The old woman grew even more excited as she continued.
“And so, we summoned performers traveling across foreign lands back here. Before long, they left for Jinlong with the golden-haired man as their troupe leader. We thought you might be able to enjoy Yulan music with a festival just around the corner. Seeing as you’re here now, you must have seen the shadow puppet show, no?!”
Angelina nodded.
“We’ve been told that the seal on the castle will lift when a new princess appears,” the old woman concluded. “And now, that day has finally come.”
Yuen narrowed his eyes at the old woman. “Do you know how to enter the castle?”
“If you can cross the lake, I can guide you through the castle,” the old woman replied, bowing her head reverently. “I’m the mother of Marfa—Empress Phaenna’s personal handmaid. I was also Her Majesty’s wetnurse.”
“You’re Marfa’s mudder?!” Angelina cried out in alarm.
The old woman smiled. “I am. You know my daughter?”
“She’s my wetnurse.”
“My goodness! Is Marfa doing well? I haven’t been able to contact her since she was taken to the canopy with Empress Phaenna.”
Angelina nodded. “Yes, she’s doing well. She’s always taken good care of me.”
“That’s wonderful,” the old woman said, tears welling her in her eyes. “My family has served the royal family for generations.”
“Then do you know about the barrel organ sheet music?” Angelina asked. “The one that plays music backward and forwards.”
The old woman smiled again. “Yes, the golden-haired man had that sheet music in his possession. It’s extremely rare.”
“It was enchanted with time reversal magic. Is that Yulan sorcery?”
The old woman cocked her head. “Did his sheet music really have that sort of power?”
“Yes! I have to restore the reversed time and return Fodder to normal! Please help me!”
Hiding Feilong’s situation would be pointless after coming this far. Thus, Angelina pleaded for their cooperation.
“What’s the problem?” the old woman asked with a sneer. “Aren’t things fine as they are?”
Yuen clutched the sword at his waist. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve heard the rumors. The cruel emperor didn’t acknowledge Princess Angelina as his daughter for three years, no?”
“What of it?” Yuen asked. “Normally, members of the Jinlongian imperial family are recognized as royalty during the Naming Ceremony on their fifth birthday.”
The old woman laughed scornfully. “That lie might suffice in Jinlong, but it won’t fool us Yulans. Her birth wasn’t even celebrated! She must have suffered a great deal! The emperor has no right to act like a father after abandoning her for three whole years! That’s why the Yulan Secret Arts punished him!”
“But the troupe leader was targeting me,” Angelina said, unable to suppress her confusion. “Fodder sacrificed himself to save me.”
“That’s impossible!” the old woman protested. “You’re our only hope for the restoration of Yule, Princess Angelina! He would never have done such a thing.”
Baffled, Angelina looked at Ryuho, who furrowed his brow.
“Well then, is the sheet music containing Feilong’s past here now?” Hisame asked. “From what we’ve heard, his time was reversed by the Yulan Secret arts.”
“I’ve never seen the secret arts myself,” the old woman replied. “But from what I’ve heard, you can gain access to the secret arts and whatever they obtained through the queen’s bedroom.”
“Then please lead us there!” Hisame implored.
The old woman glanced at Angelina. “…Why?”
“Because I want to return Fodder to normal!” Angelina cried.
“You want to return the cruel and inhuman emperor back to normal?” the old woman asked with a laugh. “What in the world are you saying? I know just how much Empress Phaenna suffered at the hands of Jinlong. We Yulan citizens suffered as well. The emperor mustn’t be returned to normal.” Here, the old woman’s lips twisted into a grin. “Crown Prince Kyril has Yulan blood flowing through his veins. He should become the next emperor.”
“But what will happen to Fodder?” Angelina pressed. “We can’t hide him forever, y’know?”
“Then exile him.”
“No, I could never do something so awful…”
“It isn’t the least bit awful,” the old woman insisted. “Feilong has wounded and killed a great many people. He should atone for his sins.”
A sudden gust of frigid wind blew from the coniferous forest, whipping up Angelina’s hair.
“Crown Prince Kyril is gentle and wise,” the old woman continued, looking at Angelina with an enrapt expression. “His reign would be far more wonderful than the tyranny of a cruel and brutal emperor. It would be for the good of the empire. Do you not agree?”
Father did abandon me, Angelina thought. As a result, I suffered across three lives, wishing for love and freedom the entire time. Yet, in the end, I struggled, suffered, and died multiple times. Even now, I’m not confident about my right to live. Everything is Father’s fault. What’s more, the Bai Ze said the same thing as this old woman. Kyril taking the throne would be better for the empire. At the same time, Father protected me from that magic. He became a child rather than let me die. He might have been awkward, but he always did his best to make me happy. And if I never heard his lullaby again, that would be terribly sad. I want him to remember me!
“Ryuho,” Angelina said, looking at him with wavering eyes. “The Bai Ze and this woman both said the same thing. Am I wrong? What should I do for the good of the empire?”
Angelina didn’t have confidence in herself. People had treated her as subhuman since the time of her birth, constantly ridiculing her ideas. Furthermore, she’d died multiple times on the paths she’d chosen. Will I fail again? she wondered. Will my decisions make everyone around me unhappy?
Ryuho blinked, puzzled. “I don’t care what happens to Feilong. If you want to abandon him, that’s fine by me. He’s done enough to deserve that. He made his bed so he can lie in it!”
The Yulan people stirred as the large tiger spoke. They stared at Angelina’s group, unable to believe their eyes.
“…That’s terrible,” Angelina said.
“But if you’re happy, I’m happy,” Ryuho answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “If you want to live with Feilong, I’ll help make that happen! I don’t care if the rest of the empire is miserable so long as you’re happy!”
“Don’t listen to that selfish creature!” the old woman spat. “He’s a wicked monster who speaks with a human tongue!”
Angelina squeezed Ryuho in her arms. She glared at the old woman and said, “How dare you speak to a holy Flame Tiger in such a manner?”
In response to Angelina’s resolute, suddenly adult tone, the old woman took a startled step backward.