Chapter 77
Among the nobility of the empire, it was commonplace, almost expected even, for men to have lovers besides their spouses. Even royalty were allowed concubines and paramours.
But that was an unspoken custom, not official law. Officially, the Empire of Bretnach upheld monogamy as its founding principle thanks to the first Grandilgale Emperor, who had chosen only the first Red Witch as his one and only consort.
So Ael’s official mother was the late Empress.
The witch who gave birth to him had never officially existed, nor had she ever been acknowledged. And Ael himself had never once considered her his mother.
Even if he had grown up thinking of her that way, would it have made any real difference? They didn’t even have the ability to communicate with each other.
“And still… you snuck in multiple times, even knowing you’d be punished? That’s what I’m curious about. No matter how much of a troublemaker you were.”
Bothered by how quiet Ael’s voice had grown, Kiara gently wrapped her arms around his back, as if to reassure him. She didn’t know if it would help, but surprisingly, Ael spoke up without resistance.
“I told you. Because of the figs.”
Ael placed his hand over Kiara’s arms, which were wrapped around him. The coolness of her touch felt pleasant on his fingertips.
“Strange, isn’t it? The fig tree in the courtyard of the detached palace always bore a ton of fruit… and they were especially sweet. They were really delicious.”
“I’m asking what kind of place the detached palace was…? From the way you describe it, it sounds more like an orchard.”
Kiara persisted with her questions, refusing to let it go. She was being tenacious, but her voice was gradually slowing down. She’d been tired to begin with, and now Ael’s warm hand stroking her was making her drowsy. Not to mention, they’d had an unusually generous dinner.
Noticing the sleepiness seeping into her voice, Ael smiled softly as he replied.
“I told you, it was the palace where my mother lived.”
“Y-Your mother…?”
“The witch.”
In an instant, Kiara’s heavy-lidded eyes flew open again, fully alert.
That made no sense. Why would a son be forbidden from visiting the place where his mother lived?
Sleep momentarily fled from her, but Ael’s hand, as if trying to summon it back, gently resumed stroking her.
“The witch was really good with plants. Not just the fig tree, but all sorts of flowering trees, herbs, and strange plants… She was also good at making things with whatever grew there. I guess that was her kind of magic.”
His hand, which had been stroking her for a while, suddenly withdrew. When Kiara instinctively turned her head to look for it, she saw Ael pointing toward the pulley mechanism on the ceiling.
“Just like how you’re good at making those things.”
Ael’s hand returned to Kiara’s back, gently patting her again. Her eyelids, which had briefly widened in surprise, began to droop slowly once more.
Perhaps because of her sleepiness, Kiara let slip a thought that had quietly surfaced.
“The… witch’s curse… hasn’t been lifted… has it?”
“A curse? Where’s that coming from all of a sudden?”
Ael, who had fallen silent as if lost in thought, began to gently stroke her back again as he responded to her question.
She was growing increasingly drowsy, but her curiosity refused to rest.
“Then why… can’t you see your mother…? Is it because of the curse… like it’s dangerous for you two to meet…”
“That’s not it.”
Amused by how sluggish her words had become, Ael let out a small chuckle.
Even in the midst of her heavy drowsiness, Kiara caught the sound of his laughter and frowned in protest. How could he be so sure? Even she, a witch herself, had never been able to tell if her own curse had been lifted or not.
Then again, perhaps curses were the sort of thing witches themselves were the last to know about.
Sensing her skepticism, Ael spoke again.
“If she were cursed, how could she have conceived and given birth to a child? Sure, if you blindfold her and gag her, maybe… I suppose it’s not impossible. But you seem to have forgotten one thing: my father is the Emperor.”
“…I haven’t forgotten.”
Kiara subtly pouted at Ael’s sudden mention of the Emperor.
Of course she knew. Ael was a prince of Bretnach, the great empire to which Altnebra belonged.
It was hard to believe, especially now, lying in this cramped bed at the top of a shabby tower where you could practically hear the wind whistling through the cracks.
But Ael reminded her of something she had momentarily forgotten.
“He is a Grandilgale, too.”
Only the blood of Grandilgale can lift a witch’s curse.
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