RGS Volume 3 Part 5

Karas averted his gaze once more. Having watched Karas for twelve years and becoming an expert on him, Ashler caught this with his hawk-like eyes and was certain. He’s extremely concerned. At this level, he thought Karas might believe it if he said Lil was Abel’s reincarnation. Just then, a dry question interrupted his thoughts.

“Do you believe in reincarnation?”

“Yes?”

Ashler was so surprised that he raised his voice involuntarily, then quickly lowered it to his usual tone.

“Reincarnation, you mean?”

He asked cautiously, and Karas, with an expressionless face, spoke.

“There was bait in the valley. Someone babbling about being Abel’s reincarnation.”

“!”

“He really looked identical. I almost fell for it too.”

Ashler couldn’t bring himself to say anything. However, Karas continued in a slow, indifferent tone.

“But then the one who was guiding me caught me. And he said.”

“……”

“There is no reincarnation.”

“……”

“You?”

What do you think? Ashler understood the brief question but was too shocked to respond immediately. His mind was in turmoil. He hadn’t imagined that something like that had happened in the valley.

Moreover, did Abel himself say there was no reincarnation?

What on earth is going on here?

“Ashler.”

Karas’s cold voice called his name, demanding an answer. Ashler swallowed hard and opened his mouth, feeling a strange pressure suppressing his breath. It felt as if his response could significantly change the future.

“I do not believe in reincarnation.”

As soon as Karas heard the answer, he waved his hand, indicating that Ashler should leave, with an annoyed look. However, for the first time, Ashler disobeyed the order and continued speaking.

“But, Your Majesty, I have learned that things we do not believe in can still happen in this world.”

Ashler looked up and spoke clearly.

“So, even if one does not believe in it, there could indeed be someone who has reincarnated. Whoever that might be.”

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

The following day, an enormous number of soldiers began their journey back home. Among them was a carriage carrying someone whose presence was kept an absolute secret. Although it was a civilian carriage, no one paid it any particular attention.

Two middle-aged men guarded the carriage, barking like dogs from hell at anyone who dared approach them. A soldier, who acted as their lackey, even bit someone who got too close, almost as if he were possessed by a dog. This soldier’s name was Nani. For several days, he had avoided reality, decorating his head with flowers, but he soon came to terms with reality following Ashler’s advice.

[T/N: The phrase “머리에 꽃 달고” (literally “decorating his head with flowers”) is a Korean idiom that implies someone is avoiding reality or living in a fantasy world, often as a way to escape from harsh truths or difficult situations.]

In an attempt to salvage whatever wealth he have, Nani devotes himself to following the words of Melmond and the butler. The promise that they would not confiscate a year’s worth of his salary if he stayed in their good graces motivated Nani to protect the carriage and its occupant, Abel, with unwavering dedication.

However, it was inevitable that rumors about the fairy spread during the ten-day journey until they reached a place where they could take the ship. The rumors spread subtly among the soldiers.

They said there was a fairy hidden inside!

The reason for this was that Abel still had not regained consciousness and had not left the carriage. At night, he was moved under the cover of darkness to the tent set up as their lodging.

“At this rate, he’ll be asleep for more than half a month.”

Melman murmured as he looked at Abel, who lay with his eyes closed like a doll. The butler was likely somewhere wiping away tears, and honestly, Melmond felt like finding a secluded spot to cry as well. The fever from the arrow wound had subsided a long time ago.

The wound was healing without any severe infection. They disinfected it and changed the bandages daily, ensuring it was treated properly. However, Abel still had not woken up. They worried that he might have suffered a head injury, but there was no sign of any bumps or trauma on his head.

The inability to determine the cause of his unconsciousness frustrated and worried them. They planned to separate from the main soldiers and travel ahead tomorrow when they reached a place where they could board a ship. According to the butler, several doctors at the young master’s were familiar with Abel’s condition. The plan was to get him there as quickly as possible for a proper assessment.

Given that they had already heard from Ashler that a fake reincarnation of Abel had been used as bait in the valley, there was no reason to stay close to Karas. If they had failed to recognize each other, it could have been sorted out after Abel woke up.

However, will he ever wake up?

“Hoo, please wake up and meet the prince.”

Melmond grumbled to Abel as if complaining then went outside the tent, his tears threatening to fall.

‘He still hasn’t woken up. The doctor couldn’t find a reason, so he plans to go to the palace by ship tomorrow. He seems to hope that he will get better with more detailed treatment at home.’

Ashler’s words, which used to convey news like a routine, became increasingly serious. And in today’s report, it was even delivered with a sigh. At first, it was conveyed without much concern, but Ashler seemed surprised that he’s still unconscious, and there was worry in his words.

He couldn’t understand why Ashler was so worried, but rather than that, he was bothered by what he was saying.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Ten days. It was a boring and tiring time traveling by horse, however, everyone seemed excited to return to their hometown.

While the sun was up, they kept moving, and after sunset, busy days ensued as Ashler and other commanders were called to discuss matters concerning the newly occupied territory. However, even while traveling or deliberating on future decisions with his men, that fellow strangely kept lingering in his mind.

The problem lay in the words reminiscent of Abel. Despite him firmly asserting that there was no reincarnation, those words seemed to resurface even more vividly.

And now, Ashler realized, it was akin to when he ventured into the valley to rescue him.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

With slow steps, Karas traversed the torched-lit camp.

He wasn’t the real Abel anyway.

There was a voice inside him that strongly believed that it was clearly an imitation and should be ignored. Yet, inexplicably, his body moved on its own.

When he came to his senses, he realized he was heading towards him. Even after realizing it, he didn’t want to stop walking. It was a sh*tty situation as if all his rational thoughts had been blocked. Karas was actually getting annoyed by this situation and was moving with a sentiment of “Fine, let’s go see.”

The carriage he was on was escorted by Ashler’s soldiers, so it wasn’t difficult to find its location. No one glanced back at Karas as he walked alone through the darkness. The soldiers were all too tired, lying on the ground or in barracks, snoring as they slept. Moving swiftly and erasing his presence, even the vigilant ones didn’t notice him. They cooked food over a campfire and occasionally shared stories of their hometowns.

As Karas neared the place where Abel was supposed to be, his steps halted at the sudden sound that reached his ears.

“A fairy? Have you really seen one?”

“Ah, I really did see it. See that tent over there? There’s someone transferred from the carriage. Why, that’s the carriage escorted by Sir Ashler’s elite soldiers from the beginning.”

The soldier pointing at the barracks lowered his voice as if he had suddenly realized, then soon showed excitement.

“I happened to catch a glimpse, and, heavens… there really was a fairy!”

“What? Don’t lie.”

“Why in the world would there be a fairy?”

The other two who heard his story refuted it, but the soldier who claimed persisted, shaking his head and widening his eyes.

“It’s true! I always wondered what Sir Ashler was hiding so thoroughly, and it turned out to be a real fairy. Or else, there’s no way such a beautiful person exists in this world! Sir Ashler must have caught a fairy somewhere. And they plan to take the captured fairy to the palace and imprison her…”

Whoosh―

The bonfire, which had been burning steadily, suddenly rose as if someone had poured oil on it.

“Ah!”

The flames quickly burned the hair and clothes of the people who were talking.

“Ugh! What’s happening?!”

“What is this?!”

The people whose bodies were instantly engulfed in flames panicked and screamed. Hearing their screams, the people around woke up and rushed over. Instead of joining the crowd gathering in one place, Karas walked towards a particular tent.

When Karas arrived at his destination, there was no one in front of the tent. The soldiers who were guarding it had rushed there to extinguish the flames that had surged up earlier. Despite the Emperor’s presence, the inside of the tent, which had four makeshift beds, remained silent. The only person inside was lying on one of the beds with their eyes closed. Karas stood at the entrance, staring at the figure intently before stepping back.

His face was even paler than before. With barely any movement to indicate breathing, and if not for the bandages wrapped around the left arm, one might believe the person to be a corpse. Yet, as Karas approached closer, it felt as though any moment now, he would open his mouth, chuckle, and call out, “Hehe Commander-in-Chief!”

And strangely, as he drew nearer, his heartbeat quickened a little faster.

Thud.

Standing before Able, Karas finally realized vaguely what he had come to confirm. “There is no reincarnation,” were the words spoken by the person lying there.

Karas also did not consider him as Abel’s reincarnation. But Ashler’s words bothered him in the back of his mind.

What if, unknowingly, he was a reincarnation?

Of course, he knew how foolish this sounded. He felt like a fool for being so obsessed with this guy. But now that he was standing in front of him, all that irritation seemed to disappear. Instead, his heart started beating faster, taking control of his own thoughts. Karas reached out and gently brushed his fingers through his soft blond hair.

Everyone praised his appearance as that of a fairy, but to Karas’ eyes, he didn’t seem attractive. However, if words that could only come from Abel’s mouth, his laughter, and actions befitting him were to emerge, then regardless of his appearance, Karas’ heart would have responded in the same way. It was as if his heart knew something his mind didn’t.

But reincarnation? Karas took his hand off his hair and turned his gaze to the part of his waist that had been bothering him since earlier. Perhaps because it was a bit hot at night, the blanket covering the patient only covered the lower part of his pelvis. Karas absentmindedly placed his hand on his stomach and gently stroked it as if to warm it up. And he muttered softly.

“Eppel.”

The softly murmured name. The sleeping fairy’s chest jumped at the sound of his whispering voice. It was as if his chest swelled up as if he had been holding his breath and then exhaled. And slowly, his eyelids opened. Slowly, he blinked. Again, he blinked. His unfocused, dull green eyes, which couldn’t find a focus, looked down at him, and his face involuntarily smiled.

It seemed like words were about to come out, but lacking in strength, only a soft chuckle emerged.

“…Hehe…uh…”

His eyes closed again, but a smile still lingered on Abel’s lips as he began to breathe comfortably. On the other hand, the other person stopped breathing. Unknowingly, his eyes have turned into snake-like eyes.

He didn’t speak much, and his pronunciation was unclear and hesitant. It was as if the voice of a child calling out to him.

‘Eppel.’

In an instant, everything inside him jolted awake. The prince! But despite the call, his eyes refused to open as if bound by invisible strings. His body, too, remained immobile, as if it were tied tightly with a rope.

Huh? This shouldn’t be happening. The prince is calling me.

With a sense of urgency, Abel drew in a breath.

He had to answer. He couldn’t go back to being a pitiful child tied to a chain again. He shouldn’t live with those empty eyes anymore.

Get up. He had to let the prince know that there was always someone who would answer whenever he called. Struggling to lift himself up, he finally managed to open his eyes.

Blurred vision. Someone was in front of him. He couldn’t see clearly, but he knew.

Haha, it was the prince. He called me Eppel, so it must be the prince.

Without even realizing it, Abel let out a laugh.

Hehe, Prince, did you call me?