81. Maria (4)
The moment I saw Maria, my whole body felt like a broken machine.
One fingertip, one toe, even the slightest movement of the eyes did not move the way I wanted. Siya wanted to concentrate only on capturing the image of her Maria, but she often turned her gaze away from her shame for some reason. Not knowing my heart, only my heart was beating helplessly and fast.
At the reunion that took place without any notice, I greeted Maria implicitly, scratching the back of my head in a somewhat stiff tone.
“It’s been a while.”
Maria stared at me for a while, then answered in a bright voice with a smile on her face.
“Yes, I’m glad you look okay too.”
Then she added a very brief explanation of what had happened that day. It was a rather hasty tone, as if he was afraid of me speaking first and was trying to block him in advance.
“Actually, I was very worried after sending you away like that. It’s something that Leon suddenly did without consulting….”
Contrary to her first bright smile, Maria gradually blurted out her words and slightly wrinkled her forehead.
I struggled to answer, moving her gaze to the floor, not even making eye contact with her Maria.
“It’s okay. Because I don’t really care.”
In fact, there hasn’t been a single day that I haven’t paid attention. I just wanted to pretend to be okay and strong, probably because it was in front of the person I liked. Upon hearing my words, Maria said, ‘Really? That’s a good thing,’ she said in a short voice, then moved her gaze behind me as if to change the subject. After I finished looking around the monastery, the children gathered behind me were looking at Maria with wary eyes.
“Who are the people over there?”
“Ah, here….”
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For a moment, a lot of thoughts ran through my head.
Wouldn’t it be disappointing to find out that I have a child? , The number of all the cases Maria could think of as strange came to mind.
But she bit her lip and collected her thoughts.
I couldn’t hurt the children I love by telling lies about my first love. Isn’t that what subhuman scum would do? There was no thought of hiding these children.
I stretched out my chest and spoke in a confident voice.
“These are my children.”
As expected, Maria opened her eyes wide, and muttered a puzzled look as she stared at the four children.
“Children… ?”
It was an understandable reaction. To say they were children, they didn’t look too different from me in age, and if she knew me from long ago, she would know that I wasn’t married and that I had no hidden children. After a breakup, it will surely feel strange to suddenly call four adults as children.
But it was too complex to explain everything about the children to Maria here.
I blurted it out with a stiff smile, with only the corner of my mouth slightly raised.
“There are various circumstances….”
Thankfully, Maria didn’t bother asking me about my circumstances. It will be her own care.
“Yes. Because each person lives with their own story.”
Maria looked around her and moved on with a slight smile as if she felt burdened by the attention of the believers who were turning to her.
“Isn’t it a bit strange to keep standing here talking? Come over here.”
The place I followed her was her room. A small room with nothing but a small statue of a goddess or someone’s portrait.
Maria set her refreshment down on the table, then she sat down cautiously.
I was the first to break the silence. I asked Maria, glancing at the clothes she was wearing.
“What happened?”
Conscious of my gaze, Maria smiled shyly and grabbed her sleeve with her opposite hand.
“I was surprised too. She had failed in subjugating the demon lord, so I thought there would be punishment waiting for her….”
“That level of punishment makes no sense. It’s a bit embarrassing to say these words with my own mouth, but you’re leaving to save the world, aren’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right. I failed to subdue the demon king, but maybe other high-ranking people are not too dissatisfied with me being promoted to this position, probably because my achievements have been acknowledged.”
Maria, who was speechless, smiled awkwardly again.
“I think I talked too much. How have you been? Can you tell me if you don’t mind? That… I’d love to hear about the elves as well.”
I fumbled around, fiddling with my fingers.
“That… Where should I begin to explain….”
Maria smiled benevolently and took my hand. I was taken aback by her sudden touch, and I had no choice but to pull her hand away from behind her.
The heart that started beating fast sent blood to her face, and I couldn’t confirm it right now, but my face was probably more red than ever.
Maria looked at me like that and smiled like she was having fun.
“It’s okay. Take it slow.”
Encouraged by Maria’s consideration, I confessed everything that had happened. Maria listened to me with a very serious expression, nodding her head several times.
After everything was said, Maria looked at my face for a while.
“Have you had a hard time?”
It would be a lie if I said it wasn’t hard. However, the time I spent with my children was so happy that I felt like I was being rewarded for the pain I had suffered so far.
I didn’t say anything, just smiled slightly, and Maria responded with an understanding smile.
After that, she didn’t say anything. She just looked at her watch or kept an awkward silence.
I felt like I had taken up too much of her time because I liked spending time with her.
I know it in my head, but it’s a pity to part like this.
I couldn’t get over her regret and carefully told her what she was saying.
“If you don’t mind, would you like to have dinner together?”
Maria tilted her head slightly as if she was troubled by my suggestion, and said while resting her chin.
“Meal… I would like to attend if possible, but there are a lot of backlogs.”
“Yes… I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry for wasting your time.”
“Ah, no. I called it because I like it… By the way, how long are you planning to stay here?”
I didn’t come with a specific date set. I wasn’t going to go back until the kids were satisfied.
Since it is the capital, prices are higher than in other areas, but the money saved was sufficient.
“There is no specific deadline.”
“Then maybe we can meet again when the opportunity arises. Oh, did you find a place to stay?”
I answered Maria’s question by shaking her head instead. Then Maria clapped her hands and spoke in a rather excited tone.
“Then, if you go down south from the monastery, the owner of that place is very good at cooking. Oh, you say you’re good at cooking, so it reminds me of the dish you cooked. There will be another opportunity to eat later, right?”
“Of course not.”
She answered in a calm voice, but the fact that she remembered one small memory of her being with me. That fact alone made her feel good enough.
After saying goodbye to Maria, I took the children and booked a room in Maria’s recommended lodging, and threw myself into bed without even changing my clothes.
Is it because we just broke up? Her voice, her gestures, her eyes, and her laughter were still vivid in her memory. At that time, the trembling heartbeat during the conversation is not easily calmed down.
If possible, I wanted to make a cause for her and go see her again.
While chewing on her conversation with her, her familiar voice called me to reality.
“Dad?”
Stella, who suddenly emerged from the blanket I was covering, looked at me with a strange smile on her face.
I groaned, cleared my throat, and changed the subject in a voice as calm as possible.
“What about the other kids?”
Stella raised her upper body slightly and shrugged her shoulders in reply.
“I went to play. Are you buying a present for your father?”
“Really? Looking forward to that.”
I’m worried because Stella, who’s snappy, isn’t in the group, but they weren’t so bad that I couldn’t even take care of myself. It wouldn’t be much of a problem if it was just buying presents and browsing the store.
Maybe….
Trying to ignore the rising anxiety, I blankly thought of Maria again.
Could it be because I was lying in bed and not doing anything special, just staring at the ceiling? Stella, who had been lying close to me before I knew it, made a hint.
“Is it because of her?”
I was taken aback by Stella’s open question, and I couldn’t say anything. I only stared at Stella’s face.
Stella did not lose sight of me and continued to ask questions.
“Did you like it?”
It’s not good to lie. Besides, it’s a past relationship. Being willing to admit it can sometimes help.
I nodded, and Stella muttered a subtle smile as if pondering what I had said.
“Yes, I liked it….”
Stella’s reaction was different from what she thought, so I lightly tousled Stella’s hair and said.
“It’s okay. She’s someone I once loved. You guys are the ones I love the most right now, so you don’t have to worry so much.”
Of course, I was aware that loving the children and loving Maria were essentially different feelings. It was just a pun to reassure Stella.
“Really?”
“Yes, it is real.”
I thought this suffocating conversation would end here, but it wasn’t. Stella climbed on top of me before I knew it, looked me straight in the eyes and muttered again.
“Still, I’m a bit jealous….”
Changed eyes. Stella’s eyes, reminiscent of moonlight, seemed to pierce my body. I called her name cautiously to calm her down.
“Stella?”
When she had finished her words there, Stella suddenly reached out and grabbed my collar.
Since she had never shown such wild behavior before, I looked at her Stella, bewildered like her broken doll.
At the same time, I had no choice but to swallow. This situation, this atmosphere, everyone has been through. The aura he felt from Stella was very familiar.
That strange tension she felt right before the other kids attacked me. Feeling like a rabbit in front of a snake.
The moment she realized him, Stella grinned and raised her hand that was holding her by the collar.
In an instant, the distance between Stella and her came closer, and at the same time, the scent that tickled her nose spread.
Lips that have come close before you know it.
Stella moved her head slightly forward, her lips touching my ear, then she whispered softly.
“Dad knows, right? We can’t stand it any longer.”
“Ji, calm down.”
I didn’t have the right to tell you to calm down. With the exception of Stella, he had already had relationships with all of his daughters.
Stella must have known him too, and that is why she is acting the way she is now. Stella bit my neck lightly before I knew it and smiled strangely.
“I have always been in the highest position. I’ll tell you with my body from now on. Who is the person Dad should love the most?”