Chapter 127 - 11-1
The Carossa territory in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Siddim entered a dark season. The trees shed their leaves, and loneliness blanketed the mountains. Black soil, brown withered leaves, gray trees, a white sky. Eventually, a soft snow enveloped these dark tones.
The atmosphere of the festivities in Carossa, which had continued for days, seemed to soak into the fluffy snow, harboring echoes inaudible to the human ear. In the dark, closed-off mountain country, the exhilaration of victory was compressed, still dancing in the air. This air enveloped all of Siddim, leaving the people elated. The news of this historic achievement would likely remain on the tips of people's tongues with a lingering heat for at least another year.
After being involved in the disbandment of the soldiers and other matters, Yugis Nekrat returned to his hometown of Carossa.
For some reason, the homecoming was depressing.
Yugis had resolved not to cry in front of his mother. However, he could not help but weep. His mother, Guendolin, remained unchanged from his memories to a surprising degree. His older sister, Shu—or Shuska—had become more beautiful than in his memories. His younger sister, Faura, had become quite the young lady.
This nostalgia brought Yugis joy.
What made Yugis cry was a sense of loss. It was the feeling of the mansion being cavernous and wide. Neither Father nor Big Brother were there. The appearance of his mother, older sister, and younger sister living there brought tears to Yugis's eyes. This was not a tragedy unique to the Nekrat family. In every household that participated in the war, this sorrow was currently unfolding, cruel and miserable.
"You have done a noble thing."
His mother said. It was true. Those who died and those who survived were all noble. Anyone who felt ashamed of fighting for their country was a fool.
Yugis wiped his tears and looked up. He could not help but remember the person who had contributed the most.
—Princess Lucy.
Before returning, Yugis had been in the royal capital. He had been summoned under the pretext of receiving an award. Yugis was detained, and it lasted for a month. Yugis was the only one detained for so long.
"I have nothing to do with Her Highness's disappearance."
In the royal capital, Yugis continued to insist only on that. Her Imperial Highness Princess Luchentin Alish had disappeared. It could be said that the Siddim army engaged in a search with its entire force. The commander-in-chief had preferred equipment identical to that of the light infantry. Mistaken for a common soldier—though it was something that should never happen—perhaps she had come under enemy attack. For a time, there was a momentum to dig up buried soldiers or scour rivers and marshes. Regardless, her survival was doubted. What the East feared was that the imperial body would be disgraced.
Tremendous effort, time, and money were consumed. It was wasted.
Her Highness's body was never found.
"Yugis, I simply cannot believe it. When I think of you as the son of that Urgil Nekrat, I find I truly cannot release you."
During the interrogations while detained, the Prime Minister, Gilma Rigardie, sometimes conducted them himself.
"What I do not know, I do not know, Excellency."
"Regarding the measures for the East, the Anil family of Carossa, the Ramirez family of Dint, and the so-called Thora Bettou family will be returned to the West. Only the Danforth family will likely be granted the fief of Kraff. These are strongly influenced by His Majesty's intentions."
Gilma tilted his aquiline nose up and looked down on Yugis.
"As you probably expect, I am opposed to these measures. I would not hesitate to overturn them. Do you think I cannot?"
Yugis looked away. "The spy from Eber, Lian Belghiyo. What is he reporting? The preliminary report should probably be arriving around now."
"I do not know this person, Lian-something. Are you trying to distract me with an irrelevant story?"
"It was you, Excellency, who began talking about the measures for the East. That, too, has nothing to do with Her Highness's disappearance."
"It was a preamble because I wanted to discuss the restoration of the Nekrat family."
"Do you wish to say that you will cancel the restoration of the Nekrat family's nobility?" Yugis laughed. "That would be a grave matter. Carossa would fight until they are extinct."
"Even so, doing it is the duty of the state."
"If you can do it, then go ahead and try."
"The East says they searched every blade of grass for the Princess. However," Gilma peered into Yugis's face with eyes harboring an eerie glint, "I believe Carossa alone should accept an inspection by units dispatched from the royal capital."
"Carossa will stand ready to receive them. There is no need for hesitation. You should do it."
Yugis was also serious.
Gilma nodded. "Then let us do it. A good attitude."
Though the Prime Minister said so, it was decided that the inspection would not be carried out. It seemed the King had not permitted it. On the contrary, as planned, the policy for the Nekrat family to possess Carossa became certain.
Once released, Yugis headed straight for an inn called the Black Feather Mansion.
His attendant, Dash, came to greet him. "Geh, Young Master. You've been released?"
"Is that a problem? More importantly, be glad. The Nekrat family returns to the rank of Count of Carossa."
Dash had returned to Carossa immediately after the war. After exchanging embraces with his parents, he had returned to Malfa City and reopened the inn.
Dash shut himself in the kitchen with his wife, Meel-san, and lined up dishes one after another on the tables. A massive feast was placed on every table in the dining hall, nearly overflowing.
"Come, come, please gather. Please celebrate. It's free, please have a bite!"
Dash called out to the people passing by.
"The Young Master, the Young Master—since it was thought he could never become the heir, our Young Master, who had never even been called 'Young Master,' is being granted a peerage this time!"
Dash occasionally choked up with emotion while inviting people in. Thanks to this, Yugis received blessings such as "Congratulations, My Lord" from many people he did not know well.
The following day, Dash Bartva was told by Yugis that he was dismissed. The relationship between master and attendant officially ended. This became an eternal parting. In the spring of the following year, thirty horses were sent from Carossa as a reward for the attendant. It was apparently Yugis's dying wish.
"As always, the Young Master is an idiot!"
Dash complained while wiping away tears. Using every connection he could, he finished selling off all the horses by the autumn of that year. He was exhausted, but certainly, a decent amount of money remained in his hand.
Dash had thought about returning to Carossa with his wife someday. However, he eventually ended his life in Malfa City. Because he was an honest and deeply trusted man, he held various positions, such as chairman of the Eastern Liaison Committee, head of the Malfa City Lodging Association, and director of the Carossa Local Association.
Few people knew that Dash had been Yugis's attendant. Even less was known about the fact that he had served as a liaison by the Princess's side. Dash did not talk much about the war.
"I didn't fight with a spear, after all."
That is what he told his wife. To be honest, he didn't have many memories of the war. He had no real sense of it. He felt as if it were a question of whether that was a real event.
Whenever he woke up from a nightmare drenched in night sweat, he always jumped up shouting, "Young Master!" This did not change even as he became an old man, and it often made Meel-san, who outlived Dash, laugh.
After parting with Dash, Yugis returned to Carossa.
In the northern winter, the cessation of activity is permitted due to the snow. During the snowy season, no one complains if one stays alone and strives for production without interacting with others. There is time to devote oneself to manual labor. One is permitted to be lonely. Once the snow melts, it is not like that. To exchange produced goods for money, one must meet others. One must compete with others.
It was a lonely, free season. Carossa, buried in snow, was also a place where one could reclaim oneself.
The festivities that had been held daily came to a close. It was about ten days after Yugis had returned.
That night, Yugis sat before the fireplace in the hall, unable to sleep. The servants had all retired to their bedrooms, and Yugis was alone. Without drinking or eating anything, he gazed at the sword resting on his lap. Suddenly, he felt the presence of someone outside.
Yugis rose from his rocking chair and opened the door leading to the garden. A full moon, radiating cold air, dominated the night. The snow appeared to glow bluish-white.
A woman dressed as a man, wearing silver chainmail, cast a thin shadow upon the snow. She held a slender sword.
"Is it you?"
"I've come, Yugis."
It was Bikira, whom he had met in the southern city of Attaik—Marvel Boony.
"What is the meaning of that attire?"
"I wanted to comfort you. Well, it suits me, doesn't it?"
Yugis shook his head. "My will to fight has burned out, Bikira."
The woman made the sound of stepping on snow. She readied her slender sword.
"I will not permit that. You and I are now in a relationship that cannot be severed. Come at me, Yugis. We have a reason to fight each other. For a warrior, is that not a joy?"
"Return to the grasslands, Bikira."
"You, what did you do with the Princess's corpse? Did you strip her naked and enjoy yourself? Did you fulfill your desires? The Princess's body must have been cold... Take up your sword, Yugis."
If he had shouted that she was a suspicious person, the woman might have fled. But Yugis did not do that. To ignore her desperation felt cruel.
"You are a sad person, aren't you?"
Yugis stepped outside. He lightly swung the sword he had received from the Princess with one hand. The scabbard flew into the snow, and the white blade flashed. "If you go that far, I'll kill you."
"That's more like it."
"I'll settle this quickly. It's freezing."
"Come, Yugis."
Facing each other, they closed in to a certain distance.
Perhaps their breathing synchronized; after a moment of tension, the powdered snow kicked up by both danced glitteringly. The powdered snow fell slowly upon the two who collided. Bikira did not flee. Yugis did not dodge.
"You—"
Bikira's face was close. Her eyes were wide open in astonishment. It was a face that looked somewhat innocent. "Why, why did you stop your hand?"
Bikira's sword was pierced into Yugis's chest up to the hilt. The Princess's sword was merely pressed against the woman's neck. He didn't stop his hand, Yugis thought. He simply could not kill her.
"Why won't you kill me?" the woman said. "You must hate me. You must want my life. Even though I'm giving it to you, why won't you kill me?"
"The Princess is alive," Yugis said. "I'll see you in hell, Marvel Boony."
Those were the final words. Yugis fell backward, kicking up snow. The inside of the mansion began to grow noisy.
This way of dying is not bad, Yugis thought just before he died. A suspicious death is fitting for him. The darkness of Urgil Nekrat's conspiracy, the Princess's disappearance, the dubious origins of the Western Army—he would take it all with him to the other world. Yugis had stolen the Princess from the royal family. He had stolen the princess most loved by His Majesty. For this great sin alone, he should not think he could die a proper death. Only if he died a mysterious death would the purification of Carossa end. A bad person dies, and the war ends happily. That is for the best.
However, it was good that he could think of Siddim and act. It was good that he could fight with his comrades. It was an honor to have fought a war against that Geraha Wolf. Moreover, since he had received victory from the Princess, he was first and foremost satisfied.
Soon Yugis's body was discovered, and the mansion was in an uproar.
The knights of Carossa chased the footprints of the culprit. The footprints continued toward the mountains, and the murderer could not be captured.
What happened to Yugis? There was one witness.
"The daughter of Siddim took Big Brother away, Mother."
Princess Faura testified.
—She must have had a dream.
The mother who lost her son concluded so.
When spring came, as if they had been waiting, the Euryas Convent reopened.
The first-year students of Euryas advanced to the second year. The maidens sometimes discussed the war, and whenever they did, the whereabouts of Princess Lucy were always whispered.
—She must have passed away.
Even without putting it into words, many nuns thought so.
Only one nun stubbornly insisted on her survival. Chloe.
"Lucy isn't dead," Chloe said.
"How can you say that so definitively?"
The nun Carmilla often countered Chloe. Carmilla was likely striving to accept reality.
"No body has appeared." That was Chloe's basis. "If that's the case, we should believe in her survival."
Chloe's assertion could have even negatively affected the Representative election. Still, Chloe did not change her claim, won the second-year Representative position, and a year later was elected as the Euryas Representative.
Having fulfilled her vows as a nun at Euryas, Chloe took Prima, Amalfi, Yufi, and Carmilla with her and entered the holy land of Kindary to continue further training. In Kindary, Robin, who had been the third-year Representative when Chloe was a first-year, was supposed to be there.
Robin Holt had apparently entered a special convent called the Siddim Order of Nuns in the south. In the end, Chloe could not reunite with her. The one who made a name for herself in the holy land of Kindary was, above all, Amalfi Mariav. Amalfi made a significant mathematical discovery. Although Chloe didn't quite grasp it, she intuitively felt it would be better for Amalfi to remain in Kindary.
Amalfi countered.
"I am Chloe's right hand. I should be by her side."
"Amalfi, scholarship is developing in Kindary. Immerse yourself in mathematics. Make a name for yourself," Chloe said. She thought that would be better for publicity.
Chloe's goal was to become a female bishop. Specifically, a female bishop in Siddim. There were not zero precedents. Fortunately, or so one might say, there were few convents in eastern Siddim. She intended to double them. She planned to face the bishop election using that achievement as a weapon.
Chloe successfully increased the number of convents. However, this achievement was not valued by the Roma Church at all. "Meddlesome woman" was the reputation Chloe struggled to earn. The increase in female nuns in eastern Siddim was at a pace that approached the number of general male convents. In a sense, Chloe was condemned for her competence. Chloe grew impatient and, half-crazed, moved to manipulate things to receive the nomination of Bishop Maslow, but she failed.
After that, Chloe recommended as many of her fellow nuns as possible to become heads of convents in other countries. The head of a convent could be called the highest rank of success for a nun. Chloe herself, in her later years, was approached to become the head of the Euryas Convent.
Returning to Euryas, she was surprised that the group system still existed.
And that there was a system where the movements of each group reached the head's ears in detail.
The strict Head Chloe Eichner, who had her lead-colored hair cut short, was called a renowned head. Here, Chloe wrote a short treatise regarding Princess Lucy. In the treatise, Chloe admitted for the first time that Princess Lucy likely died in battle in the final stages of the war. Furthermore, she expressed bitterness toward the trend of identifying Lucy with the folk legend "The Daughter of Siddim." However, she also pointed out that the responsibility for this factual error lay with Princess Lucy herself. The Princess had adopted the design of the Daughter of Siddim for her military flag, which was a shallow political strategy of attributing herself to the legend.
Her Highness should have spoken to the citizens of claims based on faith; it is truly regrettable that she was heretical from the first move.
This was what Chloe wanted to say directly to Lucy if she had survived and returned to the church.
If she let her guard down, she felt as if she could see two nuns warming their feet before the fireplace in the Euryas head's office. Every time, Chloe was startled. It was lonely for Chloe that Lucy's rebuttal did not come back.
Many enemy prisoners remained in Siddim, and Gilma Rigardie used them to cover most of the war expenses borne by the royal family. Conversely, the enemy army had fled, leaving almost all Siddim prisoners behind. Siddim profited unilaterally.
Once, Gilma personally traveled to the Kingdom of Pardil, one of the plains nations.
It was a discussion regarding the handover of an enemy general named Pusiteto.
From the Kosa side, a still young, thin man named Nahal Bas came for the negotiations. Since the preparations were already finished, there was little to discuss.
Gilma had demanded three times the expected amount for Pusiteto's ransom, but Nahal accepted it without hesitation.
That easy attitude, on the contrary, made Gilma uneasy. A suspicion arose that the person called Pusiteto might have more value. Gilma decided to take a gamble on the spot and raised the amount by another double. It was an act of overturning the preparations.
Surprisingly, Nahal complied with that as well.
Gilma saw that Kosa had lost its leadership. Pusiteto was a Tawaru. Now, it might be the Tawaru who were moving the empire.
Pusiteto, having returned to the plains, saw an empire on the verge of collapse.
Kirikiri returned to Mamukuri, and Kushitante would not come out of Koroi. Even in Kandasyata, there were signs of conflict between the Kutai tribe and the Ishma tribe.
Pusiteto became a man who traveled to the east and the south.
In a low voice and with persistence, he persuaded kings and tribal chiefs. He became an activist who explained reason painstakingly.
"The Great King's dying wish is—"
"What do you, who were a prisoner, know of the Great King?"
Even Kushitante found such a Pusiteto bothersome.
Pusiteto did not give up, feeling a mission, and devoted himself to his activities. About three years had passed. The wind suddenly changed.
"Ge-hehhe. I've lost, Pusiteto-don." The stubborn Kirikiri showed a very soft smile. "It's good, isn't it? It's good. Let us hold a grand conference to discuss the future of the empire."
Pusiteto jumped for joy.
In the east, the military police were maintaining unusually strict security. Wondering if something had happened, he asked one of the military police.
—They are looking for a pair of women.
That was the answer. One was a woman with bright hair, apparently white, and the other was a large Black woman.
"What did those two do?"
"Who knows. It's Lord Kirikiri's order."
Laughably, southern Koroi also had a similar strict security system in place. They seemed to be searching for a pair of women, but it was unknown what they had done. Sensing something, Pusiteto met with Kushitante.
"I've lost to you," Kushitante said the same thing as Kirikiri. "Very well. Let us hold a grand conference."
"Hah. While I am deeply grateful, Chief. What happened to that injury on your forehead?"
Kushitante had a bandage wrapped around his head.
The King of the Tawaru turned red in the face and hid the bandage with his hand. "It's nothing!"
Pusiteto could not help but remember the woman who had come with Mozu Wolf to the tents of the Brazm plains.
"Do you know the end of the man who kicked the Chief's head?"
"I do not wish to discuss that."
To Pusiteto, it seemed that Kushitante's complexion paled slightly.
The grand conference went well, and a loose alliance system of Koroi, Mamukuri, the Kutai tribe, and the Ishma tribe was confirmed. This system was maintained at least during Pusiteto's lifetime. There was an unexpected—or perhaps natural—ripple effect.
The circulation of goods began in earnest. Merchants were emboldened. Whenever they found producers who were depressed because the things they had painstakingly made would not sell, they bought the goods for a pittance and drove their wagons wherever they could be sold for a high price.
Soon the producers also gained wisdom and began to compete with producers of other countries using the merchants' money. Newer things, new designs, new ingenuity, new colors, scents, tastes, textures. New things were created in abundance. It seems human desire and creativity can conspire together. It seemed as if the world increased in splendor every morning upon waking. Things became abundant.
—I wanted to show this to the Great King.
It was not all good.
It was fine that women became increasingly beautiful, but it was questionable that even the men began to dress up. If Great King Geraha had seen it, he might have frowned. Or would he have laughed, saying that this is what peace is?
Letting the smoke of a new type of luxury item called tobacco drift, Pusiteto spent the rest of his life thinking such things.
Laicanel Thora, like Yugis, was one of those interrogated regarding the disappearance of Princess Lucy.
However, he was not detained.
Rather than the Princess's disappearance, Laicanel was primarily questioned on the propriety of the Western Army. He was blamed for inciting royalty and arbitrarily organizing the people into a military organization.
—Though it was something Lucy and Yugis did.
That said, the Western Army was originally born under the banner of the Thora family. It was not without responsibility.
This reprimand, however, soon vanished. Yugis had been murdered. It seemed the leadership of Malfa shifted to a policy of pinning all inconvenient parts on Yugis. Lawlessness regarding the war, lack of procedures, military actions without orders—they would likely bring the curtain down by making it things Yugis had done.
"Everyone is strangely silent about this fact," Laicanel said to Prime Minister Gilma. "If Yugis hadn't been there, we would have lost."
"Does winning mean you can do anything?" The Prime Minister bared his teeth in anger.
"It's much better than losing. People should be humble before the truth. If an unwarranted dishonor falls upon Yugis, I will not remain silent."
Laicanel declared this and returned to the West.
To the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Siddim, Gilma Rigardie, such nonsense was unforgivable. Cleaning up after the war was precisely the job of the Malfa leadership, and it was what he desired. But there was a limit. If such a bold, sloppy, chaotic situation was thrown at him, his response would also become rough.
The problem was Princess Lucy.
Yugis had gathered soldiers using the Princess as a banner. He had raised an army. Even this alone presented countless problems. The fundamental problem was dual authority. Royal authority exists as one in each country. There is one King in the kingdom. This is the foundation of the monarchy that must be strictly observed. If there are two beings exercising royal authority in one country, the country becomes two. Depending on the situation, it would immediately lead to civil war. The singularity of authority is the national security of the kingdom, and if royal authority splits even slightly, it is a crisis for the kingdom.
However.
When the Princess stood up, Siddim was in a national crisis unseen since its founding. Yugis's strange tactic of having the Princess become the general brought a breakthrough that revived the situation. As Laicanel said, if Yugis had not been there with the Princess, Siddim would have lost.
Rather, Gilma had even evaluated Yugis highly.
—Leave it to me.
He had trembled with excitement, saying leave the cleanup to him. As long as they won, it was fine. He would shape the subsequent troubles here. He could surely bring it to a legitimate form. The Princess's achievements were an inconvenient fact for the kingdom. They were difficult to erase. However, the neutralization of the Princess's authority was absolutely necessary. Thinking of various things, Gilma planned the holding of a grand ceremony.
Before a great crowd of people, the Princess would demonstrate her submission to His Majesty.
On that spot, the Princess would return the military flag of "The Daughter of Siddim" to His Majesty.
It was a symbolic ceremony of returning the power received from His Majesty.
She would prove that the victory she achieved was possible only because of His Majesty's power.
He would have this ceremony turned into a painting and kept as a royal treasure. In this way, while preserving the Princess's achievements, it would not provide a basis for the abuse of royal authority to future generations.
—Having the flag returned.
That was all. It was only that.
The King was great. That is why they won. He absolutely had to arrange that form.
Gilma had already prepared the painter to draw that picture. If necessary, Gilma intended to prostrate himself at the Princess's feet and beg her.
However.
Where was that Princess?
Yugis hid her. Gilma suspected so. As a result of various investigations, he viewed it as certain that Yugis was involved. That Yugis had also died. He thought it was suicide, but he was told he had been killed by someone.
He was a talented youth. He was a waste of a man. Regardless, with the Princess gone, the reorganization and integration of royal authority became impossible. There was no commander-in-chief. Even how to handle the army remained in limbo. He understood what Yugis intended to say.
—I will not let a single scratch be put on the Princess's great achievements.
It was likely something like that. Yugis must have wanted to protect the Princess's achievements.
But was that not too irresponsible toward the kingdom? Did Yugis intend to settle things in some way? If things went poorly, he might be saying this in the other world:
—Please, use my death.
Now that he was dead, his true intention was not well understood.
Regarding the Princess's whereabouts, it remained a mystery throughout Gilma's life.
Gilma Rigardie continued to be an influential Siddim politician until he died. He was called a traitor by the Eberians and treated as a foreigner by the Siddimians. Still, the brilliance of his achievements could be called historic. Only one part of Gilma's career appeared as a blank: the time of the war with Kosa. During this time, he lost his brilliance.
—At that time, I was beaten by the Nekrat parent and child.
Gilma told people this until much later.
Laicanel, who entered the West from the royal capital, visited Karnain before returning to Delroy. In any case, he had to report the matter of Ness Syllabus to the Syllabus family.
Laicanel received a hospitality that almost brought tears to his eyes.
He had let Ness die. He thought that no matter how much he apologized, it would not be enough.
The people of the Syllabus family seemed to comfort such a Laicanel.
Taking advantage of being treated kindly, Laicanel stayed at the Syllabus house as a guest. As for what he did during that time, he interfered with a romance. The daughter of the Syllabus family, Larisa Syllabus, was engaged to the eldest son of the subordinate Reed family. Laicanel used all the political power and charm he possessed to break this engagement. Larisa and the Reed family's eldest son seemed to not dislike each other, but that was irrelevant. It was politics.
Karnain City is in the center of the West. The Thora family controls it. From Karnain, one can overlook Bolsa City, which responded to the Princess's request, Ulham, and Slay City, which did not. Laicanel did not like Slay City. On the other hand, he thought that Bolsa City and others who responded to the Princess's voice required vigilance. The West belongs to the Thora family. It is not good for royal authority to overbear.
Persuading the head May Syllabus and the next head Scaff Syllabus, Laicanel became engaged to Larisa. It was lightning fast. Without giving those around them time to think, he took Larisa back to Delroy City and married her immediately.
Since it was so sudden, the wedding was not lavish. Laicanel and Larisa retired from the banquet hall to the bedroom early.
"When I was in prison, you showed me this lewd body almost every week."
For Laicanel, she was the first woman he had wooed himself. Her eyes, wet with lust, held an almost vicious light. This was Laicanel Thora, who was called a womanizer. He devoured Larisa's body as if tormenting her.
However, she was indeed the sister of the peerless brave warrior Ness Syllabus. She had stamina. Laicanel felt as if he were being strangled sweetly. At the end of the pleasure, he was the one to lift his chin first.
"It was wonderful, My Lord."
Laicanel could not even answer; nodding was the best he could do.
Perhaps because of the shock of this first night, Laicanel and Larisa became a couple who frequently shut themselves in the bedroom. Laicanel Thora became a miraculously unfaithful-less husband, and Larisa became the mother of nine children. Laicanel had enjoyed frolicking with various women, but Larisa was the first woman with whom he enjoyed life. Since Larisa took nothing and only gave, that alone troubled Laicanel. He always had to keep asking himself what it was that he could give in return.
Temptations from women were constant. Laicanel did not waver. That was how important Karnain City was. He also liked Larisa. She had a generous and bright personality, and above all, her plump body was enjoyable. Just as his father Sedias Thora had an abnormal obsession with his mistress Morana Haupt, Laicanel also had a disposition of wanting to be tenaciously entangled with one woman.
Laicanel's management of the Thora family was probably decent. He desperately prevented the decline of the hegemony his father had built. For the Thora family to shine again, one would have to wait for the generation of Laicanel's son, Fazio Thora, the ruthless founder of the restoration who inherited his father's beauty and his mother's muscle mass.
The painter Ludo Matinee, who came to the royal capital with General Hilboro, was kept at the Sigihild Palace. It was a request to paint a picture of some ceremony. It seemed Princess Lucy was indispensable for the ceremony.
Princess Lucy, who had vanished, was never found, and Matinee remained in the detached palace for nearly two years.
Matinee painted a picture of Princess Lucy from the last time he had an audience with her, and further painted the one-armed Yugis who had been murdered. When he presented these to the royal family, it led to an audience with His Majesty.
—We shall make these the treasures of our house.
That was all His Majesty said. Although it was a gentle voice, Matinee was so terrified he could not lift his face.
He also painted a picture of Queen Yumeria. The Queen had given birth to a child. He was a prince as beautiful as a jewel. Matinee thought that this prince's birthday was the same day Great King Geraha passed away. Perhaps because it was thought to be ominous, no one touched upon that fact.
"Divine."
When she saw the completed painting, Queen Yumeria covered her mouth with her palm.
It was a portrait of mother and child. The noble faces of the Queen and her child became like a religious painting, and for Matinee, it was an event that made him keenly feel his lack of training.
This became the last painting he drew at the detached palace.
Matinee received a reward for the paintings, and with that money, he thought he would now train in the West.
However, as soon as he arrived in the West, Matinee was on a ship.
—Huh?
When he realized it, he was in Koroi. Since he was there, he thought he would greet Master Banja and Master Cheto, but suddenly he realized he was in the grasslands pulling a horse.
—Hmm?
Despite how much he had wanted to return to Siddim, Matinee had danced back to the grasslands. The scenery of the grasslands reminded Matinee of the war. The Princess had vanished. Yugis-kun had died. The Great King too.
I'm probably the only Siddimian who weeps for Great King Geraha. While thinking such things, Matinee departed for the east.
Matinee never returned to Siddim and lived a life of traveling here and there with Koroi as his base. He might have been the greatest beneficiary of the system established by Great King Geraha. Matinee's painting style developed further in the south, and in later years, when southern painting was imported to the north, he surprised the northerners, who said, "As expected, southern culture is amazing."