Chapter 7: Angelina and the Time-Reversal Sheet Music
AFTER obtaining the time-reversal sheet music, Angelina and company returned to the North Star Sanctuary. When Kyril greeted her with open arms, Angelina jumped into his embrace without hesitation. She’d put indecisiveness behind her.
Tomi was holding Feilong. Upon seeing Angelina, the young boy breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness…” he mumbled.
As Tomi smiled at those words, Junshi prepared the barrel organ. At last, Angelina placed the time-reversal sheet music in the instrument.
“Are you ready?” she asked while looking at Feilong. “We won’t play the music if you’re against it, Fodder.”
Kyril and Junshi regarded Feilong anxiously. If Feilong didn’t want to return to normal, Kyril would respect his wishes. The young prince had already resolved to take over the empire. Nevertheless, losing Feilong as a father would be sad, as they’d finally developed a proper parent-child relationship.
Feilong looked around the room. Everyone was staring at him worriedly. When Angelina decided to retrieve the sheet music, Tomi had divulged everything. Feilong now knew what awaited him in the future and what atrocities he would commit. His trustworthy uncle hadn’t treated him like a child, revealing every detail.
Even so, Feilong didn’t understand the explanation very well. Had that strange account really been about him? It sounded more like a fairy tale than reality. Though he didn’t fully grasp what remembering entailed, he still wanted to remember Angelina and Kyril. Angelina had gone on a journey to return him to normal at great personal risk. Feilong also knew how busy Kyril was in the emperor’s absence. Despite their youth, Angelina and Kyril were pushing themselves to the limit, hoping to see Feilong as an adult. That filled him with joy, and he wanted to grant their wish.
Moreover, Feilong had realized something as an intuitive child. Pain hid behind Kyril and Angelina’s smiles despite acting like they were enjoying themselves. Presumably, they missed their father. Feilong understood the pain of being unable to see someone you missed all too well.
They want me to return to normal so much, Feilong thought. I must have been a good father. Once I remember everything, they won’t be sad anymore. The three of us will be happy together.
Thus, Feilong exhaled deeply and raised his head. “Play the organ.”
Tomi set Feilong down behind the organ. Then, Junshi draped adult robes around him to prepare for the boy’s growth spurt. Angelina took Feilong’s hand with a tearful expression. His decision to return to normal filled her with happiness.
“Fodder,” she said. “Let’s crank the handle together.”
“Okay, Lina.”
As Angelina and Feilong gripped the crank together, Kyril watched them from behind. When the sheet music started spinning, the mechanical dolls moved as well. A pink ribbon of light overflowed from the organ, the musical vibrations taking on color—the gentle tone spread throughout the room. The dark, mournful tune gave way to an intense, frightening rhythm. Then, the heartrending melancholy disappeared, and a warm melody filled the air. The ribbon of light enveloped Feilong, circling the area. Finally, the music grew louder, and Feilong vanished from sight within the luminescence.
“Fodder!” Angelina cried, reaching towards the light.
Kyril pressed her hand back down on the crank. “Have a little patience, Lina. The spell won’t complete if we interrupt the magic.”
“But—”
“I know. I’m worried, too.”
Kyril’s hand also trembled as he held down Angelina’s. He was anxious as well. In any case, Angelina’s hand rested atop Feilong’s, and Kyril’s hand rested atop hers.
“Okay, I’ll be patient,” she said.
Please, please return to normal! Angelina prayed for her father’s safety. We need you!
✦ ✦ ✦
🐅 🐅 🐅
FEILONG remembered his entire life as he listened to the music. As a young boy, his father had persecuted him and his mother. Later, he’d obtained the Inverted Scale to win his father’s acknowledgment. However, this had only increased the severity of his father’s hatred. After his mother’s murder, he’d attempted to rip out the scale countless times while living in hiding. At last, he’d met Phaenna, gaining a brief moment of happiness.
However, his brother had threatened to steal even that joy from him. In response, Feilong had become a demon. He’d killed his father, his brother, and his entire family. In the end, he usurped the Jinlongian throne, establishing a position that no one could threaten.
Yet Phaenna had died no sooner than they’d obtained happiness as a family.
Feilong had killed his family and stolen the empire for Phaenna’s sake. Was I merely chasing after the wind this whole time? he’d lamented, directing his rage at Angelina. If only this girl hadn’t been born. Fury and reason had warred inside him as he’d considered killing her. Ultimately, he’d treated her as though she didn’t exist.
When he remembered everything, Feilong could hardly breathe, for he was so aghast. I never went to see her—no, not once—before that day, he thought. I never considered checking in on her living conditions, either. When I finally went to see her, it wasn’t out of interest in my daughter. I never even gave her a name, after all. I know for myself how children abandoned by their parents must survive. And yet I still—
Memories whirled inside Feilong’s head. The rundown storage shed in which Angelina had lived. Her emaciated body and shabby clothes not befitting a princess. Her rough skin. How she’d fearfully protected her head when someone reached out their hand.
What I did was unforgivable. I don’t deserve forgiveness!
No matter how much love and luxury Feilong had provided for Angelina, she still hadn’t opened up to him. That had always caused him a great deal of grief.
But who could blame her? I’m in no position to ask Angelina to trust me. No, I deserve punishment instead.
Despite remembering his past, he still didn’t forget the events following his transformation into a child. Kyril had cherished him like a little brother. Angelina had looked at him with eyes full of kindness. Though it was frustrating and embarrassing, Feilong had even sought Ryuho’s affection. All of them had slept next to each other in a line. Feilong’s children had picked him up, and he’d hugged them back. Likewise, his children had patted his head and cooled his food. They’d done everything for him that he’d failed to do as a father.
They’d given him love.
Angelina did for me what I never did for her.
The events of Angelina’s journey flowed into Feilong’s mind. After visiting the Bai Ze, she’d freed the fallen tianshi of Yule Castle to retrieve the sheet music. Feilong gaped as he observed his daughter fighting and risking death for his sake.
Why would Angelina put her life on the line for such a horrible father? Feilong gripped his robes to hide his now adult body, squeezing himself with both arms. What kind of expression should I even wear when I look at my daughter? Feilong recoiled as the ribbon of light grew fainter. I shouldn’t have remembered my past. In fact, I should have died when the time-reversal spell struck me. Would Lina have forgiven me then…?
The music grew softer, and the ribbon of light began to unravel. Feilong could see his children peering at him from crevices in the luminescence. He couldn’t bear to meet their gazes, for their eyes were too pure. Thus, he merely hung his head. The music stopped, and only a trailing note lingered in the air.