Chapter 43
Free once again made her way back to her room.
Just in case, she held tightly to the book about mines that Ian had given her.
Who should I ask about the bird?
Free wanted to know for certain the meaning behind the protective doll Ian had given her, and the answer to the riddle he had posed. After all, it was the first time someone had given her something just for her sake. With that thought, she renewed her resolve again and again.
“I heard Cassie came by.”
Having returned to her room with Ian, Free set the book down on the table and took a seat in front of it.
“Yes. She happened to go to see Councilor Zeren.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No. It seems you’ve finished all your candy, so I sent her to fetch more medicine for you as well.”
“I see.”
Free was about to go back to reading when Ian’s words from earlier suddenly came to mind.
“Seth.”
“Yes?”
“Do you happen to know much about birds?”
“Birds… You mean the kind that fly? Not really, but… if you’re curious, I can find out for you.”
“It’s not that important. Still, just in case… Would there be a bird with a blue body, a white crest on its head, and red eyes?”
She asked on the off chance, but as expected, Seth’s eyes only trembled slightly, like someone who’d just heard an unanswerable question.
“I’ll find out no matter what!”
“No. You really don’t know, do you?”
“…No…”
“That’s fine. I couldn’t find it in any book either.”
“Is that so…”
“That’s probably why he told me I could ask someone else. Because it’s hard to find…”
Speaking in a tone tinged with complaint, Free sprawled out over the desk. In her precarious situation—never knowing when she might be thrown out—she desperately wanted to know about that bird, but even after days of searching through books, there was no mention of it.
“What do you mean, he told you that you could ask someone?”
“The person who gave me the riddle said so—something about ‘what exists and doesn’t exist, what is real but not real.’”
“Ahh…!”
“Hard, isn’t it?”
“Is this a question from Lord Ian?”
“Yes.”
Since Ian was the only one she discussed such things with, there was no reason to avoid Seth’s questions.
“Do you have any guesses?”
“Not at all. But I know someone who’s good at figuring out things like this.”
“Someone knowledgeable?”
“Yes. A person with broad, varied knowledge, who seems to know everything. Rumor has it he’s so capable that his current work is just a hobby.”
“There’s someone like that??”
Free’s complexion paled at the thought of meeting yet another person.
“Yes. You know him too.”
“Someone I know…?”
“I mean Councilor Zeren. They say he takes on the difficult art of medicine as a hobby…”
Just then—
Knock knock.
“Yes?”
“It’s me, Your Majesty. Zeren.”
It was a voice instantly recognizable even without a name.
“Councilor Zeren? Please, come in.”
No sooner had she spoken than Councilor Zeren entered, almost as if summoned the moment his name was spoken, looking even more confident than usual.
“I thought it might be you…”
“What brings you here, Councilor?”
Even Seth was left speechless in surprise.
While the two of them were still flustered, Cassie entered a moment later.
“Councilor Zeren insisted on coming personally… so…”
“Ah, I see. Thank you, Cassie. Seth.”
“Yes. Then please have a good check-up today, Your Majesty. We’ll wait outside.”
“Aren’t we supposed to stay inside?”
Cassie’s voice was sharp—it had been a long time since she had been this close to Free, and she seemed not to understand the situation.
“Cassie.”
“I was just worried…”
“Cassie. Worry that the other person doesn’t want to hear might be better left unsaid. This time, just like with the matter of Ian, it’s worry I didn’t ask for. But I know your warm heart—I know you’re concerned for me more than anyone.”
“Free…”
“Even so, I’m saying this because I don’t want that worry. I don’t want excessive concern to burden me and my people. Please step out with Seth.”
Cassie’s face shifted through many emotions, but in the end she left with a look of deep resentment.
Free, too, averted her gaze from her, as if no longer caring how others saw her.
“Heh, the atmosphere is tense.”
“Not at all, Councilor Zeren.”
“I had hoped to surprise you, but it seems I didn’t.”
“I was surprised. Seth told me you’d asked Cassie to fetch candy and medicine, but I didn’t expect you to come yourself.”
Free’s voice was brighter than usual.
“Is that so? I’m satisfied, then. The real reason I came was simply to see you in person.”
“Wasn’t it troublesome to come here?”
“Not at all. I like coming out for a walk.”
“I see…”
As they spoke, Zeren casually poured a bag full of candy into one of the many candy baskets scattered around Free’s room.
“You don’t seem in good spirits. Has something happened?”
“No, nothing like that.”
“How is your health? His Majesty has been quite worried about you—it’s apparently the first time he’s ever worried so much for someone…”
“I’m fine, truly. But Zeren, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”
At her sudden change of topic, Zeren smiled warmly and sat down across from her.
“Me?”
“Yes. I heard there’s someone with vast knowledge in many fields, who knows almost everything, so talented that their current work is just a hobby.”
“Haha. That rumor about me seems to be rather accurate.”
Usually, people would deny or downplay such things, but Zeren only lowered his voice with gravity.
“Pardon?”
“I am such a person. Medicine really is just a hobby for me. The world is wide, and there are so many enjoyable things.”
“Ahh…!”
“Cooking is one of them, haha.”
After boasting for some time, he tilted his head at her.
“But why bring this up now? I don’t think you’re showing interest in me for its own sake.”
“Ah… well… Do you know much about birds? This came up in that conversation.”
“I may not know a lot, but I know as much as anyone.”
Should I tell him?
Nothing to lose. If she kept it to herself, she’d never get an answer anyway.
“Do you know of a bird with a blue body, a white crest on its head, and red eyes?”
“You said a bird?”
“Yes.”
“There is no bird with red eyes.”
“Ah… I thought so.”
“Any other hints?”
Leaning forward in interest, Zeren fixed his gaze on her.
“I don’t know if it’s a hint, but… he said it was something that exists and doesn’t exist, that is real but not real. It’s hard to find, isn’t it?”
She was ready to give up.
Free decided she might as well just ask Ian directly.
Then—
“Something that exists and doesn’t exist. Real but not real.”
“Yes?”
Hearing her words repeated back to her, Free froze.
“It exists because it has the name of a bird, but it doesn’t exist because it isn’t truly a bird. It’s real because it can be made in some form, but as a living creature it isn’t real. It’s not a real bird.”
Free’s eyes trembled.
“Not a bird…?”
“It’s a bird from old texts—believed to have existed, but with no trace found anywhere, so some think it’s a creature of imagination. It’s called a Silsenti.”
“Silsenti…?”
“Yes. A bird no human can tame. But if tamed, it will burn even its own body for its master, granting their wish.”
Hearing of something she’d never known, Free only nodded silently.
“Such a bird existed…?”
“It’s more accurate to say it exists only in fantasy. One day, a Silsenti became the child of a couple who could not conceive. Another time, it became a knight of great power who fought to protect a kingdom. It became the parent of a child who lost theirs at a young age. It even granted a beggar wealth so great it never ran out until the day they died.”
“That’s… an amazing bird.”
“They say it can grant any wish. There’s even a story of a princess who lived her whole life trapped in a castle, asking the bird for freedom.”
Something stirred in Free’s chest.
“Was that wish granted?”
“Yes. She disappeared, as if the princess had never existed in the first place.”
Freedom.
If I asked for freedom, would it be granted?
How absurd—wishing for such a thing from nothing more than a doll.
“And they say the bird—Silsenti—appears to those who wish most desperately. To those whose longing surpasses all others, it appears as either a human or a bird to grant their wish.”
“That’s an interesting story.”
“A tale children would love.”
“I wonder… does the Silsenti truly exist?”
