The moment when he poured rain in the bathroom for the first time, it was vague but it became clear when the heavy rain was called out in front of a burning forest.
There was some sweet sensation, some sort of assistance that eased his struggle whenever he attempted to use his powers. Those guiding emerald eyes belonged to none other than his cousin.
There was no logical reasoning, but Dimitri understood it intuitively. His cousin had a habit of speaking out in a relentless manner disparaging her own ability. It was clear that ‘being able to make snacks delicious’ was not all of her ability.
Without her guidance, Dimitri wouldn’t be confident in his present self. And it wasn’t just about today’s events.
If he hadn’t met his cousin in the year of the spirit ceremony, he would still be clinging to resentment toward his father and would remain bitter to this very day.
Unable to receive acknowledgement from anyone else, he endlessly envied others receiving recognition.
Without someone, he would have lived under the illusion that his share would have been his.
He would not have understood to the end what his father had relinquished, and that it was his and his mother’s hand that he held instead.
“Don’t you have anything you want to show off?”
Despite Dimitri’s blunt question, his cousin blinked her emerald eyes.
“Show off? To whom, what?”
That she led Prince Dimitri to bring this rain down, that there wouldn’t be a miracle like this anywhere else if it wasn’t for her.
The determination to help people as soon as they saw the flames, the kindness that was endless even to her rude cousin, the humility not to hold a grudge.
Don’t you want to be recognized by others? Don’t you want others to know that you are such a wonderful and nice person?
“Oh, my stew was incredibly delicious, huh? People seem to absolutely love it. They haven’t eaten anything this scrumptious since birth! That’s why I decided to share the recipe separately.”
“That isn’t what I mean.”
“Yes, I know.”
Smiling broadly, his cousin put away the empty plate, laid Dimitri down, and covered him with blankets, ignoring his complaints. Dimitri’s complaint about not treating him like a child didn’t even seem to be heard.
“Everyone who should witness it already sees and understands, and those who ought to acknowledge it already do. Therefore, I am fine.”
Bemused, Dimitri puffed air indignantly.
This is a total fool!
If you don’t show it properly, people might ignore you. Not everyone comprehends your subtle kindness, you know. Explain clearly so everyone gets it! Like shoving aside or acting stubborn, or looking like an ugly sugar bag or whatever –
Dimitri’s grumbling slowly died down.
“People who don’t know are stupid. Good people know everything even if I don’t say it.”
Dimitri fell asleep and thought he had heard his cousin whisper for the last time.
‘Like you. Dimitri, it was tough. Rest well.’
It was a soft voice.
Dimitri was grumpy. You silly peach, what are you doing talking nonsense and you don’t even get angry…
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Asha quietly closed the door and stepped outside with a satisfied smile. Dimitri, who couldn’t eat the brownies she made when they were young, has now gained the ability to summon rain continuously.
“Can Dimitri keep bringing rain?”
<Once you learn how to walk, you never forget.>
Phoebe, who said so, sounded somewhat overwhelmed.
‘Phoebe?’
<Isn’t it the first time that a man who couldn’t use the power of a spirit has realized this power?>
Phoebe flew up.
<What on earth did you feed that little guy?>
‘Just be impressed.’
<Hehe… heh heh.>
Phoebe fluttered her wings shyly.
“Ivan! You’re resting, why are you here?”
Asha, heading toward the stairs leading downstairs, quickly approached Ivan standing at the end of the corridor.
“Ah… I’ve been waiting for you to come out.”
“Tired, huh? Did you eat something?”
Asha said so, sweeping away Ivan’s hair, which had fallen a little. Ivan was quiet. Asha tilted her head.
“Ivan?”
There was a fire and it was hectic, so she couldn’t look properly, but it seemed that Ivan was a little more rigid than usual.
About to say something to Ivan, Asha turned her head to look out the window, feeling the cool breeze passing by.
She knew this feeling.
‘Karnov…?’
<He used the power of time. It’s quite big.>
“Where…”
Asha stopped thinking. There was no need to ask where. Asha already knew Karnov’s kind heart.
If he had to use his strength at this moment.
“Your Highness, if you’re going somewhere, I will… accompany you.”
Asha suddenly snapped out of her thoughts at Ivan’s words. Ivan was staring at her silently. Although she thought about leaving him behind, worried that he might be tired, Ivan seemed more hurt by Asha’s hesitation.
“Oh… Then should I go with you, Ivan?”
Ivan’s face barely flashed a faint smile.
Asha rode with Ivan down to where there was a barley field before it was burned.
It was not difficult to know from where to where the barley field was. There was already a huge sea of barley in front of my eyes. Moonlight shone on the leaves of rapidly growing barley, and autumn winds seeped through them.
In the wet soil, the moist smell of grass, the soft smell of damp soil, and the cheerful sound of barley crashing together gathered together and made waves on the field.
“Ah…”
And there was a man standing between the barley fields. As soon as Asha jumped off the horse, she made her way through the barley fields and approached Karnov.
“Karnov!”
“How did you…”
Karnov blinked in surprise. As Asha and Karnov faced each other, something invisible wrapped around them, and the barley, like undulating waves, played the sound of the sea.
Unable to speak for a moment, Karnov looked at Ivan, who had followed behind. Ivan, seeing Karnov’s gaze, nodded in acknowledgment. Meanwhile, Karnov took off the outer garment he was wearing and draped it over Asha’s shoulders.
Asha tried to explain to Ivan about this situation, which was no different from a miracle, but when she saw Ivan’s eyes showing no interest, she laughed awkwardly.
“It’s, Ivan. It’s…”
“It’s because my spirit is actually not the Spirit of Death, but the Spirit of Time.”
Karnov spoke casually, and Ivan seemed convinced by that. In the meantime, Karnov took off his jacket and put it over Asha’s shoulder.
“I’m not cold. Karnov should wear it.”
Karnov shook his head as he stared at Asha, who said she was not cold on the autumn night.
“That’s enough. I’m giving it to you because I’m not cold either.”
“Lies. Karnov is cold, too.”
“I’m not cold. I don’t like you enough to put up with the cold and take off my coat.”
“No, you like me that much.”
“Where on earth does that confidence come from?”
“From Karnov’s hand?”
Asha grabbed one hand of Karnov’s. His hands were cold in the night air. At other times, Karnov would have let his hand be held, but this time, he took off Asha’s hand.
Although Asha looked unhappy, she did not take off the coat that Karnov had put on her.
“By the way, what did you do with this barley field? It was all burned down and there was only ash. Even if you try to turn back time…”
“I thought there must be grains that had fallen into the ground. Although it’s not as much as I did last spring and summer, wouldn’t it help?”
The soft barley leaves that had just sprouted from the ground that had been covered in black ash until this day tickled Asha’s fingertips.
“If people see it tomorrow, they might faint in surprise.”
“I was going to say that Alexei did it.”
“How can Alyosha do this?”
“Prince Dimitri also passed it to Alexei. If I say it’s the prestige of the crown prince, it should be just right.”
Asha burst into laughter and grabbed Ivan’s hand.
“Ivan, look at this. It’s soft. Freshly sprouted barley.”
Ivan, who was held by Asha, was embarrassed, but he did not pull away his hand.
“When the wind blows through the barley fields, it will look like golden waves. Right now, it’s like a pale night sea.”
Asha smiled but abruptly stopped, surprised. Ivan’s face, looking at the barley field, was paler than the barley itself.
“Ivan? Are you okay?”
Ivan clenched his chest and hunched over.
“Ivan! Ivan, what’s wrong? You don’t feel good? Does your stomach hurt? Does your heart feel stuffy?”
“Oh, no. I’m fine… I’m fine.”
“It’s not fine. You’ve turned so pale. The healer is still in the mansion, so let’s go quickly…”
“It’s really, really fine.”
Asha’s expression showed that she didn’t believe those words at all.
“I’ve been feeling unwell since yesterday…”
It was Ivan, who seemed to have been uncomfortable somewhere since the fire broke out.
“I should have told you to rest. What should I do? Can you ride a horse? Or…”
While Asha was quickly talking, Ivan shook his head.
“It’s not like that. It’s not that I wasn’t feeling well… It’s just that…”
“Just?”
Ivan hesitated, then closed his eyes tightly as he looked at Asha’s face, which had been ruined by worry and nervousness. With a face of uncontrollable helplessness. It seemed that he had ruined his master’s face, which had just been shining with joy and triumph.
“Because I felt like I couldn’t be of any help…”
“What? What… What are you talking about?”
Asha opened her eyes wide. Heavy, sad blues were dripping down from Ivan, like melting moonlight.
“The fire was put out by Dimitri, and others helped people, and the burned barley was cultivated again by Karnov… and I… did nothing… and couldn’t even protect myself from the cold weather.”
“No! Ivan, why do you think you’re not helping? You’d also worked hard to put out the fire. If you hadn’t helped, the barley fields would have burned down before Dimitri got the rain. Besides, you keep protecting me…”
Ivan’s wheat-like eyes were on the verge of breaking down. As if he couldn’t agree with her. At that moment, Ivan closed his mouth tightly and twisted, seeming to be struggling against something.
“Ivan!”
<It’s Prasti!>
“P, Prasti?”
<He’s going to throw up Prasti! Don’t swallow it and spit it out to me!>
“Hey, Ivan! Don’t swallow and throw it up! It’s okay, throwing up will make you feel better. Trust me, okay?”
Even at Asha’s words, Ivan curled up and didn’t know what to do. Asha approached Ivan and, in a cautious but unhesitating move, grabbed Ivan’s hand, which was covering his mouth, and swept his back down.
But Ivan could not easily cough up what was inside just because he was nauseous. As Asha was wondering if she should put her hand in Ivan’s mouth and make him vomit, Ivan finally bent over and got out what was inside.
Asha swept Ivan’s back continuously, and Ivan, who had finished vomiting, also had a wet face.
“Ivan! You did well, you did well. It was tough. How does your stomach feel now? Are you okay?”
Ivan couldn’t speak, but the heavy, oppressive aura that she had felt from him seemed to have lightened considerably.
<Oh… my God.>
While Asha was pulling the hem of her clothes to wipe Ivan’s wet eyes and mouth, Phoebe expressed amazement, seemingly at a loss, and fluttered up into the air.
<How many snacks did you feed him?>
What Ivan vomited looked like ripe chestnuts that glistened white.
“Is that Pra…sti?”
No matter how she looked at it, it didn’t look like a piece that split from the ‘Sword of Sin’ that divided the world. Phoebe was also full of embarrassment, and her beak was dangling with a slightly trembling expression.
<Um, it’s supposed to be shriveled, black, and small seeds…>
“But…”
<You must have fed him a lot of snacks. I didn’t expect it to be all purified inside.>
“Then what do we do about this?”
<Uh… you should plant?>
“Can I do that?”
<The ‘Sword of Sin’ was originally made by condensing the contaminated World Tree. Since it’s perfectly purified now… Even though it’s split, if you plant it…>
“Then what?”
<It might become… a baby World Tree…?>
“What does Phoebe know?”
<I’m doing this for the first time too! Would you have seen something like Prasti twice?! Has the world split twice?!>
“Well, that’s true.”
As Asha was reluctantly agreeing and about to pick up the seed, two hands grabbed her arms from both sides. It was Karnov and Ivan.
“If you need this, I will… I will take care of it.”
“Don’t touch stuff at random.”
“No, I… I!”
Asha made an unfair expression, but the two of them nodded their heads firmly. While Ivan was taking care of the seeds, Karnov rearranged Asha’s coat.
“We can’t plant it in the middle of the barley field. Let’s go back for now. Ivan needs to rest too…”
Asha, who nodded with a pout on her face, suddenly tilted her head and looked at Karnov.
“Did I say we had to plant this? Did I… say that?”
“How can you not know when you’re talking to your chick like that?”
“Uh, I mean, that’s… that’s what Phoebe said, not me.”
“…!”
