Chapter 15 – Wolf and the Fox

Sheila and Pel cut short their conversation and bowed their heads as Levisia entered with Lidan. Pel, in particular, moved far away from Lidan just as he did with Siaphyl.

“These are crops grown in this palace.” 

“Crops?”

Lidan looked at her as if to say, “I thought it was a floral garden?” Not as if he ever considered it a floral garden. She picked up a string nearby and went into the field without further delay. Lidan, unable to follow her, paced around the periphery and asked, “What will you do with that, sis?”

“I am putting in support rods so that the seedlings don’t fall over. They can grow up around it.”

“Why are you…”

“There isn’t enough help around here. Besides, I end up eating them.”

“You grow and eat these?” Lidan furrowed his eyebrows as though he just heard the most bizarre thing. It was the first ever honest reaction from him. “I can’t imagine how that works.” He must’ve never seen crops from this close. Then it immediately came to her mind that he probably only saw food being served on his table.

‘I suppose…’ Siaphyl had a similar reaction. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t seen Siaphyl since that day. ‘I guess it was quite a shock. Wait, in that case…’ Would Lidan stop coming over too if he did some farming? An idea flashed into her mind: shall she call it the Kraiden Eradication Plan? However, she didn’t have the guts to make the Third Prince work. At least Siaphyl volunteered to help before not returning.

Just then, Lidan asked, “Is there anything I can help with, sis?”

“….!”

She was about to take up on the offer when Lidan took a step back. 

“Actually, I know nothing about farming. I may be more of a burden than help.”

‘He got me.’

Persistent, Levisia tried to think of a way to convince him to change his mind after missing her chance. ‘Should I say it’s easy? Easy enough for a beginner?’ She kept thinking of ways to persuade him as she tied the string around the rod when she heard laughter. It was obviously from Lidan. She wasn’t sure what was so funny, but he laughed for a while and then picked up a string even though she hadn’t asked him to.

“Okay, I’ll help.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s hard not to offer help to that face you made.”

‘What face did I make?’ He always talked about her face and laughed, but she, on the other hand, was always clueless. ‘It’s not like I carry a mirror around to check my face.’ Stuck in a daze, she accidentally touched her face with her hands, smearing dirt across her skin.

“Oops, you got something on your face.” Without warning, Lidan’s hand reached over and rubbed her cheek. At the same moment, she heard something heavy fall to the ground. When she turned to look at where the sound came from, Pel was looking at their direction, and his shovel was lying around his feet.

‘Did he throw his shovel down?’

Her eyes narrowed for an answer. For some reason, Pel sharply glared at her and picked up his shovel. It was only for a second, but it was a bit unsettling how piercing his eyes seemed underneath his bushy hair. 

‘Why did he look at me like that?’

You could almost say his eyes beamed. So confused by his actions, she was unable to take her eyes off Pel when Lidan said, “Sis, that servant…”

Her eyes grew wider as she turned to look at Lidan. Behind him was another person who, just like her, had a surprised face on.

“Sister and… Lidan?”

It was Siaphyl strangely dressed in old, worn-out clothes and even wearing a straw hat. Why was he here dressed with determination to work?

“Hm? Who’s this?”

“Why is he here…?”

Lidan’s lips curled upward as Siaphyl muttered to himself. It was rather frightening, sending chills down her spine. Just then, Lidan spoke.

“What is our adorable baby brother doing here?”

‘Erm, sounds rather threatening for calling him adorable.’

* * *

Lidan was on edge after noticing Siaphyl’s appearance. He particularly arched his eyebrows at how Siaphyl and Levisia seemed well acquainted. ‘So they already know each other?’ It seemed clear that this was most definitely not Siaphyl’s first time coming here.  He was dressed in unusual fashion, and he easily found this place, the strange farming garden. ‘Even setting aside how they came to know each other, this is suspicious.’ 

Lidan kept glancing at Levisia who was at his side. He himself didn’t know what abilities Levisia had. However, he found himself feeling at ease and confident of accomplishing anything whenever she was near. Just like when the Fairy Tree was nearby. She was like a ray of sunshine that suddenly appeared in his rather dull life. Lidan knew he wasn’t the only one feeling like this. But how did Siaphyl find out about her before him? And that reaction as though he was caught?

Lidan caught the eyes of Siaphyl glancing his way. Siaphyl quickly hid his face and smiled, but it was only after Lidan saw everything.

‘I knew it. He has an ulterior motive.’

Siaphyl was feeling the same thing just as Lidan was. Also, he might have wanted to hide her from others. But now, as if to avoid this situation, or as if to unearth something, Siaphyl spoke up, “I didn’t think I’d see you here, Lidan.”

“I also didn’t think I’d see my baby brother here.”

At that moment, Lidan began to look at Siaphyl differently.

‘We’ve been raising a fox.’

A sly fox at that.