Fake Princess
CHAPTER 69
I realized I was rubbing my birthmark, and quickly pulled my hand. I secretly wondered what the last three runes meant, because the message was clear enough without knowing the meaning of the letters. Maybe it's just the name of the witch who created the door, some kind of signature. I've realized that witches, even Paula, are often arrogant, and it's not strange that someone would want to perpetuate her name in a document like this.
My hands wander up my arms again. This time I pinched it so hard that my skin turned white and reddish, and tears began to bathe my eyes. Stop it, you're just disappointed you'll never see it. But you'll never see it. Now it makes no difference. And this raises the question that was bothering me in the room earlier this afternoon; what am I doing with this map?
I have to give it back. That's the right path, the thing to do. I can give it to Devan and he can slip it into the library easily. Devan can even pretend to find it so that the map can be kept as it should be all along.
No one will ever know Devan gave it to me. I let my fingers caress the edges of the map. Yes, it should be in the palace, with the family that this map was created for. Even though Devan gave it to me as a gift, as something that bridges the distance between two different me. Even so, I couldn't possibly return it without showing off a little to Devan that I had already managed to solve the mystery.
I'm back in my chair, I've decided. Reading my translation removed the fatigue I felt tonight, so strangely I felt my mind clear and my legs buzzing with restrained energy. I put away the books I took out of the shelf, tidied up my sheets of paper and notes, and rolled up the map, then tied them loosely with a ribbon. Then, without knowing the reason, I got out of Paula's house and headed for the palace.
The morning had not yet broken in the dark sky, but I felt the signs of warm air coming down the streets of G, the Map of King Ardan was within my grasp. I walked quickly, not knowing why I was walking this fast, just as I did not know why I now felt compelled to visit the palace.
In any case, I was able to search for Devan after the sun tetbit, and now most likely the palace guards will chase me away for coming too early. Even so, I continued walking, as if the Nameless God placed his hand on my body and pushed me forward.
It was still dark, and the guards were tired after a long night. The two did not recognize me, either as a fake princess or as a copyist who occasionally sought out Devan. “ Can't wait until faster time, huh?”
the guard on the right asked.
“ If I could, would I be here now ?” my many.
“ I don't think so. You witch,” the man muttered to his partner. “ Good thing I don't work for witches.”
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