MDL | Chapter 1.1

Episode 1. The Sleeping Prince of the Thorn Castle

Once upon a e2c1f615ba time, a long, 55999e4108 long time ago, 8ab2f86391 in a small b3a128c56b and beautiful kingdom, 7e60e7c8c1 there lived a 021436588f king and queen bb130ec32b who were deeply 89aea9d4f5 in love. They were a charming 9bc9a31229 and kind-hearted couple. All the people of d998c9a03d the kingdom praised their 118a57f497 benevolence and lived peaceful 0bd2cac73a lives, where no one bc2ee624fc was exceptionally wealthy and 80f2d785df no one suffered from 6839389419 extreme hunger.6fc1bd5a7dc58b63

Despite being the 07ab5f2c5c beloved royal couple 522131337a of such a 9617863125 peaceful kingdom, they c04241b1cd had one sorrow: 83e4059ac5 after more than b248576c20 ten years of 9f5c37794e marriage, they still 8a31e52043 had no children. As you well know, cff4199267 for a king and 8d7c799061 queen, having no children 826a066fdf is a tragedy far 0c73036539 greater than it is ce5969734d for ordinary people. Not only were fdc483df9f they deprived of 2ae028b114 the joy of 694560ee13 parenthood, but they bbb6208867 also had to 335b45c4d5 worry about the daaa0440f4 future of their 372888690e small and beautiful f4f4b446c3 kingdom.4e2ffcd929b4fe12

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Then, one day…ebd32f57b549e941

Perhaps their long 52253c0ba8 prayers and good 8a25a19748 deeds had moved c8766725b4 the hearts of 125a498028 the gods? While on 58f17cc3d7 a spring b7f4a24f31 outing with fede3033b4 her ladies-in-waiting, 917c3081bf the queen 8f1ecd5400 discovered a 20cfeb722f large frog 53d38c13fa by the d025c9f562 pond, its e48479f767 body shimmering 0f429d879c with a 7c946ceb36 golden light. A frog that fc7d663015 shone like gold! The queen was 4aab6df98d utterly astonished. This was 933e79cf6d undoubtedly an 25e3e86777 auspicious sign. But the surprises didn’t 7095567a7b end there. The golden frog opened 7758f49ea7 its mouth and spoke 3ec6436e11 to the queen in 52bb1a7e53 a human voice:10aec9ff47340d41

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“Rejoice! Rejoice! Your long sorrow shall be resolved! Three months from today, you shall hold a healthy baby boy in your arms.”6ac657dc27a90d38

The golden frog’s voice boomed like thunder from the heavens. Before its words even finished, the queen fainted on the spot. When her ladies-in-waiting rushed to the pond to find her, the frog had vanished without a trace.8ec8c94b9cbb51a0

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The queen thought she e21463878d had dreamed it all. But not 03dfcc110c long after, 73751e1d1c her belly 857b5e237e began to 40c47fd705 swell. Only then did 216c1de397 she realize that 36af112933 the frog she 5a430a2bd1 had met by 863a10664f the pond was d86235bcf3 a divine manifestation. The king 0464893dd8 and queen 7806ea85b7 wept tears f3dc45c2e6 of gratitude c319a9b6e5 and offered 38841bc2a0 prayers of 616cd06815 thanks.643cb061a4180320

Not only the king and queen but all the people of the kingdom eagerly awaited the birth of the healthy child. Offerings for the queen’s safe delivery were endlessly made at the temples of the thirteen gods who protected the kingdom. Meanwhile, as the golden frog had prophesied, the queen’s belly continued to grow.760ff9c0ff525e3d

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Finally, three months later, dd59b41db4 the day foretold by 438e285c45 the golden frog arrived.e58502c88dbfb95f

After a grueling labor, the queen gave birth to a child. Thankfully, both mother and child were healthy. The child was a prince—a very handsome baby boy with lush black hair like a midsummer night’s dream and deep green eyes like a summer forest.d54332f848785ce6

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The king and queen, along with everyone in the kingdom, rejoiced deeply at the prince’s birth. The king, in particular, visited all thirteen temples to make offerings and bestowed precious gifts upon every citizen of the kingdom. A grand and splendid celebration was held, lasting ten days and nights. Invitations were sent not only to the royal family and nobles but also to the wizards, representatives of the thirteen gods who protected the kingdom.5d69a3a3ff8d5154

However, there was a small, very, very… minor oversight.0f98da2a8ca0502f

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The invitation did not reach the archmage who served Charkaya, the god of death and winter. It was thought inappropriate to invite the god of death to a celebration of the prince’s birth, so the invitation was omitted. No one could have known that this would later lead to a great calamity.ff0f5d5485b70fa9

On the final day of the celebration…13e05a1d39815469

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It was the b8748d4043 day the young 7123059adc prince would be 135787d06e presented to the d8744d545e people and the 9df1ea7e14 guests of the aa62c2c210 banquet. The nurse 9fb51dd742 carefully lifted fb5fbf307f the prince 242358f3d2 from his e4bc396c16 cradle. The queen took him 874420389e into her arms and 9a98805edf then handed him to 42db628f55 the king. The king, ade71c722d holding the 4c69eb73b1 fussy, sleepy 3c4adbf752 prince high e68da4f97c above his d454aaa34f head, proudly 335bb384b8 displayed the 9353ae3d2f adorable and fcecc3ed5c radiant child c2f69399c2 to everyone.dbb946fc25b371a5

The invited a407cbb81a wizards stepped 008362bab4 forward one f9690cc189 by one. In one hand, 003add1d09 they held oak c993e5d928 staffs, symbols of b80dff2174 their authority, and d35350723f in the other, 26ca728ae7 fine stardust to a94fcfb733 bestow upon the a1630c87b5 prince.126b7d707957c123

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The first wizard 889e6e19d4 spoke:1b4ca5b0423dff2b

“Blessings! Blessings! The prince shall grow into the most handsome man in the world. Even his enemies shall bow in admiration and reverence before his star-like radiance.”61cd32da6a6bd632

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Fine stardust sprinkled over the prince’s forehead. Then the second wizard spoke:e75f27229c38eb30

“Blessings! Blessings! The prince shall possess a character as radiant as his appearance. There is nothing more precious than a kind and generous heart!”a20402223e24bbe7

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Fine stardust sprinkled over the prince’s forehead. Then the third wizard spoke:8291e92a5540c2cf

“Blessings! Blessings! The prince shall be the bravest in the world. He shall have the heart of a lion, unafraid and unwavering in the face of adversity and hardship!”8e6c05e3ddb6666f

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Fine stardust sprinkled over the prince’s forehead.9c3ed391d270c5b6

Then the fourth, fifth, sixth… The wizards continued to sprinkle stardust and bestow noble blessings befitting the noble prince. The prince was promised all the finest things in the world from the moment of his birth: exceptional swordsmanship, equestrian skills, swimming prowess, dancing talent, wisdom, a low and sweet voice, and so on.fa63db283145eec9

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Finally, it was the twelfth wizard’s turn.fe561a0bef540704

Though he didn’t show it, the twelfth wizard grew increasingly anxious as his turn approached. The previous eleven wizards had already bestowed every conceivable blessing, leaving him with no more good and beautiful virtues to offer. He regretted not serving the third or fourth god instead of the twelfth. Don’t you agree? The last person to speak often has nothing left to say, and the first isn’t much better, as they must come up with something new and original. The third or fourth is the sweet spot—enough to blend in with the first but still with plenty to say. Remember that… third or fourth…4b6656026a34679d

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Oh dear! I’ve gone off on a tangent. Let’s return to the story…b3aa76f5c0a5185d

Standing before the prince, the twelfth wizard was deep in thought. What more could the prince possibly need, already blessed with “trendsetting fashion sense” and even “stallion-like vitality”? If you were the twelfth wizard, what gift would you give the prince?941074a78e75d3de

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Fortunately or unfortunately, just 90fb4579c6 as the twelfth wizard cbc6297165 dabbed the sweat from e779fa249e his brow with a c34b6f0943 handkerchief, the banquet hall 9a0915b443 doors burst open.4199fcddf2573000

A strong gust of 146a7a632e wind swept through the e47d820374 open doors. The candles were 72c877b670 blown out, and 604b43e3d5 people screamed as d9def1206b they reached out 001f5559b3 to catch their a169edcc6f fancy feathered hats e54ea5585e flying through the c13a420450 air.da32380d2323e6a8

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By the 4e6b9ebce9 time everyone 5f3b539ecd had retrieved 999715a691 their hats cf9d90aaaf and returned d2a20c1635 to their 1334e59989 seats, darkness f6814f7c37 had filled e609d90383 the hall. A shadow so 071207af09 black that it 5c65bd9a76 devoured even the fdf226f019 hastily relit candlelight efe9b3276f had entered. Cloaked in this darkness 1b1104906a was the thirteenth wizard. Yes, that’s right! The thirteenth wizard, who 6b694b6c07 had been deemed unlucky ca8b9a15f9 and thus not invited!b2ccac4e82fc540e

The thirteenth wizard c98eadcb67 strode past the 86d3a00f6d trembling crowd, his e8f43f48db footsteps echoing as 3e8ed24321 he approached the c58fbf008b prince. Like the 342a71acd2 others, he e41bc9c417 held an c8a78e6a07 oak staff f29eff362b in one 9c642371bf hand and d902f4d236 stardust in b198a66416 the other. He sprinkled the stardust fd3ae113d2 over the prince. The prince flinched as 71b0ee4ff8 the dust stung his 32317e0a9c eyes, his tiny limbs 71817a0281 flailing.0eada4510a32f9bf

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“Blessings! Blessings!”840bacd47b74745b

The thirteenth wizard spoke, but his voice was nothing like the others. It was cold and hollow, like the sound of a crack splitting the earth. “Blessings, blessings!” How was that? Did I manage to mimic it convincingly, dear friends?068f690f4c0aeb23

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“On his twenty-seventh birthday, the prince shall prick his finger on the tip of a sharp needle and die.”f6155b98b4c15bcd

It was not a 1853beca86 blessing but a curse.479f508472c6b37d

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“What? What did you say?”a14ae4b78e9cb25b

The king, startled, af8e4e4968 drew his sword. But his trembling 0419ac8712 blade could not 9a3444ac94 strike the thirteenth 575086d266 wizard. The wizard, 3f2a81f774 like a 74d6761074 jester, swept 70f89523de his arm fd176cc8db dramatically and c5ebb903be bowed low.38659675b23abe42

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“I serve the god of death. What greater blessing is there in this world than a swift and certain death? I have merely given the prince the greatest gift I can offer. Please, do not be angry.”64d9d14462188593

Perhaps it was fbf37b9591 the way his 450f6db5fa voice resonated, filling fdee43136a the entire hall, 1f65a2a55f but the thirteenth 5175b2bed3 wizard seemed less 14c76de30d like a servant 0794834c4d of the gods 4f86423781 and more like 351620b18f a god himself. The queen fainted from a7e5d80812 terror, and the king f622b77727 dropped his sword, weeping fe8a984685 like a child.3c225c53270f2d83

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Having no further business, the thirteenth wizard calmly exited the chaotic banquet hall. As he passed through the castle gates, the inky darkness that had filled the hall vanished, and the candlelight regained its warmth. But the people could not shake their grief over the prince’s untimely death. Even the revived candlelight was too feeble to brighten their hearts.0ddf0b24f74b26fc

Then, the b1a9cb5eee twelfth wizard eb19215bca resolutely raised 4b2f7418f7 his staff.79c24e81768556f4

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“The prince shall not die!”61892253b6c2d097

Yes, the 4b39275fb6 twelfth wizard 9c5dd9e69a had yet 9cf497f469 to bestow 766fadf891 his blessing. Of course, he could a3d91473c9 not undo the curse de6c6132b1 or the blessings already b6592e7680 given. But he could 99401cd9ce twist them ever a9a9359bbc so slightly with f8ffd17a65 a new blessing. That is the aba0a0fb8d law of magic.d2823aec1e801f4f

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All eyes turned to the twelfth wizard. He wiped the sweat from his brow and temples with a handkerchief, then scooped up a handful of stardust with his trembling hand. Sprinkling the shimmering dust over the prince’s forehead, he bestowed the greatest blessing he could upon the poor child.a9e56798ecd70d12

“Instead of death, the prince shall face a deep sleep. A sleep lasting a hundred years. But do not lose hope, dear prince, dear friends. No sleep is eternal, no dream lasts forever. After a hundred years, the prince shall awaken. A beautiful princess will find him and bestow upon him a kiss of true love. Then, our prince shall rise from his long slumber, leaving all misfortune behind, and stand tall as the master of this world! So, do not lose hope!”9911dce3b0e52e31

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The twelfth wizard’s blessing and plea for hope echoed throughout the castle.322b9d2709745971

But the king, deeply despairing over his son’s tragic fate, could not rely solely on the twelfth wizard’s words. He tried everything to avert the foretold misfortune. The once-kind, wise, and generous king became a half-madman, prone to fits at the mere sight of a needle. How tragic!7fb9e57892ecdef4

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The king 2e66fbc3c4 even issued 39317828df a decree 481d7abb4e banning the fd21df7c62 use of b090bf2bb5 needles throughout c35ba5efc8 his small, 0b09f73c21 happy kingdom. People could 9703b7d7bd no longer ce943c5adc spin thread, 3395dd77d4 mend torn 2d9c6186b6 clothes, embroider f63e5aabb0 beautiful patterns, 8209e9de0f or even f2e697a3e7 fish in 1755f58800 the sea. Those who dared to 84b6ad4b6d hide needles in their 9511a5a7b3 drawers faced a gruesome 5bf09ce9b6 punishment: being tied to a82b2598cd a stake and flayed f38151e1d8 alive until they breathed 2b1a164941 their last.1e768b75a578633f

A needle—such a small, 2e5638e7f3 everyday object. Something you could easily 036fefe465 replace if lost. But once it was 27645e0c11 banned, the kingdom fell 70bf5b0735 into chaos. Over something as trivial 1d0d5658d3 as a needle, nothing 1fc4c46f22 functioned properly anymore!9d85cd412cbfb126

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The days when the people praised the king and queen’s kindness and benevolence were long gone. The era when no one was exceptionally rich or poor, and everyone lived in equal happiness, was a thing of the past. The small, beautiful, and peaceful kingdom was no more. All of it was gone!a0d3cde103d7548c

Secret societies formed across the kingdom, using needles in hiding to evade the king’s watchmen. A cult called the “Sharp End Society” arose, worshipping the sharp needle. Some rebels even declared they would rather prick the prince’s finger with a needle and let him die a glorious death than endure this suffering.db2ec2e75ec2a0f5

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…Dear friends, this is no laughing matter. It’s a serious societal issue. A single needle can dictate the lives of so many! Those small, seemingly insignificant objects around you are incredibly important! Do not overlook them! Treasure them!e734e4889cde2844

Ah, I’ve gone off track again…4de4e24683dc3f5c

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Anyway, despite the kingdom’s turmoil, the prince grew up strong and healthy, retaining all the blessings bestowed upon him by the wizards. As he aged, he became more handsome, graceful, and noble. He was intelligent and compassionate yet unyielding in the face of adversity. Even those who hated him for the kingdom’s troubles forgot their resentment when they stood before him.90206e844ca6ee52

And so, ef756250f3 time passed 5abb92210a until the 4ce3a33ebc day foretold 2d7f6dc63b by the 2eda9a7573 thirteenth wizard 48c6c2e3e3 finally arrived¹.17ab66e67a345602

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The prince’s twenty-seventh birthday.3572eb8a3da1f139