Chapter 124
Something you want to confide…?
Riette blinked and looked at Kaye. Kaye had his head bowed deeply.
“Um… actually, going up the mountain every day to gather herbs is really hard for me.”
Through the strands of Kaye’s hair that hid his face, heavy breaths could be heard.
“Not only is it difficult to climb the mountain because of my left leg, but the herbs grow in really steep and rugged places… If I step wrong even slightly, I often tumble down the slope.”
Riette’s gaze fell on Kaye’s hands.
As she had noticed earlier, his clenched fists were covered in cuts. Although hidden by his clothes, other parts of his body were probably the same.
Once again, she realized that having to climb the mountain every day with an injured leg was a harsh trial for someone Kaye’s age.
“But what frustrates me the most is that no matter how hard I try, nothing gets better. When the weather gets colder, it’ll be even harder to find herbs, and Grandma’s condition just keeps getting worse…”
Kaye opened his hand and looked down at his palm.
“Will I be able to escape this helplessness when I grow up? Right now, I just can’t see a way forward.”
Riette quietly listened to the deep, heartfelt burden that Kaye had finally managed to express.
In truth, Riette knew she had nothing to say that could really help here.
From her experience, discovering one’s own path is something each person must do for themselves.
Kaye also didn’t seem to expect a special answer from Riette.
It was as if the mere fact that someone was there to listen mattered to him, and he continued speaking calmly, without complaint.
“Actually, Grandma has been saying for a long time that we should sell the dagger.”
For the first time, Riette spoke.
“A dagger?”
She vaguely remembered Kaye’s grandmother mentioning the dagger as a family heirloom.
But selling a dagger wouldn’t fetch much money. After all, daggers were common in the capital.
“The dagger Grandma mentioned is our family heirloom. It’s made of mithril and very finely crafted. There are even gemstones embedded in the handle.”
Since daggers prioritize practicality, it’s rare to decorate them with gemstones. Nobles sometimes do so for long swords to show off, but not for daggers.
Riette thought it sounded like an unusual dagger.
“If we sell that dagger, we’ll have enough to get through the winter. But…”
“But…?” Riette leaned closer to catch Kaye’s voice.
“I somehow feel like we shouldn’t sell it.”
“Why?”
“Because that dagger was given as a gift by a spirit to my great-grandfather when he nearly lost his life while working as an herb gatherer.”
“A spirit…?”
“Yes. They said that spirits sometimes pass through this mountain.”
Indeed, the mountain where Kaye’s house stood was so beautiful and serene that it wouldn’t be surprising if spirits were said to dwell here.
In a place like this, it was plausible that spirits existed.
And naturally, the mention of a spirit made Riette curious about the dagger.
Could this dagger have something to do with the Spirit Stone’s name? Upon hearing Kaye mention a spirit, her thoughts inevitably drifted that way.
“That’s why I don’t want to sell it.”
Riette, who had been pondering the Spirit Stone’s name, quickly set the thought aside upon hearing Kaye’s somber tone.
“It’s a token from my great-grandfather’s benefactor… so I still want to cherish it.”
Riette fully understood Kaye’s feelings.
“But… going up the mountain as Grandma says will be hard for a while. My right leg is injured too. If I don’t climb the mountain, there’s no way to earn money…”
After some winding explanation, it seemed Kaye’s thoughts were already leaning toward selling the dagger.
He lifted his head, which he had been keeping bowed. His expression looked clearer and more relaxed.
“Thanks for listening, sis. Even though we just met today, I ended up telling you all these trivial things.”
A bitter smile tugged at his lips.
“I guess I got a bit excited because you and brother came to the house. There’s no one else I can really talk to except Grandma.”
Riette forced herself to shake off the sinking feeling and spoke in her usual tone.
“I’m glad if it helped.”
Kaye smiled brightly and got up.
“I should go back now. Grandma will worry.”
When he returned home, Kaye’s grandmother welcomed him as usual, showing no sign of concern.
Kaye and Riette had a simple dinner with her.
“Aren’t you eating, brother?”
Riette gave a casual answer.
“No, I’m not hungry.”
Ferrante hadn’t come down once since going to his room earlier.
‘He’s only hurting himself by not eating,’ Riette thought, picking up her spoon.
The meal was a thin stew, with only a few potatoes as solid ingredients.
Even so, Riette was hungry and quickly finished the sparse stew.
After the meal, everyone got up to go to their respective rooms.
“Good night, sis.”
After saying goodbye to Kaye, Riette headed upstairs.
She saw Ferrante leaning against a hallway door.
But she ignored him and moved past him, placing her hand on the doorknob.
“That dagger.”
Ferrante spoke, as if to hold her back. Riette turned to face him.
“The dagger you said the spirit gave.”
Riette raised an eyebrow.
How does he know about the dagger? There was only Kaye and herself in the valley earlier.
“Were you nearby?”
“Yes. I thought you might talk about the spirit.”
Ferrante said he had eavesdropped as if it were no big deal. Impudence was clearly a skill.
All this time, he had acted so serious and heavy, as if he didn’t care about the Spirit Stone trial—but apparently not.
“Why the dagger?”
“I think it’s connected to the Spirit Stone’s name.”
“Why tell me this?”
Ferrante was giving information to his competitor. Since when did he play fair?
Riette glared at Ferrante, displeased.
“You probably would have figured this out anyway.”
That was true. Ever since Kaye mentioned receiving the dagger from a spirit, the probability of it being linked to the Spirit Stone seemed high.
“After coming here, I’ve made up my mind even more. I’m going to get the Spirit Stone and change the world.”
So that’s why Ferrante’s expression had been so dark—he was steeling his resolve inwardly.
Riette didn’t know what triggered him, but she realized that his determination wasn’t just talk.
Ferrante’s blue eyes held a colder light than usual.
It was the same look he had when he tried to kill her.
“So I’ll find out the Spirit Stone’s name by any means necessary.”
“Why warn me in advance? Did you suddenly decide to be kind?”
Riette teased, and Ferrante turned away. His long hair swayed gently with his movement.
From behind him, a low voice spoke.
“Let’s call it a shred of conscience.”
Shred of conscience, huh.
Riette opened her eyes and frowned, recalling Ferrante’s words from before she slept.
She was annoyed that he thought a single warning could ease his guilty feelings.
‘Such a gloomy guy.’
As sunlight poured in and footsteps echoed from below, Riette got up.
Downstairs, Ferrante had returned to his usual self and sat at the table.
Seeing him smiling clearly, Riette recalled the first day she saw him in the palace.
“Oh, you’re up, sis?”
“Yeah. Did you sleep well, Kaye?”
“Yes!”
Fortunately, Kaye seemed more energetic than last night.
Riette, quietly smiling, looked at the table, drawn by the aroma that stirred her hungry stomach.
Unlike yesterday’s thin stew, a hearty breakfast had been prepared.
“A pretty rich breakfast, huh?”
“Brother Ferrante went out in the morning and caught some fish. His spear-throwing skill is amazing, you know?”
The title “Brother Ferrante” grated on Riette, and hearing that he caught fish reminded her of what he had said yesterday:
“I’ll find out the Spirit Stone’s name by any means necessary.”
So that’s what he meant by “any means necessary”…
Well, if it was a clever way to get Kaye’s trust to find something out, that was somewhat reassuring.
While Riette admired Ferrante, Kaye pulled out a chair and said:
“Please, sit, sis.”
“Oh… okay.”
Riette sat and looked around.
“Grandma isn’t eating?”
“She said she couldn’t get up this morning, so I brought breakfast to her room.”
“I see…”
Riette quenched her dry throat with water.
The breakfast table was quiet. Kaye was the first to break the silence.
“Um… I’m thinking of going to sell the dagger today.”
Cough.
Riette choked on her water. She had expected him to hesitate about selling it, but she hadn’t imagined he’d decide so quickly.
“Seems like there’s no point in arguing with him.”
“Is your leg okay? Walking a long distance is still uncomfortable.”
“Brother Ferrante said he’d help me.”
Riette glared at Ferrante.
‘What’s his real plan?’
Until they figure out how the dagger is related to the Spirit Stone’s name, he probably won’t let Kaye sell it quietly.
“I’ll go too. Ferrante can’t support Kaye by himself the whole way.”
Riette added casually, glancing at Ferrante. He didn’t react and was busy preparing fish.
“That would be great, thank you.”
Kaye, unaware of anything, expressed his gratitude.
Meanwhile, Riette had many concerns.
There seemed to be some hint in the dagger… if it gets sold now, it may be lost forever.
But knowing Kaye’s circumstances, she couldn’t stop him.
Unaware of this, Kaye immediately prepared to head into town after finishing breakfast.
“I’ll bring the dagger with me.”
Kaye said this and slipped back into his room.
‘Right, seeing it in person might reveal something.’
No, she really hoped it would.
Riette anxiously waited for Kaye to bring out the dagger. Soon, he returned, carefully wrapping it in a white cloth.
As Kaye was about to put it in his bag, Riette hurriedly stopped him.
“Can I take a look for a moment?”
“Huh? Sure… it’s not that amazing, though…”
Kaye looked embarrassed as he unfolded the cloth.
Ferrante, seemingly curious about the dagger, focused intently on the white cloth.
As the cloth was unfolded, a dagger about the length of an arm was revealed.
The blade, made of mithril with a faint blue hue, was clearly well-crafted.
The handle was intricately engraved with vine-like decorations, and a small white gemstone was embedded within.
The blade beneath it was equally impressive. Both edges were sharply honed, radiating a cold aura.
At that moment, Riette noticed something unusual.
‘This is…?’
