96 – The Last Grand Tale(2)
The grand tale.
“It was years ago. After losing my parents, I lied to a starving child who couldn’t sleep, ‘Tomorrow will be a better day.’ We shared moldy bread amongst ten people, enduring winter with each other’s body heat.”
Aileen continued her speech in the square, watched by a multitude of people.
“What scared me the most wasn’t hunger or poverty. It was the cruel reality that I had to lie to the children again tomorrow.”
As people listened to Aileen’s speech, they recalled their impoverished pasts. Parents even brought the back of their hands to their eyes to wipe away tears.
“What we needed most was hope. The hope that tomorrow would be different, the certainty that one day all this would be a memory we could laugh about.”
Aileen recalled her days at the orphanage.
Had it not been for the anonymous sponsor,
Aileen would have surely given up everything.
“And finally, winter passed and spring arrived. The children no longer starved. They played in the yard with laughter. But one thing remained the same. I told the children before bed, ‘tomorrow will be a better day.’”
Aileen said.
“And that is not a lie.”
The crowd cheered.
“Even in the cold winter, flowers bloom. Even in challenging times, hope is born. We have endured in the harsh winter, like the winter flowers that eventually sprout, like the stars that don’t lose their light in the darkness.”
The end was not far off.
Behind the speech stage, Ascal was feeling sick.
Especially today, his condition wasn’t good.
He suspected the pork soup he ate yesterday was the culprit.
“We commemorate today to remember the past. No matter what hardship lies in the future, we remember today. The Winter Festival. Even in winter, flowers will bloom.”
Woohoo!
The saint’s speech was successful.
“Next in line is you. Warrior Ascal.”
The crown prince smiled, looking at Ascal who seemed uncomfortable.
“Who would’ve imagined a warrior born from our empire. Life is truly unpredictable.”
“No matter how many times you say it, the warrior isn’t me, it’s Fer.”
“A horse can’t give a speech, can it?”
Fer played along with a neigh.
Maybe, he could actually give a speech.
“Cheer up. My boyfriend.”
Yulia, in princess mode, walked up to Ascal and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then she whispered in his ear.
“You’re soon retiring, right? Just endure a little more.”
“Let’s just get it over with.… Ugh, feeling sick.”
Yulia stroked Ascal’s back.
“Just hold on for a little more, Ascal. Today is an important day.”
People still do not know that Ascal is the hero. The reason was simple. “I’m already excited to see the looks on people’s faces when they realize the Empire’s Sleeping Dragon was actually the hero.” The plan was orchestrated by the Crown Prince. The saintess raises expectations first. “Everyone, the hero will soon appear.” People still do not know the identity of the hero. The murmur of the crowd could be heard from all around. Expectations rise to their peak. The chosen saintess, Aileen. And the hero, Cal. They are the most discussed figures in the empire recently. The Empire’s Sleeping Dragon and the Empire’s saint, they could be called the stars of the next generation without any objections.
“Today, the identity of the hero will officially be unveiled.”
“He’s from the Empire, right?”
Thud, thud.
A figure appeared from behind Aileen.
“Move aside, we can’t see!”
“Who is it? Who?”
“Ah, that person is…”
All eyes were drawn to one side.
“You’ve worked hard, Aileen.”
“Hero.”
Seeing Ascal walk onto the stage, Aileen’s face brightened. Ascal looked down at the square below. What a crowd it was. Everyone was looking at him. Finally, people were starting to realize that the person who had appeared was Ascal.
-“Why is the Emperor’s Secret Dragon here?”
-“Was it a lie that a hero would show up?
-“What the hell is going on?”
Murmurings. Disarray.
‘Speech, speech.’
Ascal took out the speech that Lia had personally written for him.
Ascal, looking at the words, became pale.
Was he so nervous that he could not see the words at all?
“Ah, everyone…”
He stammered.
Yulia watched Ascal anxiously from the back. The Crown Prince held back Yulia, who seemed ready to run up to the speech podium at any moment.
“Older brother.”
“Trust him.”
The people became even more confused.
Murmurings.
It seemed as if such voices were echoing in Ascal’s head.
-Wow, was the Empire’s Secret Dragon really this much of a coward?
-If he is to be the next regent, how can they believe in such a person and entrust him with such a high position?
-Impeach Ascal, impeach him!
Of course, it was a delusion.
“…..!”
But.
Suddenly, Ascal’s face brightened.
“Sir, hero? Are you alright? Should I pat your back?”
“No need!”
Yes.
The already ruined speech, if it could be ruined even more, so be it.
On the contrary, it’s great.
It was an opportunity to completely plunge the evaluation into the abyss.
Ascal confidently tore up the speech.
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And took out his Lightvein from its sheath.
“I understand, master! I will amplify your voice.”
The Lightvein glowing in golden light.
It was a forceful light that snatched one’s gaze.
After Ascal held the Lightvein high, he calmly said,
“I am the hero.”
And that was it.
After saying that, Ascal did not utter another word and turned away from the podium.
The people were confused about what they had just heard, but soon realized.
And then.
Waaah!
Ascal! Our hero, Ascal!
An enormous cheer resounded.
“Rather than using fancy rhetoric, the speech that simply delivered facts moved people’s hearts. It was a perfect speech, Ascal. I ought to record this and teach it to future generations.”
“Destroying the speech that the direct lady wrote herself does hurt, but I admit, it was an effective performance.”
Ascal was baffled.
He thought he had carelessly thrown something away, but it had been a huge hit?
‘The Empire sure is full of surprises…’
＜Hero Ascal declared proudly. I am a hero. The people cheered.＞
The crown prince looked at the record written by the secretary with satisfaction.
“Now, you are free. Enjoy the festival to your heart’s content. Hmm. With your beautiful girlfriend?”
The Festival.
As royalty, there were many things to consider.
Yulia had remained as a princess all day.
But for some reason, it seemed like she had something important to say.
The usually quiet Yulia spoke up.
“How do you feel, Ascal?”
“I’m fine.”
“This might be our last festival.”
“Indeed. After this concludes, we have the dragons.”
After the festival, it’s time to prepare to face the dragons. And retire from the empire. That’s what the last festival meant.
Ascal gathered his belongings.
Using a disguise spell so that people couldn’t recognize him.
“I have something to confess, Ascal.”
Yulia, who had finally resolved her worries, spoke up as if a bit nervous.
“Yulia.”
“Mm.”
“Do you have any fetishes regarding coming out? Like, feeling pleasure when you divulge secrets…”
Princess’s coming out.
A confession of love.
And there’s more to say?
Is it like peeling an endless onion?
“No joke. I’m serious. I could end up hating you…”
“Did you embezzle behind my back and invest somewhere?”
“No!”
“Then come on, spit it out.”
Yulia bit her lip.
“Not now. I’m not ready yet.”
“Well, talk about it later then.”
Ascal was looking at people enjoying the festival.
It’s been a while since I’ve felt like this.
“We have plenty of time today.”
“Eh, it’s cold!”
Serena tightened her wrap around her shoulders.
She regretted not wearing warmer clothes.
But it couldn’t be helped.
Because it’s an important day, I need to look as pretty as possible.
Serena ignited a tiny flame with her magic.
I feel a bit warmer.
This is the first theater Serena ever attended.
It’s on the verge of demolition now, almost collapsed and roofless, but it holds its own memories.
‘Because I met him for the first time here.’
It’s evening.
If I look through the open wall, I can see smiles on people’s faces.
Whenever Serena saw lovers holding each other’s hands, it felt as if one side of her heart sank heavily.
Come back to return it. I will be waiting.
The place is where we first met.
“…Will you come, darling?”
Darling.
A term of endearment that lingered on her lips.
Suddenly, it darkens again.
“Sigh…”
Yulia was already by Ascal’s side.
Though she begged him to come despite the inability to give up, the possibility seemed slim.
“It’s cold…”
Even kindling a fire, it felt cold.
An earring that fit on one ear fluttered in the wind.
“Uh…”
It looked like she would catch a cold.
Above all, the holey ceiling was the problem.
Serena resentfully looked up at the sky. It was a pointlessly beautiful evening sky.
” …a dragon?”
Serena gazed in amazement.
In the sky above, a flying red dragon.
The red dragon grew closer and opened its massive mouth.
“What? Why?”
rrr!
The dragon roars.
A breath of fire falls to the ground.
The place where the fire fell, was just where Serena happened to be.
Items Ascal received before the tale festival.
Serena’s earrings, not yet returned.
A pair of Susia’s shoes, not yet returned.
Julia’s hair tie, not yet returned.
Ascal : “I am iron man”