How About a Refill? ~The Elegant Tea Party of the Grand Witches~ - Chapter 46

Gil and Alessia Part Two

“We’re unhurt because I have a barrier around the roof of this tower.”

“A barrier?”

The only barrier strong enough to hold back the toxic miasma leaked from the Evil Dragon long ago, was one made from the power of his twin, the Holy Dragon. That was the reason why Beatrice and the other witches were able to maintain the barrier and the seal of the Evil Dragon; they had drunk the blood of the Holy Dragon which gave them these powers.

“A few years ago, I became desperate and decided to throw away everything and just disappear. That is why I came to this place. I wanted to be swallowed by the toxic gases here.”

――――――

He was a special child from a certain family with ‘silver hair and golden eyes’, these features were born very rarely in the family.

His father, the Count dreamed of this child restoring their family to its former glory.

This was because the Feline family, that had succeeded throughout the generations ever since the kingdom was founded, was ruined completely during his great-grandfather’s time. It was thanks to the family challenging the Grand Witches and the monarchy at that time.

The child with the silver hair and golden eyes was named Gilbert. He was called the incarnation of the Holy Dragon, and the God of Salvation. Thus, he was raised as the living God of the True Salvation Religion that his father founded.

He spent day after day, living in the middle of adults who would wait upon him. By the time he was old enough to gain awareness, his mother had already passed away.

He truly believed he was the real incarnation of a God until he turned 10 years old.

No matter how much the family had fallen in rank, they were still a Count’s family. As part of the nobility, once he reached a certain age, the boy would have to start going out to society, even if the events he was invited to were small in number.

Everytime that happened he would get an unshakeable sense of discomfort. Like something was not right.

Every time he talked to other noble boys of his own age he began doubting, “Perhaps my situation is not normal?”

By the time the other boys were enrolling into boarding schools, his doubts turned into conviction.

His father, who didn’t care about his tenants, had abandoned the management of his properties, would go about disrupting people’s lives with this nonexistent ‘God of Salvation’ that he had created. Meanwhile, he could do nothing to stop it.

Driven by feelings of intense disgust and impatience every single day, young Gil’s heart reached its limits.

He used the teleportation magic that he had just learned, and decided to head to the demonic realm. He wanted to throw everything away and let the toxic miasma consume him.

However, contrary to his thoughts, nothing happened when he got there.

Wasn’t the miasma supposed to be so toxic you couldn’t survive in it if you didn’t take appropriate measures?

That day he went back home with doubts in his mind.

And then, he understood the reason the next time. A bird that had accidentally entered his teleportation circle, started sputtering in agony as soon as it entered the miasma, and mutated into a demon.

So the miasma really was toxic. It was just that it didn’t harm him.

Still, if he remained there for too long he would start feeling fatigued and suffocated. As an experiment, he decided to make a barrier to protect him and it, unexpectedly, turned out to be quite pleasing. Since then, whenever he wanted to run away or be by himself, he would come to the demonic realm.

―――――――

“The Holy Dragon had a child with a human, and that child is the ancestor of our Feline family. Ironically, my father was right when he said I had inherited the blood of the Holy Dragon.”

Gil squeezed the hand he was holding before covering his eyes with his other hand. It looked like he was crying.

“Give me a break! I’m no such thing. I don’t want to be a false God, nor the descendant of the Holy Dragon, I just want to be Gilbert…”

“Gil…”

Alessia reached over with her free hand to hold the hand she was holding in both of her hands.

Gil also, looking back at her, brought his other hand to cover hers.

“Then I met you. It was the garden party for the two princes… I was taken by you as soon as I saw you. You were a young girl holding yourself back from everything and looking a little lonely, just like me.”

Alessia couldn’t take her eyes off from the glistening golden eyes. She thought they were prettier than any gem, prettier even than the starry sky spread above their heads.

“Tell me something about yourself.”

“About myself…?”

“Yeah. Anything is fine. I want to know more about you.”

Alessia looked away as she thought. Then, deciding on something, she turned to face forwards and began speaking.

“I don’t really like my appearance.”

“Even though you’re so beautiful?”

Gil was a bit surprised at her confession. The woman that so many people admired, envied, and yearned for was not happy with her own appearance.

“I’m always praised by those around me, but I can’t find any value in outwards appearance if the inner self is not considered along with it.”

“I already thought so, but you’re quite a stoic.”

“I still remember the day my sister Miriam was born. I was only 3 years old so I don’t remember much else from that time, but that alone stands out in my memory.”

“Hmm.”

“My mother holding little baby Miriam in her arms. Her eyes weren’t even open yet, but when I touched that small hand she immediately wrapped her small fingers around mine and squeezed back. It was such a weak grip, but so warm. I decided I must protect her.”

――――――――

Miriam used to be very lively when she was younger, and would always chase after Leonardo and Alessia.

Everyone in her family loved the meek and cute little girl. Alessia too couldn’t contain herself over Miriam’s cuteness.

The times when Leonardo and Alessia were old enough to be invited to tea parties, and Miriam had to stay back home by herself, were tough for her.

She would tell Miriam all about the party once she came back home.

Miriam, feeling excited, began imagining the time when she would be able to go to a tea party as well.

And then, with the Prince’s garden party, her dream came true.

Both Alessia and Leonardo smiled fondly at their sister who kept looking at the invitation addressed to her.

The days up to then were very fun. Choosing Miriam’s dress for the party, thinking what to do with her hair, and choosing accessories. They spent the days in perfection as they thought over these things together.

But then, on the fateful day, Miriam’s smile began diminishing as time went on.

Many children from the nobility came to greet the 3 Caparoni siblings, but everyone would end up being taken in by Leonardo and Alessia, and no one would ask Miriam for an introduction. Even when Miriam introduced herself first, no one paid her any mind.

In the end, everyone began saying, “Did the youngest daughter not come today?”

Right in front of Miriam.

――――――――

“That’s quite awful.”

He couldn’t help but empathise with Miriam when he tried thinking of that scenario. It was a harsh thing to experience for such a young child. He himself hadn’t noticed that the youngest daughter had also attended that garden party.

“It wasn’t just that one time. Since then, whenever we were invited somewhere as a family, the same thing happened, again and again. Miriam slowly began spending more time in her room by herself. She would always read books about plants, or spend her time embroidering with no purpose.”

Alessia sat hugging her knees with her head hung down. Gil leaned over and hugged her.

“By the time she debuted, Miriam had started hiding behind her family. She would always pick the most plain dress, like she was trying her best not to stand out. The people around us didn’t change either. They would loudly wonder why the youngest sister hadn’t attended any events right in front of Miriam herself.”

Alessia raised her head, her eyes meeting Gil’s.

Her amethyst eyes were wet with tears.

“It’s all my fault that my precious Miriam is feeling this way. That’s why I hate my appearance. Also,”

“Also?”

“As soon as they see the inner self they will start making fun of me. After all, if all they care about is family, doesn’t it mean their upbringing is a failure?* Yet they go and irresponsibly demand perfection. So I always have to be a perfect young lady as expected of a Marquess’s daughter.”

(TN: *I think she is talking about people in society here, i.e. those who only judge her by her appearance. It’s very hard to tell since there is no subject in this sentence. I just went with what I felt was right so hope it makes sense.)

“You really love your family.”

Alessia had lied down once again and was crying silently. Gil pulled her shivering body into a hug.

Her face snapped up to his own as he gently placed a kiss on her head. This time, he leaned down and softly kissed her lips. He returned her to her room before dawn.