Reborn As A Maid

Chapter 78: Chapter 78 - Farewell To Jennie ( Part 2)

Slowly, the frozen world started moving once again.

The wind was back.

The leaves flew in the air.

The roar of joy was heard from the thousands of people’s mouths as if nothing had happened.

Nobody missed the lost seconds.

Nobody forgot about the Goddess.

Only Jennie.

She was standing motionless and forcing a faint smile.

"...Princess?"

Lilia blinked in bewilderment.

"You stopped talking all of a sudden."

Jennie immediately came back to herself.

"...Did I?"

"Yes."

Jennie tilted her head.

"You seemed a little distracted."

"...For a second."

Yes, only for a second.

But for her...

All the things have changed.

She smiled.

"I’m sorry."

"I was just thinking."

Lilia smiled too.

"Then..."

"Were you telling that your name was Leonis a thousand years ago?"

Jennie held her breath for a second.

The words of Miasa rung in her head.

Do not tell anyone.

The miracle is falling apart.

Jennie quietly shook her head.

"...Another day."

"I promise to tell you about it another day."

Lilia giggled.

"Then..."

"Be sure that I will keep this promise."

Jennie’s heart was hurting.

She knew that this day would never come.

But...

She smiled.

"I promise."

The celebration went on till sunset.

The heroes were met by the citizens of the capital with flowers, songs, and laughter.

Children were running through the streets playing with their imaginary swords.

Merchants were giving out the bread and sweets.

The survivors were the legends now.

Jennie was walking after Princess Lilia as she used to.

One of the palace maids laughed.

"Lady Jennie!"

"You disappeared right when everybody wanted to thank you!"

Jennie rubbed the back of her neck.

"Well... I was a little shy."

Everybody laughed.

"It fits you well."

Another maid gave a basket with freshly-baked cookies to Jennie.

"We were baking these while waiting for you."

Jennie took the basket in her hands.

"...Thank you."

She smelled the familiar aroma.

She struggled not to cry.

The young maid smiled brightly.

"So..."

"You will make us your Crystal Bloom Tea tomorrow, right?"

Jennie paused.

Tomorrow.

Only six more tomorrows...

"...Of course."

She smiled.

"And I will make enough for everybody."

The maids cheered.

They didn’t notice why Jennie’s smile was a little different than usual.

That evening...

Jennie returned home.

The wooden door of her house started creaking when she opened it.

"I am back."

Instantly—

"Jennie!"

Elena rushed from the kitchen.

"Thank Godness."

She tenderly took Jennie’s face in her hands.

"You haven’t skipped the dinner again, have you?"

Jennie laughed.

"...No."

"I was invited to the celebration."

Arthur came carrying some bundles of firewood.

"Great timing."

"I was just going to cook."

Lucas leant against the door with crossed arms.

"You mean Mom was going to cook."

Arthur coughed nervously.

"I was helping."

Lucas laughed.

"As if you ever do."

Jennie was watching.

She recognized everything.

The conversation, the jokes, the quiet evening.

Something that she used to take for granted.

Now...

Every single minute seemed precious.

Arthur looked at her.

"What is it?"

Jennie quickly wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

"...Nothing."

"I just..."

She smiled.

"I am so happy to return home."

Arthur chuckled.

"Of course you are."

"This is your home."

These words wounded her.

The dinner was noisier than usual.

Lucas was boasting of how many monsters he killed.

"You tripped over a stone."

Jennie laughed.

"I saw that."

Lucas almost choked on his soup.

"Y-You saw that?"

"Yes."

Elena was laughing too hard.

Arthur tried to remain serious.

Failed.

Soon the whole family was laughing together.

Jennie laughed louder than everybody.

She wanted to remember every sound.

Every smile.

Every word.

After dinner...

Elena served another portion to Jennie.

"You ate nothing."

"I was full."

"Nonsense."

"You are still growing."

Lucas groaned.

"Mom."

"She is fifteen."

"Just like that."

Elena smiled.

"She is still growing."

Jennie accepted the food without complaining.

"...Thank you."

Elena blinked.

"Why are you thanking me so formally?"

Jennie paused.

"...I just wanted to."

The warm smile of her mother.

"Silly girl."

That night...

Arthur was sitting outside under the starry sky.

Jennie sat down next to him silently.

Several minutes later...

Arthur smiled.

"You are acting strange today."

Jennie looked at the sky.

"...Am I?"

"You are smiling more."

"But somehow..."

"...you seem lonely."

Jennie laughed softly.

"I can’t deceive you."

Arthur shook his head.

"You never did."

He tenderly put his hand on her head.

"Whatever will happen..."

"You will always have a place here."

Jennie bit her lip.

"...Thank you."

Arthur smiled.

"You don’t have to thank your dad."

These words almost brought her to tears.

She looked away to avoid letting him see her tears.

Next morning...

Jennie waked earlier than everyone else.

She cooked the breakfast.

When Elena came to the kitchen, she was surprised.

"You cooked?"

Jennie smiled.

"I wanted everybody to rest."

Elena hugged her from behind.

"My daughter has grown up."

Jennie closed her eyes.

"...I learned from the best."

Soon Arthur and Lucas joined them.

The family had a breakfast together.

Bread.

Fresh milk.

Scrambled eggs.

Ordinary food.

But for Jennie...

This meal was more precious than any royal one.

After breakfast, Jennie offered to wash all the dishes.

Lucas laughed.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my little sister?"

Jennie splashed a little water at him.

"I am always this helpful."

"You are not."

The siblings laughed.

Jennie hoped this minute would last forever.

That afternoon, Jennie returned to the palace.

The palace maids surrounded her.

"Jennie!"

"The tea!"

"The tea!"

She laughed.

"Okay."

"One cup each."

Soon the familiar aroma of Crystal Bloom Tea spread through the room.

Everybody was gathering around the table.

The maids were chatting about ordinary things.

Somebody was complaining about polishing the armor.

Another was telling about her new dress.

Someone wondered if the Head Chef is secretly in love with the Royal Librarian.

Jennie listened.

Smiled. frёewebnoѵēl.com

Laughed.

Joined in every conversation.

No epic battles.

No ancient prophecies.

Just ordinary people having an ordinary day.

She wished she could live like this forever.

When the sun began to go down, Lilia silently entered the room.

"There you are."

Jennie raised her eyes.

"Princess?"

Lilia smiled.

"I have been looking for you everywhere."

She reached out her hand to Jennie.

"Let’s go somewhere."

"Where are we going?"

"It’s a secret."

Jennie looked at the smiling face of Lilia.

She couldn’t resist.

She gently grabbed Lilia’s hand.

"...Okay."

Walking together through the palace garden, Jennie silently counted the days left in her heart.

Six days left.

The evening wind carried the laughter of people she loved.

Jennie smiled.

Even if someday these smiles would forget her...

She will protect them until the very end.

Walking through the gardens of the palace, none of them were hurrying.

The paths were decorated by white blooming roses, whose petals shined under the bright orange of the setting sun.

For some time...

Neither of them spoke.

Their silence was peaceful.

Finally, Lilia smiled.

"Have you remembered the day we met?"

Jennie laughed quietly.

"You were nothing but a brat ordering me around."

Lilia instantly pouted.

"I haven’t ordered you."

"You’ve said very cockily, ’So you are Jennie’."

The cheeks of Lilia turned pink.

"...Did I really say that?"

"Yes."

"And when I’ve brought you Crystal Bloom Tea for Queen Celestine, you believed that I’d stole your mother because she praised me."

Lilia covered her face with both hands.

"Please stop."

Jennie couldn’t help laughing.

"I’d completely forgotten."

"You’ve been pouting at me for three days straight."

"I haven’t."

"You certainly have."

For a short moment...

Everything became as usual.

They weren’t princess and legendary hero anymore.

They were just two girls recalling their past happy days.

The smile of Lilia became softer.

"I’m glad."

Jennie tilted her head.

"Of what?"

"That you’re laughing."

She looked at the sunset.

"After the battle..."

"You’ve smiled."

"But your eyes..."

"They seem lonely."

Jennie’s steps became slower.

She tried forcing another smile.

"I’m fine."

Lilia stopped.

"No."

"You aren’t."

Jennie turned her head away.

"I..."

She couldn’t find the words.

She wanted to tell Lilia everything.

That she had only six days left.

That soon the princess would forget all the memories they once shared.

Each cup of tea.

Each conversation.

Each laugh.

But she couldn’t.

Instead, she smiled.

"I’ve been thinking about the future."

Lilia slowly nodded.

"As have I."

Jennie blinked.

"The future?"

Lilia laughed quietly.

"Once we graduate from the academy..."

"I wonder what everyone will be doing."

She looked directly into Jennie’s eyes. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"I hope..."

"...that you’ll always be by my side."

The words made the heart of Jennie ache.

She quickly lowered her gaze so that tears wouldn’t fall down.

"I..."

"I don’t know."

Gently touching Jennie’s hand, Lilia said:

"Then promise me something."

Looking at the joined hands, Jennie said:

"What is it?"

"No matter where life will take us..."

"...please, don’t leave me, Jennie."

The words hit the heart of Jennie harder than any sword.

For a second, she couldn’t breath.

She wanted to make a promise.

Really wanted.

But she already knew...

That it was an impossible task to keep.

Silent for long, she softly squeezed the hand of Lilia.

"I’ll always appreciate the time we spent together."

Lilia laughed.

"That wasn’t what I wanted to hear."

Jennie smiled sadly.

"I know."

The princess looked at her confusedly.

Somehow for reasons she couldn’t understand...

Uncomfortable feeling began gathering inside her heart.

It felt as if somebody dear was slowly drifting away.

She didn’t know why.

She couldn’t understand anything.

But tears started forming in her eyes.

Jennie noticed.

Instinctively, she approached her.

Then...

She embraced Lilia tenderly.

The princess stood frozen.

"J-Jennie?"

Gently putting her chin on the shoulder of Lilia, Jennie whispered:

"Thank you."

Lilia blinked.

"For what?"

"For believing in me."

"For treating me as Jennie."

"And not as someone who I used to be."

Slowly returning the embrace, Lilia said:

"I don’t understand what do you mean by that."

But she smiled tenderly.

"But there’s one thing which will never change."

"You’ll always be my precious friend."

Jennie closed her eyes tightly.

If only it could be true forever.

The evening bell rung in the capital.

Silently separating, the two started walking back.

The smile of Lilia lit up again, as if she wanted to make the situation lighter.

"Come on."

"If we stay out for any longer, Martha will scold us both."

Jennie laughed.

"You’re the princess."

"So what?"

Lilia smiled mischievously.

"She’ll scold you first."

Putting a hand on her heart as if hurt deeply, Jennie said:

"How heartless."

Laughing, the two went back to the palace.

Behind them, the last rays of sunlight were disappearing over the horizon.

Glancing at the sky growing darker, Jennie whispered words which only she could hear.

"Please, let tomorrow be peaceful too."

"Let it be just one more usual day."

"Just one more memory."

"Before everyone forgets my name."