Fraternal countries

A long time ago, there was a kingdom with vast lands and a population that lived in utmost prosperity, possessing the richest resources in the world. This kingdom was also home to a royal family beloved by everyone. The people loved the royal family so much that they decorated the walls of their homes with portraits of the royals.  So much so that families would name their firstborn or lastborn child after someone from the royal family. This act of naming was a great honor and pride for the common folk. It became so widespread that people didn’t even need to ask each other’s names anymore—they already knew. Naturally, mothers gave their firstborn daughters the name of the queen, who was said to have the most beautiful hair, eyes, eyelashes, and nose, whose words made animals burst into harmonious songs, and who was envied by goddesses and the seven seas alike for her unparalleled beauty.  The bard, holding the parchment with both hands, turned his head slightly to the right to look at the queen.  "My Queen, may I ask a question with your permission?"  At that moment, the queen, sitting on her royal throne with one leg draped over the armrest and munching on apples from a golden basket, raised an eyebrow and stared at the bard for a long moment.  “Speak,” the queen said, taking a big bite of her apple.  The poor bard gulped deeply, straightened his posture, and said:  “My beloved and esteemed Queen, don’t you think the description of the queen here is a bit too much?” (The bard brought his thumb and index finger close together, leaving a small gap.) “What I mean is, even this level of description makes the text seem fake and hal-”  At that moment, the queen, who had been listening to him with growing irritation, suddenly shouted:  “Sileeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeence!”  All the servants in the grand royal hall covered their ears. Even the chef in the royal kitchen burned the soup in his shock.  The queen rose from her seat in a rage:  “By the beard of sea horses! It seems our royal bard, who I’ve spent all day wrecking my precious brain for, does not appreciate my speech! In fact, he couldn’t care less! Apparently, our esteemed bard doesn’t hold his insignificant life in high regard.”  The trembling bard, on the verge of tears, threw the parchment aside and dropped to his knees in a panic:  “Queen of the Seven Seas, I beg your pardon! But if we want future generations to truly know us, a flawless-”  At that moment, the queen hurled the apple at the head of the knight standing by the door and interrupted:  “Ugh, enough already! Why are we even writing this nonsense, huh? For the sake of future generations, so they understand how great our kingdom was, right? We’re not writing this for fun, are we? Why do we need to write something perfect? They’ll believe whatever lies we tell them anyway. You think we care about your concerns? Guards, take him away! Your punishment: write a 20-page essay about how magnificent I am! Guards!”  The unfortunate bard was dragged away, accepting his fate. The queen pulled out her fan and began fanning herself, her anger boiling over.  “Bianca!” she called out.  A woman with chubby, rosy cheeks, glasses, in her forties, dressed in a maid's outfit, and beads of sweat dripping from her forehead entered the room. Since she had run, she was out of breath, bent over, holding her knees to catch her breath. The Queen, unable to endure this sight any longer, loudly cleared her throat. Bianca, who had sharp ears, immediately straightened up, adjusted her glasses, and raised her hands in the air: "– At your service! The unparalleled goddess envied by the seas and the heavens, the dazzling, breathtaking Queen!" The Queen, playing with her nails while basking in these praises, suddenly remembered something important and quickly set her fan down on the arm of her throne. Queen: "– Enough, enough! That’s sufficient. Now, where are those three useless sea hippos of mine?" Bianca took a notebook out of her blue apron, adjusted her glasses again, and began reading from it, counting with her plump index finger. "– His Majesty the King has taken his hunting gear and gone to the Emerald Forest to hunt. He is accompanied by three royal knights, the jester, and two cupbearers." The Queen hit her fan sharply against her hand. Placing her jeweled hand on her forehead as if struck by a headache, Bianca immediately stopped speaking. Queen: "– That fool, how many barrels of wine did he take with him?" Bianca cleared her throat: "– Six barrels," she said. Queen: "– Barrels, you say? Bianca, do you think adding 'barrel' makes those massive barrels any smaller?" The Queen looked at Bianca expectantly. Bianca, tucking the notebook into her pocket and clasping her plump hands in front of her, responded sheepishly: "– No." The Queen shouted at the top of her lungs: "– So, you thought that if you said 'barrel,' I wouldn’t get angry and lose my temper, is that it?" Bianca and everyone in the throne room had their hands over their ears. Meanwhile, the palace cook, cleaning up the soup he had spilled in the kitchen earlier, tripped and fell. Poor cook, now covered in soup, angrily stood up, removed his apron, and muttered Italian curses as he marched off to hand in his resignation. Thus, he became the 90th cook to resign from the palace. Back in the throne room, the Queen was taking deep breaths. Placing her hands on her chest, she said: Queen: "– Okay, okay, I’m calm. Anyway, let’s pray that last time’s incident doesn’t repeat itself. Otherwise, I’ll have to raise the taxes collected from the people again. By Poseidon’s beard!" Everyone in the throne room held their breath. After all, the infamous last incident had resulted in a tremendous amount of cleaning work. Bianca raised her hands in the air: "– Oh, my Queen, let’s not speak of misfortune lest it comes true," she said. The Queen waved her right hand dismissively: "– Whatever, just continue." Bianca took out her notebook again and glanced at it: "– Your son–" The Queen interrupted her: "– Forget him. He’s at the farm, where else would he be? The lunatic." Bianca, trying to prevent the Queen from getting angry again, said, "Anyway, my Queen, let me continue." Queen: "What do you mean, continue? I already regret asking. Whatever those three fools are up to, I don’t care. Honestly, not once in their lives have they thought, 'Oh, we have a wife. We have a mother who worked tirelessly to rule the kingdom in our place.' And as for ruling the kingdom, why should I care? After all, it’s not the King running the country; it’s me. Am I even a citizen of this kingdom? Why should I care? Why?" After venting everything inside her in one breath, the Queen took a deep breath and, as if something suddenly crossed her mind, raised one eyebrow and looked at Bianca. "Wait, let me guess; that idiot of a daughter of mine is probably wandering the streets, isn’t she?" she said. Bianca raised her index finger and smiled sheepishly, saying, "Actually…" The Queen leaned slightly forward on her throne, as if she already knew where this conversation was heading. "What could be worse? Spit it out already," she sighed. Bianca stepped back a little from the Queen, opened her hands, and began to speak calmly: "Our Princess has just opened the 100th house of rendezvous for our kingdom today. She named it ‘The Princess’s Blossoms.’ And she’s had a huge golden sign placed in front of the building – though I don’t know how accurate it is to call it a ‘building,’ of course, Your Majesty – that reads, ‘From the Princess to the People.’ Not that she needed the sign, since everyone already knows who’s behind it. "She’s also stocked the house, as with the other ninety-nine, with both male and female staff. Additionally, Your Majesty, the Princess has ordered special jewels and gifts from the Kingdom of Dagdistan for her male harem. Apparently, the men in her harem initiated a movement in the name of the Human Rights Charter. The Princess, wanting to make amends, decided to offer them this little gesture." Bianca adjusted her attire and, with her pudgy hands, added, "Just a tiny expense of 500,000 crowns." She glanced cautiously at the Queen. The Queen, sitting on her throne, had brought her jewel-covered right hand to her forehead as if nursing a headache. After gauging the Queen’s state with a sidelong glance, Bianca continued: "Half of the tropical fruits and beverages sent by your father aboard those ships were donated to a neighboring kingdom as an apology for a dispute the Princess caused during a quarrel." After hearing this, as if all the staff had anticipated what was about to happen, they instinctively covered their ears with their hands. The Queen, sitting on her throne, was trembling with anger, muttering incoherent sentences one after another. Meanwhile, Bianca, sweating bullets, made a mistake she would later wish she’d never committed. "Y-Your Majesty, are… are you alright?" she stammered. The Queen slowly lifted her head to look at Bianca. Then, she began to laugh hysterically while trembling. And as every staff member in the throne room, oblivious to their earlier actions, prepared to boast about their composed reactions, a single anguished cry echoed throughout the entire kingdom: "ALVIRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" -Meanwhile at Swan Lake- Alvira: “Damn it, my whole body suddenly shivered. I wrapped my arms around myself, waiting for the trembling to pass, but it was no use. Every minute, my body didn’t just shiver; it felt like I was outside on a winter day without pants, even though I was in warm water. Am I getting COVID or something?” I thought, just as Austin, my chocolate-toned favorite of the harem, came over and hugged me. Austin: “Sofia, I swear all your generosity is a ploy to annul the Human Rights Treaty, but I can’t prove it,” he said. At that moment, Serphia, one of my rare exotic beauties, crossed his arms over his broad chest, took a deep breath, and said with a cheeky grin: “Let me offer you proof, dear friend. Why else would the Princess have swimsuits prepared for her harem and come swimming with us?” Lucious, who was listening from afar while letting the palace’s lovely maids comb his long, velvety white hair, chimed in: “I have more proof for you. Besides, let’s not forget the valuable jewels our Princess brought from the Kingdom of Dagdistan.” As he said this, he touched the emerald necklace hanging around his neck. As soon as Lucious finished speaking, the maids around him burst into giggles. Deciding I couldn’t tolerate the conversation any longer, I blurted: “There are only nine of you—nine! What’s this nonsense about a Human Rights Treaty? Anyone listening would think my harem consists of 100 men, and I entertain one every day, indulging in wild fantasies afterward.” Meanwhile, I was paddling around the lake to avoid fish trying to nip at me. “You’ve drained me dry, physically and mentally! No one can tell who’s royalty and who’s from the harem anymore,” I added. Kain, who was sitting by the shore with a pastry in each hand and busy eating, found the situation hilarious and burst into laughter. His red hair and freckled face glistened under the sun from sitting out too long. Laughing, Kain tossed one of the pastries toward me. But before it could reach me, Thai, who was meditating with his eyes closed in the water, caught it. Annoyed that his meditation was interrupted, Thai glanced at me—at that moment, I thought, "I’d rather let the fish eat me than deal with him”—and then at Adrian, who was reading a book while leaning against the ancient wisdom tree with his black, wavy hair pushed back by his scarred hand. Thai: “When are you going to say it? Spit it out already, four-eyes,” he said. Adrian’s lips curved into a slight smirk. He’d been part of the harem for five years now, a birthday gift from my family. Adrian was one of the first members of the harem, and Thai had been here long enough to enjoy bickering with the rugged, tattooed bear of a man more than anything else. Placing his book aside and crossing his pale arms, Adrian drew the attention of Austin, who muttered: “We’re screwed. Another fight’s about to break out.” He lay down on the grass next to Serphia. Alvira: “I’m not breaking this one up,” I said, joining Serphia and Austin. Resting my head on Serphia’s shoulder, I began rubbing the fish bites on my legs. Adrian: “Well, since our dear Thai insists…” (Thai’s teeth were already grinding as he floated in the water.) Adrian stood up and performed a little serenade. Then he turned his gaze toward me. “My dear earth-eyed Alvira, I regret to inform you of what’s about to happen,” he said. His mischievous look was replaced by one of sympathy. Jerking my head off Serphia’s shoulder, I was about to speak when Metehan, who had just returned from hunting with two wild rabbits in hand, beat me to it. Metehan: “Did you have another dream?” he asked. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Adrian’s reply as he moved toward the river. Everyone except me, of course! I leaped up and ran to shut Adrian’s mouth before he could speak, but Lucious grabbed me from behind and said: “Hold on, Alvira. Let’s at least hear what he has to say.” Adrian looked at me for approval. With a tearful voice, I said, “If it’s bad, don’t say it. I swear I’ll take all the jewels—and I’ll lock you and Thai in the same room!” From the water, Thai yelled, “What did I do to deserve this?” as he cursed. Adrian, however, merely smiled. I knew Adrian would never tell me anything to upset me. His homeland was as shrouded in mystery as he was. But Adrian had a gift bestowed by the goddesses: he could see glimpses of the future in his dreams. However, he couldn’t fully interpret the fates or futures of the people he dreamed about, only the symbols. His accuracy was fifty percent, yet almost everything he said came true.  Last month, when we went on a family vacation to the Arabian Peninsula, I met a very handsome boy responsible for the camels in the desert. I practically bent over backward to take him into my harem. I even told him we were from the Kingdom of Peria but were keeping it a secret for now. Of course, I had conveniently forgotten my mother’s repeated warnings of “Keep your mouths shut; we’re just ordinary tourists!” That night, while two other families were camping with us in the desert, bandits raided us and stole everything we had. My dear mother was tearing her hair out, yelling, “How did they know we were from Peria?” Just then, my brother—who could barely string two words together—pointed at me and said, “This idiot told them. I heard her while I was feeding the camels.” My mother turned to me, and before I could even react, my father grabbed her arm, saying, “My dear, don’t! She’s young and must have fallen in love. That’s why she did it.” Of course, I didn’t hold back after my father’s words of support. “Hey, catch me if you can!” I exclaimed. I mean, I’m 22 years old—why should I let myself be scolded? Especially in front of all those people! To defend myself, I opened my mouth and said, “Ugh, what do you expect me to do? Is it my fault that I lose control of myself when I see a handsome guy? It slipped my mind!” Then I pointed at my brother. “And this idiot—since he was with us—why didn’t he say, ‘My sister’s brain is defective, don’t mind her words’? Just like I lose it when I see handsome guys, he goes crazy when he sees a couple of animals! So, it’s all my fault, huh?” No sooner had I finished than I found myself face down in the desert sand, with my back aching from the fall. Eventually, the bandits were caught, and we got back everything we lost. My crazy brother returned with three camels for his farm, while my dear father, thanks to a food competition with the King of the Arabian Peninsula, won a first prize and three ships full of tropical fruits and food. My dear mother gained a new migraine and the ability to incapacitate her opponent within seconds, all thanks to me. And as for me, as punishment—this was the event Adrian dreamed about last month—I spent three days and three nights on a deserted island, surviving with monkeys. At least I learned to pick lice, thanks to them. Deep inside, a voice was already mocking me, saying, “You’re so screwed.” The funny part is knowing what’s coming but not being able to change it. I was about to shout, “So what if I’ve learned or not!” when… Adrian threw a pebble into the lake and said, “I won’t tell.” Thai, clearly furious, stomped toward Adrian by the shore and shouted, “What do you mean you won’t tell, man?” Still being held by Lucious, I turned to him and said, “Love, maybe you should hold Thai instead of me.” He smiled and replied, “No, darling, I’m perfectly comfortable here,” hugging me tighter. By now, Thai was already on the shore, grabbing Adrian by the collar with his wet hands. “Who was the one drilling into my head this morning, saying, ‘I’ll tell her, she has a right to know!’ huh?” he yelled. Kain dropped the pastries in his hand, got up, and grabbed Adrian’s collar and Thai’s hand, trying to separate them. But it was no use; he couldn’t even budge them. “What kind of strength does this bear Thai have, for crying out loud? Let go of the poor guy’s collar!” Kain said. Thai didn’t respond to any of this and didn’t break eye contact with Adrian. His tattoo-covered back was trembling. At that moment, another thought struck me: “Wait! Since when are you two a couple? No one plays matchmaker in my harem except me!” The moment I said that, everyone burst into laughter. Thai, however, let go of Adrian with a sudden jerk and turned to me. “You’ll be the death of me one day, Alvira!” he yelled as he charged toward me. Holding on to Lucious’ arm, I had already started running. Every time this idiot started a fight, I managed to stop him, but somehow, I always ended up paying the price. Sure enough, Lucious eventually let me go, and before long, I found myself flung into the lake. My brave hero Thai, meanwhile, was gently attempting to drown me while muttering to himself, “I’d rather die than date that idiot!” I wanted to shout, “Alright, we get it! Just go tell her you love her and stop trying to drown me!” But knowing my demise was certain, I said nothing and let him continue his gentle drowning attempt. At that moment, Thai pulled me back to the surface and sat me on the shore. Just as I was about to ask, “Did you forgive me?” Thai turned my head to the side. And who did I see? My childhood nanny, Myung-hee, accompanied by a battalion of palace guards, staring me down. Serphia glanced from me to the guards behind my nanny and raised an eyebrow. “Alvira, could it be that you forgot to bribe Bianca to keep her mouth shut?” Mete, who had just dropped the rabbits onto the ground with a thud, said, “He definitely forgot.” At that moment, my nanny let out a deep sigh and bowed her head to the guards behind her. Meanwhile, I clung to Thai’s shoulders, wailing at the top of my lungs, “Choke me, choke me!” The mere mention of guards meant my mother, and my mother meant death by the most unknown methods of torture. The guards grabbed me by my arms and legs, carrying me away as I screamed and cried uncontrollably. I must have shouted so much from pure fear for my life that somewhere along the way, I fell asleep. The last thing I remember were the words escaping my lips: “My mom is going to kill me!”