When Asha mentioned a “vacation,” Evan hesitated, unable to add anything further. Asha placed her hands on her hips and spoke in a serious tone.
“Someone who doesn’t have time to go on a vacation to the north.”
“Are you asking me and Evan?”
“Yes.”
Asha asked back with a face, “Isn’t it natural?” Evan opened his mouth in hesitation as Karnov sighed.
“I am your escort knight; I will follow you wherever I go. But…”
“Okay! Done! Then we’ll go.”
Karnov had not yet answered, but Asha clapped and concluded. It was a strict voice that said no more objections would be accepted. Evan nodded quietly. Asha dismissed him, saying it was time to get some rest, but Karnov didn’t leave the room, just stood there silently, until he felt a hand behind his back eagerly grasping the hem of his shirt.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
“What should I do? What should I tell Evan? I think we should go north first. Oh, it would have been better if we did it all at once when we solved Shunivalen.”
Asha said this while clutching the ends of her hair with both hands and stomping her feet. Her cat, either thinking Asha’s foot tapping was a game or considering it a different kind of walk, circled around her with his tail slightly tilted.
Karnov watched the scene with a detached expression and then picked up a comb with practiced ease.
<Didn’t you know this would happen when dealing with that troublesome cat?>
The yellow chick replied with a murmur. The black chick next to him also nodded.
<There’s always a time for everything. Don’t worry about the past.>
“Yeah… there’s nothing we can do about the past. I think we have no choice but to go back to the north.”
“Because of Prasti?”
“Yes, there’s one left.”
After eliminating the ‘fake Asha’ that Kairos had hidden, and then cleansing Evan’s, Valery’s, and Lyudmila’s, only one Prasti remained, whose exact location was unknown.
“I think it might be related. It’s just my guess, though.”
“Why do you think so?”
“General Yekaterina told me a similar story before. She said that the fairy tale she heard in her childhood was similar to this novel. The story of a human being in love with an elder Noctis Elf.”
It was clear that it was the same story, not similar. If these stories from the north are true from a long time ago, Evan’s Prasti was the first one to appear in the world among the things she purified.
“Considering the age of Darya’s adoptive father… if we look into that, we might find out where the remaining Prasti is.”
“You’re going to say that to His Majesty and Alexei?”
Asha nodded with a thoughtful expression. Since the Emperor and Alexei care for her so much, they might not approve of her going north to search for Evan’s ancestors, considering they were merely a knight’s parents and not someone of significant lineage. But since it concerned Prasti, it’s already been discussed. It wasn’t a lie.
“Phew. Now I can just say that, but what do I say to Evan? …Does Evan want to find his family?”
<That’s it, why don’t you ask him?>
The chick peeped half-heartedly. Asha sighed deeply.
“Since it seems like I want to find something for Evan, wouldn’t he just say he wants to find them? Or if not, he might say he’s not interested in family because he doesn’t want to bother me. No, I already know from how Evan talks that whatever he says is fine, but actually finding his family is a problem too.”
After the conversation with Darya, Asha kept pondering the content of the novel and what Darya had to say.
“Did Karnov read that novel, too? For some reason, the Queen of Darkness’s clan hates human men, and they left her child with a human man, and I think it’s because they don’t like humans or mixed blood…”
Karnov brushed the ends of Asha’s hair, which were a little tangled when she released her hand holding her hair.
“Well then, I guess we can go check it out first. If he doesn’t like them, he can just tell you.”
“Do you think I get to decide that?”
“Do you want me to be honest with you?”
“Oh, no. No! Say something nice. Just say nice things.”
“To be honest, Evan has no interest in such matters. Do you know why?”
“I told you not to be honest…”
Karnov was undaunted by Asha’s lament, and continued, opening the other hand with which Asha had grabbed her hair.
“Because he never felt any lack or deficiency when it came to family matters.”
“…But still.”
“Why? Do you have to be blood-related to be a real family?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Asha spoke in a slightly sullen voice.
“But right now, I’m here… Evan might not be concerned about the opinions of others, but later on, it might be different. It’s not that he doesn’t have space for others now, but that doesn’t mean it will always be that way.”
Differences weren’t necessarily wrong or incorrect, but they’re also not the same. Some differences can never become the same and don’t need to. But that doesn’t mean they won’t hurt. The difference Evan has is one of those.
“So?”
“I hope that if Evan wants to meet people like him, he’ll have choices. People he can trust to talk to when he thinks he wants to… people similar to him.”
“But if they’re bad people, then he doesn’t need them?”
“Exactly! That’s right!”
“Well, not everyone will be bad, right? Like Lilmari, who gave you those ear warmers you used every winter.”
Asha opened her eyes wide. She completely forgot about it because it was a long time ago. As she touched her bare ears where the ear warmers used to be, she clenched her fist.
“This time… this time, I made a big batch of strawberry jam.”
Asha’s light green eyes twinkled.
“It’s time for the ‘Anti-War Milk Tea’ to make its appearance.”
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
“Isn’t it that you want to find your knight’s family?”
At the emperor’s offhand remark, Asha flinched as she stood before him. The breeze played gently with her hair.
When Asha suddenly mentioned she needed to visit the northern Sedvoyer estate again, the emperor had listened to her reasons and readily accepted them. But his final comment was just that. Asha’s lips moved hesitantly.
“Well… sort of, as a side thing…”
“As a side thing, huh.”
<Mikhail, why are you being so mean?>
“My only granddaughter is so heartless. What am I to do?”
Asha rolled her eyes. Seeing it, the emperor sighed deeply, noticing that Asha had noticed nothing.
“When is your birthday?”
Asha’s eyes widened. It was next month, but she hadn’t thought it would be an issue.
“It’s next month, but… the birthday party can be held after I return, so…”
“Are you going to be back by then? Do you realize that it’s an important event?”
Asha gulped down her saliva. She’d always thought of it as a big party, but only for her.
“The thing is… Grandfather’s birthday party is more important. And Alyosha’s birthday.”
“Why do you have such a natural talent for turning things upside down?”
“That might be true… Maybe I take after you, Grandfather?”
The emperor put his pen and fanned the signed file. The wind stirred and burst into laughter.
<Peach, it’s because that old oak has been eagerly waiting to give you your birthday present this whole time.>
“My birthday present? What is it? What could it be?”
“If you’re curious, you’ll find out if you return on time.”
“But… but if I’m late? Will there be no birthday present?”
“Were you planning to be late? Hmm? Have you already decided to be late?”
Asha covered her face with her hands as if that would shield her from the emperor’s nagging.
“No! I’m just asking in case. I’ll definitely be back before my birthday. I promise. Really.”
“Your cousin’s exam results will also be announced next month. If you’re away, who knows what kind of trouble might arise? He might say he failed because you weren’t here this time.”
“Hey, I’m sure Dimitri will pass this time!”
Asha replied with regret. Ilya had just passed the Imperial Inspectorate exam in two tries, and Dimitri had been struggling for over two years. He’d gritted his teeth and studied and gotten perfect scores on his papers, but each time, he’d bombed the interview.
“Why is it so hard to get rid of that temper for a while, huh?”
“He’s my grandfather’s grandson. What can he do?”
“Do you feel like there’s a thorn in your mouth if you don’t add a few more words?”
“I’m saying this on purpose because Grandfather likes Asha like this.”
As soon as Asha saw the emperor’s expression, she immediately covered her ears. The wind roared with a chuckle. The emperor, who had been nagging for a long time, gestured toward Asha with an expression that was exhausted. Asha faltered and approached the emperor.
The emperor’s hand covered Asha’s. It was an old man’s hand that was more wrinkled than when she first met him.
“… I’ll assign a squad of knights to accompany you. It’s good that you’re pursuing what you want, but you must not get hurt. Do you understand?”
Although Asha thought having a squad was unnecessary, she slowly nodded, considering the emperor’s feelings.
“You must return safely. If it becomes too difficult, quit and come back immediately.”
“But how can I quit when I’m protecting the world?”
“Why protect a world that causes you distress?”
“But you’re here, Grandfather.”
Asha frowned and laughed. The emperor was silent for a moment and then patted Asha on the cheek. As if he wanted to say something but he couldn’t.
Asha could see it all in his eyes. He wanted to tell her that he would tear down and destroy any world that made his favorite granddaughter suffer, but the emperor couldn’t.
He’d lived his life with the knowledge that one man could never take precedence over the many, even if that man was his son, even if that man was himself.
But…
The emperor’s lips parted, but Asha cut him off, pulling him into a light embrace and releasing him.
“Please give me a birthday party when I get back.”
“…Just go and get back safely.”
“Don’t overdo it. Don’t scold Dimitri.”
“Do you think he’ll listen if I yell at him? He’s learned nothing but mean things from you!”
“Ah, uh-uh!”
When Asha shook her head and pretended that she couldn’t hear him, the emperor opened his mouth.
“Look at this, look at this, at nineteen you’re like a child before your grandfather – no, you’re even younger than when you were a child, very young!”
“Goodbye~!”
