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Chapter 585 - The Week Of Mourning

The next day arrived soon and in no time the week of mourning commenced.

People throughout the Kingdom observed this period of mourning and paid their respects to the dead.

Since the St. Claire fief remained unaffected by the plague, the Earl and his family did not have to do much as they remained indoors without moving too much during this period.

However, many in the Kingdom needed this week to prepare proper resting places for their perished dear ones.

The family members of the dead selected the spot which they assumed would be the perfect final home for their departed members.

Some chose abandoned fields while others picked slopes of hills in their countryside with an abundance of wildflowers growing everywhere and also ample serenity.

Once they selected the perfect spot, they dug it up to place the tombstone with the deceased\'s name etched on it which would allow them to visit the place whenever they missed their dear ones.

Even without bodily remains available for burial, some of the bereaved decided to bury the item which the departed member loved while they were still alive.

For some, it was a tool from their occupation which they carried with them at all times, for others it was an item they owned or a dress they had worn in the past.

Similarly, parents who had lost their child in the plague chose to bury the doll or toy their child played with when they were still healthy.

Every one of those who had suffered a loss in the plague was seen mourning for their dear one, using this opportunity that their King had provided for them.

One such person was a little girl, far from her home and all alone in this big wide world.

While families gathered together to erect a tombstone in memory of their departed member, a little girl with fluffy brown hair stood under an oak tree as she gazed at the scene before her.

She too had lost her parents but she had nothing on her which she could use to bury as a remembrance of her parents.

Looking down, she clenched her empty fists as she neither had an item to remember them by nor did she have money to purchase a tombstone for them.

She had walked quite a long distance away from the Royal Hospital where they had breathed their last.

After reaching a hillside at the outskirts of that same town, she had heard about the decree of the King in which he instructed everyone to maintain a week of mourning.

Therefore, Hilda, the little orphan girl too, had to obey the King\'s commands.

She halted her journey back to her hometown and stayed here until the week could come to an end.

Without money to hail a carriage or even food for the journey, she had been living on the kindness of strangers who were willing to feed her after taking a look at her pitiable state.

Upon explaining what she was doing alone, they would look at her with eyes filled with compassion and pity.

However, she did not wish to be pitied and would offer to work in exchange for the food she received.

They even went as far as to suggest that she stayed with them in this town as her parents were no longer alive and she had no place to return to.

Hilda was quick to refuse as she did have a place to return, the inn her parents had opened and worked hard to keep it running.

After noticing her stubborn attitude to continue on her journey ahead, a few generous people had even offered her some money after she completed minor chores for them so that her further journey would not be too burdensome once she left this town.

In this way, she had earned a few copper coins along her short journey but they would not be enough for her to purchase a tombstone for her parents.

Those coins would be barely enough to feed herself for the next few days so how was she supposed to use that meager sum to prepare a resting place for her parents?

Yet she had come out here to this hillside to witness how the rest had the fortune of erecting a tombstone in loving memory of their dearly departed.

She had thought that just looking at them would be enough but now her desire to do the same for her parents had ignited in her heart.

However, without money and means, she would not be able to achieve what she desired but that wasn\'t going to stop her.

Picking up a rock from the ground, she turned away from the numerous people standing around the tombstones they had put up.

Now facing the other side, which was the large oak tree behind her, Hilda clenched the rock in her fist before raising her hand.

The trunk of this tree would become the tombstone for her parents, reminding her that they had died in this town and were laid to rest right here.

Hilda did not know many complex words but she knew how to read and write simpler ones.

The town scholar of her hometown in the Lumex fief would often gather the children on the weekends to teach them how to read and write.

For many years she too had been attending these short classes and had learned many things.

Her father would then test what she had learned after she returned and she would also practice her writing skills when there wasn\'t too much rush at the inn.

Thus, while Hilda could do the bare minimum when it came to her education, she was at least capable of writing.

With the sharp side of the rock pointed at the bark of the tree trunk, she began etching their names onto it.

Her vision blurred due to the tears brimming in her eyes but that did not hinder her from completing this task.

By the time her tiny hand came to a halt, two names were scratched onto the tree and transformed it into the resting place of her parents.

Falling to her knees, Hilda released the rock in her hand along with the restraints she had placed on her heart that had come undone.

With a loud cry, her feeble body trembled as she mourned the passing of those whom she called her parents.

The couple who loved her just as much as she loved them would no longer be around her.

When this thought struck her mind, she was facing the reality of their absence which would never be filled again.

Embracing the saddening emotions which had engulfed her heart, the little girl sobbed as she knelt before that large oak tree on the slope of a hill in a certain old town of the Wescott fief.

However, none of the people around noticed her but there was someone high up in the clouds who was watching her every move.

Sparkling neon green eyes were fixed on the child, making note of everything taking place as this was the task given to him.

To watch the female lead, Hilda\'s movements and to report everything back to his Master.

This was the duty he was currently on but not for too long.

\'We can make our move soon enough.\' An eerie chuckle filled the sky but went unheard by everyone else as this voice did not belong to someone from this world.

In no time, the plan his Master had thought up could be implemented and Yether, the faithful disciple could sit back and watch as things unraveled according to what had been planned all along.

With this gloating thought in his mind, Yether shut off the portal which allowed him to peek into this world as he went away to report his findings to his Master.

Back in the same place, the little girl with fluffy brown hair remained on her knees as she paid respects to her deceased parents.

Once this week came to an end, she would be able to continue her journey back to her hometown in the Lumex fief.

Until then, she would have to stay put and maybe do her best to gather some money with which she could hire a carriage to her destination.

The journey was long but she was prepared to face all odds to reach the place that her parents had set up to be their home until they were grey and old.

That would not be possible now but she was adamant about restarting that inn to fulfill her father\'s wishes of making it a successful business.

Thus, for now, Hilda decided to stay at her parents\' tombstone, this tree, until sunset before returning to the town nearby for the night.