soon opened her eyes wide.
“Wow!”
“Can you see well?”
“Yes, I can see everything well!”
Mila, who was looking around amid curiosity, approached me with a surprised face.
“Wow. Eonni, the back of your hand is shining.”
“Shining?”
“Yes, it looks like a heart, but there’s a line in the middle, and it’s pretty. It didn’t shine before, but it’s sparkling now!”
“It’s a harp.”
“Harp?”
“Yeah, it’s one of the instruments often used in temples. Do you want to take a look around later?”
“Really? Can I do that?”
“Of course.”
The Great High Priest smiled warmly and rubbed Mila on the back of her head.
In comparison, Natalie and I just blinked.
Because I couldn’t see the light that Mila and The Great High Priest were talking about.
“Uhm, excuse me, Great High Priest, speaking about the harp…”
“Do you mean about the Kitara’s pattern?”
“Yes, about the pattern… isn’t that something that only people with divine power can see? But how does Mila…”
“You didn’t know? This child has divine power.”
The Great High Priest stroked Mila’s head and said, and Natalie opened her eyes wide.
“Divine power?”
“Yes. She has quite a lot of divine power, so if she works hard, she seems to be able to become an intermediate priest.”
“I had no idea…”
Natalie recited blankly.
I was a little surprised to know that.
“Didn’t you know that?”
“I really didn’t know. No, actually, there were times when I thought that my wounds healed a bit faster… I just thought I was weird. But now that I see it, it’s possible that Mila cured me. I was so busy that I didn’t pay attention.”
Her eyes, which had always been close to expressionless, turned red.
“If you don’t mind, why don’t you leave this child at our temple?”
“In the temple?”
“Yes. If you leave her up to me, I’ll teach her sincerely.”
Not only I but also Natalie was surprised by the unexpected proposal.
Wait, maybe this wasn’t that surprising?
People with divine power were rare, but if there was a person with divine power with the possibility of becoming an intermediate priest, it would be natural if the temple wanted to gain that person.
“I think Mila’s opinion is more important than mine…”
“Then it’s up to the child to decide.”
The Great High Priest asked while looking at Mila.
“My child, why don’t you stay and study at the temple?”
“Studying? At the temple? What’s good about it?”
“You can officially become a priest later.”
“Then can I heal the eyes of other children like you, grandfather?”
“You’ll be able to do it if you try hard.”
“Then I’ll try it.”
At Mila’s simple words, The Great High Priest smiled and looked at Natalie, and Natalie eventually nodded.
Later, Natalie and Mila went home first.
I wanted to go with them, but I couldn’t because The Great High Priest said there’s something he wanted to talk to me about separately.
“… Uhm, what is the thing that you wanted to talk to me about?”
“What’s your relationship with the imperial family?”
“What?”
“I asked because you had holy sacred Izaka in your hand.”
The Great High Priest glanced at the end of my left hand.
Only then did I remember the time The Great High Priest looked at my hand when he blessed me.
As expected, he recognized it.
“Just… Someone I know gave it to me.”
“Are you a member of the Imperial family, Kitara-nim?”
“What? No.”
I shook my head. How could I?
In response to my reaction, the high priest looked at me intently and nodded.
“I see. I just wanted to see you one more time because you were wearing a holy sacred Izaka, but it didn’t mean much. Then, you may go back now.”
Did he hold me back because of this?
I was a little embarrassed, but I raised myself with acceptance because I thought it was understandable for The Great High Priest to do so.
Whatever the reason the High Priest wanted to see me, I was able to get Mila’s eyes treated certainly thanks to his presence.
* * * * *
After leaving the temple, I grabbed a rented carriage, thinking about going home, but turned to the square instead.
Because I had read almost all of the scripts I had previously bought and remembered that I had to buy a new one.
‘I hope there are many new scripts.’
I got off the carriage with a little struggle.
There were many people in the city.
I have to open the carriage door as small as possible to barely get off.
It felt unexpectedly as I thought everyone would be at home just after the festival was over.
Of course, I didn’t think it’s something to say when I was out the same way.
While getting off the carriage, my bonnet got caught in the door, so I fixed it while heading to the script store.
It wasn’t difficult to find the store because I used to go there often.
As I entered the store, the peculiar smell of old paper lingered on the tip of my nose.
I felt like I was in an old bookstore.
I selected about ten, mainly new scripts, and asked for delivery of all but the one I read right away.
A smile filled my lips as I left the store with a script in my arms.
‘It was a worthwhile storeping trip.’
It’s still daytime and it’s a pity to go home like this….
Come to think of it, if I go a little further from here, the theatre is just right over there… Okay!
The next destination is Chloe Troupe!
I stopped by the flower store before I went to the theatre.
I remembered that Veloca teased me when I came empty-handed before.
I should just buy a bouquet of Rael and Veloca, right?
I’m sure both of them were cast on stage in this play.
Well, even if they didn’t have any role in this play, I can just ask them to put it in their room and watch it because the flowers are pretty.
When I opened the door to the flower store, a chime and a bell rang.
Subsequently, a young woman who looked like a store owner approached me, saying, “Welcome.”
“Are you looking for any specific flowers?”
“I want you to make two bouquets. Is it possible?”
“Sure. If you tell me the type of flower you want, I’ll make it for you.”
“I’m going to give one to a woman as a gift, so please make it with Dahlia flowers. And I’m going to give one to a man, but I don’t know what he likes. Can you recommend something?”
Unlike Veloca, who usually appealed to what she likes, Rael rarely said what he likes.
Because of that, I didn’t know Rael’s favourite flower.
Fortunately, the store owner was kind and showed and recommended many kinds of flowers to me, so I asked her to make a bouquet as she recommended.
The owner of the store who received my order started working on it.
As she made a bouquet, she told stories of various things, such as Dahlia are in season right now, bouquets with such intense colours are popular with women these days, and so on.
The way she was making a bouquet and what she said were quite interesting, so I responded excitedly.
Soon after, the store owner pointed to the bouquet and asked.
“I’d like to make it this way, but is there a flower that you would like to remove or add more?”
“Well, no. I think you can just give it to me as it is.”
“Okay. I’ll wrap it up quickly and give it to you.”
I like flowers, but that doesn’t mean I’m interested in them or have a good eye for them, so I decided to trust the owner of the flower store.
What she just showed me looked pretty.
The store owner’s hands got faster.
Perhaps as she went into the finishing work, she became quiet, and because of tha I was relaxed.
I looked around the flower store.
And my eyes fell to the yellow rose.
‘I don’t think I saw this before.’
Without realizing it, I stood in front of the yellow rose.
Unlike the roses at home, whose petals had already faded, the roses in the store were bright yellow.
Just like its colour when Caleb gave me the bouquet.
“Do you like this?”
As I was immersed in my recollection, the owner of the store, who I did not know when she came, picked up the yellow rose.
I waved my hands at her.
“Oh, I was just looking at it. I didn’t mean to buy it.”
“I know. I was just going to make you a small bundle. Please think of it as a bribe.”
“Bribe?”
“Yes, a bribe to stop at our store next time.”
The store owner winked at me quietly, adding.
I couldn’t help but laugh at his witty words.
“Can I really take this?”
“Of course. Yellow roses aren’t really bought as bouquets. But I keep it because I like it. It’s good to meet its owner before it withers.”
“I guess there aren’t many people buying them. It’s a pity because the flowers are so pretty.”
“I think it’s because of the flower language. Usually, bouquets are used to celebrate or propose, but the flower language of yellow roses doesn’t suit it. Do you know the meaning of yellow roses?”
“Isn’t it jealousy and flawless success?”
“Oh, you know it. People usually don’t know the meaning.”
“Because someone told me.”
I recalled what the maid said when I received the flowers from Caleb in the past.
“As you know, yellow roses have such a flower language. Yellow roses also mean breaking up… It has more negative meanings than positive ones, so people try not to use them.”
I suppose.
“So people usually buy it for ornamental purposes, but it was surprising that the man bought it as a gift at the time.”
Translator: Missme
Editor: Aru
“Well, I’ll be on my way. I hope you get home safely, Lady Vessel.”
“Thank you for taking care of me.”
At Caleb’s greeting, Vivian bowed her back.
After finishing his duty, Caleb turned around without hesitation.
Looking at his back, Vivian bit her lower lip.
However, as soon as the guard called her, she turned around with a smile, looking as sweet as usual.
* * * * *
“Take this, Miss Lena.”
Suddenly, a bouquet of flowers came into my arms.
I looked at Count Van Der with a puzzled face.
“Why a bouquet?”
“It means congratulations. You’ve become Kitara, right?”
“How did you know?”
“There’s a way to know everything.”
Count van der shrugged lightly.
Seeing that, I had a hunch.
That’s what the watcher she had put on me in the past.
I took the Count to the parlour room, and as soon as I sat down, she said.
“His Highness was surprised to hear that. And he asked me to say congratulations instead.”
“Thank you.”
I answered half-heartedly. That human being is nothing.
I guess the Count will say something better to him for me.
Count Van Der’s visit was quite periodic, so the maids quickly brought the tea, perhaps because they had prepared it in advance, and the Count also lifted the cup without hesitation.
“More than that, there will be more invitations now.”
“The invitation?”
“You became Kitara, right? People will probably try to invite Miss Lena soon. One of the hobbies of some nobles is to invite Kitara to a party.”
“It must be a secret that I’m Kitara, so how do they know it’s me and send me an invitation?”
“There’s no secret in the world. In particular, in the case of Kitara, it will be revealed if you watch the priest’s movements for a few days and track where they go.”
“… It’s a little scary.”
What was so amazing about becoming a Kitara?
“I fully understand Miss Lena’s mind. However, Kitara was usually selected among commoners, and it seems to be an honour as it is rare to go to the noblemen’s mansion and sing.”
I let the Count’s words slip through my earlobe.
Because it’s not the case for me.
“Anyway, you’d better be careful for the time being. I hope that doesn’t happen, but sometimes some people don’t care about the means and methods.”
“Thank you for taking care of me.”
Count Va Der smiled softly, answering, “that’s nothing” to my gratefulness.
* * * * *
After the Count returned, I headed to Natalie’s house in a rented carriage.
It was because I decided to visit the temple today to treat Mila’s eyes.
Perhaps because it was a very important day, Natalie rarely changed her duty schedule and stayed at home, and the three of us headed to the temple together.
“What brings you here?”
When asked by the priest, I carefully held out the back of my hand which was previously blessed by the Great High Priest when I became the Kitara.
Then, the priest nodded as if he knew it, and said, ‘This way,’ and led us into a room.
After waiting for a while, the door reopened and an old man who looked quite old came in.
“Welcome, Kitara-nim.”
“Great High Priest…?”
“It’s been a week.”
I was very embarrassed when I saw The Great High Priest.
Obviously, the priest, who previously explained the benefits of Kitara, said that Kitara could receive treatment from all the High Priests except the Great High Priest.
So I had never expected the Great High Priest would come…
“Is this the child to who you want her eyes to be treated?”
“Oh, yes.”
While I was embarrassed, The Great High Priest sat across from us casually, looked at Mila, and patted the seat next to him.
“Child, can you come over here for a second?”
Mila looked at Natalie as if she could go, and she nodded.
Only then did Mila sit close to the side of the Great High Priest.
“You are a kind child. Close your eyes for a moment.”
Mila closed her eyes, and The Great High Priest covered the corners of Mila’s eyes.
Soon, the white light that I had seen before flowed under the old man’s hand and faded.
“Will you open your eyes now?”
The Great High Priest took off his hand and asked, and Mila opened her eyes carefully.
Mila, who had blinked several times, soon opened her eyes wide.
“Wow!”
“Can you see well?”
“Yes, I can see everything well!”
Mila, who was looking around amid curiosity, approached me with a surprised face.
“Wow. Eonni, the back of your hand is shining.”
“Shining?”
“Yes, it looks like a heart, but there’s a line in the middle, and it’s pretty. It didn’t shine before, but it’s sparkling now!”
“It’s a harp.”
“Harp?”
“Yeah, it’s one of the instruments often used in temples. Do you want to take a look around later?”
“Really? Can I do that?”
“Of course.”
The Great High Priest smiled warmly and rubbed Mila on the back of her head.
In comparison, Natalie and I just blinked.
Because I couldn’t see the light that Mila and The Great High Priest were talking about.
“Uhm, excuse me, Great High Priest, speaking about the harp…”
“Do you mean about the Kitara’s pattern?”
“Yes, about the pattern… isn’t that something that only people with divine power can see? But how does Mila…”
“You didn’t know? This child has divine power.”
The Great High Priest stroked Mila’s head and said, and Natalie opened her eyes wide.
“Divine power?”
“Yes. She has quite a lot of divine power, so if she works hard, she seems to be able to become an intermediate priest.”
“I had no idea…”
Natalie recited blankly.
I was a little surprised to know that.
“Didn’t you know that?”
“I really didn’t know. No, actually, there were times when I thought that my wounds healed a bit faster… I just thought I was weird. But now that I see it, it’s possible that Mila cured me. I was so busy that I didn’t pay attention.”
Her eyes, which had always been close to expressionless, turned red.
“If you don’t mind, why don’t you leave this child at our temple?”
“In the temple?”
“Yes. If you leave her up to me, I’ll teach her sincerely.”
Not only I but also Natalie was surprised by the unexpected proposal.
Wait, maybe this wasn’t that surprising?
People with divine power were rare, but if there was a person with divine power with the possibility of becoming an intermediate priest, it would be natural if the temple wanted to gain that person.
“I think Mila’s opinion is more important than mine…”
“Then it’s up to the child to decide.”
The Great High Priest asked while looking at Mila.
“My child, why don’t you stay and study at the temple?”
“Studying? At the temple? What’s good about it?”
“You can officially become a priest later.”
“Then can I heal the eyes of other children like you, grandfather?”
“You’ll be able to do it if you try hard.”
“Then I’ll try it.”
At Mila’s simple words, The Great High Priest smiled and looked at Natalie, and Natalie eventually nodded.
Later, Natalie and Mila went home first.
I wanted to go with them, but I couldn’t because The Great High Priest said there’s something he wanted to talk to me about separately.
“… Uhm, what is the thing that you wanted to talk to me about?”
“What’s your relationship with the imperial family?”
“What?”
“I asked because you had holy sacred Izaka in your hand.”
The Great High Priest glanced at the end of my left hand.
Only then did I remember the time The Great High Priest looked at my hand when he blessed me.
As expected, he recognized it.
“Just… Someone I know gave it to me.”
“Are you a member of the Imperial family, Kitara-nim?”
“What? No.”
I shook my head. How could I?
In response to my reaction, the high priest looked at me intently and nodded.
“I see. I just wanted to see you one more time because you were wearing a holy sacred Izaka, but it didn’t mean much. Then, you may go back now.”
Did he hold me back because of this?
I was a little embarrassed, but I raised myself with acceptance because I thought it was understandable for The Great High Priest to do so.
Whatever the reason the High Priest wanted to see me, I was able to get Mila’s eyes treated certainly thanks to his presence.
* * * * *
After leaving the temple, I grabbed a rented carriage, thinking about going home, but turned to the square instead.
Because I had read almost all of the scripts I had previously bought and remembered that I had to buy a new one.
‘I hope there are many new scripts.’
I got off the carriage with a little struggle.
There were many people in the city.
I have to open the carriage door as small as possible to barely get off.
It felt unexpectedly as I thought everyone would be at home just after the festival was over.
Of course, I didn’t think it’s something to say when I was out the same way.
While getting off the carriage, my bonnet got caught in the door, so I fixed it while heading to the script store.
It wasn’t difficult to find the store because I used to go there often.
As I entered the store, the peculiar smell of old paper lingered on the tip of my nose.
I felt like I was in an old bookstore.
I selected about ten, mainly new scripts, and asked for delivery of all but the one I read right away.
A smile filled my lips as I left the store with a script in my arms.
‘It was a worthwhile storeping trip.’
It’s still daytime and it’s a pity to go home like this….
Come to think of it, if I go a little further from here, the theatre is just right over there… Okay!
The next destination is Chloe Troupe!
I stopped by the flower store before I went to the theatre.
I remembered that Veloca teased me when I came empty-handed before.
I should just buy a bouquet of Rael and Veloca, right?
I’m sure both of them were cast on stage in this play.
Well, even if they didn’t have any role in this play, I can just ask them to put it in their room and watch it because the flowers are pretty.
When I opened the door to the flower store, a chime and a bell rang.
Subsequently, a young woman who looked like a store owner approached me, saying, “Welcome.”
“Are you looking for any specific flowers?”
“I want you to make two bouquets. Is it possible?”
“Sure. If you tell me the type of flower you want, I’ll make it for you.”
“I’m going to give one to a woman as a gift, so please make it with Dahlia flowers. And I’m going to give one to a man, but I don’t know what he likes. Can you recommend something?”
Unlike Veloca, who usually appealed to what she likes, Rael rarely said what he likes.
Because of that, I didn’t know Rael’s favourite flower.
Fortunately, the store owner was kind and showed and recommended many kinds of flowers to me, so I asked her to make a bouquet as she recommended.
The owner of the store who received my order started working on it.
As she made a bouquet, she told stories of various things, such as Dahlia are in season right now, bouquets with such intense colours are popular with women these days, and so on.
The way she was making a bouquet and what she said were quite interesting, so I responded excitedly.
Soon after, the store owner pointed to the bouquet and asked.
“I’d like to make it this way, but is there a flower that you would like to remove or add more?”
“Well, no. I think you can just give it to me as it is.”
“Okay. I’ll wrap it up quickly and give it to you.”
I like flowers, but that doesn’t mean I’m interested in them or have a good eye for them, so I decided to trust the owner of the flower store.
What she just showed me looked pretty.
The store owner’s hands got faster.
Perhaps as she went into the finishing work, she became quiet, and because of tha I was relaxed.
I looked around the flower store.
And my eyes fell to the yellow rose.
‘I don’t think I saw this before.’
Without realizing it, I stood in front of the yellow rose.
Unlike the roses at home, whose petals had already faded, the roses in the store were bright yellow.
Just like its colour when Caleb gave me the bouquet.
“Do you like this?”
As I was immersed in my recollection, the owner of the store, who I did not know when she came, picked up the yellow rose.
I waved my hands at her.
“Oh, I was just looking at it. I didn’t mean to buy it.”
“I know. I was just going to make you a small bundle. Please think of it as a bribe.”
“Bribe?”
“Yes, a bribe to stop at our store next time.”
The store owner winked at me quietly, adding.
I couldn’t help but laugh at his witty words.
“Can I really take this?”
“Of course. Yellow roses aren’t really bought as bouquets. But I keep it because I like it. It’s good to meet its owner before it withers.”
“I guess there aren’t many people buying them. It’s a pity because the flowers are so pretty.”
“I think it’s because of the flower language. Usually, bouquets are used to celebrate or propose, but the flower language of yellow roses doesn’t suit it. Do you know the meaning of yellow roses?”
“Isn’t it jealousy and flawless success?”
“Oh, you know it. People usually don’t know the meaning.”
“Because someone told me.”
I recalled what the maid said when I received the flowers from Caleb in the past.
“As you know, yellow roses have such a flower language. Yellow roses also mean breaking up… It has more negative meanings than positive ones, so people try not to use them.”
I suppose.
“So people usually buy it for ornamental purposes, but it was surprising that the man bought it as a gift at the time.”
