Ferdel nodded upon hearing my reply.

  “Those with your shade of hair have the greatest right to the throne.”


  So that was the case.

  I just thought it was a pretty color, but I didn’t know it had great significance as well. I also liked the sound of eternal youth. Hehe…


  “On the other hand, the North has its belief in the stigmata.”


  “Stigmata?”


  “Yes, it’s a symbol the angels had on their bodies. It forms a certain shape on a person’s flesh and appears only when that person performs a miracle. It is proof of the angels. Therefore, those with the stigmata are regarded as royals in S-Hertogenbosch. It is the most important factor in becoming the emperor to them.”


  I didn’t know why Moses’ miracle of dividing the sea came to my mind, but it still confused me. Were they really talking about a miracle like that?

  “Which is why Ahim was named heir to Suhina. Apparently, his stigmata are perfect.”


  “Is that a good thing?”


  “Well, the stronger and cleaner the stigmata are, the greater the miracle.”


  Could he maybe do some magic? I nodded while thinking that I should, perhaps, ask Ahin to show me his miracles someday.

  Since now that Ferdel was my tutor, I allowed him to pat my head, and Ferdel would reach out and pat my head. He was just patting my head, but that was enough to make him so happy…


  “I heard that Silvia is pregnant.”


  “Oh? Has the news spread that far already?”


  They must have had fun together when he took Silvia away last time. Thanks to that, I wouldn’t be able to see Silvia for a while again… the twins were happy to have another sibling, so I really couldn’t complain.

  “That’s it for today’s lesson.”


  Yay! Now I could play with Assisi!

  I was trying to get up from my seat, but suddenly, Ferdel grabbed me. Huh?

  “And here’s your homework.”


  Ferdel laughed wickedly after seeing that my face was slowly being enveloped with a nasty scowl.

  “Find out some other differences between the three countries. You can ask others, or read about them in books, but you have to find at least three.”


  Well, I suppose that’s doable. I nodded. However, Ferdel didn’t let me go again.

  What now?

  When I looked at him with discontent, Ferdel pointed to something with a serious look. It was a map. It was a country in the northern region.

  “Why?”


  “Can you read the name of this country?”


  Did he think that I couldn’t even read letters? I read the texts on the map.

  “Bureti?”


  “Right. Be sure to keep it in mind.”


  Huh? He had never said anything like that after our other lessons.

  “Why? What is so important about that country?”


  I had to agree with Ferdel because of what he said.

  “That’s the land where your mother was born.”