Pillar of Yita

”Ah?”

Tianlan exclaimed in surprise.

Princess Rupert also asked, ”Mr. Ade, have you seen that crystal as well?”

Fang Hong shook his head.

”That can’t be right,” Tianlan murmured softly, ”Brother Ade, how could you know?”

But the princess remained calm, ”But Mr. Ade, I assure you, you came to tell me about this, didn’t you?”

This time, Fang Hong nodded.

Then he began recounting from what happened at Bain Fortress, spoke about his conversation with Bishop Faris, the Emerald Star, the plans between Count Nulman and the King of Sand, Barbaltan. He mentioned the immortals, the elves’ creatogenesis, the Dragon Soul Crystal, and the absurd alchemy craze—

Finally, he returned to Istania and that other Miss Affia.

”So,” the princess asked quietly after listening, ”that girl is the ’creation’ of my father and the arcanists?”

”To be precise... she is a replica of your mother queen.”

Fang Hong hesitated before speaking these words.

”But she’s not my mother,” the princess shook her head, ”Though she might look exactly the same, her soul is completely different. That girl’s quiet and reserved... but my mother, in her youth, was passionate and determined. Once she set her mind on something, she would surely see it through... Such a personality wouldn’t become an adventurer.”

”And my father, he surely loved my mother for exactly that—”

Fang Hong found himself momentarily speechless.

Not long ago, Count Nulman told him that nothing eternal exists in this world. From that moment, he vaguely guessed—that the King of Sand Barbaltan’s plan was likely to fail.

They had created the shell of a former queen, but, much like the problems faced by alchemists of the past, they couldn’t create a soul to match it. That passionate and brave soul from the past had long departed with that beautiful and resolute person’s death.

It was destined that no means could call it back from the past—

Perhaps that’s why each name by his side is worth cherishing. Once missed, there’s only endless regret.

Fang Hong couldn’t help but turn around, seeing that Lady Noble was also looking at him, and instinctively, he held her hand. Suddenly, an unrealistic wish arose in his heart: to preserve this moment forever, until the end of time.

Hilveld smiled lightly.

But the King of Sand’s plan failed, though some people’s plans didn’t.

From the moment Affia was taken, Fang Hong had already guessed. The King of Sand Barbaltan hoped to leave Istania with a ’clean’ future to prevent the tragic fate of his lover from playing out on this land again. He wished for his children to no longer live under the schemes of the dark followers—yet, as the ’servant’ of the blind followers, Lord Seniman is far from a fool, it seemed?

From Achilles, a hidden pawn, it appeared that the blind followers might already know of the King of Sand’s plan.

Fang Hong didn’t have any confidence in the King of Sand’s plan.

Even as Delan said, not only might the plan fail, but it could also lead to more severe consequences.

The fragments of the Emerald Star from the Phantom Sea might be the root of everything.

And——that arcanist girl.

”Princess,” Fang Hong exhaled a sigh of relief, originally thinking it would be an ordeal, but it turned out to be straightforward.

”Since you already understand it’s a misunderstanding, you must be aware that your father is currently in danger. The blind followers’ plans could even threaten the kingdom. The only chance now is for us to take Miss Affia and join you, to persuade His Majesty the King of Sand to change his mind—”

But Princess Rupert gently shook her head.

”I may understand all this, but that still doesn’t mean I can choose to forgive.”

”Why,” Fang Hong was shocked, ”Princess, your father is not the culprit. The real culprits are planning to reenact all that from before.”

”Mr. Ade, what I can’t forgive is the intent in my father’s heart—because regardless of whether the soul inside that ’Affia’ matches my mother, that’s still not my mother.”

The princess sighed lightly, ”That’s no more than a different person. My father wasn’t looking for my mother but a replacement. His failure lies not in reclaiming his lover but in even that replacement being imperfect.”

”But he should truly love Affia,” she answered softly, ”That’s the only memory my mother left for him. That’s his daughter, the person truly worried for him day and night... the person by his side.”

”A king should yearn not for the past, but the present. And the reason I investigated my mother’s death was to uncover the hidden hand over this sand sea, to prevent the past from recurring, not to reminisce about the past. The best tribute to my mother is a peaceful kingdom she once lived in. Istania’s future, it will become even more beautiful—”