Chapter 19
The moment I crossed the border, the scenery began to change.
The roads were wider, and the villages seemed more developed than the ones I had passed through in Sylvania.
Even the people looked different.
I slowed my horse as I passed through a small town.
Solaris.
I had finally arrived.
I glanced around, taking in my surroundings.
There were shops lining both sides of the street, along with several inns and small restaurants.
People moved through the streets carrying baskets and packages, while merchants called out to passing customers.
It looked peaceful.
Almost too peaceful.
I pulled the reins gently and guided my horse toward the nearest inn.
I needed somewhere to stay first.
After everything that had happened, I didn't want to rush into anything without making a proper plan.
I stopped in front of a modest-looking inn and dismounted.
After securing the horse, I grabbed my belongings and stepped inside.
A woman standing behind the counter looked up when she heard the door open.
"Welcome," she said with a smile. "Are you looking for a room?"
"Yes," I replied. "I'd like to stay for a few days."
"How many nights?" she asked.
"I'm not sure yet," I admitted.
The innkeeper smiled.
"That's fine. You can decide later."
I paid for the room and received a key.
"Your room is upstairs, the second door on the left," the innkeeper said.
"Thank you," I replied.
I took my belongings upstairs and entered the room.
It was small, but clean.
I placed my things beside the bed before sitting down.
Finally.
I could breathe.
I leaned back and stared at the ceiling.
This was the kingdom Celeste had mentioned in the memory.
According to her, Rishima's mother had given birth to Rishima in Solaris.
I came here because I wanted to learn more.
But where was I supposed to start?
I knew almost nothing about this kingdom.
The novel had been set almost entirely in Sylvania, so Solaris was barely mentioned.
I sighed.
"I guess I'll have to start by learning about this place," I muttered to myself.
I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs.
The innkeeper was still behind the counter.
"Excuse me," I called.
She looked up.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Is there some kind of public library here?" I asked.
The innkeeper nodded.
"Yes. There's one a few streets from here," she replied. "Just follow the main road until you reach the town square. You'll see a large stone building near the fountain. That's the library," she continued.
"Thank you," I replied.
I left the inn and followed her directions.
After walking for a few minutes, I finally reached the town square.
Just as the innkeeper had described, a large stone building stood near the fountain.
A sign above the entrance read Public Library.
I stepped inside.
The library was quiet, with rows of bookshelves filling the spacious room.
I walked between the shelves, looking for the history section.
After searching for a while, I finally found it.
I scanned the titles until one caught my attention.
The History of Solaris Kingdom.
I pulled the book from the shelf.
"This should be a good place to start," I muttered.
I carried it to an empty table and sat down.
Then I opened the book and began reading.
I turned the first page.
The book began with the founding of the Kingdom of Solaris and the generations of kings and queens who had ruled the land.
I continued reading, slowly taking in everything I could.
Then I came across something that caught my attention.
Solaris was said to be protected by a goddess.
According to the book, the goddess had blessed the royal family and bestowed divine power upon their bloodline.
I stared at the page in amazement.
I continued reading, curious to learn more about Solaris.
The blessing had been passed down through generations, and the royal family was said to possess abilities that ordinary people could never have.
But there was another detail that caught my attention.
Silver hair.
According to the book, every member of the Solaris royal bloodline had silver hair.
I turned the page.
The next few pages showed portraits of the founder of Solaris and his family.
The first page featured a family portrait of the founder and his family.
At the center was a man with long silver hair, sharp features, and striking green eyes. Beside him was a woman with long brown hair and warm brown eyes.
King Maximilian ruled Solaris for many years and was remembered as the founder who established the kingdom. He lived a long life before passing away peacefully of natural causes.
I stared at the page for a moment.
"Wow... everyone in the Solaris bloodline really does have silver hair," I muttered.
I continued turning the pages, following the royal bloodline through the generations.
The book showed the royal family through different generations, each with their own family portrait.
Eventually, I reached the more recent generation.
I turned another page.
A family portrait of King Leon and Queen Elvina appeared on the page.
King Leon stood with Queen Elvina, with their daughter standing between them.
King Leon had long silver hair and striking blue eyes, while Queen Elvina had long blonde hair and blue eyes.
King Leon ruled the kingdom for many years before passing away from illness several months after the death of Princess Raya.
Queen Elvina was King Leon's first wife and the mother of Princess Raya. She passed away from illness while Raya was still young.
Princess Raya passed away at a young age. The details surrounding her death remain unknown.
My eyes were glued to their daughter.
My heart suddenly skipped a beat.
I read her name below the portrait.
She had long silver hair and striking blue eyes.
I stared at her face.
Her nose, her lips, the shape of her face...
They looked almost exactly like mine.
Except for her eyes.
Hers were blue, while mine were violet.
Still, the resemblance was impossible to ignore.
I leaned closer to the page, unable to look away.
"Wow..." I whispered.
"It's like I'm looking at myself standing between the King and Queen."
"Raya..." I whispered.
I couldn't explain why, but seeing her picture made something inside me feel strangely unsettled.
I turned the page.
Another family portrait appeared.
This time, King Leon stood with a different woman with dark hair and sharp features. Standing between them was a young boy who looked to be around twelve years old.
I glanced at his portrait.
Unlike the other members of the Solaris royal family, his hair wasn't silver. It was black.
"Seems like he didn't get the silver hair," I muttered.
I didn't think much of it and turned back to the previous page.
Princess Raya.
I couldn't stop thinking about her face.
I looked through the book again, hoping to find more information about Princess Raya.
But there was nothing else.
No details about her life or the circumstances surrounding her death.
I sighed and closed the book.
"That's all?" I muttered.
I returned the book to the shelf and left the library.
I decided to head back to the inn.
As I walked down the street, I noticed a young girl carrying several baskets of fruit.
Suddenly, a few apples rolled out of one of the baskets and fell onto the ground.
"Oh no!" the girl exclaimed.
I quickly helped her pick them up.
"Thank you," the girl said.
"You're welcome," I replied.
The girl looked at me for a moment.
"Wow, your hair is pretty. You must be a foreigner."
I blinked.
"How did you know?" I asked.
"Silver hair is rare in Solaris," she explained. "If you see someone with silver hair, it's either they're royal or a foreigner."
"Oh..." I muttered.
The girl smiled at me.
"So where are you from?" she asked.
"The Sylvania Empire," I answered.
The girl's smile faded, and her expression turned sad.
I noticed the change immediately.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
She hesitated for a moment before lowering her gaze.
"It's just... there was a time when Sylvania's army got past the barrier and attacked us," she said quietly.
Her fingers tightened around the basket she was holding.
She must be talking about the time when Sylvania and Solaris were still enemies.
And the barrier? It must be the one I saw earlier at the border.
That faint shimmer that stretched across the horizon.
"I'm sorry to hear that," I said, looking at her with concern.
She gave me a small smile before glancing toward the street.
"Normally, Sylvania's army couldn't enter Solaris because the king would solidify the barrier whenever they attempted to attack," she explained.
I frowned.
"How did they get past it?" I asked.
She paused for a moment, hesitating before answering.
"I'm not quite sure. There was no official report about it, and I was only eight years old at the time," she said.
She tightened her grip on the basket.
"What I remember most is that when they reached the town, they started attacking everyone, including my parents."
I looked at her.
Her voice grew quieter.
"But there was something weird about it," she said.
I gave her a questioning look.
She swallowed hard.
"At first, I thought they were just attacking the people here. But then..."
She paused.
"They started attacking their own comrades too."
My eyes widened.
"Why would they do that?" I asked, my voice filled with confusion.
"I don't know what happened to them. They just... went completely mad," she replied.
Her fingers trembled slightly around the basket.
"Didn't you know about this?" she asked curiously.
Right. I'm from the empire she's talking about, so naturally, she's assuming I already know about this.
But unfortunately, I'm not Rishima. And the novel never mentioned any of this because it was almost entirely focused on the heroine's love life.
"I live in a secluded place, so news doesn't reach us easily," I lied.
The girl nodded slowly, apparently believing me.
"I see," she said, almost in a whisper.
I couldn't stop thinking about everything she had told me.
I had learned so much that the novel had never mentioned.
The more I learned, the more I realized how much the novel had left out.