Chapter 2: The Nameless Princess and the Mysterious Knight
THAT resided in the Big Dipper Garden. It was in the northernmost part of the North Star Sanctuary, where the emperor dwelt. The artificially constructed garden had, once upon a time, been the site of lavish banquets. However, it had fallen into ruin since the current emperor’s grandfather committed suicide there.
A storehouse stood on the northernmost end of the Big Dipper Garden, bordered by a bamboo grove. The storehouse was That’s residence. Long ago, a certain princess had been imprisoned within this building. To this day, her locked wicker cabinet and books related to magic remained on the second floor. That had tried unlocking the wicker cabinet many times, but the door had never budged.
The storehouse had one small window near the ceiling with bamboo bars. Likewise, the door was thick and latched from the outside.
Around the time That woke up each morning, Marfa arrived alongside a knight and one palace lady. The knight wasn’t there to protect That. Rather, he made sure she never approached the palace. As such, she had no guard during the evening when she couldn’t walk around outside.
Because the garden was artificially constructed within the palace, no large beasts roamed its interior. So long as That didn’t leave the storehouse, she wouldn’t face any danger. On the other hand, a rebel soldier had attacked her in her first life. Perhaps she did need protection at night.
At least the old knight didn’t fall victim to the rebel, she thought.
Since regaining her memories, That had been actively spending time with the knights and palace ladies. Though she hadn’t realized it until now, these servants had always treasured her. They treated That like a granddaughter. Being spoken to by their adorable princess always brought a smile to their faces.
For her part, That enjoyed going on walks and exercising with the old knight. She also chatted with the palace ladies while helping with chores. That was a toddler with no friends and too much time on her hands. None of the adults ever objected when she asked to do something.
Today, That was working up a sweat while exploring the Big Dipper Garden. During the day, she was permitted to walk around the area freely. She did this to build her strength and familiarize herself with the landscape.
The old knight always doted on That. He taught her many things, such as where to find acorns and about the beautiful, wild birds. Nevertheless, she wasn’t allowed to enter the bamboo grove for fear of traps. Though none of the knights had said this explicitly, That learned that lesson the hard way. During the first loop, she’d gotten caught in a trap and injured herself when trying to escape.
There was no need for traps; a magical barrier already protected the palace from outside enemies. For her own sadistic enjoyment, Mion had set them to harass That.
Though the Big Dipper Garden had fallen into ruin, traces of its former magnificence remained. Supposedly, the artificial lake once overflowed with liquor. Over the years, however, rainwater had pooled there, lily pads having bloomed on the water’s surface. Even the bridge spanning the lake hinted at something once grand despite its crumbling façade. According to the stories, meat once hung from the garden trees as well. Currently, they were overgrown due to a lack of maintenance. Yet, all the same, tree flowers still blossomed in the fullness of their glory, rare fruits ripening on their branches.
In the middle of the garden stood a densely overgrown hill. At the center of it, a large tree with a white trunk and luxurious white leaves towered skyward. Its branches swept in every direction. Under the tree were two bean-shaped stones, perfect for sitting upon. The two side-by-side stones appeared as thrones as dazzling light filtered through the white leaves and branches.
That’s eyes sparkled. “That tree is sho pretty!”
“It’s called a Guidepost Tree,” the old knight explained. “This one isn’t flowering right now, but come nightfall, the flowers of a blooming tree glow with yellow light, providing dim illumination.”
“Wow! When does it bloom?”
“That’s not well known.”
“Huh?”
“Guidepost Trees capable of blooming do so year-round,” the old knight explained. “Ones that don’t bloom remain flowerless year-round. This one bloomed until a little while ago, so it might do so again. It was quite a beautiful sight.”
Today, the old knight—his hair mottled with white—was in charge of guarding That. Of all the knights on rotation, she was closest to him. Whenever they walked together, they looked like grandfather and granddaughter.
The old knight’s expression softened as if he were recalling a happy memory. His hard, scarred face broke out into an almost unbelievable smile.
“A little while ago?” That asked. “When was it?”
The old knight looked skyward as if straining his memory. “I believe it stopped flowering around three or four years ago.”
“Shree years…?”
When That mumbled these words, the old knight started and looked down at her.
“No, I’m mistaken,” he said with a smile, trying to smooth over the implication. “It was probably before then.”
“When Mommy died, the tree stopped blooming?”
The old knight fell silent, unsure how to respond.
“I want to know more about Mommy,” That said. “Please don’t hide things, okay?”
As That stared up at the old knight, he shrugged his shoulders. She’d worn him down easily.
“As you wish, Princess,” he acquiesced, launching into the story. “From what I’ve heard, the emperor and empress first met in this garden. At that time, it had already fallen into disuse. Perhaps that suited them perfectly, for they would often come here together. Watching them sit on these two stones and converse with each other was a beautiful, most divine sight.”
My parents met in this rundown garden? That wondered. I never would’ve guessed.
“Did Mommy and Daddy get along?” she asked.
“Yes indeed,” the old knight responded. “The two seemed very much in love.”
“Oh, I see.”
That played under the Guidepost Tree for the rest of the day. After picking flowers to make a bouquet, she arranged rocks and leaves into shapes. Meanwhile, the old knight used a branch to scratch a picture into a Guidepost Tree leaf. Once finished, he showed it to That. Guidepost Tree leaves were white and thick. To That’s great amusement, grazing one with her nail left a blue line on its surface.
An idea struck That. She took out a handful of acorns stuffed into her pocket and lined them up on the ground. Whenever someone in Jinlong prayed for happiness, they would arrange three ellipses in a radial pattern. People called this the Tianshi’s Protective Seal. That had learned of this charm during her first loop. It was the same shape as the imprints on her right palm. After lining up the acorns, she used a branch to scratch characters into the earth and formed a circle around the charm.
“May the Guidepost Tree bloom again someday.”
Once she’d finished writing, the old knight called out to her. “Shall we head home soon, Princess?”
“Okay!” The sun was already beginning to set. Smiling, That stood up and caressed the trunk of the Guidepost Tree. “Are you sad because both of them left? Don’t worry—I’ll come back again soon.”
At that moment, a popping sound emanated from the Guidepost Tree. When That looked up in surprise, a milky white blossom in the shape of a hanging bell had appeared on one of the branches. It was about the size of her fist. Before long, more and more blossoms popped into existence in rapid succession.
“Wow, wow, wow!” That cried.
“Incredible…” the old knight mumbled, looking up at the tree with surprise. “I’ve never seen anything of the sort.”
“Will they start glowing soon?” That asked.
The old knight nodded. “The buds are still hard, but come nightfall, the flowers will swell. The newly bloomed flower petals are translucent, and the yellow pistils in the center emit light.” Following this explanation, the old knight addressed the Guidepost Tree. “Please give a flower to the princess.”
A new bud popped into existence as if the tree consented. The old knight broke off the new bud and handed it to That. “It’s not glowing yet, but as I said, I believe it should start emitting light come nightfall.”
“It’s like a lamp,” That noted.
“Yes, but it will only last for one evening.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” the old knight confirmed. “After a single night, the flower will disappear.”
“How mysterious.”
“It is indeed.”
The old knight and That began walking home in the midst of this conversation.