Chapter 289 - Live as you must and die as fate decrees

Then again, can anybody truly determine what is right from wrong? What people see as wrong, what they see as right will undoubtedly differ. What Mother's first husband did, was it so wrong? Lyn remembered him as a man of virtue. Would he deliberately initiate a plan that would harm the lives of innocent people? If he did something wrong, would Mother defend him? Lyn knew that Mother liked her first husband, but would she sacrifice everything for the sake of love?

Her thoughts broke off when Rhys lifted her off the ground. "Lyn has to go back to resting. Sir Abeno, let's save this chat for another time."

"I agree, take care of your health."

With those words said, Abeno quickly hurried away. Rhys took her away, but Lyn immediately noted something was wrong.

"Rhys, this isn't the right way to your…"

"I'll bring you somewhere else."

"B—but, I can't leave the castle," Lyn said.

...

Year 4014 Mist Kingdom Outskirts of town - Amethyst Palace-

Lyn looked over at Rhys, 'He actually persuaded brother to bring her here.' During these circ.u.mstances, Lyn knew that brother was acting more cautious about letting her out. Yet Rhys managed to persuade him, how did he do it?

"Kazuya should be arriving soon, stay put until then."

"Kazuya is coming here too?"

"Did you want to be taken by me?"

Lyn frantically shook her head, and Rhys sighed. "Reiji is coming by, too; he has something he wants to discuss. I told him that he should keep it short since you should be resting," Rhys reached over and brushed his hand against her forehead. His hands felt cold against her warm skin.

"Your fever has returned. Wait, I'll make some medicine."

"Rhys…"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Rhys smiled and gently kissed her forehead. "Just stay here, close your eyes if you want to sleep."

--

Year 4010 Junlan Church

"Abeno! Abeno, outside the window, look out there." A young girl around age 10 with long brunette colored hair rushes over to a guy age 11. He turned to face her, and she pointed outside, in the pitch whiteness there was a small animal. "Look over there."

It was clearly injured.

When Abeno suggested that they headed back down, they ran into the bishop along the way. Once they got outside, she and Abeno bent down to find that the small animal was a fox cub, it had several wounds and injuries on it. It pained Lyn when she saw the blood. She wanted to touch it, but Abeno told her not too.

"Princess, you can't touch animal blood now. It will affect the ritual."

Lyn paused, is that important right now? But she knew better than to argue, the reason she was sent here was to learn magic. She would be a fool to risk it. If she does anything to disturb the ritual, then she may lose the chance to learn magic forever. Still, she was concerned.

"Say, Abeno… We should.."

"He needs to be treated. Let's give him some food," Abeno agreed.

"Do not touch it," a sharp voice interjected. They turned to the bishop who had been silent this entire time. Lyn's eyes widened, she looked over at him and saw a cold and distant expression on

Abeno frowned, he wasn't happy about this either.

"This is for its own good. Have you ever heard of the phrase, survival of the fittest?"

Lyn and Abeno nodded.

"It's the same this time too. If we help this fox cub, it won't be able to live alone. We can't keep it here forever, and when it's gets rereleased, it would have forgotten it's survival instincts. All the care and preparation we made for it to recover would go to waste."

Lyn understood right away what he meant by those words. It would die right away.

….that's true. But, she turned to the bishop with panicked looking eyes, " But won't it die this rate?"

"Then, that is also fate. Live where you must live, then die when fate decrees it. That is how life should be. "

So that's it and yet, " Even— "Lyn raised her voice, "But if we help him, he will have a chance to live longer?"

Bishop shook his head, "But this is the way of the world. Everybody dies sooner or later. There is nobody who lives forever. If we help, we are only wasting resources when he will die again."

Nobody lives forever, but isn't that… Her thoughts broke off when she spotted some footprints in the snow. Could it be that the fox cub came here with someone?

..

A patch of red covering the pure white color. Lyn waited until the bishop and Abeno were busy before heading out. Sure enough, there was a person not too far from where they found the injured fox cub. There he laid buried almost in the bushes; it took all her strength to move him. Lyn turned to the medical kit beside her. She brought the supplies out, but this is the first time she will be treating wounds. She wonders if it's okay for a child like her to do so.

No, don't hesitate. Somebody is dying! Lyn quickly got the supplies out and followed the instructions she learned not too long ago. First, expose the wound, Lyn lifted the man's shirt and rolled his sleeves up. Next, check any traces of magic marks. Lyn looked around but couldn't find any. He wasn't injured by magic; then, normal first aid should work.

Amid her applying the medication though, the man stirred, "Who…? A child?"

"Uh...um, I…"

The man looked around and spotted the church building. A deep sigh escaped his lips, "You're a disciple of the church?"

"Yes."

"Junlan church?"

Lyn nodded.

"Then I somehow made it here...you can tell your master that I'm here…" the man's voice was feeble.

She doesn't want to leave him when she just started applying the medication though. He must have understood since he slowly sat up, he laid his back against the tree. "Be quick; it's cold out here."

"O—okay!"

Lyn returned to her work.

"You, how old are you?"

"I'm ten."

"Ten years old…" The man looked her up and down and laughed. "I couldn't tell."

Lyn pouted, is this person making fun of her?

"Then how about you mister?"

"I'm ten years older. I'm twenty."

Twenty? But he looks like an old man. "But, you have a beard mister." Lyn didn't hesitate to voice her thoughts out.

"It's not Mister; it's Arthur."

"Arthur?"

"My name," Arthur trailed off. "I'm from the Rain kingdom. How about you?"

"The Mist…"

A knowing ah escaped his lips, "So you're from this country. I guess that means you didn't travel far to be a disciple here. What's your name?"

"Lyn."

"Then Lyn, thank you for this. Any longer and I would have died."

This man doesn't know she is a Princess. Everybody in the church knew who she was. So, it was refreshing. Lyn peered at him, curiously, "I want to learn about the Rain Kingdom…"

Arthur smiled, "Sit tight; there is a lot to tell."

..

She finds herself not being able to sit still and engaged in studying in the library; the only source of light that filled the room was from the candles in front of her. Her thoughts drifted to the person from earlier. She called for Master, and let him deal with it. However, Lyn was worried about the man named Arthur and fox cub. Their injuries are terrible..

When Abeno enters the room, " Princess, you are still here?"

"I have been thinking about things that we should not think about," Lyn mumbled. Since she entered Junlan church, Lyn learned of the many hidden rules of the world.

"Such as?"

"We provide food for the stray animals, don't we?" Abeno raises his eyebrows, indicating that he didn't understand where she was coming from, as he took a seat opposite her, "How is that any different from saving the fox cub?"

"I think your main concern is the stranger."

Lyn froze, "You knew?"

"I followed you. I thought you'd get hurt. But then I saw the symbol on the man's sword. So, I went to fetch Master."

That's why Master was waiting by the door.

"Master suddenly said he would save the fox cub. But, I wonder if he went back to fetch it. I truly think we could raise it here until it healed. However," Lyn lifted the book in her hands. "The teachings here say so otherwise."