Bound by Fate: A King's Redemption

The fresh air greeted them as they stepped down from the royal carriage. A vast field stretched out before them, with rows of neatly arranged green plants under the morning sun. Lia stood frozen, gazing around with sparkling eyes full of admiration.

"Wow..." Lia murmured, her breath caught by the breathtaking view. The field was filled with various vegetables growing lush and fresh. The green leaves of spinach, lettuce, and water spinach swayed gently in the soft breeze. In another corner, rows of ripe red tomatoes hung on their stems, as if welcoming her arrival.

"This... is more than I imagined," she said softly, her voice full of joyful emotion.

Yosan walked up and draped his arm around Lia's small shoulder. "You're right, this field is extraordinary. Your grandfather must be proud to see it grow so beautifully."

Reina, who was walking behind them, simply smiled faintly. She rarely showed her emotions, but her eyes softened seeing how happy Lia was.

Lia nodded, taking a step forward while gazing at the land she once tended to with her grandfather. When her foot touched the ground, she felt the soft, fertile soil beneath her. She crouched down for a moment, closely examining the abstract patterns she had made in the earth, before looking up at Reina and Yosan. Her eyes shimmered with tears.

"Before... this field wasn't as big or as fertile as it is now, when I lived here alone, after Grandpa passed," her voice quivered slightly. "But now, look! The vegetables here are growing so well... more abundant than before. It's even more fertile than when I took care of it myself after Grandpa died."

Lia still remembered clearly how the field had looked before, chaotic and difficult to manage on her own, with animals frequently disturbing it, though sometimes only vaguely did she recall the struggle. But now, everything looked different. The plants were thriving, as if the field had regained the love and effort that had been poured into it.

Of course, this was also thanks to her father's hard work in convincing her mother to provide care and maintenance for Grandpa's field through people who were assigned to look after it. The benefits of being part of the royal family were definitely felt in this regard!

"Grandpa must be happy up there, seeing that his field is still well taken care of," Lia said with a warm smile, as warm as the morning sun. Her gaze turned toward the wide blue sky above, imagining that her grandfather might be watching from there. Lia's eyes sparkled, though there was a hint of longing hidden in them.

Reina stepped closer and knelt slightly to be level with Lia. "Perhaps this is proof that your grandfather's love and hard work are still alive here, in every plant that grows. This is the legacy he left for you, Lia."

Reina then stood up, folding her arms while looking at Lia and Yosan in turn. "Alright, let's go over there. Didn't you say you wanted to take a walk too? Now, how about we start working? We can pick the vegetables together. I don't want this moment to turn too sorrowful."

Reina lowered her head slightly and pinched Lia's nose gently, adding in a soft voice, "And remember, Lia, you still have your Father and Mother in this world."

"Of course, and others as well," Yosan added, looking toward the other family members already in the middle of the garden, busy with their tasks.

Lia followed her father's gaze and nodded in agreement.

Yosan swept his gaze over the vast garden once again. "We will make sure this field stays alive. For Lia, and for the memory of your grandfather," he said with determination in his voice.

Lia walked up to Reina and Yosan, then hugged Reina tightly. "Thank you, Mommy. Thank you, Daddy. I love you."

Reina gently stroked her daughter's back with affection, then answered in a soft voice, "We love you too, Lia."

Under the bright blue sky, the small family began working in the field, picking vegetables with hearts full of happiness. Although Grandpa was no longer with Lia, his love and spirit felt alive in every corner of the field, tying her more closely to her new family.

In the middle of picking tomatoes, Lia and Harzel had a light conversation. At first, their talk focused on simple things like gardening and Harzel's past experiences. Harzel shared how he had once worked on the estate of a wealthy family when he was young before becoming one of Reina's trusted people. He also spoke about the challenges and obstacles he faced in his journey, which had brought him to this point.

Harzel then gave some gardening and survival tips for extreme places like the village of Winterstell, where his wife, mother-in-law, and child currently lived. There, he underwent training to become stronger and eventually met his first love and soulmate. However, he didn't share everything, as he felt that Lia was still too young to hear certain stories.

Lia, standing next to Harzel, looked at her uncle with wide eyes, her face shining with sincere curiosity, accompanied by a wide smile. Finally, she asked again.

"Uncle, I'm really curious about what your son looks like. Is he cute and adorable? I heard from my friends who have younger siblings that they're like angels in little versions. But they also said they can be like devils because they can be so annoying anytime and anywhere, especially when they grow older," Lia said innocently, her face full of curiosity.

Harzel laughed when he heard Lia's chatter. "How can someone your age talk like that?" he asked, amused. But behind his laughter, his eyes softened as he recalled the first time he saw his son born.

"He's like an angel." Harzel finally answered, his face softening into a gentle smile. "Small, adorable, and priceless. When I first saw him, I felt like the world stopped. He was perfect."

"It was truly a gift for me, and even now, it's hard to believe I'm already a father," Harzel continued, his voice warm. He paused for a moment, lost in the memories of his time in Winterstell, spending time with his wife, Allea, and their young son before returning to the Kingdom of Lumina to fulfill his duties as one of Reina's trusted men.

Harzel laughed softly, remembering the first time he held his son. "He was so small, so clean, with eyes as beautiful as his mother's. Even so, his face mostly resembled mine," he said with a warm smile. He then glanced at the tomato plants in front of Lia and pointed to them. "But at that time... his height wasn't much different from these tomato plants."

Lia was amazed. She imagined a small creature like Harzel had described, alongside the tomato plants before her. With wide, awe-struck eyes, she murmured, "Wow, so small... he must have been so vulnerable in this harsh world."

Harzel raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised to hear Lia's statement. "Who taught you to talk like that? Was it from your friends? Or from...?" Harzel glanced at Reina, who was talking to Yosan in the distance. His last words clearly referred to Reina, who, in his mind, often taught Lia strange and unexpected things.

"From Daddy," Lia answered with a sweet smile. "Father said I'm too small and vulnerable in this cruel world."

Harzel fell silent for a moment before laughing again, unable to suppress his amusement. "This little family of ours is something else," he murmured, gently ruffling Lia's head.

Placing several tomatoes into the basket that was already filled with fresh tomatoes, Harzel patted Lia's head softly, saying, "If there's time, I'll make sure to introduce you to my son someday. For that, you have to grow up and become a good child, understand?"