Chapter 5

Isabelle’s next significant memory was when she was thirteen years old. Seven years after her first meeting with Lix, the solar eclipse occurred again.

That night, Isabelle sat in front of the small mirror in the attic, brushing her hair meticulously. Once it was free of tangles, she smiled.

I’m becoming an adult. I’m actually going to the festival without telling the saints.

Isabelle was planning to leave a doll that was roughly the size of a human to stand in for her on the bed, and then she would sneak out to the solar eclipse festival. Of course, she wasn’t going alone.

When will Lix get here?

She was going to meet him in the bushes once the saints went to sleep at their customary hour. Lix was probably looking forward to the festival since it was also his first time attending.

After Isabelle finished getting dressed, she grabbed the pocket money she had been saving up and laid the doll on the bed. She then draped a blanket over it to make it look more convincing.

I’ll come back safely, sisters.

In the mirror, a girl in a dark wine-colored cape with a neat braid on one side was grinning defiantly. Isabelle exited the temple by climbing out the window using a ladder. She’d practiced her escape before, so she was able to get away smoothly. Lix was already in the bushes when she arrived. Isabelle tapped him on the shoulder and was surprised when he turned to face her.

“Lix, did you dress up for the festival?”

Even though he was wearing the same old hat and clothes, he nevertheless managed to look quite neat. He smelled nice too.

“No. It’s because I came right after work. Delivering letters is quite difficult.”

“Nothing is easy in the world. I don’t know how mailmen are always smiling.

Despite their closeness and the fact that they saw each other every two weeks, they still managed to find something to talk about whenever they were together.

Isabelle and Lix headed to the village while conversing softly.

“I can’t wait to see the fireworks! I was so upset when I missed them seven years ago.”

“Why do you like fireworks so much, Isabelle?”

“I heard that fireworks look like shooting stars exploding in the sky. If we make a wish upon them, it might come true.”

“What do you want to wish for?”

“To not be alone.”

Isabelle thought about the meaning behind those words and noticed Lix was a little calmer than usual. He wasn’t the kind to get enthusiastic over things normally, but he was completely subdued today. If she didn’t talk to him first, he would remain silent. He seemed to be in deep thought, and there was something suspicious about it.

“Lix, is there something wrong?”

“I’m just... thinking about something. I can’t make up my mind.”

“About what?”

Lix thought for a moment before sharing. “About getting a vocational education. Even if I don’t get it, I can still work as a mailman. But if I do go through with it, I’ll have to focus on it for about half a year.”

“Does that mean I won’t be able to see you for half a year? That’s a shame.”

“I haven’t decided if I want to put myself through such hard training or just live the way I do now, but I need to make a decision before the day ends.”

Lix then apologized glumly for saying something so depressing when they were supposed to be getting pumped up for the festival. Isabelle struggled to find a response.

Loud noises greeted them when they reached the entrance of the village, and Lix asked, “What do you think I should do?”

“Well, that’s a hard question to answer because you said the process is tough. Is a vocational education even worth it?” Isabelle wrapped up her answer with a shrug.

Wearing a somewhat pleased expression, Lix said, “Isabelle, you don’t like to see me go, do you?”

When they arrived at the fountain square, Isabelle exclaimed with admiration. The solar eclipse festival in Cardiego was completely different from what she had imagined.

It has an eerie atmosphere, probably because it’s a celebration for a family that uses the power of the Underworld.

Children posing as ghosts in white sheets passed by. Burly young men in face paint snickered while claiming they were reapers from the Underworld. The whole village was decorated with fake human bones and eyeballs, and everyone was dressed in black, creating a spooky ambiance.

“Whenever we have a feast at the temple, we decorate everything with white flowers and hang butterflies made out of white paper. It looks even prettier with gold ribbons.”

“The temple worships the power of the earth, so it is decorated with Iris’ symbols.”

“But the people of Cardiego also believe in her.”

“They believe in the power of the Underworld that Iris has separated from. Also, they like the dark.”

It wasn’t Isabelle’s cup of tea, but as long as they saw fireworks, she wasn’t going to complain. While she waited for them, she intended to enjoy some of the festival’s food. It was time to spend the pocket money she had saved up for today. The weight of the coin purse in her hand brought her a feeling of happiness.

“Lix, let’s get something to eat. I see grilled skewers over there— Oh dear!”

It happened in an instant. A burly man just rushed off with her purse. Both Isabelle and Lix immediately went after him. However, because of the parade and all the people in the way, it was hard to continue pursuing him.

“Lix, let’s just give up... Lix?”

Due to the large number of people present, the pair inevitably got separated. It was a struggle, but Isabelle managed to leave the parade and crouch down on the side of the road. When lost, it was best to stay where you were. Isabelle waited and waited for Lix, but he didn’t come.

He’s not in trouble, is he...? She was getting anxious, but it would be unwise to leave her current spot. Isabelle inadvertently started gnawing on her nails. How long had she been waiting? After a while, she overheard some people talking on the stairs right next to her.

“Why there are armed soldiers in the square during a festival is beyond me. Who are they trying to catch?”

“They’ll probably capture whoever gets on their nerves and do whatever they want with them.”

They shifted their gaze to Cardiego Castle, which was located in a military stronghold.

“He’s not even the legitimate heir, so he shouldn’t be using intimidation tactics to take power.”

“It’s probably because he knows he’s not the rightful heir that he’s resorting to intimidation to assert his power. He thinks using force will scare his nephew away from challenging his authority.”

“I thought someone from House Cardiego would finally have a chance at the imperial throne, but this will only lead to tyranny.”

“Indeed. That might really happen, considering that they’re still hiding the real heir’s identity. He was born during a solar eclipse too.”

It was a difficult conversation for a thirteen-year-old to follow, but Isabelle understood what they were talking about.

It seems that House Cardiego is having a difficult time with their succession.

Isabelle covered her head with the hood of her cape and hid behind the pillar to avoid catching anyone’s attention. Armed knights passed by her every now and then, confirming the conversation she overheard.

In the end, she decided to watch the fireworks next time. She was about to go look for Lix when her hood and cape suddenly came off. Startled, she looked back and froze.

“Silver hair and blue eyes... Are you from Pilsburg?”

“You’ll be quite a beauty when you grow up. Of course, you don’t look bad right now.”

Then, the two drunken knights who took her cape off began a slurred quarrel. Isabelle recoiled instinctively. Since there were only two of them, she should be able to overpower them with magic. However, if she did that, the aftermath would be too hard to deal with.

“Come here, miss. We’ll help you enjoy the festival.”

“Don’t come near me,” she warned, trying to sound as stern as possible.

Isabelle was contemplating what she should do when a coin came flying in from afar and struck one of the knights on the forehead.

Thud.

The huge knight immediately fell to the ground, unconscious. All eyes turned to the boy who threw the coin.

“Why would you get closer to her when she clearly told you to stay away?”

There stood Lix, tossing and catching a coin purse in his hand. Isabelle couldn’t believe her eyes. Whenever Lix got into fights with the other boys from the village, he usually ended up injured and crying his eyes out. It had even happened recently. Isabelle had to carefully apply medicine to the baby deer’s wound and whisper words of comfort to reassure him that it would heal. On days when he bled, she would peck his forehead, hug him for a long time, and pat his back until he calmed down.

Whenever Lix was hurt, he needed to be consoled like a toddler who had just learned how to walk.

The same boy approached the knights with no expression on his face and said something in a hushed tone. The knight turned pale and quickly fled the scene, dragging his unconscious comrade with him. The crowds of onlookers that had surrounded them slowly dispersed.

Lix smiled as he calmly gave Isabelle her stolen coin purse.

“Lix, what happened?”

“The thief tripped, so I was able to catch him easily. The knights ran away because I told them I’d report them to the lord.”

Isabelle questioned, “What about the coin? How did you manage to directly hit his forehead?”

“I was lucky. Are you hurt?”

Isabelle stared in bewilderment at Lix as he searched her for any wounds, picked up her cape, and gave it to her. It felt like the baby deer she had been raising had finally become an adult.

“You must have been scared. Let’s go. I’ll walk you back to the temple.”

Isabelle took his outstretched hand. Was this how Sister Maria felt when they celebrated Isabelle’s birthday every year? Her heart fluttered at the sudden realization that her baby deer had grown up.

On their way back to the temple, Lix carefully spoke, “I shouldn’t have left you behind. I’m sorry, Isabelle.”

“You don’t have to apologize. It’s not your fault. I’m too scared to sneak out at night now, though.”

“Really?”

He looked extremely disappointed, but Isabelle just shrugged playfully.

“Well, it’s a different story if you are strong enough to protect me. I was a bit surprised today. When did my baby deer grow up?”

“Baby deer?”

Taken aback by his nickname, Lix was silent for a while. Once they reached the bushes near the temple, he broke the silence.

“Isabelle, I’ve given it some thought, and I think getting a vocational education will benefit me a lot.”

Unlike when they had set off for the village, he sounded confident this time. Isabelle smiled and hugged him tight.

“I’ll miss you, Lix. See you after half a year.”

After that night, Lix didn’t contact her for the next six months. In the meantime, Isabelle turned fourteen.

Although it was a lonely time for her, that year went down in history as the one in which the rightful heir to House Cardiego finally triumphed over his uncle, who had been acting as a proxy, becoming the head of the house.