Chapter 80

"What's going on?"

Despite her curiosity, Lirika headed straight for the White Dragon Room. Fjord, who had been waiting in the reception room, stood up from his seat.

"Princess."

Lirika smiled brightly at him as he greeted her elegantly.

"What's up? You're already here..."

She glanced around and whispered, and Fjord smiled and said,

"It seems that running away alone at night would be too risky. I was thinking of changing the plan a bit. Is that okay?"

"I don't mind... How do you want to do it?"

In response to Lirika's question, Fjord leaned in slightly and whispered,

"What about outside the capital?"

* * *

The autumn forest was brimming with abundance. They lit a bonfire near the stream and placed a kettle on it.

Laub looked at Brin, who was dressed like a country girl, and thought that despite how unsuitable it seemed, it strangely suited her.

But he kept his mouth shut, thinking that neither compliment would be appropriate.

Two people approached from the other side. Lirika walked over with Fjord, laughing brightly.

"Look! Brin, Laub! There are so many chestnuts and walnuts!"

Lirika showed them by spreading out her apron. As she said, there were quite a lot. Brin smiled.

"Separate the walnuts and chestnuts. Make slits in the chestnuts, and ask Laub to crack the walnuts."

"Okay!"

The bonfire's light warmly illuminated everything. Brin was seen preparing the fish she had caught.

She placed the neatly trimmed pieces on a flat stone and began to heat it with part of the bonfire.

As the heat rose from the heated stone, the fish started to cook. As the oil began to sizzle from the white fish, she sprinkled some salt.

It smelled incredibly delicious.

"That must be good."

Fjord nodded in agreement at her small remark. Lirika looked at him with a guilty expression and whispered,

"But we're not alone... Is it okay?"

"More important is that Lirika is having fun."

"Even if it was just the two of us, I would have enjoyed it."

Fjord chuckled at Lirika's words.

"Then next time."

"Is that a promise?"

"Of course, it is."

Fjord answered seriously. Meanwhile, the smell of the baked bread rolls started to fill the air.

The brown color began to appear, and Lirika took a bite.

"It's hot."

"Be careful."

Brin warned her and placed the grilled fish on a plate. Even with just salt, the oily white fish was tender and melted in her mouth.

It was fresh, and there was no earthy or fishy taste at all.

After filling her stomach with the bread rolls and fish, Laub placed the chestnuts with slits on the bonfire.

The sparks from the bonfire rose high into the dark sky.

Lirika said,

"Hey, Fjord."

"Yes."

"How are things with Rizert?"

"I'm not sure."

Fjord was unsure of what to say, so he trailed off. Lirika made a small sound, "Hmm."

"Since he's your brother, it's a bit hard to say. He seemed like a strange kid..."

Fjord smiled at Lirika, who glanced around and trailed off.

"Yes, I know."

The chestnuts began to crackle as they cooked in the fire. Lirika looked at his smiling face.

She had a mother. She had Attil, Diare, and His Majesty...

Tan and Lat were good people, and so was Pai.

But it hurt her heart to think that Fjord was alone in that house. Hadn't she felt alone at times too?

"Fjord, if you're having a hard time, talk to me. I, well, I can't do much, but I'll be there for you."

"You promised to find me."

"Yes. It's the strawberry alliance. Allies never abandon each other."

Lirika hesitated and added,

"Sometimes, you might want to run away too. It's okay if you do..."

Fjord turned his gaze to the bonfire. His voice was musical and gentle.

"I would have run away long ago if I wanted to. But I don't run. For Barat, for Barat."

He looked troubled. Turning to her, he leaned in and whispered in her ear,

"Because I am Barat too."

Lirika blinked.

All the nobles she had met were proud of their lineage and held a sense of pride in their estates.

Whether good or bad, they were tightly bound to it.

Lirika was trying to become a Taka, but this was something entirely different.

And while she had nothing to say about his pride,

"At least, value Fjord more than Barat."

There was still a lingering sense of unease, but Fjord nodded at Lirika's insistence.

"I will."

Lirika gazed intently at Fjord and reached out to hug him.

"Princess?"

Surprised, Fjord looked at her, and Lirika said,

"You look tired, so I'm sharing my energy with you."

Her strength was considerable, and Fjord, who was held still by her, leaned his head against her.

"I really feel energized."

"Really?"

"Yes, can I ask for it again when I need it?"

At Fjord's question, Lirika pulled away and smiled.

"Sure."

"Is that a promise?"

"Yes, a promise."

Fjord smiled and said to Lirika,

"The chestnuts seem to be done."

"I've never eaten roasted chestnuts before."

"Me neither."

The taste of the roasted chestnuts was excellent, and Lirika thought she wanted to gather more chestnuts next time to share with her family.

After drinking a cup of well-melted chocolate from the kettle, her entire body relaxed.

The festival and the night market were great, but spending time like this was also very enjoyable.

A song spontaneously flowed from her lips. It wasn't a court song but a simple tune that commoners sang.

Her voice, like a child's, was clear and transparent.

When the song ended, Brin clapped, and Lirika's cheeks turned red.

"You sing very well. I didn't know you had such talent."

"No, not really..."

"No, really. It was a beautiful voice. Please sing one more song."

Encouraged by Fjord as well, Lirika hesitated but began her second song.

By the third song, she stood up. She twirled lightly, using her shawl as a veil, like a dancer she had seen on the street, and ended with a curtsy.

As applause broke out, she felt embarrassed and quickly sat down, hiding her face behind a cup.

Brin looked up at the sky and said,

"We should get up soon. The city gates are open during the festival, but not indefinitely."

"Okay."

Lirika quickly stood up. While she and Fjord went to fetch water from the stream, Brin and Laub tidied up the area.

They poured the water they had fetched over the bonfire to extinguish the embers and then Lirika and Fjord sat side by side in the back of the cart they had come in.

Laub, acting as the driver, sat in front, and Brin sat beside him.

The cart began to move with a creak. Lirika swung her feet back and forth and leaned her head back to look at the sky.

The autumn night sky was dotted with stars.

In winter, the constellations would be even more splendid, but the autumn night was sufficient with just these stars.

As they entered the capital, Fjord said he would get off halfway. He bowed to the princess, who looked worried, and headed for the mansion.

As usual, he entered his room through the window, and to his surprise, Duke Barat was waiting.

"Your Excellency."

Fjord greeted Duke Barat as if he had done nothing wrong.

"What brings you to my room?"

Duke Barat looked Fjord up and down and said,

"It seems your mind is elsewhere these days. Stop seeing that girl. Now that Attil has regained his power, it's better to use other methods."

The duke tapped his cane on the carpet.

"Did you kill the nanny and not use your power for about ten years? You seem to have quite a soft spot for that lowly one, don't you?"

If he killed his sister, how many years would he be unable to use his power?

Muttering, Duke Barat approached and grabbed Fjord's hair, smiling.

"Artifacts are amazing, aren't they? Now, I'm Fjord. You were supposed to be dead, engulfed in flames, but you're alive. Do you know how ugly you look right now?"

Rizert, in Fjord's form, whispered.

"Monster."

She stood up. The form she had taken with the artifact was unmistakably Fjord. It was effective, perhaps because they were already so similar.

She spun on one leg and laughed.

"If I succeed, Mother promised to keep me as Fjord."

Rizert whispered.

"See you then."

* * *

His body felt as if it was burning from the inside. The pain of being burned alive was always excruciating.

His vision flickered.

In the darkness, he realized he was trapped in an underground prison. A laugh escaped him.

He had intended to laugh lightly, but a hysterical laugh echoed in his ears.

He laughed wildly, and then laughed again.

Tears streamed down his face.

Was it funny? Was it painful? He couldn't answer either.

Would he die here, like the siblings he had killed?

He couldn't end it like this.

He couldn't let it end like this.

Death was a futile thing that came whether you wanted it or not, but he couldn't lose his mind to the pain.

He had to pay the price for the lives he had taken.

He tried to calm the flames swirling inside him. He reached out toward the iron bars, needing something to hold onto to get up.

Thud

At that moment, a spike pierced his outstretched hand. There was no pain.

The pain he was already enduring was so intense that the new pain felt strangely refreshing.

The cold spike felt good.

Looking up, he saw his own face. Was it an illusion? The face smiled.

"Artifacts are amazing, aren't they? Now, I'm Fjord. You were supposed to be dead, engulfed in flames, but you're alive. Do you know how ugly you look right now?"

Rizert, in Fjord's form, whispered.

"Monster."

She stood up. The form she had taken with the artifact was unmistakably Fjord. It was effective, perhaps because they were already so similar.

She spun on one leg and laughed.

"If I succeed, Mother promised to keep me as Fjord."

Rizert whispered.

"See you then."