16 – Fatal Love
As Tina sobbed, she suddenly caught my gaze and hurriedly explained.
“Of c-course… I’m really happy with you and Mom now. But… why is it that when I think of my old mother… I want to see her…”
“Tina.”
“I’m sorry… Dad.”
“Tina, you have no reason to apologize.”
People call a parent’s love for their child “unconditional love.”
It is said to be the most noble and noblest of emotions, as parents selflessly care for their children without expecting anything in return.
That’s why people often fall into misconception.
A parent’s love is truly the most noble and dignified emotion.
Certainly, it’s not an incorrect expression.
“Uh… sniff…”
But the child sheds tears.
Now, wanting to see parents whose memories are becoming vague, feeling guilty towards me because of that desire, the child drops teary eyes.
Children are more blind in love than adult prejudices.
Even without any reciprocation, a child loves their parents. Even if the parents mistreat their own child, the child keeps going to the edge of the cliff and looks back at the precipice.
Fatal love.
We agreed to call it that, the pure love of a child.
“Tina.”
“Hu… yes…”
“Shall we go see your real mother?”
“Really…?”
“Yeah, Elphesia seems to have found out in every possible way.”
“Mom… my real mom…?”
For a moment, Tina’s expression became subtle. At first, she seemed happy, then suddenly, her mouth drooped in disappointment.
Tina hesitated for a moment and then spoke.
“Does my mom dislike me? Is that why she’s trying to find my real mom and abandon me?”
“Nonsense.”
I could firmly refute that. I believe in Elphesia, who made a solemn promise with the baptismal name.
Elphesia was definitely not a woman who would resort to petty schemes to drive Tina away.
“Did you just say that? That you really miss your mom. Clearly… Elphesia knew and helped with Tina’s innermost feelings.”
“Then do you not like her?”
“How was it when Elphesia read you a book?”
Tina pursed her lips and pondered deeply.
She didn’t take long to answer.
“It was… good.”
“You seemed to dislike it?”
“… No.”
“Right, Tina knows best, huh?”
“That’s right. Mom doesn’t dislike me.”
“That’s true.”
I remember Elphesia, who sat on the cheap bed last night and had a serious conversation. Her opinions always showed consideration, so we never had a single argument.
It was evidence that she genuinely cared about Tina’s well-being.
“Should I go, to your real mom?”
“…”
“Tina?”
“Maybe.”
Tina tightly clenched her hands and crossed her legs, as if she wanted to ask a difficult question.
“If… if… I were to live with my real mom… would I have to break up with my current dad and mom?”
“Probably.”
“Ugh…”
I lightly tapped Tina’s crying head.
“But you can come and see me anytime. We’re family, after all.”
“…Yes.”
Finally, Tina smiled faintly, as if she had been relieved. Then, with a confident voice, she expressed her opinion.
“I want to meet her. My real mother.”
“If that’s what you want, then anytime.”
Tina vigorously nodded her head. To me, it felt like the fluttering of a baby bird trying to fly up to the sky of this world.
It took a full day to prepare for the journey.
I rented a carriage with the money I had, and prepared some provisions for the trip.
Finally, for the first time since the establishment of the orphanage, we embarked on an unusually long outing by locking the front gate.
◇
According to Elphesia’s investigation, Tina’s birth mother resides in the Village of Change.
It was an estate owned by Aaron Behirot, a boundary guard who protected the border adjacent to the Demon Lord’s territory. He was renowned as a master swordsman, as being the gatekeeper of the most dangerous area in the empire. There were many rumors surrounding this mysterious man.
Since he was not a significant character in the original work, I didn’t have much information either.
Therefore, at this moment, what’s important is…
“Weight.”
“Gravity.”
“Inversion.”
“Hydrokinesis.”
“Reverse energy.”
“Vitality.”
“Capacity.”
“Solar power.”
“aaahhh!!!”
It was crucial to bask in the radiant glow of Yurian, who was firmly heated up.
Having fiercely oxidized in the word chain game, Yurian finally fired a shotgun at his own knee.
“Fatal… Truly fatal, Director!”
“Is that an appropriate habit for a Papa who followed the rules?”
“But still! But still! This is just not right! There’s no universal pattern for this!”
“Ouch. Winners don’t hear losers’ excuses, Yurian.”
“Gaaah!”
Despite Yurian arguing in such a childish manner, he turned out to be unexpectedly skilled until the end.
Tina and Glenn had long left, and Elpisia never paid attention from the beginning.
Nevertheless, seeing them watching with considerable interest, I couldn’t help but switch to sincere mode.
“Another round! Tina!”
“Sodium.”
“Benefit…!!!”
“To challenge me, you’d need at least a hundred years, you brat. Practice with Tina and Glenn and then come back.”
Yurian grumbled at the perfect victory declaration.
“I… really dislike the director.”
“Papa, I really like our son.”
As I casually retorted, the kid finished his quick wash. Regardless, he was a playful child, as diverse as his maturity allowed teasing.
Elphesia sent me a disdainful look, as if finding me distasteful.
“I mean, please tease me in moderation.”
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“hehehe, I planned to go this far from the beginning.”
“Sigh… I never knew you were such a mischievous person. Now I feel deceived.”
“Originally, even grown men are just kids. Tina, make sure you remember that.”
Tina earnestly stored my advice in her head.
“Yes! Uriane and Glen are kids even though they’re grown up!”
“What? That’s impossible!”
“Nonsense!”
Uriane and Glen countered the unreasonable argument. Amidst the noisy dispute, Elphesia approached and spoke to me.
“Harte, could you lend me your ear for a moment?”
“Oh, sure. Go ahead.”
As I inclined my ear, our shoulders inevitably touched. The sensation was delicate, given our light clothing.
In this extremely narrowed space between us, she spoke.
“I want to discuss something just in case.”
“What is it?”
“Nothing is confirmed yet, but it’s better to be prepared. It seems like you’re the best person for this.”
Elphesia whispered her opinions to me just as they were in any situation. And I, in turn, listened to Elphesia’s opinions and followed her will.
It was a sturdy conversation.
Repeating the whispers, the fact I learned was once again that Elphesia was a considerate person.
It was another moment when I was paying attention to her whispers.
Thud!
“Ugh.”
“Oops.”
“Kyaa!”
The carriage shook violently.
It seemed like the wheels had hit an unusually protruding stone or root. Thanks to that, the children had to gently massage their buttocks while emitting various groans.
… The problem was us.
“…Huh?”
“Uh…”
Elphesia’s delicate lips sagged slightly to the right. The smooth texture, almost dismissible, was irresistible. The lingering sensation that seemed to persist even after a while slowly distanced itself.
All the children were now wide-eyed, observing us.
Elphesia was no exception. The whites of her eyes had a higher proportion in her red irises than usual, and her face had the well-ripened appearance of a spread-out plum peel.
I was sure I wasn’t much different.
“Ugh…”
“Gulp…!”
I stared intently at Elphesia’s parted lips, and the red hue that had touched her lips was slightly faded.
Thanks to that, even without looking in the mirror, I could roughly estimate my appearance.
At that moment, Tina spoke with a slight blush.
“Dad, there’s still a kiss mark on your cheek.”
A confirmation assassination that was nothing short of cruel.
Cruelty disguised as innocence.
Glen, with a face now completely red from anger, avoided eye contact.
“Ugh… ugh… ugh… aaargh…!!!”
“E-Elpisia.”
She opened her eyes wide at my call.
“It was a mistake. It’s not real! Don’t misunderstand!”
“Well, obviously! I know that too!”
“Why would you know that?!”
“Weren’t you the one who asked me to find out?!”
In the midst of this unreasonable reprimand, I blushed and fell silent. Meanwhile, Elpisia quickly took out a handkerchief and gently dabbed my cheek.
“The headmaster and the deputy headmaster really have a good relationship…”
Glen commented, covering his bright red cheeks.
Then, Yurian, who had just gained another victory, opened the floodgates of disaster.
“Ha, we’re still too young to witness the intense affection between Papa and Mama. I wish they had done it outside the carriage.”
I’m going insane.
Not only did Elpisia’s feelings get hurt, but she also became the target of Yurian’s teasing. This was a close approximation of the worst defeat one could experience as an adult.
“Um… Elphesia.”
“Don’t say anything… Nothing at all.”
“Mm…”
Elphesia leaned her head against the edge of the carriage, hiding her embarrassment with both hands.
A devastating incident that even a miracle couldn’t compensate for.
Our journey continued with a heavy atmosphere until the early morning of the next day.
◇
As time flowed with laughter and tears, the end of our journey where the sun and moon intersected.
Finally, the carriage reached the boundary area.
I had imagined a desolate landscape as it was said to be adjacent to the territory of demonic spirits. However, the domain of the Changbaek, witnessed by my own eyes, was surprisingly beautiful.
Just breathing felt like clearing my lungs, and the absence of overly tall buildings provided a wide field of vision.
Especially, the vast fields waiting for harvest somehow evoked a nostalgic feeling of a past life.
‘Rice… In the temple, both bread and rice alternated.’
Considering the abundance of rice brought from Changbaek, the environment was understandable for using it as a staple.
‘Well… Rice is a good staple with excellent population sustenance.’
Nevertheless, a sense of incongruity was inevitable. We had only passed through Changbaek, yet the familiar landscape of K-countryside greeted me. It felt like sitting under a tree, ready to have makgeolli… That kind of scene.
“It’s fascinating, isn’t it, Harte?”
“Rather than fascinating, it feels familiar…”
“Have you visited here before?”
“No, not really. It’s just a mood.”
“Definitely… It must still be too early.”
“What?”
“The time when you come as a Changeling.”
That’s right. This is my first time visiting as a Changeling.
But for some reason, the way Elphesia speaks feels… unsettling. It’s as if she knows exactly when I will visit.
“Could it be an overreaction?”
As I observe Elphesia, she seems lost in her thoughts, staring endlessly out the window.
To me, it looks as if she is reminiscing about a cherished memory.
Could it be that she has some connection to the Changeling territory behind the original work?
“… Maybe a man, or something?”
If she hasn’t forgotten that person, and we made a contract that there would be no love between us?
Or perhaps the Count Luminal forced our marriage and shattered any connection we had?
I don’t like these thoughts. They’re unnecessary.
Every time I inflate these baseless assumptions, it feels like all she shows me is a sense of obligation…
I quickly shook my head.
“Are you an idiot? It can only be a sense of obligation. What are you expecting? I am.”
But if there’s one thing I hope for, it’s that we can at least be good friends.
Even if our designated titles are husband and wife out of obligation, I wish we could be good friends outside of that duty.
Regardless, as long as nothing significant happens, we will continue to be a married couple in the future.
After all, it’s not uncommon for a married couple to live as friends.
It was a time when I was beginning to accept it on my own.
Finally, Elysia announced the final destination.
“It’s starting to come into view. It’s called Lirucia Village. It’s a village that primarily operates orchards rather than rice fields.”
“Is that where Tina’s birth mother lives?”
“Yes. It should take about 10 minutes at most to arrive.”
As Tina tensed up in response to Elysia’s notification, the children, more proactive than me, encouraged Tina and bolstered her courage.
“Straighten your shoulders. If she’s your mother, she must be right in front of you. It’s nothing special.”
“You’ll surely remember. I still remember the faces of my lost parents from when I was much younger.”
In Glen’s case, it might be due to his ordinary intelligence, but who knows.
The important thing was that Tina’s face brightened even more.
‘There must be some connection among kids of the same age.’
In such a situation, what role does an adult play? With a regretful and worried heart, I firmly held Tina’s hand.
“It’ll be okay.”
“…Yes!”
With just a simple word, Tina seemed to receive enough comfort. The clouded complexion that had been there was now clear.
The carriage’s speed gradually decreased.
When the horse-drawn carriage finally came to a complete stop, the coachman announced loudly.
“We’ve arrived, my lords. Do you see that small garden there? The roof is yellow. Yes, yes, that’s it.”
After slowly getting off the carriage, we turned our bodies in the direction pointed out by the coachman. It was the form of an ordinary house that was once unimaginably ordinary, considering it might have been the companion of a dragon.
Tina stood at the forefront, turning back to look at us.
Nodding, I pushed Tina’s back, and finally, we headed towards the yellow-roofed house.
True to its rural nature, there was no latch on the front door. The concept of thieves seemed to have completely disappeared from the culture.
Because of that, Tina could open the front door without any hindrance.
Moving through the gap in the open door, Tina paused for a moment. Judging by the rise and fall of her chest, it seemed like she was taking a deep breath to calm herself.
After gathering her resolve, Tina took another step forward.
At that moment, just ten steps away from the front door of the house.
Suddenly, a small figure popped out from the wide-open front door.
“Huh?”
It was a boy.
Much younger than Tina, but old enough to play around… about that age.
The boy, with an innocent face, slowly opened his mouth.
“Who’s noona?”
Tina, who was approaching courageously, stumbled as her steps faltered.
“Ah…”
Tina let out a sigh.
She froze as if her whole body had stiffened strangely.
Her frail and small back curled up like an armadillo.
As if trying to protect a painful wound.