Chapter 58: The Poet Writing the Epic |
A hundred years had passed since the establishment of the four great kingdoms, and people had long forgotten the once-existent Yinsai.
Even Yesael, the second-generation King of Wisdom, had become a myth, and the grudges and hatred between King Eli and Queen Star had turned into distant memories. People would only occasionally chat about these stories during idle conversations.
Even those more ancient stories had gradually been forgotten. People could only recall those great and noble names but couldn’t remember what had actually happened in the past.
On this day, two figures returned to a small town outside the God-Descended City.
The town was clearly a fishing village, and its residents made a living by fishing. Even the air carried a fishy and salty smell.
“Let’s stop here!” Polo held Star’s hand as they stood on the sea, looking up at the ruins left behind by King Yesael.
“Not going any further?” Star looked at Polo.
“No, we’ve walked for so long. It’s time for us to rest,” Polo turned his head to look at Star, speaking gently.
Polo gazed at Star. Her once beautiful and fair bone armor had become rough and worn, and the star-filled glow had turned dim and obscure.
Both Polo and Star knew that their journey was nearing its end.
Star smiled, “Then let’s stop here!”
They found a beautiful sandy beach by the sea and built a house with a courtyard.
The courtyard was covered with a golden dome, seeming to be woven from the cups of the Sun Cup Flower, dazzling and beautiful.
Inside the courtyard, Sun Cup Flowers were planted everywhere. These flowers, considered taboo by ordinary people and only worthy of possession by royalty, did not hold such a mystical allure in the eyes of the two.
Polo loved flowers, and Star would spend her days sitting in the courtyard, gazing out at the sea through the window.
The courtyard filled with Sun Cup Flowers emanated an air of illusion.
Ordinary people couldn’t see this place at all, let alone approach it.
However, on this day, something unusual happened.
“Knock, knock, knock!”
The sound of knocking came from outside; someone had come to visit them.
“Who are you?” Polo asked.
A voice, respectful and humble, came from outside the courtyard.
“Greetings to the noble Queen Star and the Messenger of God.”
“I am a poet and scholar from the Queen’s former hometown, the God-Servant City. My name is Tito.”
Polo: “We didn’t invite you.”
The person replied, “Please forgive my boldness and uninvited arrival. If I have offended the Queen and the Messenger of God, I will leave immediately.”
Star raised her head, “It’s been a long time since anyone visited us. Let him in.”
A young Trilobite Man walked in and offered the highest courtesy to the two.
Star asked him, “How did you find us?”
The young poet answered, “I didn’t deliberately seek you out. I just happened to pass by and saw the Sun Cup Flowers. No one but the royal family can possess such things, and why would those noble and extravagant royals live in a place like this?”
“I guessed that the legendary Queen Star and Messenger of God Polo must be living in seclusion here to be able to grow such a dazzling field of Sun Cup Flowers.”
Star: “You’re very clever.”
The poet: “No, I believe this is the arrangement of fate.”
“Fate brought me here, and it was also fate that arranged for me to meet you and the Messenger of God.”
Star was curious, “You believe in fate?”
The poet nodded earnestly, “I believe everything is predestined, just like the 23rd article of the Redlichia Covenant’s Divine Admonition, just like how King Yesael was destined to lose the Crown of Wisdom.”
Tito came from the God-Servant City. When he was born, Queen Star had already left there for several decades. His mother was a concubine’s daughter of the Xilong family, one of the royal bloodlines.
He was born with the bloodline of wisdom power, but he couldn’t activate it himself. However, he could see through shallow illusions.
Tito’s name meant “map” because his grandfather had created the first map of Yinsai, including the four kingdoms and the entire world known to the Trilobite Men.
Born into such an illustrious family of scholars, he did not become a scholar who drew maps but instead did everything he could to become a poet.
For this reason, he left the God-Servant City, traveling between the major kingdoms and lingering in the ruins where historical events had taken place.
“Why did you want to become a poet? Is it because of a dream?” Star inquired.
Tito shook his head, “In cartography, I could never surpass my grandfather, and in scholarship, it would be difficult for me to surpass my father. Only by becoming a great poet could I be remembered by the world.”
“I want to have my own story, my own achievements, and my own career.”
Star nodded, “A very honest answer. So, have you written any great poems?”
Tito replied, “I am currently composing an epic about Yinsai, chronicling the tales of King Yesael and King Eli. Now, all that remains is your story.”
The elderly Star laughed, straightening her body.
“Can I also be included in the epic?”
“A final ruler who ended Yinsai, a person who ended the legacy of King Yesael, a protagonist who instigated infighting and killing among the royal families.”
Tito: “Let future generations judge right and wrong!”
“What I want to do is simply record history.”
“Therefore, I believe it is fate and the guidance of God that brought me here, allowing me to meet you.”
The young poet said earnestly.
After hearing this, Star couldn’t help but sigh, “Indeed!”
“Whether it’s right or wrong, it’s not up to you or me to say.”
She no longer resisted and began to recount her life to the poet.
Her legend, her glory.
As well as her hardships and choices, her laughter and happiness.
The poet would occasionally ask questions, and Star would answer them all.
It was not until sunset that the poet stood up and thanked Queen Star with respect.
“Thank you, Your Majesty the Queen.”
Star: “I am no longer a queen, let alone your majesty.”
The poet Tito: “In my heart, you will always be the noble Queen Star.”
The young poet departed, promising to return the next day with a draft of his writing for the Queen to review.
Polo, who had been standing by her side the entire time, suddenly spoke, “I wonder what kind of story he will write, but it feels like it will be hard to make it a happy one.”
Star was indifferent, “History is always heavy. Epics and myths are never full of smiles and laughter.”
“Our story, our happiness, we know it ourselves.”
“That’s enough.”
After saying this, Star could no longer maintain her sitting posture. She was already very tired from sitting for so long.
“I’m a bit tired.”
“I’m old now. I can’t even sit for a little while.”
“Back in the day, I could hold a sword and engage in a life-or-death battle with King Eli!”
Polo helped Star up, “I’ll help you inside to rest.”
That night, a sudden storm raged outside.
Star abruptly woke up and called out, “Polo, where are you?”
Polo responded reassuringly, “I’m here!”
Star touched Polo and finally calmed down.
“Polo, I just had a dream,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “I dreamed of a pitch-black place, like the legendary Deep Sea Abyss. I’m so scared. Do you think I’ll be banished there after I die?”
Polo shook his head, “How could that be?”
“Don’t worry. Even if you die, I will still be with you.”
“I am the messenger of the divine, the master of dreams.”
“In the world of dreams, I will always be with you. We will repeat our adventures and travels together, again and again, never stopping.”
A blissful smile appeared on Star’s face as she began to recount the interesting things that happened during her and Polo’s journey, some of the scenes that were most deeply etched in her memory.
As she spoke, her voice grew softer and softer.
Gradually, it turned into indistinct murmurs.
Star tightly grasped Polo’s golden robe, and Polo leaned in, listening to her voice.
“Mm-hmm!”
“Mm-hmm!”
“I know, I remember.”
“I remember it all.”
Finally, Star let go of his golden robe, a look of contentment on her face.
But Polo’s expression instantly turned blank, as if he had heard a shattering sound.
As if something inside him had broken.
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