Chapter 301
The first thing to do
The river that flowed around the palace in the canyon was stained red.
It was because of the corpses pierced through by swords, and the endless descent of large and small monsters. Even after disposing of all those bodies, it would be impossible to use the water downstream for quite some time.
Naturally, the dead were not only by the river or at the foot of the mountain.
However, the damage was less than what Freesia had imagined in the worst-case scenario when she was dragged away.
“Calling people to wake you ended up helping us.”
Riegel, lying in bed with a pale complexion, explained the situation to her directly. Though he had sustained a critical wound that pierced through his shoulder, the Imperial Prince miraculously survived.
Even after using the sanctuary’s magic, Freesia showed no signs of waking. Bringing in talents from the Academy, including Albireo Deneb, had been of great help.
“Sir Deneb happened to be nearby, so we were lucky… I never imagined he’d have brought the ‘Fountain of Healing’ with him.”
Albireo Deneb had also been injured, but thankfully still had enough strength left to administer emergency treatment to the Imperial Prince.
In addition, the group in the canyon had sent out an urgent dispatch and mobilized every possible force from the imperial palace and temple.
It was far better than having the wounded die en route to the capital.
Among them, Freesia was in relatively good condition. Regardless of her status, she had been busy tending to the injured.
However, the ones who weighed most heavily on her heart and consumed her time—were of course, two people.
“Mamaaa.”
Nova whimpered with wide eyes whenever Freesia moved out of her line of sight.
This child had once waited so patiently beside her mother, who slumbered in a glass coffin. The recent events had clearly been a traumatic shock even for such a child.
Not only Freesia, but Riegel, Mathilde, and others had showered her with love.
That’s why encountering someone who tried to kill even a young child must have been terrifying.
Nova was no longer the same lively child who had once toddled about cheerfully.
She now wet the bed at night, feared walking alone, and panicked unless she saw with her own eyes that Riegel and Freesia were safe.
Even if they were right beside her, the moment they stepped into another room, she would be terrified.
“Mama, don’t gooo…”
“Yes, Nova. Don’t cry, my baby.”
Freesia held her trembling daughter close and whispered. With all her heart, she wished that one day Nova would forget this time.
It was enough that she alone remembered the pain and fear of her childhood.
She hoped Nova would overcome this and grow up bright and radiant.
“Mama’s not going anywhere now.”
“Mmm…”
Nova clung to Freesia’s neck and murmured.
Only when she held her warm, soft mother tight did the pounding fear inside her chest begin to subside.
It would take much longer for it to fade completely, but at least for now, she was okay.
Most of all, Mama wasn’t going back into the glass coffin.
She was staying with Nova.
“Mama, you won’t sleep for a long time now… right?”
“…Yes.”
Freesia’s reply came a beat too late, but Nova didn’t notice. She just hugged her neck tighter.
“Nova’s so happy.”
“Really? Is Nova happy too?”
“Mhm… but right now, Papa is sleeping.”
“……”
Nova murmured as she twirled Freesia’s hair with her chubby fingers.
“Nova wants us all to be awake together.”
First Mama slept and now Papa… Nova whispered gloomily and buried her face in Freesia’s neck.
After her Papa found her, Nova had started calling him “Papa” and wanting to be with him all the time.
But even as the other injured began to recover one by one, only Papa still hadn’t opened his eyes.
“…Then Nova, shall we go to where Papa is sleeping?”
Freesia whispered in an intentionally cheerful voice to her dispirited daughter.
Izar had been gravely injured, so gravely that not even the Fountain of Healing nor the priests’ powers had been enough in time.
But there was no need to tell a young child that.
“Yes, let’s gooo.”
“This time, let’s wait together, okay?”
“Okay!”
Still holding her daughter, Freesia slowly made her way to where Izar was.
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.