47. End of Summer (2)
When Eizel and Flame came to their senses again, they found themselves at a campsite located some distance away from the Karakornia Ruins.
“I heard the two of you were discovered unconscious.”
The captain of the Karakornia expedition said that with a bitter expression.
A full week had already passed since they began exploring the Karakornia Ruins, yet they had found nothing, and they had not even managed to discover the whereabouts of the missing Kyla.
And in the midst of all that, even Flame and Eizel had gone missing, so one could only imagine how worried he had been.
Leaving behind the words, “At least it’s a relief that we found you two,” he gave the two girls some private time so they could rest.
Left alone inside a three-person tent, the two girls sat there for a long time in silence, staring blankly at different places.
The things they had experienced were so dreamlike that it seemed their sense of reality had still not properly returned.
The one who spoke first, however, was Flame.
“……What are you going to do?”
It was a question that came out without context, but Eizel opened her lips as if she had already prepared an answer.
“The Morfran Forest used to be the territory of the Morf Grand Ducal House. But after that day, it was designated ‘contaminated land,’ and now it is managed jointly by one nation, five Magic Towers, and the Mage Association.”
A strict barrier surrounds the area near the Morfran Forest, and even now a security guard force watches it so thoroughly that not even a baby ant is allowed to come near.
Until now she had never thought deeply about it, but looking back, something was strange.
“They…… why are they trying so thoroughly to hide that place?”
The legendary demonic beast, Hwa-ryeong, the White Demon Fox Spirit.
Isaac Morf, a 9-Risk dark mage.
……And Baek Yuseol as well.
The scars of that fierce battle would still remain engraved upon the battlefield in the Morfran Forest, not yet healed.
“That land is the evidence.”
Now Eizel Morf could finally set the course of her goal with certainty.
Reviving the Morf Grand Ducal House.
And before that, revealing to the world the truth of what happened on that day ten years ago, while at the same time recovering her father’s soul, which must still be wandering somewhere beyond rest.
Of course, it would not be easy.
The Morfran Forest had become a place that was like a stain upon the Adolevit Kingdom, so they would never reveal it, and how in the world was she supposed to find her father’s soul, which could be anywhere?
Even so, it was all right.
‘Father wasn’t a traitor.’
‘He was a hero instead.’
‘And he is still alive somewhere.’
Simply learning those truths alone was already more than enough.
It was a tremendous gain, and happiness besides.
Eizel rose to her feet with the most refreshed stretch she had ever given. It felt as though the heavy burden piled up inside her chest had been washed away completely.
“Mmm, should we start heading back now?”
“Uh.”
“I think the expedition is planning to investigate Karakornia in earnest now. And probably……”
they would keep trying to find the missing Kyla to the very end.
But she was no longer here anymore.
Kyla had already fulfilled her role by showing Eizel the echoes of the past. By now, she was surely traveling somewhere else.
There was a high chance they would find nothing in the Karakornia Ruins, but no matter how strongly seventeen-year-old girls insisted on that, no one would listen.
“I’ll go tell them we’ll be heading back down now.”
With that, Eizel stepped out of the tent, and Flame let out a long sigh and flopped down.
“Haaaaaaahhh…”
It had truly been an exhausting journey.
Who would have thought that simply watching would drain one’s mental strength this much?
She had been so worried about Eizel that she had not been able to look away for even a single moment.
‘Still……’
She recalled what had happened just before they returned here.
Right before Baek Yuseol sent them away on Isaac Morf’s mysterious item, the Wheel of Dawn.
The words he had muttered while gazing at empty air.
No—that was wrong.
It had definitely been a conversation.
‘I still haven’t received the gift you promised me last time. It’s fine if I take it now, right?’
A promise, and a gift.
Come to think of it, even in the original romance fantasy, the word “promise” had appeared with unusual frequency. The Twelve Divine Months had all been bound up in promises with someone, and there was no doubt that they had been trying to fulfill those promises……
And yet, even that setup had never been properly paid off.
What in the world was that promise?
The Wheel of Dawn.
When Baek Yuseol spoke as if pleading to something, a gigantic wheel appeared in empty air a moment later. In other words, though invisible, someone had been watching him.
But the truth was, Flame had already known long ago what that “someone” was.
‘The Constellatio Project.’
‘I’ll send back the Wheel of Dawn.’
Because hadn’t Baek Yuseol said those words himself?
There was no doubt.
Baek Yuseol could communicate with, and access, the “Star Archive,” which was said to contain all knowledge in the world.
That was one of the countless secrets Baek Yuseol had hidden until now.
It was also something she had half expected. Could the Constellatio Project possibly just leave alone the existence of Baek Yuseol, a person who had turned back time tens of thousands of times while fighting the destruction of the world?
Her heart pounded for some reason.
The Star Archive, a place passed down only in legends, was something even “protagonist”-class girls who possessed the power of the Twelve Houses could barely approach.
And yet Baek Yuseol didn’t merely approach it—he actually communicated with it.
To be honest, the more secrets she learned about Baek Yuseol, the more new questions seemed to pile up.
But even that was enjoyable.
Just little by little, bit by bit.
Because it felt like she was gradually coming to know more about him.
[Read only on MugenCodex.]
“……Shall we head back?”
By now, Eizel was probably desperate to return to Stella, so it would be best to hurry with her.
The Adolevit Kingdom, capital Tehallan.
Frostcliff Palace.
Now that the curse upon the Leviang Coast had been lifted thanks to Princess Hong Biyeon’s exploits, one had to wonder whether it still suited this cliff bathed in warm light to bear the name “Frost,” but since the atmosphere inside the palace was cold beyond measure, one could still say the name fit.
Queen Hong Seryu of Adolevit brushed her crimson hair back over her shoulder and spoke to Princess Hong Biyeon, who stood proudly before her with her chin lifted stiffly.
“It is Stella’s opening ceremony.”
“Yes.”
“Will you return? If you wish, I will have you remain here and receive the education proper to a princess, the education you have not yet received.”
“No. That won’t be necessary.”
Certainly, it was important to receive the education she had missed as a princess, but that was something she could study little by little at Stella as well.
“Is that so. You look as though there is some reason you absolutely must return to Stella.”
She had no intention of leaving Stella. She planned to remain for the full three years and graduate normally.
“It will place you at a disadvantage. The succession ceremony is scheduled for three years from now, and until then you will be occupied completing Stella’s academic curriculum, meaning you will not properly receive royal training.”
“When has it ever not been disadvantageous for me? At this point, please stop pretending to care.”
“……Very well. Since this is what you brought upon yourself, do not resent me over this matter.”
“Yes.”
“Then go.”
For a conversation between queen and princess, it ended with remarkable plainness and dryness. Hong Biyeon turned to leave without the slightest hesitation, then paused for a brief moment.
“What is it?”
“……There is one thing I am curious about.”
“Speak.”
Not long ago,
Hong Biyeon learned that there existed a certain “curse” passed down through the Adolevit family for generations.
Because of it, no matter how untalented a princess might be, she could not live past thirty years, and a princess born with the flames of Adolevit would die young in her late teens or early twenties.
And yet, wasn’t there something strange about that?
Princess Hong Si-hwa.
Though Hong Biyeon considered her inferior to herself, she too should have been born with natural talent.
“How…… exactly has she managed to preserve her lifespan until now?”
It was said that an Adolevit princess on the verge of exhausting her lifespan would lose control of her flames, grow weaker and weaker, and end her life in suffering.
And yet when had Hong Si-hwa ever shown anything like that? She was always relaxed, still wielding flame magic freely, and had never once shown herself losing control.
In other words, the way she looked was almost as though……
she had overcome the curse of Adolevit.
“That is not the case.”
Queen Hong Seryu cut her off sharply.
“However, I can tell you that she is prolonging her lifespan through a special method unknown to you.”
“……Is that so?”
“Is that all you wished to know?”
“Yes.”
As expected, some kind of method did exist, but it did not seem she had any intention of revealing it.
Of course, Hong Biyeon had no desire to prolong her life through some disgusting method Hong Si-hwa had devised, so she did not take great interest in it.
Why should she trouble herself coming up with some other method?
She only had to become queen.
Just as Hong Biyeon shook her head without hesitation and turned to leave, Hong Seryu added,
“Do not grow curious.”
“Even if you learn of it, it will only poison you.”
She had no intention of becoming curious, and even if she did learn of it, she had no intention of prolonging her life using the method Hong Si-hwa had found. It was a needless worry.
Leaving Hong Seryu behind, Hong Biyeon stepped out of the audience chamber and walked the long corridor while receiving the salutes of the knights of the royal guard. She had only wanted to sink quietly into thought, yet someone waiting for her in the distance, leaning against a doorway, irritated her to no end.
“Hello?”
That disgusting face that appeared whenever she was just about to forget it.
“Do you need something?”
“Mhm, mhm! I heard you’re going back to Stella? I thought I’d at least take a look at my little sister’s face before you left~!”
“You’ve seen it, so please leave.”
“Aw, that’s so cold!”
Whether Hong Si-hwa pretended to cry with both hands gathered against her face or not, Hong Biyeon ignored her and tried to pass by, but suddenly Hong Si-hwa spoke.
“Curious?”
“……About what?”
“How I’m still living so healthily, even now.”
“So you enjoy eavesdropping on conversations too.”
“It’s just~ somehow~ I happened to have business with Her Majesty too~”
That habit of circling around anything unfavorable to herself and redirecting the point back at the other person could be called one of Hong Si-hwa’s trademarks.
“So what about you? Curious? Curious, right? Want me to tell you?”
“…No need.”
“Oh, come on. If you keep that up and lose the throne, then plop! You’ll just drop dead, you know?”
“I would prefer that to dragging out a pitiful life through your disgusting method.”
After saying that flatly and attempting to walk past, Hong Si-hwa lowered her voice and spoke.
“My little sister.”
“……What is it?”
“Want to see this?”
Hong Si-hwa suddenly yanked up the top half of her clothes and exposed the area around her navel.
The stares of the knights were scorching. Was she really so shameless, despite being a princess of a kingdom?
……But before that thought even came.
Hong Biyeon’s eyes widened in shock.
“That is…….”
“You were right. I’m prolonging my life through a disgusting and pitiful method.”
There was a white magic circle engraved on her stomach, and it was blazing as though it were a flame.
No.
That wasn’t right.
It truly was burning.
After all, from the moment she raised her top, the temperature in the area had risen in an instant.
Heat so intense that merely standing nearby was enough to make sweat stream down.
“……You mean to say you always carry something like that, such a fireball, inside your body?”
“Mm. Well~ it’s a little hot and it hurts, but it’s bearable~ It’s much better than dying, isn’t it?”
That was unmistakably Hong Si-hwa’s shame.
A weakness…… one she had never once shown to Hong Biyeon.
And yet why?
Why now, all of a sudden?
Why was she showing that to her?
“Do you know? If you become queen, the curse is temporarily suppressed, so you can live much longer.”
“I know.”
“But tell me—what about the child you give birth to?”
“What…….”
That had never once crossed her mind.
Hong Biyeon merely parted her lips, unable to answer.
“If there’s someone you come to love? Hm? What if you want to have a child, but that child is destined to inherit the same curse you carry? And what if they cannot inherit the throne, and so are destined to just die one day? Would you still have a child then?”
“Th-that……”
Her fingertips trembled. She had always lived only as someone’s child, so the “position of a mother” had never entered her mind at all.
Come to think of it… Hong Biyeon’s mother, Hong Iel, had been unusually cruel to her daughter.
And yet, when it came to the woman who had unhesitatingly done anything at all in order to make her daughter queen and keep her alive……
could that truly be called “cruel”?
Wasn’t that, in truth,
love for one’s child?
“Hm~”
After watching the now-confused Hong Biyeon for a moment, Hong Si-hwa made a little sound through her nose and lowered her clothes again.
Then, as she walked toward the audience chamber, she gave her final words.
“Think about it a little more~ You don’t want to prolong your life in some pitiful way like I do, right?”
What she said was true.
Hong Biyeon had not the slightest desire to live like Hong Si-hwa. That was why she had intended to enjoy a full lifespan through the “proper method” of inheriting the throne.
“Ah…….”
If the method she had believed to be the most correct,
the destination she had made the goal of her entire life,
was in truth only half complete—
if it was wrong—
then what was she supposed to do?
‘……I don’t know.’
Her mind filled with confusion.
