The injured ones lying in the clinic, fighting for their lives, only had a week left. Ida paid them regular visits, urging them and their family to hold on a little longer. The more she witnessed their struggle, the more exasperated she became over the imperial family. They gathered the most proficient and the most powerful in the capital to protect themselves, and whereas, the towns and villages near the borders were left to fend for themselves.

It didn't matter to the imperial family if the villages and towns near the borders were defeated, as long as they remained standing.

“The only one who viewed things differently was the Crown Prince, Rael.”

Rael Grenyth Liant.

Ida wasn't too familiar with him but she knew an important detail about Rael. A passage that described him.

“Among his siblings and his selfish father, he was most suitable to be a leader,” Ida murmured to herself, tapping her finger on the table. “It isn't a surprise that he is the only one willing to listen to us.”

Alas, up till the point where Ida read to, the one to succeed the throne still hasn't been decided. Just like his selfish father, the current regent refused to lose his status. The one and only ruler of the Grenyth Empire.

“When will we play, my little one?” June pouted, rolling around on the table. “I'm bored! Bored, so bored! Bored!”

“If we rush into the capital now, everyone here will die.” Ida sipped at her tea nonchalantly. “Including me.”

“Hmph! How dare they!” June harrumphed, stomping her foot before she brightened up in realisation. “If I turn all the tall ones into stone ones and decorate you with flowers, you won't die!”

“We won't be able to play any adventure games then since I won't be able to move.”

“Awww…” June sighed, hanging her head down.

Ida couldn't resist the smile flitting past her face as she teased June. Even if she disliked getting dragged into matters that don't matter to her, a promise to June was still a promise.

“Ida!” Auriana burst through the door, her face full of joy. “The guards said they spotted a carriage in the distance with the crest of the Wolfe family!”

“....” Nikulas furrowed his eyebrows, covering his nose. “Faes have an annoying stench.”

“Are…are you saying I'm stinky?!” June exclaimed, rushing towards Nikulas and shouting in his face. “I'm not stinky! You stinky!”

“...sure.”

“Stinky strong tall ones!”

“Okay.”

“Smelly!”

Nikulas responded to June's words with indifference, and she wasn't happy with him in the slightest bit.

“Alright, let's go,” Ida smiled and stood up, walking towards them as she patted June on the head. “I don't want to see the people here suffer any second longer.”

June immediately leaned into the touch happily before she flew behind Ida’s shoulder, spitting her tongue out at Nikulas.

“I hate you, you strong tall one!”

“Just like a brat.” Nikulas said.

June pouted, a red tint on her tiny cheeks from the frustration rising within her. It seems like no matter what she said, Nikulas wouldn't be fazed.

“Here you go, June!” Auriana leaned in, whispering to her as she whipped out a strawberry tart.

The anger dissipated in June’s irises as they lit up in delight.

“I got this on a special discount.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means it's specially just for you.” Auriana winked.

In an instant, June was placated and munched down on strawberry tart. She grinned innocently at Auriana.

“I hate that strong tall one, but I like you very much!”

Ida sighed, shaking her head. “You are pampering her too much. Wasn't it the faes that constantly troubled your village, and that's why you disliked them?”

“How did you know?” Auriana asked, blinking in surprise.

“It's just a guess.”

“Well, even so, they don't have any malicious intent,” Auriana said as she patted June on the head, and June beamed at her. “They are simply too pure to a fault.”

“Pure?” Nikulas shuddered. “They are devils in disguise.”

The three of them left the house as June continued resting upon Ida's shoulder, inhaling another strawberry tart that Auriana gave her.

***

Ida was informed of another carriage behind the carriage which her parents were riding on, and she furrowed her eyebrows, looking at June sitting on her shoulder and kicking her legs back and forth.

I can’t let June’s identity be discovered by anyone outside this village.

Ida patted June on the head, getting her attention.

“June, hide yourself properly.”

“Okay!”

The carriage arrived at a halt and Ida's parents slammed the carriage door open, not waiting for the guards to escort them. They searched desperately for their daughter, embracing her with tears in their eyes.

“...” Ida widened her eyes in shock, the warmth from their arms spreading throughout her body. A memory from her past life resurfaced in her mind.

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“What is this?”

“A hug. It's warm, isn't it?”

“But why share this warmth with me?”

“Because we care for you and want to share your burdens, captain.”

Ida closed her eyes, relishing in the warm hug of her parents.

“I'm so glad you are safe, Ida.”

“I'm glad you are safe too.”

Someone cleared their throat behind the family, and Ida lifted her head, her eyes widening in disbelief. The villagers and guards who came to welcome their lieges back immediately bowed down.

“I greet His Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“I greet His Highness, the Crown Prince!”

“Yo-your Highness!”

A tall, handsome man with dazzling golden hair and irises grinned amiably at the crowd bowing down to him, waving his hand. Just like any imperial family member, his appearance was outstanding with features that were meticulously sculpted as if he was the embodiment of perfection. In fact, Ida wondered if he was the most beautiful royalty member that has ever hailed the Grenyth Empire.

“Be at ease. Since we aren’t in the capital, there’s no need to be so formal around me.”

“Rael, it’s you!”

“Rael?”

Auriana and Nikulas who were behind Ida spoke up, ecstatic and relieved. Rael was also surprised to see them, the grin on his face growing wider.

“Auri! Nik!” Rael exclaimed, rushing up to them and engulfing them in a big hug. “It’s been so long! Why are you here?”

“We wanted to pay you a visit, but we couldn’t because the capital is under lockdown.”

“Yes, unfortunately, my father…”

“It’s alright, Rael. We heard about it.”

The three of them started to converse, and the topic shifted towards reminiscing about the past.

Meanwhile, Ida frowned to herself as she lowered her voice. “Mother, father. What is the Crown Prince doing here?”

“You said you needed a spirit healer, and it turns out…”

The two of them looked towards Rael.

“His Highness is one of the best spirit healers in Grenyth Empire.”

Ida was bewildered at this newfound information. The novel didn’t include any details about the powers of the Crown Prince, and it was assumed he wanted to keep his powers hidden.

“Even so, to have his Highness come down here personally and–”

“You have your doubts, especially knowing the reputation of the imperial family.”

“I didn’t mean it that way, your Highness.” Ida hastily said.

“It’s fine, I understand your doubts and so, I’ll prove myself,” Rael said in a light-hearted manner, chuckling and he spun around, walking towards the direction of the clinic. “I can sense the severely injured in this direction.”

“Your Highness, please do not wander off on your own!”

“Your Highness!”

A whole entourage followed behind Rael, including Ida’s parents and Ida reached her arm out.

“Ah, wait–”

“Don’t worry, Ida.” Auriana reassured, placing her hand on Ida’s shoulder with a confident smile. “I know you don’t trust Rael, but he doesn’t mean any harm.”

Nikulas nodded in agreement.

“It’s not that I do not trust him but…” Ida trailed off, a contemplative look on her face. “There is something strange about these series of events.”

If it weren't for June at her side, Ida wouldn’t have taken note of these mysterious details that weren’t included in the novel. The fact that humans were colluding with faes to protect the borders with their fae dust, and the fae were known to dislike sharing their dust. The fact that, in her letter, there was a hidden message that could only be read by faes or those who possess fae dust. A person asking their “queen” for help, and Ida knew it definitely wasn’t a fae, since they were always a force to be reckoned with.

Lastly, Ida learned another information from the blabbermouth fae hiding from sight as she slept on Ida’s shoulder.

“That sparkly tall one is carrying a bottle of fae dust with him! I can sense it!”

Ida didn’t recall the imperial family in any possession of fae dust in the novel, and it was stated that the barrier between the Wastelands and Grenyth Empire was maintained through unexplained magical ways.

“Maybe you are right.” Ida muttered, looking at Auriana and Nikulas. “The imperial family is hiding too many secrets, and thus, I can’t trust the Crown Prince completely.”

“When we were younger, we saved Rael when he was tossed into the Wastelands by his enemies.” Auriana explained, revealing the circumstances of their bond.

“While guiding him back to safety, we spent a lot of time together,” Nikulas added as he recalled the memories with a fond look on his face. “Rael is a good person.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ida said, following the entourage that trailed after Rael who was headed straight for the clinic. “If he heals the villagers, and prevents another family from being torn apart, I’ll gladly trust him.”

***

Rael stepped into the clinic and raised the palm of his hand with a glowing orb in his hand, the glowing orb scattered into dozens of smaller orbs, floating down into the injured villagers groaning on their beds. A pallid-faced guard who was missing an arm was immediately comforted as the orb entered his body, and his missing arm began to gradually regenerate on its own. It was as if his arm was never missing.

“...!”

“M-my son! He’s fully cured!”

“My daughter’s leg has been restored!”

“Bless the imperial family!”

Ida’s parents covered their mouths in shock.

“Rael has always been amazing like that, ever since the day we helped him.” Auriana smiled in approval. “Isn’t that right, Nikulas?”

“I…I have never met a spirit healer like you, your Highness,” the doctor stuttered out in amazement, bowing towards Rael. “Your healing powers are one-of-a-kind.”

“You are exaggerating.”

“Your Highness, it is true! Please, take a look! You…you saved everyone!”

“I cannot cure those whose hearts or minds have been damaged. I can only cure what is seen, and moreover,” Rael explained, a bitter look on his face. “I can only use such powers once a month.”

Upon hearing those words, the family members of the injured and Ida’s parents crowded around Rael. They couldn’t stop expressing their gratitude with tears in their eyes, and Rael couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by their sincerity.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“Bless your kind heart, your Highness.”

Ida was also astonished by Rael’s healing powers, and the reason behind his potent healing power was answered. Ida observed the contracted spirit standing beside Rael as they admired their handiwork.

It’s a female druid.

The spirit was a humanoid-figure with deer-like antlers sprouting out from their heads as vines and leaves enveloped their entire body. There was a distinctive diamond-shaped jewel embedded into her forehead, and Ida recognised what that meant.

The leader of all druids, and the sole guardian of the world tree, Yggdrasil.

Ida glanced around and realised that no one witnessed the same sight as she did. The spirit of a druid, and moreover, the leader of all druids, was standing right before their eyes. They were completely annihilated after the previous war among all the different races in Vriafenia, and the world tree ceased to exist.

“My little one, what are you looking at?”

June questioned, tilting her head left and right at Ida as she fluttered about in front of Ida.

“Did you not see how the people were healed, June?”

“I did, I did! I cannot see how they were healed, it was fun to watch!”

Ida was certain she was the only one who could see the spirit of that druid as even June, a powerful fae, wasn’t able to see the leader of all druids. With such a mythical being standing before them, there is no possible way that people around them wouldn’t make a commotion.

Is this why Rael hid his powers? Even in front of his own family?

The novel stated that Rael had a contracted spirit, but that was simply it. He wasn’t someone useless like Ida Wolfe who was just a weak, frail human.

“Su Qing.”

Just then, the druid glanced towards Ida and called out the name in her previous life. At this moment, Ida wondered if her being transmigrated into this world was not a coincidence, but a plan by someone. Someone that she had no idea of. Even from the details of the novel or the memories of Ida Wolfe.

“It’s good to see you.”

Ida was perturbed.