The Ashes Settle II

When Margaret turned her gaze over to her, Carolyn immediately straightened her posture to the point of it being impressive.

"Carol, did you go with Lavender using your own two legs?"

"Yes, Miss Margaret. My sincerest apologies for causing trouble and worrying you, but it was something I had to do."

"So you're saying you would do it again if you had the choice."

"...Yes."

Carolyn pinched her dress as she faced the silent pressure from Margaret's gaze. She wondered if all mothers had this special aura, because she recalled feeling a similar pressure when her mother scolded her. However, in this case, she didn't feel any regret, so she could hold up well against it.

"...Then, I don't have a lot left to say. Just try not to worry your friends so much."

Margaret then moved aside, and Mila, Marco and Kanna took her place. Marco seemed to be somewhat distracted, but Mila and Kanna both had intense auras that didn't lose to Margaret's. Before Carolyn could get a word in, Kanna started.

"So you would do it again? You would worry me by walking around every day with that pained expression on your face but refuse to tell me anything, and then worry me even more by disappearing during a night when ruffians from the slums caused trouble near the inn and some psycho started a fire in the slums district. You're saying you would do that again? Do you enjoy making me feel distressed, or is it my fault for caring so much?"

When Carolyn wouldn't talk about what was bothering her, Kanna didn't push her because she wasn't sure if a 'friend' was allowed to do that. She was always willing to help if Carolyn asked, but she feared that forcing her to talk would push her away. If it was her little sister, then she would pull her into a room and refuse to let her out until she received the answers she wanted, but she couldn't do that with Carolyn. However, when she came to work and found out that Carolyn was missing, Kanna regretted being so passive. Even if she had to force her into a corner, Kanna wished she had done something to put a smile on her face before it was too late.

If anything happened to her, Kanna knew that she would never be able to forgive herself, so when she saw Carolyn return, she was overcome by relief. Although she was still upset that she left with some strange woman without telling anyone, Kanna believed that they could go back to normal. However, Carolyn's firm resolve awoke a fear more powerful than the fire that threatened to burn down the slums.

Faced with the tears brimming in Kanna's eyes, Carolyn could no longer claim to have no regrets about last night.

"No, I didn't want to worry you. That's why I didn't say anything."

"Well, look how that turned out! If there's something bothering you, then I want to hear it! I don't know how I can help, but I can at least worry about it with you. Don't put on a false smile when it's clear to the world that you're not really smiling. Don't take everything on your shoulders like you're some hero from a storybook. Don't keep everything to yourself because you're afraid you'll make us upset. Don't suddenly vanish one night without saying anything to anyone. Don't, don't treat me like a stranger. Are we, not friends?"

Against those words, there was no defence Carolyn could make. She could only hold Kanna's hands and look into her teary eyes as she put her sincere feelings into words.

"Kanna, I'm sorry. I, really didn't want to worry you, but it's not because you're not my friend. It's the opposite. I didn't want you to get wrapped up in this. Even when I didn't know what to do, seeing you and everyone working hard helped me remember what I wanted to protect. Even though you don't know it, you've always been helping me."

"Maybe so, but that's not all. I know. I know you're the type who would prefer if no one got hurt. But then, why did you go with that woman?"

"You mean Ms. Lavender? Ah well, actually she—"

"It's fine. I get it. It's because she could help you with whatever you were planning, right?"

"...Yes."

There were many excuses that came to Carolyn's head, but Kanna's eyes told her that saying them wouldn't work.

"I see."

Kanna moved her hands out of Carolyn's grasp and wiped the tears from her eyes. Then, with heartbreaking fragility in her gaze, she looked at Carolyn.

"Carol. We're friends, right?"

"Of course."

With Carolyn's immediate confirmation, the fragility in Kanna's gaze quickly disappeared. She embraced Carolyn, and Carolyn returned the favour, regretful that she hadn't put more thought into her friend's feelings.

Watching the two, everyone couldn't help but wonder if their presences had been forgotten, but the mood clearly didn't permit any disruptions. Once the two parted, Kanna took a step back to allow Mila to speak with Carolyn.

"Kanna pretty much said everything I was thinking of, so I'll let you off with a warning this time. Don't cause a fuss like this again. And stay away from Lav; she's a bad influence."

"Aren't you all being a little too cruel to me?" Lavender asked in a pitiful tone.

"It's what you deserve. I bet this dress was your idea too."

"Yes, but doesn't it look good on her?"

"Uh, well..."

With Carolyn's bashful yet expectant gaze on her, Mila knew there was only one response she could give, but while she hesitated, her brother jumped in.

"Yeah, it looks really good on her. I almost didn't recognise her at first."

"Tch, did anyone ask for your opinion? Go peel some potatoes, musclehead."

"That's not fair, Sis! I was worried too!"

"Well, they're here now, aren't they? We still have to open the tavern soon, so get to work."

Marco wanted to argue back, but then Margaret stepped in to resolve the matter.

"Your sister's right, Marco. Now that they're back, we should finish the prep so we can open the tavern. There'll probably be a lot of customers swinging by to chat about the ruffians and the fire, so check the liquor and bar snacks."

"Yes, Ma."

Once Uncle Rod, Marco, and Mila went to work, Margaret's gaze went back to the two night crawlers.

"Carol, I still need to talk to Lavender, but you can head on up now. You must be tired. I'll bring a pan a' water for you soon."

"Thank you, Miss Margaret."

After getting Margaret's approval, Carolyn hugged Kanna once more before returning to her room. Once she released the built-up tension through a sigh of relief, Carolyn felt like flopping onto her bed, but the dress reminded her of her mother's lessons on etiquette. She held herself together, changed out of the dress, treated her wounds and got back into her sleepwear. It was too late, or rather too early, for a nightgown, but since Margaret said she would bring water soon, Carolyn believed it would do. She knew she couldn't sleep yet, so she didn't go to bed and instead started writing in her diary. A single night held more memorable events than the past week, and it was easy to write since it was fresh in her mind. Still, it would be best to leave any post-review for after she got some rest and talked with Benedict.

...

It was around noon when Carolyn heard that knock on her door. Soon after she was done writing in her diary, Margaret had brought water, so she had wiped her face and body off and gone to bed. She had dreamt of the fire and Henry's cruel smile, so it hadn't been the best sleep, but it was better than nothing.

"Who is it?"

"It's the lovely Lavender. I'm sorry for interrupting your beauty rest, but that black-hearted priest sent someone for us."

"Okay. I'll change and be right there."

"Would you like me to help?"

"? No, I'll be fine."

"Alright. Don't be shy if you need anything."

Once she felt Lavender's presence move from the door, Carolyn climbed out of bed and changed into comfortable clothes for heading to the slums. She also remembered to reapply her makeup, though she didn't know that it had partially been removed before she washed it off. She wanted to return the flower-themed dress to Lavender, but she would have to send it to a store to have it properly cleaned first. She wasn't sure if such a specialised store was still open inside the city given the economic decline, but Marco once mentioned a laundry service near the nobility district, so Carolyn planned to try that place if she couldn't find anywhere else.

When she left her room, Carolyn found Lavender facing the entrance. Unlike Carolyn, Lavender hadn't changed since she returned to the inn, mainly because she didn't need to.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes. We can leave."

"Good. I imagine we'll receive some stinging gazes when we try to leave so soon after returning, but I'm glad to hear you're prepared for that."

"Eh?"

Carolyn hadn't considered how they would be perceived until Lavender brought it up, so she could only stare blankly at Lavender's back for a few moments before taking a deep breath and following after her.