Everything that went beyond the reach of Karnov’s hand and gaze reached turned black to ashes. Be it trees, soil, people, or darkness.
The process of him reaping his life was as easy as that of a skilled farmer walking through a bountiful autumn wheat field, sweeping the wheat with his fingertips.
Lilmari thought he probably would never see such a creepy landscape again in the future. Everyone in the north learned at that moment that once an individual’s overwhelming power crosses a certain threshold, even cheers are not allowed.
“I see. So the imperial granddaughter is not human but a spirit?”
“It really may be the case. In fact, I have some doubts.”
What Karnov said with a shrug was obviously a joke. Lilmari opened his mouth as if his jaw was about to fall this time. Karnov smiled at Lilmari who looked like that.
“I found it fascinating too.”
Could it be that she could approach him with such an innocent face because she hadn’t seen him on the battlefield? Karnov hadn’t completely dismissed that speculation.
But not a handful of people he encountered in the capital have seen him wield his power. Nevertheless, no one in the capital could reach out to him first.
No one but Princess Anastasia.
“…You seem to be a smart and bold person. Are all the imperial family members of your empire like that?”
“Well, not all.”
Karnov did not hesitate to say something that might sound disrespectful to the imperial family. However, neither the listener nor the speaker seemed to be very careful.
“If you want to recapture the lost land, you’d better pray for Alexei’s son to be incompetent.”
It meant it wouldn’t be possible in Alexei’s generation. Lilmari opened his eyes.
“I’m not interested in barbarism. I don’t even think that the land has been taken away.”
“Didn’t you try to kill me for something like that?”
“Because saying that I hate violence doesn’t mean that I am an idiot who can’t even count the hits. And I didn’t even stare at you that way.”
“I guess you didn’t see Prince Ahti’s eyes because he was behind you.”
“Oh, he’s…”
Lilmari coughed in a rather ashamed look.
“He’s… a bit of a tough guy among the Elves.”
“I see. Even so, I thought it was a face I had never seen before.”
It means that if he had faced him even once on the battlefield, he could never have been so resolute. Lilmari inwardly agreed with those words but coughed lightly and changed the subject. After coming all the way to the imperial capital to negotiate a peace treaty, talking about such things wasn’t particularly pleasing.
“By the way, that ‘Lumen Vasilice’…”
Lilmari smoothed his lips. The end of the sentence was blurred as he remembered the last taste at the dinner.
“I vaguely thought that the chef at the court would be the best cook in the empire, but he was really amazing. It’s not an empty word to say I want to know the recipe.”
“Didn’t I tell you that the royal family made it?”
“It’s okay to end the talk to make the atmosphere of the dinner table smooth at the dinner table.”
“The Empire doesn’t have to tell such a lie.”
“…”
Karnov narrowed his eyes, observing Lilmari, whose lips were the only thing moving. Despite his mocking expression, Lilmari could only gather his composure in response.
“I wonder if the imperial granddaughter is five years old.”
“Yes, she’s ten years old now.”
“It’s hard to believe that she made that cake, five or ten.”
“That’s why she told me to make the cream because she still lacks grip strength.”
“…!”
Lilmari, who dismissed the fact that Karnov made cashew nut cream as a story to relieve their feelings, looked shocked. Karnov turned his back, thinking that the face was somehow funny.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
The ball after the meeting was formal. The biggest reason is that the Elves were not interested in dancing at all. As a result, the nobles and bureaucrats who were dancing soon felt as if they had become clowns to the Elves.
And the second reason was the massive departure of high-ranking officials. To be exact, only the crown prince stayed until the end, and Princess Anastasia did not attend because it was late at night, and the emperor and Elves left soon after. Thanks to this, only the band finished the work easily.
“Arten!”
Arten Juvanne, a renowned harpist who was part of the band and honored to attend the Peace Agreement Ball, turned to a calling voice and opened his eyes wide.
“Asha…? Asha, right? Asha!”
Surprisingly, the girl he’s been looking for these past few days appeared in front of him. Arten lifted up the girl he cared for like a niece, without noticing the countenance of her astonished fellow performers. The yellow bird sitting on the girl’s shoulder flew up and sat down again.
“After listening to your father and mother, how many times have I been looking for you here!”
“Me too! I heard that Arten was coming all the way here. But I didn’t know where Arten was…”
“His Highness the crown prince set up a separate accommodation, so I was staying there. How about you? How have you been? I was so surprised to hear that you went to the palace… What are you doing here? Isn’t it hard? Is there anyone who bothers you?”
Arten spewed out his words quickly.
Not long ago, Arten, who had been invited as a performer to an imperial banquet, visited to tell the happy news to the couple, who were usually close friends, and heard the news of their daughter there.
After hearing that their daughter had to go to the palace alone due to unavoidable circumstances, Arten had all kinds of unfortunate imaginations.
The yellow bird on the girl’s shoulder squeaked as if it were laughing.
“Everything’s all right! No one bothers me. I’m making sweets at the Imperial Palace.”
“Sweets? You’re making sweets?”
“Yes. I also baked cookies. I kept carrying this to give to Arten whenever I met him.”
Then the girl took something out of her arms. They were small packages decorated with light ribbons. There are several of them, too.
“Share everything else with your friends.”
“Friends? Oh…”
As he glanced back along the girl’s wink, his fellow performers were looking at him with faces that seemed to have somehow dislocated their jaws. The girl asked him again.
“What about Mom and Dad? How are they?”
“Sure. The circumstances… It’s gotten a lot better. They’re staying healthy but most of all, they miss you a lot.”
Arten, who had said so far, suddenly thought something was strange. The Yuriev couple, whom he had always known, would do anything about her daughter’s work. If her daughters were to work in the imperial palace at a young age, they would have pitched a tent in the capital.
“Please tell my mom and dad that I miss them, too. If Arten needs to go to my house.”
“Well… that’s not difficult, but won’t they come to see you in the capital soon?”
“Well… I’m not sure how that will go.”
The girl spoke in a pampered tone, but with a very mature look. Arten felt sorry for no reason, so he put the girl down and patted her hair gently.
“Of course, moving was not a simple problem, but don’t worry too much. But why did you suddenly come to the palace? For what?”
“Oh, well. Because my cousin is here.”
“Did you have a cousin? I’ve never heard of that…”
“My dad said he had a bad relationship with his brothers. But since I’m ten years old, I have to do a spirit ceremony.”
Arten understood the situation roughly. The couple seemed to think that it would be better for Asha to experience various cultures in the capital, even if she suffered a little, rather than growing up on the mountainous wall. Since her relatives are in the capital, it seemed to be a difficult request.
‘Yes, it’s understandable. Just by looking at the clothes.’
It was a delicate and colorful dress for children that Arten had never seen. It looks so pretty that even a child of a great noble couldn’t wear it.
‘This relative’s family seems to be quite rich. How else would you dress like that?’
“Arten, do you have to go back now?”
“Uh, uh, you’ve invited me from afar, so I have to leave tomorrow to make it on time.”
It was thanks to a growing number of invitations since becoming a performer of the royal court banquet.
“I’m so relieved to hear that you’re doing well. How happy I am to tell your parents good things…”
“I’m always doing well. Take care on your journey, Arten.”
“If your cousin bullies you, be sure to contact your parents or even me. Do you know how to write a letter?”
The girl laughed again and nodded. When the yellow chick next to him squeaked again, the girl waved at him, saying, “I have to go now.”
Arten wanted to take the girl to the place where he had to go back, but he thought that the girl would know the geography of the palace better than himself.
While Arten waved off, the girl turned around and disappeared over that corridor. Only then did Arten notice the eyes of his fellow performers.
“Ah! I didn’t care about you guys because I was distracted. I will apologize. She was a child I cherished like a niece, but I heard that she is working at the imperial palace.”
“No… ah… no… who… whose child… is it?”
“There’s a couple down there that I often visit. We built a friendship with deep musical knowledge. Oh! I hope you come with me someday. The couple is not very well off, so they can’t pay much for the performance, but they can have a more valuable conversation than that.”
“What’s the name of the couple?”
Arten replied, shrugging his shoulders, though he thought his companion was inquiring too much of a personal acquaintance.
“Their names are Yuriev and Irina. Their daughter’s name is…”
“Anastasia?”
“No, Asha.”
“Anastasia’s nickname is Asha.”
“No, it’s just Asha… What’s wrong with you? You look pale. Are you sick?”
At Arten’s question, the companion continued with a look of eagerness to scream, but in a whisper, in a small voice.
“Arten, do you happen to know the name of His Majesty’s youngest son, the prince?”
“Hmm? I’ve heard of it. What was it? Um, Yuri…”
Arten’s face, which was reflecting on the memory, also gradually faded.
His colleague asked again.
“…What’s the name of the crown prince’s wife?”
“…”
“It must be Irina. It was quite a commotion back then, wasn’t it? Irina Nellin, the daughter of Lord Nellin, married the crown prince and then left the palace.”
“…”
“And this year, the Emperor left his youngest granddaughter in the Imperial Palace.”
“…”
“She looks just like him.”
