Chapter 4: The Starboy And The Oath That Will Destroy The World

The day after, the sun had barely risen.

But Adam was already strolling through the streets of Widow’s Wall. The people were still setting up their shops, although there was almost nothing to sell and no one to sell them to.

The homeless sleeping on the side of the streets were more prominent when the city was just waking up. But their bodies raised high as soon as they caught sight of Enel—Enel, however, only motioned for them to lie back down.

Any childishness he had with Lamb and his parents, once again shed away—or perhaps the better term would be hidden away. His dignified walk, returning to him in front of the city’s masses.

“Young baron!” One of the homeless, suddenly crawled toward his feet.

“Young baron. Thank you! Thank you for letting Murek seek refuge in the city! The Urtmudre has blessed you for this! Murek will not forget!”

The other unhoused people rushed to pull her away, but Enel raised his palm and motioned for them that it was okay. He crouched down, kneeling with the woman before carefully raising her head.

The woman… had a snout. His face was covered in fur, and his ears were on top of his head instead of being on the side—only her eyes resembled Enel’s.

“Murek, was it?” Enel asked gently.

“Yes. Murek’s name is Murek. And, p-please!” the beast-like woman backed away from Enel’s touch. “This dirty kaniin will dirty your hand!”

“Speak no more of this nonsense. I am the one who should apologize for showing discourtesy by laying my hands on a young maiden uninvited, my lady.” Enel shook his head, standing up before extending a hand to Murek.

“Please, you only kneel to the gods.”

“But…” Murek stared at Enel’s hand, her eyes trembling. “...You are a god.”

“Murek, please. Such words are blasphemy,” Enel said, smiling with a sigh. “I am just one of the Blessed. Gods definitely do not look like me—and I would never claim to be. I would, instead, gladly be mistaken as a kaniin.”

“M-Murek’s kind would not dare claim one as reverent as your lordship!” Murek lowered her head once more.

“Mu—” Enel was about to tell her to stop again, but the other homeless people started dragging her away, apologizing to him while doing so.

Enel watched them bow their heads repeatedly. He wanted to tell them to stop, but they had already disappeared into a back alley.

“I… should build them more homes,” he whispered. But the only thing he could do was sigh, shaking his head as he continued to make his way through the city. The greetings continued, and he only managed to relax upon reaching Gregor’s house at the edge of Widow’s Wall.

“Gregor. My lady,” he announced himself, knocking on the door. “I am—”

His words paused, however, as the door creaked open on its own. He looked at his fist for a moment, thinking he used too much strength—but the fact that the door was still standing was proof he didn’t.

“Gregor, my lady?” he repeated, louder this time as he stepped inside the house. “I will invite myself in. I woke up this morning wondering if there was something I could help you with?”

He looked around the house, and it looked darker even with the morning sun sipping into the windows. He made his way to the back, stepping out into the yard.

“Gregor?” he called again. “You said there were no more cattle to butcher, but—my lady?!”

Enel’s eyes widened, quickly rushing to the barn as he saw Lysa on her knees, hugging the fence.

“My lady. Are you alright, my lady?” he asked. “Wh—”

Without any warning, Lysa lunged onto him, wrapping his arms around his waist.

“Enel!” she cried out.

“My lady…?” Enel squinted, lowering himself to look at Lysa’s face, only to see her face red and swollen. “What… ails you, my lady? Where is Gregor?”

Enel looked around, but Gregor was nowhere in sight.

“They came…” Lysa’s voice cracked. “They came before first light, knocked on our door and took my Gregor!”

“Who?” Enel’s brows lowered, a hiss subtly whispering from his eyes. “...Monsters?”

“The duke’s men!” Lysa bellowed. “I pleaded before them and the gods not to take ‘im away. But none listen, young baron.”

“The duke’s men?” Enel looked to the side. “For the war? It is a great honor to be called to battle, my lady. The duke would reward—”

Lysa kicked away, then threw a bag at Enel, its contents rolling down his lap—grain.

“What… is this?” Enel grabbed the small bag, grain still showering from it. He didn’t seem to care at all that Lysa threw it at him.

“Tell me, Enel. Is… is my Gregor’s life worth a bag of grain?”

“The duke—”

“May the duke turn to ash by Vulkan’s fire!” Lysa’s words exploded. “They gave it to us, expecting gratitude. My Gregor’s old, young baron. His legs, frail. He would sooner die on the way there.”

“But when he returns—”

“My Gregor will not return!” Lysa screamed at his face. “War is nothing but death, young baron! Why my Gregor?! Your father keeps on letting refugees in, taking our land, taking our food. They have able bodies even with their injuries. Why not take them to war?!”

Enel couldn’t say anything back.

“Please…” Lysa clasped her hands together. “Please bring my husband back home. Please…

…My Lord.”

Enel’s breath hitched at the word. The confused look on his face, withering away as his bright blue eyes cleared. He stood up, looking down at Lysa before he suddenly pulled the knife on his waist.

Lysa gasped at this, and she quickly knelt. “I… I did not mean no offense to you, Enel! Please—”

“Under the name of the Sovereign of the Seven Laws…”

“Enel…?” Lysa’s eyes slowly widened. “What…”

“I make an oath to you, Lysa of Widow’s Wall…” Enel whispered gently, resting the blade on his palm.

“...that I, Your Lord*, will bring your husband home to your arms. And to you, the Sovereign—I make an oath of promise. If I fail, be that I have no Breath…*

…you may take the blood from my flesh instead if my word is broken.”

“N-no!” Lysa reached for Enel’s hand as he dragged the blade across his palm. “You musn’t, young…Oh?”

“Oh…” Enel blinked, looking at his palm, which was completely unscathed, and the iron knife that had bent completely.

Lysa clutched her chest, sighing in relief as she shook her head.

“Enel,” she whispered gently. “Let… let us forget about this. Let the baron handle—?!”

Enel bit his hand before she could finish her words. The only thing Lysa could do was watch as the blood slowly trailed across his wrist, then to his elbow… then finally dripped toward the ground.

“No!” Lysa dove forward, trying to catch the drop of blood. The blood, however, missed her hand by a single finger. Lysa quickly looked up at Enel, and nothing happened at first.

But soon, the drop of blood burst outward, creating a symbol of words around the two of them, trapping them in a circle of crimson light.

“What… what have you done, Enel?” Lysa sat up, her eyes moving wildly at the circle around them. “This is—”

“You asked, my lady.” Enel kneeled, his long golden hair turning orange from light beneath them. “As Your Lord, it is my duty to answer.”

Enel then spun the knife on his palm, handing it to Lysa. Her head shook at the blade, her breath stuttered as her eyes snapped back and forth between its shine and the glitter of Enel’s eyes.

She shook her head again, looking away from the blade. But after a few moments, she bit her lip and lightly grabbed it away from Enel. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes… before driving the blade across her palm.

Her blood dripped onto the ground, mixing with Enel’s. And as soon as it did so, the dirt shook violently—drying up the blood and leaving a deep carving on the ground.

A Symbol of Oath.

Enel gently snatched the knife away from Lysa, holding her hand for a moment before just walking away. Lysa was weak; she tried to grab onto him, but fell to her knees.

The only thing she could do was cover her mouth, watching Enel leave.

“What…” she whispered. “What have I done?”

***

“There you go, all done.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

Night came, and a light clatter whispered in Enel’s room as Mira placed his comb on his nightstand, lightly adjusting her posture on the bed. She patted her son’s long, golden hair, then sighed.

“How many shears have I lost trying to cut this hair of yours?” she said, shaking her head.

“Are you jealous of my hair, Mother?” Enel, who was seated lower in front of Mira, chuckled. Mira quickly tapped him on the shoulder, and he quickly pretended to be hurt. “O-ow!”

“People do not make that sound when they are hurt. You need to work on that, understood?” Mira sighed again. “Scoot over so your mother can leave. I still have to wash your stinky clothes.”

Mira was about to move away, but then Enel grabbed both her hands and wrapped them over his shoulders.

“Enel…?” Mira was surprised, but she welcomed her son’s touch and hugged him tighter. “What bothers you?”

“Would you despise me for doing something foolish, Mother?” he asked.

“...But you’re always doing something foolish. The thread on your father’s hair grows thinner every day because of your actions.” She laughed, but when she heard Enel breathe heavily, she rested her chin on his head.

“Your mother will always love you, Enel. Even if the world would see you as a monster, I will sooner fill the land with their bloo—Why? What happened?” Mira’s tone changed, lightly pushing her son to the side so that he could take a good look at his face. “What did you do?”

“I’ve done nothing… yet.” Enel looked to the side. “But what if I did, Mother?”

“I already told you.” Mira sighed, standing up from the bed while patting her gown clean. “Your mother will always love you, okay?”

She grabbed his cheeks and then gave a light kiss on his forehead.

“Now, go to sleep.”

“Yes, Mother.” Enel quickly jumped to his bed, snuggling beneath his thin blanket. Mira brushed her hand on the blanket, fixing his son’s hair so it wouldn’t hide his face.

“Do you want me to tell you a story?” she gently asked.

“Not tonight, Mother. I feel… tired.” Enel yawned, closing his eyes.

“Oh. You have grown now?” Mira pinched his nose. “Very well, may the Urtmother guide your sleep.”

“And may she guide yours as well, Mother.”

Mira hummed, making sure not to make any noise as she left her son’s room. But as soon as she closed the door, Enel’s tired eyes snapped wide open.

He covered his mouth, trying to stifle the chuckle escaping him. He quickly sat up, then quietly pushed his mattress from the frame—and there it was, hiding beneath.

A set of tattered armor, the family’s insignia, a fierce-looking deer with trees as horns, was scratched and barely visible, and beside it—an old, weathered, ornamental sword. Then, a letter addressed to his parents.

Enel stood up straight upon looking at their family’s insignia. He held his breath, thumping his chest before placing the back of his fist on his forehead.

A salute.

***

Several hours later, when the deepest shadows had completely covered Widow’s Wall, Lamb was deep in her sleep. The only sound in her room was her quiet mutters that whispered in the air.

“Agh… earthmother… die…”

Soon, however, the sound of clutter followed as a figure entered through her window. Lamb’s eyes snapped open, and she quickly sat up while grabbing her wooden sword that was resting on the side of her bed.

Before she could raise it, however, the figure grabbed her hand and then covered her mouth.

“Sshh.”

She squinted, and as soon as she saw the bright blue eyes in front of her, her eyebrow raised, and she quickly slapped Enel’s hand away from her mouth.

“Enel?!” she whispered loudly. “What are you doing?!”

“Sshh.” He shushed her again, and this time, Lamb’s eyes gazed down at his slightly tight armor.

“And… why are you wearing your father’s armor? And is that your curtain you are using as a cape?”

“You like it? I like the color.” Enel raised his red cape, made from his mother’s drapes.

“The baroness is going to kill you.” Lamb rubbed her eye. “And why…?”

“I’m going to retrieve Gregor from the war,” he casually said.

“...You’re going to war?” Lamb only registered the word ‘war’ in her mind, jolting her awake. “Then I’m coming with you.”

“Why do you think I’m here?” Enel nodded. “Hurry and get dressed. I also grabbed a sword for you. Axe is making his delivery soon. We’ll hide in his cart.”

“Okay.” Lamb didn’t hesitate at all. She quickly wore her bandana and got dressed, then quickly followed Enel out of the window.

“Here.” Enel handed the sword to her before she could even land. “Don’t make any noise, you might wake your mother.”

Lamb nodded, and carefully walked away from her house. But then, her eyes landed on the pile of old, musty firewood on the side.

Her steps slowed down until her stride completely paused.

“Enel…”

“Hm?”

“...I can’t go.”