Chapter 314

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Flames flickered like a riot of crimson lotuses.

The acrid smoke billowed from the burning cement.

A collapsing utility pole. Gruesomely charred corpses. Echoing screams.

Amidst it all, children were running.

A small girl grasped the hand of a boy a head taller than her and pulled him along. Gasping for breath, she tugged forcefully at the hand she held. The boy followed the girl almost as if being dragged. They ran. They ran through hell. They desperately ran through the inferno, where life was being crushed. 

Crackle, crackle. 

Urgent footsteps and the leisurely sound of sparks mingled together.

“…”

Eugene watched the scene from a step behind.

When you have the same dream repeatedly, there are times when you become aware that it is just a dream.

While running and crying with Yui, he would suddenly realize that this was not reality. At such times, Eugene would change the content of the dream. Instead of Yui leading him, he would lead Yui. He would fight off the monsters blocking their path and search for a safe place. Something that the current Eugene could do. But a miracle that the Eugene of that time could not even imagine.

A miracle that could not be achieved in reality was possible in dreams.

He saved Yui.

He survived the Great Catastrophe.

He never let go of the hand he held.

“Fleeting, really…”

But he knew.

A dream is just a dream.

It can never become reality.

Realizing unfulfilled wishes in a dream only left him with emptiness.

Eugene closed his eyes. He wanted to meet his family, whom he could no longer see, even in a dream. But every time he saw Yui in his dreams, the unchanging reality hit him even harder.

It had already been five years.

I have grown so much since then.

You, on the other hand, remain the same.

My time has flowed for five years since that day.

Yui’s time stopped on that day and never flowed again.

“It should have been my clock that stopped that day, not yours…”

Muttering as if lamenting, Eugene turned away. He didn’t want to see any more. He didn’t want to see anything. In the past, when he became aware that it was a dream, he would change the nightmare into a fantasy, but now he didn’t. He wanted to see Yui a little longer and tried not to wake up, but now he immediately escaped from the dream. He knew that taking a moment of happiness would only leave behind an indelible regret.

His closed eyes slowly opened.

The burning street was nowhere to be found.

The figures of the children running through it had also disappeared.

Only the familiar ceiling of the dormitory greeted Eugene.

“Already… today has come.”

A red circle marked on the calendar.

Eugene tilted his head slightly and looked at the date emphasized by the circle.

That day that came every year.

The peace on thin ice that had been barely constructed with the blood, sweat, and tears of thousands of people.

The unforgettable nightmare in which that peace was shattered so brutally.

The Great Catastrophe.

The day the sky broke and monsters rained down like rain.

Today was the 5th anniversary of that tragedy.

◈

Being a guardian is harder than I thought.

I like taking care of people, but I only have one body.

Taking responsibility for four children is surprisingly busy.

Seri demanded hugs all the time. She was thirsty for warmth. More precisely, she craved the love of her parents. She sought from me the genuine love that she had not received from her own parents. She wanted to fill her empty heart with maternal affection. Knowing this, I did not refuse to hug Seri whenever she acted like a spoiled child.

Alice and Frey seemed very displeased with the scene. They showed their discomfort like cats whose territory had been invaded. If they had tails, they would be thumping them against the floor. Fortunately, they had become accustomed to it by now, and they didn’t show as much of a negative reaction as they did at first, but they often pouted and looked sullen.

I can’t discriminate against the children, so when I hug Alice (Frey), Seri gets disappointed this time. If she had a tail, it would droop down. It’s a vicious cycle. I cared for one person, and another was disappointed. Can’t they get along? Mommy is sad.

Regina was the best.

And Regina was also the most dangerous.

She maintains her composure only when I am nearby.

In other words, she has a seizure when I am not around.

I wish you wouldn’t hurt yourself. With the regenerative power of a supernatural, the scars won’t remain, but it’s not good for your mental health. And it’s not good for my mental health either. 

What is it? Is it like having a barbecue party in front of me when I’m fasting during Ramadan? Are you trying to bribe me now? Are you trying to insult me?!

But saying that was too strong of a temptation.

In the end, I risked being caught by Arin and cut my wrist.

Fortunately, the self-harm for persuasion didn’t seem to be included in the intense crisis, and it ended at the level of discomfort. I sensed something, but it wasn’t a crisis to the level of danger. Arin asked me the next day, “Did something happen last night?” and I felt a chill run down my spine. That chill felt good though…yeah, I decided to refrain for the time being. Let’s get a grip.

Originally, I was planning to advance the relationship between Eugene and Anastasia.

Anastasia was one of the heroines in the ‘novel’, and she was a character who helped Eugene grow quite a bit.

I wanted to strengthen her relationship with Eugene in order to help her regain her lost emotions and free her from the shackles of the past… but I was too busy taking care of the children to do so. Three days had passed in a flash.

Moving the dormitory of Class D to a regular dormitory, taking them to a specialized hospital for psychological examinations, and spending time separately in the hope that Alice (Frey) and Class D would get along…I couldn’t even pay attention to Anastasia because of this.

‘It’s okay. I can make up for it.’

I shrugged my shoulders as I looked at the calendar.

The 5th anniversary of the Great Catastrophe.

A day to mourn the countless civilian victims who died unjustly and the supernaturals who fought bravely and died heroically.

It was a special day when the whole country was in a wave of mourning and embracing the scars left by the monsters.

‘Today was the turning point in the relationship between Eugene and Anastasia in the novel.’

Both of them were victims of the Great Catastrophe.

Eugene lost his only family, his younger sister.

Anastasia’s parents were brutally murdered before her eyes.

Five years is a long time, but it’s not enough to wake up from a nightmare.

The common wounds made them feel a sense of kinship, and it became an opportunity for Anastasia to become genuinely interested in Eugene.

‘Eugene will go to his sister’s grave early this morning. He’ll be there until dawn. Today is the only day Eugene doesn’t train.’

And a little away from Yui’s grave is the grave of Anastasia’s parents.

The two will naturally meet and learn about each other’s circumstances.

The problem is that the ‘novel’ and reality are different. Anastasia had not visited her parents’ grave until now. She had intentionally ignored her parents’ death. However, after entering the academy and experiencing several incidents, subtle changes occurred in her withered heart. A drop of water fell on the calm surface of the water and caused a small ripple.

She visited her parents’ grave for the first time on the fifth anniversary of their death.

Thanks to this, she met Eugene and spent the day together… but the plot of the ‘novel’ had long been twisted. Will Anastasia visit the grave today? What if she doesn’t go? I couldn’t rest assured because she had less contact with Eugene than in the ‘novel’.

‘If she doesn’t go, I’ll make her go.’

That’s why I’m here!

Hehe, why hide it?

As you know, Lucia is Cupid of love!

None of the arrows of love that I have shot so far have missed! (false)

The arrow I’m about to shoot this time is not an arrow of love, but an arrow of friendship!

‘Lucia is a smart student who learns from experience. I have prepared several plans in case of an emergency.’

Starting with visiting Anastasia and lightly probing her, and even going to the extreme of borrowing the power of Seri and Regina to forcibly make her mourn her parents with a hypnotic drug combo. I had devised various secret plans. I hope I don’t have to use them if possible.

I looked out the window and rested my chin on the window frame. The sunrise had begun, but it was still dark outside. This was because it was full of dark clouds. According to the weather forecast, it would not rain, but it would be cloudy until the afternoon, so it would be gloomy.

I turned my head and looked around the room. On the bed, Alice was hugging the pillow I used like a doll and sleeping soundly. Under the bed, Seri was curled up and using Regina’s stomach as a pillow, and Regina was constantly frowning and muttering in her sleep, as if the weight pressing on her abdomen was uncomfortable.

There were two more roommates. The dormitory was spacious, as befits an academy that is always sincere about the welfare of its students. It was more than enough to use for one person. It was also possible to use it for two people without difficulty. But if there were four people, it would be a little difficult. The bed was too small for everyone to use, so Regina and Seri had no choice but to cover the floor with blankets and sleep.

The room was cramped and uncomfortable, but it was a discomfort that I could fully tolerate. We decided to live like this until the trauma of the two was resolved. Anyway, the dormitory of Class D was also moved to the same building, so they could return to their respective dormitory rooms when necessary. Most of their luggage was in their own rooms, and they had come to my room with almost nothing but their bodies.

“It’s noisy and full of energy, so I like it.”

I chuckled. Sometimes I miss the days when I could secretly and comfortably amputate my limbs alone. It was so nice to just saw them off with a saw without having to be aware of anyone. But living together wasn’t bad either. Everyone is cute. I really like cute things!

‘If Anastasia doesn’t go to mourn, I have to move. I have to move with Regina because Regina has to be by my side no matter what. I might have to borrow her abilities in case of an emergency, so I’ll ask for her understanding in advance…wait a minute?’

I tilted my head at the thought that suddenly came to mind.

‘But how do I know if Anastasia is going to mourn her parents or not?’

I wasn’t thinking about the most important thing.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
‘As I went fishing, I got everything else, but I forgot to bring my fishing rod.’

Lucia is a smart fool.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
3 vs 1, will he win?

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