Ch.122122. Good Roles and Villain Roles (6)

“Here it is!”

“…Are you serious? Let’s reconsider this. I won’t believe this is your home either. Let’s move on…?”

“What are you talking about? Come in quickly!”

A more ordinary apartment than I expected.

With all that money she earned, she could have moved somewhere better.

Just an average semi-new apartment?

Like all apartments in Seoul.

Not old, but not new either. A moderately aged apartment.

And Blanc claims this is her home.

No.

No matter how I think about it, this is strange.

Why would she reveal this to me, a villain?

It’s dangerous.

Very dangerous.

While I was consumed by these thoughts,

Blanc entered the door code and opened the door.

“…This way I can’t even pretend not to know…”

“Yes. Come in. Mom!”

Blanc shouted toward the inside while holding the door open for me.

…I reluctantly entered.

A voice came from inside the house.

“Oh, Yoonseul, you’re here? Why didn’t you call before coming?”

“Mom!”

“Come in. …But behind you, is that Bine…?”

“Yes. It’s Bine.”

“Really? Come in quickly.”

This is strange too.

This time, Blanc’s mother knows who I am.

Well, that makes sense.

I’m the one who fought her daughter nearly to death. It would be strange if she didn’t know.

I’m practically the only person who has ever hurt her daughter.

Of course she would know me.

But why.

Why…

There isn’t a single trace of negativity in her voice.

“Bine, what are you doing? Come inside.”

“Ah, Blanc…”

“I told you to call me Yoonseul. Come in quickly. Don’t just stand there. Your legs must be tired.”

“…Yes.”

I reluctantly entered her family home.

An ordinary household.

I feel something stirring in my chest.

I suppose I too…

Once had a family.

But.

I can’t remember their faces.

I remember having a family.

I remember the members of my family.

I remember everything.

How, how…

Can I not remember their faces?

Their names. Their ages.

They were definitely there.

I definitely had a family.

…

Yes, my family was Eden.

It was Eden.

There was no such family.

…

That can’t be right.

Eden is.

Eden is, Eden, but.

Eden has collapsed.

Family.

Mom, Dad.

Grandmother, Grandfather.

…Ah.

My family is Eden.

The ones who saved me, who accepted me.

My head.

My head hurts so much.

When I try to remember the hazy parts, my head hurts.

Why, of all things, did the dimensional rift erase these memories?

Why doesn’t the dimensional rift return these memories to me?

Why, why.

What grudge does the god of fate hold against me?

…Family.

“Bine? Is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell…? I’m sorry for dragging you here…?”

“No… it’s nothing.”

Blanc apologizes to me with a worried tone.

Blanc, what do you have to apologize for?

This is… something even Blanc can’t control.

This isn’t because Blanc defeated me.

This isn’t because I lost to Blanc.

“Bine…”

“It’s nothing. Why are you getting depressed? It’s really nothing. Don’t worry about me. You deserve to be happy.”

“…Why do you speak as if you don’t deserve happiness?”

“I’m just…”

Because I’m a villain.

That single phrase gets stuck in my throat and won’t come out.

Still, Blanc probably understood what I meant.

“…Bine. Sit down first.”

“Yes.”

Blanc guides me to the sofa.

But the place she’s taking me to…

“…Huh?”

“Hello. You must be Bine? I’ve only heard about you from TV and Yoonseul’s stories. You’re really cute in person.”

“Right, isn’t she cute, Mom?”

“Yes. Would you like to be my daughter, Bine?”

Why am I sitting next to Blanc’s mother…?

And why is Blanc sitting on the opposite side…?

This puts me right in the middle…?

The only connection between Blanc’s mother and me is Blanc, so why…?

“Ahh… This is comfortable. More comfortable than the dorm, as expected.”

“That’s because Mom is here.”

“Is that so? Mom is the best! Hehe…”

I can feel the trust and affection in her casual remarks.

Family.

Blood relations, naturally.

“…”

“Bine… Yes, our Bine. Why are you so thin?”

“Don’t even get me started. She was even worse when I first saw her.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I thought her stomach was stuck to her back! Mom, what’s for dinner today?”

“I was planning to make braised short ribs when your father gets home. You’ll stay for dinner, right?”

“Yes. But will it be enough? Not for me, but for Bine. She’s a monster when it comes to eating.”

“Mom has one flaw, you know.”

“Oh right. Mom’s hands are huge, aren’t they?”

“Yes. I’ve prepared food by the kilogram.”

“Awesome. Can I take leftovers home?”

“I was going to ask you to come over anyway. Using the braised ribs as bait.”

“Well… Bine already makes a lot of food for me.”

“Really?”

Blanc’s mother looks at me with surprised eyes.

“…Are you two being reported for child abuse?”

“Come on. We’re treating her so well. We actually don’t want to make her work, but she finds things to do on her own.”

“Are you sure you’re not gaslighting her?”

“I’m telling you, we’re not.”

Blanc’s mother was now trying to protect me.

I’m so confused.

It’s getting hard to maintain my composure.

“Oh, Bine. You don’t look very happy. Is our Yoonseul bullying you?”

“Ah, no…!”

Startled by the sudden question directed at me, I panicked.

“I, really, nothing happened… Just…”

“Bine… If something’s worrying you, you can tell this mother everything.”

“Ah, no… Um, M-Mother…”

“Isn’t ‘Mother’ too formal? Why don’t you call me Mom?”

“…Th-that…”

My face feels incredibly hot.

My ears must be bright red too.

Seeing me like this, Blanc…

“Mom. Stop it. Bine looks uncomfortable. She’s not used to this kind of thing, so we should approach slowly.”

“Eh… I thought we were already close.”

“No. Bine is very shy with strangers. That’s why when we bring in a new magical girl, she ignores them and comes running to me.”

“Well… that was probably because she wanted to fight with you…?”

“No. Bine always came looking for me.”

“Hmm… I see?”

“Yes, yes. So, scold her quickly. Mom, she hit me.”

Blanc’s sudden declaration.

Ah, right…

I did… quite a lot of things to Blanc, didn’t I?

“What about when you hit Bine? Not thinking about that?”

“Ehhh? Mom? I’m your daughter, you know…?”

“From today, Bine is my daughter too. Say hello.”

“Eh…? Then I’m the older sister, right?”

“Didn’t you tell me? This girl, though she looks cute now… used to have a different appearance.”

“Nooo! I’m still the older sister!”

I can’t follow this conversation.

I can’t keep up with the flow.

“Um, Blanc…”

“What is it, my little sister?”

“No, why am I Bl—I mean, Yoonseul’s little sister…”

“Because you joined this family after me!”

“What are you… I haven’t even joined yet…”

“Huh? The head of our family already invited you in, didn’t she?”

“Yoonseul…”

What are you saying?

Even for Blanc, such nonsense…

Ah, Blanc’s mother said it first.

…It’s hard to call it nonsense now.

“Yes. Our Bine… I’m sorry. You’re just too cute.”

“No, it’s fine…”

“But why is that cute face so full of worry?”

“Pardon…?”

My expression must have crumbled.

If Blanc’s mother, an ordinary person, could notice it, then it definitely did.

“Hmm… Did you think this mother would be angry with you?”

“…What?”

…Ah.

Eh…?

How did she guess correctly…?

“Pfft. Even your surprised face is so cute. Well, I can understand why. Bine, you must have caused our daughter a lot of trouble. She wouldn’t come out of her room when she got home. She wouldn’t eat, saying she needed to analyze your videos. When she came home exhausted, I could see all those injuries before her transformation wore off. Even if the body has no wounds after the transformation ends, what mother would be happy seeing her daughter injured?”

“…Yes.”

“But you know what? This mother watched your videos too. And… our Yoonseul told me so many stories. How kind this child is. How she put herself in prison with her own hands. How she regrets it…”

“Ah, Mom!”

“Shh. I’m talking to Bine.”

“No! Don’t say such things…!”

“Mom has her reasons.”

“Tch…”

Her mother ignored Blanc and continued what she was saying.

“Anyway. I already knew a lot about you, Bine. Well, I was a bit worried when I heard they brought you to the dormitory later. But after watching a few videos, I felt reassured.”

“…What do you mean by reassured?”

“Hmm? Ah. That the child appearing there is truly harmless and kind. Even though she can fight, at her core, she’s a good child.”

“…I am not kind, Mother.”

“No. This mother has raised… well, not many children. Yes, I’ve only raised Yoonseul and her cousin. But I’ve seen many children.”

“…Yes.”

“Were they all good children? No, there were bad ones too, and even some who went astray. For Yoonseul’s sake, Mom needed to help to some extent.”

“Help, you say…”

“Well… You might think I’m an overprotective mother. But I prefer my child to be with kind children rather than bad ones. I wanted my child to grow up seeing only good things. Back then, that is.”

“…Yes.”

“Yes. You’re wondering why I think you’re a good child.”

“…I am not kind.”

“You are a kind child. You temporarily strayed onto a bad path and hurt people. But you’re fully aware of that responsibility.”

“…”

Blanc’s mother firmly holds my hand.

It’s warm.

I can’t quite say it’s soft, but a mother’s touch…

It is soft.

Contradictory, but it’s true.

“Bine. Bine.”

“…Yes.”

“Our Yoonseul did such a good thing. This child.”

“…”

“Was it hard for you?”

“…No.”

“Pfft. Why say no with such an expression? It really doesn’t seem like a lie.”

…A lie.

My expression should be properly hidden after crumbling earlier.

It shouldn’t be visible.

“It’s okay. I’m your mom, aren’t I?”

“…”

I’m hiding it.

I’m blocking it with an expressionless face.

“Come on, give Mom a hug, and then let’s eat some delicious food.”

“…”

“This is your only chance.”

…

Blanc’s mother.

No.

Mother.

She extends her arms to embrace me.

…

She’s not my mother.

She’s not my real mother.

What is this emotion?

What is this emotion?

This can’t be.

It can’t be.

Mother’s embrace was warm.