Dawn of Vengeance — Chapter 54

IT'S BEEN A WEEK SINCE WE LAST SAW EACH OTHER...

STAY WITH ME JUST A LITTLE LONGER.

STAY WITH HER? WHAT COULD SHE MEAN BY THAT?

COULD IT BE...

...PERSONAL FEELINGS?

THERE'S NO WAY IT'S SIMILAR. THAT IS AN IRREVERENT THOUGHT.

WHAT CONSTELLATION WERE YOU LOOKING AT SO INTENTLY?

DURING THIS TIME OF AUTUMN, THE GOLDFISH CONSTELLATION IS CLEARLY VISIBLE.

OVER THERE.

ANYWAY,

IS THAT... A GOLDFISH?

IT LOOKS LIKE A STARFISH TO ME.

HOW PUNNY...

ACTUALLY, MOST PEOPLE SEE IT THAT WAY.

BUT SINCE IT IS NAMED THE GOLDFISH CONSTELLATION, THAT IS WHAT I CALL IT.

DO YOU LIKE THE GOLDFISH CONSTELLATION?

IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT I LIKE IT...

IT JUST REMINDED ME OF SOMEONE FOR A MOMENT.

WELL, IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN

IN THE COUNTY OF HEIBERG, WE GAUGE THE HARVEST SEASON BY THE GOLDFISH CONSTELLATION.

WHEN IT BECOMES BRIGHTER THAN THE NORTH STAR, WE BEGIN HARVESTING THE WHEAT AND FRUIT.

THAT'S UNUSUAL. DON'T PEOPLE USUALLY KEEP TRACK BY THE PHASES OF THE MOON?

THAT IS TRUE.

I SUPPOSE IT COULD BE CONSIDERED A LOCAL QUIRK.

WHY? DID LOOKING AT THE STARS MAKE YOU HOMESICK?

ONLY ON VERY RARE OCCASIONS...

BUT I FEEL BETTER WHEN I LOOK UP AT THE NIGHT SKY.

AND THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I WOULD LOOK AT THE NORTH STAR

AND WONDER HOW YOUR MAJESTY WAS FARING.

BEFORE? WHEN?

WHEN YOU WERE IN POMNOS...

I WAS WORRIED THAT THE COLD

MIGHT TAKE A TOLL ON YOUR HEALTH.

...AH.

YOU THOUGHT OF ME EVERY TIME YOU LOOKED NORTH?

FOR SOME REASON... I FEEL

...A BIT STRANGE.

ARE YOU TIRED, PERHAPS?

NO, I'M NOT PARTICULARLY SLEEPY.

THEN, WOULD YOU ALLOW ME TO ESCORT YOU OUTSIDE FOR A MOMENT?

I KNOW A GOOD PLACE FOR STARGAZING.

IT'S JUST THROUGH THE WOODS, RIGHT NEARBY.

PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU FEEL COLD.

WOW-

IT'S BEAUTIFUL...

I CAN'T TELL WHERE THE GROUND ENDS AND THE SKY BEGINS.

HOW DID YOU FIND A PLACE LIKE THIS?

I DISCOVERED IT WHILE SEARCHING FOR TACTICAL TRAINING SITES.

IT SEEMS TO BE A PLACE UNKNOWN TO THE LOCALS.

YOUR MAJESTY, THIS WAY FOR A MOMENT.

FIREFLIES.

SHH.

It stopped.

May I have your hand?

-!

WOW, LOOK AT THIS!

THE LIGHT IS FLICKERING BETWEEN MY FINGERS!

OPEN YOUR HAND SLOWLY.

DID YOU SEE THAT?

THE STARS.

IT FEELS LIKE THEY'RE TAKING FLIGHT.

DID YOU BRING ME HERE JUST TO SHOW ME THIS?

AH, TRUTH BE TOLD...

FROM THE MOMENT YOU SAID YOU WERE COMING TO THE SOUTHERN COMMAND...

I WANTED TO BRING YOU HERE BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE IT.

IT'S LOVELY.

I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.

I'VE BEEN HERE MANY TIMES,

BUT IT IS EXCEPTIONALLY BEAUTIFUL TODAY.

HAVE YOU EVER COME HERE WITH ANYONE ELSE?

NO, THIS IS WHERE I ALWAYS CAME TO WALK ALONE.

THEN...

AM I THE FIRST PERSON YOU'VE EVER BROUGHT HERE?

THAT IS CORRECT.

WHAT IS THIS?

THIS SWELLING SENSE OF PRIDE.

I LOVE IT.

I'M GOING TO SAVE THIS AS MY SECRET SPOT.

YOU CAN'T BRING ANYONE ELSE HERE BUT ME.

...I'LL RESENT YOU IF YOU DO.

UNDERSTOOD.

WE SHALL MAKE THIS A PLACE

FOR JUST THE TWO OF US.

WALTER...

YOU OFTEN SAY THINGS THAT COULD BE EASILY MISUNDERSTOOD.

DO YOU SAY THINGS LIKE THAT SO EASILY TO OTHER WOMEN TOO?

I'M AFRAID I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN.

AH, DID I OVERREACT TO SOMETHING HE SAID WITHOUT ANY ULTERIOR MOTIVE?

WHY DID I DO THAT?

WHAT'S DONE IS DONE.

WHAT SHOULD I SAY IN RESPONSE?

I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING...

Wa-wait,

W-WALTER!

AREN'T...

AREN'T YOU GETTING MARRIED?

...PARDON?

MARRIED?