Distant and Ephemeral

...This isn't even the real Ms. Carnelia, so why am I so nervous?

Calm down, Claire. Stay composed. All of you have to do is—

Hyaaah?!

Shall we go inside? I've prepared some warm tea.

Until now, we've only ever spoken briefly whenever we happened to meet around Candle Square.

Think of this as... hmm, a friendly conversation.

I've made time for this with the other maids, but somehow our schedules never aligned.

We've both been busy until now. I'm glad we finally have the chance.

With Voidborns have been active nearby, you must have been working closely with the Polaris Observation Council.

On top of that, we've had an unusually high number of wounded or sick Saviors visiting lately.

So of course I knew you had little time to spare.

Those matters were mainly entrusted to senior maids. I'm surprised you picked up on them.

I wasn't listening in or anything. I simply... noticed.

To think you're so aware how Candle Square has been operating...

You may become an even finer Master Maid than I am someday.

How was your time off? Your complexion has improved quite a bit.

I did feel somewhat... guilty taking time off ahead of the senior maids.

(I only learned later that several complaints had actually been brought to Ms. Carnelia.)

(They questioned why a new maid like me was permitted leave ahead of the senior maids.)

(...Though the fact that it ended there suggests something must have settled the matter quickly.)

Besides... I believe about a week was enough rest for me.

In fact, I believe I was the one who suggested extending it to a full week—

What I meant was... I rested so well it felt like a whole week.

Somehow... you seem a little adorable.

I-I shall interpret that as humor...

How has life at Candle Square been? Have you settled in?

I suppose I've paid extra attention to you because I still remember the day you first came to Candle Square.

Your words were as forceful as one would expect from the Thorn Vine of the Blue Rose.

You looked worn down and tattered, as though you'd endured an exhausting journey...

But I could never forget the look in your eyes when you looked at me.

Your eyes held something deeper than mere desperation.

Because I looked desperate...?

But I saw something else in your eyes.

The will to keep living, and the desire for a future.

Your eyes shined so bright, like stars in the night sky.

For some reason, those eyes...

...They filled me with a bit of envy.

I'm not nearly as remarkable as you imagine me to be.

(...This happened before. She said the same thing back then.)

(At the time, I assumed she was simply being humble.)

Of course, it isn't that I cared any less for the other maids of Candle Square.

Perhaps I envied you a little, but more than that, I couldn't stop worrying about you.

Even after hearing you say you admired me, I didn't wanted you to become someone like me.

Why would you speak of yourself that way...?

Please, tell me more about yourself.

...Very well.

But...

Next time, I'm sure we can talk more then. I promise.

...My apologies.

Ms. Carnelia, please forgive me. I just... lost my composure for a moment.

There will absolutely be a next time for us to speak like this again.

...Understood.

I also remember you telling me to read this book if I've thought things over through and through, but am still unsure of what to do.

I can't say it will always give you the right answer, but I'm sure it will help you when you truly need it.

...If it's you, Claire, I'm sure you can manage.

Before we finish, there's something I'd like to ask.

Have you ever, to me or anyone at Candle Square...

Had a secret you deliberately chose not to tell us?

Would anything have changed?

Those drawers hold memories, feeling, and secrets too difficult to share.

Everyone uses their drawers differently.

Some keep it locked tight, some carefully organized... and some leave it in complete chaos.

Naturally, some people wish for others to reveal everything hidden inside their drawers.

Yet people who insist on hiding even a single secret... usually have their reasons.

...Perhaps they fear revealing their darker side to the people they cherish.

Or perhaps they don't want to be remembered in an ugly light... or leave behind resentment.

Shall we end today's meeting here?

...Thank you for your time.

Your red eyes really make you look like a rabbit. A bunny suit would suit you perfectly.

This isn't how it happened in the real past, right?

Talking with her was enough to make me happy.

But now... I already know how it ends.

That she would disappear, and everything that happened afterward.

...So I was shaken. Just a little.

...Are you okay?

If you're worried about me, I must have looked worse than I thought.

...Ahem.

As for the other maids, make sure you don't—

Provided you turn a blind eye to this month's increased garden expenses.

Eeeek!!

Anyway, this is the final day in the record.

Ms. Carnelia... should be leaving Candle Square soon.

If the spell is built around the book as its medium, it would likely follow a defined pattern.

It should either return to the beginning, or end and let us out.

Bell?

The sun is setting, but nothing has happened yet.

Since the record is built around duties, it should be ending now that the day's work is done.

The last entry Ms. Carnelia left behind...

...

...Let's see it through to the end.

Please tell everyone to rest well until morning.

Besides, I know everyone has been exhausted from how busy we've been lately.

Just make sure no one goes out during the night.

...Perhaps she intended to meet a specific someone.

Either way, it seems she chose to leave it behind as a record.

Do you remember what you said to me back then?

"Please follow the instructions as per the Manual".

As a maid of Candle Square.

But if Carnelia already expected herself to fall down the wrong path when she wrote this book...

Then maybe she wanted whoever read this book to stop her.

I wish she'd simply said she wanted someone to pull her back.

Keeping secrets and trying to shoulder everything on her own.

...Then we'll have to ask her ourselves.

So we can guide her back to the right path.

Let's go bid farewell to that remnant of the past.