I said that and held out my magic fountain pen. The two looked at each other and hesitated a little, but then Angelica started drawing. Meanwhile, Nas explained.
“It’s a canary. A yellow and pretty bird.”
“A canary? Wouldn’t that raise suspicion if it flew through the desert?”
“I don’t know about that. But it seems fine, since it was able to come to our kingdom.”
How odd.
As I watched Angelica draw fairly compliantly, I asked Nas another question.
“By the way, I’m curious. Why can your sister only answer five questions?”
“That…”
“I don’t understand why people can only ask as many questions as the fingers she raised.”
“That’s just… … .”
“Just?”
Nas glanced at his younger sister who was eagerly drawing a canary. Then he shrugged his shoulders and told the reason.
“If you pretend there’s something behind it while saying that, people won’t be able to ask any deeper questions. That’s the reason”
“… … what?”
… …?
Oh, what a novel idea. I pride myself on being good at deception, but to be deceived like this.
I huffed and laughed in disbelief.
“Is it some kind of question-dodging trick handed down by painting wizards, or something”
“Yes. That’s what my mother told her to do if she got in trouble.”
“Mother?”
“Yes. Our mother taught her to say it’s an unwritten rule to give the people a sense of fear that they might lose the painting wizard if they do or ask something wrong. That way they will stop bothering you any more.”
Nas made a proud face.
The queen seems to be smart, but why are her children like this? Looking at Nas, I suddenly blinked at a thought. I wonder if there might be more to this story.
“Do you know any Rawiya from the painting wizards you knew?”
Kiran was said to have been born in the lair of Fata-Morgana. But Rawiya seemed to be the one who was captured. But what if she was sent to Fata-Morgana to be hidden by the royal family of Edmund? My rational doubts eventually were answered.
“I know.”
Angelica, who had finished drawing the canary, raised her hand.
“My mother loved Rawiya. She was a painting wizard friend just like me, but since we couldn’t keep her, she asked Fata-Morgana to hide her.”
“Hmm. When was that?”
“Um, one, two… …. It’s been about seven years.”
“I see.”
Then Rawiya would surely have a fit if she saw a member of Edmund Kingdom.
Since there were few painting wizards, it was easy to draw a relationship diagram. As I rolled up the completed canary picture, I opened my mouth nonchalantly.
“There’s something you didn’t answer earlier, Angelica.”
“Yes.”
“That was the third question. It was about the bird that Fata-Morgana sent. Your brother gave a clear answer to that, so can I ask another question?”
I was carefully collecting question coupons like grabbing coupons for discounts. Angelica had a somewhat nervous face but nodded.
“Please explain in detail about the lifespan you feel.”
This might be a cruel question, but it has to be asked. It’s not that I’m not afraid of death, it’s just that I can’t control what’s already gone, so I might as well make the most of what’s left.
Angelica was a bit hesitant but answered.
“Painting wizards can know how many hourglasses they have from birth. If you think that the number of hourglasses is your lifespan, it’s easy.”
“Hourglasses?”
“Imagine drawing any door and going inside. Think about entering a ‘clock room.’ Then you’ll be able to see how much life is left by looking at the number of hourglasses inside.”
Are you saying that depending on how many of them there are, you can know your life span?
To go into the ‘clock room’ was a very ambiguous term. I brushed my chin and asked the most important question.
“So what happens when all those hourglasses disappear?”
I’ll die, of course.
“You’ll die. Freeze to death.”
As expected. It was Angelica who gave a calm answer.
“My mother died like that.”
“Angelica… … .”
“It’s okay, brother. It’s true. Mom sacrificed herself to protect us.”
I was left speechless by the sudden family revelation. Why would the queen sacrifice herself if something happened?
“Then when the caster dies, do the creations disappear too?”
“Of course. That’s why when you build something like a big building, several people have to do it all at once.”
Solo and support. Rawiya mentioned something like that.
I nodded in agreement, trying to organize the information I heard. I felt a shiver as I imagined a horrific scenario.
‘Uh, then when I die, the people on the rides… … ?’
It would be a major disaster. Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine
One more reason why I shouldn’t die. I put aside my horrible imagination and tried to remember what I’d been told. I heard it with Lacius, so if I forgot a bit, he would remember. Lacius had a hard expression, probably shocked that he had been tricked by Rawiya.
‘Now, shall we send off the princess and prince and wake up the wizards? We can ask if there are more picture wizards in Edmund.’
We’ll see if they know anything about the yellow canary. I rubbed my palms together and while I was about to pour cold water on the wizards, Angelica quietly approached me.
“Titania? Or, um. future arch—”
“Just call me sister.”
“Ok, fine. sister! I have a suggestion.”
I wondered what she was going to say as the princess smiled brightly. Then, she gave me a shy expression as she held out Pipi 7 to me.
“This is the first time I’ve talked in such detail. I feel like I’m sharing my heart.”
“So?”
“So I mean… … .”
Why are you twisting your back all of a sudden?
I did not receive Pipi 7 due to some anxiety. However, in the next moment, Angelica rushed into my arms, firmly hugging my waist, and shouted brightly.
“Be my wife!”
“… … .”
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