MDL | Chapter 3.2

The prince watched as 6d5aa1b2d4 the wizard bit his 042525baaf lower lip nervously, fidgeting 1e8e58ad1b with his hands, clasping a6b72d9c5c and unclasping them.aef4c8d20700f2f6

……The prince’s 7a9855218a eyes turned f007841073 cold.dd33ebca4ff388a2

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“That’s ridiculous.”ae486acedca5a3b5

Huh? What is?5f0e738e2cb609ad

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But the 8a809a3343 prince himself 31bd5d2334 didn’t seem c75b3d5fd7 to know 0f451249f5 what he 3b967f612b found ridiculous. The only 2495b36830 certainty was 361fe8691b that he c66df67de0 was angry. For some reason, 6fd61c06a3 he couldn’t quite d9a7a5376f pinpoint, but it d3f8f8929e felt like water 35f16984c8 boiling in his 28680c5b86 stomach.7803cca503eccbdf

A peaceful and quiet a29a9b9152 night. A strange night. The soft sensations surrounding d207a7397d the night burst like ce0e5555df a water balloon. Both the prince e405cb1b49 and the wizard d26a2e197f wore uncomfortable expressions, d40d0e58a0 as if they fd4da88706 had been doused 4db657f40f in lukewarm water.4096ea4810066595

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“After disappearing for days, the first thing you say when you come back is something like that?”012ae06cba86afe0

“It’s not like I said anything I shouldn’t have, is it?”97fb70afbfccf64f

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“With rifts spreading like a plague and monsters appearing everywhere, should I really be swayed by trivial matters like jealousy or affection?”efde972245bb26c7

“You’ve been avoiding those trivial matters all along, haven’t you?”84e0596102472953

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“So, you’re saying I should have cared about those things?”8e54d811f25ee888

“Well, it wasn’t about jealousy or affection. But you did interfere with the queen’s baby issue. Wasn’t that trivial? It didn’t involve you. I should have stopped you that night, even if it meant tying you up. If we had just killed a few border guards with my magic and slipped away quietly, as I originally planned, we wouldn’t be in this mess. By now, we’d already be at Omphalos, far away from the rifts!”1bc64e0cb8e9cf1e

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……The last part was 43900398fc a stretch, but the 1be1108801 prince, who would normally cb87f28c49 have pointed that out, 7356068134 was now as agitated c90be58cd5 as the wizard.945e0ff6b5c9e953

“Fine, maybe that’s how it should have been!”23a38ef717c5d51a

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The prince shouted back. The three 50dfb62bb4 horses, who 2dcd85fab1 had been b74ce5852c leaning against 2c03ddc178 each other 30d7d4ce1f and sleeping, 2c5b814293 woke up fa6959ce4e and stared 66f53a114e at the 1f88567294 prince in 4bc01fd3ea surprise.bc36dc286e830557

“I regret it.”b565e7a12be2498e

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Not just the 13eba64be9 horses, but the 04ad775adb wizard’s eyes also 37e26c5f7c widened. The prince ran 293e24c109 his hand through 5a6b6c8d2f his hair and 55c23b051c stood up. He paced around e25f617d4a the barn like b7b1301583 someone who didn’t 406be6c28e know what to c28a23bbac do with the a17532c5a8 sudden surge of 86543881fa emotions he hadn’t cd2f4435c3 expected to feel.8876d25962a30246

“Your Highness…”9cc407aec3c5f129

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The wizard also c4b15dccc5 awkwardly stood up.f64c4d06df8b1988

“Yes, I regret it. If I hadn’t interfered, maybe the witch could have taken the queen’s baby. That child might have escaped that hell. Without ever knowing the existence of their pitiful mother and despicable father… they could have lived a completely different life.”1813134b84991308

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Flames.f3275be9cdfbdbf4

What the prince db81393baa was recalling now 77fc79adea was flames. The smell of 6b722ff779 burning straw and c368882ecb branches, black smoke, 719d24f86b and a boy 0c4d0b2b4f anxiously looking out 504691970f the window of 1eb1313a2a a luxurious bedroom, 6b2885ff96 imprisoned.6377b3619cd86551

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Something that eb65e07f21 didn’t happen 7ae1cf29d2 in this 91c7814653 world, something 194d4279ab he didn’t 1f899bb9c1 experience, something 184d638e34 he didn’t 587a15b7bb see.f37cc47687d162ee

But somewhere 99b831e69c in his 13a89abc0f memory, it 382e1712be existed vividly, 8b6205b582 as if e3de9e7a35 he could d411bb1de2 reach out 10e088bb84 and touch ecc0a04f4c it.48c3a1ff747ba69b

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Even though he e06af7aba6 thought he knew d9a4ff404b everything from birth 81c2e624b4 to death due eb3ac0ad13 to the repeated 86a2da95f9 cycles of life, 3c151eab74 it felt unfamiliar… 0e7a9d2df4 or perhaps familiar.a3a699fc00b0c0ce

The prince glared f503719957 at the wizard.d739ca2f719680f3

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In the fdc4fb0a93 swamp of cae1ea8f04 the fairy 75d1600268 godmother…254d55a9a992d004

“When did you grow so tall? You were so small… so very small…”3c325641e2a6f606

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Himself, muttering in confusion 3b80f2fdb2 to the wizard.8320dfec28e62b83

“Only now do you notice I’ve grown? How careless of you.”ea43fa7d307b0c9f

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The wizard, 5b7d35dd02 for some 41e6501f3e reason, had 6ac570b230 replied with c32afc4dfd a look e5d5f3410d of pure 9965749222 joy.74eaf9450f4cdd5a

Who was that?8f10a532210b6c54

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A child whose e263e8e791 head barely reached 1d087d29ef his chest, much 8523636314 smaller and thinner dca4edbb15 than other kids 5b020217c1 his age, covered acf4382afc in dirt and fb7965c651 dust… but with d4a94b3d17 blue eyes that 768ab952d9 sparkled like a 81b8b190b7 doll’s, and messy a16d518f43 golden hair… that 10906fa489 child.a3b8b19e1551865a

“I wasn’t that young back then either.”6adf7680043dd085

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Once again, a c7cf947b18 burning pain shot f0784be70e through the prince’s 6cd8546f36 wings. Whose voice 8d6dcbc900 was this? Whose memory?53ca477276614707

“It’s because I couldn’t 66841a0b29 even get proper food 4b3ca7e02f to eat, so I 53ef407e5a looked small and young. But thanks to 74e50ef7a0 His Highness feeding 7beba148d4 me well, I’ve 44b66dbeba grown so much 8fd7e1c568 like this.”98adf4160ace0618

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“——————————.”25870fd909885af1

“Oh, come on, 3abedb5588 you should know f7cc9fffef better. Since Mr. Inghel is c424fcdcc3 His Highness’s e83170e2d8 chef, the 80cbdb7a66 food he 1585fb13ba shares is 1f6a20fdf8 the same f4c2d843d3 as if 429a1ee548 His Highness 0bd00b52c8 shared it.”a546f59b2ab16754

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“——————.”411b4937f7abf21d

“Huh?”1e73a25e2a7955b8

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“——.”cb5574d0a25d1212

“Are you acting like 6ecd7adeb8 this because you’re embarrassed 7258711e79 now?”a4521788612ec796

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“———————————————————.”a8e4ab13820cf1bb

“I know, of course. When it 32fcfd7341 comes to 1f78521ce3 His Highness, 21fced21ce there’s nothing 6a16a5ff83 I don’t c69a158066 know.”c06fd46482a03c1d

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“Prince!”7fc21e533bcb5404

And this wizard before 8db6cf91f3 my eyes. Just moments ago, he 103657176e was spouting annoying remarks, 0229ff7853 but the moment he f3da329b1e faltered even slightly, he d76e1893b6 turned pale and rushed 0213b2751c over. His golden hair, which fe1687fcde had grown so long c7b0a953ac in the blink of 69a7eaa4f2 an eye.72863b115832f83d

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“Are you alright? Does your back hurt? Is it… e70e20899a that again? Like last time at 6fb72e2536 the campsite…”07291b7eb9330a25

“There’s no wound.”4131e4a6f19dd4b4

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“Let me take a 8a2b715744 look.”dac9f17bb507b98b

Without thinking, the 9ef032d51f wizard said that 439ad96a3c and flinched, shrinking f58ef549ac his shoulders. Then he slowly 786731011c let go of 2c3473a628 the prince’s arm, 0318afd177 which he had 15c67ea462 been holding. As if he knew c93ad6a0de well that the prince b9c6aeae4e disliked being seen bare bd9bf01f22 by others.a069aa79b8195e15

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The prince, without realizing 961b8ea571 it, gripped the front 4ebf7757e9 of his shirt.43788db41ad73cf6

“…Let me 0d6385b51d take a 824006612d look.”5886ee746d5d0311

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After a moment of b7acb4f3d1 hesitation, the wizard mustered 87298fa8b6 his courage and spoke c866cdbcec again.b800dff70caa6a20

“Only if… Your 9c2362dad4 Highness is okay a82923e251 with it……”c65e6265c91a47b9

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……9aaa6df44f87b265

……57eefad4337116d2

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……The prince… silently stared 6aa7d09bc5 at the wizard… then 98ba9115e6 undid the ties of 0c857a90cb his shirt and pulled 723168e5b7 it over his head. He then turned 762f9ce654 around. The wizard 74017f2f29 slowly approached 97355d139c the prince. Relying on 942df9f545 the faint 9cced23f11 moonlight streaming 3bdad3f8e8 through the 1d4ab6b7a9 barn window, a24e972cb3 he examined 3253effcca the prince’s 58f42539ae back. When he lightly ec421b3748 tapped the space b9e4551c33 between the shoulder c2738efeab blades with his 48173b10aa fingertips, the prince’s 8187f90e48 well-toned back muscles e302ab7afa twitched, revealing their 0056275af7 texture. Giggling like a bf5ca288ec child holding a 9936a2e51e goose feather, the 4e2291d8d4 wizard gently brushed e58075a1c0 over the prince’s 2ec2770be6 skin. But then, 54c17724d0 a shadow a6368d7d81 momentarily crossed 9ba02d034a the wizard’s e6b2138576 expression.9d32591cddf15685

“There’s… a 2ffafb2431 wound here.”82fdda96c5ffb4b0

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“Really?”a34bf38863156330

“It’s very small, Your cf9b43908b Highness.”12b72bc2ad6028fb

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“How small?”36dee535afe453a6

“Hmm, like a caterpillar 19bc5a146c nibbling on a leaf. Just that small. So tiny that even ce7f64e616 someone with eyes as 60d834203b sharp as mine had e039d08128 to look closely to 789f93fc58 find it. But it’s red. Yes, as red dab7cad217 as if it 23cfa3f95a just appeared.”1e18f907f1c7eba0

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The wizard, ddafddc2e3 who had 3e1418b3cb been muttering 842dbf0b83 to himself ab579cab27 in a 61377f8398 slightly excited da10e3b9e3 voice, wiped bca1d65bd1 his eyes 7aa01ae0dc with his 149096430e fingers and 67f01997bf sniffled. He was crying. The prince, though aware acace2fbab of the wizard’s sniffles, bb48eca1d7 pretended not to notice d15af27dfa and kept his mouth 6df47aade0 shut.6957e2cb4b9e0619

“……Ah, but it’ll be 4c7134b8a8 fine soon. It’s not 81679703c4 a serious d53f980494 wound.”4b40fba56c37f511

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“Maybe I was bitten bd32fb17f2 by a bug.”f7c321dff24ef483

“That could be it.”6f6e8bd00323456e

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“……Hey, Your Highness.”d339f6d4f35d91ec

“Hmm?”39eb47e21a6df003

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“Can I 55d1f40d2e check on 713f331bf0 this wound 28129caecf from time ff02eddfbe to time?”28f5a2a42d5a482c

“You said it’s not 6c53869805 serious.”9b8d4a5823a3a59f

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“Still.”c098a50bbc786ed1

The prince nodded. The wizard c27694af91 finally seemed 34768490a5 to relax 5b738c7cd0 and stopped 5041cf1e06 sniffling. As the wizard returned 7d7ee0c2b1 to his bed, covered 611d81ef01 himself with a blanket, 6905619115 and lay down, the ddb1d7eceb prince put his shirt 8a7acad4a5 back on. He, too, returned 50712fabb1 to his bed 6947f31ab7 and leaned his 486054fea7 back against the 5da95b8626 pillow.60418e8c6c8693cc

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The night felt unusually ecb179d7bf long. The small, d53a58c194 pretty bird 3316490456 that had 4678b6591f guided them 455ff5abfa to the 7c9f12d4ec top of b782fa5601 the juniper 6d8fbf8df5 tree during 4898943d28 the day ddcbbfe327 flew over 5181802eb2 and perched 3c7f39a65f nearby. Perhaps aware that it 439efdc987 was night, the bird 2b545c600f didn’t sing its eerie 88990600cb song to unsettle people’s c32061edcf hearts. It just busily tilted 4a3eb2af0f its head here and 8fad646e69 there, preening its feathers.83e9b7179c404249

Suddenly, the prince d0b8ec7962 spoke.0f1bd1ac45bfbf0b

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“Will it 3446ae8811 be alright?”7c5edb461c776b73

“What?”2834b69fee8472fb

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“That kingdom.”46b487b26ae9c8eb

The prince’s words, 1b83d4cc97 regretting his involvement… 4cb8acdced were sincere. Whether late or early, 8441c5a529 whether the prince intervened 2a7a590b06 or not, the rift c826531d49 would have come regardless.a30588f33eaf7db8

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“Since we just ran 68fdc5612a away like that.”23354c14a6b8898e

The wizard fidgeted. He turned left, then ce772c14df right… but couldn’t find a46dd71327 a comfortable position. He eventually sat cc7915faee up again.fe398983065f1281

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“Anyway, that 83f696dcd5 damned king 894790b04d is dead. Isn’t that something to d327bad387 celebrate?”2852c8e2939143c1

Brushing off e535e3b98f the straw 791c918ec6 stuck to 542fdcba1c his hair, 7a169475c6 the wizard aacd1ec05d blew a 8ff21b8942 puff of e32a91de54 air. No miraculous transformation a33f0ebc5e into golden thread 6e696b689c occurred.8c977978d44b5174

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“The baby 93fba49f3c you saved 15415aaba3 will become 56ec5b88d4 king.”a57d598f4d0ab3ac

“Is that a good c4b321b0a3 thing?”4bba9296e60138cf

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“At least cfe86dc683 he’ll be 3cbd9fbb23 a better d6bb0ce896 king than 3aaeee66ad his father.”734d92d02a4b5979

“Well, anyone 39194bb3a4 would be a00bcd4816 better than 78bb3de417 that.”d2469f76d32109fb

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“Right.”6795dd5a48960883

That is, if the 046e5a2742 kingdom survives the calamity ff2955e5a3 that has befallen it. But neither 6bce150eea the prince 8a34010070 nor the 8b29c289fe wizard added aa26f2b086 that part 0c498bb6db aloud.a18ef6e00b51bb4e

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They sat dd8de0b1de on their c67ff1c59c respective beds, 056278c024 side by 4d4e0cf58d side, gazing 07c672eb01 out the d8c7dc963c barn’s large 34765f942f window. The night was filled 6893577a3a with white moonlight and 4568774657 starlight, the juniper tree, 085dc9b4b0 the small, pretty bird, 0eed17429c and a pair of e928f2becd lovers who had just d3bbcf822b fallen in love.76e49ffa95f107e9

A strange night. A peaceful and quiet 1b79c019cc night. A night f6bafa8705 without shadow 8c0b9fda5a monsters to ead6dd0552 slash through, 19e5a193ab without the 29421485ee screams of 4967d93873 people, without 873acb643d the sight 8d231dc0f7 of a 477ecb4a8d world crumbling 74d9a78df5 in despair.f0c4b761d1a9468f

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An utterly ordinary, 99eb3f68ca and therefore strange, 7095362ac8 night.20a84b49bd7d4140

“……There’s something I want 3da754c6bc to ask.”89950aca5e720f58

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On a night like 47b9018918 this, anyone would feel ecc518c807 this way.6d8b3c8a2dcf0c1f

“Back in the witch’s 1350d854cd swamp, you said it. That you’d 8f0ef03b73 definitely take fb41e7d580 me to 3fd68ac97e a happy bda84a01ef future.”76c68d52129f03f7

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No matter 12f68250f7 how stoic, 9a70d918a2 no matter 3686e393b0 how indifferent, a65cdcbcf1 anyone would a120691b23 want to dfdbb3bdf1 ask, at 75285e33d4 least once, ec56aefefd what they’ve 735faefbf6 buried deep c3800e4d5b in their 41d966be38 heart.7eaf86b8006e620a

“Why?”60f2210903ce3b0c

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The prince still b89cb6abe4 looked out the 742e10afb8 window. The wizard turned his b2add11d4b head to look at 51cf43425a the prince. The face d46da901f1 he had 7895eccf2a seen countless 3fdfbdcd6d times whenever 2547dfa481 he opened b147853586 the storybook ca503b3eea about the c53b4068ce prince… the 519208d21d face he 4aca36acf6 had imagined 55b816cb99 in his 9059d75457 mind… the e8d0841a93 beloved profile.7711bd52cf14952a

“Why do you bacbc1726e make such a ce5501b64a promise to me?”7724a2799c52d27b

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“Because I like you.”d31aa5a0dd4da841

The wizard’s answer held cd61c327e4 no hesitation or doubt.f8d5d1cc6bab925f

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“Because I like you 829429f21c so, so much, Your c3fbfc50a5 Highness.”9ccd22ad40847a53

A strange night, 73ff61a0c5 perfect for voicing b49eadd056 the words kept 3641fda680 deep in one’s e8ebd90a17 heart.16d8d96820276568

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The wizard 7b0f432536 turned his b5a44571e2 head. The prince also c379d5bc98 turned his head. The wizard e0d77366cb looked out bdd4dee3fa at the 951e09de52 night. The prince 93f7e786d9 looked at 063df48d86 the wizard’s a44f2deaa6 profile. The sensation of the 7cfcbdb1d7 wizard’s cold hand brushing 9a52eb459d under his shoulder blade 6a15085ffd came back to life. The small wound 415f78093a there, as tiny ed35154a8a and red as 639bc716b7 if a caterpillar 6e88b575f0 had nibbled it, 4d3006bb41 throbbed with a c35a01be3f burning pain again. Instead of summoning e071302236 unfamiliar memories, this d183cb32d7 time the pain 3b46f52c26 pierced through the 9f0c2d2baa prince’s bones and 99c7266a79 muscles. From his back 0d4d3dbb4d to his chest, 9614ef2407 near his heart. The prince swallowed a42ffdb3de a groan at 9cd7e26379 the searing sensation, cc7d6f5e5f like flames spreading.ddf4b7c44b5297a4

To forget 5f8bba6317 the pain, 72d79acc5d the prince 572d8b8f90 turned his 35065e9ae2 head again. And he saw what d5e3843ce7 the wizard was seeing.18e62466e8dec133

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The lovers a2637c0249 under the bfdfd954fb juniper tree.9c7841ff94907433

Two people, leaning their 4dd9ef9abf heads against each other, ba95613616 holding hands tightly, deep fa0e4f87b5 in sleep.23a76581660fa754

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***1591a274f3232eb5

“It’s a shame we 3e29a5a03d have to part like 135010afcc this.”657cb3c2446316c2

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Madame Marlène smiled f24d9a4eb8 brightly as she 3f9c57ed4c bid the group 1760009b10 farewell.cf919478d6f4642b

“But it’s 4d4673cbdc not right 8f7edfaf6f to hold 9642e25b37 back travelers 879c57c5f2 with busy 5c93d26302 paths ahead. May your futures be d6cd22699e filled with blessings!”23c6b21f8befea58

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Though it 560f3a4afa was a cbae9045b3 slightly cloudy e17d33a885 day, it 588a6fac58 might be 3979867ca5 better for 3f5436c130 a long 8c165708dd journey than 366584fd1d being under 72065d3c57 scorching sunlight. Worrying about the weather, c4550d9a73 Marlène prepared a lunchbox 03c166f719 filled with fresh cheese, 0bfd637b01 ham, and bread, along 0e2011d54f with four raincoats. Though a bit worn, 215de8128f they were still sturdy 08af6f4648 and useful.b4320aee7e243979

“May your 3fbada3d9c future be da78cedcbf filled with 0935dac388 blessings as 7b310b9b17 well.”8813a4961db510af

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The prince returned the 75c5a57836 blessing.8cfc2e7ffda13bc2

“We’re already grateful for fe6d467e8a your kindness in offering 2f1faffbf5 strangers a place to 4c82358810 stay for the night, 3349836c74 and now you’re giving 77c3f05418 us too much.”ccfb827a77bd20fa

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To this, Marlène responded 8845c5998e with a sweet, sugar-scented 8dfdb130c4 smile.ea11837559a4eb7c

“No, there’s no b14bfd6d96 need to thank c07b27ca05 me. This is my 7a50eabc04 way of repaying 173ff74210 you.”31539f8a35954df8

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“Repaying us?”f20359d0f499b047

“Because you ba62304eb8 helped me 3167006915 reunite with 1400cecf24 my brother 741327b2b8 after so 50319059ac long.”68dfb619fd20a353

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It was a puzzling 25075d41d1 statement. Among the group, only 7beffe5a2b the wizard smiled faintly 1e31e59385 and turned his gaze 5a6206358a to the top of 28a984b081 the juniper tree. The small, 512ccfad8d pretty bird d12711038e was still 705d93ca1f perched there, f7204aa6d2 even though 8ad220910e morning had 64d861bb5f broken.3612cd486c18c449

Marlène winked 49a88aef9d at the c2a7d9dbfd wizard and 0b77a47f45 continued.99e177aabd228eb4

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“That bird is d7f7e1c45d my brother.”35e3d4afad72736a

Everyone except 6a661addb8 the wizard ee0c3f8e62 looked at fabee4549c Marlène in 1956c4ab08 surprise. She laughed softly, d3f64b622e like someone who 749875f456 had successfully pulled 5fb9f71a8a off a funny 4fe8fe4350 prank.ad5710917d2be825

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“It’s not exactly d8bd234660 a happy story, 4f5eed2405 but would you ab16111d98 like to hear 71242c0bdd it?”7f22cc20c63f9cfc

It was a 4712c1b03c story tied to 18cf2f9d13 the juniper tree 26c33e0076 rooted in the cd280ba747 yard.d3747ee4c45b2ba9

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A story of a c1127bd9b7 boy as red as 967ce0b114 blood and as white 7fa646bacd as snow.1d74b4192025d8d8

A story d0a2f96747 of a 8b9081738a neglectful father, 269776d47a a wicked 4ce1c22557 stepmother, and c81de125e1 yet, a 8b0e88a700 pair of 9b760a84d7 affectionate half-siblings.98ab1d014fc31860

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It was 8b5124e507 also a 6390585e79 story with b49d674c47 a common 18af12912b lesson: that 93bec59ae9 the things 478d77a8fe that make 08bcf85ef4 people forget 79fd4c8a4f their dignity 6a0b3bfcd1 and throw 5c95b7c9e7 away their 2dd51305f4 humanity are, 20fb963438 more often 0e9be86713 than not, 3edeb138ba money, gold, 7ca33688ea and land.e34ed4be8420334e

The child, d4262b44b2 murdered because 5dc1512796 of his 67f2de3d6c stepmother’s greed 162678c781 for wealth, 20b793cac4 was buried a5a8c0f150 under the 33422d8852 juniper tree ea89d458f3 and became 25b040486b a small, 202c4ca04f pretty bird e3262278be that sang ddd74168e2 eerie songs. The small, pretty 602d03addd bird flew to a6136ecfc7 the house where 87c6e3e675 the family lived, bb7fbc1a05 carrying a gold 47f7297244 necklace in its 69c3d28d5d right claw, red 7eac18ae3e shoes in its 66ccf930c1 left claw, and a323dbc4b0 a heavy millstone 9499ea2d5f around its neck. It then distributed 7b315dc801 the three gifts b304310930 to the family: 68ca93364b the gold necklace c7fab298c6 to the father, 7ecf5796a4 the red shoes 84fb5943b8 to his sister 3242d5e4dc Marlène, and the 29f700afd9 heavy millstone to a2ada0c3e3 the stepmother who c9639176af had killed him.bf64aff5c0c844c8

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“But the wealth dcab07fc0a my mother coveted 012908345d is almost gone 594c703063 now. My father, half-mad with 12e3ce8b79 grief over my brother’s 0476c91c8d death, squandered it bit 455686ac3f by bit. As you can see, b4a3a79580 all that’s left is 7ed03f4717 this house, a small 39e8e053d5 garden, and the yard.”d5ac7ced371e1483

“So, your brother ce4bfaa0d5 is still living cbfb85d4cc as that bird?”907bbb2cc4abf689

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Zig, unable to 8689e3372e contain his curiosity, be6d6aaa12 asked.d19fc14ad3246ec8

“Yes.”5f8f7e0efc68d3a1

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Marlène chuckled again.a3ecb7c14c565058

“Rumors tend bb11ef85e4 to get 49aeac4847 exaggerated, so 5252c751cd the misfortunes 6e01acedbf of our 329ae23519 family became 6f39128e8b wild tales 676e98ee6f that people 2bbdf56aa1 passed around. They said that after aca028c95e my mother was killed ef3151e9eb by the millstone, the 3ffd31689e bird turned back into 9b19bbbecf a boy as white 2caa29d6f1 as snow and returned bb7a2c115c to his family.”bf26d1ed6c63d528

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Whether the little bird eac8ed5c95 knew people were talking db352ff8fa about it or not, eba2518aec it pecked at the 99b69893e4 unripe juniper berries with e61969a679 its beak.badd3ac1d71a08e3

“It’s just a 8607b991dc made-up story. How could b90d4f1980 a bird a245227a1f become a 95c71f25e9 person again? Besides, my brother’s 8b981ae46e body is buried 09134cb96c under the juniper ec5cb2a7af tree. I buried him 0a9f9d2db8 with my own c64fcdb884 hands. So, it’s just da2b569c2c a story filled 509b06e653 with longing. A story that aec5a1d9e3 dreams of a d711b3bf55 miracle that can 73d01e0f5f never happen… just d70580f344 a story.”24cc773f2e375708

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That’s right. Marlène, with her 127f82d897 sweet smile, knows 44a06198ed well what a 531acbd7ef story is. A story is 0fc570a993 just a story. But one aab231f7e5 filled with d230610c0b heart.4d3b081712a43c86

“Ah, but 927e55ca06 don’t think, 7cb84015fb just because 3b76cd19a7 the miracle 2fbb55a0d7 in that 280bb4fe4d story didn’t d9b6af3507 happen, that 7ab6395d4b I’m unhappy. My mother b0f12ebe2f was killed 55dc4d8d2f by the 79be451641 millstone, and 7b7cbc4bdd my father 7e78d43a02 went half-mad df35ec6f06 and died… 38841d240d but even 31786d7403 so, I’m b609c3a481 very happy 84928ee800 now. I met eb5b63f17f a good c2702966de man, got e0aca5df52 married, had 098fd093a6 children, and 585ead9d07 those children e365fdde0b had children 1832d86e86 of their a3d0d14a0c own. My husband passed away 6e4a60c451 a few years ago, 3a8891f0ae but my children and 70df623630 grandchildren keep me from f1b4638b05 feeling lonely. I also have this 5feaa5bfc4 garden to tend to, 53f6002bd7 a small house, and 30cbd16271 the juniper tree. What reason 9f26ff1acd do I 32ec66d3ab have to f29b51c3de be unhappy?”279a2a2e3d08dbeb

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It might aa248ceb3f be the 0e187d9699 kind of 5465809480 thing you 382cedeac9 can only c089068517 say after e662ef5814 surviving the 921640d0d0 worst moments c220b89e8c of tragedy acec5eadf8 with your 075ec4b5bd whole being… cac0f955a5 but regardless, 2d63b6082e Marlène’s aged 207616857e face was da4925e105 incredibly beautiful 58009ee465 as she f22a18fea1 spoke to 9845449436 the four 073939178a of them.a9d9585a6c1bc88b

“To reach the da80b1dd64 center of the 319a1dba20 world… Hmm, I’ve 353d95ac8b never been there b4493b4d7c myself, so I’m 06078c6607 not sure, but 616738a8cb you’ll have to cf89e3b336 climb a steep 1dae8f0801 cliff. The terrain c7b37d5759 around here 712e6ea7c2 is very e0ec5d5109 rugged, and a2840a1e68 there are 7398da4e08 no proper 99fe277bb4 paths for 8cfc12cc89 people to 642ecee67b take. I’ve heard add7033955 there’s a 0204966624 house in 86b0070033 the neighboring 53bbbf2ddc village that f2fcd28784 grows a d145d22f16 giant beanstalk. Maybe you can 44463f881f climb that beanstalk 8fb712b87f to get over b9c136b2d7 the cliff.”4162d8c055744cd2

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“Thank you, madam.”9627e41b741765ed

As the prince 660ebfd443 bid farewell and 9f5d3ec3a0 mounted Sleipnir’s saddle, 902fb5f96c he suddenly pursed 8ef1985999 his lips.8a740fde8d7f6a97

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“……In a few days, 9778bf601b a great calamity might f237ee1a15 strike this place.”2c4f872e0c49d917

Oh, Prince… Didn’t 614b17bd94 you just say 6a4714b180 you regretted interfering 0ccde907b6 in the story e2cf90b74e not even a 2bb01ee64a full day ago…?067097082dfa91cc

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“Huh?”6d9a160d3aea9a3e

“There’s not fc6bf7b7b2 enough time b6f97f0bc6 to explain d54fa14e36 what it def762c0c9 is, but 430d5da9fb when it 3865960dfa comes, you’ll e60a76712f know immediately f8cbfd2f50 that it’s f296fa36f6 a calamity. When it 596cad5cd2 arrives, you bf82bc008b must stay 0104c95175 in the 4a108b4834 dark at c75754a933 all costs. Do not light 761af2a6c3 any fires. Do not 73b15747ae stay in 95fc9e562d bright places. Do you understand, madam?”99eb8609ae043d83

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Marlène’s eyes widened 8978701b25 as she looked 756122d180 up at the e57a61c6ae prince. But soon, she smiled 8492179be3 and nodded.4756ba954bd72e8c

“I’ll remember. Kind traveler.”073a40a267009b95

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……Haha. The word “kind” doesn’t 3bb4022c98 quite suit the prince, 24768d1bf8 does it? Or… does it? Maybe it doesn’t fit, e31cccea0a but…d4f92d4a46d42018