Ch.89Harmony in the Home Leads to Success in All Things.

“I only realized I should let go of that thin thread I’d been desperately clinging to when I turned fifteen. I resented myself for stubbornly holding onto something I should have given up on long ago—something that would have been more profitable to abandon. If I had realized earlier, the tears I lost wouldn’t have dried on my clothes, leaving ugly stains.

People casually hurl abusive words about my deficiencies. I once hoped to be understood by others, but it was a futile wish. My classmates criticized me for being a middle school student who craved affection, looking at me like I was strange.

Kids above and below my grade were no different. Having grown up in the warm love of their parents, they considered giving and receiving love to be childish.

Honestly, I felt envious. Well, even stimulating foods like pizza, hamburgers, and chicken become tiresome if you eat them every day. The love they received had become so ordinary that they were numb to the gift I desperately wanted.

The lit room felt lonely. It was three or four times larger than what an average college student would have. It was so spacious that I wished the lights would go out. So I diligently fulfilled my quota of underlining textbooks and solving problems. I tried to make the world completely dark so I wouldn’t even feel the size of the room.

I tried.

Sometimes when my mother seemed to be in a good mood, I would ask. Even though I knew what answer would come, I still hoped she might give a different response.

“Mom, will you eat dinner with me today?”

Then her relaxed eyes would tighten, and she would give the expected answer. Like a formulaic, low-quality exam question.

No, she would say.

My mother would even express quiet anger.

Though I craved my mother’s affection like an Oedipus complex, I self-diagnose that I matured quite early. I understood my mother who knew nothing of affection.

Everything began on an ordinary elementary school afternoon.

An afternoon when I was reading textbooks at school. And an afternoon when my mother returned from a business trip.

If only there hadn’t been two naked people in the fishy-smelling master bedroom that day. If only my father hadn’t been entangled with a young woman I’d never seen before…

Would I have become a proper middle school student, suppressing the innocent elementary schooler’s desire for recognition?

Would my mother have accepted me, half-made from that man’s semen?

What was hardest for me to endure was my mother’s disgusted gaze when looking at her own child.

I wanted to somehow make up for my father’s sins. I wished she would smile at me, who couldn’t even consider the slightest deviation.

“Does a child born from cooled love have no right to be loved?”

Couldn’t you please look at me, who absolutely cannot resist your choices?

Mother.

My wish ended as a futile hope.

I wanted to cry tears and scream out loud. But what I actually faced after coming home was the housekeeper helping with chores and an empty room.

My lips felt parched. Even in the humid, hot summer, the house felt as dry as a hollowed-out desert.

And so, during summer vacation of my second year in middle school, I learned complete resignation.

“…”

Sometimes when my mother went on business trips, I had some free time to myself. Being awkward with words and terrible at sports, I was closer to the computer in my room than to a soccer ball. I spent my modest leisure time playing games.

That’s when I encountered the “Eldchain” series.

An open-world action-adventure game where you travel through a vast world. When enjoying the Eldchain series, I felt like I had escaped reality and become a resident living in a virtual world.

Perhaps due to my environment, I showed considerable achievement in the game in a short time. It felt like the character and I became one body moving together. Especially the character named Zikharun from the third series.

I liked his shameless, glib personality and his pretty-boy appearance. Perhaps I was drawn to him because he was the complete opposite of my timid, weak self. It might be a useless boast, but I’m confident no one understood Zikharun better than I did.

Because I was the first person in the world to clear the third series… the game where Zikharun was the protagonist, including all DLC.

“…Huh?”

It happened right after I beheaded Irefi Justitia, the strongest knight. Suddenly, my room turned gray, and unknown text appeared on the screen.

[First Clear Bonus! Do you accept? YES/NO]

I had no idea what this bonus was. Nothing was written to give me any clue, so I was filled with anxiety that my computer might be infected with a virus.

As I hesitated, unable to choose an option.

Someone whispered sweetly in my ear.

A gift for someone tired of reality, they said.

A final chance to become the person you admire, they said.

What forced me to decide, despite my hesitation, was the final words of that whispering someone.

“I’ll give you the love you’ve always wanted.”

It was a whisper that perfectly stimulated human desire.

I chose as if entranced.

A new life as Zikharun Misrakh.

And so I opened my eyes at the Red Sanctuary Altnia nine years ago.

The time period was decades earlier than the original “Eldchain.”

◇

“…… What the fuck?”

I barely managed not to fall over in shock. I felt dizzy, as if I’d been punched by Zikharun’s self-introduction. Irefi and the Emperor were speechless, while Troph looked like his eyes might pop out.

“To put it simply, my birth mother is Lorian Feita.”

“Z-Zikharun…? So, um, your father’s name might be…”

“No point hiding it now. The founding noble Netionpis is my father.”

“You bastard!!!”

“What’s wrong, Marquess?”

I looked to the side, unable to control my trembling legs. Whether it was my hands, heart, or eyes, everything was shaking as if I’d witnessed cosmic horror.

This wasn’t a metaphor. The knight of cosmic horror sitting demurely beside me was clenching her fist tightly.

“Uh… heheh…”

“Irefi…?”

“Heh… haha.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong, but I’m sorry, Irefi. I’m innocent… no, that’s not what I mean.”

“Nepy.”

“Yes…?”

Irefi Justitia. The lovely woman asked with feigned calmness, her sword hilt tightly gripped.

“If I were to open Nepy’s skull, would that thing inside come spilling out?”

“Nooooo! Put away your Malice right now, Irefi!!!”

“Huff… huff… haah…”

The black energy behind Irefi’s back as she took deep breaths dissipated. Like checking a fire that’s been put out, I had to make sure her Malice was truly gone. Only after confirming with all my senses did I feel relieved.

“Seeing the good relationship between the Marquess couple is reassuring.”

“Would you believe we just faced a crisis because of you?”

“Hmm?”

“Since His Majesty the notary is here… Troph, you listen too.”

I confessed while holding my forehead. I presented them with a truth they wouldn’t want to believe.

“I am the founding noble Netionpis.”

“…What did you say?”

“It’s the truth.”

“Ha…!?”

The Emperor certified the shocking declaration I had made. Zikharun and Troph made metallic sounds as if astonishment was boiling in their throats.

“Are you serious? Is Lorian Feita some kind of pervert who gets excited by eccentricity!? Urgh…!”

“Nepy. Did he just call me a pervert? Should I kill him?”

“Hold back, Irefi!”

“…”

This is confusing, so confusing.

Troph insulting an ancestor with vulgar language. Irefi suddenly labeled a pervert. Zikharun silent at the family drama. And me trying to manage my lover’s anger by proxy.

This is maddening.

“I see… I understand. I’m surprised and have many questions. But given the circumstances, I’ll set that aside and ask this: Are you saying that the Marquess has Zikharun’s biological father inside him?”

“Hard to believe, but that’s about right.”

“Hmm…”

“What. What is it.”

In this scene of hopelessly tangled family trees, Zikharun cleared his throat. After searching for words thoughtfully, he spoke with natural impudence.

“I think I should reintroduce myself, albeit belatedly.”

“What introduction…”

I couldn’t help but tense up at Zikharun’s following words.

“Hey there, biological dad. Nice to meet you.”

“Should I kill him, Irefi?”

“Nepy? Don’t let emotions cloud your judgment. We still have much to interrogate…”

Immediately after, Zikharun’s mischievous eyes turned to Irefi.

“Hey there, biological stepmom. You’re the complete opposite of my birth mom. Sorry for being an unexpected illegitimate child.”

“I’ll kill him!!! I’m going to kill him!!!”

“Hold back, Irefi! We still have a lot of information to extract!!!”

His ruby-like eyes finally turned to Troph.

“Thanks to you, my birth mom and stepmom have suddenly become perverts. I’d like an apology from my collateral grandson.”

“Shut up, you son of a bitch!”

“Now my mothers have become dogs.”

“I’m definitely going to kill him. I’m going to kill him!! Let me go, Nepy!!!”

“Irefi, please…! Zikharun, can’t you shut that disaster of a mouth!?”

“If daddy really insists.”

“Fine, I’ll kill you, Zikharuuuuuun!!!”

“You’re all in front of the Emperor, but… never mind, it’s fine. Sigh…”

The Emperor looked up at the ceiling and sighed. He seemed to be reflecting on why he had inserted himself into this situation. He was eager to retire.

In the dungeon where courtesy and propriety had evaporated together, howls of anger swirled. It was a chaotic scene where reason had completely flown away.

The air that should have been cold was hot as if spirit magic had intervened. Everyone in this place except Zikharun would have a red face.

“Graaaaaaah!!!”

Clang! Clang!

The prison bars of Zikharun’s cell bent like a bow from the impact of a kick. The shape looked like… ugh… Irefi… my head…

Only when I stumbled from psychological trauma did the atmosphere temporarily calm down.

In the prison where only rough breathing resonated, only Zikharun, the person at the center of it all, was mysteriously smiling alone.

“It’s nice to have such amusing family members.”

“”Shut uuuuup!!!””

It was just… a dark dungeon.