Walking Forward On the Way the Great Wisdom of the Empire Has Prepared for Them
“What’s wrong Sion? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Though the ghost probably looked worse after seeing you.
In a rare display of tact, Mia stopped herself from saying that second part. She noticed that Sion’s face was so pale it seemed lifeless.
“What is wrong Sion?”
Without answering Mia’s question, Sion approached Abel, knelt on the ground, pressed his hands on the ground, and prostrated himself before the other prince.
“Eeek!?”
Mia gasped at Sion’s unexpected behavior. Then she hurriedly looks to the sky to check if pigs had started flying. She didn’t want to start a comedy act, but Sion Sol Sunkland has unabashedly done a dogeza. Such a scene is rarely, if not, never seen. Mia felt triumphant seeing him like this. Or she would be if she wasn’t creeped out.
This is ominous. I hope this guy is not bringing any bad news with his dogeza.
Anybody watching the scene would think that Mia’s thoughts were rude. Luckily, nobody can read her thoughts. Mia silently watched the whole scene unfold. Abel spoke up.
“Stabbing swordsellers… Prince Sion, what is the meaning of this? Can you at least raise your face for the time being?”
Abel was also surprised. He knelt down beside Sion. But Sion didn’t even try to raise his face.
“I’m sorry, Prince Abel … I have to apologize.”
“What do you mean?”
Keithwood, who was next to Sion, answers Abel with a serious look.
“It seems that a part of Sunkland’s intelligence unit, Wind Crows, went rogue and are actually the true masterminds behind this whole situation.”
After hearing Keithwood speak, Mia’s mouth went wide open. It is very unprincess-like behaviour but looking stupid is the least of her concerns at the moment.
Heavenly moons! What?
She was thoroughly confused and could not make sense of what was being said.
I suppose that’s true. It was Sunkland that benefited from the revolts in both Remno and Tearmoon. It should not be surprising that Sunkland was behind both of them at all.
Mia closed her eyes. Suddenly, she was staring at the guillotine again with the setting sun giving everything a bloody glow. She remembered the noise of the crowd, the scent of the wood, and the fear of her impending death. Except this time, the roles are reversed. The heroes were villains; the convict was the judge. The chain of events that had led to this horrific moment was all Sunkland’s doing. Sunkland prepared the road to the guillotine and then sentenced her to walk on that road to her death.
Mia shook her head, and the moment passed. When she opened her eyes again, there was no bleeding sun and no guillotine. There was only Sion still in dogeza. She watched him for a long time and came to an understanding.
Oh, this is for me as well, isn’t it? I have also been owed an apology.
Maybe it was karma, or fate, or revenge even. Whatever it was, it offered closure. Justice was served; vengeance concluded. It was a pleasant sight for her… but…
This sight… it does not feel too good to look upon.
There was an indescribable bitterness in Mia’s heart. She knew that this bitterness would not subside even if she cut off Sion’s head with a blade of condemnation.
Mia didn’t really find it strange. They had gone to school together and travelled together. To derive pleasure from watching the condemnation of someone with whom so much had been shared would make her the most disgusting person.
Sion is stubborn. He seems to be tied up to his ways. But that doesn’t mean I have to follow his philosophy.
If Mia didn’t like something, then she didn’t like it. She was straightforward, like that. Mia First applies not only to interests but also to emotions.
But what is Prince Abel going to do …?
Her concern now was Prince Abel who was the right to condemn Sion. Those who held power bore responsibility. It was their duty to bring criminals to justice. To seek penalty for that which has been done: this would be the approach that Sion always employed. Only this time, it will be him who is guilty.
Strictly speaking, it was not Sion himself who sabotaged Remno Kingdom. The one responsible would be Sunkland, therefore its king. Sion would not want to settle for such an arrangement. It was against everything he was brought up and taught with. In his eyes, he was not sinless.
Mia swallowed. Her lips became dry from watching. Abel, still kneeling, moved closer to Sion.
“Raise your face, Prince Sion. Such conduct wouldn’t suit you.”
“……However”
“It’s okay to bow your head if it makes you feel better, but … If dare I say… if you want to take responsibility as a royalty, then you should do so in a manner befitting a royalty, right?”
“A manner befitting royalty…”
“As royalties, our duty is to reign the people in peace and happiness. I thought war was the only way to end this conflict. But… someone showed me that I was wrong. There was another way to end this “ridiculous” battle.”
Then Abel looked at Mia and his expression softened.
“Someone has illuminated the way we should go. Then all we have to do is to walk that way. Am I not right?”
“I see, that’s right. It is as you say.”
Sion exhaled a little and then stood up up.
“Even if I bow my head and beg forgiveness… even if I want to be judged, it’s just self-satisfaction of my guilty conscience wanting to be absolved.”
“We have been saved, both I and you. We have been given the chance to be the proper rulers who rule above our people. I think that we should approach this opportunity with gratitude and commitment.”
“Commitment… to walk this path that was illuminated by the Great Wisdom of the Empire.”
Then, they both turned their eyes toward Mia. Mia walked up to them with a very satisfied smile.
Mia, Anne, Ludwig (people from Tearmoon Empire) = have the habit of referencing to the moon (e.g. heavenly moons)
Sion, Keithwood (people from Sunkland) = references to the sun
Abel, Lynsha (people from Remno) = references to the sword
