"You can bill the treatment costs later, so please go back for today."
Alicia gave a bright smile to the flustered Maren, then deliberately slammed the door shut with a loud bang.
"How was Mum?”
As soon as the door closed, Alicia turned her gaze toward Michael.
The boy’s eyes sparkled as if his spirit had never been crushed.
"Totally awesome!"
"Really?"
"Yeah, you're the best, Mum!"
Michael burst into giggles and threw himself into Alicia's arms.
Alicia was tidying Michael’s tousled hair when she suddenly frowned.
"Just brushing it off won’t do. You need a bath."
"But I already took a bath this morning."
Michael tried to quietly back away, but he couldn’t escape Alicia’s grasp.
Alicia giggled and gently pinched Michael's cheek.
"Still, what can I do? My dear son came back in such a mess."
“...”
"Why are you giving me that look?"
"I thought you'd get mad if you found out I was in a fight."
"So, you know that fighting is a bad thing."
"Uh-huh..."
His face, all pouty as if burdened by a serious worry, was actually quite adorable.
Alicia firmly grasped Michael's shoulders and made eye contact.
"It's okay. You won after all.”
“...”
"I'm not encouraging fighting, but sometimes when you hear mean words, it's okay to stand up for yourself. If you keep holding it in, people will start to look down on you."
"Like Mum?"
Michael's eyes sparkled brightly.
"What about Mum?”
"Mum fights all the time."
"When did Mum ever fight?”
Alicia smiled awkwardly and looked away.
"You fought with Uncle Peter yesterday."
"That wasn’t a fight, Peter just kept... No. Let’s stop talking about it. Hurry and wash up."
"Can’t I just wash my hair?"
Michael fiddled with the ends of his hair, where a blade of grass was stuck.
Bathing required a lot of water, so his mum had to go back and forth between the house and the well several times.
"No. You have to wash up and then put on the medicine."
“Tch…”
“I know, right? Who’s gotten so grubby and stayed that way for so long?”
Alicia giggled and gently twisted Michael’s nose.
Michael pouted for a moment, then suddenly raised both arms as if he’d thought of something.
"Then, I’ll help carry the water too."
"Are you trying to fall again and break the bucket?"
"That was a mistake back then, but this time I can do it well!"
"Alright, alright. Got it. Michael, help Mum a bit. But don’t overdo it this time."
"Of course! Just leave it to me!"
Alicia smiled softly as she watched the child dash out energetically, carrying the bucket.
"Mum, hurry up and come!"
"Alright, but don’t run too much. You might get hurt again."
“Yes! Yes!”
"You’re always quick to answer."
Following the path Michael had run, Alicia reflexively looked up as a sudden strong gust of wind blew.
Though the sunny days seemed to be at their peak, the wind was gradually starting to feel chilly.
Before long, winter was approaching.
Alicia’s pupils, staring into empty space, blurred.
Though she thought she had forgotten, strangely, her heart ached whenever winter came.
The land of endless harsh winters. And…
“Mum?”
“...”
“Mum!”
"Ah, sorry. I’ll be right there."
Alicia shook off distracting thoughts and quickened her pace.
Michael was all she needed.
She didn’t want to think about anything else now.
She was already happy enough.
"After your bath, shall we go grocery shopping together? I heard that Uncle James is coming tomorrow, so let’s eat something delicious since it’s been a while."
“Really? Is Uncle really coming?”
"Of course. He said he would bring the gift Michael wanted."
"Ugh, what should I do? I’m already so excited!"
Michael stamped his feet and clung to the hem of Alicia’s skirt.
Alicia ruffled Michael’s round head and winked.
"Uncle? Or the gift?"
“Both!”
"What if you had to choose just one of the two?"
“Of course, it’s Uncle!”
“You like Uncle that much? Mum’s starting to feel jealous.”
“Of course, Mum is my favourite!”
When Alicia deliberately pouted, Michael panicked and waved his arms, trying to explain.
"Really?"
“Yes. I love Mum the most. But I like Uncle too. Everyone freezes up when Uncle comes.”
“What do you mean everyone freezes up when Uncle comes?”
“Chris said Uncle is a noble. He’s a very important person.”
She wondered why there were rumours about being the concubine of a nobleman. It seemed gossiping villagers had spun strange fantasies after seeing James visit often.
Alicia smiled awkwardly, imagining how baffled James would be upon hearing such rumours.
In a small rural village with few people, stories were easily made up and quickly spread.
"Your uncle does have a somewhat noble appearance."
"Mum is also noble-looking."
"Do you even know what ‘noble’ means?"
“It means pretty, right?”
"Huh?"
"Both Uncle and Mum are pretty."
Michael, who had been skipping ahead, spun around and looked up at Alicia.
His chubby cheeks were flushed a rosy red.
"Is Mum pretty too?"
“To me, Mum is the prettiest in the whole world. Chris said Mum’s the prettiest, too. He said he’s never seen anyone prettier than Mum.”
"Really?"
"Mum is like a princess. She’s the prettiest in the whole village. So I’m going to grow up quickly. I’ll become a strong and cool adult as soon as possible to protect Mum."
Michael, who had turned back the way he came, buried his face in Alicia’s skirt hem just like that.
The skirt hem, dried crisp in the sunlight, gave off a warm, comforting scent.
・・・・・
"I didn’t expect a priest to come in person."
"Well, I am the most beautiful among the priests."
Natalie gave a light shrug.
She tried hard to smile, but her eyes didn’t smile at all.
"Is this a seduction tactic?"
"The High Priest still wants the bloodline he couldn’t have eight years ago. And it’s also to keep the thoroughly agitated Zerpenus from laying a hand on me."
Cabelenus smirked and poured Zille into a glass, then handed it to Natalie.
Natalie frowned but still accepted the glass.
The strong smell of alcohol was already stinging her nose.
“What’s the current situation in the capital?”
"Public opinion toward Zerpenus is worsening day by day. There are stories ranging from him forging the late emperor’s will to even poisoning him."
"Not bad."
"Is that so?"
Natalie sighed and took a sip of the drink.
God forbade drinking, but now she longed for alcohol more than ever.
“Is this Schwarhan’s liquor? It’s delicious.”
"This is a Zille specially prepared for the memorial. Today marks the anniversary of her death.”
"You still commemorate her passing."
"Granted, alcohol might not be fitting for a servant of God."
"I am not a faithful servant."
Natalie handed the empty glass to Cabelenus.
Cabelenus filled her glass without any particular words.
Natalie emptied her glass two more times in a row while sitting before she finally spoke again.
"I agonised a lot before telling you this. At one point, I even thought it might be better to just keep it buried."
"What is it that you want to say?"
"If the death from eight years ago was fabricated, and she is still alive—”
Crunch—!
Fragments of the shattered glass crumbled in Cablenus’s grip and fell clattering to the floor.
Natalie stared at Cabelenus’s hand, soaked with alcohol and blood, then cautiously raised her head.
The face of the indifferent man, who never appeared to falter, was now twisted beyond measure."
"…Is she unharmed?"
"Do you believe what I’m saying?"
"For me, it’s a story I have no choice but to believe — no, one I must believe."
Cabelenus clenched his teeth tightly.
The deeply hushed voice was unbearably rough, like scraping metal.
"So, please tell me."
"If I tell you, what will you do for me?"
"Anything."
"You don’t even know what I want."
"I don’t care what you want. Everything I have — no, if it’s not mine, I will take it by force if necessary to fulfil your wishes."
Cabelenus rapidly spat out his words without taking a single breath.
He didn’t even know what he was saying himself.
Even though he knew it was a slim hope, he had no choice but to cling to it.
"Even though you are brothers, it's clear that Your Highness and Zerpheus are different."
“...”
“That’s why I was able to make up my mind.”
Natalie smiled bitterly.
She still remembered the face of her lover, who turned away from her on the day her life fell into the abyss.
"Do you remember the incident from eight years ago when all the monsters that appeared annually in Schwarhan disappeared?"
"Are you saying that is related to her?"
"It seems that at least Zerpheus thinks so."
“...”
"Zerpheus has been looking for her all this time. And recently, it seems that the High Priest has also noticed that fact."
Natalie took off the coat she was wearing and looked straight at Cabelenus.
And slowly, she undid the buttons of her priestly robe.
“I secretly stole the locations they discovered."
Wearing only a thin undergarment, Natalie held out the priestly robe she had been wearing to Cabelenus.
At Natalie's glance, Cabelenus cautiously undid the stitching of the priestly robe.
The inside of the priestly robe was densely covered with writing.
"There are many suspicious places, but we must find her before they do, as soon as possible."
“...”
"It will be a difficult fight. Until now, Your Highness has been able to rush in recklessly because you had nothing to lose, but now that you have something to protect, you will have to be more cautious."
"I will no longer create any more regrets."
"No one can say for sure."
“...”
"Don't forget. She hasn't come back all this time. Maybe she has forgotten you and is living a happy life, or perhaps she doesn't want to come back."
Just like how it was for her.
Natalie squeezed her eyes shut.
She knew it better than anyone.
Life as the woman of a powerful man was always empty.
The lover who habitually whispered words of love was always all talk.
Even if she turned away from her lover, she couldn’t let go of what was in her hand.
When those moments piled up again and again, in the end, all that remained was a heart burned black.
“I don’t know if she truly possesses such power. But that’s not what matters to Your Highness, is it? Your Highness just needs her, that’s all."
“...”
"No, I hope that’s the case. At the very least, Cabelenus, I want you to escape from this hell."
Perhaps it was the alcohol taking effect — the heat that started in her throat was now spreading, making her insides flush with warmth.
Natalie roughly swept her hair back from her forehead, but in the end, unable to hold back the rising emotions, she covered her face with both hands.
Cabelenus quietly watched her for a moment, then soon stood up and put on his coat.
"You don’t need to carry that guilt."
“...”
"You’re the only one I’ve never truly resented."
“Noonim.” [1]
At the voice added briefly, like a passing breeze, Natalie lifted her head with a creak, like a broken machine.
Her eyes, which perfectly reflected Cabelenus completely, were tinged red.
“…This time, definitely protect her.”
"Of course."
"Thank goodness. That’s what I wanted to hear."
Natalie’s shoulders slumped weakly.
Her eyes were brimming with tears she had held back for a long time.
・・・・・
“I’m sorry.”
"I don’t care. I can’t hear you. I’m not going to play with you anymore.”
Chris bowed his head deeply, clasping his hands together.
Michael half-heartedly glanced at Chris while crossing his arms and pursing his lips.
“Why?! I already apologised!”
"My mum always says that accepting an apology is up to the person receiving it."
"Hmph! If you don’t want to accept the apology, then don’t!"
"I won’t accept it! Not even if I die!"
After shouting loudly, Michael quickly turned his head away again.
In this sparsely populated village, Chris was the only friend Michael had to hang out with, so they both felt the loss, but this time, neither could easily let it go.
"If you had accepted my apology, I was going to show you what I found."
“...”
"It’s really amazing! Truly awesome!"
“...”
Every time Chris wildly waved his arms with exaggerated gestures, Michael’s head shook slightly.
"If you don’t want to, I’ll go see it by myself."
"...What is it?"
"So, you're going to forgive me?"
At Michael’s reaction, Chris quickly broke into a sheepish smile.
"No."
He tried to keep a straight face, but Michael’s expression had already softened halfway.
"Then I won’t say anything either."
"…I can at least see what you said was so amazing and think about it."
"Really?"
“But it has to be really amazing. Got it?”
"Of course!"
Michael snapped back with a sulky glare, but Chris just cheerfully grabbed onto his arm anyway.
"So, what is this amazing thing?"
"I found a rabbit burrow in the forest yesterday."
"A rabbit burrow?"
"What do you think? Isn’t it awesome? Want to go see it?"
"Hmm, it doesn't seem that great, but I'll go with you this time, just because of your kindness.”
"Then let’s hurry up and go. We’ll be in trouble if the older boys find out."
Chris grabbed Michael’s hand and pulled him along.
Michael pretended to be reluctant, but let the tension slip from his body and started to follow his friend — or at least, he tried to.
"What's wrong? You don’t want to go all of a sudden?”
"No, it’s not that... Don’t you hear a sound coming from somewhere?"
"Sound? What sound? I don’t hear anything."
“There’s definitely a sound coming from over there…”
He turned his head toward the direction of the sound, but saw nothing.
Michael furrowed his brows, then quickly turned his head back.
At that moment, something appeared in the distance.
Translator's Corner:
[1] Cabel refers to Natalie as “누님” (noonim), a respectful and affectionate term used by a male to address an older woman he is close to. It’s the formal version of “누나” (noona).
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