Days and nights passed by silently within the estuary of time. Calm moon and pleasant night, the breeze wafted gently around me while I curled with the lap of the greatest woman under stars. The crickets happily played their renown little forest march, with brigades of frogs and other fellows of the night.

I was yet to look at the world, but I could imagine, there is no better place and time for grand poetry to be delivered under heaven, like here and now.

But I restrained myself from creating one.

No matter how genius this baby, which is me, I would not let this beautiful night wasted by constructing just a magnum opus.

The lullaby of a mother.

The sweetest ambrosia for the thirsty little soul.

On my mother’s lap, within her warm embrace, the melody gave a mysterious yet soothing sensation.

I knew a night should be a chilly time for most people, but at this moment, I felt—the summer just everlasting.

Another couple of hours went by.

I was somewhere between this world and half-step to the dream world, when I abruptly noticed another presence, a strong one, appeared from nowhere and producing nothing but a few manas ripples around him.

Since mother seemed untroubled by this, I just kept my mouth shut.

Then the dialogue between the two started.

“I wonder if there is something in this world that can drive you, Lady of Yvon, to be surprised?”

“Sir, with all respect, for an overseer of the empire like you appears at our humble abode, it would only not bring any surprise but honor for this common woman.”

“You need not say such a thing. Between us already are like family. If not for your father-in-law and your mother, I would be long-leaving the world of the living years ago.”

“The merit of the father-in-law and mother, this common woman, do not dare to claim any credit.”

“Ah, enough, I know your background, I don’t blame you for putting a distance between yourself and the power of many empires. Bu truly, is this worthy? Staying and laying law within a small kingdom?”

“Our family has long left the old days behind. Here we just a small and common family, like you can find everywhere else in many kingdoms. I don’t see any misfortune in it.”

Both of them got silent for a while.

“I officially visit the king tomorrow, but here, if you would not mind, may I seek the audience with the little prince?”

“Oh, you want to meet little Eiwa?”

“Well, honestly, if not for the Great Seer urged me, I may feel reluctant to meet you or your family, I am ashamed of our history.”

“Sir, please don’t say anything like that. By because of Lady Fioralba, you are still a close person to little Eiwa. By the way, are the Great Seer put any interest in little Eiwa?”

“It’s hard to say, just like it’s hard to guess what within her mind. But since both Cyril and Yvon families have tied together in matrimony so it would be the end of Origin Monarch of Edwena. Even if you want to leave the past behind, most people are ignorant about who you are, but the High Seer knows and understands how much both families have paid for Edwena. Still, you continue to support us from behind, while we of the empires always engage our self in the cycle of war and greed for supremacy. For now, let us give this little Eiwa a small present.”

Mother kept silence.

Then, I felt a thumb pressed between my eyebrows.

A flux of energy rushed from the thumb into my head, a kind of tender spiritual energy.

The energy was spiraling and then enter my sea of consciousness. The place where…, I have my nightmare over there. Should I investigated it, or should I leave it like that, it seemed to give no harm.

“Then, my lady, I shall take my leave. I heard you would leave the capital city by tomorrow. If you need any help, please let us know.”

After a long hour of stillness, my mother started to speak again. This time, no one was around, but a cute baby on her lap.

And here, I heard of her most interminable monologue.

“Eiwa, that person is Euthymus Aristides, he is one of ten great sages that oversees the Wine Empire. Half-steep into a Saint mage, one of the most influential individuals in the whole continent.

What he just gave you was a part of an ancient sacred text, the Book of Pono. Its name perhaps sounds funny, but the Origin Monarch could stand tall for countless millennials in the past because of only a little part of this Book.

There were nine parts of this book. In the past, bring not only glory but also a calamity for those who possessed them from era to era. It's like a cursed book.

Your mother and father believe that every single Empire has each part for themselves, and the last two sections should not belong to any Empire. If not, the status quo between empires were long broke.

The one that Mr. Aristides gave you should belong to the Wine Empire. For the Great Seer of the empire, let the monarch bestowed you such precious thing; perhaps that crafty old fox lady wants to drag us somewhere to unforeseen turmoil in the future.

But do not worry about it, my baby, Mother will keep you safe.

The only thing that mother would remind you, that everything in this universe is finite except for greed. Mother can keep you safe from anything but your own greed. See, you are now just a little greedy baby.”

Uh, I almost puked the milk in my mouth.

Mother, please, in which way you see your beloved son is a greedy human being? I wanted to make a protest—again. Believe me. I am the most honest, noble, and handsome baby in the whole kingdom, you can not find another me. See, I don’t ask to be a prince, but the king bestowed me a title, well, a grand duke perhaps still okay, he, he…, who know I accidentally become the next king. Ups, back again, I am not greedy, I just got lucky. I smiled to myself.

“See… you are grinning just like those greedy old fellows.”

Mother….

“It is okay, honey. Mother will always be with you. I know you are a gifted child, but still, I doubt you understand what people say to you. You just need to know, Mother will always be with you. The past already left us behind. Remembering the history of our families only be like searching half-moon under the past, it's not worthy, and it’s only an illusion. I only want you to grow up as a simple boy whose life carved by his own freedom and benevolence. Life is short. Let us make it to the fullest. Okay, little sweetheart?”

Uuu, uuu….

I just mumbled a few random sounds.