episode_0173

“… I had a terrible nightmare.”

Judging by the cold sweat running down my back, this wasn’t an ordinary nightmare. I don’t remember the general details, but it was definitely a dream about killing someone. The hand I swung in the fantasy still feels numb.

“Hoo…”

It was a nightmare until this morning. As expected, I was far from at peace. Even my one remaining arm was numb like this.

“Are you awake?”

Camilla teased me, patting my cheek while half-naked. Judging by the wetness of her hair, she had clearly gotten up and gotten ready before me.

“Why are you sleeping so long…”

“That’s probably because you disturbed my sleep last night.”

“I only did it five times yesterday!”

“That’s also too hard. I don’t have the stamina I used to have. Also, if I were to fight the Demon King, I wouldn’t be able to last even 3 minutes. It’s strange that a master is still fighting at that age.”

After losing my arms, my skills deteriorated rapidly. The only time I was able to fight on equal terms with the Demon King was when both my arms were intact.

Even though he had regained his former health and strength, losing an arm was a huge poison. It was probably because the countless sparring sessions he had with Leila when his arm was still intact were so deeply engraved in him.

As a result, the power was restored, but the technology collapsed and the possibility of growth was lost. Furthermore, due to the long peace, the power and stamina are also rusting.

Now that peace has been restored, would such power be meaningful?

“Get up and change your clothes. The kids are all changed, but you’re still messing around.”

“Huh… Okay. I can’t afford to be lazy as the days get longer.”

I quickly changed into dark clothes and grabbed the flower arrangement.

The Nevermore family’s graveyard was kept as immaculately as its prestige. No, it was more like a huge garden than a tomb.

“… There’s nothing, so lie down.”

“Even if you say you’re bored because you left your bow at home and have nothing to do… Isn’t it a bit much to ask the crown prince of a country to bow down and pick some fruit?”

“… Remember.”

“Remember that you’re my fiancée? No, even if you were a normal fiancée, that’s impossible. No matter what, I’m the crown prince of this empire..!”

I couldn’t help but laugh because I was quite satisfied with my prospective son-in-law.

I liked the way he would bow down even though he pretended not to like it, the way he would pick the fish bones off my daughter’s plate when we were eating together, and the fact that he liked books a lot, unlike my daughter.

Yes. That child could save my daughter, who has no communication skills. And at the same time, he could save this still dirty empire.

“… It’s been a while.”

I almost froze involuntarily at the sound of a voice I hadn’t heard in a long time.

“Marquis Rosie Nevermore.”

“…Did you come to celebrate your sister’s death anniversary?”

“Yeah. It’s an annual event, so there’s nothing new about it.”

“I’m sure my sister will be happy too.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s very desirable for a married man to do this.”

‘It’, which had been reduced to an ordinary crow right after the war, still lived in my heart with Leila’s scent.

Today, I simply walked to the source of the fragrance, keeping the fragrance in my heart. It was nothing new.

“No. I wish you would come more often. My sister would hate me. She would like you coming more than I do…”

“Don’t you know that those words are what makes her sad? Ever since you apologized to me sincerely.”

“…”

“Oh, and there is a child I would like to formally introduce to you. She is my distant relative and is now my adopted daughter…”

The girl who had been hidden by Rosie’s skirt mustered up her courage and revealed herself in front of me.

I was a little surprised because her face looked exactly like Leila’s when she was young, but what was more surprising was her way of speaking and her hair.

First of all, it was surprising that the hair was twisted into a spiral shape like some kind of sculpture…

“Hello…”

What did I just hear?

“The girl is Maria Nevermore. It is a great honor to meet the famous hero Raoul.”

As far as I know, there is no nobleman these days who speaks like that. Even our grandparents’ generation probably didn’t speak like that. In the first place, that kind of speech died out about 200 years ago.

“You can speak comfortably.”

“Is this really true?”

“Well, first of all, he’s my son’s fiancée, so it shouldn’t be that difficult…”

“Then, is it okay for the girl to ask you things she’s always been curious about?!!!”

I felt like my ears were bleeding.

If we were to judge only by voice, it seemed like it would far surpass the Demon King who was roaring in anger. My already sensitive eardrums were about to burst.

“Yeah, whatever…”

Most of the questions this kid asks are rude.

I’m talking about rude questions like, “Are the majors I’ve studied actually lies?”

I was willing to allow the question to be asked, since I was not yet young enough to be upset about such things.

“I want to hear about the legend of how he single-handedly fought and defeated the Demon King’s army of 100,000 men during the war.”

“… I feel like the story is a bit exaggerated.”

“Then… there were more than 100,000 people?”

“Young-ae, you don’t know what the manager means, do you?”

This was the first time I’ve seen a pattern like this in my life.

“But that’s what it said in the book I read!”

“Burn that book and stop the habit of believing everything written in it.”

What kind of crazy person writes a book like that?

“But it’s a famous story that Raul killed the King of the Demons and the King of the Sea Dragons. And he also fought and won against the Queen of the Dragons, the King of the Ghosts, and the Demon King…!”

“The three people behind are closer to the ones who died themselves.”

“Still, it’s still great! The credit for fighting until the end is…!!!”

If I just talk to this kid for an hour, won’t my eardrums just disappear?

“Sigh…”

And my son, who had been insisting on coming here, let out an annoyed sigh.

“I didn’t come here to listen to such nonsense. I’ve already offered my condolences and paid my respects, so I’ll go first. Let’s go.”

“Yes, Charles.”

“I… I… Charles…”

“Haa… What is it now?”

“If you have time, let’s have some tea and read a book together…”

“Your reading manners are terrible, Young-ae. Drinking something to drink while reading a book. Tsk… There has to be a limit to boring things.”

“…”

I also enjoy snacks while reading books, and there were times when I felt guilty without realizing it.

“… Yes, I did. Sorry to bother you, Charles…”

“And.”

Charles clicked his tongue and tossed a small box to his fiancée.

“Your hair was rough the last time I saw you. It must be because you didn’t get enough sleep. I especially hate women who don’t take care of their own bodies. So, at least put that on your hair and go to sleep. When that happens, I’ll treat you to a simple tea party.”

“…”

From the way the noisy girl blushed and the masked girl radiated chills… I figured my son was a philanderer. Although he didn’t seem to realize it.

“…hehe.”

I headed towards a grave with it lodged in my face.

And he placed white flowers that he had cut himself in front of the grave.

“… I’m here. My other half.”

Leila.

My other half.

My precious treasure that I cherished more than anyone else and that still lives and breathes within me.

Memories that were the shackles of my past and the horrors of my youth. And the driving force of my life that held onto my lifeline every day when I wanted to die.

“Is it comfortable there? I hope it’s at least more comfortable than a cage.”

I didn’t wonder at all how she became a bird and flew by my side.

I am just grateful that you were by my side, even in that form.

“Leila. You see. I have a son and a daughter. Although my son is a bit rotten and my daughter is a bit lacking in speaking skills… they are still good kids. Well, maybe not my son.”

I decided to let go of the treasures I had wrapped in fragrance that were in my heart.

Those memories that have become a little more precious than the memories with her.

“And now I’m married. That old and fierce Camilla is now my wife. It’s unbelievable. No, it’s also a fact that I feel painfully when I look at my children’s personalities…”

I don’t even know what I’m talking about.

Because familiar, unorganized words were blurting out here and there.

“That once cold-hearted mother has become a doting grandchild, and now that Lizel is doing half of the work of the head of the household… It’s a series of things that I couldn’t even imagine in the past. It’s hard to believe the reality of every day.”

I reached out towards her gravestone.

“Everything could change. Like your weapon. There were also things that didn’t change. Like my weapon.”

The tombstone, bathed in the morning sunlight, felt as warm as her cheek.

“I don’t know if that’s why, but…”

I relaxed my stiff lips and smiled.

“Now I can breathe easy.”

Maybe he wanted to reassure her since she was always worried about me.

Or maybe you just wanted to brag to your friends.

Either way, it doesn’t matter.

“What do you think, Leila?”

And as if in response, a white feather fell from the sky and tickled the corner of my mouth.

“Yeah. The air today… seems particularly clear.”