Chapter 9
“Noona will be okay. She promised, so she’ll be fine. She said she’d stay by my side until I got tired of her.”
Sniffling, Louis ran along the straight path. He was already exhausted—so much so that his pace was slower than walking.
From behind his staggering figure, a lavish four-horse carriage approached. The loud clatter of hooves passed by like a threat, kicking up clouds of dust that made Louis cough violently. As he was coughing, tiny specks of light fluttered down like butterflies onto his head. One shimmered comfortingly as it landed on his shoulder.
Besides the newly arrived lights, several others were already attached to his body.
At first, Louis thought they were fireflies that shone even during the day. It wasn’t until he tried to touch one with his finger that he realized they had no form. Glancing briefly at the lights resting on him, he began walking again.
The lights weren’t the important thing now. He had to get to “Starlit Night” as quickly as possible.
Another carriage passed. More dust rose up. Louis turned away to avoid it, then patted his thighs with his fists. He didn’t know it, but the village of Yonez was a place rich in rock salt, so there were many merchants traveling through.
A light attached to a roadside tree floated up and drifted toward Louis. As soon as they spotted him, the scattered lights began to follow.
“I’ll ask Noona about them later.”
He was moving his short legs without rest when he heard hoofbeats again. Three men on horseback appeared, and Louis quickly stepped to the side.
He thought they would pass, but they stopped in front of him.
“Hey there, are you alone?”
As he looked up at the friendly voice, the lights clinging to his body began to stir. Louis suddenly felt afraid.
“Yes.”
“Where are you headed?”
“To Yonez.”
“Running an errand? If you’ve got money, we could give you a lift.”
Around Louis’s neck hung the silk pouch Eluana had given him. Inside were still fifteen gold coins. Louis didn’t understand money well, but he at least knew that gold could buy a lot.
If I give them one coin, maybe they’ll take me to Starlit Night…? Louis hesitated.
“Hm? Hey, little guy.”
When the man asked again, the lights stirred once more. Still scary.
Louis, on the verge of tears, shook his head.
“I don’t have money. I’m going to find my dad.”
“Not even a little?”
“No.”
At the dejected reply, the men lost interest and rode off. The lights that had been trying to warn him clung tightly to him again.
A wagon passed by, and Louis turned to avoid the dust once more. When he turned back, the wagon had stopped. A man on the driver’s seat poked his head out. This time, the lights didn’t react.
The man examined Louis. The boy had a face he’d never seen before and wore surprisingly fine clothes—dirty, yes, but of high-quality fabric.
“Where are you headed, kid? There’s no village down this way.”
“Isn’t this the way to Yonez?”
Louis’s eyes widened. His heart dropped—had he gone the wrong way?
“You’re on the right road, but… are you seriously walking there alone?”
“Yes.”
“Do your parents know you’re going?”
Louis saw concern on the man’s face. Realizing the man meant well, tears welled up.
“M-My dad’s hurt. I have to get to Starlit Night.”
Out came a well-spun lie from his tiny mouth.
“Starlit Night?”
The man knew there was an inn called Starlit Night in Yonez.
“Who’s there?”
“My mom. She works there.”
From beside him, a woman let out a sympathetic sigh. Coincidentally, there were two women at Starlit Night who matched the age Louis claimed his mother to be.
“If you don’t mind riding in a cargo wagon, we can give you a lift. We’re heading to Yonez too.”
“Thank you! I have to go quickly. My dad… he’s cold and not saying anything.”
As Louis spoke in a flurry and tears returned to his eyes, the man and woman quickly got out. The man scooped Louis up and helped him into the wagon, which was conveniently empty since they were heading to buy rock salt.
Louis groaned and patted his legs with his tiny fists. The woman’s face twisted with concern.
“Did you eat anything?”
“I’m okay. Just riding with you is enough.”
His pink eyes sparkled, and the woman, as if enchanted, rummaged through her bag. She found the bread she’d saved for lunch.
“Here, eat this.”
The man handed over a full canteen.
“Drink this if you’re thirsty. We’ll arrive before dinner.”
“Thank you.”
The man returned to the driver’s seat, and the woman, still worried, glanced back several times before finding a blanket and handing it over.
Wrapped in the blanket, Louis divided the bread into three pieces. He popped one into his mouth, and shoved the other two into his pants pockets.
“I’ll give these to Noona and Hyung.”
Leaning against the rattling wagon, Louis chewed his share. The bread, the first he’d eaten in over twenty days, was blissful. He finished it in a flash, then stared at the piece for Khazar in his pocket.
Hmmmm.
Letting out a strange sound, Louis tore off a piece the size of his thumbnail and popped it into his mouth—then tucked the rest away. He drank a third of the water and laid down in the rattling wagon.
Above the dazzling sky, the glowing lights floated. Louis poked one with his finger, and it spun before fluttering back to him.
Gazing blankly at the clear sky, Louis thought of Eluana.
The wagon stopped just when he could no longer feel his backside. The man got off and gently carried Louis down.
“That’s Starlit Night over there. We’re staying there tonight too, so if anything happens, come find us.”
“Thank you!”
Louis bowed deeply and ran to the inn. As he flung open the door, he froze at the noisy, bustling interior. He didn’t know who to talk to about Khazar.
“Ah…”
Panicked, he fidgeted until a bearded man approached.
“Looking for someone?”
“Uh… Khazar hyung told me to ask for help here.”
“Who?”
“Khazar hyung. He collapsed.”
“Collapsed?”
Not… middle east? Louis’s eyes wavered.
“Uh, anyway he’s cold. He can’t even open his eyes.”
The bearded man picked up the babbling Louis and strode away. With a nod, another man near the door quickly stood and fetched a horse.
“Can you show us the way?”
Louis nodded vigorously.
***
Thoughts moved sluggishly. Why were my eyes closed? Oh, I must’ve completely passed out. Khazar slowly opened his heavy eyelids. His vision wasn’t perfect, but he could make out shapes clearly now.
“Where…?”
He saw a wooden roof and white walls. Rough furniture, relatively clean curtains, and the words Starlit Night on the wall told him where he was.
He knew there was an Edelweiss branch near the Velua Kingdom’s border, but he’d never actually been here.
“Mana is thin here too.”
Not as bad as Aden, but still too little. Even so, waking up here meant Louis had succeeded.
Khazar looked down, feeling a weight on his chest. Fluffy pink hair. And a speck of light perched atop it.
Khazar gently patted Louis’s head. Louis stirred and rubbed his eyes. When their eyes met, his pink eyes sparkled.
“Hyung? Are you awake? Are you okay?”
“Thanks to you.”
Louis grinned, then suddenly remembered what the adults had said and jumped up.
“I’ll go get the man!”
He ran out, loudly shouting, “Hyung woke up!” A moment later, the bearded man appeared.
“I’m Monaf, head of the Velua branch. Are you all right? We used an antidote, but you’re not fully recovered.”
“I know what poison it was. Normal antidotes won’t work. Contact Rhein. Tell him to wait in the capital.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Prepare the most luxurious carriage available within three hours. Six guards too. Also, formal clothes. We’re leaving as soon as it’s ready.”
Though Khazar had nearly crossed death’s river, he was determined to leave immediately. Monaf didn’t try to stop him. He couldn’t advise Khazar—he simply replied, “Understood,” and placed Khazar’s belongings beside the bed.
“Your possessions, sir. I’ll begin the preparations. If you need anything, just pull the cord.”
When Monaf left, Khazar sat up and looked at the items.
“Five gold coins?”
He had known Louis put something in his pocket—but gold coins?
As he stared blankly at the coins, Louis carefully entered with a bowl of stew.
“Hyung! Eat this! It’s tasty!”
Khazar quietly picked up the spoon. One sip of the stew warmed his body. As he reflected on his suffering, he noticed Louis staring.
Louis was eyeing the coins on the nightstand.
Khazar’s gaze softened. He didn’t know how much more gold was in the silk pouch, but for Eluana and Louis, who had abandoned everything to flee, even five coins was a fortune.
“Louis, you put these in my pocket, right?”
Louis nodded.
“Let’s put them back in the pouch.”
Louis’s face brightened. He carefully returned the coins and tied the pouch securely.
Then Khazar said the words Louis had wanted to hear most.
“Let’s go get Eluana. We’re leaving in three hours.”
Louis’s eyes lit up.
“Really?! But Hyung, you’re still sick. Can we go?”
He wanted to save Eluana, but he’d overheard the adults. Khazar had nearly died, and he wasn’t fully healed.
“Don’t worry. I have to return to the Empire to be treated properly anyway.”
“How do we save her? Should I crawl through the dog hole again?”
“No need. We’re going in through the front gate.”
Khazar smiled.
