Chapter 372 – Firelight

Night had fallen within the borders of the Maple Leaf Kingdom, inside the temporary palace of the City of Enchanting Maple Flowers.

The little princess Liwaqi, dressed neatly and beautifully, sat on the windowsill playing with a small bird in its cage.

This was no ordinary bird—it was actually a cluster of burning low-temperature flames. After Ben Lajie used the spell “Awaken Flame Spirit” to give it life, additional spells were cast to shape its form and restrict its temperature. Thus, it became this little fledgling that appeared as a small flame but felt fluffy to the touch in the little princess’s hands.

Gently stroking the flame bird’s head with one finger, Liwaqi watched the adorable creature roll over in her palm. She felt the warmth that could reach deep into her heart even amidst the cold winds blowing from the Hoth Mountains. A genuinely innocent smile spread across the little princess’s face, and her fair, delicate feet swayed happily as snowflakes drifted outside the temporary palace.

However… the only thing the little princess regretted now was… having no one to play with. The usually arrogant yet accommodating noble children were nowhere to be found, and the old king, who always liked to murmur unclear words to her, had also departed…

Thinking of this, Liwaqi became unhappy again.

Though she was just a little girl, children are often more sensitive to changes in their surroundings than adults.

Take Liwaqi, for example. Though she didn’t know what was happening in the kingdom, she could sense the shift in people’s attitudes. Even though her title had changed from “Her Highness the Little Princess” to “Queen” now… Liwaqi could feel that the smiles the nobles once showed her had vanished, replaced by a stranger emotion—as if they were discussing a valuable commodity. This feeling stirred a hint of fear in the usually cheerful little Liwaqi…

“Little bird, little bird, what’s happening to our kingdom? I feel like I’m about to be sold off, just like little Sally in the fairy tales, sold to an evil witch from a foreign land…”

Watching the flame bird still hopping and nuzzling against her palm, the anxious little princess Liwaqi couldn’t help but murmur to herself.

“What worries you, our adorable little princess? Are the flowers not vibrant enough? Or is the little bird being disobedient?”

Just as the little princess’s spirits were sinking, Ben Lajie, draped in a fiery red mage robe, had quietly appeared behind her.

Under the slowly rising three moons, Ben Lajie carefully draped a warm fur coat over Liwaqi’s slender shoulders. In the hazy moonlight, the thick coat completely blocked the chilly wind, its soft down gently rustling in the breeze mixed with snow and ice…

“Grandpa Nokani?”

The surprised little princess Liwaqi turned around to see Ben Lajie’s ever-kind face.

But this time, unlike before when he would happily reply or bring small gifts, Grandpa Nokani only smiled and gently rubbed Liwaqi’s little head.”Little Liwaqi… do you know, beyond the third main peak of the distant Hoth Mountains lies a beautiful kingdom. That nation has lived for generations in this region of the Hoth Mountains, and they excel at cultivating ‘Winter White Sugarcane’ that adapts to severe cold. So they always have plenty of soft candies to eat… Little Liwaqi, you…”

“So… are you sending me there?”

Before Ben Lajie could finish his gentle narration, little Liwaqi quickly interrupted the old man’s description.

Under the clear cold moonlight, the beautiful little girl lowered her head, her fingers clutching her coat tightening noticeably.

“Grandpa Ben Lajie, our kingdom has fallen, hasn’t it? Even though those uncles and grandfathers call me Queen, our kingdom has still fallen, hasn’t it?”

Gently holding the Flame Bird in her hands, Liwaqi slowly curled her entire body into her coat.

“I know… I’ve read in books that princesses of fallen kingdoms always have to leave for foreign lands… Though those princesses often have Heroes help restore their kingdoms, in reality… princesses who leave their countries probably never return…”

As the little princess Liwaqi’s voice grew softer, the room gradually sank into deep silence. Even Ben Lajie could only gently stroke the little princess’s beautiful hair, remaining wordless for a long time.

“Liwaqi… life is full of helplessness. Though it might be somewhat premature, you must understand now that your loyal Nobles will take you to another, more beautiful and prosperous kingdom. The wealth obtained from exchanging the entire Maple Leaf Kingdom’s territory will ensure you never want for food or clothing. As long as you remain the Queen of Maple Leaf Kingdom, you need never worry about finding happiness. In that kingdom with delicious soft candies, you can make more friends…”

Carefully generating small flames around Liwaqi to ward off the cold, Ben Lajie’s voice was filled with helplessness and sorrow. Snowflakes drifted onto the windowsill with the wind, the warm firelight quickly melting and evaporating the last traces of ice.

After silently watching little Liwaqi sitting by the window for quite some time, Ben Lajie reluctantly turned and slowly began to leave.

“Grandpa Ben Lajie, are you leaving me too?”

In the quiet night, Liwaqi buried her smiling face in the down of her coat, murmuring in a voice almost too faint to hear.

Ben Lajie’s footsteps paused slightly as he reached the door, but ultimately, he silently stepped through the doorway.

“Liwaqi, my little princess, you are like sweet spring water nourishing my heart. This old man has done countless bad deeds in his life, never expecting that in his twilight years, when he should be idly waiting for death, he would truly come to understand his own heart…”

Walking down the temporarily built wooden stairs, stepping onto the snow-filled city streets, Ben Lajie silently raised his head to gaze into the distance.

Far away, the Volcano that resembled a giant beast in the darkness remained as majestic and imposing as ever. It stood there quietly, its massive form seemingly connecting heaven and earth, declaring its inviolable dignity…Watching the moonlight gradually obscured by dark clouds, Ben Lajie’s expression grew increasingly stern as he took a deep breath. Then, accompanied by rising flames, the portly old man’s figure shot rapidly toward the distant Volcano, propelled by the fierce fire.

“Father was right… I’m better suited for selling apples than being a mage, but… even an apple seller, at certain moments… will give his all to protect his stubbornness!”

The dazzling blaze flashed across the night sky before vanishing, and soon, the cold night returned to silence once more…

(End of Chapter)