Chapter 78: Birth Secret

“A fairy dragon?”

“Yes. A hybrid of dragon and fairy. That’s me, Melusine, the fairy dragon of the lake.”

Just as I was about to take off my necklace to sleep as usual.

I followed the whisper from the suddenly glowing necklace, and there, a horned fairy had appeared out of nowhere.

The fairy’s name was Melusine.

According to her, the water magic I had been using all this time was actually due to her power.

‘A hybrid of dragon and fairy, of all things.’

‘Is that… even possible?’

‘Don’t they clash in many ways?’

“I’m relieved you’ve returned safely.”

She, who had been walking on the water’s surface, now shimmered transparently before my eyes, as if swimming through the air.

Her mysterious form, seemingly on the border between reality and illusion, was just like a fairy from a story.

Melusine had known me for a long time.

Not only did she know me, but she said she had been watching me all this time through the necklace.

However, outside Rosegarden Castle.

Meaning, once I left our family’s domain, the power she could exert through the necklace would diminish greatly, and there were several times she felt anxious.

For this reason, Melusine said she was finally relieved now that I had set foot in this territory where she could fully exercise her power.

Frankly, I think it’s amazing that she could use her magic properly even when I was on a completely different continent.

“My heart sank when you threw the necklace away and boarded the airship. If you aren’t in contact with it, even I can’t deliver magic to you.”

“Huh? I was wearing it properly, though?”

“No, you definitely threw the necklace away back then. Fortunately, a maid secretly picked it up and boarded with it.”

‘So it was the necklace, Melusine, that saved me back then.’

Although it was an event that had already passed safely,

I still couldn’t remember throwing the necklace, so I decided to ask a little more about that part.

“Ah, that’s right. You said some of your memories from before the fall were lost…”

‘…Though it was for a slightly different reason, to be exact.’

According to Melusine.

The ‘me’ from childhood apparently hated wearing the necklace.

Hearing the story, I think I can vaguely recall that memory.

I feel like, in my childish heart, I was expressing my longing for my deceased mother like a tantrum.

Back then, my mother’s keepsake reminded me more of the void she left behind than of her love.

Fortunately, right after I was reincarnated, I couldn’t remember that feeling, so I was wearing the necklace.

And as a result, my life was saved—such a coincidental story it was.

“So.”

After hearing the whole truth, my questions are somewhat resolved.

“Is that why you specifically called me out in the middle of the night?”

‘But that’s that.’

‘This was a story you could have told me tomorrow morning or in the afternoon, right?’

‘What’s the reason for calling me in the dead of night?’

As I said that, Melusine’s lips sealed shut.

“……”

Without a word, Melusine slowly spins in the air.

After maintaining her silence for a long while, she finally parts her transparent lips.

“I just… wanted to see you.”

“Pardon?”

“You.”

…
‘I asked why she woke me, and she suddenly confesses…’

“Didn’t you just say you’ve been watching me since I was born?”

Melusine spins in the air.

A slow, swimming-like motion in place.

If there was one difference, it was that she spun in the opposite direction this time.

“Sorry…”

Her voice trailed off as if she were ashamed.

It seems the reason she called me in the middle of the night was really just because she wanted to see my face.

‘Come to think of it, being a hybrid of fairy and dragon means she’s a descendant of Astaroth, right?’

‘I’m sure it was said she was also the mother of all dragons.’

‘Are all dragons like this?’

Still, I was relieved that Melusine at least apologized honestly.

“…Alright. Well then, since I’m incredibly sleepy, I’ll be leaving for today.”

“Wait.”

Just as I was about to return to bed.

Melusine floated over and approached me.

Coming close enough for our noses to touch, she lightly poked my necklace with her finger.

As if in response, the necklace’s lake stone emitted a dazzling light before it faded.

“With this, we’re completely connected. From now on, in the truest sense, I’ll always be by your side.”

Melusine smiled.

And I felt a bit puzzled by her smile.

‘Why is this fairy being so nice to me?’

For the record, it wasn’t because of a contract.

There might have been a contract made when I was just born, a contract I don’t remember, but thanks to my experience with the dolls and Astaroth, I could clearly tell the difference.

Above all, this warm touch and gaze.

It was close to the look of a parent gazing at their child, like my father or grandfather.

An unconditional love that asks for nothing in return.

That was the only thing I felt from Melusine.

“Why are you being so kind to me?”

“That is because you are a child of the lake.”

“Of the lake…?”

“To be precise, it’s because you inherited his bloodline.”

“His, you mean?”

As if she had anticipated my confusion, Melusine continued to speak.

Even though it was really time for me to go to bed, I decided to hold back my drowsiness for now.

“Arthur Pendragon.”

…

‘A name I’ve heard somewhere a lot…’

“It is the name of the man who was the founder of your family, a hero and king from a distant age, and my husband.”

“Husband!?”

Wait.

‘Does that mean… surely not…!’

“My family’s ancestor did… this and that with a tiny little girl like this…!?”

“……”

The truth that I am the descendant of a descendant of a descendant of a descendant of a descendant, born from the union of my ancestor and a squishy, soft, translucent girl who is a dragon-fairy hybrid, made my head start to spin.

Meanwhile, Melusine averted her gaze, pretending not to see my horrified expression.

“I…”

“…?”

“I… pounced on him first.”

With that small confession, her face turned bright red.

Considering the story I heard about my mother last time.

‘Could it be… a family trait?’

‘Is this a trait deeply ingrained in the very blood of the Rosegarden women?’

“W-Wait! My family’s name is Rosegarden…! I’ve never even heard of the family name Pendragon before!”

“It’s common for family names to change as eras pass. And for long histories to be lost as well.”

When I pointed out the difference between Pendragon and Rosegarden to deny it, I was immediately refuted.

‘Well… that is true.’

It was a remark I threw out just because I wanted to deny it, even though I knew, so I was quickly convinced.

‘So.’

‘To summarize the conclusion of my great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother Melusine, it was this.’

‘The reason Melusine showered me with unconditional affection, just like my father or grandfather, was because she truly was my very, very, very distant ancestor.’

‘If she is a living witness to such a long history, just how ancient is she?’

‘Ah, she’s not a person, but a fairy dragon.’

“Then, Grandma Melusine.”

“Gra…”

“What does it mean to be a ‘child of the lake’?”

Melusine flinched for a moment at the title ‘Grandma’.

Her transparent lips opened and closed, but seeing no way to argue against the undeniable fact, she simply answered the question.

“Well, it’s because of your name.”

“Pardon?”

“Your name. The name Lin means ‘lake’ in the fairy language.”

‘…What is this now?’

As you might already know,
the Rosegarden family, fitting for their crest, always gives names related to lions.

Even setting aside my father, who married into the family.

My mother Leona, my older brother Leonard, and my younger brother Lio.

All of them are variations of ‘Leon’ or ‘Leonhardt,’ which mean lion.

Naturally, my name, Lin, is in the same context, holding the meaning of ‘lion’ just like everyone else.

For reference, my grandfather’s name, Richard, also means ‘king with a lion’s heart,’ so it’s ultimately in the same context.

“That’s not true.”

“Pardon? But you weren’t the one who gave me my name, Grandma.”

…

‘Right?’

“Leona gave you your name. The reason you came to have the name of the lake was because the two of them, on a rowboat…”

“Stop. I don’t want to hear any more behind-the-scenes stories about my birth.”

“…I understand.”

‘Mom…’

‘What kind of person were you, really…?’

At this very moment, I was overcome not by longing, but by a fierce mix of curiosity and embarrassment.

“I… I’m really going to bed now.”

“Alright. Sweet dreams.”

And so.

Late, late at night, I finally slipped into my bedding and closed my eyes.

Instead of counting sheep jumping over a fence, I tried to fall asleep by organizing the stories I’d heard in my head.

‘Mmm…’

‘So.’

‘The truth is, the Rosegardens are direct descendants of an ancient royal family called Pendragon.’

‘And the ancestor of that royal family was someone who knew how to share love without discriminating between species, like some ancient god.’

‘And yet, that distant ancestor’s wife, the squishy, translucent girl-slash-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, is not only still alive but has been watching over me through my necklace.’

‘The rowboat I rode with Dad during our date during the day turned out to be my ‘true birthplace’.’

‘My name was given to me to commemorate an unforgettable memory from that true birthplace.’

‘Lin, which means ‘lake’ in the fairy language… that’s the story, isn’t it?’

“……”

I pushed aside the soft bedding and sat up.

Quietly, I sat at the small table by the window as the night seeped in.

“…What should I do.”

And so, I stared blankly at the sky outside.

“I can’t sleep, Dad…”

The moon was beautiful.