The holy buds of Liz, grown from the plant pot, grow bigger day by day.
Some other Virgin candidates rejoice that they have sprouted, others still germinated and in a hurry, and so on.
Of the Howard family - Claire, a descendant of Eugene, was also one of those who still didn't bud, and that was when I visited Liz's room to talk to her.
"I need you to tell me how to germinate it."
Liz was bewildered when Claire asked me to sit down with my knees on the slab floor with a serious face.
'Cause when I planted nothing seed to teach, I grew up on my own. But I know Claire's response is not, so Liz answered carefully.
"I don't know how, but I used the (garbage-like) bowl I got in the courtyard in the temple and the soil (of the potato fields) in the temple as well, so maybe that was a good idea"
I went to make fun of Hisohiso's three daughters and several other candidates for the Virgin, and I heard that some of them were happy that they sprouted.
Then Claire's face clouded.
"I already tried. Still didn't bud..."
Oh, my God.
(What to do)
Not knowing how to answer any more, Liz shook her head.
Claire is nagging and squeezing her hands cuddly on her lap.
(I don't like it...)
I know it's rude, but when I look at Claire, I really remember Eugene from his previous life, and Prince Keefa. It reminds me of my miserable self in "Buzama"...
Claire stood up as if she had been begun, to Liz, who unwittingly shrugged her face. I seem to have mistaken Liz for being angry because Claire asked her to be rude.
"I'm sorry! I'm the same Virgin candidate, but I'm the dumb one asking you to do this, even though I'm a competitor. I'm going to work hard, but I'm in no rush for sprouts... I'll think about it again myself. I'm so sorry!"
I try to leave the room with a crying face. "Wait," Liz hurriedly pulled.
What are you doing, yourself? I regretted it in an instant. Even though Claire had nothing to do with the past life or with Keefa.
"Honestly, I don't know how to make you sprout. But we can find out together or go ask someone. If it's okay with me, we'll find it together."
To Liz, who stares straight at Claire and says, "Thank you..." Claire weeps.
(Well, I don't know what to do)
Claire said she had studied the books in the library in the temple.
But it said that simple ways to grow plants with magic and so on were written, but it was not helpful because the magic that magic possesses and the holy power that the Virgin possesses are different things.
Liz thought. Until they germinate, they are also out of contact with the senior clergy who brought the candidates to the temple. So I decided to go ask Cleric Lloyd because Claire couldn't go to hear it, but Liz would be fine if it sprouted.
I don't even expect you to tell me, but a tip might help. But.
"How to sprout? You can't tell me that...... it's a lie, I don't know. There's no way a cleric would know that.
What, you don't even know the Chief Cleric? Well, I guess so. If I'd known, the Chief Cleric would be the next Virgin. "
The next person I went to ask was the temple ladies who have been around for a long time.
"Is that a way to sprout? There's no way we can tell. Only the present Virgin would know that. How did it go when the previous Virgin candidates?
Oh, you're talking about a time when the present Virgin was a candidate. But it was sixty years ago, and the method of selection seems to change each time...... I'm sorry I couldn't help you. "
I also went to ask the other candidates for the Virgin that they sprouted.
"How? I don't know. I grew it when I sowed it."
"You can't tell me that, you're a competitor!... lying. If you get a planting pot and soil just like Liz did, do it yourself - no, with the holy power I have! It's sprouting!
"I didn't plant it in the soil. You said the Chief Cleric said," Plant it in what you think. "That's why I put water in the kettle and sank it in it. Then it sprouted.
Huh? Tips? Come on? Not in the mood?
Claire had already gone and there was nothing to help her.
Claire's expression gets darker and darker.
(Not good......)
"Let's go to the library again and check it out."
That's what Liz suggested.
The library room in the temple is not that big. Because most of the books that have been written about the Virgin of history, about the holy power to protect the country, etc. are designated as important top-secret literature of the country and are closed deep inside the temple. Liz and the other candidates can't see.
Still, it's in the library, it takes a huge amount of time if you want to see all the books that look like it.
The two even fought the books with clarity, but I found no description anywhere of germinating them with holy power, etc.
Still not giving up, Claire smiled quietly when she saw Liz keeping her eyes like a plate and searching hard.
"Thank you. Liz didn't have to look for me anymore because she sprouted, but she did it for me. Liz is a good guy."
"... I've never been told that before."
"They just don't bother to say it. If I were in Liz's shoes - I'd think of myself as a really nasty person, but I wouldn't look for him with me. 'Cause there's only more competitors."
Laughs pitifully. Liz stared at Claire.
You don't have to use the power of "exploration," if you watch by your side, if you stay with me, you do know something -.
"I'll find it."
Not so bad, when Claire said, "Huh?" He asked back.
"Look, even if Claire's in my shoes, I'm sure Claire's looking for someone with her."
I looked straight in the eye and said.
Claire's little black eyes rumbled along the way. And "Thanks......" followed with a disappearing voice.
For a while the two continued to turn their thick books silently. Eventually Claire opened her mouth.
"You sound like a wizard even though Liz is not a magician. Something that sounds like a shrine when they say it while staring at you with those red eyes.
I've always been burdened with having dark hair and dark eyes. It really depends on the amount of magic you have. I can barely use magic, but I don't know what it looks like. 'Why can't I do this much?' I've been told all along. I couldn't wait to dislike the color of this hair and eyes.
But one day they told me I was a candidate for the Virgin, and I thought I found out I was born with magic for this. It seemed like the first time I had been admitted, and I was so happy.
But... it seemed like it was my fault. I couldn't be the Virgin. "
Liz was listening in silence. 'Cause there's no word to give it back.
I can see how hard Claire worked. He said he had almost finished reading the book in this library, and was concerned about sunshine and watering down the seeded bowl. I also floated in the water in the way that other candidates germinated.
It still doesn't bud.
I had to bite off my powerlessness and grinned as Claire had returned to me.
"I don't like it, I said stupid. I'm sorry. - Be the next Virgin, Liz. I'm here for you from home."
Liz looked up as if she had been begun.
"Wait. After a little more research, maybe..."
"Until tomorrow. The first selection is tomorrow morning, and those who haven't sprouted by then will be disqualified from the Virgin's candidacy. I just heard."
That night - the night before I picked up my first selection day tomorrow, Claire knocked on Liz's room door.
"Liz? Claire, though."
Liz was not there. Claire, who tried to return, turned the door knob. The door opened without sound. It's not locked.
hesitate for a moment, glancing inside with a snack. A dirty planting pot at the window, straight in through the door, caught my eye. Liz's buds out of the holy seeds are so big that they can't be buds anymore, they wear lots of vibrant and colorful leaves.
"Wow."
Claire breathed. At the same time, my face is cloudy. In the end, Claire's buds didn't come out even now. Somewhere in my mind I know I can't do it anymore.
"I wonder why..."
I accidentally got a twinkle. I worked hard, but I wonder what makes me different from Liz. What the hell is wrong with me -?
I sneer with a crying face and hold my hands tight so that I can "see" the emotions that come in.
Claire looked up after a while, like she had made up her mind about something, like that.
And slowly with his trembling hand, he reached for Liz's bud.