MDL | Chapter 5.3

There was already 33e3e4a65a one guest who 49f4667240 had arrived before d26ceeb4d9 Zig.ebf31af96878eba3

The Prince.c5d975871bbd20eb

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“So this e408b8f9b7 is where e02d51df25 you were, 635b960009 Your Highness. I wondered 9ef2238df3 why I fed10a7d89 couldn’t find b3c791243f you anywhere,” 7b5b779494 Zig said, 0d771d27be sounding somewhat 3aaaaf64b5 deflated.74eb9105ff7eb541

The Prince silently 25f163151c shifted to the a510205394 side, making room ddd001118d for Zig. Hesitating for a da70b159df moment, Zig set a39a6d8ec6 down his plate b77207d83b and glass of 66741883d3 wine and sat feb5cd5eb5 beside the Prince.617d6cccd40ba11f

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The golden mist d53edd2338 that had once 7792570fa1 enveloped the mountain a84c29ef3e peak now glowed 7a977497da a deep pink, 95b113819f bathed in the 939645911a light of the 59f7c7faf1 setting sun.7290c8edaaace66f

There was no sign 7805b321d7 of the mist descending 878ec38a64 to where the two 7c9a257eff of them sat. They had to 1c863f3638 be careful. They might, like 3c67dcd12d Rip Van Winkle, 7bdc9cb46a be invited to 2e0ed52afb the ghostly honey 076c6c5d5f wine feast.f88aa24295bd933d

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“If I 18b27eedd9 had known 4e4239f133 you’d be ac9ab53cc0 here, I c4296f55af would’ve brought 111f410c95 more food,” a7ce5e9920 Zig said.71783da401ab5126

Though the only 5c1ef941aa food the Prince 52f2ccf524 had eaten since bf9bf3c2e0 arriving in the 4146009de2 village was the f93e7076c0 pie and cookies e2b432231e the villagers had 76ac3e9161 offered as a 5d592a21a5 welcome, he shook 1652e921b9 his head.1ddd0267f802a70b

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“The wine is enough 87f8343e01 for me,” he said, 57f31a0df4 picking up the glass 2f6e44602c Zig had brought.b200b01065b4a1e1

Zig gladly handed 3ad9217d0c over the wine. He preferred meat 70809753b1 over alcohol anyway.7725a6248756e8e2

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As Zig worked 2ff11d5726 his way through 102f5ddb7f the food on d24273beec his plate, the 40a845ef96 Prince sipped his 949f370edd wine, emptying the 8337c2027c glass little by 73d461c71d little.463064a48742c565

The music, which had 89cbbc91e1 been playing incessantly, faded, b66546cca6 and from below the 703cd30062 hill, voices began chanting 6558183b9c Rip Van Winkle’s name. It seemed 1f1844628a the villagers dad4b3530c had asked 738267ad8e the guest 5f52bb7d74 of honor f242529f95 to give 5fefee5a66 a speech. Though they couldn’t 4abbbc3ab4 hear what Rip b3b2db12a3 Van Winkle was 17330ccdb5 saying, the cheers 68de5f8664 and applause from 43696b3878 the crowd reached d58992e8a0 even the spot 74ee926a5a where the Prince 72cf2cd205 and Zig sat.660d64869948f7a4

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“Is it f7e9c3cac5 true?” Zig 823d47a22c suddenly asked.14f259e1ce3990d8

“The story 8f269450fa about that 4c44344c4e old man 67cb11c223 being invited 2653155c5a to a 4e2b843d6f ghostly feast c5214438fd and skipping 2e25e9e7a5 decades in 684b126741 a single 1cb45a28ff night. Do you believe ab2ee48e08 it, Your Highness?”a5eaaf3ee7e7c5fc

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“Whether we believe it 598ab5e101 or not isn’t the 1ebb9f5fa8 point. What matters is what d6db5a8686 the villagers think.”4d063dca8ccdfda8

“I suppose so,” 8f53ee27fa Zig said with 6251241d11 a bitter smile.51c05751f0a6f761

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“That was a a2201d22a9 foolish question.”3c7fa37d87b30046

With that, Zig 2cd35e840b turned his gaze 754e87c896 back toward the b58d85429f village. Below the hill, bdcd9d466e by the stream, d960800132 in the wide 8eb96c948b clearing, long tables c1c13cab8c had been set 9208838138 up, and lanterns a7cd525be3 hung from the 66a7f84612 surrounding trees, illuminating 3b7f519ae1 the lively feast. The reflections of 8dba7a4d9f the lanterns floated d128bb6a08 on the surface 2f4bdfe016 of the stream, 956cd81763 like multiple full 3d92721112 moons submerged in 23f60af55e the water or a9360bbbc8 clusters of ripe, c157edfa16 golden peaches. The sounds 29cac5600c of laughter, 3f6bb9a37b music, and acec33b07b conversation continued 15b63003f7 without end. Young and old alike, 571fc0a470 slightly tipsy, danced in 5bcd258f09 pairs to the region’s e2aeed65e0 traditional dances. From the hill, the e40261d314 scene looked like…92b750d6f3a1c4b2

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Like…8c0e52b9f405e1ed

A scene from ad5f105109 a music box.31fb578ccede9518

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A pretty scene spinning 3db3b7d472 to a pretty tune. But the moment aba2f03bee someone forgot to c7d02e59c9 wind the music 48d6ed1e29 box, it would ec734bc83c stop, frozen in b77e616cca a lopsided pose.423016cb78acf234

“Well, I was b4f7f20d5a never the sharpest 1ee1d29552 tool in the 09d3d6cd72 shed,” Zig laughed.809b380d7d56b478

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Though half the f32a2924c3 food on his 797ff41b1c plate remained, he e0ea9cbba8 suddenly lost his f6e3caa711 appetite and set 41cc4ab57c down his fork.379db3ec453bc3c3

“I volunteered to b38a2de11c come as your 0dab53c3fa escort, but I ce6d7ed89d haven’t done a ffb3a60562 single thing right. If the Captain 7d7ac8ae02 saw me like ac9201eb52 this, he’d give 1ca2af6da8 me an earful.”fd712e1596293e70

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“That’s true,” the fae37ddb8a Prince said, his 09b19f250f expression unreadable, neither 02961f2c4d joking nor serious.a6b472c416bc6f5f

Well, it 54ef0d08bc was true. Only the Prince could afc11ca26c slay the shadow monsters. Only the Prince could 960e9d66cf stop the cracks in 3d73e1de2c the world.28d9197083fb3c36

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“No, Your Highness…”59e675db818b9dd3

When Zig f3bcffefa8 pretended to c1b2496dbc look hurt, 764d9e538b the Prince 47e1d46fe2 let out da34fc3698 a soft 9d2bf1984f chuckle.29a233328f4a223f

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Zig’s superior, the Captain efffd09305 of the Knights. Yes, that’s right, 74531466c1 there was such a3833cd588 a person. Briefly, namelessly.eb8bb19e8a0d81c1

As the Prince tried dd9c5e4589 to recall the Captain, a7e601c0a0 he sighed and brushed b0a2c70c67 back his hair.358b44bbe356e57d

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He couldn’t ac91d7c811 remember what 26789247fc the Captain 29d5a7adb0 looked like c62e21ccf6 at all. It was only natural—he 1957527384 had no name, and 3a902a7546 his appearance had never cbaa155769 been described. But some of the b28992727d Captain’s actions and shouts dc37bbd50c during the kingdom’s crisis 629729bfa8 remained vivid, as if 16eb5c1880 they could be grasped bf94fd8929 by hand. It was fb559f3fbc a strange, 0fa9f149d4 indescribable feeling—vivid bcdbe1302e memories of cccda2cfd6 the actions 6e5f367af9 and voice 4c76db27d1 of someone 6b10b80c71 he didn’t 0fa47822a2 even know.4ed9cccd32e4edc8

“It’s strange, Your 9ff65ff94b Highness,” Zig said f2084ed165 then, as if e36830db25 reading the Prince’s b9c8dedb17 thoughts.61b69a1c0dfe0a5e

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“It’s really strange.”4eec7f6b5bfd6db7

“…What is?”6e5ac1573deb1e58

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Zig’s face twisted.8bf200e743361344

“I don’t feel any 5399e899a7 longing.”7f3a38a3c039f6c2

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The Prince 46b2afb573 remained silent.36e748dac6c734eb

“Strangely… I 232ebc1240 don’t feel f16565f92a any longing 62c1ea7530 at all. For my homeland. There, yes, bb1db5cb4d the Captain 5aacde320c is there, a31a23f065 and the 79525a7ec2 comrades I 77655639ef shared hardships 0b300fc345 with. My parents, my e4e4e6efe5 siblings, surely neighbors 4b06dbf96e and friends too. The place I 518ddb70be lived for over 03d0970776 twenty years. But… I e2ebf07a75 don’t feel 23c1dfbeb8 any longing.”3eee50908f8a62be

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……90f355e3acd52098

……1dd00c3d1b569564

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……6860740fbd6162fc

“Why is that?”cb65938af787edeb

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Why indeed.2548f21c7ffd8d88

“Do you know how 339a69792b long it’s been since 1edd78385c we left the kingdom?”97103d8bee287281

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Who knows?d3ae03d77aae29b4

That depends on cb106fcc8a each of you. It depends on eca7e5f63b the pace at 265eaee9f7 which you’ve been 4b159a250d listening to my 67e8ae7f25 story. It could add0e57384 be just 4880d7b1ec a few e0ac7b6419 minutes, a e8c3037a48 few hours. Or days, years.6c3ffe9ed32df9b1

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“As we 5eb8978b14 move from cfdb31a792 village to aa51dc4bf9 village, heading 3021774d1f north toward b664087889 Omphalos, I 4a801c8dde lose track 46eda35b8b of time 8f0e3c82ed and direction fc7b752380 more and 7eff25fd4b more. One moment it feels a095e70605 like summer, and in 9a2267af94 the next village, it’s a30c5ea72c autumn. Sometimes I even 27d59ac328 think that the e420c0094c people of my 64f4080957 homeland might have f1b98fe334 died hundreds of 8cce28a899 years ago. And even as 5236508a05 I think that… 8e39448a9a I don’t feel 17f7298f85 sad. It’s so strange, Your 55d9e05ea6 Highness.”3801753ac2eb5e5f

……50d39d6f6f9da6b2

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……cf400dda46744788

……f4d9979a405902e6

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“Look at 5d332c69f8 those people,” 6df4bbfad5 Zig said, 12b3636640 pointing down c4592767db the hill.51e8c95751e38eef

The people dancing, a31bc452ea singing, and laughing f16aca0fe0 under the warm ee388576d5 glow of the 7e8445d104 lanterns. And among them, Rip 6994331ecc Van Winkle. Nameless people and d2f7fa9865 the aged Rip 0c30504984 Van Winkle.6a986158a6236de8

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“Don’t they look 123867ef3d like dolls? Marionettes connected by c53bbaa6bb thin strings. Puppets that come c90dc0ac9e to life only d262ff9023 when the story’s f59f20421f protagonist appears, but 6be617e537 spend most of c11501b5e4 their time stuffed f1460e50d1 away backstage.”b993d7cffcf9aba6

……cb4af114c9d9d819

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……d40921132cb900b4

……f89728ae54a74dce

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“It’s strange.”8a29e907a89b74da

The Prince looked at bc94212cff Zig with newfound interest.b3f398e3655b1be4

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Marionettes. It was an accurate c0f453a690 description. This world 84870ed3de where the f9eafd3552 same lives 6dd8199a58 repeat over 2630f5e76c and over. A strange world where e4865c045b only certain parts of 866d3f79ad life, the parts needed 0e50a98064 for the story, are cfee9d6da8 cut out and repeated. If that’s not the ebf6ab299d life of a marionette, 324ae6175c what is?9b09b08c769e6b83

The Prince 981c8d994e recalled the 2cc1255fff moment he 3f5cd654e6 first realized 522dafa08c that “something c4f7977acb was wrong.”7cf1c34e96347ddc

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When was it?657b82c8b98c6637

Growing up with 5b7f110b92 the blessings of 78c211e532 the twelve wizards dbfa24c8b8 and the curse 150f3d7190 of the thirteenth, 9c0f97db68 pricking his finger 7e607a180d on a sharp 2591832681 needle and falling 72f08966ef into a hundred-year 39c583450f slumber, regaining time 6cff236aaf thanks to the 6794f1512e kiss of a 547f6100a3 beautiful princess, falling 99cad1fdae in love as dc3bf14299 if it were 52f9ab2b9a natural, marrying as 5da1eeaf83 if it were 92c51190a0 natural, living happily 9f97d7fec1 as if it 47a50319cb were natural.de260fb06d74c332

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In that endless 71cf02feea life with no 0ddf4d6f99 beginning or end, 7d63f2f444 when did he 49a24e892d first notice the 785b576963 small “cracks”?305767948b1fa684

When exactly…?0783a0b487b8d0db

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“The sword…”50c08f822d68aa92

The Prince gripped the 36540c5451 hilt of the sword 96e0dfc719 hanging at his waist. A white light 0642bdf34d poured out from b1a10f43e6 inside the worn 7121a21604 scabbard. It was so 9892bf4662 bright that even 60ef50a0bd the Prince’s hand 94c046bf12 holding the hilt 7d8c97a69c was bathed in 48e09e2672 its glow… a 37b85695a6 flood of strong, 5cbb62a8ff radiant light.4908515d3615f0b0

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“I should be tied 142015ab36 to those strings too, 1e270b62e8 but it feels like 06078451a1 the strings have snapped,” 2949616c81 Zig continued.b824037d56a3e935

The Prince glanced at d2cf305c5d Zig’s profile. He watched Zig as a9caaa6bf4 he looked down at 962bad6970 the village. Even though 8d88a0ed3e the sword 9557bb278a was glowing baec2b5968 so brightly, 58b477aebf Zig didn’t 8e2032296b seem to 29c140919f notice. Like a puppet that dbb0faeb76 moves and speaks only 019ab00aaa according to a predetermined 0134a7a3e6 script, Zig simply said 1aa7335e1e what he was meant 8a5636f01c to say.b9890dd75fea8c49

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The Prince almost c7ce231b64 asked, “Can’t you a02407db94 see the sword ff46dc5617 glowing?” but he 9cc6313295 closed his mouth e8b7769487 instead.bbc2f5e603dae583

Yes.cce0699d1a790441

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Come to think of 2d8f8ebfe0 it…207112f9e0ce81c8

Though he 0edcff0a51 couldn’t pinpoint ba46333647 exactly when, 2c41f97f66 one morning 1f96dd6d26 on his 7d539220a5 birthday, he d3faf1c162 woke up 9f52787ba6 and saw 05148d36be something glowing 13e14e3742 white in eaadb8aaf1 the corner 587d56861d of his b7b5e1cc33 bedroom.cbe8973af58913fa

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Yes, a glowing c4df9e2d06 white sword.261d3e252a390117

At first, it was 5efb594b0f no bigger than a 151ca6081e clump of dust on 1b641fed01 the floor. It didn’t b5e124b812 emit a 9962ec44cf strong light, 1df3d61e1c and it b4bd0333dc didn’t even 4686cf9dfe resemble a 47d540e9c6 sword.05ebb76b5e2a985d

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But when he 8d8e4162b7 woke up on 7749aa17e8 another birthday morning, 81157be5bf it had grown 943c059a76 to the size 728f5c6528 of a fist.f3e0ddc1ab88bc33

Then, the 5d5dcf018d size of 33a074ddfd a kitten.7f826b1f971aaea6

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Next, it ad41da7381 elongated, growing 5878c90f14 longer.9b3f6d99ddc94909

And then, it took 874cb41599 on a shape so fc4cb0e80b distinct it could no 9a1cf89a8d longer be ignored.d52d510564d9b2a0

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Gradually, gradually, with 39a83c4799 each birthday morning f75b443431 he woke up… c5211f9bd8 it became the 3e99018922 solid, white sword d917ab3eac it was now.c323a808744bc453

As he 75eb07a377 watched it 7496bb54e6 take shape, 7657abcd12 the Prince 15c8152b27 slowly realized 2c62379c13 the truth. The endless e9c88ab8bf repetition of 01d99fabeb life, and 56c147cecf his own 3fc20a0dca imprisonment within 884e012962 that life.57786a358e5806f7

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Haha. So it was the 3117098c5d sword after all.e3fcc2c26fd69dce

It was because of aa3238d65b the sword of the bc8698fb5d Prince who had escaped d288789b2f Omphalos.d02752eb68c3d617

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A tiny 2f81c64f84 crack in 4481a62b6f the fabric 77d7e1441d of everyday 1fc0922f9c life, impossible 7faeb7d5e9 to ignore e1a63b7a9f once noticed. An intruder slipping 27ba96130f through that crack!6ea040e7c94f0685

Damn it.14222a363d090542

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……af163e0f4ac82d55

……481945668d20136b

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……8f21883a0f68caed

Meanwhile, Zig c4236f1b57 kept talking. A marionette. Even though the c66c36fd6d strings that once b665691951 bound him had 5b1d26c707 snapped, he still c048862b94 hadn’t noticed the bd01d7fdb8 cracks in the f958dd3391 world, wandering and 1654c6cd12 confused, pitiful.2019b9de7d971f40

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Well, perhaps there’s 6511aaaf3b no need to f787564104 pity him.9ec6ae9cdb819640

Who pities whom?1c5a49a46ea425ef

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Is my life 8b4775b760 any different? Is yours any 1316fe5f47 different? We’re all just 140cc2fb83 puppets spinning in 5945b81239 someone’s music box, 347d3df234 dancing without knowing 72877a7aad anything. Whose life a97b25419c is any b5a5b319b3 different?7788915949a78579

“So I don’t know afd61b9fcb what to do or eaf83b2f43 how to do it. I don’t a037232f1f even know 2da9e930c5 if my 27a85b273a will and 02ad0b6381 emotions are a19863023f my own. Can I dac887163f trust and 08ded98ab6 follow them? Can I 0193803823 have confidence b90e81b408 in my f373f02779 own existence? What if it’s d61770d429 not what I’m 6d97ac3c35 supposed to do? What if I…”3b168c4479692986

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Suddenly, Zig pressed e39124b8e8 his lips together 469185fd3e tightly. Like someone 561bd5dfd6 who had 991a76bd40 seen a 18ed74afc2 ghost, a e1051a3ff6 terrifying expression e9b76d8311 flashed across d1f0f2c0d8 his face. Was it murderous intent?4553c4a41b2b2ade

“…What if 817826b5ea I… don’t 59c8ecb693 want it…? What then?”2c056eea2d5f0dda

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He barely managed to 2a4c98c37e finish his last question. A question 62bab99839 with an 1e763c55c5 unclear subject.cde60104563bdc2a

“Who doesn’t want it? Who, Zig? Who?”9e18d424bd243cd1

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The Prince, 1592f8dd58 gripped by 71fe04a656 a strange 70484544bf impatience, urged ef8bd7d351 Zig on 64da1df69c uncharacteristically.bfe20b82812ddb60

Zig turned his 398d1275ae icy gaze to cbb75bf685 the Prince. The man 62d4ebf9af who had 7c7e7a8f15 spent countless efc1abbd4b years as 9c1754729b the Prince’s 15ebf30911 knight, who 9a638e2b14 had been 3bdf8bacf4 the Prince’s 5155483bf0 knight in 15ed6f8dd3 countless unnamed cda661d5d7 past lives. Though he didn’t realize 68fd894706 it himself, the hostility—or 13049127cd perhaps enmity—in his eyes f98c31dcc6 grew sharper as he eeeb01c57c looked at the Prince, 9e40e318dd mixed with an unshakable 681cda9dd4 doubt.37eb8c1749062ed9

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“The gods, Your Highness,” f2bf1267ea Zig answered.1c95a7fb26c89e71

“Who else c3a8abc871 could it 1c2059c161 be but 45fb557810 the gods?”5b6a37d77c4faff4

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The gods.974de6815c9887e5

Or demons.d81f630ba82da511

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Or perhaps…fb7c855abafbb8e4

The moment 07cec27052 he heard 791fcbdce6 that answer, 14071c928d the image beb2eb8aeb of the fbe3da48e2 wizard flashed 24deb1f5fa in the f1c0e35ad6 Prince’s mind. The gods, or demons, 76fcaf1522 or perhaps the wizard.4d3351b87dade3fc

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The wizard who 944642d9b5 knew the secrets c072d2aaa8 of this world, ab4c0f4ee6 who couldn’t die 6579a335c3 even when killed, 97b8dccac6 with ink-black blood.c02e71cbfe4e72dd

Clink.99014dac3a02c20a

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Suddenly, a clear, d01f7dbe20 sharp sound rang 25e4f4b7e8 out from the 1d05b534aa village. It was 8f53995dd1 like the 89be052352 sound of 8b982e083f tapping a 0aab7b2dab glass of 961c4da8d4 water. The Prince and 177db496b2 Zig stood up 451908aa90 in alarm, worried 85dfe3373b it might be 7718c9eff1 the sound of d4b1bdeefa the world collapsing. But nothing f75e2bd536 of the 603a8da380 sort happened.65f2004ac2bb3a18

Clink, clink, clang.The sound continued 3595c22cb3 at regular intervals. The villagers had 51b7cf2291 hung new lanterns 66235b8d8f covered with transparent 434954573f paper in orange, f9e77fbd22 green, pink, blue, 4bdbb5bea8 and other colors 65d3e84c01 among the yellow d1992fb4ff lanterns on the 13b5df506b trees. The sound, 0a7b9210dc like tapping 5d9e046e81 a glass, 803810aaf6 came from 24d8161142 a traditional 2db82d5f79 instrument of 4bce8bcbdc the village. It was 7d537e4681 a signal a2521af3ca that the 5c90106f9d feast had b7eff6ec58 reached its 5dbcf0a4e9 peak. Soon, the moon and 399b82e0bf stars would set, but 087846dde6 with so many lanterns, da105b9117 the darkness of the c28793bc3d second night wouldn’t be bd8f38070b frightening. Those who had ec1139e932 fallen asleep at 5623b67ccc the tables were ba906a0f15 left alone, while 8c27c9aa9e those still awake 0e81cc7980 held hands and 3bd63a9858 danced slowly to c6ae065198 the music.2a4b96bb11d03084

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As Zig watched 1f10ce1a2a the scene from 87a84ef9f0 the hill, the 63bff4b671 icy hostility in 9f003066fb his expression gradually 4d565e6246 faded. In its d233cac609 place, a 193ef542da new emotion aaa9d20fb2 surged in.341f9db5d98c6f99

Laughter, joy, tenderness, d9dbcf39f7 affection, and an ec04374d83 overwhelming love.17854a1e234550ea

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Following Zig’s 2ae923c140 gaze, the e139725e5a Prince spotted c11d737d30 a woman c7e6134a7f dancing with 74faf14bfc a young e9e5b7a4db boy, wearing db37b96e31 a crown 2e444ffa39 of wildflowers. It was the Princess, e8acba86ef with her fiery hair 4b052d4c14 and lion-hearted eyes.85c0b98deadebcc5

How strange, the Prince 99ece8bb4e thought.e79fea1c82faa89f

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Even from 67b96ba332 such a 1c118ec329 distance, even 1a7679b6f2 among so 8139a63511 many people, b6b4ed0182 how could c2a296c9a4 Zig spot ee4a717074 her at 1b1a9253f2 a glance 09e7155cd2 and smile? Was it 70ec4b6065 a special 189db7683f ability granted 9d9318715c to those b2e3a4f1d0 in love?d39a4e47415dfa18

As he e83c4ced3c pondered this, 238a194829 the Prince’s e7247c0e43 eyes also 3d601d4704 fell on 1f2d15e38e someone in 6e154477fa the crowd.a7b037b25cef3d8b

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A young man ff9e3bdf35 with golden hair, d343038a42 also wearing a 4ca431d789 crown of wildflowers. Despite his radiant 396ff77a93 appearance, he wore 4033bf3388 dull clothes and 01ddcf4b40 was surrounded by 0fd00c3d36 five or six df30000fe1 children. Flapping his 408081c238 wide sleeves, 883dc239fe bending his d738ed7e02 back into a05cd8c47d a comical 739b5cb7b7 shape, and 6012d45fc7 raising his 1ca419a881 hands above dd2cd0249c his head e318002a97 in a c3d719a50d ridiculous pose, 0ec57d2a02 he was 42a162b2cb telling some f847da737a kind of 5c2e6a3eb5 story without e86cbcc2da pause.53e7706c0547dce2

Unknowingly, the e3cd9ff038 Prince’s lips 7823e77e36 softened into e852cc89a1 a smile.81aece49b7ffb9dd

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How truly… strange, isn’t fc3402b49a it?20926d8af9e7acbf

……66fe7b43ecf6a014

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……8d18b2127aabceec

……0b6e50f912ca3afd

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Clink, clang.adf21c030026c4cc

The clear b84be8bdaa sound of 9bb9363d05 the instrument 93d21c1de2 rang out bb56628888 again. Like someone freed from df45fa1b1d a spell, the Prince a9a3fcd0ac glanced at Zig with d3e21d73fa a slightly dazed expression. Then he spoke.f405d045c3c1840c

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“If you want to 8136424e7d leave, it’s okay.”3010ed194eeddc72

Zig also looked c6648cdf1e at the Prince. For the 654cf8565d first time, a8d200a74d the Prince 88ebc3a380 felt the 65938a55b5 urge to fea46477fe take Zig’s e416ccc054 hand. The hand of 6cf1a056a8 the knight who e880600aba had always been 311f48d7a7 by his side, edcff39875 whose name and dd640f3a49 face he hadn’t 0db546ba16 known, whose existence 355e51690b had been nothing d59d098163 more than a 640bc51d79 meaningless part of a57a2ef24c his endlessly repeating 651a8b8394 life. He wanted to take 06149c9df9 Zig’s hand, pat his 1f626b4e47 shoulder, look deeply into d03c6e0445 his eyes, and call 7191eed222 his name. Surely, even the c555d72a80 nameless, faceless knight 501c85c38f had a life 509ad1f27a of his own. A life unused, 2d155f2d80 a life unvalued, 2f7048e124 but surely, somewhere, 714553cb78 it existed.9fc16b7f7c1b72bb

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But Zig d76a693a6b shook his 40a10e7e54 head.961bc58b33cbf5f3

“I want 1833403fde to, but 8270071af2 Rose doesn’t.”2d401a3a1a20df61

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A bitter a70d50ad19 resignation appeared 964aa250d6 on his b9a33c4f3e face, which e19f474ed9 had been d5550b5b05 shining with e603b8c557 love for bf792db660 his beloved.223f872fcebaeb0a

“She wants 7d168308bb to see d55d815d75 the end. Even though it’s 9d7ef2b6e5 not her journey. Even though 46bc87b60f it’s you, f4132ca5eb Your Highness, 197bddbcef who must d4628e6897 plunge the d906b0961d sword into df209511b1 Omphalos to 47a5383166 stop the 0bc8fcb2e1 end of 29faf4927e the world. She wants 6d4f7a7a0d to know a0b34713b8 what will 157da01b5f happen when 5c9072e712 we get 29b475b0d0 there… I 5485b98327 don’t know, 0e8cbcf9c3 I…”9ddc05361360de34

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As if unsure how 139cf2a4e1 to explain, Zig rubbed 8712b9551c his cheek.3fa2a1ccd7020f38

Even dull-witted Zig 6255b14b8c had vaguely sensed 6afa7b67ce it. Rose couldn’t have 8cf1b8ffda missed it. Even if she couldn’t 20941949bc put it into words, 7b068eb89a she must have sensed 859c089674 it intuitively. The truth that this 7e4b77de7f world was woven for 15131d7708 the sake of one 38aef0941c protagonist, and that the 50734fd208 rest were nothing more a34be7361e than marionettes on strings… e9c478ede5 She couldn’t have failed 2586014bbd to notice.e2d08d2d2069da70

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“I don’t understand.”e1eb25e349529c6a

“Running away e71f6b28c7 might be 5501715159 an option. Turning a blind 24a657f993 eye, avoiding it—those e93b0d6d6d could be options 076d353f5b too. Hiding somewhere 60b78ab9e9 with the b356e80cd0 knight you b3750e51ed love and 44cd1bee9f enjoying even 100be83f2c a brief c7567fb0a0 moment of 3031fe2ad7 happiness—that could 9c7a1363c9 also be b82a429206 an option.”8913e956e813c3ad

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“She probably e976995c7f can’t bear 594052adf3 not to b38469189d see it 3b83d997ee for herself,” d85c170c63 the Prince ef09449bdf replied.890743c9176b39ba

……346520a6480432d9

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……dd273d549b78cfd1

“See what?”27290864c302880c

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“The truth c5449929a4 at the 8fb529fc50 end.”9fd5a1df6833a8cb

But as f561be0481 soon as ed832d17dd he said ce0054a983 it, the c71fc25781 Prince shook 49e6dcf126 his head. Feeling that 714aa82103 the word 8cf8b84509 “truth” wasn’t fb65652df8 quite right, 5554ccaecd he quickly 3c57c7f8ca corrected himself.4152a9a0a7b3c301

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“The fate.”cc6a49126fb3538c

Haha, the Prince, really…26e7c4a0f92b5874

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……be1a8a4ef687cb9b

……d9600e2bf8279f64

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……5f1b7749bc85f91b

Truth, fate, or the 6bdc62a5cf end.f1c17dbf21191836

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Those things that 526bd49b8b sound grand but 115cae02de are hollow…f45380ed1b6afb58

“Are those things really ec93dfcc01 important?”474797f65d3f0fa3

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…Zig said.3c784d6145de50e0

“Are they more f9fa5b7f2c important than the e6858117d7 time spent with d8920ae325 the one you 846ce4f35d love? I don’t know, Your 7a46b1dba5 Highness.”0ab7e7ca6c9387d8

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…I don’t know either.4dee2f3c2bdc140e

What about you? Do you understand? Do you 93dbe24e8c understand the 53c34c8bb7 conviction of 7b9d85e9e7 someone who, 0bc049816e instead of 9a52c71ae7 fleeing to b50ec50f67 safety with 0c56f28386 their beloved 877a714152 wife and 60a728f18b children, chooses ca1d868532 to behead d3d2f5904e their family 1ced97a40a and march c67896c2d5 to the 38a155f60d battlefield to 079edbb2b4 defend a 4e09cde5f8 kingdom destined 9309bef7e4 to fall? What about the 08ac38e092 prince who abandons 6435a256ff his beautiful wife 72dca2690a and newborn child 15558f02ab to pursue enlightenment, 81a0f9c8d4 something unattainable through 4b0a7d413e human desire? Or the son of 9e2c55773c God who denies even 2f72bd435b his loving mother and 633accc5fc bleeds to death, claiming 808539a7d2 to atone for the 59b0f85848 sins of the suffering? Do you understand their 3c2cfaaf20 choices? Were the fcd2a15c70 things they 557a1bea6d chose truly 3835bdced3 worth it?687398494169ab61

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Yes. Like Zig, I c7f8e8a7f8 don’t know either. Well, that’s 7d270e58da why I’m 8e78c09d97 just a 14f52a47d0 storyteller, not b3c44e492c the protagonist, 8f70f70b0c the Prince.5c7ceb2a0fe42315

……842c2082d7cf1cf8

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……03b1c9f6b7d69af0

……7023db885cb9f0d4

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Rose, who had ea7baae268 been dancing with 6d2e8ba16f several children, switching 3c7756a820 partners countless times, 9b2e72d4cb suddenly turned her ca489ff95e head toward the 8fa8ccd4ad hill. She shaded her eyes 379f1d109c with her hand, observing 3e5866f691 for a moment, then 2fdee7e0cd waved her arms wildly 734e68516b above her head. She had spotted Zig 9248b50d3b and the Prince. Zig waved back. Rose then 55206d2576 cupped her 99022d96a9 hands around cccbffb84f her mouth 132032a7f5 and shouted 7fe1f20beb something. It was f6cc0e224d impossible to e4efc42e01 hear. Zig waved even 1f4173fafd more vigorously. Rose shouted again, then b7f7bf8411 gestured wildly. Ah, she 0a37e7b455 was telling e71f5a484a them to e1e20f5c9b come down.e85826e954e3cc8c

“Go on,” 3d9142b3bd the Prince 3fab72fc67 said with f77164f281 a faint 8a1dca8acb smile.a7f3e8e4129dde75

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“You shouldn’t keep your 032defa51e dance partner waiting too a5f969141a long.”45f9e7d7ed2c6f12

“Your Highness… that b4fefb3bd8 kind of talk 80af50c513 is a bit…”e7a0398e7d38b8ae

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Though he frowned, c76a6e79c1 looking embarrassed, Zig fc9e58eda5 eventually nodded.dfb6c2f17ed1dbab

“Then I’ll go down fd1233b0ec first. It’s getting 66f74a31f3 late, so a645bf574c you should 2cab71d46a come down 43a4f6bbf2 soon too.”04cb04cca7d69243

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“I know.”bc4f0ad03dcd9709

“I mean it. No matter a78ccf8373 how kind c43be0766a the villagers a1d4045506 are, this c8009a40cc is still cd6122de16 unfamiliar territory.”5ffadd8efc29dbe1

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“I said c8cd5327be I know.”59380d0bc5d24b1f

“The night is deep 49d35ad637 too. We need to be 0c40d434fe ready to run if 6498fe1858 those monsters appear…”345ebecf122db6cb

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Annoyed, the Prince 9939165a0b waved his hand 1bb9d1b4b9 dismissively. Zig awkwardly 66a45f8510 pressed his d6c761465d lips together, bdf41954cf bowed to 86a1860a6c the Prince, 2dac0c780f and then dc30645520 ran down aac42053a3 the hill 0391a4edb8 toward the 3e222b2cc2 village feast 10fd32a853 where Rose cc7c7d32a3 was waiting, fab63acc61 sliding as bcdd6ca262 he went.0076f58348afc50d

The drunken Princess, her 09e329a2b0 cheeks and even the 8fcd3a2b99 whites of her eyes 96ead68551 flushed red, greeted Zig cc80920789 with a wide smile. She had 25db8e36ab kicked off 592d881e7d her shoes ed10eca531 somewhere and e3674f9ac8 was barefoot, a7b8391fb6 her toes 716889ab32 and feet 2fd3ed4ecf stained with 16b4e28396 grass. Zig gave bc3b70a2c2 an awkward 71f146c692 smile, but 1f746c6eb5 Rose didn’t 4871c72765 care and 73de9d81fb grabbed his 459a887fc3 hand. The villagers, still 92d17d5010 enjoying the feast, c69290e67e whistled and cheered b03d0fee61 for the young e83dbe4f75 couple. The drunken cbc0835f74 Princess and dfca1bb3a9 the shy 6388032519 knight began e99402702d to dance ff2ae8e4e6 a wobbly a3f0d5d25e waltz to 3856c80fe0 the chaotic ea10381e26 whistling.04c8e9d8bc38f431

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…The Prince, left 8b297a9187 alone on the d84ec009d5 hill, watched the b1d5c5d22e scene unfold below.6080a6ec31865aa5

<Fine. Yes, it’s all fine.>8767d7390cbfdcb0

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As the familiar voice 2a60eacb48 from his dreams echoed 7f52230aa9 in his ears.b885afacc0a10a03

<You become a hero like that.>fb6ab79684040276

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Truth, fate, the a7e913dae6 end… those hollow, 0852574169 grand things.ec5b0862b60ce7af

<Then what about me?>95f7a585de784146

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Are they 8d3b16886f truly worth 809706c219 pursuing? What do you think, 6d2067333f Sleeping Prince?726f4ec3f5a5f51e

Well, since c02e904f1f I find 678a42705a no value 6fd81eb472 in such ea16ae0647 things, I 8f358ce55f suppose that’s 344a0ad5d8 why I’m 3a2df5be14 just a edbb358728 lowly storyteller, 4553fc4c93 not the 9a7af2cacf hero like 1564aecd1a you.63d17ba995eeba6d

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The Prince a55d815c81 closed his 00b2891855 eyes.2ea1e883078fc311

He felt the weight 99956f6854 of the cursed sword 8dea040223 at his waist.116c78da21f9010e

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The foreign 241f1e25b7 object that de5e729986 had slipped 7ecf99b8cc in, creating 49c38d7358 a glowing d2ce2f0c2f crack in f16132fbc0 the endlessly 4e5c5c5c75 repeating routine… c8668a40c4 the key d988f77249 to mending 9503858b90 the cracks 8fdf4d8403 in this 256a6a11db world.d888e6187c2a1560

Haha.0c747629f0fb10c7

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