Reborn As A Maid

Chapter 77: Chapter 77 - Farewell To Jennie ( Part 1)

It was dead quiet in the frozen kingdom.

Not a single leaf rustled.

No sound could be heard in the frozen air.

Jennie was surrounded by the immobile kingdom as she looked with her silver eyes at the Goddess Miasa.

For the first time in her entire life...

She felt afraid.

She glanced at Arthur.

The man who was her father was standing there frozen with a soft smile on his face, not aware of what fate waited for him.

Beside him stood Elena with tears still hanging on her cheeks.

There was Lucas with one hand raised as if he wanted to make fun of Jennie once again.

Lilia was standing just a couple of steps away.

She was looking right at her with a gaze of questioning.

There were still echoes of the phrase "are you really the Sword King?" in her mind.

Jennie’s hands trembled.

"There has to be another way."

Miasa closed her eyes.

"I have been looking for it."

"For a thousand years."

"I have been begging before the Heavenly Court."

"I have been challenging the Laws of Creation."

"I have even offered my divine power."

She slowly shook her head.

"It never worked."

Jennie lowered her head.

"...Why?"

Miasa’s face became serious.

"Because Leonis was never meant to come back."

A golden circle appeared under the feet of the Goddess.

In it there were numerous images.

The great war of demons.

Leonis fighting alone against armies of them.

The seven Divine Swords burning bright in the crimson sky.

Finally...

The death of Leonis.

"When you sealed the Seventh Demon General, your soul fulfilled the destiny written by the World Tree."

"The story of Leonis had ended rightfully."

The pictures were shifting.

A little girl was sleeping quietly in the arms of Arthur and Elena.

Jennie.

"I have broken that destiny."

"I have allowed the story to start anew."

Jennie was looking silently at the image of her younger self.

Miasa sadly smiled.

"For fifteen years, the world has accepted my miracle."

"Because nobody knew the truth."

"But the moment Azrakiel has said your name to thousands of people..."

"...the world has recognized Leonis."

"The miracle has become a contradiction."

Jennie whispered.

"So reality is trying to fix itself."

Miasa nodded.

"Exactly."

"The world cannot hold two truths."

"You cannot be the famous Sword King..."

"...and at the same time be Arthur and Elena’s daughter."

Golden cracks started to spread in the frozen sky.

The sight made Jennie feel heavy in her heart.

The cracks were widening slowly.

"What will happen if nothing is done?"

Miasa raised her hand.

The cracks turned into images.

Jennie could see dark cities.

The water rising above the kingdoms.

Old forests turning into ashes.

The seals containing the remaining Demon Generals breaking one by one.

The golden light of Excalibur fading.

Other Divine Swords breaking.

Finally...

Jennie saw Arthur.

Elena.

Lucas.

Lilia.

They were all standing under the black sky.

Then...

The picture disappeared.

Jennie instinctively took a step forward.

"No!"

The image was gone.

Miasa looked right into her eyes.

"That future will come true."

In seven days.

Jennie couldn’t breathe.

"...Seven?"

The Goddess nodded.

"The miracle is collapsing."

"With each passing day, the cracks between fate and reality will widen."

"The remaining Demon Generals will awaken sooner than expected."

"The seals of the Divine Swords will weaken."

"And on the seventh day..."

"The world itself will reject your presence."

Jennie was silent.

Seven days.

Only seven.

The life she has been cherishing so much...

Would end within a week.

Miasa’s voice softened.

There is only one solution to save the world.

Jennie knew the answer.

"...I should leave."

"Yes."

"You need to cut all the ties connecting Jennie to this kingdom."

"You need to step outside the range of the miracle."

"The world will reshape itself."

"All the memories about Jennie will be lost."

"The contradiction will be erased."

Jennie glanced at her family once again.

"Mother..."

"...will forget me." freёweɓnovel.com

"Yes."

"Father..."

"...will think that he has never had a daughter."

"Yes."

"And my brother..."

Miasa closed her eyes.

"...Will remember that he was growing up alone."

Jennie’s legs gave away from under her.

She fell on her knees crying.

"...This is cruel."

The Goddess kneeled beside her.

"I know."

"They will forget everything."

"Meals with them..."

"My birthdays..."

"...days when Father taught me swordsmanship..."

"...Mother singing me to sleep..."

"...Lucas quarrelling with me..."

"...my first day at the palace..."

"...Lilia smiling every morning..."

Her voice broke.

"...Everything..."

Miasa gently hugged her.

"I am sorry."

Jennie buries her head in the Goddess’s shoulder.

For the first time since becoming Jennie...

She was crying as a scared fifteen-year-old girl.

Not as a heroine.

Not as a legend.

Just as a girl who is terrified of losing her family.

Minutes passed.

Or perhaps hours.

It didn’t matter anymore in the frozen world.

At some point...

Jennie’s sobs subsided.

She slowly wiped away her tears.

And then she got up.

Her legs were trembling.

But her eyes were different now.

She went towards Arthur.

Slowly...

She put her hand on his frozen cheek.

"Thank you..."

"...for being my father."

She turned to Elena.

"You have given me the childhood I always wanted."

Gentle kiss touched her mother’s forehead.

And then Lucas.

Jennie laughed silently.

"You have been a pesky brother."

"But..."

"...I am glad you were mine."

Finally...

Jennie went to Lilia.

The princess was frozen right in the middle of her question.

Jennie gently brushed her blond hair behind her ear.

"I am sorry."

"I will not be able to listen to your answer."

She smiled again through her new tears.

"I hope..."

"...that you will find happiness."

Silence came back.

Miasa watched everything without interruption.

She understood that these minutes were priceless.

Jennie slowly turned.

Her face was still wet with tears.

But now there was no hesitation anymore.

"I have made my choice."

The Goddess looked at her sadly.

"You don’t have to answer me right away."

"I should."

Jennie smiled.

It was the same smile which has been comforting everyone ever since she appeared in the world.

"If forgetting me..."

She glanced at the frozen kingdom.

"...Means that they will live..."

Her smile became even brighter despite the tears.

"...then it is enough."

Miasa closed her eyes.

Another tear appeared on her cheek.

"In every lifetime..."

"You are always putting others first before yourself."

Jennie quietly laughed.

"I guess..."

"...Some things never change."

The Goddess slowly got up.

"So be it."

"The miracle will end in seven days."

"Until then..." freewёbnoνel.com

"Use your last days together with those whom you love."

"They will never know that this is goodbye."

Jennie glanced at her family.

Her home.

Her friends.

The kingdom which has finally given the Sword King a peaceful life.

Seven days.

Only seven ordinary days.

And Jennie silently swore to cherish every single one of them before she disappeared from their hearts.

Jennie stood in silence.

Seven days.

The figure kept repeating in her head.

It seemed absurdly short.

Seven days to laugh with her family.

Seven days to have a tea with Lilia.

Seven days to walk around the palace that had become her home.

Seven days before there wouldn’t be anything left about Jennie in the hearts of people she loved.

She slowly lowered her gaze to her own hands.

"...Would you remember me?"

Miasa nodded gently.

"Yes."

"You only one will keep all my memories."

Jennie felt her heart contracting.

"So..."

"I’ll remember how my mother called me."

"My father’s smile."

"Lucas’ teasing."

"Lilia waiting for me every morning..."

"...but none of them will remember me."

"I’m afraid so."

Jennie closed her eyes.

"...This hurts more than death."

The Goddess said nothing in denial.

"That’s why I never wanted to tell you this."

"The pain of being forgotten is often more painful than death itself."

They stayed in silence for a long time.

The frozen world stretched around them for miles.

At last, Excalibur’s voice sounded.

"Lady Miasa..."

The Goddess turned her gaze to the holy sword.

Golden light of Excalibur flickered.

"Could my blessing save their memories?"

Miasa shook her head.

"No."

"Maybe one of the other Divine Swords can?"

"No."

"World Tree can heal the loss?"

Again...

"No."

Excalibur stayed silent.

For the first time since Jennie knew the legendary sword, it sounded helpless.

Jennie put her hand on Excalibur’s hilt.

"It’s okay."

"No..."

Excalibur whispered.

"It isn’t."

"A thousand years ago, I failed to protect Leonis."

"I thought that by becoming Jennie’s companion, I could see you happy."

Her voice trembled.

"And now..."

"I must witness how you lose your happiness again."

Jennie smiled.

"You didn’t fail."

Excalibur didn’t say anything.

Jennie continued.

"Because of you..."

"I met my family."

"I met Lilia."

"I laughed."

"I celebrated my birthday."

"I quarreled with Lucas."

"I learned how wonderful the ordinary morning can be."

She looked at Arthur and Elena.

"For fifteen years..."

"I wasn’t the Sword King."

"I was their daughter."

Peaceful smile appeared on her face.

"And these memories..."

"No divine law can take them away from me."

The light of Excalibur brightened a bit.

"You are truly impossible."

Jennie smiled quietly.

"I learned that from my family."

Goddess was looking at the exchange with tears glittering in her eyes.

"So this is why..."

"The people of this era love you."

"They weren’t charmed by the Sword King."

"They loved Jennie."

Miasa slowly raised her hand.

A small golden light appeared in her palms.

It contained countless little fragments of Jennie’s memories.

Arthur lifting a little girl onto his shoulder.

Elena teaching Jennie how to bake bread.

Lucas faking his loss in training to make his little sister smile.

Lilia laughing over a cup of Crystal Bloom Tea.

All precious memories glimmered like stars.

Goddess carefully put the sphere in Jennie’s hands.

"What is it?"

"These are the memories of your miracle."

Jennie was looking at the shining sphere with amazement.

"When the world will forget you..."

"The memories in your heart will fade in time."

Jennie’s eyes widened.

"Would they disappear?"

"Not entirely."

"They would become vague."

"Just like dreams that you remember after waking."

"This sphere will keep them."

"It will ensure that no matter how much time will pass..."

"You won’t ever forget the people that gave Leonis a chance to be Jennie."

Jennie hugged the light in her chest.

It was warm.

As a hug from her mother.

As a dinner conversation with Arthur.

As Lucas’ complaints and secret smile.

As a soft call of Lilia.

Tears were gathering again in her eyes.

"...Thank you."

Miasa smiled.

"No."

"It’s I who should thank you."

Jennie looked up.

Admiration was lighting the expression of the Goddess.

"A thousand years ago..."

"You saved the world."

"But I’ve finally realized one thing."

Jennie tilted her head.

"The greatest miracle was not the victory over Demon Lords."

"It was showing that even the greatest hero deserves an ordinary life."

A soft wind started playing with frozen flowers at their feet.

The smile of the Goddess became bittersweet.

"And now..."

"History requires that hero to make one more sacrifice."

Jennie squeezed the sphere of memories.

Her tears stopped.

Determination settled in her heart.

"If this is the price of saving everyone..."

She lifted her gaze to the frozen kingdom.

"I’ll pay it."

There wasn’t any hesitation in her voice.

Not because she wasn’t scared.

But because the smiles that were waiting beyond these seven days were worth protecting, even if they will never remember the girl that sacrificed herself for them.