The Silent Heir

Chapter 20

An: 20 chapters lets gooooo

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"Sister Lucy! Sister Lucy come and play with us!" One of the children excitedly called out as he continuously pulled the hem of her clothes. Ever since the incident, the children completely warmed up to Lucy as they now viewed her as their savior.

Her scars no longer scared them as the monster's claws and glee were far scarier. Besides, it was those scars that shielded them from those monsters, it was those scars that fought ferociously when they needed it the most. Lucy had found herself accepted by the children with open arms.

"Y-yes?" Lucy said in a flustered tone as she was in the process of drying clothes. The sudden warm-up from the children caught Lucy off guard as she was still awkward interacting with them. Though deep inside, Lucy could not be happier than she was right now.

"Let's play let's play!" The children said as they surrounded Lucy with puppy eyes.

"J-just a moment. I still need to finish this." Lucy said as the children began to whine.

"Ehhh? Come on sister Lucy! Just this once pleaseee?" The children said as Lucy had no words to say.

"Just go with them, sister Lucy," Emma said as Lucy looked back, confused. "We can finish things up here, you can go and play with them instead." Emma said with a smile as Lucy hesitated.

"Umm, that's-"

"Yay! Thank you, sister Emma! Come, sister Lucy!"

The children cut Lucy off as they began to drag her by her hands. "W-wait! Slow down!" Lucy panicked as the children continued to drag her. The sisters who had seen this spectacle could not help but chuckle in delight. This was especially true for Emma.

Just a month and weeks ago, Lucy had a hopeless dead look in her eyes when she first found her. It did not radiate joy and curiosity from someone of her age, but rather pain and trauma as she desperately devoured a molded bread.

She had always been jumpy from the smallest of things as if they would hurt her. Always putting a distance as if she was going to leave at the first sign of trouble appeared. Emma feared those days when she woke up one day to see her gone. Thankfully it did not happen.

Perhaps a feeling of loneliness, maybe a desire for companionship that made her stay. Now she was much brighter than before. The fear and trauma still linger in those eyes but not as intense as it was before. Lucy, or rather, lady Emma was beginning to recover from the wounds of the past.

"I can't believe how far she has gone through." Rose whispered as she stood beside Emma. There was a hint of joy and relief in those eyes as they watched Lucy awkwardly try to play with the children. Emma found herself nodding back in agreement as she whispered back.

"It's a relief she's beginning to open up with us. I thought she would leave without saying a word three days ago, glad I was wrong." Silence envelops the air as the sisters expression slowly hardens.

"He's here isn't he?" Rose whispered as Emma nodded her head.

"Just this dawn. Delays made his arrival longer than expected." Emma said as Rose nodded her head.

"...Should we tell her?" Rose asked but already knew the answer.

"Can't you see sister Rose? Lucy is beginning to heal. She is finally beginning to recover. I can't let her revert back. Not when she is... this happy." Emma paused as they saw Lucy smiling after the children. Not the awkward and forced one, but a genuine smile. Even with all the scars that ravaged her body, Lucy looked like an angel.