C121
The garden behind the orphanage where the two grew up was filled with raspberries in the summer.
That's why raspberries were one of the most common snacks for the children in the orphanage.
Raspberry juice was also a common drink, but among the young Ethel and Liena, raspberry juice had a different meaning.
"Would you like to have raspberry juice together in the dining hall?"
One day, after Ethel said that to Liena, who was upset about something, raspberry juice became a symbol of reconciliation for the two.
After that, when the two fought or their relationship drifted apart, they would seek reconciliation by asking for a bit of raspberry juice.
If they were willing to accept the reconciliation request, they could drink raspberry juice together, and if not, they could reject it.
Raspberry juice was their secret password that not even the other children in the orphanage knew.
The two girls made a promise with crossed fingers. "I will never reveal this secret to anyone."
"It's hot. On days like these, raspberry juice is perfect."
That's why Liena suddenly mentioned raspberries while talking to me in the mining town.
If she were truly Ethel, who remembered my past life, she would have to react to those words in some way.
Either be angry for asking for reconciliation first when she came to take over the mine by force, or be bitter about the memories of the past that won't return.
However, as I didn't know the meaning of raspberries, I had no choice but to hesitate, and based on this, Liena concluded that I had no memories of my past life.
I said as I looked at the frozen Liena.
"I guess I drank too much in my past life and got tired. I don't even want to see raspberry juice anymore."
I have no intention of making peace with you and becoming friends again, I said that.
"Uh, how could that...?"
"My memory of raspberry juice came back a while ago. My memories are coming back little by little."
Liena seemed surprised, as if she had never thought of such a possibility.
Of course, she had all the memories from when she first returned, so it was natural.
"... How much do you remember?"
"Is there any reason for me to kindly tell you that?"
"We were friends!"
"I don't call someone a friend who steals the adoption opportunity from someone else and even wants to steal their mine."
"I just wanted to keep the mine under Terence's control for a while because I don't want it to fall into that guy's hands! I was planning to return it to you once you escaped from his clutches!"
"Do you want me to believe that?"
"It's true. Believe me, Ethel."
"And what about the adoption opportunities? Is this another excuse you're trying to use?"
"That..."
Liena, biting her lip, answered in a low voice.
"Anyway, you rejected my dad's offer in the past, saying you were waiting for your mom."
"So you kicked me out?"
"And what if? If I had let him talk to you, he might not even want to adopt a child like he did in his past life."
"Couldn't you have told me honestly before the Duke came to the orphanage?"
"What?"
"I wanted to be adopted by Cassius. If that were the case, I could have introduced you to the Duke without saying anything."
I wasn't the real Ethel, but considering what I had seen and heard about her personality, I thought it would be very possible.
Ethel had no intention of being adopted by Cassius and seemed to feel a lot of pity for Liena.
"Isn't that so?"
But Liena thought differently.
"As a result, I was adopted, not you, so it's not much different from now."
"Is it? Since you sent me to another orphanage, I went with the Wallace family and didn't get the support I received in my past life."
"I thought you were doing well at Wallace!"
Liena shouted with a grievance on her face.
"I was worried about you too. So after going to Cassius, I investigated and found out that you were adopted by a noble family."
"So you thought I was living well?"
"It's much better to become a real noble than to be sponsored by a noble. Isn't it?"
"... alright."
Liena was satisfied with my words.
"Do you understand?"
"No, because I have no reason to argue with you about this."
To be honest, there was something else I really wanted to ask Liena about.
"Don't speak so coldly. Later, when I found out that you grew up in such a harsh environment, I also felt guilty."
The voice of Liena, who had endured the pain of many people for a long time, filled with tears.
"I wanted to compensate you in some way. It was with that mindset that I arranged your marriage with Leandro."
"That being said. I have many questions for you about that matter."
Liena swallowed saliva.
"Compensate me? Isn't it because you wanted the mine of the Wallace family?"
"No! Of course, at first, I sent my brother Leandro to Wallace for the mine. But the moment I found out you were in that house, the mine became a secondary goal."
"If that's true, why didn't you like it when I said I would go back to Cassius without the mine?"
This was a conversation I had a few months ago when Liena came to visit me at the cheap hotel where I was staying.
"Instead of saying that I didn't like it... I hesitated for a moment because I didn't want to miss out on the magic stone mine..."