Part 54: Farewells
Yumil!
What is going on?
You tell me. What happened to the monsters? They all just left! I don't know! It was right after the sun came out again. ...
If Kullervo was controlling them...
Right. Right? They won't be coming back. You're safe now. What did you do? Do you know where the king is? I need to speak to him. Er, yes. He's staying with me, since the castle was...but what did you do? I don't understand. Magic book. Oh. I see.
You could just answer all difficult questions like that from now on.
It does seem to work, doesn't it?
"Yumil, I'm pregnant."
"Whoa, whoa! Nothing to do with me. Magic book."---
Your majesty. They've retreated. The war is over.
...
Then I shall rally our troops. We must counterattack while we can.
Will you serve us on the front? It would do much to clear your name here. First of all, no. Secondly, there won't be a counterattack. The war is over. Pushing them back does not end the war, child. If Waisen mounts another assault, we- Waisen didn't attack you. Monsters did. Check under their armour. All of those "men" are monsters, and the only person in charge of them was Werman. The prime minister? Yes. And I already beat him, so it's over. If you attack Waisen now, you're just going to get more people killed. For nothing. So...do whatever you do with him. If he's still alive, just make sure he goes on trial. A proper trial. In a court. With a judge. Also, there's a man living in your dungeon who thinks he's the king. Take him out of there and get him some help. A man in...? I think you'll know when you find him. Do not throw him in prison. I will be very annoyed. And...
And there's one more thing. General Heath is dead. I want him buried in Waisen. And I want them to know he died fighting for his people. You push me. Yeah, well, I think you need to be pushed a bit. You expect me to venerate an enemy of this country?
I expect you to tell people the truth. Heath helped you win this fight. He saved your life and you saw him do it. Are you just going to pretend it didn't happen? ...
Daddy. Answer him. It will be some time before we can communicate with Waisen again. And when "some time" has passed? ...I will do what I can. Thank you. And princess?
Yes?
About Prince Valdo. I... When I said I saw him alive, that wasn't...I wasn't quite, um. Being honest. ...
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lie. But you were right about him. You were. He didn't do any of this. You see that, your majesty? Not everyone has to be an "enemy." My daughter has much to learn. She does. But she also has a lot to teach you. ---
Well. Look who it is. And here I thought you weren't going to help us. Don't. Start.
I'm only joking. ...right. Look, um. Here.
What's this? The money. You know, that I won off you. Most of it, anyway. ...
Why? Well it's not because I cheated, since I know that's what you're thinking. That was a stupid, stupid game and you shouldn't play it anymore with anyone, ever. But it just doesn't feel right in my pocket. So I'm giving it back. I'm keeping a little bit, because I do deserve it. But you can have the rest. Get this market running again. And don't buy any more stolen goods. Oh, he won't. Will you? Of course not oh beloved sister.
I only did it because we lost so much over that damn game. I told you that. Yes. Well. We're back where we started now. Clean slate, yes? Yes. Um. Stop trying to say thank you. It's just awkward. Right. Would you, er, care to buy anything? Special discount? ... Sure. What do you have?---
Hello.
Sorry if I'm interrupting.
... I thought you should know I'm leaving for a while. Um. That's it. I just thought I should tell you. How long? As long as it takes. I don't know. And what about your responsibilities here? Is Rhoan going to hear the same excuses I did?
What do you mean? Have you even seen what you've done? Oh. Of course. Trust you to still think I... No. You know what, fine. Blame me if it makes you feel better.
You owe it to this place to help rebuild. I'm not here to argue, okay? So we're supposed to forgive you just because you came back. Because you stopped running from your mistakes. Is that it?
Dad...come on. He did help us, right? He saved everyone. Isn't that enough? He stopped himself from doing any more harm. That doesn't excuse him. What, so Waisen attacking was his fault too? Don't get clever with me, Duran. I am not in the mood. Like you ever are. What? ... What did you just say to me? I was just...I...
Duran. I'm going to count to three. If you don't repeat whatever stupid little crack you just mumbled, I- Would you just let it go?! He said he didn't come here to argue! Don't raise your voice to me! You're lucky to even be in this hall after- Why not? Why shouldn't I raise my voice? What happened to "If it's worth saying, it's worth shouting"? Are we only supposed to remember that when it suits you? Do you really want to start a fight with me now? No! I don't, actually! I'd quite like it if we could get along and be a family and maybe visit the park or something, but I can't seem to make that happen! At least a fight would mean you're paying attention to me! ...I'm sorry. No, I'm not. I'm not sorry. You want to tell someone how to make you happy? Tell me. Because I'm really kind of stuck here. You snub me for being a coward and then you flatten me when I try to stand up for myself. I don't know where to go anymore. How do I get where he was, dad? How do I be your son? I really want to know. ...
Yumil. Would you mind leaving us? No. Don't go. This is between us, Duran. Okay, then we'll talk outside. Nobody else has to hear it. Just somewhere people can see us. ...alright. Yumil. Please.
I can't say if Duran and his father ever reconciled. I want to believe they did, but you can't repair a bond that was never really there in the first place.
When I met him again, I only raised the subject once. He shrugged, shook his head a little, and smiled. I didn't pry.
---
Kamui.
Welcome back. Thanks. Really. If you hadn't spoken up back then, I might not've... No. No? No might not've. You would. Didn't need me.
You're a hero. Always were. Hero.
I'm glad you think that. Thank you too. Felt good, speaking. People listening. Felt nice. You did well. I was really impressed.
N-not again, though. No, no more. Too scary. Maybe just write for a while. Yeah. I'm going to be leaving soon. I think it might help my book if I saw a little more of the world. I don't know when I'll be back, but when I am, will you read what I've written? Love to. I'll make sure to bring some flowers as well. Maybe I can find some you haven't seen before. ... Kamui? New flowers. Yes. That would be nice.---
So where exactly are you going? Not sure yet. Somewhere that isn't here. Maybe everywhere.
Is this because of me? No. It's not because of any of you. I had to do this sooner or later. ... Hey. It's not. Really. You're forgiven. 'Kay. Gonna get dull here, though. Without you. What, as in no more war and tornadoes?
Shook the place up a bit! Well I won't be gone forever, so you can clean things up for when I come back. That'll keep you busy. Yeah, thanks. Listen. Before I go...
This was hers. Do you want it? I dunno. Kinda old for dolls. Not to play with. Just something to remember her by. Which I don't need. I'll remember her by her. Who she was. This is just a thing. Tell you what. We'll leave it at the orphanage. Plenty of kids there who wouldn't just sit and stare at it. Yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea.---
I hear you're leaving. Word travels fast. Or have you been eavesdropping?
I wonder. What about you? Olly's gone. You could go back home if you wanted. Pfft. I'm not scared of Olly. I'm scared of my grandmother. Besides, I have to stay and keep the barriers up. The last thing this place needs is goblins running amok. At least go and visit sometime. She wants to see you. I'll think about it.
Yumil. I never suspected you. I know. ...do you? Yeah. I mean, you sort of knew about the book, right? And Werman and everything. Of course you didn't think it was me. Why? Is something the matter? No. Not at all. Just wanted to tell you that.---
What do you think?
It's nice.
Little dusty. Well, I haven't been here much lately. You know. Probably should have cleaned up first, thinking about it. Yeah yeah. Typical guy. Total slob until he wants to have a girl over. Did you really come all this way just to show me your house? No. I want to give it to you. The house! I want to give the house. To you. I know you said you're not ready to be around people again, but when you are. There's some good folks in this town. So...it's here whenever you want it.
Um. This is kind of extreme, isn't it? You can invite me over without surrendering the house. People do that. I- "Hey, fancy a snack? TAKE MY KITCHEN." I'm not going to be here. That's the thing. I'm going travelling. Oh. Okay, that sounds fun. Let's do that instead. What? You want company, right? You can't go by yourself. That's just boring. You can't, Lauca. Why not? Because... I don't know. Settled, then. Meet you back at my place. Which is now this place, apparently. Er. Sure.---
How much time do you think this gave us? It's hard to say. I suppose it would depend on how things go from here. Yeah, without all those monsters causing trouble, Rhoan pulling itself together...who knows? Mieli might get to be a grandmother. How? Oh. Right.
That'd be wonderful. Do you think they'd have little cat ears? Mieli! What? Geez. Sorry. So are you doing this or what? You'll miss the sun if you leave it too long. Okay.
Care to join me? Nah, you knock yourself out. It's your spot, right? Yes.
Yes it is.
... Hey. Hey. No more shackles. Yes. Believe me, we hadn't forgotten. So we could go somewhere. By ourselves. Right? We don't need to sit here and watch him sleep. Who wants to take a walk?
Me.
I'd like to visit the castle. Forest. ...it's just, I've never seen the castle from the inside before. Too many people. Noisy. Guys. You can both go wherever. No more shackles.
...
He's right. This will take some getting used to. Hold on. We can't all just wander off. How's Yumil supposed to find us again? I'll wait here. Go on. ...
Well then. I'm off to do some birdwatching. See you later.---
In the new world, there will be a house on Sunny Hill. Just one. Nothing too big, because that would spoil it. A warm, well-furnished cottage sitting off to one side a little, so as not to be too close to that one perfect spot.
Even back then, I'd already decided. That's how it would be.
So it might just have been a dream. I know that's a possibility. But until then I'd only had one dream, and it was the absolute, inevitable truth.
And after all...
...this was a place of miracles.
Fana?
Um, that's me.
Can I help you? ... No, I...no. Sorry.
Actually, yes. Someone wanted to give you this.
Who did? Just a person you used to know. A long time ago.