Do Flowers Bloom in the Fallen Land?

Aven followed her as she strode and greeted the empty hallways, not even knowing who she was addressing. Perhaps the castle itself.

“Take a rest. I’ll have your meal prepared,” Aven told her.

“Shall we prepare it together?”

“It’s alright.”

Seira was a bit saddened by Aven’s flat refusal of her help. She watched him disappear into the kitchen by himself, and then slowly trudged up the central stairs, releasing a silent sigh.

Although there was no one to manage the castle while she was away, her room on the second floor was as clean as the rest of the rooms. Even though water wasn’t drawn from the well, clean water was always available in the kitchen jar, and the bathtub always had its water at an appropriate temperature.

Seira didn’t really remember what the place was back when she was young. Still, the castle wouldn’t have done all the work alone like it is now. At the time, there were many who lived here, so there was no need for such special intervention and help.

People would certainly be amazed, if not scared if they found out about the D-Arc’s black castle, but Seira had no questions about this strange phenomenon. There was actually something more surprising than a castle cleaning and maintaining itself.

When Seira finished washing her body and changed into clean clothes, she left the room and climbed further upstairs. Once she found herself in front of a big door, she knocked thrice.

The door creaked open as if to allow her entry, and Seira stepped inside without hesitation.

Come on in.

Seira smiled at the blurry man who appeared from behind the purple curtains’ shadows. It approached her from the covered window, which was lit only by candles.

“Dad.”

A man of great build, with black hair and purple eyes in his early thirties, Nathan Askan, the previous Duke of Askan, was known to have died nearly fifteen years ago.

Nathan’s spirit was the reason why Seira never let anyone in except for Aven, and why she could never give up on Askan.

On the day of her divorce, Seira saw Askan and the entirety of its destruction for the first time in eight years. Everything collapsed except the lord’s castle D-Arc, and the barren land which did not grow a single grass, was black as they have heard.

Her heart was filled with a terrible guilt at that moment. Even though her father and other family members were buried somewhere in the land, she lived a good life without even trying to recover their bodies due to the imperial decree which deemed the place ‘dangerous’.

Seira, who entered the D-Arc with Aven outside, faced the darkness alone. In her memory, the place had always been bright and full of warmth, but now it was nothing more but a cold coffin for the dead. She sat down and a big wave of sadness took over her, her tears falling like a raging waterfall.

My baby, please don’t cry.

At some point, Seira lifted her eyes and saw her father in front of her. He was embarrassed by the sight of his daughter crying endlessly, and he tried as much as he could to wipe away her tears.

Even though he couldn’t reach her. No matter what he did, it was an impossible feat.

The first time she saw him, Seira thought she was crazy. But doubt soon turned to yearning, and she became too afraid that Nathan Askan would disappear when she slept, so instead she stayed up the whole night. But the late Duke Askan didn’t disappear in the morning and even joked about her dozing off despite her determination to stay awake.

Then his precious girl nagged him that he shouldn’t sleep anywhere.

Seira grew up with her education focused on becoming the crown princess, but she reached the level of master-class slayer in just a few years. It was all thanks to Nathan’s guidance that slowly, Seira was able to raise the duchy little by little. Her father’s teachings and advises helped Seira to make it all possible.

You must be here alone today.

However, Nathan’s spirit didn’t come out of the office even though Aven couldn’t recognize his presence when he entered the castle. Seira ended up giving up since it was useless explaining that he was the son of the Helford vassal.

“Hmmm… That’s right, well.”

She didn’t intend for Nathan and Aven to meet anyway. Aven was unaware of her father’s spirit staying at the duke’s castle because Seira hadn’t told him anything. She wondered though – did he ever get sightings of Nathan’s ghost?

What about rice?

“I haven’t eaten yet.”

Nathan questioned and nagged her here and there. He didn’t give her time to rest, asking why she went alone, asking where Calrad went, and reminding her that she should eat well. Still, Seira couldn’t be any happier. Because it really felt like she was home when she heard his nagging.

When the hell are you getting engaged?

“What about it? I’m not marrying Calrad,” Seira pouted.

Uh-huh, I see you’re being stubborn again. Dad will be relieved if you settle down soon. Don’t worry about the title of your husband. It’s enough for me to be happy with you being happy too.

“…”

Seira, are you marrying soon?

“Better than that, Dad, this time around…”

Seira quickly veered the topic to escape the ever-repeating issue. Instead, she chatted to Nathan about what happened with her on the battlefield. Of course, she only confided on things only a daughter could tell her father.