Chapter 43: Hannah IV

"If I'm not mistaken, your sister isn't ill at all—her soul has been torn apart, most of it taken elsewhere." When he was farther away, he hadn't sensed it, but as he approached Hannah, he suddenly realized that she was the one he had been searching for all along, the Chosen of Destiny of the Earth Kingdom. Yet the destiny within her had faded so much it was nearly imperceptible. Considering the conversation between the king and prince last night, and his own probing of Hannah, his 'novelist's experience' instantly filled in a grand drama of feuds and entanglements spanning over a hundred thousand words. Seeing the two siblings already wary of him, he dropped the pretense and laid his cards on the table.

"Mr. Lando, what do you mean by that?!" Little Dick was startled and delighted by Lando's words, immediately asking.

Hannah, too, looked shocked, her eyes fixed on Lando. Her two brothers had always thought she was sick, but she herself vaguely knew it wasn't a disease—there was no cure. She simply didn't want to worry them, so she'd never spoken the truth. Sometimes she even wondered if dying quietly, without burdening her brothers, might be for the best.

Lando didn't answer immediately, but instead said, "I've sensed someone watching us for a while now. He slipped out from this room, didn't he? Your companion, I presume? Shouldn't we call him in to discuss this together?"

Little Dick hesitated, but Hannah spoke, "Brother Dick, go and fetch Jamie back."

Dick nodded, rushing out to find him. Lando remarked, "He should be in the second room on the left."

A moment later, Dick and Jamie hurried back. Jamie went straight to Hannah's side, turning to glare at Lando with clear hostility.

"Who are you really? What do you want?"

Lando, seeing Jamie nearly bristling, smiled slightly. "My name is Lando, a traveler guided by curiosity."

Seeing their disbelief, Lando continued, "There's no need for me to deceive you. My travels are mainly for tasting delicacies and admiring ancient treasures. I do have other motives, but those have little... well, not much to do with you." He glanced at Hannah and amended, "Or, at least not much."

"This young girl's soul has been nearly torn apart. The fact she's still alive is a miracle. I can save her, but I want to know the whole story before I do." With that, Lando settled comfortably onto the only chair in the room, as if waiting for a show, missing only popcorn and soda.

The three youths fell silent for a moment until Hannah spoke first. "Let me tell it. I'm the only one who knows everything; even my brothers are unaware of some parts."

"As Mr. Lando said, I am indeed a member of the Gred family. Likely... an illegitimate child. I've never met my mother, and as for my father... ha!"

"From as far back as I can remember, Jamie was the one taking care of me. Then we met Dick, and the three of us depended on one another and lived happily together."

"All of that changed a month ago."

"On that day, a radiant light enveloped me, and when I came to my senses, I was surrounded by city guards and members of the Gred family. They told me I was a lost Gred and asked me to return to the family."

"Gred—the royal house of the Earth Kingdom, rulers of the realm. I was ecstatic, eager to share my joy with my brothers."

"When I asked to see them, the leader of the Gred group assured me they would notify them, and once found, bring them to me. Though reluctant, I had no other option."

"Then I was taken to the palace to live as a princess, just as I had dreamed."

At this point, Hannah's face was twisted in a cold smile.

"In just a few days, I changed completely. Not only did my strength increase, but... I learned to think."

"By the time I realized something was wrong, it was too late. Though dressed in finery, they offered no guidance or education—nothing a princess should receive. I remained the foolish girl from the slums."

"Gradually, I could even sense the goodwill and malice from others. In the palace, I was shrouded in darkness, often awakened at night by overwhelming hostility."

"I understood then my time was limited."

"I began secretly learning everything I could, preparing quietly, all within just ten days or so."

"Sometimes I wondered why these changes were happening to me." Hannah's gaze shifted to Lando.

"As I said, it was already too late. They brought me to an altar, forced me to recite strange prayers over and over—even when I deliberately stumbled or spoke unclearly, they made me start again."

"I lost track of time there. A day? Two? Or longer?"

"Finally, I refused to speak at all. They then ordered girls my age to enter the altar and continue the prayers."

"In the end, the altar activated. I felt my soul being pulled away, but another force fought to protect me. My soul was torn, most of it ripped away, and I nearly died."

"When I awoke, I found myself shallowly buried in a cemetery. Perhaps they thought I was dead."

"I struggled to rise and searched for Jamie and Dick, escaping at last."

"When the Gred family discovered I was alive, they locked down the city and began hunting me. But they didn't issue a warrant for me—only for Jamie, who had grown up with me."

"Our connection to Dick was well-hidden, thanks to the survival tactics we often used, pretending to be strangers. That's why Dick wasn't implicated."

"To spare my brothers worry, I've never told them about my soul. I thought perhaps dying this way would keep me from burdening them further."

Having spoken so much at once, Hannah was visibly exhausted, and Jamie and Dick's faces showed their heartache.

"Mr. Lando, that's everything I've been through. Are you satisfied?"

Lando blinked, feeling something off about the story. As Hannah said, she had plainly described her reactions to these events, but...

Condensing the embellishments, it could be summarized thus: Hannah suddenly learned she was a princess, was taken to the palace; realized things weren't right and wanted to flee, but couldn't; was finally persecuted, barely survived, and escaped.

Of course, she must have missed her brothers throughout, but never had the chance to see them.

Suddenly, a fresh scent of green tea filled Lando's nose—clear and captivating!

He mentally punched himself, scattering the fantasy.

Before him was the warmth radiating between the three—an indescribable affection.

'What green tea?! Even if the gods came down, she's still her brothers' beloved little sister!'