And Thus… It All Comes to an End - Chapter 26

The moment I received the sealed letter Marcel held out, I felt a premonition of dread. There was no specific reason, yet it was certain.

The wax seal was distorted beyond recognition. It was as if the sender’s fury had been burned into the wax by the very heat of their anger.

I see. As expected, they command: “Come here.”

The reason cited was “The Abduction of Citizens.” A laugh I couldn’t suppress leaked from my lips.

“Hee-hee… ‘Abduction,’ they call it.”

I lightly traced the word on the paper’s surface with my fingertip. Before anger could set in, a sense of absurdity welled up within me.

‘Return the abducted citizens at once.’

‘Accept our conditions.’

‘We do not care if this escalates.’

‘To use the power of the Goddess for such a thing—how sacrilegious—’

Every single phrase was adorned with self-righteousness. The more I read, the more the sender’s shallow thinking seemed to bleed from the paper.

“…To make such accusations without even a modicum of investigation,” Rutherford exhaled quietly. In his profile, usually so unshakable, I could see a trace of irrepressible irritation.

“Then, are we agreed that the party going to that country will consist of everyone here?”

As I looked up, those present nodded in unison. That synchronized movement was more eloquent than words. Resolve dwelt within their eyes. That same determination kindled within me as well.

“Setting that aside, how are the people who came to our country doing? Is there any chaos?”

“Temporary housing has already been distributed to everyone,” Julius answered instantly. His calm voice eased the strained atmosphere slightly.

“Good. Ensure they face as little inconvenience as possible. …A person can only truly rest their heart once their environment is settled.”

Julius nodded deeply at my words. Then, Gareth reported with a slight softening of his expression.

“Some have already found work and begun laboring.”

Even in the midst of a whirlpool of anxiety, humans are creatures that strive to move forward. But at the same time, I thought: the feelings for their homeland must still be deeply rooted in their hearts.

“That’s a relief. Well then, until the appointed day mentioned in the letter, we must let Anne rest. She will have to teleport this entire group at once, after all.”

“Yes. I have placed her on mandatory leave. …Though, she herself seems itching to get back to work,” Marcel added with a small smile. At that, my own lips curved into a soft arc.

“Actually, Anne snuck into my room this morning, evading Emilia’s watchful eyes.”

At this, Julius gave a wry smile, and Marcel let out a sigh, muttering, “Good heavens…”

“She slipped in like a shadow, organized my documents, even changed the water in my vases… Finally, she washed all of my tea sets.”

Every time I remembered it, the image of those small hands moving briskly came back vividly. It was endearing but I truly wanted her to rest. She is a child who tries to confirm her place in the world through “service.”

“Haha, and what did Anne say?” Gareth asked with a smile that was half-exasperation and half-kindness.

“‘I just can’t settle down,’ she said, with such a troubled look on her face.”

Thinking back on it, it was so quintessentially Anne that my face relaxed naturally.

“That said, she did overexert herself significantly. I only hope she doesn’t collapse during the next teleportation,” Emilia’s quiet voice pulled us back to reality.

“Yes! We must do our part so that she doesn’t have to carry the burden alone.”

As I answered, I lowered my gaze to the documents on the desk. Julius then presented a new report.

“Lady Luciana. The signatures of the relocated citizens are all accounted for.”

On the papers held out to me, various styles of handwriting stated: ‘I have come to this land of my own free will.’ Heavy resolve seeped from every single one.

“…Even if we show them this, they will simply claim we forced them to sign,” Emilia remarked.

I let out a small sigh. “Most likely. Those people prefer a convenient ‘story’ over the truth.”

As I gently closed the file, my gaze naturally drifted toward the distance, and the events of yesterday slowly rose to the front of my mind.

Two nobles had visited my office. Both were men who had supported that country for a long time, yet they had grown disillusioned and moved to this land.

“We appreciate you taking the time to see us during such a busy period,” the Count said with a deep bow. His voice and gestures were polite, radiating sincerity. The Viscount beside him nodded quietly, showing he felt the same.

“Looking at this land, I was astonished. Everyone is working; everyone is laughing. It feels like a long time since I have seen the faces of people trying to build something rather than lamenting what they have lost.”

At those words, I couldn’t help but smile.

“We wish to devote our strength as well. We want to serve ‘rightly’ here. We do not seek glory. We simply wish to build a nation that a person need not be ashamed of.”

The Count’s quiet voice soaked into my heart. In that moment, I was certain. This country would not be a “refuge for the discarded,” but a “land for starting to walk once more.”

“I welcome that ambition. However, in this place, ‘sincerity’ is valued more than ‘titles.’ If you can accept that, let us move forward together.”

“Of course, Lady Luciana.”

They bowed their heads without a moment’s hesitation.

“The Count and his companion from yesterday, they were quite reliable.”

As I closed the documents, Julius nodded peacefully.

“Yes. They had a clear vision for the reconstruction as well. Eventually, we may be able to entrust that region to them.”

“I will leave that judgment to you and Marcel.”

“Understood.”

Outside the window, the morning light was streaming in quietly. It felt like a signal for the slow rising of a new curtain.