After the long story was over, Yasiris released the breath she had been holding since the middle of the conversation.
A past she had never imagined confused her.
Among the flowing feelings, a memory crept into her.
“Mom, did you have a mother too?”
"naturally.
But apparently my parents died when I was a baby, so I don't remember them.”
“So, you grew up alone?”
“Well, I had a guardian, but I don't know if he considered me his daughter.
He was an indifferent person.
Why?
Do you miss her?
"Yes!"
“Now it is difficult to communicate, but maybe later if the opportunity arises.”
That was Lena.
Her mother died without being able to contact her.
Yasiris was silent for a moment, then opened her mouth cautiously: “So, to me, Lina is my grandmother?”
"What, grandma?!
I'm still a vibrant young woman!"
“Eh, that's true.”
When Yasiris nodded hesitantly, Lina's eyebrows rose and then fell with a puff.
“It is true that I have lived a long time by human standards, but I reject old titles.
I do not intend to play family with people who will die long before me.”
Yasiris looked at Lena calmly.
I now understood why she visited less and why she kept her distance.
You don't want to create people you care about.
Because she will remain alone in the end.
Yasiris hesitated to speak, so Lina spoke first: “I haven’t paid attention to the continent for a long time, but after I met you, I investigated a little.
Your mother became a concubine in the Vereen Kingdom.
Oh my God, even if she was tempted, seducing a king?
I knew that her beautiful face would cause trouble one day...”
Lina clicked her tongue audibly and looked out the window.
She looked at the clouds floating quietly and carefree, and muttered: “…So it was short-lived.
How could a naive country girl put up with palace intrigues?”
Yasiris suddenly realized why Lina had avoided this topic until now.
To calm her feelings.
Or because she didn't know how to deal with me.
That's why Isaris opened her mouth unconsciously: “She was happy.”
“What?”
“My mother.
Even though she was eventually poisoned when she neglected her guard, she lived every day happily with my father before that.”
The words of destined love between them were not a lie.
Lilia, a commoner concubine, received exceptional love from the king.
She was even subjected to severe harassment from the Queen.
Yasiris remembered the past in which happiness and unhappiness were mixed, and she continued calmly: “So, it was a life devoid of regrets.
She lived complete happiness without finding time to pay attention to those who raised her.”
Lena was silent.
Her gaze turned to Jasiris's blue eyes and stared into them.
“…okay”
After a while, Lina raised the corner of her mouth.
"Then it's all right.
What is life but this?
It's a good thing she lived it well."
"Yes."
“Pour some tea.
Talking too much has made me thirsty.”
"Good."
The cold tea after a long time flowed into the cup.
It lost its flavour, but Lina sipped it without complaint.
“…Anyway, Liz.”
“Yes, Lena.”
“The conversation went awry, but there's no need to worry about Michael.
I expected that, but after today's talk, I'm sure he'll be fine.”
“Didn't you say that Tinilath's side effects are severe?”
Lina slowly shook the tea cup and replied, “It's been fine so far, hasn't it?
Either you suppressed the side effects, or Michael didn't awaken Tenilath's abilities, or your maternal lineage automatically neutralizes the curse.”
“I suppress the side effects?
Does my bloodline neutralize the curse?”
Lena laughed at Yasiris's questioning blue eyes.
“Didn’t the Emperor say that he had no nightmares next to you?”
"It was only one time, and I'm not sure.
I don't even know if he actually slept."
“Either way, you have already awakened your abilities.
Even if you don't realize it yourself, I see it.
That unique flow.”
Lena tapped the perimeter of her eyes.
Her golden eyes sparkled as if they held a star.
Yasiris was captivated for a moment by her inhuman golden eyes, but she regained her focus and asked an important question: “Does my ability suppress the effects of other bloodlines?”
“Strictly speaking, it's closer to purification than suppression.
Most of the side effects stem from the curse… the source of those abilities.
Or perhaps the ability wasn't settled in properly to begin with.”
“Source abilities?
You mean, like… Night Clan?”
“Get over it.”
Yasiris sighed when Lena openly skipped the topic after seeming to change words mid-sentence.
But to tell her as much was an accomplishment.
Normally, Lena would leave quickly without giving her a chance to be caught.
Isaris nodded in agreement and opened her mouth: “That is reassuring.
In a sense, it means that Michael will be safe.”
“Most likely.
But teach him carefully not to overuse his abilities.
We are still not sure whether he has the powers of Tenilath or not.”
“Yes, Lina.
Thanks for everything.”
Lena scratched her head at Yasiris' slight smile.
“Nothing.
His good growth is also in my best interest.
Don’t forget, when he’s old enough to run, I’ll take his blood like a mosquito.”
“What kind of experiments are you doing?”
“You'd be hurt if you knew.
Now, I'm really leaving!”
Yasiris shook her head as if she had no choice, and said goodbye to Lina.
When she opened the door, she saw the griffin, who had been napping in front of it, twitching and shaking its head.
"Hey, Finn.
You're pretty tired today too."
squeak-!
Squeak-!
Lena immediately punished the griffin as it rubbed its beak against Yasiris.
Knock-!
“Boy, I'm your mistress, aren't I?”
The griffin squeaked sadly, but Lina climbed onto its back and grabbed the reins.
As she bid farewell to Yasiris, her face looked more relaxed than when she arrived.
“I'll be back later.”
“Yes, Lina.
Stay well.”
Yasiris said goodbye to her with a more relaxed face as well.
Lina simply nodded, then flew with the griffin into the sky.
They were quiet, endless days.
Unlike the other side of the continent, which is getting gloomier by the day.
The rain fell softly.
Lightning pierced the dark sky with a thunderous sound, striking the ground.
While people were covering themselves with blankets trying to sleep, Kazan was standing in the garden of the Empress Palace, looking expressionlessly at the flower beds.
Heavy rain brutally battered the delicate flowers.
The legs, swaying with an irregular rhythm, seemed weak.
“It will wither soon.”
He wasn't just talking about the bad weather.
As the season went on, the colors started to fade in many parts.
Until now, they had been replacing the flowers with seasonal ones before they showed signs of wilting, but after the gardener was killed last month, the garden was neglected.
“Didn't I ask for an advertisement to hire a new gardener?”
Kazan tried to remember the matter, but he put his hand on his forehead, suffering from a headache.
Water dripped from his hands and arms.
It was exhausting.
He reached his physical limits a long time ago, and spiritually, he had been on the verge of collapse for a long time.
One year and ten months have passed since Yasiris disappeared.
Their season together returned for a second time, but Kazan remained frozen in place.
Is this what it's like to chase a rainbow?
The traces of Yasiris, the mastermind behind the attack, seemed like distant illusions.
All he could do was wallow in the past he shared with her.
“Sari...”
Kazan had nightmares daily.
He saw hallucinations.
He heard phantom voices.
It was common to imagine the horrific end of Yasiris.
The people he killed turned into Yasaris, and attacked him with various curses.
Once, he was unable to distinguish between reality, a hallucination, and a dream, so he strangled himself and almost died.
There were no obvious effects to others, so he treated himself with the Tinilath method, which increased the symptoms of his insanity.
“...come back quickly.”
And kill me.
Isn't this what you wanted?
His unadjusted bangs covered Kazan's face.
Water dripped endlessly from his wet hair.
Kazan lived in contradiction.
He wanted to live for Yasiris, but he also wanted to die.
He insisted that she was alive, but he avenged her death.
He searched for its traces, but did not expect results.
Everything was chaos.
Him, and his life.
“This is no longer possible...”
A dry, cracked voice came out from a world filled with rain.
His heavy steps crossed the garden.
It must end.
Anything, no matter what.
The next day, after he had made up his mind, and before Kazan could do anything, Temesian Blake visited him.
In his hand he holds a semi-transparent crystal ball.