episode_0159

[155th Episode] – A Brief Farewell (3)

Morgan briefly gazed at Veronica, lost in thought. Should I say about 80%? Looking closely again, Veronica’s body was composed of about 80% fairy.

It was incomprehensible no matter how much she looked. How could such an existence exist like this? Even for Morgan, who had lived for eternity, a being like Veronica was something she had never seen before.

Difficult to call a hybrid of fairy and human, not easy to call human, but insufficient to call a fairy. What exactly was this child in front of her?

“Morgan, what do you see me as in your eyes?”

Veronica’s question made Morgan fall into contemplation with a slight sigh. What did she see? She seemed like anything and nothing at the same time.

If close, she would be a being close to a fairy.

So it was awkward. If Veronica had been an ordinary human, Morgan could have just ended her life right now. That was the ‘punishment’ imposed on witches who committed crimes against fairies or humans.

However, no matter how Morgan looked at it, the existence known as Veronica appeared as a ‘hybrid of fairy and human.’ If she appeared as a fairy, she couldn’t impose punishment on a human.

That was because of the ‘contract’ Morgan had made with the fairy realm.

Except for Vivian, all the witches of Coven knew this. Morgan, the queen of the fairy realm and the grand witch, had to strictly abide by the laws and rules of the fairy realm.

The fact that Morgan, a human, could become the queen of the fairy realm was also the result of the ‘contract’ with the world of fairies. The content of the contract Morgan made with the fairy realm was simple.

‘To protect the fairies.’

Until death, she would protect the fairy realm and the fairies.

Morgan was the one who kept this contract.

“…Was this the purpose from the beginning?”

Frowning, Morgan glared at Veronica. Ironically, the target that Morgan had to ‘protect’ included Veronica, who was beginning to transform into a fairy.

Is it because it’s over 50%? Veronica, who has transformed into 80% a fairy, was more like a fairy than a human. Therefore, Morgana couldn’t kill Veronica due to the “contract” with the fairy scent. The most powerful punishment is to be turned into a “fairy egg,” but for some reason, Veronica seemed to want that. It was good to know Veronica’s purpose, but I couldn’t figure out what her deal was. Why? Why act as if she’s upset about not becoming a fairy egg? She should have just quietly hidden and lived as before. Why this sudden change in behavior? Is it only now that she regrets her sins? That doesn’t seem to be the case. Or is there some purpose for the fairy egg that I don’t know about? What on earth is it for?

“…Should I give a different punishment? But even if I impose a different punishment, it will only appear as a reduction of punishment. Ursula will surely question why I’m reducing the punishment.”

Morgana’s mind began to race.

Certainly, there must be “another purpose” for Veronica to have done this. However, no matter how much she thought and pondered, Morgana could not understand Veronica’s purpose.

Of course-

“Certainly, there must be some kind of deal…”

The idea of impregnating a human with a fairy egg was not something Morgana, who disliked humans, could come up with. Even if she were a witch who could create fairy eggs, such an idea was absurd.

For Morgana, the fairy egg was simply a “prison” that, no matter how much attention she paid, was a prison from which she could never escape, so Morgana did not know how to “use” the fairy egg.

“What should I do…”

Even if she didn’t know Veronica’s deal, she couldn’t refrain from imposing a punishment. After all, she had already promised Ursula, the victim’s guardian. If it catches her eye one more time, she won’t forgive her.

Once it catches her eye, imposing a punishment was only natural.

Morgan furrowed her brow and looked down at Veronica. The sight of Veronica comforting Vivian, who was crying in her arms, seemed to prick at Morgan’s conscience.

It was only natural for Veronica to face consequences for her actions, as did Ainsel and Vivian. The way they all cherished the child made Morgan feel like she herself had become a bad person.

However, being unable to forgive Veronica due to conflicting emotions was not fitting for Morgan. As the Queen of the Fairy Harbor and the Grand Witch of Covens, she had to strictly uphold divine punishment.

“Phew…”

Finally, after pondering, Morgan sighed deeply and approached Veronica. Despite Vivian growling and urging her not to come closer, Morgan deliberately ignored her and looked at Veronica.

“If that’s what you want, then do as you wish.”

She didn’t know what trickery was at play, but escaping from the fairy’s egg was absolutely impossible anyway. Morgan took pride in it—the pride of the creator who made the fairy’s egg prison.

Unfurling her fan to cover her mouth, Morgan spoke in a cold voice.

“The fairy’s egg is not an easy punishment.”

“I know.”

“You won’t even be able to think as your consciousness melts away.”

“…That’s probably true.”

“You won’t even be able to plead for death.”

“……”

“…Do you have any last words?”

“M-Morgan…! Please…! What?! Just once…!”

Startled by the word “last,” Vivian approached Morgan and grabbed her dress, pleading, but Morgan frowned as if troubled by the child throwing a tantrum.

“My dear, didn’t I say? I’ve already given that child more than enough chances. It was that child who squandered those opportunities.”

“B-but…! Still…!”

Vivian, unable to come up with a rebuttal, just bit her lip in distress. Seeing her like that, Veronica smiled wryly, held Vivian close, and asked Morgan for one thing.

“In that case…”

“I don’t usually say this, but please allow me to stay by Vivian’s side even after becoming the egg of a fairy. Even if I can’t even show my face or hear her voice anymore, I want to remain with my beloved family.”

“Hmm.”

Morgan, who had been tapping my lips with the tip of the fan, glanced briefly and turned to look at Vivian, who was embraced in Veronica’s arms. Honestly, I wanted to make it into the egg of a fairy and just throw it into the sea…

There was also Einsel’s plea, and it was difficult to refuse when faced with Vivian’s stern gaze. The punishment was to become the ‘egg of a fairy,’ so what happened afterward was not something I could decide.

“Thank you.”

“Veronica…! Can’t you rebel a little?! Why do you keep…!”

Vivian pounded her chest as if frustrated. As if the current situation wasn’t maddening enough, Veronica was naturally accepting the punishment of becoming the ‘egg of a fairy.’

She said she had a request, but then suddenly called for Morgan. Now she was saying that she would receive the punishment for the wrongs she had committed. Vivian felt like she would go crazy because she couldn’t understand the situation.

“You said you had a request…! You said you had a difficult request!! I said I would grant it for you!! I said I would do it for you!! But why, why all of a sudden…!”

“…Vivian.”

“Why did you call for Morgan, why are you suddenly leaving, and why are you receiving punishment?! Explain it properly to me too!! Stop with your secret stories between yourselves!! Explain clearly what you’re thinking!!”

“……”

“And besides, Morgan said he would forgive you…! He gave you a chance…! So you should have received another chance, even if you had to bow your head together just once…!! But you…!”

Veronica soothingly touched Vivian’s flushed cheek as she breathed heavily. Staring tenderly at Veronica, Vivian bit her lower lip.

“What was the request?”

As Veronica met Vivian’s moist green eyes, she rested her forehead against Vivian’s and smiled. Her eyes were filled with concern.

“Always affectionate, always worried about me, always loving me. My family whom I barely met after countless reincarnations, my mother. It feels so sorry to ask this of you…”

As if consoling Vivian, Veronica gently kissed her forehead and cheeks. Despite Vivian’s protest, Veronica chuckled and kissed her cheek again.

“I’ll ask for anything because it’s you. So, I’ll be a bit greedy too.”

Holding Vivian tightly, Veronica brought her lips close to Vivian’s ear and whispered in a voice too soft for Morgan to hear.

“I want to be your daughter.”

Vivian tilted her head in puzzlement.

“…But you already are my daughter, aren’t you?”

I see, you didn’t understand what I was saying at all.

Well, I guess I didn’t explain it properly. Maybe it’s natural not to understand in that case. But I didn’t have time to explain properly, and it wasn’t the right situation. I couldn’t explain it properly in front of Morgan.

…Actually, I never intended to explain it properly in the first place.

The explanation about this was not my responsibility, it was Titania’s responsibility. Surely, if it’s Titania, she will ‘explain’ it well to Vivian. Veronica smiled wryly, stroked Vivian’s cheek, and spoke.

“Just tell her like this. I will consider myself your daughter.”

“I already told you, you are already my daughter… Why on earth…”

“Can’t you just say it like that? You said you would grant any of my requests. Right?”

Vivian was at a loss for words at Veronica’s earnest plea. She couldn’t fully grasp the meaning of the request, and she couldn’t understand what Veronica was thinking. But… Vivian gently caressed Veronica’s cheek, then lifted her head and kissed Veronica’s forehead. It was a tender and affectionate kiss, not a sensual one.

As the kiss ended, Veronica, feeling happy, smiled and asked Vivian while looking into her eyes. “We may not meet again soon, so even if it’s not a request, would it be okay to make it a vow?”

“Vivian Lirienne Sol, do you swear to accept Veronica as your daughter and become family forever?”

“To make a vow…?”

The word “vow” made Vivian feel oddly embarrassed.

To become family forever. Vivian knew well what Veronica’s heart held in those words. Therefore, she looked into Veronica’s eyes, smiled, and answered.

“…I swear to accept Veronica as my daughter. Forever.”

Veronica closed her eyes and smiled at my vow.

It was the most beautiful smile of Veronica’s that I had ever seen.

“Thank you. This is enough.”

“…Huh?”

Veronica let go of me and turned to Morgan without looking back. As if waiting, Morgan reached out to her. Behind Morgan, the white space from which she had emerged was open.

I quickly ran after Veronica, but—

“Just a moment…! You still need an explanation…!”

“Vivian.”

Veronica grabbed Morgan’s hand faster.

“We’ll meet again soon.”

“Veronica!!”

“So please take good care of me. Mother.”

With my cry, both Morgan and Veronica disappeared into the white space. Left alone in an instant, I could only stare at the place where they had vanished.

In the deserted sandy beach where Morgan and Veronica had disappeared, only the sound of cold waves echoed. The campfire was also cooling down, no longer emitting heat, turning into a pile of ashes.

“Veronica…?”