“Did you just say kiss?”
Lenz’s green eyes widened.
“Why is it wrong for me to bring it up? I wouldn’t be this surprised if I were plotting treason, would I, Sir Crove?”
Blayden tossed the joke aside and looked at the apple.
Lenz, seemingly embarrassed, quickly changed the subject.
“Where do you think the red-eyed wasp came from?”
The wasp wasn’t native to Kiavek.
“It’s not where it’s from, but who it is that matters.”
Blayden continued.
“The red-eyed wasp gathers obsession.”
“Pardon?”
“When a desire for something grows too deep… it turns into poison.”
A long sigh followed, and Blayden’s voice turned serious.
“By the way, His Majesty is looking for me.”
“Ah, it seems there’s an issue with the mercenaries’ pay.”
“The royal treasury must be running low due to the war.”
“If the mercenaries don’t get paid, how do you think they’ll react?”
“The situation will become worse.”
“You speak as if it’s someone else’s problem. There are mercenaries who wield dark magic from the Shadow Tribe. If they get angry and start tormenting the people, it’ll be a disaster. The war loot wagons are heading from Verden, so we need to buy time. Since you’ve fought alongside the mercenaries, why not speak with patience and calm them down? They’re all obedient when it comes to the commander…”
“Sir Lehart, are you listening?”
Lenz stopped walking and looked at Blayden.
His eyes were sharp, but his mind seemed elsewhere.
“Bee. Palace. Poison… King.”
Lenz muttered something strange.
“What did you say?”
Blayden, seemingly having made up his mind, grabbed the hilt of Lenz’s sword at his waist.
“I’ll borrow this.”
As he walked in the opposite direction of the palace, Lenz shouted behind him.
“Where are you going? The prince is calling for you!”
Once you’ve risked your life on the battlefield, the troublesome matters like money calculations are for the noblemen in the back rooms to deal with.
The forest in Forié was the king’s hunting ground.
It was close to the royal palace, heavily guarded, and typically restricted to the entry of outsiders, especially women.
The fact that the troupe members were allowed to stay in the forest was unusual—it was a privilege granted because the king was a patron of the troupe.
The forest keeper’s job was to prevent outsiders from entering and to manage the trees and animals.
The arrival of the troupe had increased the workload, and it seemed that the keeper was irritated by this.
If you’re going to help someone, it would have been nice to be courteous, then I could have properly thanked them.
Instead, he ended up being rude and shameless.
By the way, Peter!
That guy abandoned his friend and ran off on his own.
Traitor!
Coward!
Grumbling, she reached the outskirts of the forest, where the troupe’s camp appeared.
Leni looked around for Peter.
She asked the jugglers and dancers about Peter’s whereabouts when someone tapped her shoulder.
“How did it go?”
Turning around, she saw a middle-aged woman with broad shoulders, her rich brown hair curled up and stuffed into a headnet, wearing a fake mustache for makeup.
“Oh, Aunt Nancy! Have you seen Peter?”
“No.”
Nancy shook her head, leaned in closer, and lowered her voice.
“Did you…?”
“No.”
Leni answered in a deflated tone, then pouted her lips.
“Why’s Peter such a mess?”
“It’s not that… the apple fell.”
“Hmm?”
Nancy’s expression twisted as Leni let out a long sigh.
Thinking back to the situation with the kiss, she grew frustrated and started stomping her feet again.
“Because of that apple.”
Was it because of the bee?
No, it was the forest keeper’s fault.
The reason my first kiss was ruined was entirely because of that awful person.
If he hadn’t chased off the bee, Peter and I would have been able to do what we wanted.
Nancy laughed out loud after hearing about what happened in the forest.
“Then why didn’t you just kiss the forest keeper?”
“Eh?”
“He saved you from getting stung by the bee. How romantic.”
Leni was speechless.
“Aunt, you’re nice and all, but that’s one thing I really don’t like. You always have to unleash your imagination at the most inappropriate times.”
“True connections come when you least expect them, you know. Ah, what a pity. The mysterious forest keeper who saved the girl in danger. It could have been the start of such a great story.”
Nancy gazed off dreamily, and Leni shivered, her neck tensing up.
Just the thought of kissing such a person sent chills down her spine.
Imagining that someone inappropriate appeared at the wrong time and place seemed absurd.
She couldn’t believe Nancy thought it was romantic.
As she distanced herself from Nancy, Leni still felt a cold shiver running down her spine.
No matter how tight the time was, he was definitely not the right person for her first kiss.
It should have been elegant, romantic, sweet, and affectionate.
At least one of those should have happened.
As she tried to calm her startled heart, a shabby girl appeared in front of her.
She saw her reflection in the mirror leaned against a tree.
Her thin, wiry frame and tangled red hair spread out like straw made her look much younger than her nineteen years.
Her pale cheeks and rebellious purple eyes.
The gods had granted her many talents, but beauty wasn’t one of them.
Well, I guess I don’t have the looks for a protagonist role.
Was it too much for that forest keeper to think I could play a great role?
If I were prettier, he wouldn’t have treated me like a kid and teased me.
Leni pouted her lips.
I don’t expect to be a princess.
If they gave me a gypsy role, I’d be grateful.
What could this special decision be?
Just then, a deep voice came from behind.
“Where on earth have you been?”
Without making a sound, her father, Martin Skalson, the head of the troupe, stood next to her.
His face, with prominent cheekbones, held a stern expression, and his gray eyes, surrounded by wrinkles, seemed to pierce through her.
Had he been checking the equipment?
Sweat beads were forming on his forehead under his thick, though graying, hair.
“You said I could rest.”
“Did you go chasing rabbits and squirrels again?”
“Am I Anne?”
She wanted to explain that she had gone to act like a proper young lady, but she kept her mouth shut.
If he knew she had been practicing kissing, he’d probably laugh at her.
“Kissing is best learned from a man.”
The teasing of the forest keeper flashed in her mind again.
She had missed the kiss, lost face, and even thrown away a gold coin.
She could have eaten apple pie and lemon cookies to her heart’s content.
As saliva gathered in her mouth, Martin gave his order.
“Looks like you’ve rested enough. Help with the costume repairs.”
“Eh?”
Leni made a face, disheartened.
Ugh, I really don’t like sewing.
“If I try, it’ll probably get ruined more. Father, I’d rather clean the prop knives. I like knives more than needles.”
As she tried to find an escape, Martin called out to a passing troupe member.
“Thomas!”
The burly middle-aged man with long, curly hair was Thomas Passe, the props manager.
“Yes, Master?”
Thomas approached and bowed his head.
“I need to go to the market.”
“What do you need?”
“We may have to put on a new play. Bring these items.”
Martin handed over a parchment. Leni leaned in to read the contents.
‘Purple-black cloak. Black veil. Gold thread. Ornate candelabra.’
Thomas accepted the list, tucked it into his coat, and asked,
“Do you want me to go to Shapiro Market?”
“That’s right.”
“Can I take Leni with me?”
“Why?”
“It’ll help with the bargaining.”
“Bargaining is your job.”
“If Leni’s with me, things always seem to go smoothly.”
Ah, Mr. Thomas, you’re going to be blessed.
Leni smiled, looking at him.
Market sightseeing would be much more fun than cleaning knives.
Martin, glancing between his daughter and his colleague, nodded reluctantly.
“Fine.”
Yay! Leni cheered inwardly. Just as she was about to turn away, Martin called her.
“By the way, Leni. Since you’re going to the market anyway…”
A gold coin, 1 Shallis, the same amount she could have received from the forest keeper, appeared from her father’s purse.
“Buy yourself a nice dress.”
“I already have plenty of clothes.”
“It’s for your birthday, after all. Consider it my gift.”
“Ah, thank you!”
Leni jumped up and hugged Martin with both arms.
“I love you, Father.”
Martin, awkwardly clearing his throat, whispered,
“Isn’t getting out of work better than a new dress?”
“Hehe. How did you know?”
“It’s written all over your face.”
Oh no, I’ll have to practice hiding my feelings.
After all, I’m going to be a proper young lady soon.
A bird flew overhead, chirping as if to cheer her on.
***
The sun hung high in the clear sky.
The bells of the cathedral rang out across the plaza filled with light.
Passing by the grand stone cathedral with its towering spires, Leni and Thomas crossed Zeto Plaza.
As they walked towards Shapiro Market, they saw wooden gallows in the center of the plaza.
The execution structure, built for hanging, had thirteen slots.
“The executions will begin now that the war is over.”
Thomas muttered darkly.
“Are they going to kill the prisoners?”
Leni shrank her neck.
“Prisoners. Spies. Traitors. If the king wants them dead, anyone will be beheaded and displayed there.”
“Displayed?”
“Yes. The beheaded bodies are hung on display.”
“Why?”
“To continue the punishment even after death. The bodies the king has marked for display cannot be claimed by anyone.”
“If no one claims them, what happens?”
“They decay over time. Insects swarm, and when the bodies are so disfigured that they are unrecognizable, the janitors will finally dispose of them.”
Leni was afraid to even ask where or how they were discarded.
Wasn’t taking their lives enough?
She couldn’t understand why people had to be so cruel.