The Seed Thief

He rushed out just in case but it was really Prince Ervandas. Although his attire was plainer than a peasant in a rural village, his demeanor distinctly set him apart from others.Even his gait exuded elegance and neatness. The Deputy Lord led Ervandas inside, recalling his high reputation as a knight. Once inside, Ervandas naturally took a seat at the Deputy Lord’s desk and no one voiced any objections. After all, Ervandas had the authority to govern this entire region.There was no slightest hesitation in his attitude, like a man who deserves to be at the top.Seated at the desk, Ervandas took a clean paper and a pen and began to write a letter. Soon, he placed two sheets of paper into separate envelopes and handed them to the Deputy Lord.“This one is for Isolto Castle, and this one is for the royal palace.”“Understood. Do you have any further orders, Your Highness?”“For now, I want to wash up and rest. And…”As Ervandas became lost in thought, the Deputy Lord anxiously awaited his words.Ervandas had a reputation for ruthlessly suppressing the rebellion. During that time, he had been conducting investigations throughout the territories under the guise of a nomad. And undoubtedly, he had uncovered remnants of the rebel forces or places that required further scrutiny.While the Deputy Lord worried about whether to issue a deployment order to the stationed knights, Ervandas broke his silence.“Where can I find the women’s tailor shop in this city?”* * *Lulu sat on the steps of her house, watching the slowly fading sun. The orange sunset painted the sky beautifully before turning into various colors. As she gazed upon the vibrant tapestry of the clear, expansive sky, her eyes noticed a distant evening star.Grrr—Hearing her stomach growling, Lulu slowly got up and headed to the kitchen. She pulled the cloth covering a plate and found a pile of well-boiled potatoes underneath.Lulu reached for one, intending to eat it, but then recalled Er’s words to enjoy it with the simmering stew. She approached the countertop and opened a pot, revealing a generous portion of tomato stew, simmered with various ingredients. Scooping some onto her plate, she carefully tasted it with a spoon.After a few gulps, Lulu weakly lowered the spoon.“Tasteless.”It couldn’t be. The potatoes were the finest, carefully selected, and perfectly boiled by Er. The stew, too, simmered with an abundance of summer vegetables freshly harvested from the field, along with the recently caught pigeon meat.She had seen Er glued to the kitchen all day yesterday, meticulously seasoning and investing more time than usual in cooking. It was unbelievable that it wouldn’t taste good.Lulu glanced around. The evening mealtime held the greatest delight for her. It was the time when she and Er would return from washing up, engage in conversations, and savor the fruits that they had gathered and prepared throughout the day.Lulu immediately put the half-eaten potato into the basket and carried the plate to the sink. In the past, she would have left them be, but now she washed them with water and organized them. It would make tomorrow a bit more manageable.For Lulu, who used to live one day at a time, preparing for tomorrow made a significant change to her life. Thinking about tomorrow, a month from now, and the upcoming winter—all those moments were shared with Er.After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Lulu asked the golem outside to keep a watchful eye on the surroundings.  She then placed the bone crow inside the cage before returning to her bedroom.A floating ball of magical light hovered above her head as she reached for an unread grimoire from the neatly arranged bookshelf and climbed into bed.Usually, Lulu would immediately lose herself in the book, but today was different.Eventually, she closed the book, dispelled the floating light, and closed her eyes. The bed was not particularly large. When Er was here, it filled up completely. However, without him today, the bed felt vast like the largest bed in the world.Feeling the coolness on the empty side, Lulu pulled the blanket over her head and closed her eyes.Through the open window, she could hear leaves rustling in the night breeze, night birds chirping, and grasshoppers buzzing.Sounds that she used to pay no mind rang in her ears like thunder today.It was the forest where she had lived since childhood. Even during storms with thunder and lightning, or when a snowstorm froze the entire forest, Lulu had never been afraid of this place. However, now, for the first time, she felt unfamiliarity and fear in her own world.The forest remained unchanged.The only thing that had changed was Er appearing here. And now that he was gone, the forest wasn’t the same one Lulu remembered.Lulu rose from the bed and went to the living room. The crow, which had been sleeping on the stand inside the cage, looked at Lulu as if wondering why she was up.“Let’s sleep together.”Lulu took the crow out of the cage and cradled it in her arms, then returned to bed and flipped the blanket over. Er had promised to return within three days. Feeling sad that she still had to wait two more days, Lulu hugged the crow tighter. Even though it was not warm like the nights she had spent with Er, it still brought her some comfort.Lulu closed her eyes as she listened to the owl hoot, somehow louder than usual. But in the end, she couldn’t fall asleep until morning arrived.* * *“I’ll go back then.”At Ervandas’s words, the Deputy Lord looked at the burden he carried with a puzzled face.The sturdy fabric bag, capable of fitting at least one adult male, seemed on the verge of bursting. The Deputy Lord knew what was in it. Wasn’t it Prince Ervandas who had asked about the women’s tailor shop as soon as he arrived at the estate?When the Deputy Lord first heard it, he thought there were remnants of rebel forces hiding in that place. So the next day, when Ervandas said he would go there, the Deputy Lord hastily gathered the castle’s knights, ensuring they were heavily armed.Upon hearing the prince’s summons, the knights rushed forward, filled with nerves, and knelt before him, calling out.“Please give me your orders!”“What is this commotion? And why are the knights here?”Ervandas stared at the fully armored knights in bewilderment as if asking the Deputy Lord for an explanation. The Deputy Lord proudly looked at the knights, who had prepared for action in a short time and responded.“You mentioned the tailor shop. We have already dispatched a team to the area in advance. From the reports, the knights have yet to notice any movement. If you give the command now, we can search not only the individuals inside the dressing room but also any hidden spaces and documents of the rebels, if there are any…”The Deputy Lord, who had been speaking excitedly, had to stop because Ervandas was looking at him as if he had just made a grave mistake.Wiping his face with his hand, Ervandas dismissed the knights. Then, he issued orders for strict monitoring of people’s conversations to prevent leaks about his presence in the castle. After that, he left the castle with only a wagon and one coachman.Ervandas returned to the castle after a full day had passed. After the coachman unloaded the baggages and entered the room, the Deputy Lord asked him where Ervandas had been and what he had bought. He was worried that perhaps he had failed to notice some deeper intentions of the prince.However, the coachman’s response was completely unexpected.“He kept buying women’s clothing. It seemed like he also purchased a lot of jewelry. Oh, and he bought various soaps and other necessities from the general store.”The Deputy Lord was confused by this incomprehensible situation.Who was Ervandas? It was widely known that he despised women to the extent that he had to enter the temple.Even during his time as a knight, numerous women were captivated by his bravery and attractiveness, yearning for a single glimpse of his face at the temple, but he never once laid eyes on them.Ervandas, with such a reputation, buying women’s clothing? Jewelry? The Deputy Lord’s expression turned grave.‘Could it be a bait to draw out the remaining rebels?’It might be essential items, but he couldn’t think of any other reason why Ervandas would need such things. As the Deputy Lord’s misunderstanding grew, Ervandas prepared to leave.His primary reason for coming here was to ensure his safety before the designated date. That’s why he reached out to the nearby castle where he originally stayed. It was his first letter.The second letter was sent to the palace. Ervandas imagined the face of his brother, who would read that letter.He would be astonished. And he would find it absurd.For a moment, Ervandas thought about Lulu, who would be alone by now. He remembered her tearful plea, asking if she could see him off.In truth, she was the person he didn’t want to leave behind.Lulu’s world, the forest, had become his world as well. Who would have known that his paradise, which he hadn’t found in the palace or the temple, would be the witch’s forest?As Ervandas thought of Lulu, he put his hand into his pocket. What he hastily prepared here yesterday was inside his pocket. If he were to hold it out and reveal what it meant, how would Lulu react?A soft smile adorned Ervandus’ lips as he imagined her presence. It was an affectionate smile, tender and captivating, causing those around him to momentarily lose their composure and gaze at him.The Deputy Lord looked at Ervandas with a perplexed expression.‘Is this the prince I know?’He had met Ervandas once before, in a larger castle before he was assigned here.The young prince he’d seen then had been ruthless, cold, and emotionless. Granted, it was necessary to handle the rebels, but even after the rebellion was subdued, that coldness persisted.Not a single person had witnessed Ervandas smile, not even during victory celebrations.However, the Ervandas, who suddenly appeared here, were entirely different from the one the Deputy Lord remembered. He had bought numerous women’s items, looked off into the distance, and smiled like he was in love.‘Is… he seeing a woman?’There were many strange signs. The women the prince met wouldn’t be ordinary; she would likely be from the noble class. But even if it was a secret affair, why would the prince personally prepare and carry such items? Moreover, despite the short preparation time, the fabrics used were of high quality, but still ready-made. Most nobles would have their clothes tailored by seamstresses.‘Then she is a commoner?’Even if she were a commoner, it would be odd. Why would the prince burden himself with such luggage?Another day passed, and the Deputy Lord remained puzzled.From dawn, Ervandas paced restlessly in and out of his office, gazing at the sky outside.As the sun rose, he saw a small dot in the distance. And as time passed, the dot grew larger and eventually took the shape of a bird. The messenger falcon, with a pouch tied to its ankle, circled the castle as if waiting for Ervandas to whistle, and descended before him.