Episode 96 - Valley of a Hidden Storm ‘Love without time‘

Eugene, Euria, Aernest, Louis, Dea, and Aedelak watched their comrades practice archery and release their arrows as if their lives depended on it. Kal was seen to be giving out many pointers before he soon left so that they could focus on their archery skills.

Dea, the oldest of the bunch, couldn’t help but pity them. He sighed. “They are still struggling to hit 7 bullseyes.” He muttered.

The six exemplary students were currently squatting and sitting against a big tree to rest.

Glancing up at the vast blue sky, Eugene frowned. White fluffy clouds were currently moving at a fast rate. ‘The wind is harsh…’ She sighed, turning her eyes towards the people struggling to get their arrows in.

If it was her, she would hold the bow a little lower so that the bow can pierce through the wind.

Euria carefully watched Eugene’s every move and noticed that her mood was slightly off. She too glanced at the sky before looking at the others practicing. Still, she didn’t understand what was wrong and tugged on Eugene’s arms. “What are you thinking of sister?” She asked in a pouty voice.

“Hmm? Hmm... The wind.” Eugene stretched her neck.

“The wind?” Euria repeated in a questioning tone. Watching the people shooting again, she widened her eyes in realization.

“The Wind is bad!!” She jumped up, looking back and forth between the people working hard at shooting, and the people working hard at resting.

“What do we do?” Aernest suddenly spoke out. He didn’t have to be listening in, to hear everyone speaking. And this included Duke Marleigh, Duke Rodriguez, Ario, and Kal who were currently conversing with one another.

“We have to help them, Eldest sister!” Euria pursed her lips, anxiously.

“.....” Eugene remained quiet.

“Shouldn’t we … at least give them a few pointers, sister?” Aernest hesitantly asked.

Still, Eugene remained quiet as if she was deep in thoughts.

“They should learn for themselves.” Louis intervened.

“... But why, brother? Sister Eugeneia always helps me out when something like this happens.” For example, climbing up the pull-up bar, and or, doing pull-ups during windy days.

“.... That’s because she doesn’t want to wait for you…” Louis replied nonchalantly.

“.... Ah!” Aernest widened his eyes in realization! Now that he thinks about it, when Eugene helped him get up on the pull-up bar, she did mention ‘Do it faster!’, and that, ‘It’s cold out!’. So… her help was because she didn’t want to wait?

“... Sister…” He muttered sadly.

‘... How on earth did Louis know?’ Eugene couldn’t help but blink towards Louis.

‘... You think I don’t know your misled intentions?’ Louis raised his brows at Eugene.

“....” Eugene stared blankly.

“But! They have to pass so that we don’t need to do training in the evening!” Euria suddenly chimed in.

Dea turned towards Aernest and Euria before explaining. “For things like this… They have to work together as a group and come up with a plan. That’s also why Commander Kal isn’t intervening as well.”

“It’s better this way?” Aernest scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

“Yes. If we help them too soon, they will always want to depend on us. They wouldn’t improve if we always help them. And that isn’t good for the future.” Dea explained.

“Oh... Okay..” Euria sighed.

“.... No wonder sister Eugeneia didn’t want to help! So it was because helping would be bad for their future!” Aernest gasped in realization!

“.....” Eugene moved her eyes away from the idolization in Aernest’s and Euria’s eyes.

‘....No, I was just too lazy to get up.’ She confessed, in her mind. In all honesty, she went blank when Dea started explaining.

Looking away, her eyes went to Duke Marleigh’s group.

‘Once upon a time, I used to be an adult, too.’ She sighed.

Dea stared at Eugene’s blazing aura and chucked. ‘Does she have a crush on Commander Kal?’ His lips slightly widened.

“Although he is a knight, Commander Kal is known as a gentleman.” He said, his eyes following Eugene’s line of sight.

“People in Zene dislike brutes. We dislike violence. That’s why no one wants to join the knights. However, ever since Commander Kal took the commanding seat of the Knights, men have been increasingly joining the knighthood. It used to be 1 person, or even none, per year. However, the average has now increased to 3-4, per year.” His voice showcased his full admiration of Commander Kal as he spoke.

Seeing that Eugene wasn’t reacting, he switched over to Xenperia’s might.

“I know about Xenperia’s division of power. The military might of Xenperia protects Xenperia from outside entities, and the Knight might of Xenperia protects Xenperia from inside. Sir Clyde Akler is the commander of Xenperia’s knights, Sir Earnest Marliegh and Sir Amos Rodriguez are generals of Xenperia’s military! They are incredibly well known to Zene’s knights as well as other knights in different parts of the world!”

Eugene blinked as Dea went on and on about Xenperia.

“In fact! I heard that other countries adapted Xenperia’s two way systems and implemented these systems for their own country!” Dea excitedly said.

Eugene blinked at the 18-year-old and interjected. “But you still like the Great Musician more?” She said, plainly.

“Ahh.” Dea scratched his head, his face turning red and shy in an instant. “... Well… yes..” He confessed.

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“Why is the Great Musician amazing?” Aernest glanced at Dea. From what Aernest could pick up, Dea was more excited whenever the Great musician is mentioned.

“Hmm?” Dea glanced at Aernest. “Hmm…” He deeply pondered for a while before answering.

“Well, he and … his wife saved the people of Zene,” Dea muttered sadly. His smile too looked sad, yet still retained a hint of proudness.

“Like Sir Ario? Aernest questioned.

Before they came to Zene, Ron Graeme told them that Ario is a famous person in Zene. He is famous for his instrumental skills, but the reason why people love him was that he built Zene’s first public music academy. This led to an increase in Zene’s wealth because of the overwhelming amount of tourists coming to Zene to study music, or buy instruments from Zene! After his success in improving the lives of the common people, he was invited to become an aide of the King of Zene.

“Yes. Like Sir Ario.” Dea smiled.

He placed his hands on his thighs and continued, “Sir Ario saved the lives of the common people, while the Great Musician along with his wife who was once the 2nd Greatest Musician, saved the hearts of the common people.” He muttered, sadly.

‘Once?’ Eugene raised her brows. “She doesn’t play anymore?” She couldn’t help but ask.

Immediately, Dea’s expression hardened with immense sadness. Glancing up at the blue sky, he sighed. “She... She has since passed away from giving birth. Even the child…” He sighed. “It was a stillbirth.”

“Oh..” Eugene looked away, not knowing what to say.

Euria walked to Dea and patted his back.

Dea briefly smiled at Euria before patting her head to indicate that she was fine.

“Lea was her name. She was a beautiful lady with red curly hair. She was so beautiful and talented that even before she came to the capital, everyone already knew of her and wanted to take her as a wife. Just that, the only reason why no one proposed marriage was because she had severe health issues.”

Dea then began to retell the legendary tale of Kal and Lea the Great Musician pair, and their love without time. This story was before Ario built a public music academy.

“Having no marriage suitors worked well for Lady Lea, because from the start, Lady Lea and Commander Kal were destined. They were a perfect couple. Both in talents and appearances. Back when Lady Lea was alive, the two were generally referred to as the immortal couple. They have been together ever since they were young. No, ever since they were born.

Through thick and through thin, they were always together. However, ever since they mutually realized their great love for each other, Lady Lea fell sick. She got sicker with each passing year.

However, she has a dream. And her dream was to become the Greatest Musician. She wanted to travel across Zene and comfort the people’s hearts. Because of that, the Great Musician made it a goal to be strong physically. Him being strong will protect Lea from anyone that wanted to harm her.

When Lea turned 15, the two got married against the wishes of Commander Kal’s parents. The reason why they were against the marriage was because of Lady Lea’s unknown sickness.

Yet, that didn’t stop them and together they traveled around Zene, spreading this heartbreaking love story and music, and saving people from their greatest despair. Commander Kal protects people with his archery and sword, whilst Lady Lea sang to heal people from their darkened hearts.

Occasionally Lady Lea and Commander Kal would duet. This led commander Kal to be known for his music as well, and he soon took Lady Lea’s seat to become the number one musician of Zene.”

The Veria siblings and Aedelak listened to Dea’s story carefully. Already, they couldn’t help but think of Levis and Moniqua’s intense love for each other. Levis would do anything for Moniqua, aiding her to follow her dreams even with many oppositions.

Even to this day, their love was so cringy that Eugene couldn’t help but look away whenever Levis and Moniqua were close to each other. Their display of affections and their cringy bickering was as if no one but them existed in their world!

Eugene couldn’t help but shiver from the fact that another couple like them existed. What Eugene didn’t know was that there were already two couples close to her whose love is as deep as Levis and Moniqua’s. And that was Graeme's pair as well as the Imperial couple!

Dea took in a huge breath before he continued, “Their music overwhelms your heart, yet heals your soul. As if they understand your pains. Not just their music, the two also had a little medical knowledge. With this knowledge, they would help the villagers for free. People with nothing to eat will also be given food. The two did everything to guide light into people’s hearts and succeeded.” Dea sadly recounted.

“You sound as if you’ve met them before…” Eugene softly spoke.

Dea sighed, before reply. “Yes… They came to my city when I was around 7 years old. We had nothing back then, but Lady Lea and Commander Kal fought to revive the town. With the help of another couple who traveled from country to country, they fought against corrupt leaders and won! The man was a peerless looking man whilst the wife was… well.. she had red hair and was quite violent. That’s all I remember. Anyways, they helped but left soon. ”

Dea shook his head and continued with his story.

“After saving countless cities, Lady Lea and the Great Musician were invited to the Royal Palace of Zene. There, they were blessed by the King and was given His Highness family name, Zeen. Because of that, Lady Lea and Commander Kal started living inside the Royal grounds.

Lady Lea’s sickness got better with each passing day and it was incredibly peaceful during that time. His Highness, Majesty, gave the Great Musician the commanding title of Zene’s knights because of his strong martial arts and also because of the trust citizens had in him. Like that, he became the symbol of peace in Zene.

Then, news of Lady Lea’s pregnancy soon followed.” Dea frowned.

“But she was still sick.” Eugene glanced towards Commander Kal.

“... Yes, because she is still sick, the Royal physicians warned that her body wouldn’t be able to take it.” Dea lowered his voice.

“Yet, she still chose to follow through with her pregnancy,” Eugene said, firmly.

“...” Dea sighed. Yes. “There were rumors that the Great Musician wanted to rid the child because of that. However, Lady Lea persisted. Even during pregnancy, she traveled to play music. Afterward, she and her child died.” Dea ended the story on a sad note.

Everyone’s heartfelt empty yet heavy from Commander Kal’s love story. Although they couldn’t understand the adult’s choices, they understood that all the choices the adults had were just as sad.

“The Great Musician and Lady Lea really loved each other.” Euria suddenly said amid the quietness. Her eyebrows were scrunched up with the heartache she was feeling.

“Yes, they did.” Dea softly smiled at Euria taking out her sadness on the sand below her feet.

“What happened to the Great Musician afterward?” Aedelak, who was quiet until now, made a presence.

‘Right... With that great of a love gone, one would definitely become crazy.’ Eugene thought.

“...” Dea glanced at Aedelak before replying.

“The great musician went crazy. After coming to his senses, he announced his retirement and wanted to become a monk. He wanted to live in seclusion until the day of his death. It’s not surprising considering he lost both his wife and his child. To make Commander Kal stay, His Highness, Majesty did everything in his power. He made Lady Lea’s birth date a national day, and the day of her death a day for everyone to mourn.”

“The commander never took in a new wife, and now takes on Lea’s dream of protecting the country.”

‘.... The king made what a national day?’ Eugene blinked at the sudden plot twist. ‘Don’t tell me..’ Eugene had a sudden realization. ‘He’s after the Great musician as well?!’

The King made Lady Lea an artist. When the artist dies, the value of art becomes even more valuable. Lady Lea is the artist, while the Great Musician is the art. Naturally, the King wouldn’t let his precious art leave.

“Is there anything bad about the Great Musician?” Eugene wanted to switch the topic. Right now, the atmosphere was too heavy! Plus, she did not believe someone this good can exist!

Eugene’s eagerness to dig someone else's dirt made Dea laugh. “Well, there is a rumor that the Great Musician has a forbidden room. This room supposedly exists inside the Royal Palace and holds Lady Lea’s soul.” Dea replied to Eugene’s eagerness with some tea.

“.......” What a load of… carrrp. Eugene blankly stared at Dea. ‘Does he think I’m that childish?’

“When did Sir Ario create the public academy?”Euria asked. Unlike Dea’s story, everyone looked incredibly happy.

“Sir Ario proposed the academy idea before Lady Lea died. And it was given an okay by the King after she passed away… so, it had been a good 6 years since the academy was founded?”

“Oh..”

“I heard people of Zene have to be married at 15-16. So are you and the other brothers married?” Euria continued asking random questions.

“Oh, that…” Dea scratched his head as he shyly looked at the younger child who said it very bluntly.

“Ha... Ha… We didn’t follow other people to study music, so we are very… unpopular... Ha.ha” Dea’s face went as red as Euria’s eyes as he replied.

“Oh... You are a very lonely soul then.” Euria shrugged her shoulders, adding more pain to Dea’s lonely heart.

The gloomy atmosphere from Lady Lea’s and Commander Kal’s love story was soon replaced by Euria’s savageness.