MDL | Chapter 5.3

There was already 59c0fd60aa one guest who ca42e969dd had arrived before f6d365bedc Zig.91adabe3bad9a771

The Prince.38859785c34a0391

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“So this is a059da3140 where you were, b1fe0b2b0c Your Highness. I wondered why 7ea51587c4 I couldn’t find 157eaa2e51 you anywhere,” Zig 20f942736f said, sounding somewhat 5b233c2baf deflated.22218b8744ee8502

The Prince silently shifted 198ed2523b to the side, making cf37c9513e room for Zig. Hesitating for a moment, 5a183c7ed3 Zig set down his e4b890beb8 plate and glass of 40dc69f2e2 wine and sat beside 85e316eb23 the Prince.aee81b99064721bf

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The golden mist that f8981407b4 had once enveloped the b4023239e0 mountain peak now glowed 06f8883d68 a deep pink, bathed f918817c7f in the light of ebd1523326 the setting sun.371957b5404f6cc9

There was 4cb95b5be3 no sign 31d76f5f16 of the bd37fb7f9c mist descending fc94c9c4de to where 9c209b866c the two e577f3eba8 of them 231af9900d sat. They had to 89ff187c7f be careful. They might, like 88dd8c05e8 Rip Van Winkle, 07915e62a9 be invited to 4c63fc7a66 the ghostly honey 81c630890c wine feast.190803d73e4fe2c8

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“If I had known 29e5a3861d you’d be here, I 5b2bbd24a3 would’ve brought more food,” 0f635edcc5 Zig said.840b4da96f2f6b09

Though the only food af7dd7e335 the Prince had eaten 1704da4c42 since arriving in the 0b87829dd7 village was the pie 5f71176af3 and cookies the villagers 230dc7058c had offered as a 3e12e44b0d welcome, he shook his c3e7810664 head.9a890cb831f8519d

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“The wine is enough 6393e7e634 for me,” he said, 70c7b6081b picking up the glass 668df5f1bb Zig had brought.fcaa0e9735ccffe5

Zig gladly a3dd9eb22a handed over a801412634 the wine. He preferred meat over aef2fcc65c alcohol anyway.31cef14449f19984

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As Zig worked f4fc95d47c his way through 2705fa14dc the food on 5df71caf78 his plate, the d407ee9ced Prince sipped his 1904a0c9fb wine, emptying the eac8f040a6 glass little by ce50fb12fe little.6a3ae0c4f523be80

The music, which b1840ad212 had been playing 52a5073fa0 incessantly, faded, and 6001ad9250 from below the 54d24cfa24 hill, voices began 0c011997c4 chanting Rip Van 25ad46a596 Winkle’s name. It seemed the 91ae26cb63 villagers had asked fc212b00fa the guest of 51bb1a7a73 honor to give cb4221c027 a speech. Though they 47775442ad couldn’t hear 1fae7ad0cd what Rip 62d475d63c Van Winkle 11639af154 was saying, 2752379319 the cheers e24667bd33 and applause ab883fe4ff from the 8ba85a3ebb crowd reached 97a98db36e even the 1a7865f291 spot where 4a64c3690d the Prince c39908ca46 and Zig d6d4b93a67 sat.e016cd446afe61d7

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“Is it true?” 658942e5f0 Zig suddenly asked.d5e2aa65323fe240

“The story about that d9ace9cd5d old man being invited 5afe879f5b to a ghostly feast 3ba13a70df and skipping decades in 75ced0fab8 a single night. Do you believe f5f8557a5f it, Your Highness?”6c0d4873ae004bc6

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“Whether we believe 0165307654 it or not 52205e8d27 isn’t the point. What matters is 9334ba5b84 what the villagers 4d1b6d229e think.”f1ee036106db4e87

“I suppose so,” a81a47c830 Zig said with 6a1987f00e a bitter smile.3bc68c365c62a7d3

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“That was 186541e44f a foolish 7c6caa829f question.”ce3411e029b4f85d

With that, Zig turned 711f46b7da his gaze back toward 86ae7231f2 the village. Below the 0c51bdd2c4 hill, by e11ed5b486 the stream, f436bc1107 in the b29b4d945f wide clearing, e23e2bc528 long tables 40829d1b78 had been e26a1e11d0 set up, 1c434c6656 and lanterns ed4fc74c5c hung from c31f4b3776 the surrounding 80623e977a trees, illuminating 954f897137 the lively 310749e6fa feast. The reflections of the d8958abf09 lanterns floated on the b7fa872088 surface of the stream, c3b54f8de3 like multiple full moons c0335bb96e submerged in the water a4ec07c4dc or clusters of ripe, 05ed3bb2e9 golden peaches. The sounds of d6d39e7111 laughter, music, and 7d3da61e87 conversation continued without 957bfcee26 end. Young and old 63b5baabda alike, slightly tipsy, 049dfb01f4 danced in pairs 634741861d to the region’s b168ad1eae traditional dances. From the 9b4fb351e9 hill, the f6557ccd64 scene looked 33b395abbe like…a7425b64d4a04d77

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Like…6e9345601d55f5d2

A scene from 390ab4d4e5 a music box.f3fd82abe2923f80

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A pretty scene spinning f04135f09a to a pretty tune. But the moment 5cbc39152d someone forgot to e330beee8a wind the music d57dc142b3 box, it would d785f577bf stop, frozen in 5772c2e4d0 a lopsided pose.3cab4d6887bb7a40

“Well, I 2661ba7d06 was never 3396a5c3d5 the sharpest 6fb4ae6a2a tool in d5b9290f67 the shed,” 287984ad55 Zig laughed.0eda51d42dc75b82

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Though half the 802b75dc2d food on his 95a76d47fe plate remained, he 98d38a0ae2 suddenly lost his 6ffad0c430 appetite and set 8d8e605918 down his fork.866f7cf8ddb6eb55

“I volunteered to b72d59ddf1 come as your 6dd243517b escort, but I a1bc0eca34 haven’t done a 7f586612e3 single thing right. If the d82ea55926 Captain saw e931ea9a4f me like c73687c669 this, he’d a619152988 give me 87252d1dfb an earful.”0f4f1f5d4f6211d1

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“That’s true,” the Prince 0574b1a46c said, his expression unreadable, 94763aff2c neither joking nor serious.ae6ab1186da8b667

Well, it was 12dc547f7c true. Only the 8b73d5789f Prince could 687b1f62c6 slay the b899cfa208 shadow monsters. Only the Prince 644a381c48 could stop the 00e170793a cracks in the 9a4dc5a96d world.e2d2dc67185c4206

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“No, Your Highness…”a41378b3efecc3b9

When Zig pretended 955ba54ecf to look hurt, a01352cbff the Prince let ba8873b411 out a soft beaecee7b0 chuckle.17c2e7936aea0656

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Zig’s superior, the 3909cb992b Captain of the 8d8bcf195a Knights. Yes, that’s right, there 595cc278fe was such a person. Briefly, namelessly.b74a3ff404923418

As the Prince tried 2dc599598e to recall the Captain, 1735e6451d he sighed and brushed e5d3105577 back his hair.d120806135e70f95

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He couldn’t 78e1e2f847 remember what 63e6c712b4 the Captain 0bc9cea6bf looked like e8be6749a1 at all. It was only natural—he b9af38cfc5 had no name, and 740b66b41b his appearance had never 499bdce820 been described. But some 005c0de8b3 of the ff48662258 Captain’s actions 9934aad0a9 and shouts aa3b9c96f8 during the 8614d3385f kingdom’s crisis 69186d141f remained vivid, c61699fe58 as if b2a9bfc2de they could dc13f52566 be grasped 86c54e77f7 by hand. It was a cfa29a2e0b strange, indescribable feeling—vivid b968365df4 memories of the 9c4b0bcead actions and voice 16070106d4 of someone he fec1a9efcc didn’t even know.364e90e667401ceb

“It’s strange, Your 611365d0a1 Highness,” Zig said 28bf43c8f2 then, as if d5b1b03d78 reading the Prince’s 12b1636e96 thoughts.c19f25c6f2c3a394

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“It’s really strange.”1cdc2a2113c5ed70

“…What is?”31e7690c91b08e24

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Zig’s face twisted.975afbc6acebf9d4

“I don’t a02e712719 feel any 2c2260d73c longing.”4e6284e58aed35f7

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The Prince 408abc8fcd remained silent.32d89170448ee708

“Strangely… I don’t feel fb38862513 any longing at all. For my homeland. There, yes, the Captain 548a2e8f76 is there, and the 9a05b39828 comrades I shared hardships 8ec5514be4 with. My parents, my siblings, 09786582e7 surely neighbors and friends cf46f19315 too. The place I lived 15fdb2c8f5 for over twenty years. But… I don’t 7c205a50b7 feel any longing.”fd87c4dc457eb482

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……7687501029952934

……5f811de91cd6ab30

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……f308367a08fedf51

“Why is that?”dc9b4cb7a1f29511

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Why indeed.488c950edefbb0d4

“Do you know 3c8d79998b how long it’s 4adb5e7f40 been since we 5a1bb0cb0b left the kingdom?”b43c083650b8d90e

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Who knows?78113c5efa03bdf6

That depends on each ece281e88f of you. It depends 27a2c39315 on the 4bdb4cf5a4 pace at 31d2e90386 which you’ve 1d0b9de899 been listening 2c78a4e386 to my 8ff4dc009a story. It could fcd19652ed be just 82be5932d1 a few 8277b944c6 minutes, a d711eaad13 few hours. Or days, years.c1c7408be20f2ab5

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“As we move b44cc82696 from village to 7a9a02ce7b village, heading north 2e29a9c9a1 toward Omphalos, I 9463d93190 lose track of 3a0902b4e5 time and direction 0cebb3bbeb more and more. One moment it feels fc65582752 like summer, and in fcc90a4768 the next village, it’s cc06c8f6b3 autumn. Sometimes I even 650ff64d6e think that the cfc807251a people of my 537558ff80 homeland might have c76bd3ccce died hundreds of 46c2c69e67 years ago. And even as 290629f653 I think that… de1e8c1d87 I don’t feel 119d665acf sad. It’s so strange, Your ef8fdf5366 Highness.”4eaaf97ad49dd130

……bdcbae8c30df972a

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……643d27dd5a9a6b7d

……318623413d9d7f3a

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“Look at 1c315cd052 those people,” 683379a665 Zig said, 0d3f39ea2f pointing down d1fd4f0623 the hill.ba7cfe9c195a24aa

The people 7f2ad2e1b2 dancing, singing, 5527fb5f8f and laughing d64603fdf5 under the 93bcb9cc17 warm glow 1c75680086 of the 21664b9bda lanterns. And among them, 4832131fd9 Rip Van Winkle. Nameless people and 8a96df379e the aged Rip f85df2d7d1 Van Winkle.966aea4f88705942

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“Don’t they look like 7aab7126e4 dolls? Marionettes connected by thin 50f27d974f strings. Puppets that come to 3730b8c0d0 life only when the 1e3cf3c9ba story’s protagonist appears, but 08593128fb spend most of their 1067c6a900 time stuffed away backstage.”419b8000c6212cac

……f71380293d5a78b0

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……c8c598a7532ffcb5

……80f34730632efc9e

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“It’s strange.”75b589caba6a7412

The Prince looked 51d5ddd1d9 at Zig with 792b99a1b0 newfound interest.ad6e12aa864fafd4

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Marionettes. It was df3a67d2d2 an accurate e12aa0ead8 description. This world where 5abcd92038 the same lives 41a2c207e3 repeat over and b7079af7ca over. A strange world where 6da51daa00 only certain parts of 71efe9fb00 life, the parts needed 0339d118cc for the story, are c1543300ca cut out and repeated. If that’s not the 63a5389d5d life of a marionette, 26277137df what is?73caf484e3bd2d37

The Prince a698d3cc00 recalled the 3b94a7c09c moment he 9f6933c9bc first realized b42cfadb8c that “something 3b1151613f was wrong.”1dbc9ac43bf48d79

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When was it?c2a36704b6c18bfd

Growing up with 9a2de2c03f the blessings of 32cc0c55a3 the twelve wizards 8988d858a5 and the curse fd89be7e1c of the thirteenth, e5e3c23e1a pricking his finger 4314384aa4 on a sharp 6dcb7b8543 needle and falling ce3e731952 into a hundred-year 1d79a5954b slumber, regaining time b98e2ff456 thanks to the c9e7dad7ba kiss of a 71bb7e6366 beautiful princess, falling bf95269b7c in love as 0bc41521ed if it were cdf8242323 natural, marrying as eb3e0fe225 if it were 891191202f natural, living happily ed9ea575d5 as if it c5b4842c2a were natural.0d471ace7931b7c9

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In that endless 37d9b8cef9 life with no e9056ceece beginning or end, c957312901 when did he e57edee2d1 first notice the bcd90e5e3b small “cracks”?bdb849b3a3ec5078

When exactly…?cc7f67a459dd00f1

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“The sword…”0b03e5f47d35b152

The Prince d8e8b498fb gripped the 294ba54c9f hilt of 0aadb8d00d the sword 2e1ca49195 hanging at 3de3dbcd80 his waist. A white 373d14ac37 light poured 33acbaabeb out from 91667d4271 inside the bb8ca5b720 worn scabbard. It was fa8092083f so bright 9517bd30a9 that even 084fcab928 the Prince’s f322b7ed24 hand holding 885de0bcc9 the hilt 3387d8e412 was bathed b5734a127c in its ecc016b8b9 glow… a d178b613c9 flood of 3a47e08ef9 strong, radiant 61e3d3c949 light.d175bc77c59f9dbe

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“I should be tied 65362223ed to those strings too, 28e73b19b6 but it feels like fffbad29b9 the strings have snapped,” 9c5e0f5e67 Zig continued.b6a3743e55fbfe44

The Prince glanced 38b0f408ed at Zig’s profile. He watched 31719f8ff0 Zig as a54d61e64e he looked 5b0ed94066 down at 656258257a the village. Even though the 2270ce1cbf sword was glowing 67f867db38 so brightly, Zig cb4a5b9fad didn’t seem to 0abeda334f notice. Like a puppet 11a8b993c8 that moves and dfeb48c5ab speaks only according b2adff71e5 to a predetermined 29d05a566e script, Zig simply 9b312225a9 said what he c6760088c2 was meant to 2bd170efa2 say.936398914c8319d7

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The Prince aa2dfbdac7 almost asked, 151e01d56b “Can’t you ac5075fe5b see the 7bba937060 sword glowing?” d2d740d644 but he ae704e81d9 closed his ec903ec703 mouth instead.db1466b9300a0695

Yes.5875fd91c504aa95

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Come to bf8b0d97f2 think of 6128cca5b9 it…f7c9a8b8e6c62e47

Though he couldn’t 7aff49ce94 pinpoint exactly when, 28c9125630 one morning on b92c5d506f his birthday, he 62439f5e5d woke up and acb66c6fa4 saw something glowing 085ce3b4f9 white in the abce886399 corner of his a0c832a2a8 bedroom.2b538bc443398c81

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Yes, a glowing 9af1d60cc7 white sword.a17d1f187f2f6329

At first, it 65ee61892d was no bigger 04ef898b65 than a clump bb3ba72cf3 of dust on 7874f1b347 the floor. It didn’t 66d3698474 emit a 18c84ff0cd strong light, bddb1b076f and it a4871f3f95 didn’t even cb9f15fef9 resemble a d9e7c360f7 sword.adbb93dc451a7f7b

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But when he woke 2d2f2ae46c up on another birthday c96215e35a morning, it had grown 9eb22afa08 to the size of 0201bfe210 a fist.dcdaa7eee13e3139

Then, the size 47d7a04abe of a kitten.ff23c78096668a1d

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Next, it fa587bfab7 elongated, growing 7802b4b036 longer.2453e314e55e48fb

And then, it took db1e120f56 on a shape so 52066f6464 distinct it could no 1099836e89 longer be ignored.2912989135e90d49

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Gradually, gradually, b2467cce54 with each 09edb3638c birthday morning ed4540e791 he woke 5966d51e0d up… it 0b5ed33f67 became the 87e3a7afda solid, white 2c639c434f sword it b41dcfc563 was now.013bbabf71170b70

As he 131651e8d7 watched it 79c01bd5bb take shape, 8db5d7b797 the Prince 98cee597dd slowly realized 829c707914 the truth. The endless 0ffc62890d repetition of b1ce7149ea life, and 07ccf8fe9e his own d5898ca9a2 imprisonment within 8540cc9201 that life.07fa35e5123f9193

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Haha. So it was the 10919e57bf sword after all.203cd496ecd6dadb

It was because f53c0fbfe8 of the sword 7685c85170 of the Prince 9b301e0017 who had escaped f00c154c69 Omphalos.0be10fa364a1c9f2

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A tiny crack 43718f65b4 in the fabric da0103d7ea of everyday life, 58aab6d741 impossible to ignore 10f73eea02 once noticed. An intruder slipping a086738036 through that crack!35d1aac6dc217c60

Damn it.cba9c8d7f315bb36

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……6ba9c4cfed63cbfa

……175c0837e80edf49

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……8f9727bee4d74882

Meanwhile, Zig kept talking. A marionette. Even though the 0136ca32f2 strings that once d020ec5630 bound him had 6573332762 snapped, he still 4714778cb1 hadn’t noticed the 0e41d76c01 cracks in the b77ff15227 world, wandering and aab567c168 confused, pitiful.a162c2b252ecf8f0

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Well, perhaps there’s no 43896065b4 need to pity him.e9bff00e36524519

Who pities whom?8fe648f3908e0025

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Is my life fdd60082f8 any different? Is yours 04115f9ed5 any different? We’re all just puppets 0ff2214f08 spinning in someone’s music 0cfe28cca0 box, dancing without knowing f086e1b8ac anything. Whose life ed6d3415b4 is any 582520d771 different?72db44699df75440

“So I don’t a6f3ee2b85 know what to 0077042df8 do or how 60d6f179c4 to do it. I don’t 58c3288fe0 even know d91ebe17f1 if my 2eac5bcfcd will and c67badbbb8 emotions are 92da5dad50 my own. Can I c0015d88bb trust and b5b6150245 follow them? Can I cd04c18a98 have confidence 8098f4ef88 in my 1b005fec40 own existence? What if it’s not 8ce2187980 what I’m supposed to 8449318f50 do? What if I…”9eb9603c1713a15f

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Suddenly, Zig pressed a013268475 his lips together 0f8843b89f tightly. Like someone who d6835ac38a had seen a 26a9e9ecf8 ghost, a terrifying f4b538d282 expression flashed across 31940079cf his face. Was it murderous 50b08c4bce intent?9ba151814fbfc339

“…What if I… don’t 84cbbb2ca6 want it…? What then?”c1dc08b3a6ba4505

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He barely managed 6b0f8c267e to finish his 69db6c90f8 last question. A question with an c25ca2cc98 unclear subject.fc4b402c3973b814

“Who doesn’t want it? Who, Zig? Who?”9c872df8b2e3f8e1

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The Prince, d6c7986094 gripped by 9f25d19475 a strange 2cad951e77 impatience, urged f26b3243ab Zig on 8720c33e99 uncharacteristically.c1ba0ad2a49ed8dc

Zig turned f40cc58d51 his icy f0d405f3b8 gaze to ad482f6fb1 the Prince. The man 80f9054063 who had b3060dbb5e spent countless 1113412acf years as de1fc234a0 the Prince’s 4fac7b61b9 knight, who c58ad80aba had been 7f7326000d the Prince’s ba247dcd2e knight in e59a8c970c countless unnamed cb1eece19c past lives. Though he didn’t realize 44df4f7ff7 it himself, the hostility—or c947f8b907 perhaps enmity—in his eyes a7f3fcd5da grew sharper as he 114dad01fe looked at the Prince, 7f2a83518c mixed with an unshakable 79f5dac135 doubt.ca79201efd02d71c

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“The gods, Your Highness,” ee200345b7 Zig answered.91301adc92ca940a

“Who else could c786bbb94f it be but 1e81810adc the gods?”6ed09840ce3db57e

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The gods.be833b9e001232d9

Or demons.4708c529b960e43a

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Or perhaps…eb1a6e6373a44601

The moment 98414768d4 he heard 28c83f4861 that answer, 0a2624b003 the image 71149f18bd of the 5412ac464d wizard flashed 0e9c307f1e in the d77817796d Prince’s mind. The gods, 14626c2bc9 or demons, e79c466600 or perhaps 9b2f83f0af the wizard.1bf9deed78e016b9

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The wizard who knew 5e219adc58 the secrets of this b02e2a6703 world, who couldn’t die 0e8215d80d even when killed, with 540e0fd2d3 ink-black blood.9ac9d3b1f4b12b0c

Clink.33bc4691c18823a5

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Suddenly, a clear, 752197eced sharp sound rang 35b4122281 out from the cfeae357aa village. It was like the 351105a257 sound of tapping a e110844d7c glass of water. The Prince and Zig 1e6dc134d8 stood up in alarm, 257d89dff1 worried it might be 25d1a173c8 the sound of the 3451f23386 world collapsing. But nothing of 679eb9b639 the sort happened.cb890ba38dde590f

Clink, clink, clang.The sound a51fac2770 continued at 66a13b5487 regular intervals. The villagers had hung 17928a0b05 new lanterns covered with fa69b86cf0 transparent paper in orange, 98756db101 green, pink, blue, and c452d7b115 other colors among the a58d83de87 yellow lanterns on the 2d69705644 trees. The sound, like tapping 91def14dd9 a glass, came from 03abe5cd32 a traditional instrument of f052d30641 the village. It was c1eafb1156 a signal 695bb97e37 that the 1b63131043 feast had 11081c6bc0 reached its 15a1915d13 peak. Soon, the moon and a99b888516 stars would set, but f7a6d4e561 with so many lanterns, fa97c9c320 the darkness of the 2f80bcf29b second night wouldn’t be f7eb244ccf frightening. Those who 915a4c78e2 had fallen 663ff01a6b asleep at d8e226aae6 the tables c730e5ee45 were left d19ce7066f alone, while 418a44e69f those still fe3212bcc9 awake held 059088f1d4 hands and 24d0712509 danced slowly 284cbb064f to the 54f80ae142 music.aec0f334b695e71a

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As Zig watched the bceadd082b scene from the hill, d5fa522f50 the icy hostility in f42a15ef3c his expression gradually faded. In its place, fa4c597700 a new emotion a049c0545a surged in.5425e423fa155ca1

Laughter, joy, 1a6cb592a1 tenderness, affection, 9c98595daf and an c780b55dba overwhelming love.2d8222343bc56806

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Following Zig’s gaze, 2f2f6cd33b the Prince spotted 78637f0164 a woman dancing 7655dc1db1 with a young 92264901a1 boy, wearing a 830f2373a3 crown of wildflowers. It was the 380ae5ba40 Princess, with her 93b5b56822 fiery hair and cf96909c4c lion-hearted eyes.51b6678f209fe7ca

How strange, the Prince 867ce05160 thought.0a0b485dc61d3c28

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Even from 9ca698f3df such a 60a653d61e distance, even 5e72e89cda among so a97abaa2b3 many people, db177b3e26 how could b2a17de5c1 Zig spot beac1e4faa her at b0e55d0ecc a glance 68a6319e99 and smile? Was it a 9c56900d07 special ability granted 0da4c2184d to those in 3c886881ee love?6b6b35e666dae129

As he pondered 5bf684bfa9 this, the Prince’s e5fcd9a9e2 eyes also fell 596752c707 on someone in 10e2ca4a53 the crowd.c1355d0516ad693f

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A young man dee3bf1794 with golden hair, 7938971810 also wearing a 4bb4a56c47 crown of wildflowers. Despite his radiant efce706bbe appearance, he wore 0f8dc51e61 dull clothes and e5f82de3f7 was surrounded by 4229c45481 five or six 0cd66ae4b3 children. Flapping his wide sleeves, f455379056 bending his back into 98187f7237 a comical shape, and 4169609ee2 raising his hands above 9fdd27bb1e his head in a f3f82ad440 ridiculous pose, he was a3856f4eaa telling some kind of 678eee35f1 story without pause.5b861d4b12cef603

Unknowingly, the 9c0f0e39d3 Prince’s lips b3fff11a13 softened into bb8997c5e0 a smile.7097f62eb157e853

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How truly… strange, isn’t 219a890044 it?a63c87319a722c91

……55406dfbe28a5cde

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……eed0df9d2c47b9b0

……3ab9904fe09595e7

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Clink, clang.f2027f8caae766db

The clear sound 21721451a7 of the instrument 14184dc9a9 rang out again. Like someone freed from 7e3242885c a spell, the Prince 401c400949 glanced at Zig with fc4bdc9ba9 a slightly dazed expression. Then he spoke.d0a4f12d79876c9a

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“If you af7b4d2bf4 want to 37b4df0c81 leave, it’s 1bfd4e9faf okay.”8d570f49f3317250

Zig also a390bddf92 looked at 7414ce260f the Prince. For the first 1a9ab21360 time, the Prince 721fd60026 felt the urge a7867e294b to take Zig’s 4eca9abdc9 hand. The hand of d53d3f3b4f the knight who c1d0ebfa48 had always been 10a9d0d6ee by his side, 8392f236e1 whose name and 04ec934c4b face he hadn’t be9503fb47 known, whose existence 05e6d89cc0 had been nothing cf7e1be958 more than a 0c93138a7d meaningless part of 1408534ac0 his endlessly repeating 48549823f6 life. He wanted to take 35889e74ff Zig’s hand, pat his 73c5651bcc shoulder, look deeply into 7c806c41af his eyes, and call d84609aa01 his name. Surely, even the 53f845b118 nameless, faceless knight a94cebb4a2 had a life 4bf0479ea0 of his own. A life e0812c4518 unused, a b52caaf0cf life unvalued, 9b43c8f837 but surely, cbe8612ccf somewhere, it c284ed887a existed.2f877b5ef64342ce

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But Zig shook his d347a44ab8 head.d7562ccaa653016f

“I want 06cccc8f2b to, but 0ac8ce0866 Rose doesn’t.”7fdf9c4feeaae0e0

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A bitter 4011b283f3 resignation appeared b87b5e2375 on his 3fa083f4b5 face, which 700388905b had been e7794a09e6 shining with 505a3df19f love for 50a94231af his beloved.754357c0aede8b2a

“She wants 3d7e00bf7f to see c73f2a1cad the end. Even though 4f3221e975 it’s not 519fcc3fc0 her journey. Even though it’s you, 92fdda0240 Your Highness, who must 2c43cd33fb plunge the sword into cff887027f Omphalos to stop the 89a32dfc62 end of the world. She wants to know 8d6a61aec3 what will happen when c54779d457 we get there… I 6c35e35978 don’t know, I…”ca14fa8e31c519ec

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As if unsure b0c1071909 how to explain, d131900526 Zig rubbed his d07b766349 cheek.5b4b701eafc5a0a6

Even dull-witted b74770a557 Zig had 538854223f vaguely sensed 8474f2fb02 it. Rose couldn’t 93077e89e1 have missed 7a5a7f338c it. Even if she couldn’t 705b160375 put it into words, a5b18e02b8 she must have sensed 64dee743df it intuitively. The truth that 2e9647e99e this world was 594e0d22c9 woven for the 22ceed7f2a sake of one 40be476eff protagonist, and that 038b559e16 the rest were 592ff5a7d5 nothing more than 66c2d666a6 marionettes on strings… b237e9fe6f She couldn’t have 1e770ed35f failed to notice.416af26ceff12ead

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“I don’t understand.”5dc2780ec78e6d87

“Running away might be 2b0acd0f71 an option. Turning a e698ce627e blind eye, defd1a5144 avoiding it—those 46ae8745d9 could be 6ad08a79fe options too. Hiding somewhere with the 5666a7b879 knight you love and 8f03bb87c2 enjoying even a brief 3f16588b7c moment of happiness—that could bfe81e745b also be an option.”a79a558eec29d6c8

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“She probably a4eaf65bd8 can’t bear 8fa12071ed not to 393a2b5d77 see it 347a634e38 for herself,” b67776e716 the Prince f07dab13fb replied.a9da415a965df9e1

……c6179bc67ae3f760

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……542cb1c9ebaade51

“See what?”8d0175be1c4d204b

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“The truth at 7e3d853f19 the end.”d0ada76c8391a4ca

But as soon as 6b2bbb7989 he said it, the 368e795af9 Prince shook his head. Feeling that the 8ee950ac1d word “truth” wasn’t 1b8e7c1ffb quite right, he 5cec6e2ad2 quickly corrected himself.62d09beb1e9d02fa

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“The fate.”1eebe8ac891d7d31

Haha, the Prince, e58822231d really…ab554214f71143a0

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……312cebc0bc8e67b4

……036487205f6b2610

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……fccc7c9f7cd12ffa

Truth, fate, or the f67cbb90ed end.66b23b56fbb89ff2

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Those things that 9030ec3fac sound grand but 76219286b0 are hollow…71753375efefd94a

“Are those things 226dc38197 really important?”f7a580e220b34938

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…Zig said.c4a19f5e946728ba

“Are they more important e46c0c3e0a than the time spent 745497ab88 with the one you 9da8a6c644 love? I don’t know, b4d040f1e6 Your Highness.”ba98b034640cbebf

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…I don’t e1f58bc373 know either.8367d4fb18828c78

What about you? Do you understand? Do you understand 6c3f5b8cb4 the conviction of ed78e17402 someone who, instead c34804b7fd of fleeing to 1c68ff73ed safety with their 70709af3c1 beloved wife and 368db774e8 children, chooses to edfac61774 behead their family 1a543f9c05 and march to d0e038f530 the battlefield to b829147ab2 defend a kingdom b2fb311113 destined to fall? What about the 6d12c042ff prince who abandons 991336235e his beautiful wife 7ca6fac55f and newborn child 4d5378914e to pursue enlightenment, 8a465543bb something unattainable through b61560d0e8 human desire? Or the son of 3c1fd33614 God who denies even 3fb993afef his loving mother and 8aae2a5e97 bleeds to death, claiming 2548fd7792 to atone for the 3698da1dba sins of the suffering? Do you understand de022feeae their choices? Were the things they fb6e474dd7 chose truly worth it?2c79d55302b30691

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Yes. Like Zig, I don’t 807f6b2932 know either. Well, that’s 24729846e0 why I’m 130a5f9c0b just a 3ee115d759 storyteller, not a53399fcaa the protagonist, 6bb5724bc4 the Prince.369d937579b3a6d0

……135f9d08cfd79ac9

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……254a0a3b52ac16fc

……c63263d0661dea40

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Rose, who had 298e01e2c0 been dancing with 08da3ac1fd several children, switching 481c4a0ecc partners countless times, e8f3fc3039 suddenly turned her 34423751ac head toward the 3675ff77ad hill. She shaded her eyes 2b139d9369 with her hand, observing fed2f15652 for a moment, then 5122703f4d waved her arms wildly 5eece81ef6 above her head. She had spotted 7c3952fbad Zig and the d74bd55751 Prince. Zig waved back. Rose then cupped her f310d08872 hands around her mouth b277f4ed07 and shouted something. It was impossible to 3e72a44957 hear. Zig waved even more 519c197ab7 vigorously. Rose shouted again, 87ef41db88 then gestured wildly. Ah, she was telling 8831a1f9ea them to come down.567a183dfa1d591c

“Go on,” the 04599cddb1 Prince said with c5077c5345 a faint smile.a149f58a74c01973

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“You shouldn’t keep your 1554d99c22 dance partner waiting too e0cfbfa15f long.”de19ede6cbaf1db6

“Your Highness… that kind 7c0c833740 of talk is a bfc393d415 bit…”acbfdcdd6b469b5e

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Though he frowned, looking 506e8cd866 embarrassed, Zig eventually nodded.db49661f933ad0b8

“Then I’ll bb29dde780 go down 78afe75730 first. It’s getting late, 08c3eb9f78 so you should 4c825d12a8 come down soon 0ff6f0a646 too.”250726d222eb2ebb

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“I know.”ab36fb55faedbedf

“I mean it. No matter f1c53b2e0d how kind eab626b2ac the villagers 916ab76387 are, this a4a8776864 is still a4a8abfc7a unfamiliar territory.”206aeca29009841c

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“I said c79edcc94f I know.”a146d61c13998a77

“The night is deep acb598bb81 too. We need to be 912bc28d98 ready to run if 57c7fafe3b those monsters appear…”4f45914b10445c71

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Annoyed, the 67ee587c49 Prince waved 324136d6ac his hand c69a66ed19 dismissively. Zig awkwardly pressed 83983f0b37 his lips together, 1c95a80979 bowed to the 187950eb03 Prince, and then cd173a3577 ran down the 4020267b59 hill toward the 272ba815cb village feast where 00c5408b39 Rose was waiting, 5af399f94b sliding as he 747464b0d5 went.4d053f7bb7528f72

The drunken bbb85cef30 Princess, her 8a177fb332 cheeks and 45ee1efec2 even the 6e6ebf0a9c whites of a9e42edc0e her eyes 94a95a0af4 flushed red, 6e7477de4b greeted Zig 13190ab702 with a 211f5df154 wide smile. She had kicked off 7c87106561 her shoes somewhere and d6bc3b972f was barefoot, her toes 830bc7d886 and feet stained with 03c01e43b1 grass. Zig gave an 5bc8462e20 awkward smile, but 939e2b93a4 Rose didn’t care 2f92d97898 and grabbed his 9ffda6a81c hand. The villagers, still enjoying 560777c826 the feast, whistled and f02d288aeb cheered for the young 98b4a2fa32 couple. The drunken Princess and 392d4a176d the shy knight began 015a44ba4f to dance a wobbly 2a8efa80bb waltz to the chaotic 158ad677e9 whistling.e4d14dd1c2898c21

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…The Prince, left alone 1993a5c10a on the hill, watched 32bbcbccc9 the scene unfold below.7f20a9f9710a7f62

<Fine. Yes, it’s all fine.>c2fd59fe9230516e

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As the familiar voice eb1a118280 from his dreams echoed 9fb4efe0a6 in his ears.dcf6fdae77845bc8

<You become a hero like that.>bf7926abe96c558a

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Truth, fate, the 62b13d4cb3 end… those hollow, c4415d642a grand things.0c6fcdd9494856af

<Then what about me?>82c64548af95732a

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Are they 40f4e91891 truly worth 5f2b8b2fa7 pursuing? What do you 83bbb73ea1 think, Sleeping Prince?da0da659acc7cdf4

Well, since 7b767900fc I find 5536a13ed6 no value 0365c06399 in such dbf406cd0b things, I 1ca2f26693 suppose that’s f89104c0b7 why I’m c9295fdd82 just a c8a4e338ee lowly storyteller, 55bb11e426 not the a8cb3e8b0c hero like 95cbe4f066 you.b480c056874716c9

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The Prince closed 147b3bee7f his eyes.550bac27be192ab4

He felt the 621b624181 weight of the d5be4d0eed cursed sword at 057f35af80 his waist.aa174c587ca79eff

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The foreign object e79e7824e5 that had slipped 6b27badc9f in, creating a ea8d70bb6e glowing crack in fcd65990be the endlessly repeating 698b0a7505 routine… the key 9667985326 to mending the f8fbdb58b0 cracks in this 50cc7c33db world.1382bb82b5b0cdd3

Haha.9ab2d1851eea8e02

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