Chapter 33 - Numerous Meanings In A Single Line In The Novel

Chapter 33 – Numerous Meanings In A Single Line In The Novel

Time passed, and Kiehl was fourteen years old.

There was only half a year left before he would leave.

Bella calmly waited for the newspaper every morning for the final setting of the childhood. One day in the midst of spring. There was a wanted letter in the morning newspaper.

“Finally, the flyer has arrived.”

[ WANTED: Calix / 10 Gold / Crime: First Degree Murder ]

At ten gold, it was almost the price of a commoner’s hut.

‘It must have been quite infamous. A killer job?’

She had been following all the small to large settings, and only the most important thing remained.

Catch the wanted criminal Calix.

Kiehl was not able to use magic that other Royal Family could use for granted because he was the illegitimate son of the Emperor.

Many people used to doubt his qualities.

However, Kiehl henchman ‘Peter’ grumbled and said something.

[ “Hey, who caught the infamous Calix. How dare they say such a thing to Your Highness.”

“I just happened to catch it.”

“Accidentally or whatever, it’s all about Your Highness’ abilities! Even now, the Lemingos talk about Your Highness’ achievements like snacks served with alcohol!”

At that time, Kiehl did not respond and only touched the pendant bitterly. ]

It was written like that.

He was probably the one who caught him while he was on the verge of death. Thanks to this, Kiehl also held an honor that cannot be taken lightly.

Bella folded the flyer, put it in her pocket, and took a deep breath.

‘This is the last thing I need to do.’

With that thought, Bella opened her mouth as she had finished fighting with Kiehl, took a deep breath and calmed down.

“Kiehl. Shall we go to the Lemingo?”

Kiehl, who usually answered ‘yes’ without saying a word, was looking at her without answering for some reason.

“Before you go to the Imperial Palace, there is something you must do.”

Has he already reached puberty…?

Kiehl didn’t say anything.

“What are you thinking about?”

“The Goddesses of fate.”

Bella was silent for a moment.

“The fact that Bella made a mistake and almost changed her fate. What if, by any chance, your fate changed?”

In fact, she had forgotten that excuse. She couldn’t even say that this was just a novel, so she was going to wrap it up.

‘He has a good memory.’

It was a big setting that wasn’t even mentioned in the novel, though it was borrowed from a popular religion in a previous life—a popular myth like Buddhism and Christianity.

“What if I don’t become the Crown Prince?”

Does he still not believe that he is the Crown Prince?

“It’s okay. They will come to find you from the Imperial Palace. There is no change in fate.”

“Just if…”

Or, was it a burden too heavy to carry on these two still small shoulders?

“Don’t worry. I’ll make it happen no matter what.”

“….”

“My life is at stake.”

Bella replied, pretending to cut her throat with her hand. Usually, religions said that it was paradise or hell, so it wasn’t wrong at all. If the novel doesn’t end like the original, she will have to spend eternity in the demon realm, hell.

‘My spring days are enough now.’

So quickly fulfill this setting, and she wanted to go on a trip with Kiehl.

The last time they went to the mountain with Pur, she must go to the sea without Pur this time.

City ‘Lemingo.’

This city, a little far from ‘Dasiy,’ was the second largest city in the Duchy of Cruelle. It took almost three days to arrive by carriage from the mansion, and the smell was different from the air.

“The atmosphere is completely different.”

“It’s not that big, but there’s a spring flower festival.”

The flowers that were blooming all over the place were rustling and falling, giving off the scent of spring.

Jenkins spoke as he read the flyers handed out on the street.

“They give red flowers for women and white flowers for men.”

“Humans are the best at doing really useless things.”

“Yes. There’s no way Sir Zanbar doesn’t know.”

On the street, flower-distributing people came close to Bella and her group and handed them flowers. They never offered it to Zanbar was terrifying at first glance, and Jenkins, who seemed gentle, though seemed to never acknowledge it.

“Young master, when he grows up, will make the girls cry.”

When the shy little girls had already handed Kiehl a bunch of white flowers, Iwer smiled with a crescent moon smile.

He would be the object for the girls to fall in an unrequited love in the Empire’s future.

Bella wasn’t proud of bragging, although she felt quite good about it.

“Lady, would you like to bet on who gets more flowers with me?”

Iwer was excited and snorted because it had been a long time since she had been out.

“Are we here to play?”

At that time, Kiehl intercepted what Bella was going to say and answered.

“No.”

For some reason, it seemed that he was aware of Bella’s heart and took the lead.

‘Well then. I have work in front of me, so I can’t do anything else first.”

It was also about catching the wanted criminal. She then showed off the flyer and delivered today’s mission.

“If you see a guy like this, don’t catch him, but first come to me and report it.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t go together needlessly, go separately.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t play.”

“Hey. If I had known this would be the case, I would have watched the house with Pur!”

“The sooner you find it, the more time you’ll have to play.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Iwer turned around and ran away first.

“Shall we go find them, too?”

Then, Kiehl quietly looked at the flyer and nodded.

‘He’s not asking why we need to find it.’

Bella pointed in the opposite direction to the direction the demons went and asked, “Shall we go over there?”

Kiehl didn’t answer for a while before gently grabbing Bella’s hand.

“Why? Are you afraid of catching criminals?”

All of a sudden, he was as tall as Bella, so she felt his hand holding her at the moment was somewhat unfamiliar.

‘By the way, it’s been a long time since we held hands.’

“Let’s go over there first.”

He pulled her towards a fairly crowded square.

‘But, we didn’t come to play…’

When she didn’t move, Kiehl looked at her a little lonely.

“Bella.”

Calling for her, he had unfocused eyes just like when they first met.

“This is where I was born.”

Seeing him crying without tears, Bella was a little embarrassed and didn’t say anything.

“Uh… Did you?”

“I want to guide you here.”

At that, Bella moved her feet in surprise while Kiehl explained the places one by one fairly confidently.

“This is the biggest plaza. Usually, if you make an appointment, you’ll meet here.”

“There are so many people.”

“All the stores near the square are old. The store over there makes belts better than clothes.”

Kiehl finger pointed to the dressmaker.

“The bakery over there was said to have the best baguette.”

“It smells good.”

“And there, milk tea is delicious.”

“Do you remember all that?”

At her question, he glanced away without answering for a long time.

“Kiehl?”

“Yes. I remember everything.”

Without looking at her, he answered in a slightly shaky voice. So, Bella decided to change the subject.

“Shall we eat a baguette and milk tea?”

Kiehl nodded, and she patted his head and said.

“Wait here. I’ll buy you.”

Kiehl’s ‘delicious’ and ‘it’s not delicious’ were a bit annoying, but she didn’t point it out. It just seemed like he needed some alone time.

As she went to buy food, he barely exhaled.

‘It’s been ten years since I came here.’

His memories before the age of eight were much older than that.

Where most people go, in the corner of an alley that was not seen by the crowd, scruffy children were squatting with a bowl of rice in front of them.

He, like those children, looked at this square from the level of a low beast. Kiehl remembers when he was a child when he was sitting, blowing his cold hands, listening to the people passing by, making sure his ears didn’t fall off.

‘I thought everything would be fine when I came back.’

He was waking up from a nightmare with his trembling shoulders unwittingly.

Kiehl lived with his mother and uncle.

At a very young age, he thought his uncle was his father, though whenever he did, his uncle would get very angry and slap young Kiehl in the face.

His violent temperament, which had been abundant since then, was revealed without hiding after his mother died. An uncle who used to drink with the money he earned from selling him, but never gave Kiehl a warm meal.

Then, from afar, he could finally see Bella coming with a warm baguette and milk tea in her hands.

— “If you have nowhere to go, would you like to come with me?”

Unlike his uncle, Bella was a person who warmed him up even if he did nothing.

“The baguette was just made. It’s delicious.”

The two sat in front of the fountain in the square and took a bite while watching the people passing by.

“Isn’t it hot?”

“It’s nice because it’s warm.”

Bella’s memories were engraved on Lemingo, which had nothing but scars on Kiehl.

“Bella, would you like to go to my house?”

His house was the one he had suggested when Bella asked where to go first.

On the way, flowers slowly flew, and the sound of music gradually faded away. The neatly paved road became bumpy, and Kiehl stood in front of the old and shabby house and gazed back at Bella.

“It’s here.”

He thought no one was going to live, but he could see the lights flicker and disappear in the house.

“Uh… Is this right? I think someone lives there?”

“It must be my uncle.”

“Huh?”

“…I think my uncle is still living there.”

Bella spoke hurriedly, fearing that Kiehl would get hurt.

“Shall we go back?”

Frankly, if she could kill his uncle, she wanted to. He didn’t even feed the eight-year-old child enough to make him look like he was only five. Not just that, so he sold Kiehl to a wizard.

“Let’s go in together.”

“You can just go back.”

However, Kiehl had already opened the door to his old house. Along with the sound of an old door, there were bottles of alcohol lying on the floor—a creaking sound with every step.

There was a dusty dining table visible. It was not organized to such a degree that it did not look like a place where people live.

“Is that person… your uncle?”

“Yes.”

Whoever sat at the table and looked at them with half-closed eyes was the face of the wanted bounty that was caught by accident.

[ At that time, Kiehl did not respond and only touched the pendant bitterly ]

The meaning of that single line in the novel, the bitterness of touching only the pendant.

Bella lost her words in one unresolved hint.