Martha finished her story and quietly gazed down, desperately hoping that such peaceful days would return. Krone and Sierra looked at each other and giggled.
“And what did you tell her to do?” Sierra asked.
“I believe I told her to write about her daily life and to earnestly apologize for the delay,” Martha replied.
“No wonder... I thought that letter was a bit long in comparison to her usual ones. Her letters stopped after that, but it seems like she’s not completely to blame for it.”
Sierra smiled; she once called Chris an idiot because her last letter came about a decade ago. As Sierra recalled the past, she didn’t look at all angry as she decided to let it all slide.
“Please excuse me,” Martha said.
“Thank you for sharing such a lovely story,” Sierra replied.
After the maid took her leave, Sierra and Krone were left alone to watch a slumbering Chris. Her breathing was steady and she didn’t appear to be in pain or agony—it looked like she’d wake up sometime soon.
“And I guess I can’t be angry at her this time,” Sierra said as she brushed a loose strand of hair off Chris’s face.
“Angry?” Krone asked.
“If she was simply pushing her luck, Chris would’ve been in for a good scolding. But it seems like she had a good reason for it. As a fellow elf, I’m proud of her for risking her life and offering it all to the crown prince.”
At the mention of risking one’s life, Krone pressed her hands against her chest. She said not a word and turned her back to Sierra. Just as Krone was about to excuse herself and return to work, Sierra suddenly shifted topics.
“Lastly, I’d like to tell you everything that I know,” Sierra said.
“What do you...” Krone started.
“That item you have doesn’t just eat away at people simply by being near it. Those who touch it will feel as though they’re being implored to release it from their hands.”
And so, even without a specialized enclosure, the stone could safely sit nearby if left alone.
“Other than yourself, I’ve never met a soul who had been unaffected by its touch,” Sierra said. Krone quietly listened as the elf continued, “In fact, I had no idea that it wielded such power. The chief once told me that the stone was the most precious item in her possession, but I’d never heard a peep of any powers contained within it.”
Sierra shared everything she knew. She was repeating herself several times, but that was a trivial issue.
“I’m quite certain that only you can use that power, Lady Krone,” Sierra said.
Krone, who’d seen herself as helpless in this situation, had finally heard from another person that perhaps she could be of use, somehow.
“I...” Krone started. She soon stopped herself. She feared that if she put her resolve into words, she’d be stopped by Sierra. “I think I’m going to take a walk. Get a breath of fresh air.”
“Of course,” Sierra said. “I shall be by this child’s side, so please call me if there is anything you require.”
Even Krone was aware that her segue was unnatural, but luckily, Sierra said not a word of it and allowed her to walk out the door.
“I pray that a dazzling future awaits in the direction you’re headed,” the silver-haired elf said in quiet prayer.
Krone didn’t miss those words as she left.
✦ ✦ ✦
Back when Krone had entered Chris’s room, she had noticed a small amount of pale-blue light leaking from the leather bag’s opening. She reached in to grab the stone, and discovered it shining more brilliantly than ever before. The stone then pulsated. Like a beating heart, it continued to palpitate, its pulsations gradually synchronizing with Krone’s own heartbeat.
“There’s a role that only I can play,” Krone murmured.
During Ein’s encounter with the Sea Dragon and Upaskamuy, Krone could only pray from afar and wish for his safety. Not once had she stepped onto the battlefield. She knew that she’d only be a nuisance, much less any sort of help. Obviously, she had to fight back tears, upset with herself for being so unsuited to combat. However, there was nothing she could do to change that reality. And so, she had chosen to stand at her beloved’s side as his advisor.
But if she were to be cynical, the role of advisor didn’t necessarily need to be fulfilled by her. Anyone could’ve taken her place; Warren, for example, was far wiser and had years of experience that she didn’t have. Not to mention that Ishtarica had plenty of other extremely capable officials who could tend to the crown prince.
Yet now, finally, Krone found a role that only she could fulfill. Now knowing that she could put it all on the line for his sake, the young advisor had never felt a greater joy in her life.
“I don’t want to live with any more regrets,” Krone said.
Simultaneously, another voice with her timbre said the exact same words. Her good luck charm shook just a little, and as her mind was filled with Ein, she paid no heed to the source of this mysterious voice.
“I came here so that I could be by his side,” she said.
She recalled her reason for crossing the ocean in the first place. Krone had even abandoned her home nation and parted ways with her family in order to live in the faraway land of Ishtarica. She followed her heart. Guided by her good luck charm, she left the castle and firmly walked towards her goal.