Time Healer Ceres

Still somewhat dazed, Harua accepted the flowers. There were so many things he wanted to ask Ceres.

“Where did you get these...?”

When had she planted so many flowers in the garden that had once been completely empty? And where had she gotten them?

“Do you know what these flowers mean?”

“...What they mean?”

Harua looked even more puzzled. Why was she suddenly asking about the meaning of flowers?

Ceres gave him a faint smile, thinking of someone she missed dearly.

“Grace, do you know what this flower means?“

“It means, I’m waiting for you.”

“......”

“That’s what Lunaria means.”

A few days earlier, Ceres had spotted a familiar flower in a photograph she found in Ren’s room. It was the same flower that grew in another magical space Artia had created.

Lunaria.

Seeing the child shyly smiling as he held the flower, and learning that he used to give it to his father, Ceres couldn’t help but remember what it meant.

I think you’ve misunderstood him completely.

Harua believed the child had hated and resented him all his life. After seeing that, Ceres used a teleportation scroll that very night to travel to the magic tower.

Through a hidden passage she knew of, Ceres secretly entered the space Artia had created, where she once again stood before an endless field of Lunaria flowers.

After taking a moment to admire the view, she began plucking the flowers. She watched each one grow back in the same spot. It seemed a spell had been cast on them. Whenever a flower was damaged or uprooted, another immediately bloomed in its place.

She had already discovered this the first time she took a single flower. Ceres had no desire to damage the space Artia had left behind, so if the flowers hadn’t been protected by that magic, she never would’ve considered picking them.

She gathered a large number of flowers in her subspace and had Airien plant them throughout Ren’s desolate garden. She wanted Harua to know what the child had really wanted to tell his father.

“......”

Harua’s expression went blank again when he heard the meaning of the flower. It felt as though someone had struck him hard over the head.

The flowers the child had always given him meant...

...I’m waiting for you.

“.......”

...He wasn’t resenting him. He never hated him, either. So the flowers weren’t given out of defiance?

Whoosh.

The pure white petals fluttered in the wind once more. As they drifted softly around him, almost as if embracing him, Harua’s eyes grew red.

“Father... I was waiting for you to come back.“

The child shyly lowered his head as he held out the flower...

The memory of that moment from long ago came rushing back. Tears fell from Harua’s eyes.

***

I think it’s time to head home.

Duke Schweiss seems to have fully recovered, too.

Herion had returned to the capital as soon as the antidote was completed. With Black Forest outbreaks happening so often, she was busier than anyone.

Ceres was planning to head home soon as well. There was nothing left for her to do here. She would say her goodbyes today, then use a teleportation scroll to return home.

“Hmm?”

Ceres was on her way to see Duke Schweiss when she stopped in front of the drawing room. Four people were already gathered inside, sitting close together.

“So first, I adopt Ceres as my daughter, and then—”

“No. We should register her as a member of my family first, then take care of the rest.”

“Enough. I told you from the beginning, Ceres is my daughter.”

Were they still talking about this? Why were they treating such an absurd idea like it was going to happen?

So they really weren’t joking back then.

Why did they expect her to inherit a dukedom? She didn’t even want the barony. She was already trying to leave that to her younger brother.

“Ridiculous.”

Bang!

Harua slammed his hand down on the table, as though reprimanding the three of them.

That’s right.

Ceres silently cheered him on. Surely, he was about to put an end to this stupid plan...

“Why don’t we just merge the three families first and then proceed with the adoption? Why are you all arguing over something so simple?”

...Huh?

“That makes sense.”

“Right. We should merge the three families first...”

“Hmm.”

“I’ll get His Majesty’s permission myself. He’ll be more willing to listen to me than to you lot.”

...Why are you joining in too, old man?

Harua had joined the three dukes in hashing out their plans, even jumping in with suggestions before anyone else. Ceres couldn’t help feeling betrayed.

.

.

.

Side Story: The Hierarchy

[We’ve got a new one.]

Boom.

[......]

A snow-white wolf cub appeared beside Jubelios, the Fire Spirit King.

The sweet little creature, who had been fawning over Ceres earlier, was nowhere to be seen. Right now, the cub wore a very sullen expression.

He glanced around at everyone gathered there with a bored look, then simply turned away and curled up where he was.

[Meow! Look at this guy. What a rude brat.]

[Bu!]

[Pi!]

Elliet, Sooty, and Airien stomped their feet when they saw that. The newcomer had absolutely no manners!

[......]

Whitey merely lifted his head at the commotion and glanced at the three of them.

Whoosh!

But he quickly turned away again, pointedly ignoring them.

[Meeow! How rude!]

[Buuu!]

[Piii!]

That only made the three of them even angrier.

[As expected, you really are a clever one. That’s right, you can ignore all of them. Around here, all you need to do is listen to me. Ahem!]

Meanwhile, Jubelios nodded proudly, clearly satisfied.

[Meow. Shut up, you old bird. No wonder the kids don’t want to play with you.]

[What?!]

[And why would he listen to you? Ceres isn’t your master anymore. Why are you sticking your nose in here?]

Just stay out of other people’s business and get lost.

[Say what you want, but I was the first one to make a contract with her! I’ve known her the longest!]

[Meow. But you serve someone else now, right? If we’re talking about how long we’ve known her, there’s not much difference between you and me.]

So don’t go acting like you’re the boss. As far as this place is concerned, I’m number one.

[Bu!]

Sooty quickly raised his paw. If they were talking about who had been around the longest, he had a claim too. He was the one who had sworn to protect her three hundred years ago!

[.......]

Whitey, who had been ignoring their argument, slowly lifted his head.

He had watched over her for just as long. After all, he was the one who had witnessed everything from the moment she died to the moment she was reborn.

[Piii...]

Airien was the only one who couldn’t get a word in, her ears drooping as she watched them argue.

Ugh, you old geezers. Is being old really something to brag about...? She wanted to say it, but the mood was too heated, so she could only take a step back.

[You brats! As expected, none of you know how to respect your elders! Back in my day, we bowed our heads to anyone even a year older than us!]

[There you go again with the “back in my day” stuff. That’s why I never order a latte when I go to a café. Anyway, everyone in this house should listen to me.]

[Buuu!]

No, me!

[Ppii!]

If we’re not counting age... I’m the most useful one these days!

[Will you all just shut up! No matter what anyone says, I’m number one!]

Whoosh!

The room suddenly grew hot.

[.......]

Whitey gave Jubelios a flat look as he continued insisting that everyone should listen to him.

Click.

“Why is it so noisy in here?”

The door opened, and Ceres walked in.

[Kiung!]

The moment Ceres appeared, Whitey sprang up and ran to her, his earlier sulk ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) forgotten. He reached up with his front paws, asking to be picked up.

Ceres scooped up the wolf cub and frowned as she looked around the room.

Flinch!

Everyone froze under her gaze.

“Who made this mess? Why is the snack plate overturned? And who knocked all these books onto the floor?”

[Meow! The old bird did it.]

[You knocked those books down yourself! And that black one knocked over the snack plate!]

[Bu!]

No, that was Airien!

[Pi, pii!]

I only knocked over the water cup!

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