Chapter 56 - The Lost Star Flower
Information keeps coming in one after another, and my head can’t quite keep up.
Why did Flor Blanca come to be called a witch?
The Roquefort Marquis family, her mother’s ancestral home, was a family with a rare lineage.
Cursed God [Panacea]
It’s a benevolent blessing that manifests as a self-sacrificial ability, consuming the life force of the caster to heal others miraculously.
In that lineage, an irregular and unique mutation appears once every few hundred years.
Flor Blanca was exactly one of them, bestowed with the cursed god [Malm], which has a nature opposite to [Panacea].
[Panacea] and [Malm] are both blessings bestowed by the same god, and they share the common point of drawing on the life force of the caster.
However, while [Panacea] seems to deal with overwhelming miracles, [Malm] interferes with the opposites, spreading diseases and disasters beyond human understanding.
The troublesome part is its inherent ability [Maleficium].
The caster unknowingly activates malicious magic just by feeling negative emotions like envy or hatred.
The initial damage appeared in the form of Alexander’s fiancée falling ill. Given the unsettling atmosphere in the Glass Region, Alexander decided to cut short his plans and return to the Kingdom of Kilyam.
Flor Blanca, ignorant of her own blessing, could not stop Alexander and began to harbor hatred towards those around her who let Alexander go without stopping him.
“Lord Alexander has gone from my side. It was a fateful encounter, so why can’t we be together? What went wrong… no, who interfered with us?”
Everyone else seemed happy. She alone felt like the tragic heroine, a pitiful victim. Knowing the situation at that time only intensified her feelings.
Two people in love torn apart by fate.
Flor Blanca’s perception diverged from reality, and time passed without anyone being able to correct it.
As a result, the Kingdom received successive bad news. A nightmare called the arrival of the yellow demon [Gula] occurred. A massive swarm of yellow magical insects caused a locust phenomenon.
The magical insects, driven mad by hunger, devoured all plants and living creatures on sight, trampling the country in a disaster attributed to the anger of the [Witch of the Yellow Haze].
In addition to that, there is also the anticipated famine due to a volcanic eruption, it was like rubbing salt to an open wound.
In the end people could only flee, and they had no choice but to huddle and wait for the anger of the [Witch of the Yellow Haze] to subside.
And when the swarm of death passed by and disappeared far away at sea, the eyes of the people, now fighting for food, turned strangely toward the Kingdom of Kilyam, where the damage was surprisingly minimal.
Not only the feudal lords but also the Royal Army of the Kingdom of Belfast were heading in their direction. War seemed inevitable if things continued this way.
“It’s not just the feudal lords’ armies; even the Royal Army of Belfast is heading our way. We have no choice but to accept their proposal.”
“Not only do you want to be under Belfast’s control, but you also want to please that girl? Are you sure about this?”
King William lying in bed and Prince Alexander expressing discontent were seen.
“She may be insane. However, if the legend is true, there is no other way to resolve it. If we try to eliminate the [Witch of the Yellow Haze],we will be induced by the fear of death and face a more terrifying disaster than ever. We must absolutely avoid that.”
“But… are there no other options?”
“I’m sorry. For the peace of our kingdom, no, for the tranquility of the Glass Region. Bear with it. Belfast has shown the utmost concessions. We have no choice but to make a move here.”
Dealing with both natural disasters and man-made famine, negotiations with the approaching feudal lords’ and royal armies – this was a turning point in the history of the Kilyam family. I
The scene changes, and a glamorous wedding, seemingly detached from the current bleak situation, is held. The story accelerates rapidly.
In history class, she was only known as Prince Alexander’s political marriage partner, not even her name was mentioned. So at that time, he only recognized her as a woman used as a political pawn. However, now it seems there are an intentional information control. The fact that members of the branch family refer to her as a “witch” suggests that things are not going well. The true identity of the [Witch of the Yellow Haze] seems to be a publicly undisclosed secret.
The capital of the Kingdom of Kilyam, renamed Glassbridge, became the capital of the Glass Region.
The young couple started a new life there, but their marital relationship, seemingly gauged by the bride’s expression, gradually began to deteriorate.
Lord Hugo, who devoted himself to the defense of Glassbridge and wished to rest with the spirits, was affected by this. Due to Flor Blanca, now the lady of the estate, his will was reluctantly violated.
In the faded Sky Garden, Lord Alexander stood with a sorrowful look, surrounded by people screaming and blaming him.
“Why are you obeying the royal family?”
“Please stop it now. You’ve already given up independence and accepted a political marriage. Now you even agree to grave robbing. Have you lost the unyielding pride of Kilyam?”
The star flowers were gouged, dug, and uprooted. While being cornered by relatives, Alexander can only abide to the selfishness of his new wife.
“I’m sorry. I can’t stop her by myself.”
By his side, stonemasons sent by the royal family were quietly proceeding with the renovation of the water basin.
“Why desecrate the grave? Is it to damage Kilyam’s dignity?”
“That’s not it. It seems to be a purely personal reason… She envy Lord Hugo who the spirits loved even after death. Too her, this place is an eyesore and unbearable to look at. So, she said she wanted it gone.”
“But this place is sacred for our family. It’s a proof of gratitude and admiration for the spirits that dedicated themselves to the city’s defense.”
“That’s why we had to protect the region. And until we fulfills her wish, the misfortune that befalls us will not stop. There’s no way to stop it.”
Before the marriage, Alexander was informed by the royal family about Flor Blanca’s peculiar nature. Overwhelmed by the tremendous damage reports from the Kingdom of Belfast, he was plagued by an insurmountable fear and pressure.
His every move, scrutinized by the witch, influenced the fate of the continent. Furthermore, dealing with the influx of refugees into the Glass Region, handling the worsening security situation, and the repeated requests for food exports from the Kingdom of Belfast, he was busy, and his sleepless days continued.
And he, fearing his wife, was said to have developed problems in his male functions.
“Why don’t you desire me?”
“I love you. But to be honest, I’m scared of you. Not you, but the ability you possess. The doctor’s prognosis is that my body won’t return to normal as long as this fear persists.”
“But I’m not intentionally doing anything. Besides, I didn’t ask for this blessing. I’m the one troubled by the ability more than anyone else.”
Alexander kept insisting that he loved her, even if only the upper part of her, but Flor Blanca was left unsatisfied.
But then, the great calamity and misfortune scattered across the continent took a toll on her life as a price.
Her body was taken by the royal family, and she was buried in an unknown place entrusted to the Kilyam family.
Naturally, Flor Blanca and Alexander had no children. Considering the circumstances at the time, there was a possibility that they deliberately refrained from having children to protect the bloodline of the main Kilyam family.
After Flor Blanca’s death, the Kilyam lineage was continued by the child born to Alexander and his second wife (the original fiancée).
No one won.
With such a hollow and unsatisfactory aftermath, my vision returned.
What did the white snake want to show me?
This time, it could be called the continuation of the Alexander Incident, approaching the truth of the series of events.
The tomb of Lord Hugo, destroyed as a result.
And now, something strange is happening to the basin that has been renovated and turned into a place for vows of false love.
“Lord Lyon, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. But it looks bad. The floor is shattered.”
“Depending on the extent of the damage, there is a risk of collapse. I’ll guide you, so please evacuate immediately.”
Following the lead of the guards, we left the Sky Garden, and we were able to return safely to the upper castle.