Chapter Twenty

Shortly after returning to the Lily Palace, I collapsed on my bed.

I was exhausted.

Although I wanted to close my eyes and fall asleep, I couldn’t.

“Miss Silver Lily. What should we do about dinner?”

“I’m not hungry…”

“Then I’ll bring up the chef’s recommendations.”

“Okay.”

Madame Chunet ordered the lower maids.

My body felt so heavy, and I desperately wanted to sleep.

Was it because I hadn’t had any time to relax since I’d entered the palace?

No… I couldn’t blame it all on the palace. It’d been a whirlwind as soon as my memories had returned.

I’d been on my own as I’d tried to adjust and find my family again.

Not to mention the final move I’d made today, which would determine victory or defeat.

“Please…”

I believed.

I believed that if it was Hadel, he would recognize my message.

* * *

“Hadel, do you want to learn the alphabet too?”

The year we turned thirteen, Hadel and I began getting tutored.

Although we both worked hard, there was still a huge wall between us.

It was the alphabet.

Having been blind since birth, he was unable to learn how to read and write.

I couldn’t teach him even if I wanted to.

Despite our best efforts, he never managed to properly learn and was filled with despair instead.

“The alphabet…?”

Hadel smiled awkwardly at my words, as if it were difficult for him.

He must’ve already attempted numerous times but ultimately failed.

It was then that I received a burst of inspiration from the finger signs we’d used when I was sick.

“I just thought of another way by using your sense of touch!”

“Touch?”

“Yeah! Just like the finger signs, can’t we make an alphabet based on touch?”

Although I spoke enthusiastically, Hadel simply blinked without responding.

Grabbing Hadel’s hand, I outstretched his palm.

“Okay, look. Like this. Poke, poke. What do you think? You can feel it, right?”

“Yeah, I can.”

“We can make dots and create an alphabet with it. Let’s use a needle to poke holes in a paper.”

“But there’ll be a lot of letters… Can we really make them all?”

“Of course! Let’s try it together, Hadel. Once we make all of it, I’ll write you a letter using them, and then you can send me a response!”

“R-Really…?”

“Of course!”

Hadel smiled brightly with excitement.

…

Although it was easy to say, it actually took a lot of time and effort to create a writing system.

But with our continued efforts, we succeeded in making several words out of dots.

Although it wasn’t possible to create more complicated sentences, we had enough to hold basic conversations.

“Wait, Asha, I can read this…! It says ‘Asha,’ right?”

“That’s right! And this means ‘Hadel,’ your name!”

“Wow…! It’s still pretty hard, but I’ll work hard to memorize it. Then, I’ll write you a letter every day, Asha!”

“I can’t wait, Hadel!”

And that was the story of how Hadel and I started using braille.

It was our own secret language nobody would ever find out about.

* * *

“Your Majesty, where are you going?” 

Taimon approached from behind.

There was a long silence as Hadel stared at the markings drawn on the dirt. Without replying, he turned and hurriedly headed towards the thicket with a confused Taimon in tow.

<Propose. Dwarf flowers.>

That was what the markings, or rather the dots, on the dirt said.

They were three words that, to a stranger, would be meaningless, but to Hadel, triggered an immediate response.

Those were the flowers he’d given Asha on the day he’d proposed.

Beautiful flowers that had a mix of Asha’s silver eyes and his pink eyes— those dwarf flowers were actually called latuillis.

Hadel rushed towards the latuillis and then stood motionless, as if in thought.

Even though he knew, rationally, that it was most likely part of the Silver Lily and Duke Valkirino’s plot, he couldn’t help but feel shaken.

Normally, he would’ve ignored it.

He would’ve demanded answers as to where they’d learned about this. 

He would’ve had her head rolling so that no one could ruffle his feathers any longer.

But… how could they possibly have known this?

Though one side of his heart steeled, the other side began beating uncontrollably.

Only he and Asha would know about those dots.

“Dwarf. Dwarf…!”

Hadel frantically dove into the flowers.

Whenever Asha saw small flowers, she’d call them dwarf flowers.

That meant…

That meant that there might be something hidden in the smaller latuillises…!

Even though he was aware of how he’d come off as a fool, he bent over and searched among the flowers.

Taimon asked once more, and again, received no response.

And soon after, he found it.

A small paper concealed under the small petals.

His hands trembled as he unrolled the tightly wrapped paper – hiding letters in flowers was something he’d done with Asha as well.

Once he learned how to use those dots to read and write letters for Asha, they’d used flowers as a mailbox.

So this made no sense.

Something like this… was impossible.

How was it that that woman kept reminding him of the memories he’d had with Asha?

How…?!

The unrolled paper, at a glance, had nothing written on it.

There were only small holes pierced into it.

Hadel slowly placed his fingers on the paper and went over it.

The bumpy holes followed a particular pattern.

It was braille from Asha, who he’d never thought he’d see again.

<Hadel. I’m alive. I’m being watched, so I need a place where the two of us can talk alone. I’ll wait for you, just like on the night of my coming-of-age. –Your Asha.>

The night of her coming-of-age.

The day he’d heard that she was coming of age, he couldn’t sleep together with Asha.

Although they parted ways to separate rooms, he’d ended up missing Asha so much, he’d snuck into her room.

“Your Majesty…?”

Hadel had crumpled the paper.

At the same time, his expression faltered and he collapsed.

Taimon worriedly called out to him, as this was the first time he’d ever seen the Emperor in this odd state. But still, he received no reply.

Instead, Hadel smoothed his face with the palm of his hand, breathing deeply.

“Please…”

From Hadel’s lips, a broken voice trickled out.

It was a voice desperate and heartrending.

* * *

Rahu had been full of distress lately.

Despite being given orders from his master, Duke Valkirino, he did not want to follow them.

Was it because he pitied the innocent girl who lived in the grasp of the Emperor, not knowing when she would be killed?

Regardless, these kinds of thoughts were unnecessary.

They were never a good sign.

“Haa… dammit.”

He couldn’t help but think about the girl who had just been in a good mood because of a walk.

As well as the sight of her trembling in fear after meeting that bastard tyrant Emperor.

She was a tenderhearted girl who would tearfully stare at the sky all day long. Then, she would play with the chicks whenever she got bored.

Although he felt an unidentifiable emotion building up, he shook his head.

He was a person who had no right to think badly of the Emperor.

Since he, too, was waiting for the moment that woman died for the opportunity to attack the Emperor.

But if the Emperor didn’t kill her, once that time came, he’d…

“Haa.”

He was so pathetic and trash-like.

Harming a frail, innocent girl was not something a warrior of the Ru Tribe did.

Was this really the right path for them?

The Ru Tribe had received extreme discrimination after they were occupied by the Empire.

Although the fact that they looked very distinct from the Empire’s citizens played a big role, due to there being no laws protecting them, they were always susceptible to kidnapping and acts of violence.

That was why the children of the Ru Tribe couldn’t wander around freely, since nobody knew when or where they could be kidnapped and sold as a slave.

But Duke Valkirino was continuously making efforts to save the tribe members.

The Duke had promised that once this got properly resolved, he would liberate everyone and give them protection.

“Haa…”

Lost in thought, Rahu shook his head, his stare burning holes into the ground, and sighed once again.

Then suddenly.

“Huh?”

A gust of wind flew past.

Spring was soon approaching, so strong bursts of winds were odd.

Something felt off.

He quickly looked inside the bedroom. The lights were off, and it was silent.

There was a blanket covering the woman and she was in deep sleep.

Was it just the wind?

Rahu hopped back onto the tree and jumped to the roof of the palace.

The glaring moonlight seemed to be more brilliant than usual.

* * *

Quite a lot of time passed after night fell.

It was still as cold as ever, so I made sure to hug the blankets close.

Since I was closing my eyes, it felt like sleep was weighing down on me, but I used all the strength I had to endure.

I mustn’t fall asleep.

He would definitely come.

If it was Hadel, he definitely would.

How much time had passed?

I didn’t notice when the door opened, but I felt someone’s presence next to me.

The room was deafeningly silent as Hadel and I met eyes.

My goodness, Hadel. It seems you’ve gotten even more skilled.

I really didn’t hear anything.

Neither of us spoke, but I could see it.

Your eyes, which had become swollen.

The ends of your nose, which had been smudged red.

I slowly reached out to Hadel and his trembling hand covered my own.

But then—

everything turned upside down.

“!”

I barely managed to hold in my scream.

In Hadel’s arms, I could only hold onto his collar.

Since he was moving so fast, I couldn’t properly open my eyes.

Where were we going?

My ear, which was pressed against Hadel’s chest, could hear it thumping pleasantly.

Badump.

Badump.

Badump badump.

In a flash, we left the Lily Palace and arrived at the abandoned pavilion that was located in the outermost corner of the palace.

Hadel carefully let me down.

And then, we silently stared at each other for a long time.

Although Hadel’s lips twitched several times, he didn’t say anything.

What should I say?

Although I imagined our reunion countless times, I never thought it’d be a secret meeting at an abandoned pavilion.

But there was something I wanted to tell you as soon as I met you.

“Hadel.”

To call your name…

“I’m sorry.”

…and apologize for forgetting you for 10 years.

At my whisper, Hadel’s pink eyes began trembling.