Now I looked outside the window and saw that the flower petals were still falling.
“All the flowers in this neighborhood will bloom today.”
The old woman spoke cheerfully. I, too, felt elated and smiled back. Then, someone stepped through the open door.
“Your Highness, Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”
It was a familiar face. He had been with me in the battle just a moment ago. Shuan's head and shoulders were covered in flowers, perhaps from the shower of flowers the people had blown.
Perhaps because I was in a good mood, I didn't feel too uncomfortable looking at Shuan. I spoke with a smile still on my face.
“Thank you for your help earlier. But what’s going on here?”
“I have a favor to ask of you, Your Highness.”
"Ask?"
I looked back at Julian, puzzled. Shuan's arm came into view, and Julian reached out for it.
I wondered if they were shaking hands or exchanging something.
Knock knock.
I heard the sound of an arm breaking, and Shuan groaned. I jumped up in surprise. The old woman watching from the side was also startled, and she started fussing about grabbing a bandage.
“Please do it. It’s what I asked you to do.”
Shuan gritted his teeth and spoke. He had offered his arm without resistance, and Julian wasn't the type to harm anyone recklessly, so he knew it was a prearranged arrangement.
Perhaps that 'dictionary' was something the two of them talked about separately after the previous meeting.
But the embarrassment was truly embarrassing. With a slightly pale face, I asked the old woman for treatment.
“I don’t know why, but do you need proof that you were injured?”
Shuan nodded.
"Then you need even more treatment. Look, can you treat me a little more aggressively? And put on a lot of bandages."
“Of course. Of course.”
The old woman quickly brought a bandage and began to fix Shuan's broken arm.
“Oh my, how did you cut it so cleanly...”
The old woman said something that I couldn't tell if it was a compliment or an insult, and I almost laughed out of place. I bit my lower lip and grabbed Julian's arm.
"Now that the treatment is over, we'll be going. Thank you very much."
“I didn’t tell you. It was actually an honor for me.”
The old woman smiled brightly, her wrinkled face creased. As we walked out, Shuan spoke to her from behind.
“Please keep this a secret.”
The old woman seemed to say that she understood, but I couldn't hear her clearly because of the cheering of the people gathered outside.
Julian and I couldn't leave Duran Village because of the raucous welcome from the people. They kept giving us bouquets of flowers and garlands to put on our heads.
I couldn't help but laugh as I watched Julian receive a flower ring from a little girl.
“Excuse me, Miss.”
A woman approached me amidst the commotion. Her voice was soft, but clear and earnest, and I couldn't help but listen.
"Oh, I should have called you Your Royal Highness, Grand Duchess. I'm sorry. I don't know much about it..."
“It’s okay. What’s going on?”
Now I saw the woman cradling her round belly with both arms. I couldn't help but smile as I looked at her belly, where the baby must have been sleeping.
“I’ll be born soon.”
"Yes. But we haven't decided on a name yet. If the child is a girl, would it be okay to name her after Your Highness?"
"What?"
I was shocked. Isn't it common to name a baby after a grandmother, godfather, or godmother, or a fairytale hero? So, I couldn't help but be surprised that they were going to name me after them.
"You saved me when I was hiding in my house, unable to escape. If I have a daughter, I hope she grows up to be brave and upright, like Your Highness the Grand Duchess."
My face felt like it was burning red. I'd never heard such embarrassing words before.
“Will it be difficult after all? For a commoner like me...”
“Oh, no! You can do that. You can do that as much as you want.”
I waved my hand impatiently. The woman smiled with genuine joy, and those around her teased her with envious remarks, saying, "You should definitely have a daughter."
"You two are truly a fairytale couple. The rumors about His Highness were true, weren't they? It was a trial every hero experiences, wasn't it?"
I looked at the hero they were talking about. Julian hadn't said a word for a while, perhaps because he'd never been surrounded by so many people before.
Seeing that he didn't even open his mouth even though the words were clearly directed at him, I pulled him towards me.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“Layla.”
"But you were a hero today, weren't you? Defeating that huge demon in one fell swoop."
I gently touched the cloth covering Julian's wound.
“Let’s stop now.”
Julian put his arm around my shoulder and led me out of the crowd. I, too, was growing tired, so I didn't hesitate. The people, though disappointed, seemed concerned for us, and they quietly let us go.
“I have a place to show you.”
“Is it here?”
“What is the name of this village?”
“It’s Duran.”
I answered as if it were obvious.
“Do you know why the people of this village are so friendly to us?”
“Well, that’s because we saved the villagers...”
"Of course, that's the biggest reason. But there's another reason. A hundred years ago, this Duran village was the very edge of Duchzan territory."
I blinked at Julian's words.
“Was it that big?”
"I only saw it on the map, though. The Julia flower, the old woman mentioned earlier, only grows in the mountain range that begins in the Duchzan Territory, and that mountain range extends all the way to Duran Village. The Julia flower was once a medicinal herb only found in the Duchzan Territory."
"Is it so?"
It wasn't bad, as if I was listening to an old story. But I wondered why someone of few words would suddenly bring up this topic.
"Long ago, after Isaac Duchzan was sacrificed to a witch, the Duchzan clan was gradually driven north. As a child, my world was limited to my mother's villa, so to me, it was nothing more than a story told in print."
Julian kept taking me up the mountain. When I looked tired, he turned his back to me.
I looked around and then quickly jumped onto his back. Julian carried me firmly and continued his story.
"My mother often told me historical stories, perhaps because she didn't want me to grow up as a boy trapped in a villa. One of those stories was about the Julia flower, which I was named after."
“Ah, I see. So your name is derived from that flower?”
I asked, leaning comfortably against Julian's shoulder. I could feel Julian's nod on my cheek.
"There was a story about Duran Village. High up on the mountain in Duran Village, there's Isaac Duchzan's grave, and around it, Julia flowers bloom. My mother loved that story."
"Why?"
"The Julia flower is a rare bloom, yet it blooms abundantly only around that tombstone. And what's even more mysterious is... they say if you pick a Julia flower near there, it withers away immediately. No wonder bards and magicians adore Duchzan."
“I can’t deny it. If I really break it, will it wither?”
"Well, maybe it's just a rumor that everyone avoids coming near it for fear of being cursed. But if Mother's words are true, it's probably a surprisingly beautiful place."
“Do you want to show me a beautiful view?”
I asked teasingly, and Julian didn't answer. But his silence was tantamount to affirmation.
Julian carried me on his back and strode up the mountain with his usual brisk stride. I asked him several times if it felt heavy, but he simply replied, "Not at all."
Soon, we arrived at a spot where the mountain dipped down slightly. There, a small clearing spread out like a flat field, and the entire space was filled with purple flowers.
The flower buds, swaying endlessly in the direction the wind blows, looked like a lake reflecting the dawn sky.
“It’s beautiful.”
Julian finally let me down. I walked inside, wading through the flower bed. The petals tickled my legs. I tried to pluck a flower, but then gave up.
"Why?"
Julian asked me why I didn't break it. I shook my head and laughed.
“If someone put a spell on this place, there must be a reason.”
I don't know why, but I didn't want to pick it because I desperately wanted to make sure the flowers here weren't picked.
I put my curiosity aside and took one step forward. Then, an old tombstone buried in this flower garden caught my eye.
“Isaac Duchzan.”
I slowly read the words on the tombstone.
“The witch will not disturb your rest...”
What does this mean? I approached the tombstone. Then I felt a trembling inside my clothes. A humming sound was audible. I reached around the nape of my neck and felt the necklace tickling my collarbone.
'The necklace...'
"Huh?"
'Open the necklace.'
Someone whispered to me. It was a clear voice, as if right next to my ear. I was sure I'd heard it before. As if entranced, I placed my other hand on the necklace.
“Layla! Stop...!”
Julian called out to me, but I couldn't hear him clearly. His form was indistinguishable, like a blur of paint.
Following the voice's instructions, I opened the necklace. The rare magic stone, tightly sealed, glowed brilliantly, regaining its magical power. I collapsed, blood gushing out.
“All the flowers in this neighborhood will bloom today.”
The old woman spoke cheerfully. I, too, felt elated and smiled back. Then, someone stepped through the open door.
“Your Highness, Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”
It was a familiar face. He had been with me in the battle just a moment ago. Shuan's head and shoulders were covered in flowers, perhaps from the shower of flowers the people had blown.
Perhaps because I was in a good mood, I didn't feel too uncomfortable looking at Shuan. I spoke with a smile still on my face.
“Thank you for your help earlier. But what’s going on here?”
“I have a favor to ask of you, Your Highness.”
"Ask?"
I looked back at Julian, puzzled. Shuan's arm came into view, and Julian reached out for it.
I wondered if they were shaking hands or exchanging something.
Knock knock.
I heard the sound of an arm breaking, and Shuan groaned. I jumped up in surprise. The old woman watching from the side was also startled, and she started fussing about grabbing a bandage.
“Please do it. It’s what I asked you to do.”
Shuan gritted his teeth and spoke. He had offered his arm without resistance, and Julian wasn't the type to harm anyone recklessly, so he knew it was a prearranged arrangement.
Perhaps that 'dictionary' was something the two of them talked about separately after the previous meeting.
But the embarrassment was truly embarrassing. With a slightly pale face, I asked the old woman for treatment.
“I don’t know why, but do you need proof that you were injured?”
Shuan nodded.
"Then you need even more treatment. Look, can you treat me a little more aggressively? And put on a lot of bandages."
“Of course. Of course.”
The old woman quickly brought a bandage and began to fix Shuan's broken arm.
“Oh my, how did you cut it so cleanly...”
The old woman said something that I couldn't tell if it was a compliment or an insult, and I almost laughed out of place. I bit my lower lip and grabbed Julian's arm.
"Now that the treatment is over, we'll be going. Thank you very much."
“I didn’t tell you. It was actually an honor for me.”
The old woman smiled brightly, her wrinkled face creased. As we walked out, Shuan spoke to her from behind.
“Please keep this a secret.”
The old woman seemed to say that she understood, but I couldn't hear her clearly because of the cheering of the people gathered outside.
Julian and I couldn't leave Duran Village because of the raucous welcome from the people. They kept giving us bouquets of flowers and garlands to put on our heads.
I couldn't help but laugh as I watched Julian receive a flower ring from a little girl.
“Excuse me, Miss.”
A woman approached me amidst the commotion. Her voice was soft, but clear and earnest, and I couldn't help but listen.
"Oh, I should have called you Your Royal Highness, Grand Duchess. I'm sorry. I don't know much about it..."
“It’s okay. What’s going on?”
Now I saw the woman cradling her round belly with both arms. I couldn't help but smile as I looked at her belly, where the baby must have been sleeping.
“I’ll be born soon.”
"Yes. But we haven't decided on a name yet. If the child is a girl, would it be okay to name her after Your Highness?"
"What?"
I was shocked. Isn't it common to name a baby after a grandmother, godfather, or godmother, or a fairytale hero? So, I couldn't help but be surprised that they were going to name me after them.
"You saved me when I was hiding in my house, unable to escape. If I have a daughter, I hope she grows up to be brave and upright, like Your Highness the Grand Duchess."
My face felt like it was burning red. I'd never heard such embarrassing words before.
“Will it be difficult after all? For a commoner like me...”
“Oh, no! You can do that. You can do that as much as you want.”
I waved my hand impatiently. The woman smiled with genuine joy, and those around her teased her with envious remarks, saying, "You should definitely have a daughter."
"You two are truly a fairytale couple. The rumors about His Highness were true, weren't they? It was a trial every hero experiences, wasn't it?"
I looked at the hero they were talking about. Julian hadn't said a word for a while, perhaps because he'd never been surrounded by so many people before.
Seeing that he didn't even open his mouth even though the words were clearly directed at him, I pulled him towards me.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“Layla.”
"But you were a hero today, weren't you? Defeating that huge demon in one fell swoop."
I gently touched the cloth covering Julian's wound.
“Let’s stop now.”
Julian put his arm around my shoulder and led me out of the crowd. I, too, was growing tired, so I didn't hesitate. The people, though disappointed, seemed concerned for us, and they quietly let us go.
“I have a place to show you.”
“Is it here?”
“What is the name of this village?”
“It’s Duran.”
I answered as if it were obvious.
“Do you know why the people of this village are so friendly to us?”
“Well, that’s because we saved the villagers...”
"Of course, that's the biggest reason. But there's another reason. A hundred years ago, this Duran village was the very edge of Duchzan territory."
I blinked at Julian's words.
“Was it that big?”
"I only saw it on the map, though. The Julia flower, the old woman mentioned earlier, only grows in the mountain range that begins in the Duchzan Territory, and that mountain range extends all the way to Duran Village. The Julia flower was once a medicinal herb only found in the Duchzan Territory."
"Is it so?"
It wasn't bad, as if I was listening to an old story. But I wondered why someone of few words would suddenly bring up this topic.
"Long ago, after Isaac Duchzan was sacrificed to a witch, the Duchzan clan was gradually driven north. As a child, my world was limited to my mother's villa, so to me, it was nothing more than a story told in print."
Julian kept taking me up the mountain. When I looked tired, he turned his back to me.
I looked around and then quickly jumped onto his back. Julian carried me firmly and continued his story.
"My mother often told me historical stories, perhaps because she didn't want me to grow up as a boy trapped in a villa. One of those stories was about the Julia flower, which I was named after."
“Ah, I see. So your name is derived from that flower?”
I asked, leaning comfortably against Julian's shoulder. I could feel Julian's nod on my cheek.
"There was a story about Duran Village. High up on the mountain in Duran Village, there's Isaac Duchzan's grave, and around it, Julia flowers bloom. My mother loved that story."
"Why?"
"The Julia flower is a rare bloom, yet it blooms abundantly only around that tombstone. And what's even more mysterious is... they say if you pick a Julia flower near there, it withers away immediately. No wonder bards and magicians adore Duchzan."
“I can’t deny it. If I really break it, will it wither?”
"Well, maybe it's just a rumor that everyone avoids coming near it for fear of being cursed. But if Mother's words are true, it's probably a surprisingly beautiful place."
“Do you want to show me a beautiful view?”
I asked teasingly, and Julian didn't answer. But his silence was tantamount to affirmation.
Julian carried me on his back and strode up the mountain with his usual brisk stride. I asked him several times if it felt heavy, but he simply replied, "Not at all."
Soon, we arrived at a spot where the mountain dipped down slightly. There, a small clearing spread out like a flat field, and the entire space was filled with purple flowers.
The flower buds, swaying endlessly in the direction the wind blows, looked like a lake reflecting the dawn sky.
“It’s beautiful.”
Julian finally let me down. I walked inside, wading through the flower bed. The petals tickled my legs. I tried to pluck a flower, but then gave up.
"Why?"
Julian asked me why I didn't break it. I shook my head and laughed.
“If someone put a spell on this place, there must be a reason.”
I don't know why, but I didn't want to pick it because I desperately wanted to make sure the flowers here weren't picked.
I put my curiosity aside and took one step forward. Then, an old tombstone buried in this flower garden caught my eye.
“Isaac Duchzan.”
I slowly read the words on the tombstone.
“The witch will not disturb your rest...”
What does this mean? I approached the tombstone. Then I felt a trembling inside my clothes. A humming sound was audible. I reached around the nape of my neck and felt the necklace tickling my collarbone.
'The necklace...'
"Huh?"
'Open the necklace.'
Someone whispered to me. It was a clear voice, as if right next to my ear. I was sure I'd heard it before. As if entranced, I placed my other hand on the necklace.
“Layla! Stop...!”
Julian called out to me, but I couldn't hear him clearly. His form was indistinguishable, like a blur of paint.
Following the voice's instructions, I opened the necklace. The rare magic stone, tightly sealed, glowed brilliantly, regaining its magical power. I collapsed, blood gushing out.
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