There was once a prosperous kingdom inhabited by people from all walks of life. Of course, a Little Prince lived there, too.
The Little Prince sat on a bench near the window. He looked sorrowful as he watched a canary eating sunflower seeds. The Little Prince smiled slightly as he watched the canary.
He was sure that...
That he and the canary were very similar.
[Small and abandon.]
If the Little Prince was mourning, where was his mother, who always comforted him when he was sad?
The Little Prince's mother is a Queen. Everyone recognizes her; she is the Queen of this prosperous kingdom. Yes, she is the Queen who will soon die.
... Why is she going to die?
It's because the king was unsatisfied with everything. She loved the king so much that she let him do whatever he wanted. Hundreds of concubines and children accompanied the greedy king, who was still loved by the Queen with all her heart; however, the Queen's love was avenged by her death.
Today is the day the Queen will be executed.
Today is the day the king finds his new love.
It's heartbreaking... What happened to the Little Prince?
He was expelled from the palace and will be banished today. Today is likely also his death sentence.
[...]
If the prince could make a wish on a shooting star, what would he wish for?
The Little Prince started rubbing the canary's head with his forefinger.
["I want to be a star myself! I want to be admired by everyone. I want people to look up to me. I want to be able to grant all their wishes like the stars in the sky. That way, they will love me sincerely, right?"]
The canary raised its head to stare at the Little Prince. The Little Prince immediately spread his palm, hoping the canary would land on his tiny hand.
The canary stopped for a moment before flying to the Little Prince's palm and poking his hand. "Ouch!" Despite the pain, the prince spread his hand out. The canary standing on his hand began to open its wings. "Pea! Pea!"
"...Pea? Is your name Pea?"
"Pea!" The canary jumped up instantly, excited.
"Hmm, Pea... I thought your name could be better than this." The Little Prince gestured for the canary to come closer.
"Pea...?" The canary tilted its head.
"Peacon, how about that?"
"Pea!"
"Well, hello, Peacon. I'm the Little Prince of this kingdom, Victor."
"Now our names are twins."
The Little Prince chuckled.
... Today, he stood where everyone would watch the Queen's death. As the clock ticked, people gathered around the Little Prince and hugged him before the rope was cut.
For our beloved Little Prince.
For your little hands that reached out to us miserable people.
For the happy news you brought us.
For our trust in you, Little Prince.
The Little Prince, feeling the warm embrace of the gathered people, began to cry.
You are already so loved, Little Prince.
You are a star to us.
The little prince looked back at the high wall that protected the prosperous kingdom. Now, he could see the real world.
The song of the canaries followed the prince until the sky turned red.
It was like the color of blood when someone tried to protect him from death.
That day, the little prince learned the meaning of sacrifice.
.
.
.
Even after the Queen's death, the kingdom remained prosperous. Although there was a ruckus in the kingdom, the king's actions were the root of all these problems. These problems aren't the little prince's or the canary's, are they?
I don't know.
The smell of herbs wafted through the cottage. It wasn't bitter or unpleasant; it was a calm smell that put the mind at ease.
So, who was the owner of that little cottage?
"Pea, where are you?" The young man looked down at the bed before getting up to look around the cottage again.
His dark blue hair and sky blue eyes indicated that he was the son of the former Queen. The Little Prince had grown into a handsome young man.
"Pea!" The canary flew into the cottage through the open window and landed on the prince's head. "Where have you been?" The prince straight away caught the bird and held it in front of his face.
"Pea... Pea! Pea! Pea!" The canary kept chirping as if the world were about to end.
"They're back...?"
"Pea..." Upon hearing the canary chirp, the silent Little Prince ran to retrieve a black cloak and a scary-looking bird mask.
The Little Prince and the canary walked out of the cottage, carrying the grungy sling bag, into the world of greed.
Why do people hurt each other when they know pain so well?
Why do they accuse others when they know the fear of being accused?
Why blame someone when they know that person will cry?
Why do humans do all that?
Desperation? Fear? Envy? Or are they just unsure of what they're doing?
Are they just unsure of what they're doing?
The Little Prince arrived on the scene and quickly treated one person after another. "Thank you, doctor. If it wasn't for you, I would have died."
"If you know you're going to die, don't do anything else!"
"Haha, the doctor is very fierce. As a token of our gratitude, let's eat together today."
The man in armor smiled broadly and patted the Little Prince on the shoulder. The people there immediately cheered up.
"The doctor's gotta eat with us, he totally has to!" The person whose legs were wrapped in a herb-scented cloth shouted.
"No, it's better if the doctor eats at my house. These people eat like bears!" A woman standing next to him immediately refused.
"Huh? What do you mean, young lady?"
"Well, I mean that old man!"
"Haha, new couples are always fighting."
Although they were hurt, they still smiled. They knew they could die at any time. For the sake of justice, still very far from their reach, they are willing to become history and be forgotten. All they wanted was a safe world under the protection of justice.
The Little Prince laughed with them. It was a long and sad night. Still, this story was worth writing in his notebook.
The squeaking of rats can be heard on every road of death. Even the beautiful palace is infested with rats that squeak for power.
Greed continues to scream from the roots.
In the middle of the church hall where the name of the offering was shouted, a miracle child was placed.
Once the child's hand is cut, the blood will turn into diamonds; the eye that is removed will turn into melted gold.
Have you heard the bad news? Offerings, oh, offerings. The boy screamed in pain every time a sharp object cut into his body. But the boy didn't scream; he laughed happily.
...
"Doctor, you've heard the news, right? The old man lying on one of the patient beds asked.
"..."
"Who have we been following all this time? Are sacrifices that evil?"
It all started with the death of the Queen. Her father, unable to accept his beloved daughter's death, began to rebel against the king. This war finally revealed an awful truth: There was another prince, the Queen's illegitimate son, hidden by the holy priests of the sacrifice.
In order for wealth to continue to abound in their kingdom, human sacrifices must be made, no matter if the sacrifices are children, young people, or the elderly. They had to become food for the sacrifice—the boy who was now worshiped by the entire continent.
"Is the sacrificial god going to sacrifice you as food for that glutton?" The Little Prince looked up at the old man and answered his own question: "He never will." His confident voice made the old man smile again.
"Haha, sorry, sorry. I was just feeling depressed..."
The canary that had landed on the Little Prince's head immediately spread its wings and flew toward the old man, patting his head with its small wings.
Everyone who saw this laughed.
Canaries are known for their melodious songs, and despite their small size, they have proven their existence in the world.
All canaries in this kingdom are the god of sacrifice, Michael.
When he was a child, he used to wonder why canaries were gathered and burned on the altar. High nobles would be present, singing sacrificial songs as they sacrificed the canaries.
Even the queen was joyful when these little birds died. The king celebrated with the most lavish feasts, surrounded by the sound of laughter.
The canary is now eating sunflower seeds. It's basically the same color as its bright yellow feathers.
"I'll buy you lots of sunflower seeds as long as you don't disappear suddenly. Got it?"
"Pea!"
The canary nodded vigorously. Let's count down to its death at this victory party!
10.
The little prince was soon captured by the knights. The hideout was discovered, and all the rebels were captured.
9.
When his doctor's mask was exposed, he was sentenced to hang in front of the capital as an example so that people would not dare to rebel.
8.
The Little Prince accepted all of the punishments.
7.
Everyone in hiding watched to see what the king would do. The chirping of birds could be heard throughout the kingdom, signifying freedom.
6.
Fireworks were set off just before the Little Prince was to die.
5.
The sky became so red that it could not be seen.
4.
Millions of people came to watch the little prince die.
3.
Compared to the gloomy atmosphere, every step the little prince took was cheerful, as if he were singing.
2.
A knotted rope was placed around the little prince's neck. He did not look scared or frightened; he smiled cheerfully as he looked at the people crying for him.
1.
A young man stood in the crowd, wearing a hood to hide his wet eyes.
Before the rope was cut, the little prince was given the chance to speak his final words.
"It was a nice trip, right, Pea?"
The rope was cut right away. The Little Prince now had a very pale face. The birds chirped sadly, and the red sky cried red tears.
The Little Prince cried his heart out as he watched the canaries leave him.
"Bastards! They must have leaked it..." Someone ruffled his hair as if going crazy. The scene instantly turned into hell.
"Doctor, you have to go!" the old man shouted, holding the rusty iron door.
"If I leave, what about you!?"
"Never mind us! You have to get out of here!" The woman immediately grabbed the little prince's hand and pulled him into the secret passage. The little prince was surprised by how strong the woman was and shouted, "I'll stay with you, let go!"
The woman pushed the Little Prince to the ground and quickly closed the rusty iron door. The little prince got up quickly and banged on the door. Screams, shouts, and mocking laughter all blended together.
"We caught the prince!"
...!"
That one sentence made the prince's heart stop. He desperately pounded on the door, but no one heard his screams.
"Pea! Peacon! Pea! Don't take him! I'm here! I'm here!"
"No, don't take him..."
"Please, don't take him."
I don't know.
Maybe they really want to bring someone down because they want that person to feel their pain? Is all of this just a life lesson, or are we creatures who only have sympathy for ourselves?
There were no answers to these questions from the start.
The little prince was now alone. There were no birds chirping and no fragrant herbs. The room was empty, silent, and filled only with the young man staring at the map.
He just stared silently at the map. The first day, the second day, the third day, and so on. His body was getting thinner with each passing day. There were scattered sunflower seeds and teeth that chewed on them.
What if I change the question to, "Can justice make the world the most beautiful place without greed pulling it down?"
Is there an answer to that?
The Little Prince tore up the map, picked up his grungy sling bag, and opened the door.
Of course there is. However, justice will always be pulled down until it becomes the embodiment of justice itself.
Even if the world became perfectly peaceful, one person would still epitomize greed. Knocking someone to their death.
In the center of the grand hall, the king sat on the throne, his followers bowing down to him. This was in contrast to the red sky surrounding the world.
"What should we do, Your Majesty? The rebels will soon arrive!" One of the prostrate ministers asked in a trembling voice. They were afraid of the red sky, from which blood rained down every time it cried.
This is true justice. Sacrifice.
Hundreds of voices shouted together, declaring their victory.
"Justice will always prevail!"
In ten months, the little princes had conquered their fear and found courage. Even when death stared them in the face, they stared back boldly into the darkness.
One by one, they conquered the territory. Every sky was red. The song of the death bird could be heard, as well as the sound of victory.
The little prince stood in the center of the city. His dark blue hair fluttered, and his blue eyes shone like the sky. His eyes symbolized a world of peace. Everyone immediately raised their weapons. Above the red sky, a giant bird appeared, staring down at the battlefield.
It spread its wings, covering the entire sky of the kingdom. Only the bright blue color of its eyes was a source of light.
Next to the king stood a young man who smiled horribly when he realized the bird's gaze was on him. The blood that changed everyone revealed his true self.
"Your majesty has nothing to fear. You have seen the future with your own eyes," The young man said.
Let's search for that greed together.
The old king smiled softly when he heard the young man speak. He didn't realize what was about to happen to him. "You're right. All this will disappear if I manage to kill that traitor."
"But we need an offering to kill him."
The gray eyes narrowed and stared at the old king. In the blink of an eye, the old king was gone, his blood and organs having melted into gold.
The falling blood gathered into a giant golden hand.
One hand grasped the giant bird's wings tightly, and the other tried to crush the human. The prince quickly raised his shield, protecting everything below.
"How irritating!" The young man furrowed his brow in annoyance and continued trying to bring down the bottom. He didn't notice someone who was still alive and looking at him hatefully.
One day. Yes, one day, greed will die from greed.
The hand kept trying to push the shield down. Every time it cracked, another shield appeared.
"Your Highness, leave quickly! We'll take care of everything here!" The little prince turned to him and nodded. He ran quickly away from them and toward the magnificent palace beyond.
The bird opened its wings wide, allowing the little prince to stand on them while two hands aimed at the prince. The wings fell silent right in front of the king's throne. The grand staircase was a path reserved for the king.
The young man's blood splattered everywhere, but his gaze focused only on the prince, who stared at him with disgust. Even though his heart was pierced and gold flowed from his blood.
"You loser bastard! You said you would save us all, but you left me behind! You killed me!" The young man shouted, his voice filled with hatred.
The prince paused for a moment before walking toward him.
In anger, the prince kicked the young man and said, "Hypocrite. You created the problem yourself, and now you're blaming others. I didn't heal you so you could play king."
In the grand palace, the sick young man lied in bed while the doctor tried to cure him.
"It is not I who will punish you. It will be those you have killed with your own hands." Just then, the giant doors behind the prince opened and people ran toward the young man.
The prince immediately turned around, his red and gold robes shining as people shouted his name triumphantly. The grand staircase led him up.
Victory sat in the king's chair.
Justice will always prevail, but greed will always kill justice.
It is a never-changing, irreplaceable cycle.
"Woah!" His deep purple eyes shone with admiration. "Uncle, I want to hear more!"
"Haha, sure, sure. Uncle will tell it again." The man surrendered and opened the first page of the heroic story of justice.
Slowly, justice gathered to follow their king. Sacrifice does not mean a deserved death; rather, it means realizing the empathy in our hearts.
If you sacrifice one loaf of bread, they will provide warmth for others.
"That is the fire of sacrifice."
Treng~
The sound of the guitar stopped as the poet finished his last line.
"Hoo, you're still famous. I'm so envious!" The man with snow-white hair and cat-like yellow eyes looked at the man whose face was covered by a hood.
"I am not you, thief."
"Heh, what are you trying to say? That I'm a kindhearted thief? Oh, have you met Judith? I heard an interesting story in my village because of her." The white-haired man immediately changed the topic.
"You mean her incarnation?"
"Yes! She didn't choose humans for her incarnation, but something else and lately, Death has been spotted!" Before the white-haired man could finish his question, the man wearing the hood immediately interrupted him.
"I won't pay. You told me yourself."
"Err, what do you mean? I won't ask for payment. I'm your best friend, you know." The white-haired man chuckled, then cleared his throat. "So, have you chosen your incarnation?"
"Yeah, the kid's right there."
The white-haired man instantly turned around to look for the child. He had blood red eyes and light brown wavy hair. The child was talking to a man in his thirties. Unlike the other children, the child immediately looked at the man with disgust. His shouting could be heard throughout the pub.
"Shut up, you shameless prick." Instantly, the sound in the pub died down, and everyone turned their heads toward the two men. The little boy pointed straight at the old man, who shook his head. "Don't let your kids get close to people like this!"
"What do you mean? I didn't do anything!" The old man sounded angry, but there was a hint of humor in his voice. Not with the boy, who spoke in a serious voice:
"Tomorrow, take me to the church. I'll take you to the priest there. Purify your soul to the core!"
The white-haired man immediately realized who the little boy was. Seeing that the man was looking at the wrong person, the man in the hood directed him, "The one next to the little boy. The one sitting and looking at them."
"Oh."
The child with dark purple eyes felt angry when he saw the red-eyed child accuse the old man. He was so furious that he dented the spoon he was holding.
Just as justice would appear, meetings would also bring new stories.
It was just like when the little prince met the little yellow canary.
Let's see the most beautiful world under the protection of justice.