Chapter 582: A Life of Escape
Aiwass opened his eyes slightly.
"—Inerys Blossom."
He whispered Isabel's mother's name.
At that moment, many clues intertwined in Aiwas's mind. Many things that had previously puzzled Aiwass finally connected at this moment:
He remembered it clearly - Janice's mentor was called Betinatia Blossom.
In the original history of the game, Isabelle, who had fled here, performed a taboo ritual and sacrificed her fertility in exchange for the inheritance of flowers. She then became the Queen of Flowers and rebuilt the Kingdom of Camelot.
Betinadia was condensed into amber in 1704, and now it is 1899. From her death to now, it has been one hundred and ninety-five years—exactly when Janice left without saying goodbye. Inerlis Flower was over two hundred years old twenty years ago... In other words, when Janice left the Theocracy, Inerlis must have been a little girl.
Because Betinatia was dead, the legacy of the Lady of Flowers could not be passed down... At least, even Janice couldn't call herself "Jannice Flowers," which meant that Janice herself hadn't mastered the Lady of Flowers' inherited ability to control plants. This was even more true of Ineris, who was easily killed by the Bone Sculpture's curse.
Since Inelis can inherit this surname, there are actually only two possibilities - either Inelis is Janice's junior and is more in line with the inheritance of Lady of Flowers than Janice, or she is the daughter of Betinatia.
The latter is much more likely.
Because if they were just a master-disciple relationship, then by Isabel's generation, there should be no direct connection with Ms. Fanhua.
Janice had already visited Avalon nearly sixty years ago. She had left happily, like the wind of freedom. But nearly ten years ago, Janice had suddenly and inexplicably returned to Avalon and stayed there for a decade, completely different from her pursuit of freedom.
Although she said it was because of her friendship with Queen Sofia.
...But she had been traveling around the world for 150 years at that time, so it was impossible for her not to understand the human habit of forgetfulness.
For Queen Sofia at that time, he was an old friend from fifty years ago in her long life of more than sixty years - how much effect could this kind of "childhood sweethearts" friendship have to tie up a fifth-level strongman who pursues freedom here for ten years?
According to Aiwass's observations, in another world line without Aiwass's interference, Queen Sofia would eventually take the life-extending drug offered by Minister Droste and embark on the path of twilight, and attempt to marry Isabel to Prince Xingtan. Janice also left Avalon for this reason.
But what if...
Janice's departure at that time was not, or not only, because the Queen took the life-extending drug - but because Janice no longer had any reason to stay here?
And most decisively—
Isabel was taught by Janice for several years, but she did not learn any extraordinary skills from Janice.
Apart from the basics, Janice taught her almost nothing. She only taught her how to choose the path characteristics related to illusion...
What if Janice didn't care whether Isabel became a professional smoothly or not, and didn't teach her any extraordinary skills in the path of beauty, was it because she thought from the very beginning that Isabel would become "Isabel Flower"?
Since you will become a successor sooner or later, the level of the professional is of course not important.
According to Prince Albert, Queen Sofia was a rather tough and unfriendly queen. Although he made such an assessment, it is possible that his rebellious period coincided with the Queen's menopause... but there is another more likely possibility, that is, the Queen was indeed tough enough in her youth.
But she chose to choose Isabelle, a cowardly person who did not behave like a queen at all, as the heir to the throne after the "Shadow of Avalon" ceremony... You know, without Aiwass's interference, Isabelle would not be strong until Avalon collapsed.
So, if that destruction did not come and there was no help from Aiwass, how could Isabel become queen?
Apart from the "brief friendship more than fifty years ago" that did exist between Janice and Sofia.
Is this still some kind of...deal?
"Do you know... Master Yanis?"
Aiwass suddenly spoke up and asked Prince Albert.
Prince Albert frowned slightly: "Of course I know him..."
"—I mean, before you left the Glass Island, was Master Yanis in Avalon?"
"How is that possible?"
Prince Albert blurted out: "If Master Janice was here, how could Ini die so easily! They are friends!"
"You knew they were friends?" Aiwass demanded.
"When little Isa was four or five years old, Master Janice came back once..."
The decadent man was silent for a moment, then spoke: "Because Isabel had artistic talent since she was a child. She came to check Isabel's talent and then left. At that time, I didn't know she was Master Yannis, but Yanni talked to her privately for a long time.
"After Ini was murdered, I once wanted to find Master Yannis to avenge her. Because I remembered that she should be in Avalon at the time... But I searched for a long time and couldn't find her. Almost two or three years later, I suddenly discovered that she founded the 'Glass Steps Newspaper' and had lived on the Glass Island for a long time.
"—She must have come back just for Isabel. I feel relieved knowing she's protecting Isabel. So..."
"So, you didn't come back?"
Aiwass laughed.
Prince Albert was silent for a moment, then whispered, "For the first few years, I was actually...waiting for my death. I just didn't want to die on Glass Island. I would rather die fighting the villains. And later...it was because Yunus died."
"He died because of you."
Aiwass said.
Albert lowered his head. “Yes, I know. So from then on, I became ‘Yunus’.
“…Yunus, who makes everyone happy, should be more valuable than Albert, who makes everyone disappointed.
"I know I've let Isabelle down. So I... try my best to be a hero. I try my best to help people all over Avalon. I defeat those bandits and villains, and stop those evil plans - but I don't do it for people's praise! I don't want to be famous, I just..."
"—You just don't know how to atone for your guilt of running away."
Aiwass interrupted, "Just as you are so focused on Anastasia's affairs."
At that moment, Aiwas thought of Janice who had escaped from Pure White.
Although they are not the same thing, they are actually of similar nature.
Each of them initially fled because of something, and then chose to flee again because they could not face the consequences of that thing. The huge shame and sense of deprivation forced Albert to help others to relieve the pressure in his heart. He distributed all his property to the poor, leaving no money for himself, which was actually preparing to die at any time.
But he didn't have the courage to face danger head-on... Just like his methods against the villains: he initially wanted to die at their hands, but ultimately chose to escape. But after escaping, he felt guilty and tried hard to publicize the villains' evil deeds to attract firepower and defeat them.
Always running away, always regretting. Always afraid, always making up for it.
"How cowardly, Your Highness. Are you so spineless?"
Aiwass said lightly: "Don't dare to seek revenge, don't dare to die, don't dare to apologize - with your size and strength, what else can you dare to do?"
"...I am indeed a coward," Prince Albert admitted, bowing his head despite being reprimanded by the younger Aiwass. "I lack talent and have only just reached the third energy level..."
"No, this has nothing to do with courage, Your Highness. Nor has it anything to do with strength."
Aiwass's calm words were as sharp as a knife: "This is about responsibility."
After hearing this, Prince Albert finally fell silent.
Perhaps it was because he was too young when he gave birth to Isabel, or perhaps it was because he lacked the guidance of his father, so until he escaped from the Temple of Silver and Tin, he was as innocent as a child.
Prince Albert was not mentally prepared to be a father. He couldn't bear the weight of anyone's life or death. Therefore, he was driven nearly mad by Inerice's death—even subconsciously, he didn't even consider taking Isabel with him. He was afraid that Isabel would die in front of him, or die because of his own mistakes and inability to do so.
He didn't dare take the responsibility for Isabel's life or death.
The declaration of "giving up the right of inheritance" is more like "running away from home"; the action of going out with brothers to do justice is closer to "the free adventure of taking up the sword."
- To be frank, rather than "doing something meaningful before dying", Aiwass thought it was more likely that he was just out having fun.
Until Yunus' death, he became alone again.
There was no one around to comfort him. From then on, Prince Albert began to grow up.
But he finally chose to put on Yunus's skin, and still didn't dare to face others as Albert... but pretended that Albert was dead.
Even though he gradually grew accustomed to solitude, adapted to living alone, and learned to flatter and be diplomatic, those were all things Yunus was supposed to do, and that was Yunus's life. It didn't mean he had matured.
Because he's still running away.
Inélis's death had allowed him to escape from his identity as a royal and Isabel's father; Yunus's death had allowed him to escape from his identity as "Albert." Now that the curse had been lifted, he planned to die and atone for his sins—to escape from life.
He kept running away, missing every occasion in Isabel's life when she needed a father.
He also grew up without a father, but he is not even as able to withstand pressure as his daughter Isabel.
"Faced with the same high pressure and the threat of the curse... the more desperate Isabel was not overwhelmed in the end, but you were."
"What did you do?" Aiwass asked.
“…I only did one thing.”
Albert was silent for a moment, then replied in a hoarse voice, "I left my necklace to her."
(End of this chapter)
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