“…Are you stupid?!” Rage tinged Ninym’s shaking words. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!” In that rage, sorrow. “Don’t you care about your life?!” She knew the answer but had to ask anyway.
“Not at all.”
Now Ninym understood.
Wein was like the magic lamps from old stories. They granted every wish and desired nothing. A lamp was just a tool, after all. Its sole power was to serve others.
Unlike most people, Wein could become a magic lamp. It was his only strength and authority, so nothing felt precious.
If asked for gold, he offered it. If told to scorch the continent to a flat plain, he obliged. If instructed to become a diligent prince, he would. If ordered to hand over his life, he relinquished it. For someone as detached as Wein, every desire was equally worthless.
“You’re such an idiot.”
Once, Ninym had considered Wein to be her kind savior. It was sad to know he saw no difference between her plea for rescue and the assassins’ attempt on his life.
She was furious. Ninym had cherished their days together, even though they were too few. It wounded her to realize Wein cared nothing for that time. More than anything else, though, his bleak reality left her rattled. How could the boy who saved her endure such heart-wrenching loneliness?
“You can think about it later,” Wein said dismissively. “You’ll never find your path if you get caught up in this.”
He was right. Ninym was only a young girl. She couldn’t put out a fire or defeat the assassins. And she lacked the strength to drag Wein to safety against his will. No one would condemn her for fleeing alone.
And yet…
…Ninym nonetheless took Wein’s hand.
“What’s this about?”
“Don’t accept death so easily.” The intensity in Ninym’s voice surprised her.
“It’s what the people want.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to go along with it.”
“I have no reason to refuse.”
“You do!”
If Wein was indifferent to everything because he cherished nothing, then a single grain would be enough to tip the scales. Ninym held his hand tightly.
“I’ll become important to you!”
This was her own naïve arrogance. Such an act would demean Wein’s divine nature.
However, in that moment, Ninym vowed that no matter who stood in her way, she wouldn’t allow the prince to die alone.
“How?” Wein asked after a brief pause. “How will you become important to me?”
“You think I know?!” Ninym shouted. “You tell me! How should I win you over?!” Wein gave her a perplexed look, but the girl pressed on. “If you don’t know, either, then we’ll put our heads together and figure it out! So don’t die here, Wein!” Her eyes blazed, yet the boy’s expression remained a mystery.
This latest silence felt longer than any before it. All the while the flames crept nearer.
“…I’m not sure,” Wein muttered finally.
His response struck Ninym like a boulder. Was that scale truly so immovable? Her heart churned with disappointment, vexation, and sorrow. Anger soon followed.
Ninym was absolutely incensed. How could Wein say that after hearing such despair? He had to be mocking her. She thought he deserved a slap for it.
“Wait, just calm down,” Wein interrupted as though he’d sensed Ninym’s intent. “I meant I’m not sure how we should escape.”
“What…?”
“Once the assassins realize my body isn’t here, they’ll search the mansion more carefully and discover the escape route. We’ll need to find another way.”
In other words…
Ninym beamed as Wein’s meaning dawned on her.
“Your Highness!” came a deafening roar from outside the mansion. “Are you all right, Your Highness?! I’m here to save you! So please, hold on a bit longer!”
The children couldn’t see the situation beyond the storage room, but the voice belonged to Raklum. Help had arrived. Ninym almost sobbed with relief, but Wein grimaced.
“So Raklum’s back…and he’s probably outnumbered.”
Ninym gasped. Yes, even a man of his skill hardly stood a chance against the many killers who surrounded the mansion.
However, a second voice soon followed Raklum’s.
“Hurry, His Highness is inside! His safety comes before pursuit of the enemy!”
It was Levan. Numerous others could be heard, too, as well as the clash of swords.
“I see. Levan had a few extra soldiers stashed away,” Wein remarked.
The endangered prince had preferred minimal protection, but that didn’t mean his vassals had been content to do nothing. And although Wein didn’t know it, Levan considered Ninym the key to the Flahm’s future. Of course he’d assign a secret unit to keep a close eye in case of an emergency.
“Um…” This sudden good fortune left Ninym dumbfounded, yet she still held Wein’s hand tight. He urged her forward.
“Come on, Ninym. We’ll be safer outside with Raklum and the others.”
“R-right.”
The two escaped hand in hand and didn’t let go until they reached the adults.
When Ninym awoke, she stared at her hand and clenched it several times. Years had passed since then, but she could still feel the sensation of Wein’s hand squeezing hers back.
“I need to tell him everything.”
Just like that, Ninym’s mind was made up.
Wein’s mysterious behavior of late had worried her, and there was no easy answer to the situation with the Flahm. So Ninym had taken everything on herself.
However, that had been a mistake. Ninym needed to share all her problems and frustrations so they could rack their minds and stew over them together. The faint sensation in her palm confirmed this was the right answer.
“I should hurry.”
Ninym sat up. The meeting was likely still in progress, but she’d go to him regardless. The very thought made her heavy heart feel lighter.
However, a knock came at the door as she dressed. It was Levan.
“Master Levan? What is it?”
Ninym immediately harbored two concerns. The first was for Levan’s presence here when he ought to have been with Wein, and the second was for his grave expression.
“Did you run into a problem with Caldmellia?”
The young woman paled. Experience had taught her that even Wein wasn’t infallible. Levan shook his head, though.
“No, our negotiations just ended. Once several conditions have been met, Natra shall side with the West.”
“As part of Wein’s plan, correct?”
“…Indeed.”
Ninym sighed with relief, yet she couldn’t help but notice Levan’s frown at the mention of Wein’s name.
“Master Levan, did something happen between you and His Highness?”
“…”
His silence was telling. The meeting with Caldmellia had concluded without obvious incident, yet Wein and Levan apparently came to a disagreement afterward. Even so, Ninym remained positive.
“Master Levan, let’s speak with Prince Wein together. I’m sure a solution will present itself if we’re completely honest.”
Her words sang with confidence and fresh optimism. Even the most clueless outsider would’ve agreed her approach was for the best. Levan shook his head, however.
“That won’t be necessary. Rather, it’s impossible.”
“What do you mean?”
An unshakable foreboding threatened to overwhelm Ninym when she saw Levan falter. The man forced himself to meet her gaze.
“Prince Wein died moments ago.”
✦ ✦ ✦
“…………What?”
Ninym didn’t process a single word.
“Wh-what? Died?”
“To be more precise, I killed him.”
Levan had killed Wein.
The simple confession took Ninym several seconds to process. Her blood ran cold, and she began to tremble violently.
“Y-you’re lying. Right, Master Levan?”
“I am not.”
He flatly dismissed her desperate, choked denial.
“Th-then it must be a joke or mistake.”
“Does that sound like me?”
“Ngh… Ah…”
She couldn’t argue.
As Levan said, he would never lie or make a joke in such poor taste, nor would he mistake reality so terribly.
Did that mean he’d really killed Wein?
“For the sake of the Flahm’s greatest wish, I had to remove any threats swiftly. And Ninym— No, descendant of the great Founder. From now on, you shall be our symbol.”
✦ ✦ ✦
