"Sarah, it's fine! You can take your time!"

---

After seeing the lifeless corpse of Meda, Vera buried her in the meadow she had found days ago. It felt right to bury her there. The forest remained silent, as if it was aware of her sorrow. The skies cried with her, sending a torrent of rain in sympathy.

Vera wiped her tears. 'I won't let your efforts be in vain, Meda.'

She spent the whole night relentlessly browsing books. She was desperate.

---

"Sarah? Sarah?"

'Huh? Who is that? What's happening?'

She struggled to open her eyelids as the light assaulted it. It took several seconds for her eyes to adjust. She saw the couple's worried glance.

"Sarah, are you okay?"

"Yes," she replied. She clutched her aching head. She looked around and found herself in the apothecary's reception. 'What was I doing here again?'

"Are you sure?" Vera nodded weakly. She went at the sink to get a glass of water.

"Why did you ask?"

"It's just your eyes are unusually puffy."

"Plus, you're still asleep when the sun is already at its peak."

Vera glanced outside the window. "Oh yeah, I just overslept."

"Is that so?"

"You're sure you're fine huh? You did not overwork yourself or anything?"

Vera just nodded.

"Now," said Illumia. "I haven't seen Meda yet. Any idea where she might've gone?"

Vera's vision blurred as she remembered what happened last night. Her legs gave up and she struggled to stand.

"Sarah, what happened? Are you really alright?"

"I-I'm fine."

The prince saw her tears. "Why are you crying?"

"Meda... Meda, she's dead."

---

"She was a victim of the reaper's mark. And it's all my fault."

They understood the situation now. They just looked at each other's eyes and nodded.

"Shhh." Illumia embraced her. "It's not your fault, Sarah."

"I'm sure that Meda knew all of the consequences, and she chose it so that you could live."

"And Meda would be sad when she sees you like this."

Vera just sent them a wobbly smile. Her heart felt lighter when she shared it with them. 'They'll be good parents.'

Her heart felt stronger now. She steeled herself with resolve. She looked at their eyes with determination. 'I'll make sure your wishes will come true.' She put her fisted right hands above her chest. 'For Meda, and for my sister.'

---

"Prince Rhys---"

"Don't call me Prince!" Rhys pouted. "You can just call me Rhys! I feel awkward when you call me 'prince'."

"You can call me Lumi as well," said Illumia. "Eris almost sounds like Rhys minus the 'e', and Illumia is very long."

"Okay...?" Vera just scratched her head. "Rhys, Lumi, is the throne bugging you already, or is there still time?"

Lumi and Rhys frowned. "The throne has been oddly silent these past few days," said Lumi.

"Yes, but I feel nervous, as if the blade will drop anytime," said Rhys.

"Is that so?"

"Don't worry!" assured Lumi. "We're not in a rush! At least not that much..." She murmured the last part.

"But still---"

"Just don't pressure yourself," said Rhys. "We trust that you'll find it in time." She was blinded by Rhys' bright smile. "Besides," he turned to Lumi. "We can always blow up the throne and escape, right Lumi?"

Lumi just facepalmed. "If we could escape, we would've done that already. We don't have the clue about the throne's bind towards its heir. And we don't know if the curse still remains even if those damn chair and crown get blown up."

"Aw, you're no fun!"

"Wait... The throne you are referring is not a person? Not the king?"

"Huh?" Rhys put his face close to hers. "You don't know about that?" He stared at her for a moment, and suddenly pulled back.

"I guess you haven't studied history." He shrugged. "Lumi, honey, you mind explaining it to her?"

"Sure, sure." Lumi placed her hand above Vera's. "Well, in the royal family, there's a curse.

"They're permanently bound to the throne at birth until death. Defy it and they'll experience the most painful life that they'll wish for death. It happened once in the known history, on the third king of Maierre.

"The throne can also enforce its will through other means. It has its own consciousness. It definitely can kill with curses."

'What the hell?'

"That's the story why we're basically forced to have a child," concluded Lumi.

"If it were on my decision alone, I wouldn't care if I had a child with her or not, as long as I'm with her. Even my father doesn't mind it. It would be unfortunate, but being with her is enough." Rhys sighed. "But like what she said earlier, the damn throne is a thorn. It could just kill her any time soon." Lumi hit his biceps with a fist. "What's your problem, Lumi?"

"Stop being so cheesy!"

Vera watched them bicker for a while.

"Give me a few days," the couple turned to look at her. "A few days more. If I still don't have any feasible alternatives," she stared deep within their eyes, showing courage and promise. "We will proceed with the third option."

"But Sarah, we---"

"That's final. I don't want you to suffer because of my selfishness."

---

"Sorry for your loss, Sarah." Lumi gave her a small smile.

"Remember, don't overwork yourself, huh? We still got time!" reassured Rhys.

In his eyes, she saw that he did not believe the thing that he just said. 'You're lying.' However, she just nodded and let it pass.

"Okay." She gave them a small smile in return.

"Goodbye!" shouted the both of them. Rhys even wackily waved his arms and hands with giant motions, which accidentally hit Lumi.

"RHYS!"

"It was an accident!"

Lumi just gave him a chilling smile, followed by a warning. "Run."

Rhys gulped. "W-what?"

"Or you're dead."

Rhys' sweat dropped. He began running for his life. Lumi just turned towards Vera. "Sorry, I have to go now. I still have a husband to kill."

Vera wasn't able to muster a reply. She just stood there as Lumi chased after her cowardly husband.

'What was that?'

She just shook her head, and began researching once more.

---

She went inside Meda's room. She examined the various scrolls scattered around the desk. 'Higanbana's Essence... Wails of Pain... These are useless.'

She set all of them aside, but she noticed a smudged scroll. She picked it up. 'Mother's Tear Drop.'

She read the unmarred& part. 'can--- baby--- without--- effects.' She jumped with joy! 'This is it!' She looked at the ingredients list, and felt down. 'The rest is smudged, though. What should I do?'

---

"You can go at the city, there are scribes there. There could be people who can restore that!"

"Or you could browse several shops there, and see if there are copies!"

Vera just smiled at them. "Thank you."

Lumi and Rhys grinned at her, joy evident on their faces. "No, thank YOU."

"You finally have progress for us, and we can never pay you back for your troubles."

'Finally, I can see a ray of light for my relationship with my sister.'