By Zephyria 
I told Aska clearly that I didn’t want anything like poison, but he didn’t give up. For days, he kept pestering me like a parrot to give him even something with mild symptoms, and then he was quiet for a while, as if he had finally given up.
But that was just my delusion.
“…….”
The year before last, I had a library built as Aska’s birthday present so that he could come and go freely and study and read as much as he wanted. I suddenly remembered telling him that he could freely fill it with books in the fields he wanted, so I went to see, and as expected, it was as I had expected.
One side of the bookshelf was filled with books related to poison. I kept telling him no, and since there was no way to get it directly, it seemed he was thinking of making it himself.
I took out a book and skimmed through it roughly, then hesitated for a moment whether to call Asella and scold her. I told her to get me anything I wanted, but did she have to do such a good job?
She should have been more perceptive and gotten me something appropriate, but she even got me a professional book containing the recipe. In the first place, this was an illegal copy that couldn’t be obtained through normal channels.
And she didn’t even report it to me?
Of course, I told her that she didn’t have to tell me everything.
When I thought about it, it was all my fault.
“…….”
Suddenly, like a chronic disease, I imagined Aska succeeding in making poison and trying to harm someone. It wasn’t that I wanted to, but such things came to my mind on their own.
If he was going to do something, he wouldn’t need to use poison, he could easily do it with his own abilities. Thinking about it, I was strangely amazed. I’ve had these worries more than once or twice, but I haven’t taken any action.
And my actions were full of things that were hard to understand.
Apart from the fact that Aska is pretty and lovely, I often imagine the worst-case scenario, and all of this was a disaster that I brought upon myself.
If I didn’t trust him completely and was suspicious, I could put restrictions or limitations on Aska so that he couldn’t act recklessly, but I didn’t do that either. Because Aska would hate it.
In the end, I couldn’t do this or that, and I was just having absurd suspicions, so I was a complete idiot.
Of course, I don’t think Aska would have bad intentions, but people change over time. When I think about that, I should prepare for it, but I don’t know why time goes by so quickly.
Just a little longer, later, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow… and then finally today came.
While flipping through the pages of a book, lost in thought, I checked the time. Today was the day I had promised to have lunch with Mahir. I had to call Aska too, so I decided to think about this later and headed to the Greenhouse.
¸.•¨•¸.•¨•¸.•¨•¸
It had been a very long time since the three of us had eaten together.
“It would have been nice if Nadia had come too.”
Mahir said as he mumbled while putting a mixture of mashed eggs, vegetables, and other things into his mouth.
“We can eat together again next time.”
“But why did you suddenly go to the hot springs?”
“I hurt my ankle…….”
I nodded, subtly pushing something of unknown origin on my plate to Aska. Aska ate what I had taken a bite of and left, listening intently to Mahir’s words.
So, he twisted his ankle by stepping on it wrong, and went to the hot springs to recuperate. I asked with a puzzled expression.
“Didn’t your brother go with you?”
“I was originally going to go with him, but last night, Sa Dillin was suddenly struck by lightning… Did you hear about it?”
“Struck by lightning?”
Did it rain yesterday? I tilted my head, recalling the clear sky.
“What are you talking about? Lightning out of the blue?”
At my question, Mahir sighed. Aska put a piece of bread he was eating into my mouth. It was crispy because it was baked in the oven, and the sound of chewing mixed with Mahir’s words.
“It must be a weather anomaly. His Majesty is already very uncomfortable these days, and even the golden statue has melted… They’ve issued a gag order to prevent rumors from spreading, but I don’t know how long they can hide it.”
“Golden statue?”
There were countless golden sculptures in Sa Dillin, but there was only one that Mahir would specifically call a golden statue.
“Did the lightning strike there?”
Mahir nodded at my bewildered look. Aska put something in my slightly open mouth. I rested my chin on my arm on the table and chewed the meat, saying.
“That’s strange. Why there of all places…….”
I couldn’t bring myself to finish the sentence. That’s because Khalifa’s mind has been seriously erratic these days, and people around him have been talking about it.
Of course, they were keeping it quiet because they would be beheaded if they spoke directly or showed it, but everyone was clearly aware of it. The day when Crown Prince Mahir would inherit the throne was not far off.
But why at a time like this…? The golden statue was made by Khalifa to commemorate the sun god when he ascended the throne. It was an ominous sign to anyone.
Of course, I didn’t believe in such superstitions at all, but perhaps other people would.
The sun god, angered by the tyrant who was ruining the country, struck him with lightning… That’s probably how the rumors are spreading, right?
That man is no help at all. Just when Mahir was trying to rest with Nadia for the first time in a long time, this happened.
While clicking my tongue and poking at a piece of fruit with a fork, Aska handed me a fork with an apple on it.
“Eat that after you finish your meal.”
The meat in my mouth melted softly, whether it was seasoned and steamed or boiled. A piece of bread, slightly soggy from being dipped in the sauce, came to my mouth, and I heard Mahir sigh as he watched us quietly.
Feeling unnecessarily guilty, I said a word.
“What does it matter? It’s not like there’s anyone here but us.”
“Who said anything? Eat a lot. Aska too.”
“Yes, Your Highness, please eat a lot too.”
At Aska’s words, Mahir shook his head lightly and then focused on his meal again.
The situation was similar when we first had a meal together, but back then, Mahir told us not to act frivolously. But after learning that Aska had been eating more lately thanks to him, he stopped nagging us.
“Did the lightning strike only once? Just out of the blue?”
Mahir nodded at my question.
“I heard that dark clouds gathered only near Sa Dillin, and then the lightning struck once and the sky cleared up again.”
“That’s a strange thing. Can that happen?”
“It’s an absurd phenomenon, but it’s a natural occurrence… Why? Do you think it’s divine punishment too?”
I didn’t believe in God, but it was suspicious because the timing was too coincidental and it was such a strange thing.
“I don’t know if it’s God’s punishment, but it could be human punishment.”
“Humans control lightning? And make it strike only once in a specific place?”
Mahir said, laughing as if it was ridiculous. I thought it was ridiculous too. What human in the world could do such a thing? Even if it was magic, it was impossible. If that was possible, it would already be a god, not a human……
“…….”
I stopped laughing along with him. Then I looked down and stared at the light yellow soup, then picked up a spoon.
Mahir was so perceptive that he would quickly notice that something was wrong with me with even the smallest change. So I tried not to make eye contact as much as possible and took a spoonful of soup and put it in my mouth in a natural motion.
“It’s delicious.”
I was saying unnecessary things when Aska said next to me.
“It tastes like corn. It’s also very soft and savory because there’s a little cream in it.”
“What’s this? Is it lamb?”
“Yeah, it’s like a stew made with lamb and vegetables like tomatoes, but it tastes like something I’ve never had before, so I don’t know what it is.”
“Ah, that’s made by drying and grinding the pistils of flowers that occasionally bloom near the oasis…….”
Mahir suddenly started giving a lecture on spices. Fortunately, Aska was also focused with an interested expression. Only then did I breathe a sigh of relief.
“…….”
Could Aska have been behind the lightning strike?
I had no evidence, but I had a bad feeling. I hadn’t heard that he could do such a thing, but Aska didn’t usually talk about his condition unless I asked.
Of course, he answered well when I asked, so I wasn’t particularly dissatisfied, but if Aska really did this, what should I do?
Dropping lightning from the sky? Is this an ability that is possible with human power? Of course, Aska isn’t human, but……
I had seen somewhere that such things were possible in ancient times when magic made remarkable progress in the past. But that was just as good as a folktale, like a legendary hero defeating the demon king.
In fact, the magic of creating flames from the palm of your hand is, when you think about it, controlling nature. If you interpret this broadly, dropping lightning is also in a similar realm……
“There’s also a banquet scheduled in Sa Dillin soon, so I’m very worried.”
At the words I heard, I stopped thinking and asked.
“Are you coming this year?”
“Because of this incident, I think he’ll show his face.”
Last year, Khalifa didn’t attend his own birthday banquet because he was annoyed. Thanks to that, it was a mess, but if there was a banquet this year, I had to attend with Aska.
“Aska is too tall, what should I do?”
He was too tall… Of course, he could be a little tall, and there wouldn’t be anyone brave enough to say it was strange, but Khalifa was the problem. If he felt something was wrong, he would definitely make an issue of it.
As I sighed, Aska handed me a fork with an apple on it.
“Then shall I cut my legs a little?”
At the nonchalant words, I initially thought I had misheard him asking if I wanted to eat an apple. But seeing Mahir’s strange expression, it seemed that I hadn’t heard things.