My Maid is Cute Chapter 57 : The Tale of Iridia (Patreon)

*The Tale of Iridia*

The spirit of the wind ran through the mountains without hesitation, and incredibly, they managed to cross the mountain in about an hour.

In a deserted spot some distance from the human village, the spirit’s feet came to a halt. Rieserago hopped lightly from the spirit’s back to the ground, then immediately lifted Rebecca down as well. As Rebecca smoothed her disheveled hair, she let out a sigh of relief. Honestly, she had been terrified out of her wits.

The wind spirit let out a high-pitched whine—kyuun—and nuzzled against Rebecca. Forcing a smile, Rebecca patted the spirit’s head.

"Thank you very much. You really saved us."

At Rebecca’s words, the spirit narrowed its eyes. Then, it turned its face toward Rieserago, gave a low growl like a purr, and vanished from the spot.

"...Spirits are amazing, aren't they?"

When Rebecca muttered this, Rieserago replied briefly.

"Yeah."

Beyond the mountain lay a small village. From here on, they would have to walk to the nearby town of Lulune.

"Apparently, there are carriages leaving from Lulune, so let's do our best to walk there."

"...Yeah."

When Rebecca spoke to her, Rieserago nodded slightly.

The two picked up their luggage and began walking toward Lulune.

As they walked, Rebecca stole a glance at Rieserago’s face. Ever since meeting the spirits in the mountain, Rieserago had worn a somewhat somber expression and had stopped talking much.

Rebecca opened her mouth to call out to Rieserago, but not knowing what to say, she eventually closed it again.

The two continued on in silence.

***

They arrived at their destination, the town of Lulune, before evening, but unfortunately, the shared carriages had finished for the day. As a result, they decided to stay in the town for the night.

Luckily, they were able to secure a small inn immediately, and Rebecca and Rieserago entered their room together.

"What shall we do for dinner?"

"...Let's eat somewhere around here."

Since the small inn didn't have a dining hall, they went to a nearby restaurant. Even at the restaurant, Rieserago ate the food brought to her with a detached air, her expression still gloomy.

When they finished their meal and returned to the inn, Rieserago immediately dove onto the bed. Lying there, she muttered,

"...I'm tired."

Rebecca picked up Finley's Adventure, which she had bought at the bookstore, and climbed onto her own bed. She opened the book quietly and began to read.

Finley's Adventure was an adventure novel featuring a young girl named Finley who was suddenly trapped in a library one day. The unique characters and the fresh, fantastical writing left an impression, and despite being a children's book, there were cruel developments as well. Rebecca read the book engrossed, in silence for a while.

When she had read to about the middle of the book, Rieserago suddenly spoke to her.

"...Aren't you going to ask?"

At those words, Rebecca glanced at Rieserago. She immediately returned her gaze to the book and replied.

"About what?"

"...About today... about the spirits and such..."

Rieserago hesitated for a moment, then piled on more words.

"...About being called Iridia... and all that..."

Without taking her eyes off the book, Rebecca spoke.

"Do you want me to ask?"

"..."

Rieserago fell silent. Rebecca let out a small sigh and snapped the book shut. She placed the book aside and turned her entire body toward Rieserago.

"I have a tiny bit of curiosity, of course. About you. But... since earlier, you've had such a pained look on your face... so, I won't ask. I don't want to torment you by making you talk, and I hate to see you hurt. Besides, besides... it has nothing to do with me."

Rieserago bit her lip hard. Rebecca looked straight at her and continued.

"To me, you are my friend... you're just Riesie. So, it doesn't matter. The past doesn't matter."

Rieserago’s eyes widened. For just a moment, she looked like she was about to cry, then she sat up on the bed.

She took a slow, deep breath before weaving her words.

"...I want you to listen to something."

"...Like I said, you don't have to force yourself."

"No, how should I put it... I want to talk. I want to tell you. It's going to be an unpleasant story, though."

Rebecca stared at Rieserago in silence for a while. Eventually, she gave a small nod.

Rieserago smiled slightly. Then, she opened her mouth and began to speak.

***

It is a story from the past.

—A story from a long time ago, thousands of years in the past.

A time when the distance between spirits, magical beasts, and humans was much closer.

There was a certain country. It was a small kingdom surrounded by mountains. In that peaceful and calm country, there were two princesses.

The younger princess was a refined and elegant royal who possessed a beautiful appearance and a kind heart from a young age.

The older princess was inferior in appearance compared to her sister; she was a mediocre princess with a serious and quiet personality. However, her magic power alone was stronger than her sister's.

The King and Queen loved their daughters, but they particularly doted on the Second Princess, who possessed unrivaled beauty. The citizens, too, praised the Second Princess's beauty and loved her deeply.

The two princesses had been close since they were small and rarely fought. Watched over by many, the princesses grew into adults.

One day, the First Princess's engagement was decided. Her betrothed was a young man chosen by her father, the King. He was the son of a high-ranking noble within the country, a knight of beautiful countenance who excelled in swordsmanship. The First Princess accepted the engagement decided by the King without hesitation.

Many people celebrated the engagement of the First Princess and the knight from the bottom of their hearts. The Second Princess also offered words of blessing to her sister with an innocent smile. Though it was an engagement decided by the King, the First Princess and the knight spoke of deepening their bond little by little and striving to become a good couple. In her own way, the First Princess cherished her relationship with the knight.

While preparations for the wedding were slowly progressing, a calamity befell the country. Citizens began collapsing one after another from a mysterious illness.

The First Princess's wedding was no longer the priority. The King summoned many capable doctors from other countries. However, no one could grasp the true nature of the illness. The people afflicted by the disease grew weaker and weaker, and eventually, some began to lose their lives.

While the people suffered from the illness, disturbing rumors began to be whispered.

The rumor was that the First Princess was using sorcery to spread the disease.

No one knew where the rumor had started. But that baseless rumor spread slowly, bit by bit, among the populace. The First Princess began to receive cold stares from the people of the country. Some even appeared to blame and condemn her.

The First Princess, of course, pleaded her innocence. However, the King and Queen were also bewildered by the rumors and the spread of the disease, and eventually, they began to harbor suspicions. Finally, it was decided by the King that the First Princess would be temporarily confined in the castle's dungeon.

The First Princess was imprisoned in a dark room in the castle's underground. Treated like a prisoner, she lamented and grieved.

Strangely, as soon as the First Princess was imprisoned, the illness tormenting the citizens subsided. The people afflicted by the disease began to recover little by little. Because of this, the idea that the elder princess was the culprit spreading the disease was accepted as truth and spread throughout the kingdom.

The First Princess remained imprisoned underground, awaiting her fate. Unbearably anxious about what would happen to her, she cried constantly.

It was then that the Second Princess appeared before her.

"Father is acting strange. To take such rumors seriously... Sister, please run away."

Saying this, the Second Princess opened the door to the dark underground room.

The Second Princess firmly grasped the bewildered First Princess's shoulders and continued with earnest eyes.

"At this rate, your life is in danger, Sister. I will somehow persuade Father. Until things calm down, please hide somewhere safe."

Persuaded, the First Princess hesitated but finally nodded.

"The Knight is waiting for you in the East Forest. Please, be safe."

The Second Princess said this and handed over a large bag. The First Princess, deeply grateful, accepted the luggage and escaped the castle. She continued running desperately, heading for the East Forest just as her sister had said.

Finally, she arrived in the forest. But waiting for the First Princess there was not the knight she trusted, but the castle guards.

The First Princess was captured by the guards and immediately returned to the castle.

Seeing the captured First Princess, the King burned with rage. Beside him, for some reason, stood the Second Princess with a sorrowful face, her arm covered in bandages.

The King shouted in a fury.

"If you had stayed quietly imprisoned, I would have spared your life, but to go so far as to hurt your sister and flee—!"

At those words, the First Princess was stunned.

Without her knowing, it had been decided that she had threatened the Second Princess, slashed her arm, and fled the castle. Furthermore, from the luggage the Second Princess had given her, magical tools used for curses were inexplicably discovered.

She had no memory of hurting her sister. This was some kind of mistake. She pleaded over and over for them to investigate again, but no one would listen.

Her beloved parents, the trusted servants, her close friends, and even the knight who was her fiancé—everyone there glared at the First Princess with sharp, cold eyes. Not a single person believed her words.

"Because of you, my family died!!"

"You evil princess! Die!!"

"Kill her!! Kill that princess!!"

Abandoned by everyone, the First Princess was stripped of her royal status. Then, for the crime of taking citizens' lives with curses and the crime of harming the Second Princess, she was sentenced to exile by the King. But it was no ordinary exile. It was exile to the bottom of a deep ravine outside the country, where magical beasts and monsters lived. It was not mere banishment; it meant death.

Until the preparations for the execution were complete, the First Princess was to be locked in a cell.

The one who came to the First Princess, who was utterly confused and grieving inside the cell, was the Second Princess, wearing a lovely smile.

Seeing her sister, the First Princess felt relieved from the bottom of her heart. Surely, she would save her.

But—

"Thank goodness. You're finally going to die for me, Sister."

What came from the Second Princess's mouth were unbelievable words.

Seeing her sister's eyes widen in shock, the Second Princess laughed happily.

"You've been an eyesore for a long time. Annoying, brazen, and stupid Sister. Unlike beautiful me, you're a pitiful sister with no redeeming qualities other than slightly high magic power... And for such a sister to get engaged to that Knight... even though I liked him long before you did!"

A gaze filled with hatred was directed at her. The First Princess finally understood that she had been deceived by her sister.

"I was the one who scattered that terrible disease, too. I seduced one of the mages and had him cast a curse. Then I spread rumors that it was your doing, Sister. But, the trouble was, that alone wasn't enough for Father to let you die. I had no choice, so I intentionally let you escape from the basement, and then I cut my own arm with a sword. Knowing that his cute 'me' was attacked, Father was very angry. That finally made him decide to banish you to the bottom of the ravine. I have a scar on my arm now, but... it really went frighteningly well."

The Second Princess giggled adorably.

"No one believes in you anymore, Sister. That Knight said he would marry me, not you."

To the figure of the First Princess, dumbfounded and thrust into despair, the Second Princess declared triumphantly:

"Well then, goodbye, Sister."

—Thus, the First Princess, betrayed by everyone she trusted, had her arms bound and was pushed into the ravine where magical beasts lived.

In the deep ravine, the woman called the "Evil Princess" was eaten alive by beasts, and she died.

***

"...That's terrible."

Having heard the whole story, Rebecca involuntarily murmured softly. After hesitating for a moment, she added words.

"...That First Princess... was you?"

She couldn't stop her voice from trembling. Rieserago nodded faintly and opened her mouth.

"It's a story from when I was called... Iridia."

"...The spirits called you the 'Dragon Princess,' so you really were a princess."

Rieserago gave a slight, bitter smile.

"It's an old story. Truly, ancient... A few years after I died, that country eventually got caught up in a great war and was destroyed. My father, my mother, the servants, my friends, my former fiancé... and my sister, everyone died. It all vanished abruptly... Now, not even the country's name remains in history. It was truly a small country..."

Seeing Rieserago speak as if looking into the distance, Rebecca recalled how greatly Rieserago had been shaken by the word "sister" at the clothing store a few days ago.

"...Um, after that, what happened to you...?"

At Rebecca's question, Rieserago frowned for a split second, then continued in a flat tone.

"I, who was eaten by beasts and died at the bottom of the ravine, was saved by the spirits living in the mountains. The spirits took pity on me and saved me... Among those spirits was the flower spirit we met today... Nina. I was saved by the power of the spirits... How should I explain it... The spirits anchored my soul, which had died once, to this world."

"...Huh?"

Not understanding the meaning, Rebecca tilted her head. Rieserago continued, looking somewhat troubled.

"...My body itself died, but I was able to leave a part of my soul in this world. Like you, I had strong magic power... By borrowing the power of the spirits and using my own magic, I succeeded in anchoring my soul to this world. For a while, only my soul wandered aimlessly, but when I realized it, I had become that form... a dragon. A grotesque form living in a time different from humans... That transformation was likely the influence of the spirits' power. It was the result of the fusion of spirit power and my magic. Honestly, I still don't understand my own body very well..."

She couldn't understand the whole story, but Rebecca asked again.

"Your name is...?"

"Ah."

Rieserago answered with her face slightly downcast.

"...I wanted a new name. Because Iridia is a human who died once... When I said that, the chief of the mountain spirits of that era gave me a name. 'Rieserago'... In an ancient language, it seems to mean something like 'Light' or 'Shining.' I actually quite like it."

Rieserago laughed a little, as if nostalgic. Then, she slowly exhaled and collapsed onto the bed with a flop.

"...I'm tired. It's been a long time since I talked about the past. Not since I told Setsuna."

"..."

Rebecca stared at Rieserago in silence for a while.

The reason Rieserago hates humans and doesn't trust them is probably because she was betrayed over and over by those close to her.

No, that's wrong. She might be afraid. Afraid of being betrayed again.

—That is why she doesn't want to trust. Because she doesn't want to be sad anymore. Because she doesn't want to fall into the depths of despair.

Paying no mind to the silent Rebecca, Rieserago sent a fleeting glance her way.

"Boring story, wasn't it?"

"—Why."

Rebecca asked while staring at Rieserago.

"Why did you tell me?"

Rieserago averted her gaze as if thinking, then opened her mouth.

"I wonder why. I just felt like telling you. Maybe being called Iridia after so long... made me want to spill everything out. Besides, lately, I remember it often. About my sister... Celestina."

Apparently, Celestina was the name of the Second Princess.

Rieserago turned her face down to hide it and continued.

"...Humans are ugly, greedy creatures. I probably won't be able to trust any human other than you and Setsuna from the bottom of my heart in the future. ...I still strongly hate and resent my sister, and I can't forget. Just remembering makes my heart ache with sadness and pain. But... sometimes I dream of that child."

Her small voice was trembling.

"Dreams of when we were young and got along... In the dream, I'm holding hands with Celestina and laughing... Warm, gentle dreams... Dreams of when I loved my sister from the bottom of my heart..."

Rieserago squeezed the words out.

"...Isn't it stupid? In the dream, I turn back into Iridia. Back to those days when I knew nothing... Truly, it's ridiculous and absurd..."

—Ah, this is a curse.

Listening to Rieserago's words, Rebecca thought.

A sad past; it is a curse that binds her.

Continuing on and on, forever. A never-ending curse.

Rebecca climbed onto the bed where Rieserago lay. She gently stroked Rieserago's head.

"...Inside you, Iridia is alive, isn't she?"

"..."

"Rieserago."

When Rebecca called her name, Rieserago looked up. Her eyes were faintly moist. Staring into those eyes, Rebecca piled on her words.

"...I'm sorry. I don't know what words to say to you. But, let me say just this. I love you. Setsuna-san surely feels the same. We love you, and you are precious to us."

No matter how much one wishes, no matter how much one prays, the past will never return. It cannot be undone.

Always, forever, trapped by the past. The painful past blocks the way forward.

Even so—

"You are Iridia, but to me, you are Rieserago. My precious friend, Riesie."

That is an unshakable fact, and it will never change.

Facing the past is difficult. Closure might never be found.

—Even so, I want to convey this to Rieserago.

—Convey what? That's obvious.

For me, who ended up all alone, how much your existence has supported me.

Because of you, I am here.

"Riesie."

—My precious friend.

"Please, remember this. No matter what happens in the future, to me, you are a precious friend. I trust you from the bottom of my heart, and I believe in you. Don't forget that."

Surely, if it's Rieserago.

No matter how painful it is, she can stand up with her own strength.

She can face forward and walk.

"Let's cry when we want to cry. If it's painful, say so. I'll be by your side. I'm not Setsuna-san, but... I think I can at least stay close to you in her place..."

It was frustrating beyond belief that she couldn't find the right words at a time like this. Feeling impatient with herself, Rebecca bit her lip hard while continuing to gently stroke Rieserago's head. Rieserago accepted it silently and turned her face down again. Quietly closing her eyes, she spoke.

"...I."

Rieserago let out a voice like a whisper.

"Yeah?"

When Rebecca answered briefly, Rieserago continued without lifting her face.

"...I threw it away a long time ago, but... I didn't hate the name Iridia. ...It was a very precious name."

"...Yeah."

"But, I am Rieserago."

"Yeah."

"Now, and in the future, forever, I am Rieserago."

"Yeah."

Rieserago lifted her face. Looking directly at Rebecca, she murmured.

"—I want to become strong. Strong enough to face the past and overcome it."

"You are strong. Much more than you think."

Rebecca hugged Rieserago tightly from behind. When she patted her back, pat-pat, Rieserago stiffened slightly, then spoke again.

"Thanks for listening, Rebecca."

"Yeah."

When Rebecca nodded, Rieserago smiled just a little.