“I… I must become stronger,” Igor murmured, his heart filled with bitterness and discouragement. He had never succumbed to greed, yearning only to be a king who was neither wretched nor inept. He aspired to rule his kingdom with competence and live a joyous life alongside his wife, someone he could respect as a human being, if not love.
But had he dared to hope for too much?
A soft hiccup interrupted Igor’s whimsical reverie. Tears cascaded down the girl’s cheek as she roughly wiped them away with her sleeves, her attention consumed by something else entirely. Oblivious to his presence, Igor moved silently, his gaze fixed on her from a distance. She was a sight to behold, resembling a delicate doll with her enchanting features. Her porcelain skin held an air of innocence, much like her silver hair. It appeared she was younger than Igor. Her beauty was undeniable, accentuated by the glistening pearls of tears trickling down from her luminous eyes.
“Huh?”
Igor followed the girl’s gaze, which led him to a tree before him. As he looked up, his eyes landed upon a small yellow bird with crippled wings, unable to take flight. Nearby, a cautious cat approached the helpless creature.
“Oh no…!” the girl exclaimed, stomping her feet and flailing her arms. “What am I to do?”
“What do you mean, ‘what will you do’? Leave it be,” Igor muttered.
There was nothing inherently wrong with allowing a ravenous cat to satisfy its hunger with the bird’s flesh and meat. Besides, the tree was too tall, posing a risk to the girl’s safety.
Clicking his tongue disapprovingly, Igor shook his head ever so slightly, his unwavering gaze fixed upon the scene unfolding before him.
The girl picked up a stone and hurled it toward the bird, but her feeble attempt fell short, helplessly crashing to the ground. Igor had expected her to give up, yet to his surprise, she continued to search for alternative solutions. Although she stood near Igor, she remained unaware of his presence, her eyes fixated on the bird perched in the tree.
Eventually, Igor parted his lips and uttered, “Give up. That is the bird’s destiny.”
The girl turned, her expression one of astonishment, as if she had encountered a ghost. Her eyes silently questioned when he had arrived. Igor stood dumbfounded, his lips curling into a chuckle. He found her innocence endearing, like that of a child.
Running his fingers through his disheveled hair, Igor regarded the girl with a stupefied gaze.
“And who might you be?”
Igor found himself stupefied indeed. Regardless of his age, he was a king and had never encountered someone who spoke to him in such a manner.
“This girl…,” Igor began, his tone laced with incredulity, “You are preposterous. Who are you?”
“I’m Ri… no, I need your help!”
Suddenly, the girl seized Igor’s hand and attempted to drag him towards the tree. However, her efforts proved futile against his resistance. Igor observed the whimpering girl, her eyes innocent and deer-like. Eventually, he sighed and made his way toward the tree.
“I told you to give up. That is the bird’s fate,” he pointed out, gesturing toward the cat. “Do you see that cat? It has a sagging belly. It’s a new mother. If the hunt fails, the bird will survive, but her kittens will starve.”
“Yes, but…”
Upon hearing his words, the girl’s face, which had momentarily brightened, grew somber. She had acknowledged his point to some extent.
“Well, this shall suffice,” Igor thought to himself.
Just as Igor contemplated leaving, he noticed tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.
“…Are you crying?”
The girl’s tears flowed like an uncontrollable river, leaving Igor at a loss for what to do. He found himself plunged into the most challenging situation of his life — consoling a weeping girl, something he had never done before.
Not that it matters, but the child has truly started sobbing. The boy has found himself facing his greatest hardship yet, having never consoled a crying girl.
“Please don’t cry! People will think I made you cry. Hey, stop crying… alright?”
Yet her tears persisted.
Eventually, Igor gritted his teeth and relented, “Fine, fine, I understand! I’ll save the bird!”
With determination surging within him, Igor clenched his fist and swiftly ascended the trunk of the tree. He would rather rescue the bird from its demise than helplessly witness the cascading tears. As he climbed, the cat prepared to pounce on the bird, its jaws hungry for a taste of flesh. Time was of the essence.
Chirp, chirp!
Swoosh!
“Ahhhh!”
Boom!
Igor fell to the ground, cradling the small bird safely in his hand. Fortunately, he managed to land without sustaining any injuries, utilizing a technique he had learned from fencing. Nevertheless, the impact reverberated through his body, causing excruciating pain as if his bones were shattering into pieces.
“What am I doing…?”
“Are you alright?”
Igor turned to face her with fiery eyes, tempted to say, “No, I’m not alright!” Yet, he held back. It was prudent to assess the bird’s condition first. As he opened his hand, the girl took hold of the bird. In that very moment, the bird screeched, fluttered its wings, and soared into the vast, cerulean sky.
“Ah…”
While the girl gazed up at the bird, a sense of unknown admiration emanating from her eyes, Igor brushed the dirt off his sore shoulder and back. He let out a hollow laugh. Basil would surely go mad if he witnessed his current predicament. As for the girl, she continued to gaze into the sky, paying no attention to him.
“What? I put this precious body in danger for you, and you don’t even care?” Igor’s lips tightened, his dissatisfaction apparent in his gruff statement.
Only then did the girl’s oceanic eyes finally turn toward him. It wasn’t until he witnessed her concerned expression that he felt a semblance of relief.
“I’m sorry. Are you hurt?”
“Nope.”
The girl extended her hand, which Igor grasped firmly, perhaps too forcefully, creating the illusion that she might tumble forward. Instinctively, Igor regained his balance, feigning a rough grip on her hand.
Subsequently, the girl began wiping the dirt off his face, and Igor felt an awkwardness settle within him. Keeping his gaze fixed became increasingly difficult.
“Who are you?” he inquired.
“Did you see it?”
Once again, Igor was caught off guard, staring at her in astonishment.
I am the king… Why do you persistently ignore my words?
However, he refrained from expressing his innermost thoughts and instead sighed. Uttering such words would only make her cry once more. Instead, he mustered a response, albeit roughly.
“I see… Well, that is remarkable. I witnessed something truly extraordinary,” Igor replied.
“That wish is yours.”
“Hmm?”
She picked up a golden feather from the ground, presenting it to him with pride.
“You saved the bird’s life. Make a wish upon this.”
“…A wish?”
Igor regarded the feather, memories of his deepest desires flooding his mind. His wish was to become a righteous king, encounter a virtuous woman, and share a life of happiness with her. He knew that this feather alone would not fulfill such ambitions, yet it warmed his heart in unexpected ways. A surge of solace enveloped him.
His lips curled slightly as he twirled the feather around his finger.
“Will my wish come true?” Igor asked.
“Of course. Dimi did it. He held the feather, made a lengthy wish, and Myastra appeared.”
“Dimi? Who is that?”
“My cousin. Dimi knows everything.”
“Hmm…”
Igor narrowed his eyes, observing the girl as she spoke so highly of this Dimi.
“I am the one who climbed the tree for you. Why do you praise the wrong person?” he thought, wounded by an unexpected arrow.
Once again, Igor directed his gaze toward the feather. Meanwhile, the girl’s countenance grew slightly crestfallen, as if she questioned whether he disliked the golden offering.
“No, I like it. I was merely contemplating that it should be you who pens that wish,” Igor declared.
“But you saved the bird.”
“Yes, but we achieved it together. Were it not for you, the notion of rescuing the bird would have never occurred to me. Take it. Regard it as my gift to you.”
The girl’s face immediately brightened at his words.
Igor’s lips twitched.
“You… You desired it all along. Fool, you could have simply taken it from the start!”
“Wait, you mentioned Myastra, didn’t you? Is Dimi your cousin from Crichton?” Igor inquired.
“Yes.”
“And you are also from Crichton?”
“No, I am an Arundelite. I was born and raised here.”
“Who are you?”
Just as he was about to hear her name, a woman’s voice resonated from a distance.
“Rihannan?”
Igor turned and spotted two figures: his mother and one of her loyal confidantes. He recognized the confidante—a member of Crichton’s royal family and his mother’s dearest friend. Queen Mother had once vowed to bring the lady’s daughter into the palace, make her queen, and bear a child with Igor.
“Mother!”
The girl rushed toward the lady, and Igor swiftly discerned her identity. She was the child he was destined to wed. In that moment, his heart sank, as if he had been transported from a fairy tale realm and forcefully thrust back into reality.
“I… I must become stronger,” Igor murmured, his heart filled with bitterness and discouragement. He had never succumbed to greed, yearning only to be a king who was neither wretched nor inept. He aspired to rule his kingdom with competence and live a joyous life alongside his wife, someone he could respect as a human being, if not love.
But had he dared to hope for too much?
A soft hiccup interrupted Igor’s whimsical reverie. Tears cascaded down the girl’s cheek as she roughly wiped them away with her sleeves, her attention consumed by something else entirely. Oblivious to his presence, Igor moved silently, his gaze fixed on her from a distance. She was a sight to behold, resembling a delicate doll with her enchanting features. Her porcelain skin held an air of innocence, much like her silver hair. It appeared she was younger than Igor. Her beauty was undeniable, accentuated by the glistening pearls of tears trickling down from her luminous eyes.
“Huh?”
Igor followed the girl’s gaze, which led him to a tree before him. As he looked up, his eyes landed upon a small yellow bird with crippled wings, unable to take flight. Nearby, a cautious cat approached the helpless creature.
“Oh no…!” the girl exclaimed, stomping her feet and flailing her arms. “What am I to do?”
“What do you mean, ‘what will you do’? Leave it be,” Igor muttered.
There was nothing inherently wrong with allowing a ravenous cat to satisfy its hunger with the bird’s flesh and meat. Besides, the tree was too tall, posing a risk to the girl’s safety.
Clicking his tongue disapprovingly, Igor shook his head ever so slightly, his unwavering gaze fixed upon the scene unfolding before him.
The girl picked up a stone and hurled it toward the bird, but her feeble attempt fell short, helplessly crashing to the ground. Igor had expected her to give up, yet to his surprise, she continued to search for alternative solutions. Although she stood near Igor, she remained unaware of his presence, her eyes fixated on the bird perched in the tree.
Eventually, Igor parted his lips and uttered, “Give up. That is the bird’s destiny.”
The girl turned, her expression one of astonishment, as if she had encountered a ghost. Her eyes silently questioned when he had arrived. Igor stood dumbfounded, his lips curling into a chuckle. He found her innocence endearing, like that of a child.
Running his fingers through his disheveled hair, Igor regarded the girl with a stupefied gaze.
“And who might you be?”
Igor found himself stupefied indeed. Regardless of his age, he was a king and had never encountered someone who spoke to him in such a manner.
“This girl…,” Igor began, his tone laced with incredulity, “You are preposterous. Who are you?”
“I’m Ri… no, I need your help!”
Suddenly, the girl seized Igor’s hand and attempted to drag him towards the tree. However, her efforts proved futile against his resistance. Igor observed the whimpering girl, her eyes innocent and deer-like. Eventually, he sighed and made his way toward the tree.
“I told you to give up. That is the bird’s fate,” he pointed out, gesturing toward the cat. “Do you see that cat? It has a sagging belly. It’s a new mother. If the hunt fails, the bird will survive, but her kittens will starve.”
“Yes, but…”
Upon hearing his words, the girl’s face, which had momentarily brightened, grew somber. She had acknowledged his point to some extent.
“Well, this shall suffice,” Igor thought to himself.
Just as Igor contemplated leaving, he noticed tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.
“…Are you crying?”
The girl’s tears flowed like an uncontrollable river, leaving Igor at a loss for what to do. He found himself plunged into the most challenging situation of his life — consoling a weeping girl, something he had never done before.
Not that it matters, but the child has truly started sobbing. The boy has found himself facing his greatest hardship yet, having never consoled a crying girl.
“Please don’t cry! People will think I made you cry. Hey, stop crying… alright?”
Yet her tears persisted.
Eventually, Igor gritted his teeth and relented, “Fine, fine, I understand! I’ll save the bird!”
With determination surging within him, Igor clenched his fist and swiftly ascended the trunk of the tree. He would rather rescue the bird from its demise than helplessly witness the cascading tears. As he climbed, the cat prepared to pounce on the bird, its jaws hungry for a taste of flesh. Time was of the essence.
Chirp, chirp!
Swoosh!
“Ahhhh!”
Boom!
Igor fell to the ground, cradling the small bird safely in his hand. Fortunately, he managed to land without sustaining any injuries, utilizing a technique he had learned from fencing. Nevertheless, the impact reverberated through his body, causing excruciating pain as if his bones were shattering into pieces.
“What am I doing…?”
“Are you alright?”
Igor turned to face her with fiery eyes, tempted to say, “No, I’m not alright!” Yet, he held back. It was prudent to assess the bird’s condition first. As he opened his hand, the girl took hold of the bird. In that very moment, the bird screeched, fluttered its wings, and soared into the vast, cerulean sky.
“Ah…”
While the girl gazed up at the bird, a sense of unknown admiration emanating from her eyes, Igor brushed the dirt off his sore shoulder and back. He let out a hollow laugh. Basil would surely go mad if he witnessed his current predicament. As for the girl, she continued to gaze into the sky, paying no attention to him.
“What? I put this precious body in danger for you, and you don’t even care?” Igor’s lips tightened, his dissatisfaction apparent in his gruff statement.
Only then did the girl’s oceanic eyes finally turn toward him. It wasn’t until he witnessed her concerned expression that he felt a semblance of relief.
“I’m sorry. Are you hurt?”
“Nope.”
The girl extended her hand, which Igor grasped firmly, perhaps too forcefully, creating the illusion that she might tumble forward. Instinctively, Igor regained his balance, feigning a rough grip on her hand.
Subsequently, the girl began wiping the dirt off his face, and Igor felt an awkwardness settle within him. Keeping his gaze fixed became increasingly difficult.
“Who are you?” he inquired.
“Did you see it?”
Once again, Igor was caught off guard, staring at her in astonishment.
I am the king… Why do you persistently ignore my words?
However, he refrained from expressing his innermost thoughts and instead sighed. Uttering such words would only make her cry once more. Instead, he mustered a response, albeit roughly.
“I see… Well, that is remarkable. I witnessed something truly extraordinary,” Igor replied.
“That wish is yours.”
“Hmm?”
She picked up a golden feather from the ground, presenting it to him with pride.
“You saved the bird’s life. Make a wish upon this.”
“…A wish?”
Igor regarded the feather, memories of his deepest desires flooding his mind. His wish was to become a righteous king, encounter a virtuous woman, and share a life of happiness with her. He knew that this feather alone would not fulfill such ambitions, yet it warmed his heart in unexpected ways. A surge of solace enveloped him.
His lips curled slightly as he twirled the feather around his finger.
“Will my wish come true?” Igor asked.
“Of course. Dimi did it. He held the feather, made a lengthy wish, and Myastra appeared.”
“Dimi? Who is that?”
“My cousin. Dimi knows everything.”
“Hmm…”
Igor narrowed his eyes, observing the girl as she spoke so highly of this Dimi.
“I am the one who climbed the tree for you. Why do you praise the wrong person?” he thought, wounded by an unexpected arrow.
Once again, Igor directed his gaze toward the feather. Meanwhile, the girl’s countenance grew slightly crestfallen, as if she questioned whether he disliked the golden offering.
“No, I like it. I was merely contemplating that it should be you who pens that wish,” Igor declared.
“But you saved the bird.”
“Yes, but we achieved it together. Were it not for you, the notion of rescuing the bird would have never occurred to me. Take it. Regard it as my gift to you.”
The girl’s face immediately brightened at his words.
Igor’s lips twitched.
“You… You desired it all along. Fool, you could have simply taken it from the start!”
“Wait, you mentioned Myastra, didn’t you? Is Dimi your cousin from Crichton?” Igor inquired.
“Yes.”
“And you are also from Crichton?”
“No, I am an Arundelite. I was born and raised here.”
“Who are you?”
Just as he was about to hear her name, a woman’s voice resonated from a distance.
“Rihannan?”
Igor turned and spotted two figures: his mother and one of her loyal confidantes. He recognized the confidante—a member of Crichton’s royal family and his mother’s dearest friend. Queen Mother had once vowed to bring the lady’s daughter into the palace, make her queen, and bear a child with Igor.
“Mother!”
The girl rushed toward the lady, and Igor swiftly discerned her identity. She was the child he was destined to wed. In that moment, his heart sank, as if he had been transported from a fairy tale realm and forcefully thrust back into reality.
