SS #37 Kang Yujin (12)

The royal capital, in the midst of the Founding Anniversary celebration, was filled with talk of the ball from the night before.

From the perspective of the royal family, the hosts of the celebration, this was a highly desirable state of affairs. However, Grand Duke Dion, the kingdom’s chancellor and the current queen’s foremost supporter, couldn’t hide his displeasure.

“The star of this celebration should be my sister…”

Though she had been the de facto ruler for over a decade, she had only officially inherited the throne last night.

But what most of the capital’s residents were chattering about wasn’t Queen Daphne’s beauty, elegance, wisdom, or grace.

It was other stories.

Stories like the dance of the Goddess’s Incarnation and her partner, who had appeared at the ball to recreate history, or the Incarnation’s daughter, who had reenacted a legendary midnight elopement.

“Don’t be so upset, Dion. It’s all for the best, isn’t it?”

At the words of Queen Daphne—who, having passed her twenties and entered her thirties, was still beautiful, no, rather, exuded a mellowed charm—Grand Duke Dion pouted, still dissatisfied.

“But you are so beautiful and benevolent, sister…”

“Yes, yes. Just as you say, I am beautiful and benevolent. And I’m content that you know that, Dion.”

Speaking gently as if soothing a child, Queen Daphne smiled once more at the sight of her brother, who, despite being over thirty, hadn’t changed a bit from his childhood. She then leaned back languidly on her throne.

“Anyway, how are things at the Incarnation’s Mansion? I imagine it’s in an uproar after last night’s commotion.”

“As you know, sister, the Pope is a possessive man. And a terribly doting father.”

Daphne smiled again at Dion, who shook his head as if utterly fed up. She closed her eyes for a moment, recalling the scene she had witnessed yesterday.

A black-haired girl, claiming that Young Master Yujin would be fine because he was a gentleman, leaping from the balcony while holding a boy larger than herself in her arms.

‘Yuria.’

Yuria August Bayer.

The noblest girl in the world, born between the Goddess of the Sun and the Guardian of Pleiades.

Daphne had known about Yuria for a long time.

Thus, her interest was focused less on Yuria and more on the boy in her arms.

Young Master Yujin.

A boy who had appeared out of nowhere.

Who was he?

What kind of child was he to have such a relationship with Yuria?

As she toyed with her long, voluminous blonde hair, Daphne let out another smile. It seemed a new source of amusement had been added to the Founding Anniversary events that would continue from tomorrow.

But at that very moment.

While Queen Daphne and Grand Duke Dion were engaged in their little chat.

The Incarnation’s Mansion was ablaze, not because of Yuria and her fiancé’s nighttime escape, but due to an entirely different incident.

*

The Incarnation’s Mansion.

Or more precisely, the mansion of the Hresvelg family, situated right next to it.

Vivian was sobbing, tears streaming down her face.

And her younger siblings were doing the same.

There was only one reason for it.

A reason so simple yet clear, far more powerful than the fact that Count Hresvelg had fainted while standing and then woken up.

“I-I’m a fan!” Vivian cried, her hands clasped together. Her siblings, lined up behind her, wore nearly identical expressions and uttered almost the same words.

That’s right.

The children of the Hresvelg family.

These children, whose prenatal education had consisted of Bildwein’s Heroic Saga even before they were born, had been raised on the series as a core part of their upbringing.

It was much the same way Yujin had been educated with the heroic chronicles.

Therefore, all the Hresvelg children liked—no, loved—Bildwein’s Heroic Saga.

Whenever a new volume was released, they would rush to the bookstore and form a line without anyone telling them to. When they got their hands on the new book, they would ritually purify themselves with a bath before reading.

While everyone in the Hresvelg family, from the eldest to the youngest, loved Bildwein’s Heroic Saga, the one who loved it most was, of course, the eldest daughter, Vivian.

It was no exaggeration to say that her life had been lived alongside Bildwein’s Heroic Saga.

Growing up listening to Count Hresvelg read the series to her since she was babbling, she in turn read it to her younger siblings at bedtime instead of fairy tales. When she wasn’t with friends like Regina or Yuria, she spent her time playing “Bildwein Land” with her siblings.

Though she didn’t show it much because Regina hated it, Vivian’s favorite hobby was dressing up her beloved brother, Walter, to look like Bildwein.

To such a Vivian, Sanudil, the author of Bildwein’s Heroic Saga, was a god himself.

The one who created Bildwein’s Heroic Saga.

The one who created Bildwein and all the others.

And now that god was standing before her?

What was important to Vivian wasn’t the fact that Kamael was Sanudil.

What was important to her was the event itself: the author of Bildwein’s Heroic Saga had descended before her very eyes.

Vivian and her siblings fervently testified their faith, and Lucas, who had woken up at some point, joined the procession.

Scarlet smacked Kaisa on the back of the head, stopping her from writing a request for a 19+ version of Bildwein’s Heroic Saga, and then forced a wry smile.

‘What a madhouse.’

It was truly a scene of frenzied chaos.

But Scarlet knew.

This uproar was only the beginning.

“Kamael-nim was Sanudil?!”

Regina was so shocked she didn’t know what to do. Beside her, Elwin, for the first time since they met last night, looked his age—that is, like an eleven-year-old boy.

“I-I need to get his autograph.”

Stomping his feet with an excited face, Elwin hurried off to the bookstore to buy a book to be signed, and Regina dazedly followed him.

And the girl.

The very person who, in a way, had caused all this confusion, wore a wry smile tinged with apology.

‘Master, you’ve finally been found out.’

Yuria had known for a long time that Kamael was Sanudil.

And the same was true for Yuder.

‘He finally got caught.’

The current publisher of Bildwein’s Heroic Saga was a subsidiary of the Cordelia Merchant Guild, so Yuder, the guild’s master, had long known that Sanudil was Kamael.

‘Dad, you knew too?’

‘Of course. Did you think I wouldn’t?’

As Yuria and Yujin conversed with their eyes, Cordelia, the only one who had been in the dark, stared with wide eyes in astonishment.

“Wow, wow, wow. Kamael? Kamael was the author?”

Looking up at Cordelia, who was letting out a stream of exclamations in genuine surprise, Yuria glanced at Yuder again.

‘But, Dad. Why didn’t you tell Mom?’

‘It was so I could see her surprised like this someday. Your mother is the most adorable person in the world when she’s surprised.’

Yuder smiled fondly as he looked back at Cordelia, and Yuria, after a slight delay, nodded in agreement.

Imagining Yujin with a similar wide-eyed, surprised expression, she could sort of understand what he meant.

Anyway, as the father and daughter were sharing the same sly thoughts.

“Kamael! Kamael! Kamael!”

An angel-like woman descended upon the Hresvelg estate with a face full of joy. Kamael, who had been tirelessly signing autographs for Vivian and the other children, scowled deeply.

The newcomers were Lena and Landius.

They were Kamael’s closest friends, and at this very moment, the people he most wanted to avoid.

*

“Jeina cried out. It was unfair, she shouted. Why did Bildwein alone have to sacrifice himself like this? Why must he shed blood for those ungrateful wretches who would forget everything by morning? To the girl—to Jeina’s sorrowful wail—Bildwein replied with his usual smile, ‘Because it is the right thing to do.’”

As Lena read from Bildwein’s Heroic Saga in a clear, resonant voice, the Hresvelg children, including Vivian, teared up as if freshly moved, despite having read the passage dozens of times. Landius smiled, and Kamael buried his beet-red face in his hands.

Lena’s Bildwein’s Heroic Saga reading session.

Kamael shuddered at the atrocity Lena had committed the moment she appeared at the Hresvelg estate.

This was an assassination.

No, it was a blatant act of murder.

“My, my. I knew our Kamael had a romantic side, but I never imagined he was a bestselling author.”

Lena, clinging to Kamael’s arm, giggled coquettishly.

It was truly an angelic smile, an incredibly lovely sight, but Kamael just scowled as if he’d bitten into a bug and turned away from her.

“Hey, hey. This Bildwein, isn’t he our Landi? I’ve suspected it for a while, but if our Kamael is the author… it’s true, right? Huh? Right?”

Under Lena’s continued assault, Kamael thought.

‘I made a mistake.’

The one person who absolutely should not have found out that he was Sanudil now knew the truth.

“Then Kaegan… don’t tell me that’s our Kamael? Shall we read the part where Kaegan and Bildwein meet next?”

Not an angel, but a demon.

Not a Holy Angel, but an Archdemon.

Lena, who had been smiling with pure delight, suddenly flinched and stiffened.

It wasn’t because Kamael, his mind fried with shame, had launched a counterattack.

It was because, while eagerly searching for a passage to read to tease Kamael, she had suddenly recalled a certain fact.

“Hey, Kamael. Is Jeina… by any chance… me?”

Bildwein was so popular with women that there was a running joke that he made a new lover wherever he went.

But Bildwein was no philanderer.

There was only one person he truly loved.

Jeina.

The girl who had accompanied him on his first adventure.

She was a small, young girl when they first met, but now, after Bildwein’s adventures had continued for over a decade, she had grown into the century’s greatest mage, the most beautiful and wise woman in the world.

“Jeina’s beauty was such that it would be no exaggeration to call her a goddess descended to earth. But Bildwein knew. That her inner self was far… more beautiful… than her goddess-like exterior…”

Lena’s face, which had been cheerfully reading aloud, turned bright red, as did Kamael’s.

“Sh-should we stop here?”

“Let’s stop here.”

It seemed the one-sided attack was about to become a mutual prodding match.

Lena awkwardly released Kamael’s arm, and Kamael let out a dry cough to soothe his embarrassment. Landius, watching the two of them, burst into his usual hearty laughter.

*

The Founding Anniversary celebration continued.

The festival lasted for a whole week.

Yujin was with Yuria wherever he went.

Together, they cheered for Regina and Vivian, who participated in the martial arts tournament, and applauded for Elwin when he won the arm-wrestling competition.

They strolled together through the night streets, bright as day under the countless lanterns, and sat on a hill to watch the fireworks.

Yujin and Yuria weren’t the only ones who stuck together excitedly.

Regina roamed all over the capital with Elwin, while Amber accompanied Aiden to stop him from trying to stalk Regina.

Vivian laughed and chatted with her siblings, led by Walter, and danced with her adoring younger siblings every night.

And so, after a dreamlike week, on the day the Founding Anniversary concluded.

I’m going on a trip with just Yujin-oppa.

We’ll be back soon, so don’t look for us.

I’m very happy right now.

Seeing the familiar-looking letter on Yuria’s bed, Yuder was about to transform into a black wolf, but Cordelia stopped him with a wry smile.

Maia and Dahlia involuntarily thought of the word ‘karma.’

And at the same time, in a completely different place.

Taking a deep breath, Yuria looked back at Yujin, who was holding her hand tightly, and asked.

“Is this Earth?”

“Yeah, it’s Earth.”

“The air is bad. My throat feels a little scratchy.”

“Huh?”

Yujin blinked in surprise at Yuria’s words, and Yuria smiled again.

“But it’s okay. Because you’re here with me, Yujin-oppa.”

The air was something she could just endure.

At Yuria’s prim yet affectionate voice, Yujin’s face turned red, and he soon said shyly.

“Me too. As long as I have you, Yuria, I’m okay anywhere.”

“Heehee, then Oppa. I’ll be in your care as my guide.”

“Yeah, leave it to me.”

After all, her father had given him a mountain of gold coins.

Exchanging the currency was a bit of a problem, but their budget was more than sufficient.

“Let’s go, Yuria.”

“Okay, Oppa.”

Clasping hands anew, the two took a step forward in unison. As if by promise, Yujin and Yuria turned to look at each other.

And smiled brightly.

fin

The day after the Founding Anniversary ended.

Vivian, having parted ways with a giddy Regina who was bouncing with excitement about soon becoming an older sister or sister-in-law, returned home, only for her eyes to go wide.

“Mom, what did you just say?”

“I said you’re going to have new siblings.”

The reason Scarlet had been looking for Vivian a few days ago.

The message that had been lost in the chaos of Kamael being Sanudil.

“Siblings?”

“Yes, siblings.”

It wasn’t just Scarlet; Kaisa was also with child.

“As always, I’m counting on you, my eldest.”

New siblings.

With two more, the Hresvelg Legion would number eleven.

Vivian’s face went blank for a moment, but only for a moment.

Soon, her expression shifted back to that of the eldest daughter. She thumped her chest as if to say, “Leave it to me,” and spoke with a pleasant smile.

“Then how about using the new book for their prenatal education?”

“Hmm… I’ll have to think about that.”

At the very Hresvelg-like suggestion, Scarlet smiled wryly, while Vivian giggled and began to think of names for her new siblings.

---

Translated By: Meher (RaidenTL)

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