☀️ Arselia and Akonia

Therefore, she did the only thing that seemed sensible to her at that moment: she stepped back a couple of steps, leaned both hands on the grassy bank, and lowered her head to the ground:
- I'm sorry. I should have remembered my place, - the answer was intended not for the priest, but for the others gathered. She did not add any drama or pity to her voice, so as not to darken the situation by putting pressure on other people's emotions.

- Ayanacchi, what's wrong? - Not understanding the subtext of what was happening before her eyes, the mermaid nervously glanced at those gathered. - Is everything okay?
The other gathered people were also a little confused by this unexpected gesture.
- Hey. - Trude's tone was a little colder than usual. - His Reverence is, of course, a boorish fellow devoid of manners, but what are you thinking? Those gathered here understand your life situation and are ready to accept you as you are, but if you are not capable of this yourself, then all of this is meaningless. Do you think any of us need your apologies?
- Mistress Trude, this is somehow... - Ingrid wanted to say that Trude's words were too harsh, but the cook's stern gaze stopped her.
- If you believe that the relationships you have built with the people around you through your own words and actions are so fragile that the mere fact of your origin is enough to overshadow all other factors, then your opinion of other people is even worse than your opinion of yourself. It pains me to think that every joyful moment we spent together, you secretly belittled yourself and thought that if those around you learned the unspoken truth about you, they would turn away from you in the same hour. - Having finished this thought, Trude sighed heavily, and her face lost its former sternness. - Or maybe it's a good thing that the priest raised this issue. - Approaching Ayan, she hugged her. - It's better not to keep such things inside.