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“The Royal Palace…..?”
How would soone who used to work for the palace end up in this sort of place…..
“I didn’t agree with a couple of powerful people and when I voiced my objections all that did was earn their ire. They blinded and then threw in here.”
“What sort…. of objections did you have?” I ask, noticing that my voice trembled a bit as I spoke.
“What’s your na?”
“It’s Alicia.”
“I see. Alicia….. What a nice na. I’m Will… Just Will,” he says, lightly ruffling my hair.
I wonder if he can tell what sort of face I’m making right now; a very composed, serious expression.
“Alicia, you might not understand this yet, but just because we have always done sothing a certain way and it’s worked up until now, doesn’t an we should limit ourselves to only that thod. Do you know what it ans to reflect on the past?”
Even though I can tell he’s waiting for my response, the words seem to catch in my throat.
“To reflect on the past doesn’t an to validate the good things that our ancestors did and just continue to use them. Rather than adopt ancient strategies that worked long ago, we should be learning from them, improving them. It ans to develop and grow as a people and as a country after learning from the mistakes that have been made throughout history.”
Without realizing it, while listening to his explanation, tears had started to fall from my eyes.
Grandpa Will gently wipes them off my cheeks for .
“You’re a bright kid. In order to make wise choices, it’s indeed vital to gather knowledge on a wide variety of subjects, but never forget that knowledge without wisdom holds no aning.”
“Grandpa Will, because of the palace….. Do you hate nobles now?”
At my question, his face hardens.
“I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t. Even now, I feel the vestiges of my old self calling to in my dreams, tantalizing with the colorful world from my mories. But the mont that I’ve finally grasped that world, the blackness rushes back in and I’m once again left in total darkness. Those monts still tornt from ti to ti. But I don’t regret it, and I can look past those feelings. I still don’t think that what I did was wrong. And I believe that there will co a ti when others will realize that as well. Thanks to that, I’m able to continue living on with pride.”
I’m starting to feel ashad of myself. Because for the first ti in my 8 years of life, I finally understand how truly blessed I am.
My tears start falling faster. I’m crying full force now, sobbing. I know it’s shaful to cry like this, but I can’t seem to stop.
This man had his eyes ruined just because he angered soone with a similar noble status to mine, and in contrast I’ve just been living my life obliviously, and for what? Trying to beco a villainess? After hearing his story, I can’t help but feel small and ignorant. I have so many feelings swirling helplessly within that I can’t contain them and so the tears continue to fall.
Without saying anything, Grandpa Will just puts his arms around , patting my back comfortingly. I swear, I’ll never forget this warmth that he’s showing for the rest of my life.
I don’t want to conceal my aspirations to beco a villainess, so I tell him everything.
In the process, I also explain the reason that I ca here today…..
Grandpa Will just listens quietly to as I talk.
And when I had finally finished explaining everything, he rely smiles gently at and pats my head.
“What a clever child you are,” he tells as a couple of tears start to roll down my cheeks again.
I’m sure I look like an absolute ss right now. I wonder if I’ll even be able to open my eyes tomorrow morning after all this crying I’ve been doing.
“So you’ve been learning how to use a sword and reading countless books every day in order to beco a villainess…..”
I give him a huge nod.
Grandpa Will smiles broadly at that, the lines around his eyes crinkling.
“Never lose that ambition of yours.”
Surprisingly, he’s actually okay with wanting to beco a villainess…. to the point of endorsing it? I wonder why…..
A villainess is a bad person, you know. She’s soone who won’t care what happens to others as long as she, herself, is doing well…..
“You should go ho now.”
“I’ll co again.”
At my quick reply, Grandpa Will’s expression turns troubled.
“It would be better if you didn’t co back.”
“No. I still want to talk with you more, Grandpa Will.”
Although he still looks a bit worried, he can’t help but smile a bit at my words. So instead of telling not to co again, all he says is, “Thank you.”
I wonder if he’s already realized how stubborn I am, and that once I’ve made up my mind to do sothing I’ll definitely make sure to see it through until the end.
On that note, I leave Grandpa Will’s house and head back towards the mist.
As soon as I get outside, I’m once again accosted by the awful sll. I cover my nose with my hand in an attempt to avoid the stench as much as possible while I walk.
After a few minutes, I’ve walked into and through the fog, and find myself back in the woods. I carry my extinguished lantern, and start running back towards ho.
At this point, my eyes had already beco accustod to the darkness, and as I make my way back I notice that the terror I had felt while coming here is completely gone now. And as I run ho, I think more about what I had just seen.
In a few words, that impoverished village is just a place of decay and despair.
I would rather not go there again in the future, but I want to talk more with Grandpa Will. Since, of all of my acquaintance, I definitely think that he’s the wisest person I’ve ever t.
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T/N: Lol, she was very non-descriptive of what “tell him everything” ans…. I can’t decide if that includes talk of her past life or not XD What do you guys think??
P.S. and minor spoiler…. Ti skip next chapter!! Say your goodbyes to 8-year-old Alicia!! I can’t wait for the next manga chapter! I love seeing the characters’ looks evolve over ti ❤
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