To the Love Born in the Lowest Place-Chapter 178

Surprised at seeing completely unexpected faces here, Liv called out loudly, making Walter and Hildegard look flustered upon discovering them. Walter strode over while checking their surroundings.

"Y-Your Majesty, why are you here..."

"Shh, call me Liv! We’re outside the palace now, so treat me like in the old days."

Hildegard, who followed Walter, hurriedly asked.

"...Yes, Sister. But why are you here? And the Grand Duke too. You shouldn’t be here!"

"Aren’t you and Brother also not supposed to be here?"

"...Let’s agree to overlook that part for each other."

They looked at each other and laughed awkwardly. After moving to a relatively less crowded entrance of the street, Liv spoke.

"So why are you two really here?"

The one who answered was Hildegard, with a somewhat mischievous expression.

"Oh Sister, don’t even ask."

"Hm?"

"Brother said he was scared of noble ladies being more forward than usual because of the Foundation Festival, so we escaped outside!"

"I see. Of course..."

"No, Hilda, what are you saying? I was being considerate of you since you’ve never seen the Foundation Festival..."

"But there must be a reason you came here instead of going to the palace where nobles gather."

As that part seemed true, Walter fell silent. Liv laughed out loud, finding it amusing how Walter, who used to seem so intimidating before, was now being led around by Hildegard. Then, Walter’s purple eyes fixed on Liv.

"So why are you outside, Liv?"

"How could Liv enjoy the Foundation Festival if she stayed in the palace? Everyone would be conscious of her. For Liv’s first festival, I suggested we come outside."

Emmett answered that way, and Walter made an understanding expression. After all, Emmett’s love for his former sister was enough to make observers tired of seeing it.

"So Sister, it seems you’ve been enjoying... enjoying the festival."

"The same goes for you, Hilda."

Hildegard nodded while looking at the bracelet on Liv’s right hand and the fruit candy in her left. Though Hildegard herself was wearing a necklace with seashells and had a flower crown on her head. Since she looked even more decorated than Liv, Liv stared at Hildegard with an amused expression.

"Ahem, anyway, I’ll leave my sister and her husband to their date."

When Walter said this to Liv and Emmett, Emmett’s expression showed that was exactly what he had been hoping for. It was a date alone with Liv after a long time - why would he want to spend it with her family? As they were about to split up, Liv remembered something and called Hildegard.

"Hilda, ah, don’t get too excited, but... there’s something I’m trying to change."

"Yes?"

"Do you have any thoughts about wanting to date or marry?"

Though it was a casually thrown question, Hildegard’s eyes flashed intensely as if flames had ignited in them. She clenched both hands and exclaimed in a voice that seemed to radiate heat.

"Yes! Absolutely!"

"I-I see it was that much..."

"When I was one of the older ones in the slums, right before becoming a Saintess, you don’t know how passionate my romance was, Sister!"

"Oh, amazing..."

"Haah, I was so frustrated watching you and the Grand Duke’s romance back then! I think it’s finally my time to shine."

Of course, since she was a minor at the time, Hildegard’s romance probably wasn’t that passionate. Though her exaggerated way of speaking was close to joking, at least her desire for romance and marriage seemed genuine. Seeing this, Liv nodded knowingly.

"Alright, I’ll discuss with the temple about lifting the marriage ban for Saints."

"Oh my, thank you so much, Sister!"

"It’s nothing, I’m happy I can do at least this much for you."

While the sisters held hands and smiled warmly at each other, the two men separated them again.

"Liv, shall we get going?"

"Hilda, the Grand Duke is starting to give me looks again."

After agreeing to go separate ways, Liv waved goodbye to them. Though they parted, the joy of unexpectedly meeting dear people in an unexpected place didn’t fade.

Looking at the stalls filling the street again, there were still many interesting things. Soon Liv and Emmett noticed people gathering in one place and approached.

"What are they doing? Looks like some kind of betting..."

"Let’s take a look."

Several children were practically hanging onto the front of the stall, and even grown adults were standing behind them with interested expressions, arms linked. There were several face-down cards on the stall, and a child participating in the game excitedly pointed at one card and shouted.

"This one!"

"Well, let’s check..."

When the merchant flipped the card, it was a trump card showing nine of hearts. As it wasn’t the card he wanted, the boy hit his forehead and groaned.

"Ugh... I really thought that was it!"

"Next, who wants to try finding the joker?"

"Seems to be a game of finding the joker. If the merchant shuffles the cards himself, it would be a game where motion vision is important."

At Emmett’s words analyzing the game seriously, Liv burst out laughing.

"Who plays games while analyzing them like that?"

"Hmm... come to think of it Liv, have you played these kinds of games before?"

"Well, actually when I had a little time left on rest days, I played card games with the maids. And I always won."

Liv’s voice was proud and triumphant as she said this.

"Because in these trivial matters, I have incredibly good luck!"

"Is that so?"

"Well, since the gods are by my side, it’s not strange."

Liv looked into empty space with distant eyes. Though the gods’ voices that had stopped being heard helped her live life more lightly, she couldn’t help feeling empty and regretful when thinking about how they no longer spoke with her. Still, she was enduring it to live by her own strength.

"Would you like to participate in the game?"

"If I participate, that would be cheating... Ah, how about you try instead?"

"M-me?"

Though Emmett rarely showed signs of being flustered, Liv pushed him forward to the stall. Soon, he was burning his eyes without blinking while watching the merchant quickly shuffle several cards. It seemed his competitive spirit was rising now that he was actually participating.

"So where is the joker?"

At the merchant’s urging words, Emmett pointed to one card without a moment’s hesitation. When it was flipped, it really was the joker.

"Oh my..."

Though the merchant looked disappointed, he gracefully accepted the result and returned five times the bet money. But since seeing Emmett’s case made others confidently try to join the game, it was actually profitable for him. As Emmett suddenly gained a lot of coins and rolled them in his hand, he whispered.

"Now I can pay back the servant."

"How are you lucky like me too?"

"Not particularly. However..."

Emmett pointed to his eyes for emphasis.

"As I mentioned earlier, this game is about motion vision."

"Goodness, I didn’t think you’d actually do it."

As they looked around the street chatting about various things, evening was already falling. On the last night of the Foundation Festival, there would be fireworks. Emmett said he knew of a hill and headed there with Liv.

"I remember hearing about it from Dante when I was in Merna before."

Though Emmett’s eyes sharpened at the mention of another man, Liv didn’t notice and continued.

"He said when he saw fireworks, it was just like divine blessing."

"I see. Meaning they’re that beautiful and magnificent. However..."

Emmett playfully kissed Liv’s ear.

"I don’t know why you’re talking about that fellow in front of me."

"Ah! I won’t!"

"Good. Ah, look over there. Seems we’ve arrived."

Though climbing the quite steep hill should have been tiring, Liv, who had built up stamina from enduring long rides on horseback, was able to climb relatively easily. Many people were already gathered on top of the hill. They were people who had already flocked there after hearing rumors that the hill was a good spot to watch fireworks.

"Shall we sit?"

"Sure."

Though some would be shocked to see the Emperor sitting on grass, there were no watching eyes, so Liv promptly sat down on the grass. Emmett was a bit surprised as he was about to lay down a handkerchief, but smiled helplessly and sat beside Liv.

Though the fireworks hadn’t started yet, the starry night sky was quite beautiful. As if they were part of the festival, the stars seemed to twinkle especially brightly today.

"Lately I’ve been thinking I’m unbearably happy."

"Me too."

They talked while each looking at the night sky, but could guess what expressions the other was making.

"Ah, look at that."

Liv pointed out an especially bright star she spotted in the night sky.

"That’s the Sunflower Star. There’s a legend about it too. Would you like to hear it?"

Since Liv looked excited saying this, Emmett nodded and listened with an interested expression to the legend of the Sunflower Star that he hadn’t been curious about at all. Just as her story was getting long, someone among the people sitting nearby shouted.

"It’s starting!"