I, Who Came From the Abyss, Will Save Humanity Again Today - Volume 2 Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Father, Mother (Last Part)

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“Peipei, what are you making a fuss about? Sit down!”

I paid no attention to Madam’s scolding, nor to Parsifal secretly tugging at the corner of my clothes from below.

“Ugh!”

I let out a wine burp, scanning the room with hazy, drunken eyes, lingering on each person’s face for a moment.

Then I realized I couldn’t see anyone clearly… but that didn’t matter.

“I… am called… Sylvia… no, I am… Peylo…”

Another burst of laughter erupted.

“Miss Peylo, I’m Andrew, pleased to meet you.”

“I’m Uncle Wyatt~”

Someone was introducing themselves in a teasing tone, and among them I could hear Sister Annie’s voice: “Peipei is drunk… let me help her back to her room…”

I didn’t want to pay attention to anyone, just waved my small hand dismissively.

“Maybe, I won’t express myself… very well. It’s just that, I know… you all… want to go to war… I know. But I want to say, I don’t want… things to be like this…”

At this point, it seemed like the Duke was speaking: “Peipei, no one said we must go to war.”

“You all… don’t need to deceive me, I understand. I understand everything, I haven’t lived… any shorter than you… haven’t seen… any less than you…”

“Miss Peylo is really drunk…”

“Haha, got drunk so quickly…”

At this moment, I suddenly felt someone walk up beside me, grabbing my hand and pulling me backward. The familiar warm touch came from their palm. I turned to look and could vaguely make out that fire-red armor in the haze.

“Let me… finish speaking. I have… something to say…”

“Let her finish what she has to say, okay?”

A lazy voice came from beside my ear, and then the force pulling at me weakened.

“You all… want to go to war… when there’s war… people die, many people die. That day, the city guard… many died, Count Lafayette’s… guards, also died… several of them… I don’t want this, but I… can’t stop it. I know, if we don’t fight, they… will fight us. But… this matter… started because of me… I’m afraid…”

“Peipei, this matter has nothing to do with you. You’re just a victim who was forced to get involved. Don’t feel any psychological burden.”

I gently shook my head, then immediately felt my head splitting with pain, quickly pressing my hands against my temples.

“I hate… that. But, I hate even more, the thought that someday, Winter City… might become like that, Shanter Castle… might become like that.”

The noisy voices gradually quieted down.

Everyone now put away their smiles, just seriously staring at this drunk, somewhat adorable girl in front of them, listening to her incoherent rambling.

“This place… is my home… I have… another home, in Sylgaria, but here… is my real… home.”

“Many things, I don’t remember. But I… know, when there’s war, everywhere will… become like that… little village. So, all you grandfathers… uncles, elder brothers, older sisters and brothers… I beg you.”

I wanted to bow to them, but my body really wouldn’t obey, and I stumbled and nearly collapsed.

Count Lafayette caught me in one swift motion… he seemed to be smiling at me, but I really couldn’t see clearly anymore, and felt somewhat sleepy.

But… I hadn’t finished saying what I wanted to say.

“…I beg… you all. Don’t… kill civilians, don’t steal their… things. I know… what I’m saying is… very naive, but Duke, my father, he promised me… he won’t lie to me.”

“If… we really go to war… please, you must… achieve victory. And I, I am a Pontifical Knight, I can also… help, please… definitely help… my father… and mother, help my brother, Count Lafayette… achieve victory. I thank… you all…”

My legs felt somewhat weak, my body leaned backward, and someone caught me before I fell.

The touch was hard and cold.

“Duke, let me help her back first.”

“Very well.”

“I’m fine… just wanted to… thank them…”

Intense drowsiness struck me, my eyelids began to fight each other, and then someone picked me up.

“So light.”

It seemed like Sister Annie’s voice… she’s so strong.

Half-asleep, I vaguely heard Madam’s sobbing voice.

“She called me mother… Scalliger, did you hear that? She called us…”

“Yes, I heard.”

…………

Divine Birth Day, the banquet at Shanter Castle was held very successfully.

After the banquet ended, the Duke and Madam had lengthy private discussions in the study with Bishop Hobbs, Marquis Oliver, Annie, and others. Afterward, the plump Marquis Oliver left first with the Kariye family members.

Starting in the afternoon, people began leaving one after another. Only those whose journeys were too distant chose to stay, though even so, there were quite a few people. Fortunately, Shanter Castle was large enough, with plenty of guest rooms to accommodate them all.

I eventually did get to eat the desserts from the banquet. Actually, by the time the desserts were served at the end, very few people were eating them, so most of what was made was left over.

So after having a good sleep, when I woke up for dinner, I got to eat my fill of dessert cakes all at once.

Eating such rich food at night will make me gain weight… but I’ll think about that after I’m full.

Sister Annie stayed behind. Before nightfall, she came to my room once.

Having changed into casual clothes, she had less of that rigid quality and more of the gentle beauty that belonged to women.

“Peipei, you got drunk today…”

Hearing this made me pout.

“Don’t mention it, so embarrassing… I’m never… drinking alcohol again.”

Annie smiled and shook her head.

“I just wanted to say, the way you acted drunk was really adorable.”

…Acting drunk was certainly true… but how was that adorable?

“As I thought—”

She walked to the bedside and opened the window. A gentle cool breeze blew in. Goat Cheese outside was startled, let out a loud cry, and flew toward the sky.

“After 3 years of not seeing you, you haven’t changed at all… can you tell me the story behind this?”

After that, I repeated the lie I’d become accustomed to telling. By the time she left, the night was already deep.

I didn’t really want to sleep, but didn’t know what else to do. I changed into my pajamas and lay on the bed, my dark eyes wide open and round, staring at the ceiling in a daze.

Tomorrow morning, I would be heading to Order City in Isenbell, to report to the Royal Academy there. The carriage was already prepared.

I’m leaving this place…

My heart suddenly felt somewhat empty.

Reluctant emotions slowly seeped out from my heart, drop by drop falling onto my soul. That feeling was surprisingly similar to when I was little, every time I went to kindergarten, in that moment before leaving home, that sincere panic and uneasiness, and the deep attachment to “home” as a safe haven.

I don’t want to go to school…

This thought flashed through my mind and nearly made me laugh at myself.

At my age, what am I thinking about?

At this moment, the door suddenly opened with a “click,” and light footsteps entered the room. Without looking, I knew who it was.

“Peipei, still not asleep?”

Madam walked toward me. I slowly sat up and let out a leisurely yawn.

“No.”

“I came to give you something.” Madam sat down beside my bed and winked at me. “Give me your hand.”

I saw that her right hand seemed to be clutching something, and immediately asked curiously: “Is it a donut?”

Madam immediately glared at me with annoyance.

“What donut? You ate so much tonight already, how can you still be thinking about eating… give me your hand!”

She took my hand and placed a cold, hard object into my palm. When I opened it to look, it was an ice-blue crystal necklace with a moon-shaped gemstone pendant.

“I originally wanted to give it to you tomorrow when you left, but I was afraid I’d forget… its name is Heart of Wintermoon, the identity symbol of the Wintermoon family. Very pretty, isn’t it?”

I picked up the gemstone and held it in front of me for comparison.

The crystal-clear blue gemstone shimmered with flowing colors under the firelight, extremely beautiful.

“Beautiful!” I happily tucked the necklace under my pillow. “Thank you… Mother.”

Madam’s radiant smile bloomed instantly, and the stars flowing in her beautiful eyes were even brighter than the gemstone.

“When no one’s around, call me Mom — tonight I’ll sleep here, okay?”

“Mm.”