Chapter 4: Things continue after the first chapter.

At the end, even though I hadn't responded, Gather began telling the little tale.

— Twenty years ago, the empire was haunted by the public execution of the empress. Everyone knew she loved the emperor deeply, but her extreme actions were seen as an affront to God. — Gather got up from his chair and walked to the windows, looking outside as if checking something. He locked the restaurant door and closed the curtains.

— The empress made a pact with a demon to produce an heir.

— For a long time, the people had hoped she would soon have a child, but even after five years, there was still no hopeful news.

As I listened to the story, I sat on the floor next to the boy, who sat beside me.

— They say that on the day a white star, shining as bright as the sun, appeared in the sky on the darkest night of the empire, the late empress prayed to it to grant her a child. And the wish was indeed granted. The next day, most of the maids in the palace saw a huge egg in the empress's room. — Gather gestured with his arms, mimicking the rocking of a baby. — The emperor didn't know about this until the "baby" was born. It looked like a slimy larva.

Gather walked over to us and crouched down to our eye level.

— The empress left the baby alone long enough for it to start crying loudly. Its cries echoed through the castle for hours, and the emperor discovered it.

*Clap!

Gather suddenly clapped his hands, startling us.

I was starting to get scared, wondering if such a creature really existed. This was something my grandfather used to say—that besides fearing the devil, we should fear humans who sympathize with him.

— It was in the spring that the empress's maternal church demanded the peace treaty be dissolved and that she be taken back home. To the people, it seemed like they wanted to turn a blind eye to what had happened. Enraged, everything in the capital came to a halt: shops, restaurants, markets, businesses; Until the emperor did something about it.

I was starting to feel anxious about how the story would end, but the boy beside me seemed uneasy, perhaps because it was too heavy for a child to hear.

— Do you know how the emperor resolved it? — Gather leaned closer to us, building suspense. He covered one side of his mouth and whispered, — He dragged the poor woman, who still smiled tenderly at him, and burned her in the square in front of everyone, where no execution had taken place for centuries. After that, many had differing opinions about how the emperor was unfit to rule, leading to the rise of an anti-imperial faction. There are some ducal families with the same blood as the emperor who could dethrone him with the support of these factions, but after what happened, he remarried one of his cousins, who gave birth to the current crown prince.

Sophia, Gather's wife, came out of the kitchen at that exact moment, carrying three glasses of orange juice on a silver tray. She placed the tray on the counter and scolded her husband, hands on her hips.

— I can't believe you're scaring the children with this story! Have some mercy! — she grumbled. Sophia handed out the glasses and sat in the chair Gather had been sitting in earlier.

— But is the story true? About the… — I asked, biting my nails in fear. Gather didn't seem to realize it, but his face made the story even more terrifying.

— It is! Continuing the story about the creature, it was said that the emperor couldn't kill it with his own hands, nor could any of his servants. Why? I don't know. — Gather shrugged and stood up, walking back to the door and windows. — But do you see that place over there?

I got up and walked over to him to see what he was pointing at.

— That tower on the peak, by the sea. They say it's still there, unable to escape the cage it was put in. Since it wouldn't receive divine help, it would eventually die. — He pointed to our house, peeking through a gap in the curtain.

Returning to a normal tone, he reopened the restaurant and went back to the kitchen after getting a few slaps on the arm from Sophia.

— I'm sorry, child! My husband always loved scaring young ones, but I saw your little brother didn't seem to be feeling well. I should have stopped him earlier. — Sophia sighed, patting the boy's head as he clung to my cloak beside me.

[...]

We were about to leave when I thought to ask:

— Ma'am! By any chance, do you need help? I'm good at everything! — It was a lie. I grew up as a spoiled girl, so I wasn't capable of doing any housework or manual labor. The most I knew was crafts, because I had been very interested in handmade products at one point.

— How nice of you to ask! In a few days, the restaurant will be very busy, so some extra hands would be great. — The lady rested her chin on her palm and sighed. — But I might not be able to pay you much…

— No problem! I just need enough to eat.

— Will it just be you working, or your brother too?

— Just me!

— How old are you? You seem very small…

— I'm… I'm 10! — I could pass for a 10-year-old, since I was very smart for my current age (even though I'm actually 20).

— Alright, little one. You can start working here next week, then.

— Thank you!! — As I opened the door to leave, accompanied by the boy, the lady caught my attention by tugging on my cloak.

— Girl… Someone left this jar of honey at the back door of the kitchen. I can't use it for anything, so if you want to take it with you… — A glass jar holding about a liter of honey was under the lady's arm. She handed it to me with both hands because of its weight.

— Thank you again! — I smiled graciously as I placed it in my basket.

[...]

Entering the village had been troublesome because of the guard earlier, but now that the shifts seemed to have changed, not even a gentleman questioned us. Just to be safe, we hitched a ride on a hay cart heading outside the village, making it seem natural to be heading toward the stone tower on the hill.

The biggest challenge wasn't even close to what had happened in the morning, like descending the hill, arguing with idiots, or being chased. No, the real challenge was climbing back up.

The hill wasn't too steep, but for the boy, who hadn't seemed tired before, it now seemed exhausting.

— Come on! Just a little further… — I was already at my limit too, carrying the heavy basket on my arm and with a dry throat.

— …We can drink lake water? — Near the sapphire-blue lake we had seen earlier, we went to it with the goal of refreshing ourselves with its cool water.

[...]

Once close to the lake, I sat on the cold grass, took off my hood and slippers, and dipped my feet into the chilly water.

The boy, who stayed far from the shore, seemed reluctant to do the same.

— Come here, let's talk… — I gestured with my hand, calling him over. He approached slowly and sat beside me, hugging his knees and resting his head on them.

My arm was itching, so I wet it with some water to soothe the red spots on my skin. When I changed clothes earlier, they were already there, like mosquito bites.

I looked at the boy, who was admiring the sun's reflection on the lake… His eyes shone intensely like ripe apples in an orchard.

— I've been thinking… Have you been alone all this time? You understand what I say, act independently when needed… Who are you? — My voice sounded like a question, but at the same time, it was rhetorical, as if I didn't expect an answer.

The boy's eyes turned to me, as did his head, which rested on his knees.

— Have you thought about what you'll do when you grow up? — I rested my face on my hand and pouted, already getting annoyed by the silence.

The boy smiled as if to say, "I don't even know about tomorrow."

— I wish you could talk. It's hard to understand you this way.

"Earlier, the book had asked me to give him a name…"

— I just remembered I never told you my name directly. I'm Lucia, but my nickname is Cicia, for those closest to me… — Nicknames usually serve to shorten a name, but mine came about to add a more affectionate tone when people called me. I scooted closer to the boy and rested my head on his shoulder. He was startled by the sudden closeness and stiffened like a statue.

— You might want to change it later, but I've been thinking about what to call you from now on. I'm tired of 'boy,' 'kid,' 'little creature.' — He quickly turned as if to say, "Me?!"

— Not tired of you, but of how I call you. Do you want to know the name I thought of or not?! — I pinched the tip of his ear with my left hand, almost giving up on continuing to talk alone.

The boy nodded, agreeing to hear about his new name.

— I thought about calling you Oberon, since you kind of look like the descriptions of him, but it's too strong a name for someone with such a… delicate face? — My mouth twisted into a half-smile, not being entirely honest.

— So!! Following this line of thought, roll the drums! — I started using my index fingers as drumsticks for an invisible drum in front of me. — Reon!!!

— What do you think?

I smiled, convinced the name was perfect for him. It was easy to remember and write, and it served as a diagram with a very special meaning.

The boy raised an eyebrow with a silly expression on his face. Did he not like it?

— But if you want to change it in the future, you can…

He took my hands in his, which were smaller than mine, and kissed the back of them.

— ??!! — I jumped back, even pulling my feet out of the water. That had embarrassed me.

— I think… it's time to head back!

[...]

Back at the mansion, I planned to plant the carrot tops and sprouted potatoes we had found in the kitchen earlier before dusk.

"Sprouted potatoes can't be eaten." That's what I was told, so all I could do was plant them to harvest more.

Outside, I was wearing a gardener's apron and using a hoe I found in the storage shed. I put a straw hat on Reon's head and set him to work alongside me.

– You know? Potatoes with sprouts can contain toxic glycoalkaloids like solanine! – Outside the mansion, specifically behind it where there was a wilted rose garden, I leaned on the hoe and explained some things about gardening to Reon. – Potatoes like that could even kill us if we ate them.

– Hey, can you bring me the box of rotten fruit? – I pointed to the wooden box leaning against the wall, and the boy beside me went to fetch it, managing to carry it without any trouble. – You've gotten stronger, huh? Well, we'll use them as fertilizer to help balance the soil's salinity, which is what's killing the plants here.

One of the things I loved doing most as a kid was gardening. At my grandfather's farm, I used to eat corn straight from the field, which inspired me to learn how to grow things.

I started with the hoe, pulling out the wilted plants and turning over the soil to make space. Reon tossed the fruit into the hole, and I covered it back up with dirt.

– Done! – The boy looked at me, dissatisfied, thinking we'd have to do more than just that.

– You like playing in the dirt, don't you? But for now, we have to wait for the fertilizer to do its thing. Later, we'll plant something. – I left the hoe by the door that led us there and took off my apron.

– I'll let you play in the dirt later, but first, let's put the carrot and potato pieces in a basin of water. They'll grow roots, which will make planting easier.

I took the straw hat off Reon's head and ruffled his hair; his soft locks tangled in my palm, which felt a bit rough.

Reon looked at me with a pout and his (almost nonexistent) eyebrows furrowed, forming a wrinkled frown and a grumpy expression.

– Why is he mad now? – I walked over to the small steps in front of the back door and sat down, leaving space for him beside me.

I leaned back on my arms and stared at the sky for a while, which seemed to be filling with clouds, a cold breeze passing through my clothes.

– I think it's going to rain…

Reon walked over to me and flopped down beside me, leaning against my arm.

– Huh? I thought you were mad at me. – I looked at his face, smiling in an annoying way.

It was then that I noticed some suspicious movement in the bushes near the stone wall surrounding the mansion. Was it some large animal that had wandered in? I held Reon's hand and stood up as if to take him inside.

I could hear whispers, not very quiet, since the owner of the female voice seemed rather loud.

– Reon, go inside and don't come out until I call you. – I carefully lifted Reon by the arm and guided him to the door, and after closing it with him inside, I stood in front of it.

– You there! What are you doing here?! – I shouted at the youngsters, who, startled, jumped and fell out of the bushes, revealing the same ones who had been following us earlier in the village.

The girl sprawled on the grass with leaves tangled in her hair shouted while rudely pointing her finger at me:

– You, little girl!! You were just cozying up with the devil's spawn!

– Huh?! – I shouted, unconsciously startled.

"What on earth is this girl talking about? Is she crazy?!"

The boy next to her, as he got up from the ground, covered her hand that was pointing at me, as if to hide her rude gesture.

– Stop it, Penelope. It's not polite to point at others. Blockhead! – He gave her a light tap on the back of her head. Now standing, the boy helped his, presumably twin sister, to her feet as well.

While they brushed off their noble clothes, using a white handkerchief to clean them, they argued fiercely with me:

– Girl, are you stupid!? How could you bring a creature like that out of the tower!? – Penelope, the red-haired girl in her extravagant dress, stomped her foot and kept pointing her finger.

– That thing… Disgusting!! I wish I'd never seen it in my life. Just thinking about it gives me the creeps! – She hugged herself, shaking exaggeratedly.

– Shut up, redheaded intruder! No one asked you to turn Reon into a circus clown for your entertainment! – Furious, I thumped my chest to protect the little one.

– Did you hear that, Cedric!? The creature even has a name! – Every movement the girl made was exaggerated. Her high-pitched, irritating voice cut through my ears like knives.

The boy next to her, who had finished cleaning his clothes, crossed his arms thoughtfully and started walking toward me.

– Stay right there, don't come any closer! – I shouted, feeling threatened by his approach, and my right hand went straight to the hoe's handle as if I were about to use it.

– I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on this property or cause any trouble. – Cedric, the teenager who looked like his sister, greeted me casually, like a nobleman.

His hair was neatly combed, unlike his sister's long, wavy locks. His yellowish-brown eyes looked at me gently with a smile.

– My sister was curious about the history of this place and wanted to come here to see if the 'devil' really existed.

– Liar! – I retorted loudly. – You were following us even in the streets!

He started to approach even closer, making me feel cornered with my back to the door.

" I Can get inside and lock it quickly? " With my hand on the doorknob, I threatened to turn it.

Cedric was now just a few steps away from me.

"Darn it! He's tall! I won't even be able to hit him in time."

– Girl, can we talk calmly?

Penelope in the background was sulking and angry at being ignored, so she started urging Cedric on.

– Come on, brother! Deal with the devil's servant! – she called from behind.

– Are you an stupid, girl? I'm not as strong as you think I am! – Cedric started with a small laugh, then burst into laughter at his sister's idea. Covering his mouth with the back of his gloved hand. He stopped walking toward me.

– You're asking me to deal with a little girl like this? You're a monster! – His chivalrous facade crumbled, revealing a more reckless side.

Using the time while they were still arguing, I slipped through the door behind me and locked it with the hoe on the inside.

– I made it!

Watching the two through the window, the girl stomped her clogged feet on the ground in anger.

– See! You let her get away!! – She let out curses that didn't match her adorable face.

The boy outside ran his thumb over his lips and looked at the freshly turned soil we had just worked on, smiling as he turned, facing the red eyes beside me, glowing in the dark.

I saw a few drops of water hitting the windowpane before it started to drizzle.

– Let's go, Penelope, the fun's over. – In a way, Cedric seemed more mature than his sister and understood that, at least for that day, they wouldn't get anything out of me or Reon.

Penelope, furious, obeyed her brother, glancing at me through the window one last time. The moment they left our garden, it started to rain. A light rain at first, but it continued throughout the day, growing heavier, like a prelude to the future.

[...]

"They definitely got home soaked and covered in dirt. Serves them right!"

Now, at night, I tried reading the leather-bound book again in our room. Sitting on the wooden chair, I lit the lantern and placed it on the small table. Even though we'd spent the whole day walking under the sun, Reon didn't seem to have sweated at all. He, who had already learned to put on his own pajamas, was lying in bed with a blanket I had – coincidentally – found in a servant's chest.

We had a basic dinner, the leftover bread from Sophia's restaurant, and the mysterious jar of honey the boy had been so eager to drink. Because of this jar of honey and other things, I suspected it had all been planned by "him" all along the owner of the book who promised us a reward for each task completed.

When I opened the book, the words " Give the name"were crossed out, as if marked as completed by someone. The next mission on the following line was: teach basic concepts and common studies.

Since the mission to give Reon a name was completed, could I expect a bigger reward than a jar of honey?

– I just want to be able to eat this week… At least until I start working.

I closed the book and put it back in its place, then walked over to the bed with the lantern.

Reon hadn't fallen asleep yet but had picked up a book and started looking at it in the dark.

– What's that book in your hand? Is it the same one you were reading in the office?

He caught me a bit off guard when I looked at the manuscript in his hands and examined the cover. It was a romance called: The 100 Tales of Princess Bavil.

It had plenty of pictures and illustrations on its pages, which must have caught little Reon's attention.

I placed the light source on the small table next to the bed and lay down beside the boy.

– Do you want me to read it to help you fall asleep?

With bright, eager eyes, he quickly handed it over to me.