Unseen Ties (Part 2)

A… I truly want to cry. My tears are almost impossible to hold back. Honestly, I'm trying so hard right now to stop them from falling and staining my cheeks. Because…

It would be so embarrassing if Aella-san saw me cry. What would I even say to her?

'Ah… sorry for crying, Aella-san reminds me of my mother.'

There's no way I could say something like that, right? I'm too old to act so childish. Definitely, Aella-san would tease me even more. Certainly… yes, it's almost guaranteed.

But… why is Aella-san being so gentle with me?

Even now, Aella-san hasn't stopped gently stroking my head. And her eyes… she's looking at me with an expression so full of longing and affection. Her feelings toward me seem so deep.

It's only natural to cry when receiving such tenderness and care. It's not weird, right? Yes… I'm trying so hard right now to hold back my tears. I'm a teenager (I'm only 16) who's never met, nor known, who my father is.

I was raised by my mother alone, only to lose her (my mother's death) when I was just seven years old. I'm a lonely teenage girl who has always held back my longing for the tenderness and affection my mother used to shower me with in the past. And now, Miss Aella is giving me that tenderness and affection.

Why… why is she treating me like this? Isn't this our first time speaking directly? What's making her act this way toward me?

While my head is filled with questions like that, Aella-san asks me another question, continuing to gently stroke my head.

"Elena… what were you doing before you came here? Where were you living before this?"

"I… I lived in a village to the north of Mildiesta. A place called Toffa Village. I was a nun at the Temple of the Sun located in the village."

"Toffa, huh? Have you lived there a long time?"

"Yes, I was born and raised there."

"Does that mean you lived in Toffa Village with both of your parents?"

"No…"

I exhale slowly to keep my emotions in check before replying. Then I continue.

"At first, I lived with just my mother, but… she passed away when I was six… she was gravely ill… I don't even know exactly what illness she had."

"I'm sorry if I made you recall such a painful memory."

Aella-san said this as she gently stroked my ear with her fingers.

The way she stroked my ear… it was exactly like how my mother used to do it. Why… why is she able to do something so identical to what my mother did?

I looked at her for a long time. I don't even know what kind of expression was on my face as I stared at her.

"Are you bothered by what I'm doing, Elena?"

Aella-san asked me in her soft voice.

I shook my head in response. Honestly, if I'd answered verbally… my tears might've started falling right then.

I began exhaling slowly again to regulate my emotions. Aella-san looked at me and smiled as she saw me suddenly steadying my breathing. Maybe she found it amusing that I was doing that.

But what she did next completely shocked me. Suddenly, she softly pinched the tip of my nose with her fingers.

"So… what did you do after your mother's passing? And… who took care of you after that? You… you didn't live in hardship all alone, did you?"

Aella-san asked with a face that showed both worry and guilt at the same time.

"No… after my mother's passing, I was raised by the priest and the nuns of the Temple of the Sun. The High Priest, Father Dante, cared for me as if I were his own daughter. I'm deeply grateful for all of that."

For a moment, Aella-san lowered her head while folding her arms. She looked worried as she spoke again.

"Hey… Elena… If I may ask… what was your mother's name?"

She looked deep into my eyes, her gaze full of anxiety and restlessness, as though she were hoping for an answer from me.

"My mother's name was Estella Fearis…"

After hearing my response, she stared at me for a long time. I could see her trying to hold back tears, her eyes clearly reflecting her struggle. For a moment, it looked like she was biting her bottom lip, as if she was trying to suppress her emotions.

To be honest, the situation felt extremely awkward for me. Why did Aella-san suddenly seem like she wanted to cry after I mentioned my mother's name? Did she know my mother?

I finally asked her.

"Aella-san, did you know my mother?"

Hearing my question, she seemed a little startled and appeared to be trying hard to compose herself (at least, that's what I assumed). Then she spoke with a slightly awkward voice.

"Ah… no! The name just reminded me of someone I knew. But… I think that's impossible… because the person I knew was a female warrior from the Kingdom of Scathlan. She was a Princess of the Kingdom and a War General of Scathlan."

A smile returned to Aella-san's face once again.

"Yeah… there's no way that's my mother! Because from what I've heard, based on Father Dante's stories, my mother was born and grew up in Toffa Village. Meanwhile, my father was an adventurer who left and disappeared after heading to the Western Continent for a Guild mission."

"Then shouldn't Father Dante at least know who your father was?"

"Sadly, Father Dante always went silent whenever I asked about my father. He'd always change the subject, as if he wanted to hide the truth about my father's identity from me. I don't know what his reasons were for keeping it secret. Honestly, I want to know too. Why did my mother… why did Father Dante… keep the truth about my biological father hidden from me? Was he a criminal that they had to keep me away from him?"

After saying that, the atmosphere between us turned heavy. We both remained silent for a long time. I didn't know what to say to break the tension. Maybe I had spoken too much. I shouldn't have shared so much with Aella-san. It was my fault for making things awkward.

When I glanced at Aella-san, I noticed she slightly lifted her head, looking at the white ceiling above us in the midst of the silence. It seemed like she was deep in thought. Maybe… she was trying to find a way to ease the awkwardness. Maybe…

"Haaahhh…"

Aella-san let out a long breath. Then, she gently stroked my head again and said to me.

"Don't overthink such things… When they decided to keep it a secret from you, it means they must have had their reasons for doing so. Didn't they always treat you with love and care?"

I nodded my head in agreement with Aella-san's question.

"Good… that means you have no reason to doubt their decisions. Because they were people who loved you from the bottom of their hearts. So… don't think poorly of them, okay?"

I responded to her words with another nod of my head. Then, Aella-san softly patted my stomach with the fingers of her right hand. Isn't Aella-san treating me too much like a little child?

But strangely… I didn't mind her behavior. Honestly, I might've even enjoyed it. This is so embarrassing.

I then began asking Aella-san another question.

"If I may ask, what was the name of your friend who shared the same name as my mother?"

"Estella… Estella Lightheart…"

Isn't that name strikingly similar to my mother's?

A Princess of the Kingdom of Scathlan, a kingdom that was always at odds with the Demon Race. A War General who should have led the forces of the Kingdom of Scathlan against the Demon Race. I can imagine how incredible the woman who shared my mother's name must have been.

I want to hear her story…

I want to know what her life was like…

And how her life came to an end.

Because I know that, right now, that kingdom no longer exists, destroyed by the invasion of the Demon Race. That event even happened before I was born.

But still…

I want to know the adventures of Estella Lightheart.

†***********************†

"Estella Lightheart, a Princess of the Kingdom of Scathlan. A Princess who served as a War General. I really want to know the story of the woman who shared my mother's name...

The next episode will be "Estella Lightheart, The Saint of Light Sword." Don't forget to read the story, okay? Bye…!"

Elena Fearis