I Reincarnated as a Noble Girl Villainess But Why Did It Turn Out This Way?

Chapter 15 - Acting like a child

When the ceremony finished and I was allowed to leave, I immediately collapsed onto Kamil's arm. What's this, said the earl in an incomplete sentence as he met my eyes. As I saw my reflection in his quiet eyes, I forced a sound out of my throat.

"Since I'm still young, this ceremony really tired me out. I'm going to get some good rest."

From behind me, Faris's laughter seemed to catch up to my back and chase me. I felt an uncanny sense of fear, and even though I knew it was unseemly, I clung tightly to Kamil.

The left dish of the scales represented my "sins." That piece of parchment had listed the names of the 72 people in my domain that had died after I was born. And, the leaves of that poisonous hemlock. The people that I had let down, and my own parents and siblings. If that's my sin, I fully understand.

Since I had told them I wasn't feeling well, Kamil bid them goodbye for me, and set a quick course back to the mansion in order to get me some rest as soon as possible. I didn't the ability right now to think of anything, and I clenched onto him so tightly that my hands hurt. My fingertips were turning pale from a lack of blood circulation, and my nails that I had injured yesterday from clawing the dirt were beginning to hurt.

"Charlie, calm down."

As if he could see something was wrong with me, Kamil tapped me gently on the back. That prodded me to loosen my grip on him. I should stop hurting my own body in vain just because I was in a state of confusion, but I was still filled with unpleasant feelings.

"......I don't know what Charlie's sins are, but your sins have been forgiven, and I've ascertained that you've properly received the blessings. Come on, take a deep breath."

Alright, it's fine, as Kamil shook my hand gently, giving some relief to the bitter taste in my mouth that had been spreading. Simply seeing me as a mere child and protecting me, his sweetness at this time made me think maybe he wasn't such a terrible fellow after all.

Even though my sins are rather unforgivable, that priest had said that my sins were compensated for. The church is in charge of the justice system in this country, meaning my crime would not be called into question after what happened just now. However, there had been nothing related to repenting for my sins on the scales earlier. The atonement for my sins might not be over yet. Since I was clenching my teeth too hard and the grinding was beginning to hurt, it jolted me out of this train of thought. Kamil kept tapping my back to help me take large, deep breaths, and I changed my line of thinking.

So the crime that I'm responsible for committing is now known, but it's unbecoming that you've become so unsettled over this, Eliza Kaldia.

By scolding myself, I calmed myself down, and went over everything in my mind that had frightened me.

The ice coldness I had felt during the ceremony wasn't that strange, it was my brain sending orders to cool down my body as my blood was beginning to boil.

It doesn't matter who that priest is.

The problem is whether or not that priest intends to do something against me.

Nor does it matter if everything about me had been exposed.

No matter how much they know, it should be fine if I just act like a child and pretend to know nothing.

"Kamil, let me down."

My voice sounded ice cold when I spoke. Kamil who was just about to enter the vicinity of the mansion stopped his movements.

"......Charlie?"

"Let me down. I'll walk by myself."

I looked at the shocked-seeming Kamil directly, and as if he was flinching from me, he slowly let me down from his arms.