Chapter 63: No Need to Grieve for the Lost Haihefu Brothers and Sisters

It was another seemingly ordinary day. Vifia casually ate some bread in her bedroom, refused the service of other maids, and left Marlene alone to simply dress for her. Since the Marquise had passed away, she still couldn't dress too ostentatiously.

Vifiya watched Marin's hands moving back and forth in the brooch box, hesitant. The moment Marin's hand stopped at the butterfly gem brooch, she said softly, "This one will do."

"Ah? Yes!" Marlene responded in surprise.

Vifiya stared at Marlene, who was carefully putting the brooch on her. Something shifted in the corner of her eye. She was surprised for only a moment before glancing back and meeting her own gaze in the mirror. The light from the room reflected in the mirror distorted, and finally a line of words emerged: "There's someone involved in this matter. Be careful." — Salis

She turned her head back as if nothing had happened. Marlene stood up straight, looking at her masterpiece with shining eyes.

Vifiya looked at herself in the mirror again. The words had disappeared. She didn't try to discourage Marlene and said, "Well, you did a good job. Let's go."

She lifted her skirt and walked outside, hiding the thought in her eyes.

That person? She had let Isidore and the others know about the magic of resurrection, and she had no intention of hiding it from Salis. The only person Salis could specifically remind her of was probably that person.

This was expected for Vifiya.

She had always been skeptical about something that went against the rules and common sense, something that could be done by just a few humans.

According to the tradition of the Segarot Empire, on the first day after a relative passes away, children should stay by their side for a day to see them off on their final journey in this world. This process is called keeping the lamp.

Before returning to her room last night, Vaholian specifically asked her to go with him the next morning. She was in the same boat with him for the time being and didn't mind playing the role of brother and sister with him.

Before they even entered Vaholian's study, they heard an unmistakable female voice: "We want to see our aunt."

The knight guarding the door was about to open the door for Vifia, but was stopped by her action. He stepped back in confusion, not daring to refuse her.

"I'm sorry, Miss Leticia, but no one except immediate family members can see Mother today."

"Oh, immediate family? What does our desire to see my aunt have to do with these rules? Besides, did my aunt die of natural causes?"

Another voice spoke up, "We've been very considerate. You don't want us to just barge in, do you?"

The study was silent for a while, and Valhorian seemed helpless: "Sorry, this has always been the tradition of the Empire."

There was silence again. Vifiya lowered her eyes. Could the Heihefu family have arrived so quickly? From the sound of their voices, it seemed to be Duke Heihefu's children.

In the past, she didn't have much interaction with them, but there was still the possibility of cooperation.

As soon as Vifiya stretched out her hand, the knight who had been waiting beside her hurriedly opened the door for her, and Marin stood outside the door waiting tactfully.

The three pairs of eyes inside looked at the person who broke the silence.

Vifiya ignored the tense atmosphere and saluted naturally, as if she didn't sense anything was wrong in the study. She said to Vaholian, "Brother, we should go."

Letitia looked at the suddenly appearing Vifiya openly, her aunt's daughter, the marquis's daughter with red eyes deeper than Haihefu's.

Although they had met only a few times when they were young, the only impression Leticia had of her was her pair of crimson gemstone eyes.

Now, "weak" and "well-behaved" were her descriptions of her when she grew up, and also her first impression of her. However, did the Kesley family really raise such a canary? For Leticia, such adjectives might be a compliment when applied to an ordinary daughter, but when applied to the daughter of the Marquis of Kesley, it was foolishness.

Such a family, such a character, would only be a commodity at an auction.

Vifiya looked her straight in the eye and smiled gently: "Are you my cousin? I still remember you."

"Yes, it's us." Balkas said indifferently. This family is still as hypocritical as ever.

She didn't care, smiled obediently, and looked at Vaholian: "Brother, I'm sorry to hear your conversation at the door."

All eyes were on her for a moment, Vaholian hid his scrutiny of her, it was normal that the Haihefu siblings didn't know about her, but he knew that she had been obviously playing dumb since she came in, and he was waiting for her next words.

"Brother, did father leave this matter to you?"

"yes."

After hearing the accurate answer, she still hesitated and said, "Mother... after all, she is quite special. Not only does she have the last name of Kesley, but also the name of Heihefu." She shifted her eyes to the side, "In that case, why not let one of my cousins ​​take Stellan's place to keep the lamp?"

Her smile remained unchanged, and she breathed a sigh of relief: "Of course, this is just a small suggestion from me."

Vaholian stared at her briefly. Indeed, this was a way to compromise. The people of the Haihefu family would not let this matter go. Making the request in advance was already giving face to the Kesley family. He had no doubt that they would just break in. This statement was just a casual remark.

As the suspected matricide, it was only natural that Stellan was deprived of the qualification to keep the light, and it also became reasonable to let the Heihef siblings take his place.

While Vaholian was thinking, the Leticia siblings tacitly looked at Vifiya again.

Vifiya did not avoid their gazes, but nodded generously.

Balkas glanced between Vaholian and her calmly, and spoke first: "We can agree to this plan."

Leticia glanced at Vahorian, and there was a coldness in her orange-red pupils that did not melt.

After thinking about it under pressure from several parties, he finally said, "Okay."

Leticia retracted her gaze and decisively took a few steps toward the door, stopping to the right of Vifiya. Her eyes casually passed her and then returned to Vaholian: "Lead the way."

Balkas walked past Leticia and said, "I'm going to find the Marquis and meet Stellan."

On the way to the lamp room, none of Vifiya and the other two spoke. They all understood each other tacitly and there was nothing to say at the moment.

Yotina's maids carefully watched over the moon wax they got from the Lehomi Church to prevent the flame from suddenly going out.

When they saw Vifiya and the others coming, the servants stopped what they were doing and saluted.

The daytime and the tung oil moonlight brought light to the place, dispelling the coldness of the snowy day and the heavy depression inside.

Funerals in the Segarot Empire, except for the state funerals of the emperor and empress, are almost all simple. They believe that when one is thrown into the arms of the goddess, one should be like a baby born, coming alone and leaving with nothing.

Therefore, no matter how luxurious her life was, she would not take anything of this world with her when she fell asleep. All that was left were her confession, her sin, her love, every surprise, every pain, and what she believed in the meaning of being human. These things that constituted all the colors of her soul were everything that truly belonged to her.

The goddess is happy that they can find themselves and give meaning to themselves.

The entire lighthouse was filled with Yotina's favorite things, things that belonged to her: her baby fingerprints on parchment, her first book, her first pen, her longest-used jewelry, a gorgeous purple dress, cloud flowers that only bloomed in the dark, steaming cups of black tea...

These are all proof of her existence and her connection with this world.

Now, all these things, along with her soul, must be returned to her intact, so that she can, in the arms of the goddess, no longer linger on the past, and once again accept her imperfect past and her true self.

There is no need to be sad about her passing. We should bless her, bless her new life, and bless her for finally completing her karma.

Vifiya stared at the statue of the goddess in the lamp room. No one knew what she was thinking. Her eyes fell on the coffin of Jotina in front of the statue of the goddess.

A long piece of cloth covered the gap between her and the world, and they were separated from then on.

Vefiya knelt softly on the cushions, lowered her head, closed her eyes, clasped her hands between her noses, and whispered a prayer for her: "Merciful and omniscient goddess, thank you for giving us life and allowing us the right to walk in this world. We will always remember the glory and kindness you bring us. And now, in this peaceful moment, your child Vefiya begs you. Our dearest relative, Yotina Hekhef Kesli, is shedding all her burdens. Please forgive her mistakes in her earthly words and deeds, and guide her to your presence, so that she can bathe in your holy light in your arms."

Leticia gazed at her pious appearance with a squint, as if she and Jotina really had a deep mother-daughter relationship.

But she knew it wasn't.

She looked away. No wonder her aunt was unwilling to marry into the Kesley family. Everyone here, including her children, was equally hypocritical. She was even killed by her own children?

After Vifiya finished praying, she stood aside. Leticia went over, knelt down, and said the same prayer.

Not long after, when Vaholian stood up and wanted to go over, she saw Letisha walk directly to the coffin, and one hand was about to lift the long cloth covering Yotina. He quickly grabbed her hand, but at the moment he was about to hold it, Letisha stopped his movement with her other hand and held it down.

The long cloth had been lifted, and Yotina's pale and bloodless face appeared in front of them. Leticia's eyes were fixed on her face.

Vaholian felt a pang of pain, and his voice inevitably rose: "Miss Leticia! What are you doing?"

Her eyes remained still as she warned unhappily, "Keep your voice down! You're disturbing my aunt's deep sleep."

The usually calm Vaholian choked up for a moment, wanting to laugh at her blaming others for her own mistakes. "Miss Letitia, it's you who really disturbed Mother by doing this, right?"

She turned her gaze towards him, her face full of doubt, but she could not doubt it: "I want to see my aunt for the last time, is there a problem?"