The Name for the Nameless
—
On the day the child was born, snow fell outside.
The twinkling first snow was said to be the protective light kindled by the goddess Elena for humanity.
“Look, even the goddess is blessing him,” the man said cautiously, holding the baby and speaking to his wife in bed.
What name should we give him? The wife asked.
Yes, what name should we give to our beloved child?
Should we pray for a name that grants him courage, or one that bestows gentleness and consideration, or perhaps a name that endows him with intelligence and wit?
Outside the window, snow was falling. The glimmering snowflakes shone like tiny candles, illuminating the dark winter night to protect humanity from the cold, sparking the fire to ward off evil spirits.
The man looked outside, suddenly excited. He thought of a good name.
The most suitable name for his beloved child.
“Let’s call him ‘Snow.'”
Pure white like snow, shining bright like a lamp, and a name that would forever remind him of the scenery outside this window when he was born.
And the duty and honor bestowed upon him by the goddess.
The wife smiled and said it’s indeed a good name.
Our child shall be named Snow, and he will bear both our surnames, our beloved child.
I pray for him, that his life will be abundant.
I pray for him, that his life will be filled with happiness.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Without fail, every time he arrives, a bird-like little devil will fall from some inexplicable place, exclaiming, “Ah! I’ve landed on the handsome Ziyuan. Don’t you think this is fate?” Ziyuan’s response is always the same: “Get lost, you brat, and stop complimenting my looks!”
It has been a while since he last visited the Emerald Kingdom. This time, as Ziyuan arrives, he remains on guard, expecting Wei Yu to drop from some unexpected location. However, today, nothing of the sort happens.
“Strange, is he not here today?”
Normally, the tranquility around him only occurs when Wei Yu is absent. But as the prince of a country, where could he possibly be if not in the country?
The youngest in age, he wasn’t suitable for diplomacy. In terms of politics, given his current situation and position, it was impossible for him to get involved. Ziyuan pondered, feeling an inexplicable strangeness as he arrived in this country without any harassment for the first time. So, he inquired about Wei Yu’s whereabouts in the vicinity. However, people were quite evasive when it came to mentioning Wei Yu, and after some probing, Ziyuan learned from a contract demon that the young prince had left the country a few days ago.
Officially, it was stated as an inspection of the safety conditions around the country. Still, it seemed to carry a strong sense of malicious intent from the court.
“He’s so indifferent, leaving without a word. Usually, he sticks around like glue.”
The country remained as selfish and narrow-minded as ever. Suddenly uninterested in lingering, Ziyuan decided to leave the Emerald Kingdom as well. He remembered reading in a book that there was a gigantic lake, the largest in the Sipistole Continent, near this country. He decided to head there first to pass the extra time today.
—
“Wow~ Is this the Mirror Lake of Cambeulote? It’s so vast that I can’t even see the other side!” Lena floated in mid-air, stretching her neck to gaze around.
The mirror-like lake water was clear, reflecting the scenery of surrounding mountains and dense forests. The endless emerald surface of the lake sparkled, catching one’s attention. Its depth was entirely indiscernible.
In the center of the lake, there was a small pavilion. There were no bridges or pathways leading to the pavilion, leaving one deeply puzzled about how it was constructed in the middle of this seemingly bottomless lake.
The water appeared not very clear, and no signs of fish, crabs, or shrimps were visible. This place seemed like an enormous, real circular mirror.
Thinking back, Thrett vaguely recalled reading documents about the Mirror Lake in the library of the Demon King’s castle. Legend had it that drinking the water from the Mirror Lake could cure all illnesses and grant a hundred years of life.
At the time, he wasn’t interested, as mentions of “living a hundred years” were usually the fabrications of some idealistic human or a romantic poet.
It was also recorded that anyone attempting to take water from the lake to gain immortality would be pulled into the lake and drown, sleeping eternally at the bottom. Therefore, throughout history, no one had successfully consumed the water from the Mirror Lake.
Seeing such a magnificent view, Ellyad also rarely showed a surprised expression and took a few steps towards the Mirror Lake.
“Ell, don’t get close to that lake!” The voice of the youthful boy shouted, rushing over to pull Ellyad back several steps. Due to the force of the tug, Ellyad couldn’t maintain his balance and stumbled backward.
Before Ellyad could hit the ground, Thrett reached out to support him. Simultaneously, he swung his hand to give Wei Yu a firm knock on the head.
“Waah! That hurts a lot! Stinky demon, how dare you hit this prince!” Wei Yu, holding his throbbing head, worried that it might be permanently dented.
“Unexpected,” Thrett replied casually after positioning Ellyad.
Ellyad quickly bowed. “Why is the prince here?”
“Don’t be so formal, just call me Polon.”
They were no longer strangers. While Wei Yu had once coveted the power of the Hero within Ellyad and even harbored murderous intent, he regretted his actions afterward. Fortunately, Thrett saved Ellyad, turning Wei Yu’s foolishness into a painful lesson. In subsequent Hero performances, Wei Yu was even saved by Ellyad. Determined to repay Ellyad for the rest of his life, Wei Yu considered it both gratitude and compensation. Even if it required him to give his life in return, he would have no complaints.
Since Ziyuan acknowledged his identity as a prince, Wei Yu no longer aspired to become a Hero. Now, he just wanted to be a royal who devoted himself to the people.
“Then please call me Ell.”
“No problem! From now on, I’ll call you Ell.”
Ell was the shorter version, and Wei Yu had always addressed Ellyad by his full name. Being able to call each other by their nicknames was a friendly gesture. Thrett raised an eyebrow subtly, and Wei Yu broke into a cold sweat, trying to ignore the piercing gaze.
“By the way, you got too close to the Mirror Lake just now. That’s quite dangerous. You weren’t thinking of taking water, were you?” Wei Yu continued, expressing his concern.
“No, I just wanted to get a closer look,” Ellyad shook his head.
“That’s good. I’ve heard people say that although this lake has magical powers, those who attempt to fetch water often encounter unforeseen events. So, I came here to investigate and see what exactly is going on.” It was Wei Yu’s task given by the court, but in reality, it served as an excuse for his exile.
Wei Yu looked around, but besides the lake, the pavilion, and Ellyad and the others, there was nothing else. What could be causing these disturbances?
“‘Unforeseen events’?” Hearing this term, Thrett remembered something about the Mirror Lake from that book. However, as he wasn’t interested in the content at the time, he couldn’t recall exactly what the book mentioned.
Wei Yu took a few steps forward. Although he had just warned Ellyad not to get too close to the lake, he himself leaned over to observe.
Footsteps from the rear forest approached the Mirror Lake. Soon, the newcomer appeared before everyone.
“Ziyuan?” Thrett recognized the unmistakable purple hair and knew it was the pet caretaker.
“Your Majesty… Thrett and the little one? Why are you all gathered here again?” Ziyuan wasn’t surprised to encounter the Demon King, but the combination of individuals did surprise him.
Thrett was about to explain briefly that they just happened to meet, but Wei Yu by the lake suddenly exclaimed, “Wow!”
Something pulled him from the shore and, despite Ellyad’s quick reaction to extend his hand, he failed to grab him securely. In the midst of panic, both of them ended up falling into the lake, creating a splash that echoed twice.
“Ell!” Thrett rushed over to pull Ellyad back, but he was a step too late. His hand couldn’t penetrate the water and was blocked at the surface.
“What just happened?” Ziyuan, who hadn’t realized the situation, hurriedly ran to Thrett’s side. He had only witnessed the scene where Wei Yu and Ellyad were pulled into the water.
“It’s a merfolk. I remember now. Rumors say there’s something causing trouble at the bottom of Mirror Lake, a merfolk from the Illusory Beast Clan.” Thrett suddenly recalled.
Illusory Beasts were highly intelligent beings composed of a combination of animals and humanoid forms. They excelled at concealing their nests, and each type of Illusory Beast had unique magic, abilities, and habits.
In the case of merfolk, they possessed enchanting singing voices. They could use their songs to deceive and paralyze enemies or bring tranquility and peace. There were also legends that merfolk were sacred beasts guarding love. However, this last claim lacked detailed records or confirmation, and no one believed it. It was treated as another fantasy poem by a minstrel. After all, if it involved “sacred beasts,” it would imply a higher level of species.
Merfolk mostly dwelled along coasts or in lakes, without specific habitats. However, they possessed a mysterious homeland unseen by humans and undocumented in historical records. That homeland was hidden beneath the lakebed of Mirror Lake.
If someone attempted to approach the lake, the merfolk would drag potential intruders into the water to drown them. If this was the case, Ellyad’s and Wei Yu’s situation would be extremely perilous.
Thank you for the update!! 🧡
ˁ•ᴗ•ˀつ～ 💞
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