Chapter 14 : The wheels of fate are set in motion.
Later that week, Leopoldo confessed to Natalia, and unlike with Nicholas, Natalia accepted on the spot.
During the vacation period at the end of the school year, which eventually began, the two met repeatedly.
And as the second school year began, the usual scene she used to see before her rebirth seemed to be still visible.
Two people having a friendly lunch at noon.
Two people walking in the courtyard, and cuddling after school.
They held hands, smiled at each other with a blush on their cheeks, and they gave each other a slightly shy look.
It wasn’t long before the two beautiful students became a rumored couple of the school.
Beatrice watched them quietly.
While praying in her heart that the bad premonition would not come true.
Beatrice still exchanges letters frequently with Edgar, who has been studying in Drieste, and they meet every few months.
Edgar is as kind as ever, and whenever he sees her, he observes Beatrice’s condition and gives her a lot of advice.
Sometimes he would bring back things like nutritional supplements and medicinal herbs from Drieste for Beatrice.
Beatrice once asked Edgar if spending time with her would hinder his studies. And she said that she was willing to just write letters to him if she was a nuisance.
At that time, Edgar replied that he would rather meet with Beatrice in person so he could check on her physical condition.
He said that when he was stuck in his research, the conversation he had with Beatrice made him realize, and it helped him change his perspective at that time.
She was glad to hear Edgar’s sentiment, even though she knew it was probably just a comforting thought.
“Thanks to you, my research is progressing well.”
“There’s no such thing, really.”
Saying that much, she almost inadvertently misinterprets it as if she were being helpful in some way.
“It’s true. This is much faster than planned. I thought it would take ten years, but it might take seven or eight.”
Beatrice thought that Edgar is really good at giving compliments, even though she could hardly believe that she is that helpful to Edgar’s research.
But seven or eight years, though certainly shorter than ten years, is still a long time for Beatrice.
Once again, she felt a slight tingle in her chest when she thought that she would not live to see Edgar’s official return.
“That guy, Edgar. He was here again, wasn’t he? Really, I don’t know how he does it. I mean, there’s a fair distance between here and the Institute of Medicine in Drieste.”
Rembrandt, who had stopped by the residence after Edgar left, as usual, told her this in amazement.
“And this time? Did you get any souvenirs from the institute?”
“Eh? Eh, eh.”
Beatrice nodded, a little puzzled by her brother’s casual inquiry.
“This time I got a new herb. I heard it has a lot of nourishing and tonic effects. For the time being, he wants me to improve my strength.”
“Well, sure. You can’t do anything without basic physical strength. You’re so quick to get a fever and collapse in bed, this is a pre-treatment issue.”
“There is no cure for what ails me in the first place, brother.”
“Anyway, you should keep a certain level of physical strength so that when a treatment is found, you can immediately receive it. Strong medicines are poison to a weak body. Even if a medicine is found, you will not be able to take it if you are too weak.”
Beatrice nodded her head in agreement with her brother, who spoke in an unusually strong tone of voice.
The older brother must be worried about his younger sister, who is often bedridden since childhood.
In fact, before her rebirth, although the doctor told her that she could still live over 20 years old, Beatrice ended up dying less than six years from now.
But still, Beatrice thought.
It is rare to talk about Beatrice’s illness with her brother under the assumption that she will be cured someday.
This is an incurable disease where the cause is known but a cure has yet to be established.
It is an incurable disease that is said to place you among the lucky ones if you live until 20 years old.
Rembrandt never treated his sister specially. But he never offered easy comfort regarding her illness.
How could such an older brother treat his sister so?
These lingering concerns were instantly dispelled when one of the attendants brought an decoction of Edgar’s medicinal herbs.
However, it seems that the effect of nourishing tonic is certain.
After that, Beatrice’s physical condition improved a little.
Her parents were so pleased that they reported it to Edgar, and Beatrice has been drinking the bitter medicine ever since.
Beatrice was hoping that everything would pass without incident, while cheering from afar for the pure loving couple who were the center of attention at the school, as she lived such a peaceful life in a sense.
Yes.
She hoped that her own inaccurate speculations would not come true, that no one would suffer any more misfortunes, and that time would pass peacefully.
But somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that wishing such a thing would only be futile. Even so, she couldn’t stop wishing.
That’s how much she longed for happiness.
Even if my own death is inevitable, this time, it is all for those two.
For Natalia and Leopold, who have been led into an irrevocable situation by her own shallow suggestions.
This time, this time, I want them to be happy.
So please.
Let me know that all this foreboding premonition is just my imagination.
Even though she knew somewhere in her heart that it would be futile.