My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 110
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 110
In the first place, Prince Cade travelled to Hebnia because I didn't know how to break the curse.
And now he's telling me I know how to break the curse? And I heard it from the one who put it on me?
"Are you sure you're not mistaken? I heard nothing about breaking the curse when I met your grandmother."
"No, my grandmother said that the princess already knows. I thought about it again… eek! Someone's coming."
The sound of footsteps outside the hallway beyond the door.
Prince Cade transforms into a sparrow in an instant. "Open the window, Princess!"
I tense at the sound of footsteps coming toward us. I run to the window and fling it open.
"I'm going back to the palace first, and if Dandelion asks where I went, tell him you don't know because that's more like you!"
With those words, the sparrow soars into the sky, flapping its frail wings furiously. Just then, a gust of wind blows in. The sparrow whirls around and around.
I hope he doesn't get eaten by an owl.
I click my tongue as I watch the sparrow's unreliable flight.
And then someone knocks on the door.
"Come in."
"My lady." It's Phoebe. She opens the door slightly and peeks her head inside. "Why do you open the window when it's cold outside?"
"To ventilate."
"I already did that when you went out this morning, but… I'll keep the windows open longer from tomorrow."
‘Hoho, now I can come into her room more often under the guise of ventilation!’
I close the window with a small smile, knowing what she's thinking.
As she scurries inside, saying she'll clean the window herself, she notices the box of cookies on the table.
"You ate cookies."
"Yeah. I was hungry."
"Well, I'll tell the chef to prepare more for tonight's dinner."
Phoebe's gaze doesn't move from the cookie box for a while. I glance toward the table, wondering what she's staring at. Now I understand why.
Prince Cade has eaten every cookie in the box.
Not a crumb left.
…He must be very hungry.
If I had known, I would have sent someone to bring him a meat pie. I feel bad that I hadn't done anything for Prince Cade, who had travelled to Hebnia for me.
Phoebe, on the other hand, has her own misunderstanding.
'My lady, you don't usually eat much, so I was afraid you were getting too thin...! Is it puberty, or are you trying to grow taller?'
I wonder how old Phoebe thinks I am….
‘As expected, you're still 12 years old! A child full of hopes and dreams amid an eternal turbulent phase!’
You're treating me like a child!
* * *
Tonight, I lay still on my bed. My eyes were wide open, staring at the ceiling. The dim light from the lamp beside my bed cast shadows across the ceiling.
Sleep does not come.
My mind replays the words of Prince Cade.
“The princess already knows how to break the curse.”
I already know how to break the curse….
It's something I've never thought about before. I've only thought I hated this ability to hear other people's thoughts, and I've spent my life cursing this curse.
But it turns out I'm the one who can break it.
"Sigh." With a shallow sigh, I try to recall the events of years ago. Maybe if I remember what happened then, I can get a clue.
What exactly happened back then…?
* * *
"...So, you're asking us to pack up and go to the South again?"
My parents looked down at me with bewildered expressions. In the flashback, my parents had just returned from playing on the beach in the South, and their skin was quite tanned.
I glanced at them and nodded vigorously. "Yes, I want to go to the South."
"Skyla...." A subtle expression appeared on my parents' faces as they stared at me.
I used to think they were embarrassed that I was asking for too much. I mean, they just got back from a trip and now I want them to go back there again. What a ridiculous thing to ask for.
But now that I think about it, that was absolutely not the case.
At the time, my parents were probably thinking,
‘What a sweet little girl! Thanks to you, I will be able to spend another sweet time with my sugar candy!’
‘I'm off on a blissful second vacation with my husband! And our destination is the South!’
Okay. Back to the rational side of things, my parents were probably very happy to hear that they were going back on vacation.
As my mind wandered to that point, I suddenly felt my anger begin to rise. I imagine Austin's dismay at my parents' suggestion that I turn the carriage around and return to the South.
"You can't do this, Duke. There are papers and payments and correspondence that have been piling up...."
"Aaaaand I hear you, butler, our pretty, true, precious, treasured daughter Skyla—yes, our Skyla—says she wants to take a trip south!" My father exclaimed, placing his hands on both my shoulders.
My mother chimed in. "Yes, Austin. We're already behind on work, what difference will a week more make?"
"Exactly!"
Now that I think about it, I feel sorry for Austin. He'd been waiting for the return of his lordship, the Duke of Kaerun, all through the New Year's season, and now, as soon as he returned, he said he was going on another trip.
“I'll give him a lot of money so he can take a long honeymoon with Rachel later…,” I mumble an apology that's years too late.
In the end, everyone in the Duke's Mansion gives in.
That day, in just fifteen minutes, Phoebe had my things packed and loaded into the back of the carriage. My parents climbed back in, still carrying the same suitcases from before.
The traveling wagon, with only the coachman and horses changed, rattled its wheels toward the South it had just returned from.
My reason for travelling was simple.
I wanted to get away from Lancer. I didn't want to see his face, and I wanted to put him out of my mind as much as possible.
I heard when the body is distant, the mind naturally becomes distant. So I thought it would be good to go somewhere without Lancer.
And travelling wasn't as bad as I thought.
"Look, Skyla, this is a magic conch that tells the future when you turn the lever!"
"If we take a boat out from here, we might see pink dolphins! The last time someone saw pink dolphins was only 127 years ago, maybe we can see them too!"
My parents hugged each other like newlyweds, laughing and talking their way through their southern getaway.
I thought since they had already been there and done everything, they wouldn't have much fun, but that wasn't the case.
"Ah, Duke. Do you remember when we used to sit here, arm in arm, sipping cool mango juice?"
"Oh, of course, I remember, my lovely wife. I remember it like it was just a few days ago."
It was actually just a few days ago….
With my parents dragging me from place to place, I did some proper sightseeing.
Unlike the imperial capital, which had four distinct seasons, the South of the country was quite warm even in winter. As a result, the city was bustling with tourists looking to escape the cold. It was a lively place, with crowds and events going on all the time.
I walked walked along the sand of the beach and dipped my ankles in the lukewarm water.
Walked into a restaurant, quenched my thirst with a refreshing fruit juice, and enjoyed a delicious seafood meal.
Hopped on a horse-drawn carriage and drove to the next tourist attraction, taking in the scenery from the window.
Met new people, had short conversations, and learned a few things.
And finally, when the sun was setting and my feet were too sore to walk anymore, I went back to the hotel and collapsed on my bed.
"Isn't this a nice place?" My mother asked me from the couch.
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
It was a nice place. It was a place where I could spend all day without thinking. It was a destination that kept me busy and on the move, too busy to think about Lancer, the reason I forced my parents to travel with me.
"Are you here alone?"
I met her three days into the trip.
My parents were building sandcastles and playing, and I, not wanting to get sand in my shoes, was sitting alone at an outdoor table at a nearby restaurant with a drink.
Then she sat down in front of me.
My first impression of the witch was not a good one. She took the seat in front of me without even asking me if I minded.
The waiter, mistaking her for my companion, came over and offered her the menu. She deftly ordered a drink and looked me in the eye.
"...." I stood my ground and glared at her, surprised by her rude behaviour.
Then she let out a small laugh. "Why are you staring at me like that? I'm just worried about the young lady because she's all alone."
"I'm with my parents."
I jerked my finger toward the beach. My parents were building a sandcastle of epic proportions with a toy sand shovel. I don't know where they got it.
"I'm going to make a heart here," my mother said. "A heart to symbolize the Duke and my undying love!"
"Oh, wise indeed, my lady," said my father. "Then, I will make knights in front of the castle to guard our steadfast love!"
My parents stood out like sore thumbs in the sand, sitting proudly amongst the children who looked just old enough to write their own names.
"They're your… parents?"
"For now." I sipped the drink in front of me.
Sitting alone like this, I couldn't stop thinking about Lancer. Maybe it would be better to distract myself by talking to her about something meaningless.
As I glanced at her, I wondered what she'd say to me next.
"It's the man's fault," she exclaimed.
