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chapter 28
As if a sudden wind had swept through the dim, quiet space, sharply cut fragments of curtains fluttered down like fallen leaves.
Zikgart, wearing an expression half longing and half regret—as though he had met a friend he had parted with long ago—pushed his sword back into its scabbard. The bone-cutting cold that had filled the room gradually began to ease.
“……”
With the long sword slung diagonally across his body, as long as his own height, Zikgart slowly scanned the room. His gaze drifted toward the dust-covered bed and the canopy draped in cobwebs.
Staring at the dark stains with indifferent, expressionless eyes, he let out a light sigh and turned away.
*****`
As Zikgart had foretold, Empress Meykellen’s consciousness soon began to fade.
The Emperor Wintier, holding his wife as she struggled to stay awake like someone who had not slept for days, looked as though he was being eaten away by dark sorrow.
He hated himself for being unable to tell her—who was trying so hard to remain conscious—that she should rest.
“Mother, I will definitely find a way to wake you. This time, I’ll find a way so you never have to fall asleep again.”
The voice of Ithern, who was tightly holding her mother’s hand, trembled.
Empress Meykellen, struggling to lift her increasingly heavy eyelids, gently tapped her young daughter’s small nose.
“Yes… Mother will… Mother will trust only you, Ithern. My beautiful daughter… Even if I fall asleep… always… always stay healthy…”
Her voice slowed and slowly faded away. Before closing her eyes, she looked up at Emperor Wintier one last time.
Though she lacked the strength to speak, her clear, beautiful eyes were filled with regret and love.
Wintier carefully laid the sleeping empress down and could not bring himself to leave her side for a long time.
If not for Ithern, who stood a few steps away and took his hand, the emperor would have remained there until she awoke again.
“Father.”
Wintier continued looking only at his wife, but answered by gently holding Ithern’s hand.
Ithern, gripping her father’s hand with both of hers, asked,
“Mother will have good dreams, right?”
“…I hope so.”
“If what Mother said is true—that she has been watching over me and Father—then I’ll smile every day so she won’t worry.”
At those words, Wintier finally looked down at his daughter. His expression was filled with sorrow. Even the faint smile he forced looked strained.
‘I hope Father doesn’t become worse because Mother has fallen asleep again.’
Now that there was even the slightest possibility of waking Meykellen, Emperor Wintier would likely use any means necessary to find a definite solution.
‘Before Father goes out of control, I need to find a way first…’
Ithern recalled Zikgart asking her mother about the North, her homeland.
She knew her mother’s homeland was far from the empire, but she did not know its details.
Because merely mentioning the empress’s past risked touching the emperor’s reverse scale, no one could tell Ithern about it.
‘Does Father know anything about Mother’s homeland?’
Ithern subtly avoided Wintier’s gaze and tried to read his thoughts. Within her field of vision, the emperor’s thoughts rose like clouds.
— Wintier Segel Risluman
Due to resonance, deeper psychological insight has become available!
“Eh?”
Ithern’s eyes widened at the unfamiliar words.
‘What is this? Suddenly, what…?’
Deeper psychological insight?
She quickly removed her finger-ring from her eyes and put it back again.
Due to resonance, deeper psychological insight has become available!
‘It’s still there. What kind of resonance did I form with Father?’
The only plausible explanation was her mother.
With a bitter expression, Ithern looked up at her father again.
Then she carefully read his thoughts in order.
- How did that boy learn about the North?
- Is it because of “that incident”? That Meya doesn’t remember?
- When will I see her smiling face again?
Increase in sorrow, anger, and anxiety.
“Eek!”
Ithern almost screamed.
‘This is “deep psychological insight”? Why are only negative emotions increasing?!’
Flustered, she quickly grabbed Wintier’s hand and shook it.
“Father, when Mother wakes up, what’s the first thing you want to do?”
She had to steer his thoughts toward something positive.
“…I’m not sure.”
Unfortunately, Wintier’s mood showed no sign of improving.
At this rate, he might grab some innocent noble or servant and demand an immediate way to wake the empress.
“I… I want to go see Mother’s homeland with her first thing when she wakes up.”
At that, Wintier finally turned his head to look at his daughter.
“Do you know where your mother’s homeland is?”
“I heard it earlier. The North, right? It must be very cold there. Covered in snow?”
“Yes. Your mother was born and raised in the harshest place among them. She was the most beautiful flower to bloom from snow and ice.”
His tone softened slightly. Ithern seized the moment and gently led him out of the empress’s chamber while still holding his hand.
“Have you been to Mother’s homeland, Father?”
“I have.”
“Is there really such a huge mountain?”
Ithern recalled the “Mount Rigos” Zikgart had mentioned.
Wintier frowned slightly and sighed.
“Yes. A harsh mountain, like the spine of a monster.”
Ithern sensed something unusual in his tone.
Perhaps whatever “that incident” was, the Rigos Mountain might be connected to it.
*****`
“Ugh… my head…”
Lance, who had been lying on the ground, slowly regained consciousness while holding his dizzy head.
Confused about why he was on the street, he noticed a pair of small shoes in front of him.
“S-Soukyouku-sama!”
Realizing it was Zikgart, Lance quickly got up. Though he staggered slightly, he didn’t fall again.
“Be careful. If you fall backward and crack your head, it’ll be serious.”
“I-I… I’m terribly sorry, I don’t remember why I was lying on the ground…”
“Probably just exhaustion.”
Zikgart replied casually and walked toward the princess’s palace after confirming Lance had fully recovered.
Following behind him, Lance noticed the sword slung diagonally across Zikgart’s back and widened his eyes.
“Sir, may I ask where you got that sword?”
“This?”
Zikgart glanced back.
“A noble passed by while you were unconscious and recognized me. He gave it to me as a gift. It would’ve been rude to refuse, so I accepted it.”
“A sword… why would someone—”
“Who knows? It’s probably just a decorative sword. Nobles often give things like that to children.”
Since it sounded somewhat plausible, Lance couldn’t argue further.
When they returned to the princess’s palace, dinner had already been prepared for Ithern and Zikgart. Ithern, who had arrived earlier and was waiting, let out a small sigh upon seeing him enter.
“Good timing. I was about to send people to look for you.”
Then she noticed the sword slung across Zikgart’s back as well. A mix of curiosity and unease floated on her small face.
“Where did you go? And what’s that sword?”
