Lulunaka and the others had left for more than a month, and Romuona and Apo had been alone for more than a month.
After Olga left, Romuona felt that she had returned to the days when her mother had just left.
At that time, life was far from good. For a child, after the adults they could rely on passed away, it was equivalent to becoming an orphan. Moreover, for someone like her who was already a little old at that time, it was very difficult for her to go to the orphanage again.
Moreover, Romuona didn't want to go to the orphanage. Life was already difficult. At her mother's place, she learned some handicrafts and barely managed to survive on her own.
This kind of life continued until Olga appeared in front of her again. Her poor life became slightly better. Then, she was brought back to the so-called home by the Mullenin family — — her biological father's home.
Until now, she had become a dead person again. She stayed in the eastern part of the Forest of the Dead where there were no traces of people. She became a person without identity.
However, Romuona didn't have any complaints about this. That place that made people feel suffocated was not where her heart belonged.
But if she was really where she should be, where was she?
Romuona didn't know the answer herself.
It was already late at night. Romuona tossed and turned, unable to sleep. In the end, she couldn't close her eyes, so she got up and left the room.
After she walked out of the room, the night wind blew against her cheeks.
The wind by the sea was moist and salty. Romuona was very used to this smell. In the King's Castle, to the north was a deep bay that looked like a cut on the land. To the east was the strait that separated the Yilan Continent and the Euran Continent. And to the south, there was endless seawater.
The people who lived in the King's Castle, especially the people who lived near the sea, even their breath carried the smell of seawater.
Romuona walked towards the end of the cape.
She looked up at the sky and saw the bright moon hanging high in the night sky. The moonlight sprinkled on the sea and the earth.
This scene reminded her of something that had happened more than a month ago.
But in the end, was it real or a dream?
When Romuona opened her eyes again, she found herself lying in bed and the sky was already bright.
Last night, the confrontation between Lulunaka and Apo was like a dream. It didn't happen at all — it was hard to believe that it happened in a dream.
Romuona really wanted to ask Lulunaka, what happened that night, was it her dream, or did it really happen?
However, she didn't have the courage to ask Lulunaka, and Lulunaka didn't give her time to gather her courage. After a few days, she left with Olga and the others, leaving her alone with Apo.
Some time had already passed, but the doubts in Romuona's heart had not dissipated. They were hidden in the deepest part of her heart, and they had become thicker and larger.
The two people who appeared in the "dream" were silent. They had no intention of explaining to Romuona, as if this was really just a dream.
Romuona walked to the end of the promontory and saw a figure.
In this remote place, if it was not an unfriendly uninvited guest, the person standing there could only be Apo, who also lived in this chapel.
Romuona seemed to have seen this scene in her dream.
But at that time, Lulunaka was here. But now, Lulunaka was no longer here. Only Apo was standing where Lulunaka used to stand, looking at the sea.
When Romuona walked behind him to him, Apo didn't turn around.
He seemed to know that it was Romuona behind him. When Romuona approached him, he faced the sea, saying, "It's not a good habit to swim at night, especially in such a remote place."
"In a brightly lit place, it's not a good thing to walk at night."
Romuona said, "If there is no one to protect the weak people like me, it's easy to be swallowed by the darkness.
God knows what's hidden in the darkness. A thief's hand?
A bandit's knife?
An assassin's dagger?
Or a trafficker's noose? "
Apo turned around and faced Romuona.
Romuona saw the two-handed broken sword in his hand.
This weapon came from a soldier who had died more than a hundred years ago. After Lulunaka handed it to Julius, it came to Apo's hand.
Even if the moonlight shone, this broken sword was still dim.
"You used to live in the King's Castle, right?" Apo asked.
Romuona nodded.
Apo looked at the sea again, "It's a good place, but it's also a bad place … It's so bad that a child like you also knows the pain of life, and the unnecessary awareness."
"My mother said that the people who live in the King's Castle are always a little different from the people in other places."
Romuona said, "She said that in this devout country, we are the closest to God.
This caused us to suffer even more, but we still managed to survive. "
Apo was silent for a while, "Your mother was a devout believer." He said, "She loved that place, right?"
"So she didn't leave that place until she died." Romuona said.
"Did she leave with a smile, or in pain?" Apo continued to ask.
This time it was Romuona's turn to be silent. After a while, she said, "I don't know."
Apo turned back to look at Romuona.
Romuona continued, "I don't know what kind of expression it was … It wasn't a smile, but it was definitely not a painful resentment, but when I saw her like that, I became sad."
The memory of the past was still in her heart, but for Romuona, the face of her mother before she died became blurred.
Was it because it was a painful memory, so she selectively erased it?
Romuona didn't know.
"I think it's regret, child." Apo said, "It's the look of knowing that you don't have much time left, but you still have things to do.
I can understand that feeling. "
"Why?"
"I've seen too many faces like that." Apo said, "I'm used to it."
Apo didn't seem to want to talk too much about this topic, "So, are you a noble?
Some of your usual behavior makes me feel that way, but it's not pure enough. "
Romuona waved her hand, "I'm just a dabbler, and I've been abandoned."
Apo didn't ask further, "That's a good thing. If you become a real and pure 'noble' … I don't think we'll have much chance to talk.
I don't like those people. "
"Me too." Romuona said.
Romuona wanted to say that she also found traces of nobility in Apo, but she couldn't say it.
She felt that Apo wouldn't like it when others mentioned this.
Apo didn't continue to speak. He just looked at the sea in silence.
He raised the broken sword high with both hands, as if he was going to split the sea into two.
Romuona didn't know what he was going to do, but when Apo swung the broken sword down, she saw a flash of light.
The light was fleeting, but it lit up the whole sky and sea.
She closed her eyes as if she had been hit by a strong light.
She didn't know what had happened, but the light was so familiar that it reminded her of the scene in her dream. The light was even more dazzling, and in the end, her eyes went blank. When she woke up, she found herself on the bed, and the ceiling told her that it was a dream.
But was it really a dream?
Apo took back the sword and turned to Romuona, who still had her eyes closed, "I know that Lulunaka gave you some books before she left."
Romuona opened her eyes slightly and saw Apo standing in front of her.
He was as tall as Olga. In this night, the tall silhouette looked somewhat similar to Olga, which made Romuona miss Olga a little.
"She said it could relieve me of boredom."
Romuona said, "In a place like this, there seems to be nothing else to do except daily work."
"She lied to you."
Apo said so directly that Romuona was stunned, "It's not a book that can relieve boredom, but you didn't feel it.
Or, you have felt it, but you don't know what it is and what it means.
Tell me, did you see the light just now? "
Romuona nodded.
Apo sighed and reached out to press Romuona's head.
"She gave me a difficult problem." After that, he walked past Romuona and went to the church.
Romuona didn't know what Apo meant, but she knew who "she" was in Apo's words.
She turned back and asked Apo, "What was that light just now?
And what happened that night, was it really just a dream? "
Apo didn't turn back, "If you want to know whether it was a dream or not, you have to find the answer yourself."
He continued to walk forward, but finally turned back, "If there's anything you don't understand in those books, just ask me.
Don't look at me like this, I'm quite familiar with theology … although I'm not a devout believer. "