Chapter 8
Then the big man below the cliff replied.
“Right? I just don’t understand what the royals are thinking.”
At that moment, I froze like a rock.
Burn the Baraka?
I was so shocked I couldn’t even hear the rest of what the big man said.
Why would they burn it after picking it? If they don’t want it, they should give it to me!
I wanted to jump out and yell at them right away.
But even from behind, those men gave off a scary and dangerous vibe.
They were working so hard just to destroy healthy flowers—clearly, they were total psychos.
If they’re that terrifying, they might burn me along with the flowers.
I hid behind a tree trunk and nervously tapped my feet.
Those thugs took all the Baraka and disappeared.
Only after they were completely gone did I step out from behind the tree.
The field of Baraka had been wiped out, not a single one left.
I was filled with sorrow. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I looked up at the sky.
That’s when the moonlight sparkled.
And in that moment, I saw something sparkle with purple dew on top of the cliff.
I gasped.
I quickly wiped away my tears and looked more carefully.
My eyes sharpened like an owl’s.
In a corner of the cliff, between the rocks, I saw it.
A thin, purple pistil sticking out from the stones.
My eyes widened.
“Baraka!”
There was one Baraka left.
It was hidden by the rocks and hard to see, but it was definitely a Baraka.
* * *
I quickly looked around.
There were no signs of people nearby.
But I still felt uneasy.
The men had left the rope tied to the cliff.
That meant they were planning to come back.
Maybe they’d return to clean up the mess they made.
I couldn’t be sure if that last Baraka would still be there when they did.
I bit my lip while staring into the darkness and then clenched my fist.
I turned toward the rope.
I picked it up and examined it.
It was made from the skin of a tree fruit—rough but strong.
“Alright…”
I dropped my backpack and took off my robe.
Once I got rid of the extra weight, I felt lighter.
I grabbed the rope and hung onto it.
It swayed a little, but once I planted my feet on the rough cliffside, I found my balance.
Okay, I can do this.
I gathered my courage and started climbing.
I carefully avoided stepping on my dress and looked for good spots on the rock to step.
Gripping the rough rope made my palms sting.
But I kept climbing, thinking only of that glowing Baraka in the moonlight.
About halfway up the cliff, I stepped onto a rock that suddenly crumbled.
“Ahh!”
Startled, I clung tightly to the rope.
I lost my balance and slipped a bit.
My hands burned from sliding on the rope—felt like they were on fire.
I think I got hurt.
The pain was so bad I started to cry.
But I didn’t let go.
I knew falling would be much worse.
Sniffling, I gripped the rope again and placed my feet back on the cliff.
My injured hands hurt badly.
But Carmen must be in even more pain.
I pictured Carmen lying in bed and pushed myself forward.
I rested my sore hands from time to time and moved carefully.
And finally, I reached the top.
My whole body was covered in sweat.
But I was smiling brightly.
There, between the rocks, was the purple Baraka.
Just like in the books, it had a strange shape and gave off a horrible rotting smell.
They call it the “flower of the demon realm” for a reason.
I was so happy I took a deep breath—even the stench seemed lovely.
It looked exactly like the one in the book!
Right now, that stinky flower was the most beautiful thing in the world.
I slowly walked toward it.
Because the men had messed up the ground, every step made my feet sink.
Standing in front of the rocks, I carefully reached out and picked the Baraka.
I did it!
As soon as I had it, I hurried back down the mountain.
The village was small, so I easily found the inn where the driver stayed.
Luckily, he wasn’t asleep yet.
I asked him to take me back to the capital right away and said I’d pay him double.
I wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.
On the way back, the coachman kept talking to stay awake.
He mostly bragged about his daughter.
I liked talking about myself, but I didn’t like hearing other people brag.
So I got bored and ended up falling asleep halfway through.
“Young lady, wake up.”
The coachman gently woke me while I was still in deep sleep.
Dawn had just broken.
Bathed in blue morning light, the capital of Floraon came into view.
The driver asked,
“Should I head to the plaza?”
“No, to the palace gates.”
I answered groggily, still half-asleep.
The streets were quiet.
No one was out yet, so the ride was smooth.
Thanks to that, we reached the palace before sunrise.
When I pulled out money to pay the coachman, I realized I didn’t have enough.
So I took off my necklace and gave it to him instead.
It had a yellow diamond shaped like a flower.
The sparkling jewel made the driver gasp.
“No need, miss. I had to return to the capital anyway.”
He tried to refuse.
But he hadn’t even slept, so I couldn’t just skip payment.
When I insisted, he finally accepted it with a sheepish smile.
“Thank you. My daughter will love it.”
He grinned, unable to hide it.
I beamed.
“No, thank you!”
And that’s how I said goodbye to the coachman—and my necklace.
At the palace gates, the guards stopped me.
I pulled back my hood and shouted,
“Can’t you recognize the prince’s fiancée?”
Only then did one of the guards stammer and apologize.
I pushed him harder and made him escort me to the place where Carmen stayed.
I didn’t want to walk alone.
Maybe I was still shaken from meeting those bandits last night.
Anyway, I arrived at the palace wing where Carmen was staying.
But when I got there, I hesitated.
It was my first time coming here alone, and I looked like a mess.
Was it okay to meet the Empress looking like this?
While I stood there, a soldier began to eye me suspiciously.
“Lady Chelsea?”
I looked up quickly at the familiar voice.
It was the chief attendant.
I was so relieved to see someone I knew.
I called out,
“Braan!”
“Did you come to see His Highness?”
“Yes, well…”
Braan waved the soldier away and I pulled the Baraka from my coat.
When the awful smell hit him, he wrinkled his nose.
But when he saw the flower, his eyes widened.
“That’s…”
He clearly recognized it.
He had served the Empress even before Carmen was born.
I knew he cared deeply for Carmen too.
I handed the Baraka to him.
“Please give this to the doctor.”
Braan took it with a stunned face.
I felt relieved and smiled proudly as I turned to leave.
But then he said, surprised,
“You’re leaving without even seeing His Highness? The Empress is here too.”
I froze.
“No! If the Empress sees me, my parents will find out!”
I was still grounded.
If they learned I had snuck out, I’d be in big trouble.
I looked up at him and begged,
“Please don’t tell anyone I brought this.
Let them think you found it. Okay?”
Braan blinked in confusion but nodded.
“Uh… yes…”
“I mean it! Promise!”
I held out my pinky.
Braan, trying not to laugh, hooked his pinky with mine.
But when I added,
“Swear it on your honor as a knight,”
his face turned serious.
Braan used to be a knight and loved traditional knightly values.
According to those traditions, a promise between a lady and a knight was never taken lightly.
“Should I tell His Highness?
If he knew what you went through for him, he’d be very thankful.”
Braan glanced at my dirty robe and wounded hands.
His kind eyes made me feel warm.
It was like all my pain from the night was being comforted.
But I shook my head.
“It’s okay.”
I gave him a short goodbye and walked away.
I didn’t leave the palace right away.
I waited under a window.
Soon, I heard the maids moving about in a rush.
Voices whispered nearby.
“I heard the medicine arrived!”
Hearing that, I smiled silently.
As I was leaving the palace, I heard guards saying,
“His Highness has woken up.”
Carmen is okay now.
Knowing that, the world suddenly looked beautiful.
The people in the capital looked lively.
Even the cloudy sky felt full of life.
I saw a rainbow in the plaza fountain.
Butterflies dancing in the flowerbeds looked like little spirits.
The pain in my hands, the exhaustion from staying up all night—everything disappeared.
I struggled a bit climbing back into my room by curtain rope…
But that’s okay.
Carmen didn’t need to know any of it.
As long as he was safe and awake.
I threw off my dirty clothes and changed into my nightgown under the blankets.
Lying in bed, my heart felt as light as a cloud.
Maybe Braan didn’t understand how I felt.
But it didn’t matter.
That was truly how I felt.
I didn’t do it for praise.
I didn’t need thanks.
Loving Carmen didn’t need to be shown off.
We were lovers.
Caring for Carmen was just as natural as caring for myself.
And I believed Carmen felt the same.
To give without expecting anything in return—that’s true love.
