Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Philia's Return to Farming
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Snap, snap.
Every time Ian took a step, the sound of dry branches breaking rang out. With summer insects chirping their hearts out to herald the season's arrival, he wiped away his sweat and called out to Berik.
"Berik, is this really the right path?"
"...It should be."
"'It should be'? Is that all you have to say..."
"It's right, it's right. Look, there's the black rock. Yep. This is it."
It was a remote forest with no proper path. Unable to ride horses, they had been walking on foot for hours now. It felt like they had already crossed the territory border.
Berik, that guy—his side wound surely hadn't fully healed yet—looked like he had completely recovered. Spending the past few days lounging and eating under the guise of treatment had clearly paid off.
"I did say we needed to hide properly. No one's going to find this place easily, right?"
All around them was the color of nature, but suddenly, an unfamiliar hue caught his eye. Far off, a pale purple skirt caught on some branches. Berik snapped his fingers and shouted triumphantly.
"Here it is. Great!"
Berik took the lead, slashing through the grass with his sword. After climbing a steep ridge, they reached a flat clearing. There stood a dilapidated shack, with a small tilled field in front of it.
"You sure found a spot like this."
"It belonged to some old woodcutter who lived alone ages ago. He came to sell wood, lost his mind, and forgot the way back, or so they say. The tavern owner once told me there might be a house around here if it was true. And since I don't have a home or anything."
The shack looked like it would collapse in a stiff breeze. Yet the warmth emanating from various spots indicated someone was living there.
"Anyone home?"
Berik scanned the surroundings for Philia. The kettle was boiling, so she couldn't have gone far. Ian slowly inspected the shack as well, checking for any more red herbs or silask flowers.
'None.'
The luggage she had brought from the village didn't look like much. Not that she would have had many possessions anyway.
"Wh-who are you?"
Just then, a trembling voice came from outside the door. Ian opened it and came face-to-face with a golden-haired, green-eyed woman who looked just like him.
"Ah!"
Philia, clearly caught off guard, dropped the flowers she was clutching to her chest and threw her arms around Ian. From her small, frail body came a strength that seemed impossible—fierce and unyielding.
"Ian! Ian!"
"...Have you been well?"
"Ian! Aaaah! Thank you! Thank you!"
Philia wailed, cupping Ian's face in her hands. Tears streamed down as she sobbed uncontrollably. It was only natural—her child, whose future she had never dared hope for, now stood before her.
"Ian... How on earth did this happen? Hmm?"
Philia was still beautiful, looking more like a sister than a mother. Ian smiled warmly and brushed aside her disheveled hair.
"It's a long story, Mother. Let's sit down and talk first."
"Have you eaten? Are you eating properly?"
"Look at that complexion—healthy as can be, right?"
Berik quipped in disbelief as he pulled out a chair. Philia's face was just as radiant. Ian murmured, taking in the neat and tidy home.
"I'm glad rural life suits you."
"It was tough at first, but being cooped up in that basement... Waking up to the sunrise is nice, and the cool valley stream is wonderful. A little foraging, and fruits are everywhere."
Ian patted the back of Philia's hand in reassurance. She burst into fresh tears. Seeing her son, whom she had met in disguise after so much effort, filled her with overwhelming emotion.
"Ian. Tell me your story now. What exactly happened?"
Ian gave a brief account of recent events: the deal with Molin, crossing into the Great Desert to stay with the Cheonryeo Tribe, Derga's judgment, the battle, and his execution. Philia was stunned to hear that House Bratz had been wiped out.
"Count Bratz is dead?"
"Mary and Chel as well, most likely."
"My goodness, Ian. We must pray to the gods at once."
She seemed genuinely pleased. And she appeared to understand why Ian was here safe and sound.
"So, Mother. I have something to tell you."
"Anything, my child."
Ian smiled ruefully. She had no idea her angelic son was Emperor Ian. Her innocence stirred complex feelings in him.
"Derga's banner has fallen, but much remains to be done. People are coming down from the capital again."
"I see. I understand."
"I plan to head back to the capital with them later."
Tsk. Berik clicked his tongue while pouring tea. Despair settled over Philia's face once more. Her eyes welled up, but she waited, knowing her son wasn't finished.
"I'm telling you this because I can't be sure if I'll be able to stay with you or not."
"Even so..."
Even so? What was she trying to say?
Philia gazed at Ian, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Even so, I can still see you, right?"
"...Of course."
"And it won't be dangerous?"
"It should be safe."
"Then that's enough. I'm content. Truth be told, I don't even want to go back down. Life in the forest is so fulfilling. As long as you live on in the same time as me, without dying—that's all I need."
How could a mother harbor any other thoughts when her child had chosen his path? She was simply grateful he had returned alive.
"Once things settle quickly, you'll be free to live as you please, Mother. It won't take long. Before I leave, I'll arrange a place for you in the village."
"It's fine, Ian. I'm truly fine."
Derga was dead, and Ian had returned alive.
Asking for more would surely invite divine punishment.
"And I have one more question."
"Yes. What is it?"
"About that red potted flower you gave me in the park."
The silask, the indestructible red flower. Extraordinary on its own, but a jeweled necklace was buried beneath it.
"Do you remember where it came from?"
"Of course. It was payment for running an errand for a merchant group, wasn't it?"
"A merchant group?"
Ian echoed her words, but Philia looked flustered instead. It wasn't that long ago—how could she not remember?
"It was a big merchant group. I don't recall the name, but they were shorthanded, so they even called you over. The leader was generous with the pay and gave the pot too."
"Anything else you remember in detail?"
"Hmm... Ah! They said there was someone extremely important in the group. A ma, ma..."
Philia grimaced as if her throat had suddenly closed up. She tilted her head, groping through her memory for that day.
"Ma-something. Anyway, I remember you were over the moon that day."
"I see."
Nothing was certain, but the silask and jewels were clearly connected to that mysterious merchant group. Given its size, someone in the village might remember.
Ian stood up, satisfied for now.
"Leaving already?"
"I have some urgent matters."
Philia couldn't hide her disappointment. The tea hadn't even cooled yet. Feeling a pang of sympathy, Ian added,
"I'll have Berik send over some chickens. It must get lonely alone in the forest—try raising them."
"Oh. That would be wonderful!"
"Let me know if you need anything, anytime."
"Ah! Ian, do you need gula?"
The unexpected question made Ian pause. Philia lightly stepped to the storage room door inside, pulling out two large sacks.
"You told me to collect gula seeds when I had time. There are two more outside besides these."
They were filled with small seeds the size of cherry tomatoes. Hundreds, by rough count. It looked like she had gathered every gula nearby...
"What did you do with the gula after extracting the seeds?"
"I tossed them off the cliff."
Berik swept his hand over one incredulously, his mouth agape in shock. Collecting this many useless gula seeds was impressive enough, but for a lone woman? Unbelievable.
"She has a real talent for horticulture."
"After three meals a day, time is all I have left, so I did it as a pastime, and it piled up like this."
True, Philia had vanished before Ian crossed the border. He had been too caught up in the whirlwind of events to notice, but months of peaceful, lonely time had passed here.
"Don't you need them?"
Philia cautiously gauged her son's expression. She had collected them at his request, but his lukewarm reaction worried her.
"No, Mother. This is impressive."
Ian tied the sack mouths shut and smiled at her. It had been a passing mention, yet she had remembered and acted on it. Philia beamed, as if rewarded by her son's praise.
"The timing is perfect."
"Really? I'm so glad."
Farmers should be sweating in the fields this summer. But they were busy with village reconstruction elsewhere. And the spring crops that had sprouted were all trampled under military boots.
"Mother. Truth is, this gula? It's edible."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"The seeds have no poison. You can roast, bake, or boil them."
Was her son joking? Philia scrutinized Ian's face, but he seemed serious. Berik narrowed his eyes and asked,
"Heatstroke got you?"
"They're even tasty raw."
Instead of answering, Ian popped a seed into his mouth. Berik and Philia gasped in unison and lunged at him.
"Oh my, I-Ian!"
"Spit it out! Quick, spit it out! What are you doing?"
Crunch. Crunch.
Ian nonchalantly savored the nutty flavor as he chewed. Eyeing the sacks' contents, he instructed,
"Berik. Looks like you'll have to work hard."
"Wh-what... what for?"
"Using honorifics now? You've figured it out."
"Take these down... sir?"
"Yes. Secretly, discreetly. Hide them in the manor warehouse."
"Ha..."
Crunch.
Ian munched another gula seed as he replied. Philia floundered helplessly, while Berik slumped in defeat, swallowing curses.
Ian grinned, gazing down the ridge to the distant lands that had once been Bratz, now clearly visible.
* * *
Meanwhile, Romandro—dispatched as a reconstruction expert and advisor—grimaced out the carriage window. He desperately wanted to jump out and head straight back to the capital.
'This is driving me insane. For real.'
The border's remoteness was bad enough, but the site was anything but normal. Fellow citizens fighting each other was secondary—what really got to him was—
"Feeling unwell?"
"No. Just a backache."
The companion: Lord Molin from the administration.
Not his direct superior, but higher in rank and position. He claimed to be accompanying for Romandro's border adjustment, but he'd be better off without him.
'Prince Marib is too much. How long ago was the temple earthquake recovery? Sending me here like this... Ugh... I want to go home...'
And as if Molin's presence wasn't enough, Prince Marib had secretly ordered separate surveillance reports on his activities. They hadn't even arrived, and he already yearned for the capital.
"What do you think the former Bratz territory situation will be like?"
"Pardon? Well... From Captain Erika's report, it's pretty bad. No idea how it's being handled, but we're lucky if we don't get pelted with stones."
Romandro muttered bitterly without thinking.
Only Lord Molin knew Ian was stationed there with the Cheonryeo Tribe. If word got out, the imperial palace's plan to dispatch large forces and turn it into a rebel stronghold could go up in smoke.
"I hope there are no surprises when we arrive."
Molin turned away, reminiscing about old Bratz. He fiddled with Erika's letter tucked in his bosom.