Ch.148Apology (3)

# “So, research using irregular polyhedra is suspended for the time being.”

Professor Feynman sighed. He was currently receiving treatment for his back at the hospital.

“Student, will you be focusing on external activities for now?”

“At least for this semester, that’s the plan.”

“Eidel suspending his research activities… this is world-shattering news.”

“Haha…”

While I’m reluctant to affirm it myself, it’s not wrong.

“Well. I hope you work hard.”

“Yes. And you need to recover quickly so you can attend the wedding.”

Professor Feynman is getting married to Professor Stranov at the end of this year. I’ve agreed to give a congratulatory speech there.

“Getting married while listening to my student’s speech, it’s like a dream—ugh!”

“Are you alright?”

“I think I overdid it a bit. This much is fine. Ack!”

The cause of Professor Feynman’s herniated disc was obvious without looking. I didn’t bother asking. The professor’s face showed a muddy mixture of pain and happiness.

After wishing him a speedy recovery, I left.

When I returned to the sanctuary, I found Zernya twisting her body. From the moment she noticed my presence, she straightened her back like a meerkat and began looking at me.

“What are you doing?”

“I got a text from someone I don’t know and was looking at it.”

“Is it spam?”

“Something like that.”

Zernya brought up the screen and enlarged it.

The content was simple. Make Director Hueritia resign. Try to get closer to the Rheinland family. It’s recommended to sweet-talk and lure Eidel. If possible, find Rheinland’s weaknesses too.

As Zernya said, the sender was unknown. The tone was polite. But essentially, it was an order.

I frowned.

“It was sent from our family using a burner phone. They sometimes give orders this way. Isn’t it ridiculous? Using me, a direct descendant of Adelbein, like this.”

Zernya muttered bitterly.

“Zernya.”

“…To get to the point, I plan to follow these instructions to some extent.”

She glanced at me.

“You know what I mean, right?”

“Yeah.”

I nodded. Zernya nodded back and continued.

“Anyway, I’m going to become the head of the family. It’s my family’s business, so I’ll tie up the loose ends. So, you idiot. Just help me a little and then go do your research. Got it?”

She raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. She was looking up at me. A rather confident attitude. At first glance, she seemed the same as usual.

But there was one thing different—her lips.

The corners of her mouth formed a bright curve.

Not a bitter sneer. It was a bright, cute, and beautiful smile.

After thinking for a moment, I came to a conclusion. Yes, let’s trust Zernya for once. She has shown enough change.

“So what are you going to do?”

“First, I need to get out of here.”

“How?”

Zernya looked up at the recovery room ceiling and said:

“By begging.”

***

While Eidel was out, Zernya organized many thoughts.

Through her interactions with him, she had unconsciously adopted certain attitudes toward life. One of them was to become a person with clear purpose.

What was her goal?

When she really thought about it, it wasn’t becoming the family head.

To become a renowned doctor who could treat people possessed by outer gods. To save as many people as possible.

It was a vague but precious dream. A goal she had been gradually making more concrete while observing Eidel and his father. Why had she forgotten it?

From now on, she would act according to this conviction.

“Stupid family.”

The world began to look different. The once-great family now seemed shabby, and the rival she had harbored hostility toward started to look like someone she should walk alongside.

If the current Adelbein was a house of cards, she might as well tear it down and rebuild from scratch.

To take that first step, she needed to be reborn in the sanctuary.

“Phew.”

Dressed simply, Zernya walked to the chapel with the help of priests.

“You can communicate with the constellations here. We cannot know whether a constellation will respond, or which one might do so.”

This was a fact she already knew.

In her youth, Zernya had attempted to communicate with constellations at the Northern Sanctuary.

What was it like back then?

She had naturally thought the strongest star should dwell within her, but she wasn’t chosen even by the weakest star.

Things needed to be different now. Zernya took a deep breath and gently clasped her hands together.

Tap.

Her round forehead touched the red carpet.

“…I have done wrong.”

A contract with a constellation wasn’t the immediate issue.

First, she needed to apologize for her wrongdoings. She needed to cleanse herself of impurity. She needed to abandon the arrogance of implanting artificial constellations.

Of course, being a religious ritual, there was still some discomfort.

What era was this? An age of science and proof. If one had the constitution for a constellation, it would have happened already. This was proven by xenobiology.

Was even thinking this way presumptuous?

Yes. It probably was.

Tap, tap, tap.

She pressed her head to the ground several times.

“I have committed a mortal sin. Please punish me. I will accept whatever it may be.”

There was no answer.

“I have committed a mortal sin…”

Zernya continued her apology.

***

Eidel connected a webcam to his laptop. Thanks to his accommodation, Zernya could attend classes remotely. She could also participate in student council meetings.

“…With this, today’s meeting is adjourned.”

After closing the laptop, Zernya immediately washed up and changed clothes.

“Are you going to pray today too?”

“Yes.”

“It’s been almost a month already. How about taking a little break?”

Zernya shook her head.

“I’ll continue.”

She didn’t know how much time had passed. There’s no concept of time in the sanctuary. She only realized a month had passed when midterm exams were approaching.

“I’ve decided not to look for meaning anymore.”

I did wrong, so I apologize. That’s all.

“Well, I have something to do, so I’ll be going.”

Eidel went out again. He’s busy, so he can’t visit often. Zernya felt a pang in her heart. She wanted to be with him longer.

“…Sigh.”

Enough. What kind of wishful thinking was this?

Just pray.

Tap.

As Zernya lowered her head to the carpet, clearing her mind of distractions:

[“Child who was filthy and arrogant.”]

It was a voice that electrifyingly penetrated her mind.

A type of voice she had never heard before. Zernya dared not raise her head.

Silver stardust fell before her bowed head.

[“Yet you’ve learned to acknowledge your mistakes.”]

“…”

[“Would you raise your head?”]

It was like a verbal command. Zernya’s head lifted on its own.

“…Ah.”

It was a space like a calm water surface.

Swans swam gently along the surface. Each rippling wave transmitted warm energy. As Zernya looked around, she was startled when she looked behind her.

“The, the priests…”

It was strange.

Just moments ago, priests were in the chapel with her. Now, she couldn’t even sense their presence.

The atmosphere was dreamlike.

Just that alone made her feel intoxicated.

“Welcome to my world, child.”

Zernya turned her head 180 degrees. There stood a beautiful woman.

White hair with a tinge of sky blue. A laurel wreath on her forehead.

Her eyes were closed, and she wore a silk dress with alternating dark gray and white designs. On each shoulder perched a crow and a magpie.

“This is a space of higher dimension. I’ve lifted you here briefly. How does it feel to glimpse a fragment of higher dimension?”

She was undoubtedly a constellation.

Zernya hurriedly prostrated herself on the ground.

“Oh? My goodness… There’s no need to be so subservient.”

“It’s, it’s an honor to meet you, Constellation.”

“Yes, child. What is your name?”

“…”

“What is your name?”

“…It’s Zernya.”

The constellation made a humming sound.

“As I recall, there were long names that followed.”

“Your calling me by my name is enough…”

In the past, she would have emphasized Adelbein. Now there was no meaning in it. Adelbein was a detestable surname.

“Zernya is enough, you say… Good.”

The constellation smiled.

“You may not know me, but I’ve been watching you for quite some time. Self-confidence and arrogance are separated by a fine line. I had hoped you would become a child full of confidence.”

“You’ve… been watching me?”

“It’s nothing special. Every constellation marks one intelligent being they’re interested in. In my case, it was you.”

Then why didn’t you come down to contract with me back then?

She couldn’t bring herself to ask.

The reason was obvious.

As the constellation just said, Zernya herself had grown up not as a child full of confidence, but as one steeped in arrogance.

“I’ve been watching you this past month too. Is it real this time? Has she come to her senses? Hmm, well.”

The constellation moved her steps. She slowly raised Zernya up.

“That’s impossible to know. We are separate beings after all.”

“Con-Constellation.”

“My star companions still all dislike you. The implantation of artificial constellations was a big issue. Three of them, at that. It’s like, in human terms, walking around with tattoos made from dead people’s skin. You understand how disgusting that is, right?”

“Yes, yes. Yes. That’s right. I was very disgusting.”

“No, the act was disgusting, not your existence itself…”

Zernya shed a tear. You fool. What have you done right to be showing tears?

“There, there. Calm down.”

But the constellation’s touch was too soft to remain stoic.

“So, have you reflected enough?”

“No. Not yet…”

It’s still far from enough.

After realizing humility, she understood that sin has no depth. The number of times one is forgiven is meaningless. The words ‘self-reflection’ and ‘sufficient’ cannot coexist.

“I’ll live my whole life, my entire life reflecting like this. So…!”

“Oh, look at you. Prostrating again.”

“…Please let me leave the sanctuary! Even if I leave, let me at least repay all my wrongdoings!”

She had received forgiveness from Eidel.

Now it was time to seek forgiveness from the constellations.

“…Very well.”

Flutter.

The magpie and crow lifted Zernya once more. Stardust sprinkled before her eyes. At the beautiful sight, Zernya was entranced.

“Child, no matter what situation arises, remember just one word.”

The constellation extended her hand.

“Humility.”

“…Yes.”

Zernya carefully took that hand.

***

[— From now on, ‘God of Humility and Healing’ Deneb will protect you.]