I was never able to go to a bustling town in daylight since five years ago. The first and last time I did, my whole world turned upside down. I could only go out during my missions in the evening. That time at Deliora with Blaze didn't even count since we used a furtive route to the forest which did not pass any towns.
It was pretty lively around me, especially here at the marketplace as people come and go. I tailed behind Reichen as we strolled around. We were out to buy my clothes since I had nothing with me. Even if I used the key to the basement, it was not that I could use it to go back to my chamber since I would still end up at where I entered. Besides, I didn't even have it with me.
I had learned that the cottage was located at the foot of Mt. Ymore, the tallest mountain on the continent that served as a border between the kingdom of Areska and Carrion. The cottage was also the main headquarters of the Crusaders but no one was there except for me and the guys earlier.
Blaze left first and Night had something to do but he was reluctant and breathed a string of threats to Reichen before he was gone and that was how I ended up with him.
I was walking mindlessly, enjoying the scenery comparable to a lost child when I was knocked over by someone.
"Thief!" A woman screeched almost right beside me in these crowded streets.
I immediately got up and the man that bumped me did not even apologize but he was running away like crazy. I followed him without thinking. He was definitely young on how fast he was or maybe I was just slow because of my dress.
Still, in just a minute, I was able to catch him. We were in the plaza so he was not able to flee that easily. I grabbed the end of his hood and kicked him off the bat. I promptly straddled him from behind and put his hand on his back. I searched for his body and found the bag of coins as he struggled beneath me.
He must be desperate to do this without further planning. I thought as I took the bag from him.
Someone briskly pulled me upright when I was about to get up myself. The young man quickly busted off while Reichen dragged me away right after we returned it to the woman who was also chasing behind us all the while.
"This is not the time for your chivalrous act, Carline," Reichen reprimanded when we were far from the uproar.
"Excuse me, why are you referring to me in my first name? I thought we were only allowed to call our second names," I shot back as the other two men flashed in my mind who was as brazen as him to address me by my given name without consent.
These guys were very overfamiliar to me for unknown reasons.
"It's not like I can address you as Ace seeing how infamous you were."
"Ace can be everyone's name. No one will think about connecting us. I am a princess while the other person is a thief."
"You never know. I was even able to find out easily as soon as I was aware of your existence."
"You're not an ordinary person so, of course, it was easy."
"I'll take that as a compliment," he said with such a smug expression.
"You better not, it was a simple statement."
"You never ran out of retorts, do you? Anyway, we're here. This boutique is well-known all over Areska that even the royalty here buys from them."
"I think we should try a cheaper place than this."
"Why are you being frugal? You said you're a princess yourself so you must be used to fine dresses. Besides, Night gave you money, if it was not enough, I can pay for you."
Night did give me thousands of grands which were an outstanding amount just for mere shopping but it didn't mean I had to spend it in one go. I promised myself to give him the money I spent later once I asked Cindra for the key to the basement. Good thing I stashed my money there instead of my chamber or I would be literally homeless and penniless.
"It's not like I need to get dolled up every day."
"But you have to tomorrow."
"Huh?"
"Didn't we say your part of the mission tomorrow? We're going to infiltrate a royal ball in Helia. We suspect that one of the crowns they had is a Lost Treasure."
"How do you know it?" I questioned with deep curiosity.
"The Ballad, of course."
Reichen was no doubt pertaining to the Ballad of the Lost Treasure. It was a famous fairytale book on the continent. It was a story of wishes and dreams. A riddle that had never been solved that had become a mere story that was buried from reality. Nothing was indicated what it was aside from the fact that they were all precious stones.
No one really knew what it was just like with the Candor of Ores. There were a lot of gems with it but I didn't specifically identify what was the Lost Treasure among it. It was specified in many books that it looked like a common gem but when the first miracle took its impurities, the treasure would be the beacon of light.
"What I mean how can you be so sure in suspecting about the crown."
"I'm not but it was always a trial and error after a thousand years of searching to no avail. The only solution was taking and confirming it and the majority of the time, it was wrong. Not to mention that there were a lot of pieces of jewelry manufactured as of now. The one that looked shabby may actually be the Lost Treasure itself. Our only guide is the ballad in which it reveals what kingdom it can be found."
"So it pertains to the kingdom but there are tens of kingdoms within the continent and I'm sure it would be transported from time to time."
It was inevitable it became a myth since it was clearly futile to find it if you based it on old given instructions. I tried recalling the lines of the ballad. It was one of the things that bewildered me. Not even Cindra or Night could help me with one. Or maybe, they did know but avoided telling me seeing that it did exist and people are scrabbling for it. I would not be surprised because they formerly kept many things from me for years.
"That's the thing. The Lost Treasure cannot leave the lands where it was kept. Our ancestors were able to find one because of its peculiarity. The riddles had long been unraveled but every kingdom was vast that raking for a single stone was similar to searching for a needle in a haystack. Nonetheless, the ballad is not that hard to solve if you don't complicate it and take it at its face value. It was never a riddle in the first place. It basically describes the twelve kingdoms."
A passage came to mind as he spoke. "'The colors of the ocean, the borders of the greens, the south of the sands, the north of the winters, as blue as the sky of the stone beneath.' Does it refer to Relandey?"
The kingdom of Relandey was known to be located at the center of the continent. It was not because it was situated as the central part but because of its proximity to all the lands. It was near the ocean but also near the Winterlands. It had lush forests but it was not too far away from the wasted lands of Tetrae, either.
"Hm. Yes. You're really quick on uptake."
"Thanks."
"It is qui---"
Just in time, we were interceded by a horse neigh that I almost forgot we were talking outside the boutique the whole time in the busy cobbled street.
"Let's continue our talk later, shall we?" said Reichen and led me inside.
***
It was past noon when we were finished picking some dresses. Reichen invited me to have lunch and I obliged. I was not aware that buying clothes was so stressful, not to mention Reichen's nitpicking as if he was the one who would wear them.
"Now that I thought of it, what about the last stanza, it doesn't describe any kingdom," I asked as we ate.
"You're still thinking about that?"
"Of course," I said and started reciting the whole ballad.
A blessing, a gift, beest t hon'r 'r gl'ry, whatev'r thee desire, whatev'r t may beest, thy handeth shall beest able to grasp. I bestow these treasures f'r thy wisheth, mine own dearly belov'd
The one with wint'r is in its nameth and in its landeth and in its beauty lies on the lighteth yond wouldst nev'r beest cast'd
As bitter cold and deep as the wat'rs, truly t shines in the et'rnal snoweth
Then timeth hath passed, t long'd f'r the frost, finally warmth seep'd in
the waves whisp'r'd and echoed, the seasons arrived,
the col'rs of the ocean, the b'rd'rs of the greens, the south of the sands, the n'rth of the wint'rs, as blue as the sky of the stone beneath
the gift of the coves lies enshielf, once hath found the w'rld wast mesm'riz'd
F'r the golden dusk, the prism of hues the vast lands hath found their jewel
Did bind in the lush greens, liketh springeth defin'd in the f'rtile soil
T hath grown the tint of roses, array of floweth'rs, the purity anyone shall ad're
A blossom of scarlet, but soft did bury in mem'ries as t sunk
Drowning in the ev'rlasting sky the night is on holdeth f'r its brightest star
The stone of essence is mine own treasure. t is ev'rywh're. t is within. T is wh're you'll findeth but nev'r seeth. But once thee seeth, i'll heareth thy plea f'r t is mine own gift yond wast setteth free.
The first miracle shall taketh its impurities and the treasures shall beest thy beacon of lighteth. thy blessing and thy gift whatev'r thee desire whatev'r t may beest f'r thou art mine own dearly belov'd.
"...The first two must be Gallace and Winlore as the only kingdoms in the Winterlands, followed by Oshana I think since it's the warmest kingdom, then Hasfor having all four seasons and of course Relandey, then Nurien with their coves, Helia since they have the Tetrae Lands which is often described as golden dusk. Fryae because they are bounded by forest. Lorief is the land of spring, Rumies because they have the red soil then Solaris because you can see the Castella which is the brightest star in the kingdom. That's far that I could guess," I uttered without catching my breath.
"You're right. I have to say I'm impressed you managed to solve the majority in just a day, Carline. But it's not Lorief but Linosas. Although Lorief is known as the flower capital, Linosas is the origin of Niveus which is a white stemmed pink flower known as the purest in the continent," he informed.
"It's because you gave me a clue. I initially thought it depicts the colors of the stones so I had a hard time guessing what kind of gemstone it was but it was a lot easier knowing it was a place since it didn't even occur to me. Then how about the last one?"
"We assumed it is Deliora since it talks about the treasure and we thought it was Silverious but it is not the case since the Lost Treasure is one of a kind."
"Is that why no one gathered all of them?"
"Yes. Centuries or even millennia but no one knew had identified the treasure was. That was why the last one is very important. It is only when it is found that the final victor can be declared."
We continued our chat and I guessed he was not as annoying as I thought he would be.
***
Note: Hello cutiefries. if you checked the map, some names mentioned here are not there because they go beyond the Tetrae Lands and are all small kingdoms in the Far East while the Grand West is where the setting of the story is mostly and are much more powerful and richer.
Also for the ballad, I used a translator so pardon my old English. It's because I want to give a feel of a ballad. Below is the modern translation and I recommend playing the instrumental as you read since it is indeed a ballad.
The guide here is to know what the Lost Treasures look like but it's not really a spoiler since you don't know what it was attached to. It may be a ring, a sword, or anything a jewel can be embedded. They are based on the rarest precious stones in the world. Thanks for your time reading such a long note lol