Chapter 140 – Ordeal

“You like this one?” Dad asked, holding up the image of the ring.

“…Yes.”

“Alright. I’ll trust your judgment.” He took back his phone, navigating to the order page.

It wasn’t overly expensive. But not exactly…cheap, either.

“Should we get it…filled?”

“That’s…extra, isn’t it?”

“Might as well do it right.” He patted my shoulder, finalizing the order.

Then he paused.

“…Noah…what’s Mom’s ring size?”

“…I don’t know. Didn’t you just…measure it?”

“How can I tell just from
touching
? I’ve never bought her a ring…”

“Huh… Wait.”

I pulled out my phone, searching for “how to measure ring size.”

“It says…to do it like this…”

Dad stared at the screen, then stood abruptly, grabbing a ruler from the bookshelf. He carefully measured his own finger.

“Size nine.”

“…Are you sure?”

“Positive.” He nodded confidently, resuming the order. Then he paused again.

“Birthstones… What are those?”

Another hurdle.

“They’re…gemstones…for your birth month.” Though…wasn’t the ring already set with a blue stone? Maybe it was just a sample image.

“Is that so? Alright, then. Mom’s January, so…garnet. Bright red. Mine’s July, so…ruby. Even redder.” He tilted his head, considering. “And Noah’s…March. Aquamarine. Blue.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah. Look. March, aquamarine. Blue.” He showed me the screen.

A silver band, a blue gem.

RuBia.

“…Pretty.”

Dad chuckled, taking back his phone and nodding in satisfaction.

“They have all the sizes in stock. We can pick it up tomorrow.”

“Should I get it?”

“Nah, I’ll grab it after work.” He smiled, glancing at the photo frame on the nightstand.

Mom and Dad, on their wedding day.

And beside it…

…our family photo.

“We’re taking another one for the anniversary, right?”

“Yeah. You want to replace the one in your wallet.”

“Not replace.
Add
. I’m thinking…lamination, this time. Make it last longer.”

“Good idea.”

“Right. The office has a laminator. I’ll do three. Yours, Mom’s, and mine.”

He searched for “how to laminate,” then grinned, ruffling my hair.

“Think Mom will cry?”

“Maybe.”

“I hope so. Hahaha.” But
his
eyes…were already glistening.

“Haa… Wonder if it’s too late…”

“It’s…never too late…to…”

“That’s nonsense. If you think it’s too late, it usually is.”

“…That’s…not very encouraging, Dad…”

“Tsk.”

Smack!

“Ow! Again?!”

Bang!
The door swung open.

“What are you two whispering about?” Mom’s eyes darted between us, a knowing smile on her lips.

“Nothing!”

“Mom! Dad keeps hitting me!” I jumped up, burying my face in her side.

“Honey! Why would you hit Noah?!”

“Hey! That’s not fair!”

“Look, Mom! It’s all red! Doesn’t it hurt? See?”

“Oh dear… That looks nasty. Should we ditch your mean old dad and have some fun, just us girls?”

Her hand, so gentle, stroked my hair.

“Yeah…”

“Alright. Tangerines? I’ll peel them for you.”

I nodded enthusiastically, sticking my tongue out at Dad.

“Seriously…? Ugh… This is…
unfair
…” He sighed dramatically, getting up and taking Mom’s hand. “I’ll peel the tangerines, honey.”

“Oh? Will you? Hee hee…”

“I-I’ll peel some for Dad, too!”

“No, thank you. I don’t accept tangerines from traitors.”

“Really?” I said hopefully.

He hesitated. “…If you insist…” He sat down in front of the tangerine basket, a wide smile on his face.

***

“Honestly…the nerve of some kids…” Dad clicked his tongue at the TV, carefully placing a peeled tangerine segment into Mom’s mouth. “Didn’t you have a patient like that, honey? The ungrateful children?”

Mom nodded, swallowing the tangerine.

“Yes…very similar… She raised them alone…and when she developed dementia…they disappeared… Didn’t even visit…for months… When I went over during Chuseok…the house…it was…” Her voice cracked. She took Dad’s hand, popping a tangerine segment into his mouth.

“But our Noah…she’s so sweet… She’d never abandon us, right?”

“Of course…” I carefully placed a peeled tangerine segment into Dad’s mouth. He swallowed it whole, practically without chewing.

“The neighbors, too! Those brats are loaded, but they never send their parents a dime!”

“Honey, your voice…”

“Oh…right. Ahem. Anyway…selling vegetables…and bungeoppang…to put them through medical school…and this is how they repay you…?” He took my hand, popping a half-peeled tangerine into my mouth.

Chew. Chew.

“Dad…the peel…”

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t
fine
, it was just…bitter.

“Noah, listen. You take care of your Mom, okay? Promise me.”

“…I’ll take care of
you
too, Dad.”

“I’m invincible. I won’t age. Just…take care of your Mom.” He grinned, splitting a peeled tangerine and popping half into Mom’s mouth, the other half into mine. “I know you will, Noah. Just…saying. Heh.”

My mouth was full, so I could only nod.

Mom’s hand, soft and warm, rested on my arm. Dad’s hand, rough and calloused, ruffled my hair.

The tangerine was sweet.

So sweet.

And the aftertaste…bitter.

“Our family! Happy family! We’ll be happy…forever! I’ll protect you…always!”

“I know you will, honey. Forever and always. Hee hee.”

My face crumpled.

My nose stung.

The sweetness would fade. Eventually.

But for now…I wanted to savor it.

“…Yes…”

Forever.

Always.

He would protect us…

A lie…

***

“■■■. Should I help?”

“How?”

“Beat up the people trying to take you?”

“You, Noah…?”

“You think I can’t? Those…weaklings…I can handle them.”

“Weaklings…
pfft
… Hahaha! Weaklings, you say?”

“Yes! Don’t you trust me?!”

“Of course I do. Who else would I trust?”

“Right? So just…relax, okay? ■■■.”

“Alright. I’ll leave it to you, Noah. Protect me.”

“For how long?”

“…Forever.”

“Okay. Just trust me.”

I’ll protect you. Forever.

■■■.

***

“I’ll be home late.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Extra work.”

Dad sounded…strange.

“Okay. Be careful.”

“See you later, Dad.”

“Yeah. Noah, don’t play games all night.”

“…Okay.” He nodded at me, then opened the door, smiling brightly as he left for work.

“Noah,” Mom said, “don’t you think your dad is acting…suspicious?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Maybe he’s getting me a ring?”

“A ring?! Why would you—?” How did she
know
? No, stay calm.

“A woman’s intuition. Hee hee.” She tapped my nose, then headed for the kitchen. “Anything you want for dinner? I’m making some for the neighbor, too.”

“Hmm… Rolled omelets?”

“With onions?”

“Lots!”

“Too many onions, and they’ll fall apart, you know.”

“It’s okay. As long as they taste good. Hee hee.”

“Alright. Go to your room. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

“Okay!”

I hummed happily, retreating to my room.

Raid night. A busy night. No time to waste.

I stretched my toes, reaching for the power button—

—and missed.

“Huh…?”

I climbed down from my chair, turned on the computer, then climbed back up, swinging my legs as I logged into Black Sun.

“Which character…tonight…?” I scrolled through my eight characters.

And then…

“…Greatsword.” I clicked on it, almost involuntarily.

“This one’s…hard…” So why did I want to play it? Strange.

I clicked, equipping the greatsword.

The black screen was crisscrossed with white lines.

“Giga Arm…activated…” I wiggled in my chair, humming off-key.

I used a teleport scroll, not to the eastern ruins…

…but to Hablon.

Hablon…? Was that…a new area?

Oh, well. Didn’t matter. Still Carpeng.

I clicked, summoning the boss. The fight was over quickly.

Then Karahan. Tylant.

Then…not the Moon Temple…but Cartia. Valoran.

The Catacombs. Brunhilde.

The Imperial Capital. Laila.

The Dimensional Rift. The Ancient Dragon.

And then…Erden.

Erden.

Erden.

Erden.

Erden.

Erden.

The End.

The Priestess.

■■■.

■■■.

Ru■■.

Knock. Knock.

“Noah! Can you help me take this food to the neighbor? It’s too heavy.”

Click.
The computer screen went black.

“Ah!”

“Noah?”

“Ugh…almost finished… Fine…” I glared at the screen, then jumped down from my chair. I checked my reflection, smoothing my hair, then left the room.

And as I passed the mirror…

…I saw them.

Words.

Flickering in the glass.

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■■■■.]

[Noah. You are not a character in a game.]

[Awa■■■.]

[Reali■■ the tr■■h.]

[Remem■■r wh■t wa■ fo■■otten.]

[Release the ■■■ins of yo■■r hea■■.]

[See■■■■■r nam■ and reality.]