Finally, one of the mysteries of the past has been completed.
But almost immediately, Camelot came out of the old one, and now he was interested in what was in his bedroom.
There, his gaze shifted to the small wooden box that the Council had left him after the ordeal.
The royal coat of arms was emblazoned on the lid.
The seal was still intact.
Camelot remembered their words:
«Open it only after we leave.»
He ran his fingers over the lid.
Aphelisa was sitting nearby, lazily sipping a drink.
Camelot looked at her.
«Did you know what was inside?»
«No.»
«Even you?»
«I’m a brownie, not an all-seeing god.»
The little demon raised his head.
«Although sometimes she acts like she is.»
«Be quiet.»
Camelot grinned and tore off the royal seal.
There were no jewels or artifacts inside.
Just an old letter and a small folded piece of paper.
Camelot opened the letter, there was a fairy tale.
A leaf from the grimoire also appeared in the top corner.:
«The star that lost its way»
[Task Type: Basic]
[Difficulty: Medium]
[Category: Unknown]
[Reward: Unique Emblem]
Camelot frowned.
[Unique emblem…]
It already sounded more serious than the usual reward.
He turned the page.
[The main task has been activated.
]
[ “The Star That Lost Its Way” ]
[Additional materials have been discovered.
]
[ Subject: The old tale of the kingdom of Unai.
]
Camelot unfolded the second sheet.
It read:
The legend of the star who did not return home:
He began to read.
In the kingdom of Unai, children have been told a fairy tale since childhood.
It was said that a long time ago, even before the first kings appeared, there was a small star in the sky.
It wasn’t the brightest, it wasn’t the biggest.
But she had a special gift.
She knew the way home for everyone.
Camelot frowned, but continued:
If the knight got lost in the forest, a star appeared between the branches… This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
if the ship got into the fog, its light was reflected on the water.…If a child got lost at the fair, he had only to look up, and the star began to twinkle.
People called her the Guiding Light.
And every evening, the residents of Unai lit small candles on the windows.
Not so that the star could find them.
And so that she knows,
«They’re waiting for you here.»
Camelot stopped for a moment.
It’s a strange feeling.
For some reason, this particular phrase seemed more important to him than the others.
He turned the page.
But one day a man appeared who wanted more.
It was the young prince.
He was supposed to be king, but he was afraid of one thing.
He was afraid of losing his way.
One night, he climbed the highest tower of the palace and addressed the star:
«If you really know everyone’s path…
show me mine.»
The star descended lower, and for the first time in its history, it spoke.
«Your road ends where you stop following other people’s footsteps.»
Camelot frowned.
It no longer looked like an ordinary children’s fairy tale.
The Prince did not understand the answer.
Or he didn’t want to understand him and got angry.
He wanted to know his future, where he would become king, who would betray him, who would be there, who would die.
So he asked the star to show him his whole destiny.
The star refused.
Then the prince did something that no one had ever done before.
He shot her with an ancient bow.
The arrow hit directly into her light.
And the star…
fell.
The room became unusually quiet, even Aphelisa stopped drinking.
Camelot continued:
The next day she was gone, but something strange happened.
All roads in Unai have changed.
The road to the neighboring village became longer, the forest began to change its location, and the rivers sometimes flowed in the opposite direction.
People forgot the way to the places where they had lived all their lives.
And the worst thing happened to the prince himself.
He walked out of the palace…
and could never find his way back again.
He walked around the kingdom for seven years.
Eventually, old and gray-haired, he returned to that very tower.Tee saw a little girl there.
She was holding that very star in her hands.
The prince asked:
«Where did you get it from?»
The girl replied:
«She found me on her own.»
The last lines were written in a different handwriting.
It was as if the one who wrote down the fairy tale especially wanted to save them.
The prince began to cry because he realized the truth.
The star never showed people the way.
She showed them the place where they were expected.
And when the prince tried to force her to reveal his fate…
she lost her home…
Camelot slowly lowered the leaf.
He was silent for a few seconds.
«It’s a strange tale.» he finally said.
Aphelisa looked at him.
«…Why?»
«Because children are usually told stories where the prince gets everything he wants.«
«And here?»
Camelot looked at the last line.
«Here, the prince gets exactly what he was afraid of.»
The grimoire suddenly turned the page.
A new message appeared before his eyes.
[Attention]
[ You have accepted the main task.
]
[ “The Star That Lost Its Way” ]
[For more information, find those who know more.
]
[Warning, there is a possibility that the story may be written incorrectly.]
Camelot frowned.
You want to hint to me that a deception is being shoved under my nose, and there is a chance to reveal the true motive…
no purpose, no coordinates, no name.
Even the reward is unknown.
[ Additional information: Not available.
]
Camelot closed the grimoire, and then noticed something else.
There was a small symbol on the back of the fairy tale.
Star.
But one of her lines was intentionally erased.
And underneath it, someone wrote just three words.:
«She’s still falling.»
Camelot froze.
«Aphelisa…»
«Huh?»
«Have you ever heard of a star that fell into the Unai?»
She didn’t answer.
Camelot silently showed her the leaf.
Aphelisa read the last inscription.
And for the first time in all the time that Camelot had known her, she looked really scared.
«Camelot…»
«What?»
Aphelisa slowly looked up.
«I think is not really a fairy tale.»