Chapter 116
Calix’s expectations were not betrayed. Starting from that day, Lea began to move about actively.
As Zion had arranged, her first stop was the Grayson Duchy’s banquet. News that she, who had always sent refusals, would attend the banquet, brought the largest crowd in Grayson banquet history.
The Duke and Zion, who had previously not sent invitations to certain people, now issued them again, refusing no one who wanted to come.
“Milady, are you all right? You don’t look well.”
Rose, who had accompanied her, asked anxiously, and Lea answered with a tense face.
“It’s been so long since I attended such a large-scale banquet, so I’m a bit nervous.”
“…That may be so, but I’ll be right by your side, so please don’t worry too much.”
Since it wasn’t the palace, Rose was also dressed neatly in a formal gown so she could serve at Lea’s side.
Arriving first at the Duke’s residence, Lea waited for Zion in the VIP room, sipping the refreshments that had been prepared. Just then, Zion arrived.
“Lady Lea.”
Zion, who she had always seen in uniform, was dressed in a fine suit today. Lea smiled gently at his unfamiliar appearance and did not spare her praise.
“I always thought you looked good in uniform, so I figured you’d suit a suit too, and I was right.”
“…Lady Lea, you are especially beautiful today as well.”
“Fufu, so we’re exchanging compliments, are we?”
Zion was displeased with Calix’s existence, but he did appreciate that Lea’s expression had grown much more relaxed after resolving her feelings with Calix.
“The reason I had hoped you would come a bit earlier…”
It was his own doing, but he was reluctant to introduce Lea to the other Espers. In his heart, he wanted to only acknowledge the Espers who’d learned of her by necessity, but that wouldn’t help Lea at all.
She was a precious person who ought to be elevated to a position even higher than the Empress.
“I wanted to introduce you to our retainers first. And…”
“I know. There’s an Esper who needs guiding, isn’t there?”
Lea actually welcomed Zion’s suggestion. In the past, the faces of Espers who’d avoided her even when Guides were scarce came to mind one by one.
Being a Guide and yet not being acknowledged by Espers was far more dreadful than one might imagine. Even putting Calix aside, she had a desire to be recognized as a Guide.
“…Thank you, Lady Lea.”
“Did you know, Young Duke?”
“Know what?”
Zion felt nervous for no reason and swallowed hard.
“You were the very first person I ever guided.”
“Of course, I remember well.”
“Your reaction at that time gave me great strength.”
“Sorry? What do you mean…”
Lea recalled the days after her regression, when she’d been so anxious she couldn’t trust anyone. Back then, her only motivation was her blind goal to seek forgiveness from Calix.
But thinking about it now, she realized she hadn’t done it all alone. Rather, she’d simply sat comfortably in the palace, relying on the results others brought her.
“Mm, it felt like saving a drowning person. Or maybe, like offering a bowl of soup to someone who hasn’t eaten in a long time. I wonder if that sounds strange?”
Her kind words made Zion smile and shake his head.
“Not at all.”
“But would it sound strange if I said that, in turn, I gained even more strength?”
Lea smiled softly and continued.
“I realized that I could be of help to someone, that I could be needed by someone, and that thought helped me keep going. Until then, I had thought I had no value at all.”
Her words sounded almost self-deprecating, so Zion and Rose both hurried to add their own thoughts.
“Lady Lea, you don’t need to prove your worth yourself. Simply existing is value enough in itself.”
“I’ve had similar thoughts before, Milady. Of course, I don’t mean to compare myself to you, but I just want to say… Everyone has moments of wondering about their own usefulness at least once. I think that kind of worry is proof that you’re already an excellent person.”
Zion’s words were appreciated, but Lea was especially moved by Rose’s words. In the past, her most frequent thought had been, ‘Why only me?’ and a sense of being unfairly singled out.
But the words about how everyone goes through such a time at least once resonated deeply with her.
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