MDL | Chapter 5.3

There was already one 0fc7dc77d6 guest who had arrived 2121242d0e before Zig.2c44e5be9f495ba5

The Prince.82c42d40ad3b5a9d

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“So this is 5d470514cd where you were, d147232fec Your Highness. I wondered why I c9b9346937 couldn’t find you anywhere,” e3b7ea696d Zig said, sounding somewhat 0a716a74ee deflated.ea0d9f07cc5c1957

The Prince silently shifted deb3dbff1e to the side, making b99110f74c room for Zig. Hesitating for 56a8a6303f a moment, 836d1fa6f9 Zig set 789fb5d9c5 down his fb48be03df plate and 440a183bf4 glass of 757c02abf7 wine and 5e0371975a sat beside 299e8c3f0c the Prince.27745d78fb7b85ee

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The golden mist that 4e9f7eb212 had once enveloped the f6c996910f mountain peak now glowed fd69d8bd27 a deep pink, bathed 0225e46098 in the light of a906bf6396 the setting sun.862cc9533218f76b

There was no 2cba0cae47 sign of the 8119167fcf mist descending to 6350eb09a1 where the two 228715b57d of them sat. They had 099ff1f34c to be a1cc23a6ba careful. They might, like 316b01721b Rip Van Winkle, 4376255bf9 be invited to 800e6cb83f the ghostly honey 67733e243b wine feast.9553195ef6b0015c

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“If I had known 8ff49bcbfd you’d be here, I 0ce9e84226 would’ve brought more food,” 44e85d13d2 Zig said.9fb7a2a530bc71db

Though the 148b58cc60 only food e3fd1f296d the Prince d1b7d47b4f had eaten 7185eeda94 since arriving 849e2b6f6d in the 4735e9ff12 village was 645263b69c the pie 8585ec257e and cookies 551525b68b the villagers 9f0217eab1 had offered 30cb4eb860 as a 0fe202e1fb welcome, he e619d9fe0e shook his 3fc47ec2b2 head.697cbea1d98bd1d1

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“The wine 765f60a441 is enough 9cb63a71d4 for me,” fda81b7aa3 he said, bef1329ae1 picking up 49e8701524 the glass d3afd15cc1 Zig had bdb61eb53d brought.cf49a6c90aa119b2

Zig gladly handed 82a82a9d88 over the wine. He preferred meat over 3b0cdc0eef alcohol anyway.7fa011f5d9e11d5e

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As Zig 48adbd70ae worked his faadd0d0b7 way through fa563566f2 the food 0343e1ecb3 on his bdb9b340b4 plate, the 77430ca9cd Prince sipped 6cd377cd3a his wine, 4e27682d86 emptying the 8b61178111 glass little dbd495e74a by little.f91a0c2440d5cc6c

The music, which had 64ee634e6e been playing incessantly, faded, 95ac7845c5 and from below the 34346ed59f hill, voices began chanting 0677a52e99 Rip Van Winkle’s name. It seemed the 3febd82d5e villagers had asked 41ea9f501c the guest of bf7573a489 honor to give 0e3fbeffc8 a speech. Though they couldn’t hear 911522b227 what Rip Van Winkle 800bced811 was saying, the cheers 46a8a9faca and applause from the 4fcfc223e4 crowd reached even the 40b845f22d spot where the Prince 145965ab1c and Zig sat.7b43bad6eb0e6ad6

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“Is it true?” Zig 5f3fdfaced suddenly asked.c7f88991c24267be

“The story about that d7b825509b old man being invited 557eb391ba to a ghostly feast f786f5ef8b and skipping decades in 922e0cf098 a single night. Do you believe f2c73d290e it, Your Highness?”12c5d58c57e147d0

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“Whether we believe fa4de993b9 it or not 5b11079660 isn’t the point. What matters is bc5110bca6 what the villagers 05b7d4ba49 think.”971d75e6220945a1

“I suppose so,” Zig beb3b282e8 said with a bitter 530600023d smile.bcf4d3cea5c92cf6

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“That was a foolish 5c9402ad49 question.”b2a6a9dd58434440

With that, 49f33f3ea5 Zig turned b049bca0f0 his gaze fbc20c60dd back toward e9e28cd7a9 the village. Below the hill, by efe305eea6 the stream, in the 28c6547d1b wide clearing, long tables 6021ffd2aa had been set up, b7b958d35a and lanterns hung from dcedc673b1 the surrounding trees, illuminating 3814f5f477 the lively feast. The reflections of the 6f4995687e lanterns floated on the 84bf376ffb surface of the stream, 831aa6c512 like multiple full moons cb13384314 submerged in the water 81f4e249c6 or clusters of ripe, 56628a3327 golden peaches. The sounds of 924a0676ae laughter, music, and 9bc1ebaca9 conversation continued without 5373e35e9c end. Young and 234172a655 old alike, 5a5e22f48d slightly tipsy, c1b6f0354a danced in cdd428f720 pairs to 5c5c04a60b the region’s ba3245de76 traditional dances. From the hill, the fd1ee0ad46 scene looked like…7bd8f59d6b4a1608

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Like…993d674b9d5211e1

A scene b3d8d1c2bd from a 38514e1a58 music box.752ef14fa7ed5d00

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A pretty scene spinning 2876ffe02c to a pretty tune. But the moment d8093995ed someone forgot to 7e63262a65 wind the music ac2b2e34a3 box, it would 5dc5161dc3 stop, frozen in 38ca8cc434 a lopsided pose.e06ff9e1f3084da1

“Well, I was 5b0910e2d3 never the sharpest 65ea05df32 tool in the 45ff329450 shed,” Zig laughed.11705e7e28fa48c8

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Though half the food 72620110d2 on his plate remained, 0297526b74 he suddenly lost his 5db2dc3e7b appetite and set down 5a94fff2a7 his fork.ff04779c643cd6eb

“I volunteered to come 2457e9ae1a as your escort, but f83cbfe33a I haven’t done a 8c2fe89bd5 single thing right. If the Captain da9abf02b3 saw me like 832bdb9e57 this, he’d give 34c763c641 me an earful.”d75abddf624ea27e

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“That’s true,” the 131510ad62 Prince said, his 57fe01ee72 expression unreadable, neither 529841a068 joking nor serious.a3d9a8a9400fcebf

Well, it 297d4b4e9c was true. Only the 1fc9c14bb1 Prince could 9e528b2461 slay the 2a103a7ecf shadow monsters. Only the Prince 606b64ea00 could stop the 2e44d5391d cracks in the 03cdfb9a29 world.0c159ce6af1c3665

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“No, Your Highness…”057cd354068893f2

When Zig d9415c6456 pretended to 5d8664dc08 look hurt, 44c359220e the Prince 7b5a93c368 let out c040c93aaa a soft d1a1cacfbb chuckle.18eceba0608ded06

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Zig’s superior, 65d4582702 the Captain 5080562656 of the fcf60d83d7 Knights. Yes, that’s right, there 1919f516c8 was such a person. Briefly, namelessly.47cb52d34b4ee196

As the Prince 3185881dbd tried to recall 3b6ab9e7c2 the Captain, he 82be192b21 sighed and brushed 14e4da067c back his hair.737083c019818b6c

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He couldn’t remember 16ece82f62 what the Captain 304c8a70f2 looked like at 3cc0587a62 all. It was only natural—he b542de3a94 had no name, and 2bb8d9e489 his appearance had never 83636ca19a been described. But some of the 5562b543d8 Captain’s actions and shouts a27844781e during the kingdom’s crisis 70b62de43d remained vivid, as if 180d087a2d they could be grasped 6257e7a8e5 by hand. It was 0a791fb0c0 a strange, 024cc7d503 indescribable feeling—vivid dbb487baa0 memories of a4deee3574 the actions 4aaee7b796 and voice 31b707d118 of someone 4cdcc2f94b he didn’t ef5290046d even know.3d68e942fc4eec79

“It’s strange, Your Highness,” d173ded441 Zig said then, as 4672e093c8 if reading the Prince’s c29042a5a3 thoughts.d0aa4f1582d18155

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“It’s really strange.”ca2f493465678acc

“…What is?”86e7870d644669fb

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Zig’s face twisted.bf06f76174871a8f

“I don’t 5a58fdebeb feel any e779f93597 longing.”56c6b60f497d20e6

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The Prince remained silent.9fa1173521d15251

“Strangely… I 62f2be7909 don’t feel 446b38d616 any longing 19238fa077 at all. For my homeland. There, yes, the 10e8f4d0a3 Captain is there, b9e8c0e65e and the comrades 5562bcf224 I shared hardships e654836a38 with. My parents, my siblings, 4baaa0f69c surely neighbors and friends c90ef0d87b too. The place 01ee2ac8ce I lived 906fec6111 for over 9e6db2ca37 twenty years. But… I don’t 900c8e0842 feel any longing.”d3d78d1924afff8f

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……e48ccad872886cec

……525591ecd82b911e

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……09c7655490a109ff

“Why is that?”e482c772e3da6b8c

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Why indeed.9eb8144e32299adc

“Do you ce787a4ba7 know how 8543906891 long it’s d89c58b78c been since c73ec35b4e we left 7712bb7cca the kingdom?”428e3dfebb41b620

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Who knows?c47db6f8f03720e3

That depends on 269441b887 each of you. It depends on ba93866e56 the pace at 1f9f189c7a which you’ve been b9c034d446 listening to my 5517349193 story. It could be 2e52efb5ce just a few 028cde3a02 minutes, a few 1014414245 hours. Or days, years.18395796e5199ef8

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“As we move from 58c7a73115 village to village, heading a8729eb405 north toward Omphalos, I 988e12255c lose track of time e7fb1b4137 and direction more and c42f598b92 more. One moment 2028d65f64 it feels c5f54e3152 like summer, 02a92bf04a and in ce30d7449a the next 411de247af village, it’s 31c9c11d74 autumn. Sometimes I even think d306f9e681 that the people of 0421044323 my homeland might have aa31472fbe died hundreds of years 7ce8e08e8e ago. And even as I c4a9fb3c11 think that… I don’t ccb8db325b feel sad. It’s so strange, 83244a3bed Your Highness.”966e3bf967cf7ca5

……df276a973047b499

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……09de485ce1e54804

……b0762c4bfc24b911

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“Look at those people,” af556bf3d0 Zig said, pointing down 52b6bdc13a the hill.bba596287c53ebb4

The people dancing, singing, a50e6d9ba7 and laughing under the 54f12c3fd8 warm glow of the f05aa6caf0 lanterns. And among them, Rip 1a28fbb9d8 Van Winkle. Nameless people and the b380ed987e aged Rip Van Winkle.86122f13035b17d4

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“Don’t they d3412ae3f7 look like 2b3f546429 dolls? Marionettes connected 2852ff24f2 by thin 03a050948e strings. Puppets that come to 6ed9a634c2 life only when the 69a6369e06 story’s protagonist appears, but 51ecf9805d spend most of their 7cbf57a4f6 time stuffed away backstage.”e7d3a79142838ec5

……315f812588b51ece

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……e87c3672ce441b24

……4627e3d47a8ae0c4

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“It’s strange.”42cb367bdbc427af

The Prince 3d8100557d looked at 9c5a03bd99 Zig with 798ef90f50 newfound interest.9d8e105dacaf69fc

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Marionettes. It was 4413a7c273 an accurate 0840ba3a53 description. This world where 04502ab247 the same lives 4701e4328d repeat over and fea29d470d over. A strange world 63bf0e2e43 where only certain 5f18cb9c88 parts of life, e18dc0082a the parts needed 532dc51d13 for the story, ef72c2d3b2 are cut out 8592bdce2f and repeated. If that’s 556bff4555 not the d3dc0febfc life of 5fe0bb0635 a marionette, c6e74c8d21 what is?ee6f4ac85c9cd4b3

The Prince recalled the e20c471b51 moment he first realized a62df2d13b that “something was wrong.”ccec74859f1aef19

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When was it?c5ba0cfdd70d49b9

Growing up with the 321dee6450 blessings of the twelve 80fe5a187f wizards and the curse bd0f9cc567 of the thirteenth, pricking bc6e71e5a1 his finger on a 3f2fff1abe sharp needle and falling 05406af43f into a hundred-year slumber, 3b2842b174 regaining time thanks to a5a7cb3a5c the kiss of a 4069b9213e beautiful princess, falling in a06d8bc76b love as if it 5bd3d6a96e were natural, marrying as a25ecd6c35 if it were natural, 99f3f90720 living happily as if a8f4be5967 it were natural.1ee8fa3ed5d6ce47

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In that endless life e006adf3b1 with no beginning or 823263a8e7 end, when did he e2e1c70eb4 first notice the small adba1b448a “cracks”?8c52fdc8b432233f

When exactly…?8603aa61819d8be9

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“The sword…”fb9ca87a570da3ff

The Prince c5b145ae1c gripped the d989192808 hilt of 34bf0badea the sword 32f8aa0f24 hanging at bcfad56942 his waist. A white 10d2e13f02 light poured d63dc03204 out from 91e36d6aa7 inside the 2ec866aeef worn scabbard. It was so bright 0ac6c0cc3e that even the Prince’s 4a9456aa96 hand holding the hilt aac0391038 was bathed in its 3fc44b7641 glow… a flood of f5116d078a strong, radiant light.7517b6cd93066834

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“I should e5ecf22956 be tied dd2499cbf9 to those 45f4710606 strings too, 75b45339f8 but it d9ca71c5db feels like 3e32935895 the strings 7340265070 have snapped,” ad396f6877 Zig continued.75cea9cc4bd8ebe9

The Prince glanced 4a587719c4 at Zig’s profile. He watched Zig 02851db726 as he looked 0a0ce59a24 down at the 667822e9e8 village. Even though the sword 59cc307dbf was glowing so brightly, f16b38acbe Zig didn’t seem to 7616af579f notice. Like a puppet 086f5b8f27 that moves and b90aafb79d speaks only according 79d83da397 to a predetermined 12e2143af9 script, Zig simply 4af247cf87 said what he 500cceccc7 was meant to 05531cb2dc say.73b432c6976148e0

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The Prince 94b00f16bc almost asked, 7e837c8a66 “Can’t you 1e16d65713 see the 3586b2d7ae sword glowing?” df277236ff but he c44897020e closed his dd36403c7b mouth instead.b16bc541b59f436d

Yes.cc03e359ba85cf40

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Come to think of 32741b1774 it…157cf317378274cb

Though he couldn’t 7abb936f62 pinpoint exactly when, b615b9b1cc one morning on ee0b72a7eb his birthday, he fac08f4e37 woke up and 22f07080f7 saw something glowing 77b21a4427 white in the fce9c9ad46 corner of his ccaeab8b25 bedroom.ed482595ad55ce90

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Yes, a a9a369bee0 glowing white e0bfa4e6b5 sword.382ff48cc82ca848

At first, it was 8570fdb47a no bigger than a 9851503544 clump of dust on 7f22ef02e1 the floor. It didn’t emit a fcbd908548 strong light, and it 9957055033 didn’t even resemble a 090617a845 sword.9f25a1166343a466

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But when e974a1652d he woke 97f32e8f16 up on f1d38096b0 another birthday 4b9596260d morning, it 6058f64f38 had grown 851436ad33 to the c57a7a757f size of 3701164981 a fist.2c5e52262049c488

Then, the e552621bc4 size of 0edbd7dc81 a kitten.c0c430a70c45973b

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Next, it 1e802d5dc1 elongated, growing 006e2f507a longer.7a0b64bf1054ff7e

And then, it 6c65a6774b took on a 36d8c6edd1 shape so distinct ad3a116a1f it could no 87a8da3092 longer be ignored.dfa160e537259c80

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Gradually, gradually, with each f6361e21c5 birthday morning he woke d0f48c70cd up… it became the 1be28eed24 solid, white sword it 8ea4ce1e6c was now.7c9f9c06d0d61c80

As he watched it 3329dcdd53 take shape, the Prince 6cd04f05b5 slowly realized the truth. The endless repetition 8bdf1cd74d of life, and 099882e3b3 his own imprisonment 924bc88235 within that life.58886ae336cc37f3

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Haha. So it was the 5005319e80 sword after all.7f4d414e20bf9f59

It was because e5b527418c of the sword b2fee94dbc of the Prince 2d8aabddfa who had escaped 684416f869 Omphalos.89a29f2825603847

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A tiny crack ba9209cc11 in the fabric f4d0f2e258 of everyday life, f9bdcb0a20 impossible to ignore 10853d26fb once noticed. An intruder 8a4985aa65 slipping through b61b096ac6 that crack!69dd9606cd6c90b9

Damn it.f2fd709e051fa65b

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……8106607081831279

……ffc3cdd30d0a2007

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……24701fd23f60ad0c

Meanwhile, Zig kept talking. A marionette. Even though 6889491ac5 the strings a171e34f09 that once fba3213048 bound him 31984e1cd1 had snapped, cb26b261db he still 75e050d83b hadn’t noticed a0ba4aec96 the cracks f023e8f40c in the ea6cf634e1 world, wandering 66de6a8552 and confused, f399bf3b27 pitiful.327bdfe4370c56da

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Well, perhaps there’s 6cbbc37d5b no need to 78d7bed8da pity him.c35de8c2d6bfc40f

Who pities whom?4d4c7781d3fc14f9

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Is my life any 2a66d02a0c different? Is yours any different? We’re all just puppets 011f33de5e spinning in someone’s music 044b317ecf box, dancing without knowing 6702bf62fe anything. Whose life is a75eec0c9e any different?b87e8249dedae8a3

“So I don’t 59f9fc3d35 know what to 8ad12b72e9 do or how 9e5b572374 to do it. I don’t even know 6f66e87ec9 if my will and db7aefd777 emotions are my own. Can I 31511b431c trust and 902e09c4f8 follow them? Can I have confidence db56c23d36 in my own existence? What if it’s 23255b45ed not what I’m 6e805f6a80 supposed to do? What if I…”8b546320ecc0c77d

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Suddenly, Zig 6e3da4ee57 pressed his 8bdd0beb17 lips together 6a0ea104c8 tightly. Like someone 6539f922aa who had f2e1c94ff4 seen a ac4924d862 ghost, a 4bec207e11 terrifying expression 0c511ebf55 flashed across 77cb3f5114 his face. Was it f2f7298263 murderous intent?0c7299d2331a188c

“…What if e3e09fb99b I… don’t 661d9397a1 want it…? What then?”577aea99fe4a3e48

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He barely managed to 4009852fb1 finish his last question. A question with an 4287540d96 unclear subject.49154246fd47dd68

“Who doesn’t want it? Who, Zig? Who?”a963ce6a4fdeb981

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The Prince, gripped by ecfaa69537 a strange impatience, urged 7098dbbab1 Zig on uncharacteristically.38ff43d422c0a1d7

Zig turned his 0d3fc0756d icy gaze to c1a5e553c4 the Prince. The man e99fd396e6 who had d7783db70b spent countless 59c5437494 years as 8d59ce80ab the Prince’s 4194e55f21 knight, who 54f856c863 had been b032a2dda3 the Prince’s c33bc7c866 knight in dc6ca2c00c countless unnamed 4967768479 past lives. Though he didn’t realize cfb7e1e3ad it himself, the hostility—or 4dc8fadca9 perhaps enmity—in his eyes 755b16542a grew sharper as he de4468d7ba looked at the Prince, 467fc0aa2e mixed with an unshakable 760bb1aca8 doubt.958ffddf7ce02fa8

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“The gods, Your Highness,” ad80eb2de7 Zig answered.aa3c6facf70d5aae

“Who else 76e845df2f could it c618adca79 be but 34cfb76992 the gods?”32fb82a2b35d7602

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The gods.ebd6788b9a1ea16f

Or demons.fc59f8dee36f9a60

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Or perhaps…edbd8749092fed85

The moment 6584b77fae he heard 4fac147a2e that answer, 4893c0be15 the image 3b944b9f8e of the 22246e3b5e wizard flashed b6c720c251 in the b0fd680b59 Prince’s mind. The gods, or demons, 03e8f44002 or perhaps the wizard.913ff2a3217ba964

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The wizard who 34ecf0689e knew the secrets 6a781cbe3a of this world, ad5f9e19ed who couldn’t die b47e4881cd even when killed, 4940dd6aa6 with ink-black blood.8526f5c1ed1547d7

Clink.b09440b2c3255f35

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Suddenly, a clear, sharp 3a5d29231b sound rang out from c610ef1d55 the village. It was like e2acc4b863 the sound of 6ed1c3153c tapping a glass 9a49fe426b of water. The Prince 81a3baeea9 and Zig 87f9120042 stood up 3cba636877 in alarm, 74e2502523 worried it 345f02cddb might be 63923388e6 the sound 074075847d of the 6dd4584866 world collapsing. But nothing of the 247d750fb3 sort happened.65ef38b77d59886f

Clink, clink, clang.The sound 5d58725acc continued at 874b07d7d0 regular intervals. The villagers had hung 50c77e1627 new lanterns covered with bcda0fb67f transparent paper in orange, ac383aae68 green, pink, blue, and 1e63a73e0b other colors among the bf1fb216bf yellow lanterns on the 56b0fada73 trees. The sound, like 6f01ee8952 tapping a glass, a142b32937 came from a c2814d5d7b traditional instrument of 774226e17c the village. It was a signal f09cd2dfc7 that the feast had ebc795978e reached its peak. Soon, the moon 210641d0ce and stars would 746a101ea3 set, but with 4c60cd7f65 so many lanterns, 82ccb7becc the darkness of 66064308e8 the second night 0d4b1a36c2 wouldn’t be frightening. Those who had d92542691b fallen asleep at 5ca905f807 the tables were 813fb81cbf left alone, while 9fba5f1463 those still awake fffb937f02 held hands and 62d481e223 danced slowly to a93bbcdfed the music.3f13909d619cae99

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As Zig 6661445ca9 watched the fd4f0067ed scene from 9d9e94408f the hill, d2cba77c2d the icy 3fca97f5bb hostility in 3609c237a5 his expression 653252eca1 gradually faded. In its 1fbc239378 place, a 75706f6816 new emotion 2471267997 surged in.4b0a72ce83d8e61f

Laughter, joy, d54a667bd1 tenderness, affection, 48356775e5 and an 6fac5e23e1 overwhelming love.5dcbc6d7ade80d0e

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Following Zig’s gaze, 63b03c4045 the Prince spotted 6dfafb48e6 a woman dancing c49da12980 with a young d4e6653a83 boy, wearing a a471e726c4 crown of wildflowers. It was b4bdfc1d24 the Princess, 84f1836d16 with her 323bfcc7a8 fiery hair 6921c8ceff and lion-hearted fd04c1f111 eyes.1d007fe0d60188ec

How strange, the Prince 798d23b503 thought.6a5ff137d2855e32

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Even from such 2bab9b5d9d a distance, even 47f99abc71 among so many 3eaecc3307 people, how could 930ecf8411 Zig spot her ea4e8c7c81 at a glance 4ce37c4e5d and smile? Was it d3e4ecc0f2 a special 5375b46e93 ability granted 4367ebb4ab to those 57ffe2183f in love?f1645a6805d575d5

As he 95bf154242 pondered this, 8f2ac8202c the Prince’s 93237888e1 eyes also 199eea97f2 fell on 13963d7309 someone in cb9b748956 the crowd.69508b10938e2fb8

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A young man b2be4e077b with golden hair, 688fcaa4f3 also wearing a df6b2edb0c crown of wildflowers. Despite his radiant 64b76a58da appearance, he wore 1648daf021 dull clothes and 1215bbdc98 was surrounded by ac4048ab09 five or six 7c08969548 children. Flapping his wide sleeves, 0eb1cd0e57 bending his back into cae257243f a comical shape, and c4cb881f25 raising his hands above 0c76cf5cf0 his head in a f073018823 ridiculous pose, he was 59f393d496 telling some kind of 95a02d1859 story without pause.c78cbc96d608b9df

Unknowingly, the Prince’s lips e3b9b1c854 softened into a smile.c99d156cf1c61e99

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How truly… strange, 4bba7920d2 isn’t it?6ee8b651817fba1f

……6df7fd87cffd6a2f

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……fa95370d033aa145

……f74918e1414f7335

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Clink, clang.3ba627474bf8f7bb

The clear sound of a032ea4007 the instrument rang out c8e6185dc6 again. Like someone freed from a8ee602156 a spell, the Prince 399d599a90 glanced at Zig with 3fc348cc99 a slightly dazed expression. Then he spoke.2daeefdff18201c5

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“If you want d0e23a4145 to leave, it’s 3898d2e878 okay.”29d6b36a966d55dd

Zig also looked at 5d9fbfd13c the Prince. For the 2b89d9d4c7 first time, a08aaeeecd the Prince 1b5fc1f252 felt the 588013edf7 urge to 5cafe338ec take Zig’s 4f16eaccf9 hand. The hand 3810770e61 of the 89504309d5 knight who de8dc22ac7 had always c2d8709a3c been by 1bde4e0af9 his side, 3d5e2ca8f2 whose name 52b6b6079b and face 7f14ca2831 he hadn’t 50b1a1cb2c known, whose 141dd586d2 existence had 29f147f853 been nothing 6e88cbd7f6 more than 36a0449369 a meaningless 0fdbd2f8e6 part of 12a2a03d4a his endlessly 0976002b4b repeating life. He wanted 55ef7f779f to take cbfe822085 Zig’s hand, e8fcca3fe2 pat his 64a03b6467 shoulder, look 53f3dc272d deeply into dff7031fef his eyes, cc23f35771 and call 1d27ff22c1 his name. Surely, even the nameless, 038f859590 faceless knight had a 9bf82d1c48 life of his own. A life unused, dcb6e0e4d1 a life unvalued, d1ca88d8b1 but surely, somewhere, 9adf5161da it existed.efe78dc7afb7b3ce

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But Zig shook 7a47cbbfa3 his head.dc6fbb1943658c2a

“I want 7ed834e140 to, but a5da16cb9f Rose doesn’t.”19c704c6cd2a9f50

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A bitter 191e776fb1 resignation appeared 228621b365 on his 9aea7d762d face, which 1889a142d2 had been 96e6ec3dd2 shining with 6d21ed44d5 love for aae61cb76c his beloved.c85b07e850a6fc83

“She wants to see 3bd9fa669c the end. Even though it’s 346c37340f not her journey. Even though it’s you, 9ea326cfde Your Highness, who must 5a199ad97a plunge the sword into fd92ec777c Omphalos to stop the 831a1e90fa end of the world. She wants 065100076c to know 03e03ab09c what will f02796cf6c happen when d990177f2c we get bd55a30b62 there… I 499ccee401 don’t know, 378c5cc9e6 I…”c05f1565da5ce5d8

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As if unsure how 01be396d2f to explain, Zig rubbed 5927372821 his cheek.b36d6014cc636016

Even dull-witted Zig had 2fb7aeaf97 vaguely sensed it. Rose couldn’t 1d69be005a have missed 114d104ae5 it. Even if daef99e9c1 she couldn’t f06af8a481 put it 2630ab87ce into words, c80470da5f she must 25636620fe have sensed 7de9c42425 it intuitively. The truth that this 4320fba526 world was woven for a925cc86ee the sake of one c44f575f01 protagonist, and that the e573965a20 rest were nothing more 7c643c3f2b than marionettes on strings… a667c42dc2 She couldn’t have failed 38a5f24411 to notice.08f2b538814473cc

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“I don’t understand.”1f486d7c76eacd08

“Running away might 913b2abbe9 be an option. Turning a blind a4581437c0 eye, avoiding it—those e6289128e1 could be options f2515ed23c too. Hiding somewhere ac183d3290 with the 43fc867ee5 knight you ad2c133304 love and b3e3ec9dc7 enjoying even 3b323bb7b3 a brief 12b6f2dc43 moment of 7250ca5b32 happiness—that could 72cb206580 also be 74aa4bfe66 an option.”bbea865bc8673f84

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“She probably can’t d57e5f8576 bear not to 7e14810b28 see it for f329464df7 herself,” the Prince aef6ed3419 replied.71ad4ffdfa2b4316

……aeb85d4d2d294172

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……d4f05d205bb1c93f

“See what?”7c178ba52214b340

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“The truth at 315fd62712 the end.”7e8178a7b5b1f19d

But as soon d7a9ff230a as he said 2cc40f2910 it, the Prince c6bcb2b6e7 shook his head. Feeling that 6aa2985bd8 the word 5f85212ce4 “truth” wasn’t 250fccf0ed quite right, f5ef6bd173 he quickly a2bba66307 corrected himself.7e8b1346be6ac298

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“The fate.”0524e0a3f45430d1

Haha, the 10ddbb1116 Prince, really…f37fa4da294653ba

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……338e522ff8309ac2

……001fc3bdec6f26b6

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……57614235a430f506

Truth, fate, or 85848ab5df the end.869f3d7a892fde91

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Those things that sound 6f5bde0db7 grand but are hollow…74776860cd19bdb8

“Are those things 456e522bbe really important?”8f0538fc7f476abd

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…Zig said.3d993e5c48da6c54

“Are they more 38a4c2ec84 important than the 2026d306dd time spent with 192682d470 the one you fc847e8390 love? I don’t know, Your 207b074542 Highness.”176f41cacd01b2ff

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…I don’t know either.b03497652eae0bd3

What about you? Do you understand? Do you e2a75484b6 understand the 454ad90c50 conviction of 58c932240d someone who, 4faf2a2617 instead of 126df29626 fleeing to 684e1c50cf safety with 555dde0fac their beloved 2ee7b79ce8 wife and fcc487963e children, chooses 278b688eb4 to behead 7824d07be3 their family 15b7dca5e6 and march 3d4f006b09 to the 83a70f72ad battlefield to 7813530687 defend a 29d1d24185 kingdom destined bcb714539c to fall? What about the prince 19534daae8 who abandons his beautiful a175ab568b wife and newborn child 3e013b2997 to pursue enlightenment, something 5142a67149 unattainable through human desire? Or the son of 01f5126dca God who denies even 3ec5866cdf his loving mother and cb872119d8 bleeds to death, claiming 3c688839b2 to atone for the ce31498bce sins of the suffering? Do you a245db3c59 understand their e0caffec05 choices? Were the things they 8eb1e3c9b9 chose truly worth it?6faf3975ddbe8960

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Yes. Like Zig, I don’t ad1d2fc832 know either. Well, that’s 68ef966d30 why I’m da848951fc just a 3be19741c4 storyteller, not e30a7ffcee the protagonist, 64a44460bc the Prince.a24c9a07c82c7980

……a640fb704b3bb463

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……1cc7552a999650ec

……974b5dd678fb875b

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Rose, who had been a3c8da0fcd dancing with several children, 91420408e8 switching partners countless times, a5128c0728 suddenly turned her head 4464254bf7 toward the hill. She shaded her eyes 6a321ec25f with her hand, observing 6206a9da60 for a moment, then e53d22a5c3 waved her arms wildly 5fef6d18ab above her head. She had spotted f83c61e15d Zig and the d1948692e8 Prince. Zig waved back. Rose then cupped her d10dcd4766 hands around her mouth 4a4ed55850 and shouted something. It was impossible 1f7b818c14 to hear. Zig waved even more 669a5e264b vigorously. Rose shouted baab1cc910 again, then 1a7f21c4c7 gestured wildly. Ah, she was telling 6a21c3baa9 them to come down.844198978fb04de4

“Go on,” the eb2f6ac89c Prince said with a58d2ebe2b a faint smile.0e020015849cafa2

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“You shouldn’t keep your eaedb99b85 dance partner waiting too dbf8e54103 long.”e53bad8e6df6ca91

“Your Highness… that kind ac2d511029 of talk is a 75dc1cc45d bit…”6da21804e38dbe15

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Though he frowned, 5ef0cb9792 looking embarrassed, Zig 6efd7fe73a eventually nodded.5e977b0c0a070fb0

“Then I’ll go down c7ff80dc57 first. It’s getting late, so 85c803e22f you should come down 3bf372c3b7 soon too.”d0e18772b20c7dd7

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“I know.”ff6234a45d2850b9

“I mean it. No matter 3411d42954 how kind 2cbaf77930 the villagers 2b32e37577 are, this 08be879810 is still 7a82b857a6 unfamiliar territory.”e8b3dc81ac6f381c

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“I said I know.”c1aa19406280c13b

“The night is 15245b31bc deep too. We need to 01a0b1c985 be ready to 547791ca05 run if those ab025e132c monsters appear…”69806711f45d9d20

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Annoyed, the Prince waved fd05ca2101 his hand dismissively. Zig awkwardly pressed 89cdbf375a his lips together, c0b8a3595f bowed to the 6ef0a9d5d2 Prince, and then 7991b9a539 ran down the 4487b179f3 hill toward the f727b2a8e7 village feast where 5b204f4c70 Rose was waiting, 520e73e375 sliding as he 38ede453ba went.aad6a15bf4981d8a

The drunken Princess, 63541fe8cf her cheeks and f062c4de76 even the whites bb62aca41f of her eyes e058234d43 flushed red, greeted a21d62c7c5 Zig with a 73deeaa2c2 wide smile. She had kicked off 52d612d29c her shoes somewhere and 1cc34dcf71 was barefoot, her toes 5461fee731 and feet stained with 02edaa832e grass. Zig gave an 68b840e9b9 awkward smile, but 4b0d9bfafe Rose didn’t care d16d0ef921 and grabbed his 6462c3a6eb hand. The villagers, bc8ae8ac19 still enjoying 9108260c6e the feast, 2a125dd538 whistled and cb1a7ccf8a cheered for c7dc6aa805 the young 4392c5ddfe couple. The drunken Princess and 8e72ce0679 the shy knight began 23189ba330 to dance a wobbly 8b4e933389 waltz to the chaotic 78255877d7 whistling.31b7b2bb240abe2d

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…The Prince, left f1ef489a24 alone on the 000506c54e hill, watched the b64b5d1d45 scene unfold below.c0d6cd173ccbd0f1

<Fine. Yes, it’s all fine.>38808012009ee21a

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As the familiar 07e0cccbe5 voice from his d5e90eaf33 dreams echoed in 47a2dc3f27 his ears.1d2b0bac55e473b8

<You become a hero like that.>6bb9d63119786959

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Truth, fate, the 1ca2c0a17d end… those hollow, dfb10f1adf grand things.f11f74eaac2993a6

<Then what about me?>e7d8b49131901f82

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Are they truly worth 1c90578b80 pursuing? What do you 95901f8758 think, Sleeping Prince?dd5c16e6df095c87

Well, since I find 57bb323588 no value in such 8b6c5a804e things, I suppose that’s c8ae0a16bc why I’m just a 5bb96d626f lowly storyteller, not the dcef57753e hero like you.103ecde54efcac77

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The Prince 4a83610f18 closed his 90181f2df0 eyes.8514ebe85cf7a581

He felt the weight e29ffcff08 of the cursed sword 9dd324d209 at his waist.6009735797a0c837

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The foreign object that 7f5545d45b had slipped in, creating 7890bf7b2a a glowing crack in 8d3620f559 the endlessly repeating routine… b7c71ba8b2 the key to mending d586ee4c4d the cracks in this 059abf84b3 world.9d39b1f4ec1c6fb1

Haha.141bc402d692b28e

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