Until the Substitute Saintess is Loved: The Sister Sent to the Convent as the Villainess Heals Everyone's Hearts with Her Healing Powers - Chapter 20

A month had passed since the Kuzen disease incident.

The stock of Sennagi grass had increased to the point where they could handle another explosive surge of patients like before. It probably wouldn’t be a problem to stop cultivating it for a while.

“Lupina! We got a letter from Griffe and the others!”

Mona-san entered my room.

She was carrying a basket with bread for lunch and holding letters.

The letters were addressed to both Mona-san and me.

I brewed some herbal tea for Mona-san as she pulled out a chair and sat down.

“Ah, what a lovely scent. Black tea is too much of a luxury for me, but this herbal tea is so soothing.”

“It can be used as medicine, but it’s also drinkable.”

Today was our weekly day off.

The director had arranged for both Mona-san and me to have the same day off.

“Look here! That girl says she’ll be back here soon!”

Mona-san pointed happily at the opened letter as she read it.

After that incident, Griffe-san and the others were sentenced to punishment to atone for their crimes.

Even though they tried to keep it quiet, it had become a commotion, and Lord Landrick was also present at that place.

The fact was, Griffe-san had endangered patients. While I couldn’t help but sympathize with her circumstances, letting it go without any reprimand wasn’t an option.

“I thought they’d be able to return soon.”

“I figured they’d do some work to shorten their sentences quickly.”

Not just Griffe-san, but Lute-san and Rizel-san also requested the same punishment.

It seemed the two had known what Griffe-san did and remained silent.

Reading the letter, it appeared they were doing light embroidery work at a facility in the royal capital. I was glad they weren’t given too severe a punishment.

“Hey, Lupina. How about we go to North Street today? The place with the beautiful fountain!”

“I’d like to go.”

“Uh-huh, I thought you’d say that. Well then, let’s eat quickly and head out.”

Spurred by Mona-san’s enthusiasm that made it seem like she’d dash off immediately, I finished the rest of my bread.

We don’t usually go to North Street in the royal capital.

When we run errands for the convent, it’s always to South Street.

Compared to South Street, which stretches straight from the royal castle, North Street is rather maze-like.

With its narrow back alleys, if I got separated from Mona-san, I’d probably lose my way back.

“Don’t worry, don’t be so hesitant. If you get separated from me, just choose the paved roads. The landmark is the royal castle, so it’s easy, right?”

As she said this, Mona-san turned around and pointed at the castle.

Its particularly large form, with spires stretching straight toward the sky, was undoubtedly the easiest landmark imaginable.

“If you’re still anxious, why don’t we hold hands?”

I took her offered hand and couldn’t help but smile.

How far had we walked?

Keeping up as best I could with Mona-san, who walked at a near-jogging pace, we reached the fountain.

People had gathered around, and it seemed to be a place of relaxation.

Several pure white pigeons fluttered down, adding to the beauty of the ground paved with colorful tiles.

“There are even more people here today. Lupina, use this.”

Mona-san took some bread from her bag and tore it in half.

“Bread?”

“Yep, yep, yep. Watch this.”

As she said this, Mona-san tore the bread into small pieces and threw them.

Instantly, the pigeons around us swarmed in a flurry.

“Amazing!”

“Right, right? It’s a local attraction here. I was sure Lupina hadn’t seen it before.”

That was true.

“Here, you try it too.”

Urged on, I gently tore off some bread. I threw the small bread crumbs just like Mona-san did, but—

“Whoa?!”

The bread crumbs flew backward with full force, and someone’s surprised voice rang out.

Then, a swarm of white pigeons descended upon the owner of that voice.

“Wait, no, this is— wait, wait, wait!”

Flustered, he tried to shake them off, but unable to do so was Lord Landrick.

“Huh? Lord Landrick? Why are you here?”

Mona-san looked at me.

I shook my head vigorously.

We hadn’t made any plans. Why was he here?

Unable to shake off the pigeons, he was unusually flustered. If he shook them off forcefully, he probably could, but it seemed his gentle nature wouldn’t allow such rough treatment.

“I’m so sorry, it seems I got bread crumbs on you.”

Rushing over, I showed the remaining bread crumbs to the white pigeons, and they immediately gathered around my hand.

“W-wait, everyone, please wait, slowly, one at a time.”

Several white pigeons pecked at the bread crumbs in my palm, almost fighting over them. It was ticklish and adorable, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Lupina, if you do that, of course the pigeons will swarm you!”

Unable to watch any longer, Mona-san scattered the bread crumbs some distance away.

The pigeons left us and gathered around the bread crumbs.

“These pigeons here are something else.”

Lord Landrick brushed himself off lightly, looking unusually disheveled. His black hair was tousled here and there from being pecked by the pigeons, and his clothes were slightly disheveled.

Because I failed to throw the bread crumbs properly, I’d caused Lord Landrick quite a bit of trouble.

“Lord Landrick. It’s unusual to meet you in a place like this. Are you on vacation?”

“Ah, no, I just had some business at the weapons shop up ahead. Then I spotted two familiar faces.”

“I see. So you were following Lupina.”

“Hey, wait, I said two people, didn’t I? I wasn’t just following Lupina—”

“Now, now, we’ll let you have it your way.”

“So, I mean…”

I couldn’t help but laugh at Lord Landrick’s flustered reaction to Mona-san’s teasing.

“It’s a joke. Here, Lord Landrick, why don’t you try it too?”

“Bread crumbs, huh? Sure.”

He accepted the offered bread crumbs with a wry smile and threw them quite high. The white pigeons on the ground all took off at once toward the bread crumbs.

“Whoa!”

“Oops!”

Pushed by the force of the pigeons flying nearby, I stumbled, and Lord Landrick caught me.

(Ah, so close…!)

Lord Landrick’s handsome face was at extremely close range, and I gently created some distance.

The central fountain shot water particularly high, and a small rainbow spread around it.

“Ah, um, Lord Landrick, that is, the fountain—”

“Ah, it’s very beautiful.”

Lord Landrick squinted at the fountain’s beauty as if nothing had happened.

It seemed I was the only one who had gotten flustered.

“Do you two know about this fountain? There’s a legend.”

“A legend?”

“Yep, yep. Lupina probably doesn’t know, but what about you, Lord Landrick?”

“No, I don’t know it either.”

“Then, both of you, come over to the fountain for a moment.”

Taptaptap—Mona-san jogged briskly to the fountain and beckoned us over.

“If you run up with that much momentum, you might fall in.”

“Oh, Lord Landrick. That’s for little children. We’ll be fine.”

“But if we get too close, we might get splashed.”

The water from the vigorously rising fountain was beautiful, but it looked like we might get wet.

“What’s wrong with getting wet? The weather’s this nice.”

The sky overhead was endlessly blue and clear, feeling wonderful.

“Now, both of you, take this coin in your hand. Then, turn your backs to the fountain.”

The handed coin was a tin coin, with the profile of a goddess engraved on the front. Lord Landrick had the same.

We stood side by side with our backs to the fountain.

“Yes, that’s good. Snuggle up a bit? …Hmm, can you get a little closer?”

“Is this about right?”

Lord Landrick took a step closer to me.

“Yep, perfect! Now, both of you, without looking back, throw the coin toward the fountain at the same time. Okay, 3, 2, 1, toss!”

“Toss!”

Following Mona-san’s lead, I unintentionally said it aloud as I threw the coin backward.

Lord Landrick did the same.

Two plop sounds echoed as the coins fell, and I felt relieved. Earlier, I’d sent the bread crumbs flying in the wrong direction, but the coins seemed to have gone well.

“So, what’s this legend about?”

“Oh, perfect!”

Mona-san peered into the fountain and clapped her hands.

“Fufufu, actually? They say that if a couple throws coins into this fountain and the two coins overlap, they’ll be happy together forever!”

“Wha—?!”

Lord Landrick was speechless, and I covered my mouth with my hand.

I unintentionally turned around and peered into the fountain.

But I couldn’t tell which coins were mine and Lord Landrick’s.

There were so many coins fallen inside, it was impossible to distinguish them.

“In this state, wouldn’t it be impossible to tell which ones are ours?”

Blushing, Lord Landrick also peered into the fountain.

“You’d think so, right? That’s why I made sure to use tin coins. Around here, there are mostly copper coins, so the tin coins should stand out, right?”

Mona-san’s smug smile seemed like it could be felt even through her veil as she pointed at the tin coins fallen in the fountain.

Indeed, in that area, brown copper coins were densely piled up, and on top of them, two white tin coins lay overlapping, nestled together as if touching.

It seemed Lord Landrick saw it too, as he let out a groan. “Grr…”

“Um, Mona-san, may I…?”

I noticed something and timidly raised my hand.

“Yes, what is it, Lupina?”

She called on me with the air of a serious teacher.

“You said that if two coins overlap, we can be happy, but Lord Landrick and I aren’t lovers, right?”

The moment I said it, Lord Landrick straightened up with a jolt.

“That’s right. Lupina and I are absolutely not in a relationship like lovers.”

“Oh, you caught on? Too bad ♪”

Like a child whose prank had been discovered, Mona-san laughed and shrugged her shoulders.

“Really now…”

When Lord Landrick’s eyes met mine through the veil, he blatantly looked away.

My chest hurt a little, but there was nothing between him and me. No, rather, to him, I am “Lupina, his sister-in-law,” so romantic feelings like those of lovers would be impossible for a lifetime.

“Lupina?”

Mona-san noticed I had fallen silent.

An awkward silence hung in the air.

“Ah, no, it’s nothing really…”

I tried to brush it off, but it didn’t work well.

“Um, well, sorry, both of you! I teased you a bit too much. But you know? The part about being happy when the coins overlap is actually true. Of course for lovers, but it’s said to work for friends too.”

“Friends as well?”

Would Lord Landrick consider me a friend?

“…We’re acquaintances.”

He muttered a correction under his breath.

“Well, friends or acquaintances? It’s not a bad thing for them to overlap, so surely lots of good things will happen. Heave-ho!”

As if to distract us, Mona-san threw the remaining bread crumbs at us with all her might.

Instantly, the white pigeons swarmed toward us.

“Whoa! What are you—”

“Mona-saaaaaan!”

“Fufufufu ♪”

Completely swarmed by the pigeons, the awkward silence that had momentarily passed between us vanished completely.