“I... I’m afraid I can’t choose right now...” he told the sisters. “We have just met each other and I hardly know you... I think it would be better if we get more acquainted first. Perhaps when I get much older...?”

Simon kept his gaze low, his fingers twiddling, afraid he might insult the princesses, when he suddenly heard someone laugh.

He looked up and saw Lady June staring at him with interest.

“That’s right, Princess Tina,” she addressed the eldest in their company. “How could you ask a child such a question?”

Simon felt his face burn at being called a child.

“And Princess Fay, why do you act bolder than your older sister? Don’t tell me you have more experience than the two of us combined?”

“H-how vulgar!” Princess Fay replied, covering her mouth with a handkerchief.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make the choice easier by backing out of the race,” continued Lady June, “I have no plans of getting married,” she told them. “I have a lot of dreams and aspirations, and being tied to a man is not one of them.”

That night, Simon couldn’t help but think of what Lady June told them.

“I wonder what Lady June’s dreams are?” he found himself asking the darkness that filled his spacey new bedroom.

He had these thoughts in mind until he fell asleep and was woken quite early the next day for their luncheon with the West Twin’s Royalties.

“Good morning, Nell! I am ready for my healing session now,” he greeted the healer as soon as he entered his quarters. “How do you like your new room? I asked the servants to prepare the one right next to mine, did you sleep well?”

Nell nodded at him.

“Did you see the clothes I sent you?”

Nell sat on a chair in front of him, clasping his left hand as the healing session began.

“I hope the clothes are still fine, I’ll buy you better ones when we get to the capital!”

Nell’s head slightly tilted.

“I hope you haven’t placed the clothes inside your dresser yet, since we’ll be leaving for the capital later this afternoon,” he continued excitedly. “My father had decided to send me to the Royal Maralict Imperial University, but before that, I would need to greet his Imperial Highness, Emperor Jonas Maralictof the Holy Maralict Empire, first.”

Nell’s head suddenly rose to stare at Simon.

Simon saw a glimpse of his honey brown eyes beneath his mask. They were wide open, while his pink lips, formed a small ‘o’ of surprise.

“Are you excited as well?” he asked his friend. “I have always wanted to study in a proper school, but to think that Father would enroll me into the Royal Maralict Imperial University! It is a dream come true for me! In fact, I’m still worried that I might suddenly wake up and find out that I’ve only been dreaming!”

Nell watched Simon laugh gleefully.

He gave a deep sigh, then shook his head.

“Is there something wrong, Nell?” Simon asked him.

Nell lifted his right hand and waved at him.

“Why are you waving?” Simon asked, his head tilted. “Are you waving goodbye?”

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Nell let go of his hand all together. He pointed at Simon, then raised both arms to flex his muscles.

“Are you saying that I am already strong to leave on my own?”

Nell nodded, then waved goodbye once again.

“Then, do you mean, that I don’t need you anymore?”

Nell gave him another nod.

Simon suddenly felt lost and sad.

“But I was planning to see the whole Empire with you!”

Nell shook his head once more.

He clasped his hands together in prayer, and waved goodbye yet again.

“But... Nell, I need you!” Simon said, his eyes filling with tears. “You are the first friend I have ever made, in fact, you are my only friend! And I just want to share my good fortune with you!”

Nell was about to shake his head again, when Simon grabbed hold of his hand and grasped it tightly to his chest.

“Please, Nell, please? Can you at least stay with me for one year like the head priest said?”

Nell’s veiled face stared at Simon.

He seemed to be thinking.

Finally, he sighed and looked down, and slowly nodded.

“Oh, thank you, Nell!” Simon exclaimed. “Thank you so much! I promise, you won’t regret this one bit! I’ll make sure you’re comfortable all the way, and will share with you, all the good things that will come my way!”

Simon kept fussing about as he told Nell all the plans he had and all the places he wished to visit together.

He was so excited that he forgot that Nell was supposed to be healing him.

Well, he didn’t need any more healing, after all. Nell’s holy power had completely taken all the damage and pain away from his body.

He is truly an exceptional healer, after all.

Nell watched as his ward happily placed some clothes in his luggage.

He couldn’t help but shake his head slowly as he looked out the window and sighed.

The Hero’s entourage left the Twin Kingdoms that afternoon, just as the sun was traversing down the horizon.

Simon and his brother Juno visited the kingdom of the West Twin earlier, but they didn’t stay long.

King Morel Jacob Krems and his eldest sons, Prince Hayle and Prince June, wanted to have a small hunting game with him, but he declined the offer.

He couldn't wait to visit the capital with Nell, after all.

Besides, he has never gone hunting before. Only his majesties, the kings of the Twin Kingdoms, and their two first born sons, were allowed to participate in such events.

He also found the crossbow they showed him quite complicated. All he had ever used before was a simple composite bow and arrow.

“There would be other chances to use that crossbow,” he told Nell as he recounted the events of his visit to his healer. “I bet we could use one when we get to the University,” he said with a smile, “we can learn how to use it together!”

Nell placed his two index fingers together, making an ‘X’.

“Oh, are you thinking that you can’t learn with me since you’re not a student?” Simon said for him. “I plan to take you with me as my attendant. Even brother Juno has Rode and two other knights with him to act as his attendants. He took him back when I told him that I only needed you to stay with me.”

Nell gave a sigh of defeat.

“Don’t worry, I’m used to taking care of myself!” Simon assured him. “I just called you my attendant so that we could stay in the same room, but I promise not to make you do any work on my behalf!”

Nell gave another sigh.

Soon, the procession of carriages and knights on horseback reached past the Twin Kingdom’s borders and entered the East Rim of the vast Twilight Forest.

Simon was still chattering happily with Nell, when the carriage they were riding on suddenly came to a halt, hurling Simon towards Nell who was sitting right in front of him.

He heard a sharp yelp as Nell held his arms out and caught him before he fell.

“Ouch! What happened?” asked Simon.

Nell looked out of the carriage windows.

Simon did the same and saw two knights at either side of their vehicle.

“What seems to be the problem?” Simon asked the knight to their left.

“There’s a cart in the middle of the road,” said the knight in a gruff voice.

He was wearing a visor, but Simon noticed his thick, dark brown beard. He recognized him as one of the knights that accompanied them back from Weezer Village.

“Your highness,” called the knight to the right of the carriage, “the cart seems to have broken it’s axle. You may step out of your carriage if you wish, since this might take some time.”

“Oh, if you say so,” said Simon. “It would be nice to have a good stretch, right Nell?”

Nell gave him a nod.

“Since the sun is about to go down, why don’t we ask the wagoner to share some supper with us?” he added.

Simon opened the carriage door and was about to step out, when his clothes got snagged on something, pulling him back inside.

He suddenly noticed something silver shine pass the door with a whooshing sound.

“Wha-” Simon coughed, “what happened?!” he asked Nell who held him by his collar.

The left carriage door flung open.

He was surprised to see the bearded knight entering the carriage with his sword in hand.

“W-what are you doing?!” Simon shouted, trying to cover himself with his frail arms.

He was even more surprised when Nell aimed a kick at the armored knight!

It hardly did any damage.

The knight glared down at the healer, raising his shiny blade.

Without thinking, Simon threw himself over the novice priest, just as the knight’s arm rushed down upon them.

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Go to Part 39

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