episode_0003

I went back in time.

I don’t know how this is possible.

In the first place, what happened wasn’t even what I had hoped for.

The only thing certain is that I, who should have died, am alive.

It felt like I could meet Luna again.

That’s why I didn’t listen to my father until the end and answered him.

He told me to get engaged to the woman I love, but where can I find a man like that?

Of course, my response was probably unexpected to my father.

“Still, should I have listened to the end?”

I was disrespectful to my father.

In the past, I wouldn’t have had such a righteous thought, but now that I’ve lost my father once, I wasn’t like that.

Let’s do well from now on. So as not to regret.

“I’m sorry, Father. It was something I really wanted, so I ended up committing an offense.”

“No, no. You wanted it? Engagement? And what, off-offense?”

My father looked confused.

It was a natural reaction since his son had completely changed overnight, no, in just a few minutes.

But still.

No matter what.

…Pulling out a sword, isn’t that an overreaction?

“Who are you to take possession of our son’s body?”

My father held a sword in one corner of the study and pointed the sharp blade at me.

As he did so, he spoke with a solemn voice full of vitality.

It seemed like my father was mistaking me for someone else who moved the body.

It wasn’t that rare.

But it wasn’t common either.

According to those who start dealing with demons, giving away your soul leads to destruction.

In my father’s eyes, I probably looked more susceptible to being tempted by the devil than anyone else.

So my father was speaking to the devil, not to his son right now.

The sword was also aimed at the devil.

Perhaps that’s why the aura emanating from the sword seemed to be ready to tear my throat apart at any moment.

Gulp-.

In the face of the terror of death, saliva involuntarily flowed down my throat.

“This is Geomseong….”

Geomseong, which can only exist in one person in a generation.

The pinnacle of all swords, the embodiment of absolute power where one sword strike can divide the world.

Father gave up his honor at the time of marriage, but that didn’t mean his skills had rusted.

Until he rose from his chair and aimed the sword at me in the corner.

It was impossible to even follow that series of actions with the eyes.

Well, he received a dukedom from the emperor with just one sword. What more needs to be said?

“Answer me. Who are you?” he asked again, pressing the sword closer to my throat.

As expected, like those with strong power.

Father, too, was a man whose actions preceded his words.

There is no means of good conversation stronger than strong force, of course.

Of course, he wouldn’t really try to kill me.

Even if he did, he wouldn’t swing the sword at his own son.

He must have just been trying to threaten me.

…Probably.

Because in my memory, my father was a man without blood or tears, I couldn’t dare to guarantee it.

When I was just starting to walk, the image of my father holding a wooden sword was still vivid in my memory.

So I had to squeeze out an excuse.

“That….”

“That?”

“…I just matured.”

It was an honest answer.

If I had given a pointless excuse, I would have been caught.

Father’s intimidation was so great.

And because my drunken head just wouldn’t clear.

…But my sincerity didn’t get through.

Even though the consequences of the foolish son were deep, they were too deep.

“A pointless excuse like that…!”

Father’s brow narrowed, and an immense pressure burst forth.

Just meeting his eyes made my head spin.

It was at that moment.

“Daniel, whatever it is….”

Was it because Father’s loud voice was heard outside?

The door opened, and Mother came in.

At the same time, the pressure emanating from Father disappeared.

As if there had been no such thing.

No matter how much he was called the strongest in history, he was bound to become infinitely weak in front of the woman he loved.

On the other hand, Mother was the strongest only within Father’s limits.

Mother, who had been surveying the situation with a vacant expression, hurriedly approached Father.

“You…! What are you doing to Albert right now?!”

“T-That…!”

“Holding a sword to your son’s throat, are you in your right mind?!”

While saying that, my mother snatched my father’s sword and threw it to the ground.

My father’s pupils shook at the sight of the sword lying on the ground.

It must have been a cherished item in the study, but since it was thrown by my mother, my father probably couldn’t say anything.

Leaving my father behind, my mother turned her head and locked eyes with me.

“Albert, go to your room.”

“Yes, Mother.”

The situation was temporarily defused.

Even without verbal explanations, through actions, my father might eventually come to accept it.

‘Anyway, I’m alive.’

Thinking so, as I was about to leave the study…

“…Wait a moment.”

My mother’s chilly voice settled in the study.

In a different sense from before, my spine chilled.

“Albert.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“…Are you really him?”

My mother wasn’t asking about the sword; she was asking if I was truly my father’s son.

There was only one answer I could give to that question.

“…I’ve just matured now.”

I was simply sorry.

Until now, I thought my parents were ignoring me, but that was all just a misunderstanding.

My parents were watching me more closely.

And I had lived, tearing at their hearts.

Perhaps, my parents passed away early because of me.

‘I’m a fool.’

I can’t forgive myself for what I did in the past.

So, let’s do better from now on.

Rather than regretting the past, think about the future.

“I’m sorry for being so late to mature.”

“…Go back to your room for now. It’s late, you should get some sleep too.”

“Yes, then. Goodnight.”

I bowed my head as politely as possible.

It had been so long that I couldn’t even remember the last time I did this.

Because of that, there was an emotion welling up in my chest.

Due to that, I couldn’t lift my head for a moment.

Then suddenly, an important thought came to mind.

“Mother, Father.”

My parents’ gaze turned to me at my call.

It seemed they still couldn’t believe that I was their son, their expressions filled with doubt.

Although it hurt my heart, it didn’t matter.

As long as I’m alive, expressions can change at any time.

“If possible, please call a therapist and get a precise examination as soon as possible.”

“Could you tell me the reason?”

“Recently, haven’t you been neglecting your health while taking care of the estate? As a son, I am concerned about my parents’ health.”

Mana sclerosis.

It’s a disease that takes away the lives of parents.

In the early stages, no symptoms appear, but as it progresses to the end, it becomes a ticking time bomb, rapidly weakening and ultimately leading to death.

So, it’s rare to discover it early.

“If we can just find it, it will be easy afterward.”

Unlike the late stage that brings a deadline to life, early mana sclerosis can be treated simply with medication and mana purification.

And if my prediction is correct, currently my father and mother are likely in the early stages of mana sclerosis.

“I really request this.”

“Well….”

My mother seemed unfamiliar with this situation, awkwardly smiled, and nodded slowly.

“I understand. Then, go upstairs and rest.”

“Yes, thank you. Well then, good night.”

Finally, nodding in farewell, I left the study.

While my mother and I were talking, my father looked at the sword pitifully, but that was another issue.

Returning to my room, I sat on the edge of the bed and blankly gazed out the window.

I feel strange. Amidst the confusion, it feels strangely good.

And the round moon in the sky was unusually bright.

“Clearly….”

The day she saved me, the moon was also bright like this.

Sometimes we used to go out for a walk at night.

Because of my military service, her absence didn’t hit me hard.

But the tears I saw last were stuck in my mind, making it hard to sleep that night.

* * * * *

The next day.

I woke up early in the morning, quickly put on comfortable clothes, and went outside.

My body accustomed to alcohol still felt stiff, and the accumulated fatigue didn’t dissipate, leaving my mind hazy, but that’s why I had to move forward.

I needed to fix this stupid body as soon as possible so that things would be easier later on.

I’m already far behind others, so I have to work even harder.

As I escaped the castle, the cool morning air wrapped around me.

My body shivered, but it felt refreshing, clearing my mind.

“Let’s run.”

I started running along the castle’s outer wall.

Inhale, exhale rhythmically.

My legs kept moving without rest.

Fortunately, perhaps due to innate endurance, my stamina wasn’t bad despite drinking so much.

…But it wasn’t particularly good either.

After circling the castle twice, gasping for breath, I stopped to catch my breath.

“….”

Was it a coincidence?

When I suddenly turned my head, through the hazy dawn mist, various colored flowers appeared.

The reason I stopped was because I was next to the garden.

As if entranced, I stepped into the garden, leaving behind numerous flowers and gazed at a small, assertive flower in the corner.

A beautifully blooming yellow flower.

Evening primrose.

It was Luna’s favorite flower.

Its meaning…

[“It’s waiting.”]

When I heard the flower’s meaning from her, embarrassingly, I found myself hoping.

Perhaps she had been waiting for me.

Of course, it was nothing more than my wishful thinking.

Later, I wondered if she would like it if I made it into a potted plant and gave it to her.

Thinking that, I left the garden and started running again.

After circling the castle about ten times, the sun was rising beyond the mountain ridge.

For the first day, I had moved enough.

Pushing too hard could be harmful, so it’s better to start heading back slowly.

With a refreshed mind, I headed back to the castle, but…

I was met with startled expressions of the attendants.

“You, young master?! Why are you sweating so much?! Call the physician! Summon the physician!”

Seeing me sweat, the maids trembled and gave orders.

Do people die if they sweat?

‘Unbelievable.’

They simply judged my sweating as a strange phenomenon.

The problem is that their judgment really hurts.

“I just went for a run.”

“A run…? Why on earth…?”

Why ask why someone runs when they say they ran?

Is this right…?

I felt really embarrassed answering that question, so I awkwardly scratched my head.

“Yeah, well… it’s good for exercise. That’s why.”

“I-I’m sorry! With my limited understanding, I couldn’t possibly comprehend your thoughts, Master! Please forgive my rudeness!”

The maid hastily bowed and apologized.

But I couldn’t help but notice. Her face was beaming.

It was almost comical to receive such treatment for just running, but I didn’t feel bad about it.

“Raise your head. It’s okay.”

“Thank you!”

The maid replied in an unexpectedly forceful manner for her age.

As I returned to my room, the maid shouting, “Master, breakfast is full of protein!” was another issue altogether.

Drip-drip-.

After sweating profusely, I returned to my room after a quick wash, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.

It’s probably one of the servants; it’s too early for breakfast.

And among them, there’s only one personal maid who would come this early.

“Come in.”

As soon as permission was granted, the door opened and the maid entered.

On the tray she held were a teacup and a simple snack.

“Did the maid do this?”

Since there was still quite some time until breakfast, she must have wanted me to have something here at least.

Regardless of its nutritional value, it could fill my empty stomach, so I couldn’t help but feel grateful.

The maid carefully placed the tray on the table.

I immediately approached it to eat.

And as I picked up a tempting cookie to take a bite…

“D-did you… eat it…?”

The maid started to speak with an incredulous tone, on the verge of tears.