Mind

Chapter 17 - Mind

The sound of footsteps echoed through the house, followed by the loud slam of a door. Irvina rushed to her son's room, worried that he had fallen from the bed.

"Are you okay, dear? Did you fall?" she asked, concern etched on her face as she examined him for any injuries.

"I didn't fall, Mommy. I was just jumping on the bed. I'm not hurt," reassured the nearly four-year-old boy.

"I DID! And my whole body is aching! WAAA!" cried the lying spirit, sprawled on the wooden floor, but her pleas went unheard by anyone except the boy. Yet the boy ignored the wining, disregarding the fact that he's the only one who can hear it.

Irvina let out a sigh of relief and said, "Please don't do that again, sweetheart. You scared Mommy. I thought you were hurt."

"Oh, okay, Mommy. I'm sorry for worrying you. But I can cast a healing spell if I ever get hurt," Arston reminded his mother, earning a quick ear-pull from her.

"Just because you can heal yourself doesn't mean you should ignore the pain. If you rely too much on healing spells, you'll become reckless with your safety. Do you understand, young man?" scolded Irvina sternly, her expression firm.

"Ouch, okay, Mommy. I understand. Please don't pull my ear. You're really strong," Arston winced, genuinely feeling the pain from his mother's punishment.

"Alright, I'm glad you understand. Mommy will continue cooking now. Dinner will be ready in half an hour. Make sure you don't fall asleep and miss it," Irvina said before closing the door and leaving the room.

"Hehe, serves you right, you Meany. Now I just have to wait for you to fall like you made me," giggled Renica, the spirit girl, as she sat on the bed.

"Hush... Don't let your imagination get carried away, otherwise, your nose might get bigger. You silly princess. Ugh, why are women so complicated? She talks about hurting myself but then pulls my ear like she wants to rip it off," muttered Arston to himself.

"Huh? My imagination? Am I being silly?" Renica touched her nose, trying to confirm if it was growing, as Arston had suggested.

"See, you're such a silly princess. And you admit it," Arston replied, walking towards his table and taking a seat on the cushioned chair, ignoring Renica's protests.

"I'M NOT SILLY! I'm just not wise enough yet. It's you who says confusing things! You're just like my grandpa, talking nonsense and laughing at things that aren't even funny," retorted Renica, defending herself and her grandfather's honour.

"Oh, come on. If I were your grandpa, I'd be sitting on a large chair in the middle of a massive throne room, surrounded by a harem of concubines, dealing with traitorous nobles, much too demanding peasants, and constantly watching my back for assassinations. It's a total pain in the..." Arston paused, realizing he might be going too far for a four-year-old girl.

"Well, my grandpa wasn't like that. He loved my grandma and only her. The nobles and peasants weren't like you described, and there's no such thing as..." Renica vehemently denied Arston's portrayal of her kingdom, but her voice trailed off as she remembered her current situation.

"Huff... What do you know, my highness? In every nation, those in power will always hunger for more. They have no qualms about slitting throats with a smile on their faces. The same goes for rulers. They were chosen by the masses to lead, guide, and earn their trust. They were judged by their ability to protect the people from impending threats. The first generation of rulers may have lived up to the people's expectations, but what about their descendants? What do they know beyond their ancestors' achievements and glories?" Arston paused, giving Renica a moment to absorb his words.

"It's all about the pleasure of power and wealth," he continued, his tone filled with a mix of contemplation and intrigue. "I wouldn't say that all of those descendent are bad. yet, It's like finding a diamond in the rough. I believe that everything in life comes with a price. If you can't pay the price or demonstrate your own worth, nature tends to disagree with you. Nature can be perceived as either beautiful or ugly, depending on the eyes of the beholder. However, there's only one side of nature—a collection of harsh laws. So, have you ever wondered where the dress you're wearing originated?"

Renica pondered for a moment, trying to provide an honest response. "My mommy ordered it from the old woman who is skilled at making clothes. That's what I know about my blue gown."

"Ah, ordered from a professional, as expected from a princess," he remarked with a touch of admiration. "There's no doubt that your dress is stunning. The woman must have put her heart and soul into knitting it. At least, that's what we perceive. But have you ever considered viewing it from a different perspective?"

The boy's question left Renica even more bewildered than before, lost in a sea of thoughts and uncertainty.

"What else are clothes, apart from threads woven together to serve as our bodily cover?" he continued, his words carrying a hint of mystery. "And what about these glasses? But a burnt pile of sands, shaped and imprisoned by us to decorate our dwelling, perhaps a trophy of some sorts? A trophy symbolizing of what we can do towards those with lower price than ours?".

"But aren't they just lifeless objects?" Renica voiced her thoughts, trying to make sense of the boy's statements.

"Indeed, they are mere objects. I'm not denying that fact," he responded, his voice calm yet filled with insight. "It's simply in our nature to enslave those that are of lesser value than us, while treating those of equal value with negotiations or trickeries, and revering those of higher value."

"I... I..." Renica's four-year-old mind struggled to comprehend Arston's monologue, leaving her at a loss for words.

"It's okay. It's just my perspective on this messy world. You don't have to strain your 'not yet wise' mind. Not that mine is any wiser than a thirty-one-year-old man's. Oh, yeah, I'll be turning thirty-two in a few months," Arston consoled Renica, trying to lighten the mood with a laugh.

"What do you..." Renica started to ask Arston a question but stopped abruptly when they heard footsteps approaching.

The door swung open, revealing a younger version of Irvina with a gloomy expression on her face.

"Arston, have you seen my necklace? The one Daddy bought me for my tenth birthday? It has five red rubies on it. I always wore it on our trips together," Irvina's younger version asked, her voice tinged with frustration.

"Huh? Isn't it usually in your room, sis? I rarely go in there," Arston replied, tilting his head to show his sister how honest he was being.

"Ugh! It must be that little troublemaker!" Irvina's younger version stomped her foot in anger.

"Um, hey, Arston," Renica nervously interjected, wanting to ask the boy something after he closed the door.

"What? Do you want to return the necklace around your neck?" Arston taunted, assuming he knew what she wanted.

Renica nodded in response to Arston's question, and he mocked her with a teasing reply, "Don't bother. The die has already been cast, thanks to the 'but I like this' and 'but I like that' princess I'm acquainted with. Let them sort it out. Besides, the necklace looks good on you."

"Well, thank you," Renica replied shyly, grateful for the compliment.

"Anyway, we should also figure out how to remove the black markings on your neck. Have you ever been in contact with a healing spell?" Arston asked, concerned about Renica's well-being.

"A healing spells? I don't think so. The families I stayed with were just ordinary people—carpenters, farmers, or blacksmiths, maybe. I never saw anyone using magic," Renica recalled her past, trying to remember if she had ever encountered magic.

"Hmm, I'm not sure what might happen if you try it, but would you like to give it a shot? Although it doesn't hinder you in any way, it's still an unpleasant sight," Arston suggested, trying to help Renica with her predicament.

"Um, okay, but can we test it on somewhere else first? Not on my neck," Renica requested, feeling nervous about being the guinea pig.

"Of course. We wouldn't want to see you burned to a crisp, would we?" Arston mocked, causing Renica to shiver at the thought of being burned.

"What? Are you chickening out now?" Arston jeered, seeing Renica's fear.

"How am I supposed to stay calm? I'm about to be a test subject, the first to try it!" exclaimed Renica, her voice trembling with anxiety.

"Hmm, I'm sure your mom or dad talked about bravery and courage that a royal must possess, right?" Arston guessed, recalling the lessons he had heard about royals.

"Y-yes, Grandpa always said not to be afraid of anything, but..." Renica started to reply before being interrupted by Arston.

"Well, what kind of princess is scared of a healing spell?" Arston challenged Renica, teasing her about her fear. Before she could respond, they heard the sounds of a heated argument coming from outside.

"WHERE ARE YOU HIDING IT!? DADDY! MANDA HID MY NECKLACE!" Irvina's younger version shouted in frustration.

"I DID NOT! DON'T BLAME ME FOR EVERYTHING BAD THAT HAPPENS TO YOU!" Amanda retorted; her voice filled with defiance.