11 Past Life, A 21

(Duke) She is a monster, that girl must die, we don't know what problems she can bring us.

(Duchess) yes, that's the reason why we have to hand her over to the inquisition, they will take care of her.

Now, I am just a newborn baby, who has just received the witch's mark, and the people around me are discussing what to do with me.

I don't want to die, my or rather Leonora's parents want her dead, but I don't want to die.

I don't know what's going on, but every time I die in this world, I come back to life from birth, and eventually I get killed again, and I don't want to, I just want them to let me live, I won't give them trouble, I promise, so please, I don't want to die.

My father wants to kill me, and my mother wants to give me to the church, but unlike other times, Therrion just stays silent, he always intervenes to save me, why doesn't he do it this time?

(Therrion) Gentlemen, please don't argue.

Therrion finally spoke, I am sure he is going to intervene on my behalf, in all the lives I have had, only he and my sister Liz have been good to me, so I know he is going to save me.

(Therrion) If you wish, I will decide the fate of this child, you don't have to get your hands dirty.

What? No, what's going on? He always saves me, why won't he do it now?

(Duke) Well, we'll leave it up to you, we just don't want to know anything.

Therrion takes me in his arms, and I can only cry, I don't want to die, and less for him, until now, he was one of the few people I could trust, although for an unknown reason he always disappears shortly after I turn 5 years old, but even so, I have always been very fond of him.

In his arms he takes me out of the room, I was so scared, and I could only cry, after all, I don't want to die.

(Therrion) Now, now, little Leonora, I won't hurt you, I won't let anyone hurt you.

Eh? I stop crying and stare at him, so if he's not going to kill me what is he going to do?

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Therrion left me lying on the bed in his room, and I saw him start packing a suitcase, he rummaged through drawers, emptied his trunk, put away candlesticks, ornaments, and of more things that may be of value, when he finished he stared at me and smiled.

(Therrion) I already want to see how this place holds up without me, I feel a little sorry for some of my companions, but I have served this family longer than I should.

Therrion with a large suitcase on his back, and me in his arms leaves the mansion in the dark of night.

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I don't know how much time passed, but we finally arrived at a small town. As if he had traveled this road a million times, Therrion arrived at a small, slightly dilapidated cottage, and opened the door with a key he had hanging around his neck.

As he opened the door a cloud of dust came out of the house, and he covered my face with a blanket when I started sneezing.

(Therrion) Now, now little one, I know it's a little dirty, but nothing that a little hard work won't fix.

Therrion walked into the house, and looked around longingly.

I have no idea what this place is, he has never told me about his past, and I really don't know much about him, I don't know where he grew up, why he started working in the duchy, if he was married, or where he goes after I turn 5, really, I don't think I know anything about Therrion.

Therrion put his things in a corner, improvised a bed for me with blankets and a pillow he had brought with him, and let me lie down while he went to work.

I watched him work in silence, while from my limited perspective, I looked around to record all the details of the house, I wanted to see if I was able to see something that would give me a clue as to where we were or whose house it was.

Then something caught my attention, on a shelf, I could see a small painting, from where I was, I was not able to see what was engraved on it.

After a while, Therrion passed by the shelf and looked at the painting, held it in his hands for a moment, and sighed before wiping it off and putting it back.

That piqued my curiosity too much, and taking advantage of his proximity, I cried for him to carry me.

(Therrion) oh, are you hungry already miss? Forgive me please, I didn't realize the time.

Therrion carried me, and in doing so I got a better look at the painting, in it, there was a drawing of a woman and a girl.

Again, I have no idea who they could be, I can't wait to be able to talk, and be able to ask him.

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Months have passed, and now I'm already able to walk without help, in all this time, Therrion has taken care of me like a father, but for some reason, he insists on calling me Miss Leonora, maybe his sense of duty is too strong, be that as it may, I'm still unable to speak. Well, I am able to babble, but I'm too embarrassed to talk like that, that's why when I'm alone, I practice speaking.

After having to relearn how to speak 21 times, I think I'm starting to get the hang of it, if my cycle of relearning keeps repeating itself, sooner or later I will be able to speak as soon as my baby teeth come in, but for now, that point is still a long way off, and that's why, taking advantage of being alone, I've started practicing.

(Leonora) Pete.. Pipe... picked.. pickled.. peppes..

For now, the R is my biggest archenemy.

A while passed, and I got bored of practicing, by the sun in the window it should be an hour before sunset. It's strange, Therrion had left shortly after lunch, and still hasn't returned, I'm still a baby at just over a year old, and this is the longest amount of time he's left me alone.

When we left the mansion, Therrion brought with him a good amount of valuables, which he has been selling over time to have money, we lead a fairly modest life, so the money should be enough for us for several more years, that's why I don't think he has gone looking for a job or something similar.

I just hope he's okay.

I hope he is well...

I start to get worried and impatient, that's why I look for things to distract my mind.

Well... I've been the Leonora of the game for 21 lives, in my first life I died at the age of 7 from a stone...

Today I know it must have been an accident, Celes is very bad at controlling her own strength, and if she has very strong emotions, she tends to explode easily.

But still, when I was reborn, apart from the fact that I was quite surprised, I came to hold a grudge against Celes, and in that life I really tried to be a villain, and take everything away from the protagonist, but I failed miserably.

Being a villain is difficult, I'm not smart enough to create complicated plans, that's why when the first plan that went wrong, I was discovered and then executed....

That made me admire the Leonora of the game, after all, 5 different routes had to be played before catching her.

The third one, I really tried to do absolutely nothing, I just wanted to live a quiet life, but....

Well, I'm the witch after all, that fact was enough for the inquisition to come after me....

Thinking about that depresses me, really things have not been easy for me, again, I admired the Leonora of the game, she was strong, she came through somehow, and she was nothing away from getting her happy ending, it's a real pity the ending she got in the real route of the game.

I give myself a couple of pats on the cheeks, I'm getting depressed and I don't want to, in this life everything has been going well for me, Therrion takes care of me, and when I'm able to talk, I'll ask him to leave the kingdom, the political situation of the kingdoms adjoining Karris is complicated, but even so, the persecution of the witch is stronger here because of the presence of the church, if I go to another kingdom it is likely that I can have a quiet life, and I don't know, maybe if I am able to die of old age instead of being killed, I can break the cycle of reincarnations.

And where did Therrion go, that could be easy to explain, maybe he just went to sell some of what we brought from the mansion, and since he has to be cautious when selling it, he can't sell it to the first merchant he sees, it has to be someone he trusts, and it's a bit complicated to find someone like that, that's why he's taking so long, yes, that must be it, he should be back soon, and maybe he'll make them with food for the week, and maybe some toys for me.

Well, so what do I do now to keep killing time?

I start looking around the room looking for what to do, so far my toys are mostly rattles, and things that make noise with bright colors, I know those things are necessary to develop the mind of children, but I have the mind of an adult, and I am unable to play with them for more than a couple of minutes, if I at least had building blocks, or picture books, or even dolls I could distract myself, but I don't, and that's why I'm bored to death.

Ah, I want to get out of the room, at least in other rooms I should be able to find something to distract myself with.

That's why I walk to the door, obviously I'm not able to reach the doorknob, but nothing a little ingenuity can't fix.

I go to the bed and pull my blankets and pillows, it takes me a while, but I end up building a fort next to the door, I climb on it, and I get the necessary height.

It takes a little work, but I use my weight to push the door, it's lucky that it opens outwards, if it opened inwards, it would be a big problem.

Finally, after much effort, the door has been defeated, I leave the room, but before continuing, I give him a haughty look.

Heh, you weren't even a worthy opponent.

I start to take a tour around the house looking for what to do, I don't really expect to find toys, but finding a book serves me just the same, anything to distract me is fine.

I'd say to a small bookcase that Therrion has in the hall, but I pass through the living room, and again, that picture with the women drawn calls my attention.

I've managed to give him a glance or two in this year I've been here, I know there is a woman and a girl, I deduce that they must be mother and daughter, because of the resemblance between them, but I have not managed to know anything else, I do not know if they are his sister and his mother, or his wife and his daughter, or his mother and his grandmother, or even have nothing to do with him, and just be the previous owners of the house, all that makes me think that I know very little about Therrion.

Hmm, I really want to take a closer look at the drawing, maybe in the frame, or in a corner there is some message that will help me to solve this mystery.

That's why I decide to climb up the ledge, and get my hands on the drawing.

To my good fortune, the wood has many ornaments and engravings, and they are perfect to use as a support.

I climb slowly but surely, the ledge is only a little more than twice my size, so I don't take many risks.

I'm almost close to reach the chasm, but I remembered something very small, but very important, I'm a baby and my energy is limited, I was already tired from making the pillow fort, and now my little arms really hurt, but I'm already so close that I can't give up now, I manage to climb a little more, and I stretch my hand as much as I can to reach the painting, my fingers were already touching it when suddenly.

(Therrion) Miss Leonora what are you doing there?

I was so concentrated climbing, that I didn't hear the door opening and Therrion entering, which really surprised me, which made me lose my grip, and fall....

I closed my eyes by instinct, and did everything possible to at least fall sitting down, a blow in the head has already killed me in previous lives, and I don't know if this fall could kill me, but I really don't want to die, this life is going too well to die of something so stupid.

When the blow was imminent, I was surprised that I didn't feel any pain, when I opened my eyes, I could see that Therrion had run, and had thrown himself on the floor to make me a mattress.

I did something very stupid, I am supposed to be an adult and I did something worthy of a child, that's why I resigned myself, and waited for Therrion's scolding.

(Therrion) Gods... Miss Leonora, are you all right? You didn't hurt yourself? Are you in pain? Damn it... I knew I had to hurry, don't worry Miss, I won't leave you alone for so long again.

Even though I'm the one who did wrong, Therrion didn't scold me, honestly that made me feel worse, he feels bad for leaving a girl alone for so long, but I'm not just any girl, and I shouldn't be doing this, that's why, even though he doesn't scold me, I should take this as a lesson, and learn to be more prudent in the future.

Therrion carries me in his arms, and checks that everything is in order with me, I don't cry or show any signs of pain, for which he sighs in relief.

(Therrion) Phew, thank goodness, for a moment my heart almost stopped, but tell me miss, what were you doing here?

Again I feel guilty, I worried him unnecessarily, and only because of my curiosity to see a painting.

Still with me in his arms, Therrion approaches the shelf, and takes the painting with one hand.

(Therrion) Is this what you wanted, Miss?

Yes, but I don't deserve it, I've behaved badly, and I shouldn't be rewarded.

But if you let me see it anyway, I won't be angry.

Therrion laughs a little and puts the painting in my hands, and finally I could appreciate it well, as I had already seen, it is the drawing of a mother and her daughter laughing while they embrace, it is a beautiful charcoal drawing that looks like it was made by a real artist, unfortunately, it is not signed and there is no legend written on the frame or in any border, so I could not get more information.

Therrion also looks at the drawing, and his expression looks sad, I think they were very important people for him.

(Therrion) you know little girl, this drawing was made by your grandfather, he was a great man, to whom I will be indebted all my life.

Therrion, still with me in his arms, sat down on the small sofa in the living room, and I sat on his lap, there he continued observing the drawing.

(Therrion) do you want to know who they are?

He pointed them both out to me in the drawing.

(Therrion) Look, she was my wife, and she was my daughter, well, although in the aspect of my daughter, my former lord had to base her on my wife, since I lost them both when my little girl was no more than your age, that's why I can't understand how a father, wanted to kill his own daughter.

Therrion began to smile, and stroked my head.

(Therrion) You know Miss, when I lost them both, I felt like my world had ended, for a long time I just wanted to be reunited with them, but it was thanks to your grandfather that I was able to move on, he helped me see that life goes on, that no matter how difficult it is, life is a wonderful gift, and that's why I will always be indebted to him.

A couple of tears fell from his eyes and he didn't even bother to hide them.

(Therrion) and that was why it hurt so much when my lord passed away, again I felt like my world had ended, I just wanted to see my wife and daughter again, and also to see my lord again, but if he let me go so easily, with what face was I going to present myself to him, knowing that I wasted my life? That was why I decided to serve his son, but in my heart, my desires had not changed, I just wanted to see them all again.

Therrion looked at me, and smiled truly.

(Therrion) but everything changed when I met you miss, seeing you, I finally knew what to do with my life, and how to pay my debt, and when my final hour comes, I know that I will be able to see my former lord with my head held high, and tell him that I have done something good with my life.

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The night had arrived, and Therrion's story was still in my head, I think I finally understand why he is so good to me, but I still need to find out, why he always disappears around the same dates, well, maybe I'll find out in this life, or maybe in the next one.

For now, I covered myself with my blanket, and fell asleep, but a familiar sound woke me up.

That sound, I have heard it before, and it is impossible for me to forget it, the sound of swords hitting shields....

The sound that the inquisition had arrived....