Chapter 3
“How? Where to…”
“Follow me. Doesn’t the temple force too many stuffy rules upon you?”
“But…”
“Come on, in times like this, you say, ‘Let’s go quickly, Your Highness.'”
He spoke like a good teacher and led Akarna by the hand.
I can’t forget the memories of that day.
Where on earth was the hidden back gate in the temple that allowed a person to slip out? Where did he find such shabby robes to conceal one’s appearance? How had the ever-present guards suddenly turned into commoner friends? Everything unfolded so smoothly, feeling both strange and fascinating.
The Crown Prince, who had changed his deep black hair into a more common brown color using some method, quickly changed his demeanor and acted like a commoner. Seeing him without his splendid adornments, looking like an ordinary village youth, made Ji-woo’s heart flutter again.
Once outside, she felt as if she could breathe freely. For the first time, as an ordinary person, not as Akarna, she had escaped the stifling temple.
Honestly, when the Crown Prince, entering a tavern without hesitation, ordered grilled sausages and dark beer, she nearly shed tears. The temple forced a frugal lifestyle upon her, so she had no choice but to consume small amounts of food as if undergoing ascetic training, but originally, Ji-woo was a modern person from Earth who ordered fried chicken and cracked open a beer on days when something good happened.
The dripping, greasy meat and the dark beer were truly delicious. The feeling of heavy, juicy food and that sharp, pleasant scent going down her throat after so long could only be described as sheer ecstasy.
As Ji-woo, her face flushed, savored the food, she soon heard a light laugh.
The Crown Prince was resting his chin on the table, smiling.
“I didn’t know our Akarna was so fond of alcohol.”
“Well… Is it… alright to say that?”
“Huh? Ah, the word ‘Akarna’? It’s fine. ‘Akarna’ doesn’t just refer to the temple’s Akarna; it’s also a vulgar term for a beloved lover.”
Smiling reassuringly at the flustered, wide-eyed Ji-woo, the Crown Prince grinned.
When he chided the knights for saying he always spoke sappy words when they came to places like this, his face looked like that of a mountain village youth. Perhaps it was the tipsiness coming on after so long, but Ji-woo’s heart raced even at that sight of him.
After that day, their outings together became even more frequent. Once the dam had been broken, it was easier afterwards.
Moreover, experiences like this were far more effective in helping Ji-woo speak smoothly than systematically learning letters and words. The temple didn’t like Akarna meeting the Crown Prince, but the more they opposed, the more frequently their passion burned.
Sometimes they went out to the marketplace. They looked at cheap trinkets, and she also received gifts the Crown Prince bought for her without ulterior motives.
The necklace made of a deep blue raw stone reminded her of the sky that day. A clear sky without a single cloud. It felt like receiving a gift of the memories they had made together on such a fine day. Afraid she might lose or damage it if she carried it around, Ji-woo carefully hid it away in her sleeping quarters.
Another day, instead of language lessons, she learned horseback riding from the Crown Prince and ran across the plains of this land for the first time. It was scary at first, but she soon grew accustomed to it. She began to have enough peace of mind to enjoy the cheerful sound of hoofbeats, the rapidly changing scenery, and even the wind ruffling her hair.
“How is it? Is it not beautiful?”
In the distance, a large windmill turned amidst a vast farming village. Red and blue patchwork roofs, a wide, meandering river, and tall, tower-like grain storage silos lined up. The scenery of white clouds floating in the deep blue sky was like a scene from a fairy tale.
Looking down at the living world from a high hill, the Crown Prince properly introduced the country he ruled.
Distinct four seasons, fertile land, abundant resources, and wise people. The unparalleled, developed empire that other nations envied and obeyed.
The Holy Capital, where the god’s voice reached, was also within the empire. Akarna had also descended through the empire. Therefore, the empire was worthy of being called the land blessed by god.
“But the empire wasn’t always such a bountiful land from the beginning.”
“Is that so?”
“You, too, as Akarna, have purified land eroded by mana, haven’t you?”
“Yes.”
Land where monsters had passed, leaving a black aura of erosion. Barren land where crops couldn’t be planted, nor could other structures be built.
If humans lived in such a place for a long time, they would fall ill. A disease where the body slowly turned black before dying, and at the moment of death, they would spew mana into the surroundings. Therefore, catching that disease was like a sentence of being cast out from human society and dying a lonely death.
It was no exaggeration to say that the nation’s borders were formed by that mana-eroded land. The frontier garrison protected the people from battles with monsters rather than human invaders.
But Akarna was unaffected by mana’s influence. Rather, she could heal the sick and purify the land tainted with mana. The fact that the empire could expand its territory even when other places were threatened by monsters was also thanks to Akarna.
It was only natural that numerous nations bowed their heads to the empire, possessing such formidable conditions.
“In the past, most of the land was said to be such wasteland. The empire’s soldiers drove out the monsters threatening people, and Akarnas like you purified the polluted land. That long history created the present empire.”
As he spoke, the Crown Prince seemed proud of the ancestors who cultivated this land, the imperial family into which he was born, and the people. Even if worries arose, they would quickly dissipate; his firm, strong cheeks exuded pride for his country.
“But… the land polluted by mana is gradually expanding. If we let our guard down even a little, monsters swarm. What do you think of the act of saving suffering people and expanding the land where they can live peacefully?”
Ji-woo was a little surprised because she hadn’t expected him to ask for her opinion. Not wanting to give the impression that she was taking it lightly, Ji-woo thought for a long time.
It was easy to judge when she recalled the tasks the temple asked of her. When she healed people’s wounds or cured their illnesses, they wept and kissed the hem of her clothes. While expelling mana from the land was difficult, when she received crops that were experimentally grown in the purified land the first year as a gift, she even felt a sense of pride.
She had only thought of it as difficult… but looking back, it wasn’t without reward.
“I think it’s the right thing to do.”
“Yes. However, there are still many in this land who do not accept that help.”
“Has the hand of aid not reached them yet?”
“No. They do not accept it. The other races don’t even try to believe in the Sacred Power, and the alchemists outside the walls blaspheme against divinity.”
The Crown Prince looked out at the horizon in the distance and spoke.
Truth be told, she didn’t quite understand. Ji-woo had never seen a monster in person. But she had seen depictions of monsters, heard descriptions of their appearance, and witnessed how terribly those affected by mana could transform. Since they were being saved from that, she couldn’t think of a reason to forcibly refuse.
“You don’t understand either, do you?”
Ji-woo thought briefly about the religions on Earth.
If, like the world Ji-woo originally lived in, the substance of something like ‘Sacred Power’ were invisible, then the existence of atheists would be justified. Ji-woo herself hadn’t believed in gods either. But here, the temple truly healed the sick and drove out monsters. So, she didn’t understand.
Yet, Ji-woo inadvertently defended her past self.
“Well, if they haven’t directly witnessed a divine miracle, not believing would be the more rational judgment. And no one has the right to infringe upon their freedom.”
“…You say astonishing things sometimes. Is it because you are Akarna?”
The Crown Prince was surprised but soon laughed lightly and continued.
“I don’t just want to change the empire, but this entire world into a slightly more livable place. Some might call it a foolish idea, but I want to save even those people. Even if they look different from us, even if their way of thinking is different, they are also beings who must coexist and live on this land.”
Sunlight illuminated his straight forehead and the bridge of his nose. A gentle breeze ruffled his hair. It seemed as if the scent of warm sunlight came from somewhere.
When he swept back his disheveled bangs and smiled brightly again, Ji-woo stood frozen to the spot, unable to move. It felt as if she was cut off from the world, all senses blocked, alone with him. So much so that she only realized later how fiercely her heart was pounding.
“I think that’s admirable too.”
“Thank you.”
The Crown Prince extended his hand.
“Then, will you help me?”
The wind swept once more across the wide plain and through his hair. A cool, refreshing wind also swept through her heart.
She didn’t know when she had fallen. Perhaps she had loved him even before that. But the moment she became aware of the love taking root in her heart was definitely then.
Unable to connect her heart to this world or the temple, she had come to love this world because of the Crown Prince. So she dedicated herself, so she made an effort. When her heart, chasing after him, was rewarded, she cried embarrassingly, sobbing loudly. But she was happy. Even when the duties of Akarna were difficult, thinking of it as part of the process of building a future with him made it much more rewarding.
Who would have known that that heart would be so cruelly betrayed?
