Volume 2 Chapter 21 Destiny
After Hollis left the room, we decided to sit back down and take it easy again.
But since it's the middle of the succession battle, I thought Ms. Nemophila and Lady Clematis might be busy with all sorts of things.
Surprisingly, though, it seems they have nothing to do and can relax until the main event of the succession battle.
I wonder if they don't need to greet the nobles they've invited or prepare for the main event right now? Well, I was glad they stayed in the room because I had a few things I wanted to ask Lady Clematis.
"By the way, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Uh-huh?"
As I asked while nibbling on some snacks, Lady Clematis looked up from her teacup to meet my gaze.
For a moment, she tilted her head as if to say, "What are you talking about?" but then she quickly remembered.
"Oh, it's what I mentioned when I invited you to the royal castle. I was planning to tell you again after the succession battle, but... I guess it's fine to do it now."
Lady Clematis set her teacup down and returned her crossed legs to their original position.
Feeling a bit more formal because of her demeanor, I instinctively straightened up, and she burst out laughing.
"Haha! There's no need to be so tense! I just wanted to thank you, that's all."
"T-thank you?"
"'Thank you for making Nemophila stronger,' that's what."
At those words, Ms. Nemophila, who had been quietly sitting beside us, twitched her shoulders slightly.
Watching that, I couldn't help but tilt my head in confusion, thinking, "Why?".
"You look puzzled as to why I'm thanking you for Nemophila."
"Y-yeah. If Ms. Nemophila were to thank me, I could understand that, but..."
Why would Lady Clematis be thanking me for making Ms. Nemophila stronger? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Normally, I'd expect to be scolded instead.
After all, these two might end up clashing in the finals of the succession battle.
"Seems like I could easily get jumped for saying something unnecessary, but who would've thought I'd actually get a thank you?"
"You already know the reason I'm thanking you, right?"
"Huh?"
"Let me confirm once more, you're aware of my 'secret,' right?"
"..."
The secret.
I have a pretty good guess about what it is.
I glanced over at the door to make sure it was properly closed, then lowered my voice.
"Is it an illness, or a 'curse'?"
"Ah, correct. You really do have a good eye."
Even though it was a rather grim topic, Lady Clematis smiled brightly and nodded.
"To be more precise, it's a curse. I've been cursed by a certain demon, and apparently, I don't have a 'long life' left."
"..."
A short life.
I wasn't too surprised.
Ms. Nemophila, who was listening beside me, already knew the secret too, so she just quietly looked down.
As if to shake off that silence, Lady Clematis kept her usual cheerful smile and said,.
"Hey now! Even though the person involved is acting so bravely, what's with everyone else being so down? Let's have a more fun conversation!"
"..."
Even if she said that, it was hard to lighten the mood.
I really couldn't bring myself to make this a cheerful tea-time chat.
It seemed like she understood my feelings, as Lady Clematis began to speak slowly again.
"...Well, I guess it's a bit strange that I can laugh like this. If I were already aware that I'm nearing the end due to old age, that'd be one thing, but I'm still healthy enough to laugh out loud like this. I still can't believe I don't know when I'll die."
"...You mentioned being short-lived because of the curse, but isn't that curse already lifted?"
At that question, Lady Clematis widened her eyes in surprise.
"You can see even that? Indeed, the curse that was eating away at my body is no longer there. I'm completely healthy now."
"Well, why is it called 'a short life' then? If it's a curse that eats away at the body and leads to death, I think the effects would disappear once it's lifted."
"I think that's how most curses work. They lose their power the moment they're lifted. So why does Lady Clematis only have a little time left?"
That question was answered by Lady Clematis.
"The curse I received was one that 'cuts down my lifespan and leads to death'."
"Lifespan...?"
"While I'm under the curse, my lifespan keeps getting shorter. So even if I were to lift the curse, the lifespan that was taken away won't come back. As a result, it seems like my 'destiny' is already running low, and you probably 'saw' that, didn't you?"
"..."
The Trainer's 'Divine Eye' skill can read various information from what it sees.
It can tell about others' Divine Revelations, their physical and mental states, and what's said to be their remaining 'destiny.' The value of the destiny decreases due to injuries, illnesses, or even curses.
However, the reduced amount can be restored to the 'maximum value' through treatment or rest.
That maximum value is said to be around '150' in the early twenties, which gradually decreases due to aging.
And when that maximum value hits '0,' it leads to a natural physical death...
in other words, reaching the end of one's lifespan.
This is the relationship between destiny and lifespan.
I used the Divine Eye skill to see that destiny.
The little that remains of Lady Clematis's destiny.
"So that's why you asked if it was an illness or a curse?"
"Y-yes. It was hard to believe that, given Lady Clematis's age, your destiny's maximum value had decreased so much."
"According to a skilled priest, only part of my life organs have aged and declined, which is why I still look young. I'm not one to fuss over my appearance, but maybe that's a bit of good luck in my misfortune."
When I first met her, I thought her destiny's maximum value was way too low.
Normally, just having injuries or illnesses would only decrease the destiny, but it shouldn't be able to be cut down to that extent.
So I was thinking that maybe it was some kind of special illness or curse messing with her fate.
But even with the Divine Eye skill, there didn't seem to be any signs of illness or curses, and I kept wondering what was going on.
"I never thought you were under a curse that shortens your lifespan. I can't believe there are monsters that use such terrifying curses."
"During the invasion of the monster, I ran into a squad from the Spirit King's Army. There was a high-ranking monster among them, and I ended up getting cursed by that one. If I could've broken the curse right away, it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but I was a bit slow to deal with it."
Lady Clematis shrugged, as if to say it was all in the past, and continued.
"I could've defeated the spellcaster and broken the curse myself. But that one got away, so I had no choice but to rely on someone called 'Curse-breaker'."
"...Curse-breaker. Are you talking about Curse-breaker Lotus?"
"That's right. I don't think that decision was wrong, but the timing was just off. It took a while to get in touch with Lotus."
I had been helped by Lotus once before.
Well, it was actually Rose's mother who had, but still.
At that time, we were able to get Lotus to break the curse right away, but it seems it didn't go that smoothly for Lady Clematis.
"I can only guess, but I think the recent activity of the Spirit King's Army across the continent is the reason. Lotus was probably busy taking on curse-breaking requests here and there, so it took quite a while to make contact."
As a result, the delay in breaking the curse meant that Lady Clematis's lifespan was significantly shortened.
Knowing the reason for her unusually low fate maximum made me feel a deep, indescribable emotion.
The lost fate would never come back.
Even knowing that her life isn't going to be long, Lady Clematis acts brighter than anyone else, and I thought she must be a strong person.
"So, I wanted to say to you, 'Thank you for making Nemophila stronger'."
"Huh?"
Suddenly, the conversation shifted back, and I froze for a moment.
Is there some connection between Lady Clematis's short lifespan and making Ms. Nemophila stronger? The answer turned out to be surprisingly simple.
"My life isn't going to be long. And I am the first princess, first in line for the throne, Clematis. Do you understand what that means?"
"Um..."
Right after that, I quickly realized and gasped.
Then Lady Clematis nodded as if to say, 'You got it,' and continued.
"If I die, the next king of the Compost Kingdom will be the second in line, the first prince, Crocus. I wanted to somehow prevent that, so I agreed to hold this succession battle."
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