Prologue
Year of the Golden Sky 104.
Dear Diary,
People are confusing. Confusing and bemusing. They say it is the Year of the Golden Sky, but the sky is still blue. Blue and cold and full of snow falling down. Probably because it is winter.
This is my first time writing a year in my diary. Before today, I didn't know what year it was. I didn't know anything. But I write anyway. I write because it is the only place where I can talk about my feelings. The only place where I am real.
I remember how I used to write the dates. I will do the same now, just for myself.
Today is the 15th day from the New Year Festival.It is the 23rd day from my birthday.
The day my parents hate.
My parents... they never feel like protectors. Never. They are just survivors in a dark place where everyone lives for the sake of living. Living for nothing. But here, in the kingdom—the Ignis Kingdom—it is nice that I can at least remember the name. I am getting older. I don't know if I turned 8 or 9 years old this year. I am just living. Just existing. Using food from the shop nearby and sleeping on the streets. People call me a thief. They call me a rat.
I don't know if I look like a rat.
The nobles who call me names are going to the Academy while I am writing this. Seeing them do magic makes me feel happy, but I cannot experience it. I cannot touch it. Why does God make some people powerless like me? Why? Just to suffer while watching other children live happily?
Then suddenly, I remember.
I remember yesterday.
I remember what happened.
I met a boy. A girl.
A boy who looks like a girl? A girl who looks like a boy?
I cannot tell. I cannot tell, but she was the only one who saved me from my bullies. He was the only one who thought of me in this big, empty kingdom. She talked so confidently. So loud. My ears were not ready for it. My eyes have witnessed my body getting bruises, my skin feeling the kicks of the nobles, and my ears are so tired of their words.
But yesterday. Yesterday I met a boy who talked about a world I didn't know existed. A world ruled by a Queen? It sounded like a world ruled by a King who actually understands. Someone who sees the powerless.
I never knew a King had so much power. I never knew a King could give me a better life.Not until I met her.
His eyes had a shine. A shine that does not look like it was born here. Her hair was bright. So bright. Just like the fireworks I saw at the New Year Festival. His hair was the color of an orange. An orange I once stole from a shop. I remember that orange. I remember starving for days when the shopkeeper caught me.
She was discussing a lot with a boy behind her. The boy looked tense. Stiff. His eyes were looking around like someone would kill them. Sharp looks. Precise looks. But the orange boy didn't stop talking.
I decided to go to her. I decided to talk with him.
He looked down.
She adjusted her face to my level.
My heart skipped a beat.
She seemed as powerful as the King I saw in the festival. Just like a boy.
He asked me: "𝘏𝘦𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘥, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘥, 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵? "
My heart. It was beating so fast. I never felt this feeling. Comforted. Protected. Someone asked me about the thing I am carrying on my heart. The thing that is so heavy.
My eyes widened. My height does not even meet her elbows. He is older than me, I think.
I answered her: "𝘠𝘦𝘴..."
My heart wanted to say everything. All the things I have felt. But my mouth hesitated. It closed after the "Yes." I don't know why. I don't remember the exact words he told me next... I am trying my best to remember. Like I remember the year.
One thing I learned from her: a King can rule a kingdom where powerless people can live happily. Unlike me.
Every time I tried to listen to her ideas, the tall boy behind her stopped her.
"𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺," he said. "𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥."
Are they against the kingdom? His ideas were so different from the rules I have seen.
I wanted to ask his name. I wanted to know. But they left quickly. Almost like disappearing.
But I remember the words she said.
"𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦.𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨."
The boy behind him said: "𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩.𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦. 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘥𝘰. 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺.𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘪𝘵'𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘴.𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘺. 𝘓𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘨𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮. "
He said: "𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶.𝘈𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺.𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘺,𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴.𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦."
Then they were gone. The tall boy dragged her away and they disappeared.
Yesterday, the whole night, I thought of ruling. I thought of being a King. Is that the only way? The only way the powerless can be happy? But how will a powerful King ever know our struggles? The current King will never look after us. He will never look after me.
In this world, people are respected by magic. Or by their role.
King.
Saints.
And the powerless?
According to society, we should die. We are like trash in a gold mine.
But I have made up my mind. I have made my decision.
When I grow up, I will get stronger.
I will rule this kingdom.
𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯. That is what they will call me.
I will work hard. I will achieve my dream. I will remember this boy who gave me this inspiration. I will never forget. I will create a world where people are respected even if they are powerless.
Ending my diary with a dream. This is all I can think of today.
This kingdom will soon be ready for a powerless ruler.
Me.
