Chapter 22: Anna
“So? Anna, what are you thinking?”
The office. Exposed to my and Old Man’s stern gazes, Anna stood without so much as twitching.
This time, I arranged this meeting to ascertain what was truly in the heart of Anna, whose words and actions have been strange lately.
Incidentally, Cornelia is currently studying with the children. Well, even if she weren’t, I don’t think I would have called Cornelia to a place like this.
After all, Anna is the one who brazenly insisted in front of me that Cornelia should be killed. I have no idea what might come out of her mouth.
“First, allow me to offer my prayers.”
“Huh?”
Prayers? What is Anna talking about?
Ignoring our bewilderment, Anna suddenly knelt down as if performing a dogeza.
“Oh, Goddess! I offer my gratitude for your divine grace!”
Chanting that three times, Anna pressed her forehead to the floor.
I couldn’t understand what Anna was doing. I glanced at Old Man, but he too was dumbfounded.
“Thank you very much.”
Saying that last, Anna smoothly stood up. Her eyes were fixed on me as if she were pinned in place.
“Anna, what is the meaning of this?”
“For someone like myself to directly answer Dietfried-sama, the child of the Goddess, is far too presumptuous…”
“Huh? Child of the Goddess? What are you talking about?”
“…”
Even when I ask, Anna says nothing. Is it that “directly answering is too presumptuous” thing?
“I permit you to answer directly.”
Once I gave permission, Anna began to speak rapidly, as if a dam had burst.
“Thank you very much. Dietfried-sama, you are the deeply favored child of the Goddess who repelled Cornelia-sama’s Curse of the Evil God. I was mistaken. I never dreamed that Cornelia-sama’s Curse of the Evil God was a trial for Dietfried-sama… Please forgive my ignorance. That’s right. Come to think of it, there was no way that you two, the children of Amalia-sama, wouldn’t be special!”
Amalia is my mother’s name. Originally, Anna came to this Baumgarten Territory as a maid assigned to Amalia.
However, Amalia’s postpartum recovery was poor, and she passed away soon after we were born.
“I’ve never heard of Mother possessing any special Gift or talent, though?”
“No, Amalia-sama was special to me. She was kind to someone like me, who couldn’t get used to the work and had no place to belong. To me, she was a goddess! It was because Amalia-sama was here that I was able to keep on living. Until that time…”
That was likely just special to Anna; to the rest of the world, Amalia was probably ordinary.
Anna is conflating Amalia, who was a goddess to her, with the actual Goddess.
But, seeing Anna’s fanatical eyes, I couldn’t say anything.
“Aah… Why… Why did Amalia-sama have to pass away?! That’s right. It’s because she conceived twins! For Amalia-sama, whose body was weak, giving birth to twins was too great a burden! At first, I resented it. I resented Dietfried-sama and Cornelia-sama! Moreover, Cornelia-sama had the Curse of the Evil God and couldn’t even be bestowed a Gift! Something like this should never have been permitted! However…”
Anna’s face seemed to melt as if intoxicated with pleasure. Honestly, it wasn’t a pleasant sight.
“It was all my misunderstanding. Cornelia-sama’s Curse of the Evil God was a trial for Dietfried-sama as the child of the Goddess. As proof, I hear Cornelia-sama was saved and bestowed an exceptionally rare Gift. This is precisely the Goddess’s guidance! Amalia-sama’s death was not in vain!”
Anna is mad. She can’t accept Amalia’s death and wants to believe there was meaning in it.
In short, Anna has merely switched her reason for living from Amalia to me. This isn’t a reason to forgive Anna, who secretly tormented Cornelia so much.
Anna was breathing heavily, her shoulders heaving. However, her fanatical eyes remained fixed on me, not letting go.
Being liked by someone you dislike is quite stressful, huh? I disliked her from the start, but now it’s gotten to the point where I can’t even stand the sight of her.
I’m against entrusting Cornelia’s education to someone like this. However, Anna is the only one who can educate Cornelia as a noble.
“Anna, let me ask you one thing. What do you think of Cornelia? Do you still find Cornelia a nuisance?”
“Cornelia-sama was precisely the trial that Dietfried-sama had to overcome. It is because of Cornelia-sama’s trial that Dietfried-sama awakened! In other words, Cornelia-sama is the very embodiment of the Goddess’s blessing! My former self was foolish. To detest Cornelia-sama was an unforgivable act. To begin with…”
“That’s enough.”
I can’t deal with this anymore.
“Anna, I entrust you with Cornelia’s education in noble etiquette.”
“To entrust such an important role to me, who has committed a grave sin, are you sure?”
Of course, it’s not alright. But she’s the only suitable person.
“I haven’t forgiven you, nor have I let my guard down around you. If you say you’ve committed a sin, then demonstrate your worthiness to atone for that sin. Either I or Old Man will be present during Cornelia’s education. Old Man is my representative. If you make any suspicious moves, I’ll have your head.”
“Child of the Goddess…”
Anna suddenly started crying while looking at me.
Were the conditions too harsh? But I can’t let someone like this run loose. A watchful eye is necessary.
“I am grateful for your magnanimous, magnanimous heart…!”
And then, Anna performed another dogeza. I couldn’t understand Anna’s thought process at all.