They walked along the side of the road, greeted by the cool morning air, scented with the aroma of warm bread fresh from the oven and the refreshing smell of wet earth. The village of Avalon looked peaceful; simple houses and shops lined the left and right, interspersed with a few grander stone buildings. Occasionally, the sound of horses pulling carriages broke the silence, punctuating the quiet morning bustle.
"Where's the market?" Eva asked.
"In Blackbourne Town," Lumian replied.
"Wow, we're actually going to town?" Eva exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "I've only been wandering around the village and school. This is the first time I'll be setting foot in a town since we moved to the Kingdom of Valenor!"
Lumian smiled softly. He was happy to see her so excited, but underneath, guilt gnawed at him. Without realizing it, he had been confining her to a limited life. Perhaps it was finally time to introduce his sister to a wider world.
The dirt road slowly gave way to a neater stone surface. They had officially left Avalon Village and entered the precincts of Blackbourne Town.
Lumian reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a simple leather wallet. From it, he drew a single banknote and examined it in the sunlight.
A Crown Note… he thought. Today was the first time he had received his salary in this form. A sense of awe gripped him, not at its value, but at its meaning. Times had truly changed—the heavy Peni Coins had now been replaced by this compact piece of paper. The change relieved him; it wasn't just a shift in currency, but tangible proof that the world had entered a period of peace and stability after all the turmoil. In his heart, he prayed this peace would last. For him now, a quiet life with Eva, forgetting the past, was more than enough.
His eyes traced the perfectly printed royal seal and the intricate patterns that made the note nearly impossible to counterfeit. One Crown Note was equivalent to five Peni Coins.
He remembered a nobleman's conversation at the harbor: this banknote was an innovation from merchants of the Southern Continent, who were renowned for their technological advancements. The idea had been presented to King Alistair and approved without significant objection.
So efficient. I don't have to carry twenty-five heavy coins anymore, he mused, storing the money away. A wry smile touched his lips. But the irony… this convenient money makes my meager salary feel even more pathetic, even though the value is the same.
…
Beside the road, a river split the two main lanes, flowing peacefully behind a guardrail. Several small boats shuttled back and forth, carrying merchandise, and Eva's eyes lit up at the sight.
As they neared the market, the crowd thickened. The streets grew packed with people, and a low roar of voices filled the air.
"We'll be there soon. Stay close to me," Lumian instructed, his voice low but firm.
Eva nodded obediently, her fingers still tightly gripping the hem of his robe.
Thump!
Suddenly, a robed woman bumped into Lumian, catching him off guard.
"Sorry, sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!" the woman said, her robe shifting to reveal dark underclothes.
"It's fine, I wasn't careful either," Lumian replied. But his alert eyes had already captured a crucial detail: a woman in her twenties with black lipstick and long eyelashes. What drew his attention most was the iron necklace she wore—a chain of segmented triangles, each with a hollow center, and a red crystal pulsing softly at its heart.
The woman hurried away, swallowed by the crowd. Lumian's gaze followed her retreating back, committing her face and that distinctive necklace to memory. His instincts always worked this way—noting anything suspicious, if only for the sake of caution.
"Big brother," Eva's voice broke his reverie, "are you okay?"
"Yes, let's keep going," Lumian replied with a practiced smile, though his mind lingered on the mysterious woman and her strange jewelry.
As they walked, Eva continued to observe their surroundings. She noticed several teenagers around Lumian's age who seemed to be at the market for fun, not for errands. She also caught the glances of several people—particularly girls—whose eyes flickered in their direction, or more precisely, toward her brother. Lumian's tall, sturdy posture, even with a face often set in seriousness, carried a unique charm.
A sly smile spread across Eva's face. "Big Bro?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"No," Lumian answered curtly, effectively shutting down that line of questioning.
Undeterred, Eva tried another. "Oh, right, isn't Princess Charlotte in this kingdom? Don't you miss her, Bro? You used to play together all the time. Big Sis Charlotte even scolded you once for teasing me."
Lumian was caught off guard by the question. How could he not miss her? But what was the point of missing someone now sheltered behind palace walls, while he was just a dockworker? Charlotte had likely become a stranger—or worse, perhaps she believed the lies about his family's betrayal. The question highlighted the chasm between his past and present. A bittersweet smile surfaced, holding back the sudden surge of longing and bitterness.
"Back then, Big Bro—" Eva's words cut off as Lumian gave a subtle signal to stop, a reminder that they were in a crowded place. He gently took her hand and led her forward.
Eva looked down, her expression somber once more. "Big Bro… why are you always so stiff? Try to smile sometimes when we're out. You're not my parent—you're my brother. Act like one, not a bodyguard."
Her words struck a deep chord—not because they were meant to hurt, but because they held a painful truth. Lumian was jolted into realizing how often he played the role of stern protector, forgetting that what Eva might need was a brother who could laugh with her, not just a guard with a watchful eye. But with unseen dangers still lurking, which was more important: being a fun brother, or being a protector who guaranteed her safety? The dilemma ate at him.
This time, however, he chose to relent. With light steps, he moved to Eva's side and turned to face her. The usual wariness in his eyes softened, as if momentarily stripped away.
"Yes, Princess Charlotte is here," he said, his voice gentler than before, "but she's very far away. We'd have to pass through Blackbourne Town and the county of Silverwood, with all its other towns…"
He then extended his hand toward Eva, a graceful and natural gesture, like a prince inviting a princess to dance amidst the crowd.
"And as for a girlfriend…" Lumian smiled, a genuine expression he had rarely shown in a long time. "I haven't thought about it. Why would I need a girlfriend when I already have someone as beautiful as you right here?"
The words escaped him before he realized how tender they sounded.
Eva blushed instantly. Her cheeks flushed like ripe peaches, her eyes sparkling as she saw a glimpse of the prince her brother could be. "Big Bro, you…" she murmured, unable to hide the small, delighted smile that graced her lips. Her small hand immediately met his, gripping it tightly with trust.
Lumian smiled in relief, holding his sister's hand as he guided her through the increasingly dense market crowd. For a moment, he was neither a guardian nor a fugitive—he was just a brother, and it felt surprisingly light.
They moved from shop to shop, gathering their necessities: fresh vegetables, herbs, two loaves of bread, a cut of meat for a special dinner, and medicine for Aunt May. Each time they paid, Eva insisted on being their spokesperson, chatting with the vendors with a confidence that made Lumian smile.
After all the purchases were made, Lumian held the paper bag of groceries. When he opened his wallet again, his chest tightened. Only two Crown Notes remained.
My salary is too little, he thought bitterly. His gaze drifted to Eva, who was now admiring a teddy bear in a shop window. Istill have to cover Eva's school fees. The emergency fund from Aunt May's jewelry is gone. Now, I'm the only one left to provide.
He let out a slow breath and tucked the wallet back into his pocket. Maybe I need to find a side job, he thought, the weight of weariness and worry heavy on his shoulders.
"Big Bro, look—a park!" Eva suddenly exclaimed, tugging his hand with an energy that seemed capable of scattering the gloomy clouds in his mind. There, in the heart of the bustling city, lay a wide expanse of green lawn and thriving flowerbeds, an oasis of tranquility.
"Eva, we should head home," Lumian said, his voice soft yet firm. Every instinct screamed at him to leave this open, exposed space.
"But I want to stay here for a bit… just a little while, Bro," Eva pleaded. The hopeful, admiring gleam in her gray eyes was fixed on the blossoms. His chest constricted. Seeing the pure, simple joy on his sister's face, his defenses crumbled. In the end, Lumian yielded, letting Eva lead him on a stroll along the park's edge while he carried the increasingly heavy shopping bag.
Eva crouched, her fingers nearly brushing a flower petal, when suddenly…
Whoosh!
A strong gust of wind swept through, tossing their hair and throwing back the hoods of their robes.
Lumian instinctively scanned their surroundings, his heart racing. Yet, he saw only people going about their own business; not a single suspicious glance was directed their way. He released a tense breath. Maybe I am being too paranoid. Aethelgard and Valenor severed ties after Father's throne was usurped. They wouldn't readily welcome a stranger from the old kingdom.
Finally, he let his hood stay down, allowing the wind to touch skin long kept hidden. He watched Eva, who was now chasing butterflies with joyful laughter. In his sister's innocent smile, lit by the sun glowing through her pale blonde hair, a haunting image surfaced in his mind, freezing him in place.
I wasn't lying… he thought quietly, filled with a sorrowful, unspoken longing. She looks more and more like Mother.
"Brother…?" Eva's voice was soft. "Are you crying?"
Lumian started, hurriedly wiping away the moisture that had gathered in his eyes. "No… It's nothing… just the wind," he replied, his voice slightly rough.
He bent down and picked up a fallen golden flower at his feet. His hands trembled slightly as he cradled it. Suddenly, all the burdens he had carried—the endless fatigue, the gnawing fear, the unshed tears—felt a little lighter. Without his realizing, Eva had grown. She was no longer a child who needed to be completely hidden away. All his struggles, all his sacrifices, had not been in vain.
In the stillness, a memory echoed. His own brother's voice, firm yet loving, an eternal command: 'Be a good older brother…'
Lumian smiled faintly. Slowly, he approached Eva and gently tucked the golden flower behind her ear. The gesture transported them both to a beautiful past—a similar moment in the palace gardens, many years ago.
Eva's eyes welled with tears, shimmering with nostalgia for a time long lost. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around her brother in a tight embrace. "I love you, Bro."
Lumian held her just as tightly. "Me too," he whispered, two simple words holding an ocean of unspoken emotion.