episode_0053

Kyle’s daughter had safely woken up. I had worried if there would be any lasting after-effects, but fortunately, she seemed to be recovering healthily. It was all thanks to her father’s devoted care. Thus, a new family member was added to Astra.

“Daddy! I want to play with other friends today!” “Heavens, Eileen… You want to leave this dad and go to other children? Surely you haven’t grown to dislike Daddy already?” “That’s not it!” “Then why…?” “When I’m with Daddy, you carry me on your shoulders all day and never let me down! I want to walk on my own two feet too!” “Th-that’s just in case you get hurt while walking…” “Hmph! I don’t know! Today, I’m playing with my friends!” “Eileen…!”

Eileen turned her back petulantly and walked away. Kyle reacted, fidgeting uneasily. Watching the two with their somewhat quirky chemistry, I soon let out a chuckle. I patted his pathetic back.

“Hehe, it seems parenting after a long time isn’t easy?” “…Leader-nim.” Red eyes looked this way. I swallowed a laugh that was about to burst out and spoke, as if to comfort him.

“Don’t be too disheartened.” “…” “Isn’t it rather fortunate? To be able to smile so brightly after going through such terrible things.” “You are absolutely right… It’s a miracle that will never happen again in a lifetime.” “She truly is a beautiful child.” “I know this is also a grace bestowed by Leader-nim. How can I ever repay this kindness…” “It’s troublesome if you tear up like this every time.”

Lately, this was the problem. The person once called the strongest on the continent now had tears welling up just from meeting my eyes. As if he couldn’t control his overwhelming emotions.

“Please, hold it in.” “Ugh… Understood.” Because of you, the other members are acting strange too. Someone with a light concept like you shouldn’t become so serious.

“Ahem.” Anyway. It was a more or less good ending. I thought it might be a bit too gloomy a place for a young child to live, but since her loving family was by her side, it would probably be fine. While I’m at it, I should spend some money and decorate the headquarters a bit more charmingly. Children should always grow up seeing only good things. Otherwise, they might grow up to be bad adults like me.

“Eileen! Let’s play together!!” “I’m playing hide-and-seek with Anne Unnie! I have to hide so I don’t get caught!” “Hehehe! Let’s go hide where the teachers are…!” “Hey! That’s cheating?!”

The little foxes also welcomed their new friend. As children of that age usually do, they didn’t exclude each other and meshed well. I smiled faintly.

‘It was good I pushed myself.’ Though I had coughed up blood after a long time, thanks to it, I could see the smiles of these little ones. Personally, it was a satisfying choice.

“Hehe… Children, you must be careful not to get hurt.” “Oh! It’s Leader-nim!” “Wow~ Leader-nim! Please play with us!” “Dummy. Leader-nim is always busy, you know?” “Irene Unnie is here too! If you play with us, we’ll let you marry Unnie later!” “Hey! Why are you giving away my sister as you please?”

The children bickering among themselves. I smiled at their adorable sight.

“Oh my~ Marrying Miss Irene, that’s quite an enticing proposal!” “Right? I’ll tell Unnie nicely!” “Alright! Shall we have some fun then?” The peaceful daily life continued. We spent several days like that.

***

Irene and I finished preparations to return to the academy. We had already left the academy empty for a week, so it was about time to return to keep up with attendance. Of course, Irene was with me. We were waiting for the carriage to arrive.

“Are you leaving?” “Miss Neria.” As I stood briefly at the foot of the stairs, the vice-leader with a sullen expression spoke to me. Her silver hair hung limply. It seemed she was disappointed by the news of our departure. I gently stroked the girl’s head as if to comfort her.

“Because there are things we need to do.” “Hmph, h-huh… I, I know.” “I’ll trust you with Astra’s command. Thanks to our vice-leader, I can leave with peace of mind.” “Hmph… Th-thank you.” “Hehe.”

Neria melted instantly. She clasped her hands tightly as if embarrassed. Her pure white cheeks were already flushed with heat. I enjoyed her cute reaction for a moment.

Then, the voices of the other members could be heard. “We’ll be waiting, Leader-nim.” “Hahaha! You must take care of yourself wherever you are!” “Call us anytime.” I accepted each of their greetings.

As the boisterous farewell ended, and just as I was about to leave the headquarters upon hearing the carriage had arrived. “Oppa!” A girl peeked out. Blinking brown eyes. When our gazes met, I smiled gently.

Pitter-patter. Anne approached with mischievous steps. The girl seemed to glance around for a moment, then spread her short arms and threw herself into my embrace. Warm body heat spread across my chest.

“Oh my… What an impetuous farewell hug.” “Hehe.” It was a simply bright smile. The girl, who had clung to me for a while, soon looked up at me intently.

“Uncle Kyle told me.” “Told you what?” “He said it would be hard to see Oppa for a while once you go back to the academy, so I should say anything I wanted to say now!” “Our chef explained it well, it seems.”

That would be the case. She was staying at Astra now, but Anne would soon have to return to her family’s embrace. I planned to send her off by next week at the latest. ‘If we part like this… it’ll be difficult to meet again.’

The Baron Frank family. It was a family located in a very distant countryside. So far that it would take at least a month by carriage to travel to and from the capital. Therefore, it wasn’t an easy environment for interaction. If the distance was too great, it would naturally be burdensome for either side to readily come and meet.

Of course. Such a childish reason wasn’t the only one. The former was merely an excuse to persuade the child, and there was a separate, real reason. It was a decision I had made.

‘I hope we don’t meet again.’ I wanted Anne to live an ordinary life. She had just woken up from a terrible nightmare, so I hoped she would be happy by her family’s side from now on. I wanted to give the girl a daily life free from danger.

‘There’s nothing good to come from getting entangled with us.’ Astra was, in the end, a criminal organization. It was too dangerous a world for a fifteen-year-old girl to step into.

“Just as there are meetings, there must also sometimes be partings.” “I know.” The girl nodded calmly.

“So… since this might be the last time, I really wanted to say it.” Anne gazed at me for a moment, then soon wore a pure smile on her lips. Faint starlight descended.

“Thank you. Thanks to Oppa, I can have hope again.” “…” “I was so scared, exhausted, and lonely… Thank you for reaching out your hand to me when I was like that.” The corners of her lips curved into a shy smile. What Anne offered was a message of gratitude, carefully folded and treasured from a warm heart.

I thought quietly. Looking at it this way, so much has truly changed. The girl who was utterly crushed in the original story now had a new chance at life. Perhaps, just this once, I had done the right thing.

“Miss Anne.” I lightly bent at the waist. Lowering my eyes to meet her brown pupils, I casually poked the girl’s cheek with an outstretched finger. A soft sensation touched my fingertips.

“Don’t lose hope from now on either.” I murmured calmly. Adults generally don’t remember their childhood. It was a disease that adults suffered from, and at the same time, a blessing that only they could enjoy. Children forget their childhood as they grow older.

“There might be difficult times sometimes. Perhaps an unreasonable misfortune, like this one, might block Miss Anne’s path. Every time that happens, you must have faith.” Originally, the girl was destined not even to complete that process. She had run out of breath before she could become an adult, closing her eyes without ever forgetting her childhood. But this time, it was different.

“Faith that, as much as you’ve suffered, a better tomorrow surely awaits.” Because she had been given a chance to live. I wanted Anne to experience many things, meet many people, grow old through many years, and gradually forget her childhood. I hoped she would become an adult that way.

“Miss Anne can do anything. You can become anything you want, and dream anything you hope for.” Children are possibilities. And this was one possibility I was gifting to you, who had failed to become an adult 1943 times.

“So, please become a wonderful adult.” What if she came to find me someday, having grown up greatly? While I hoped such a future wouldn’t come, a corner of my heart was tinged with a tender flutter.

I whispered faintly. To my beloved little writer. “Just that would make me as happy as if I owned the entire world.”

A voice filled with nothing but sincerity. The girl, whose gaze had been crossing with mine, soon bloomed into a bright smile.

“Yes, Oppa…!” A pure white lantern illuminating the dark world without reservation.

“I will! I’ll become a wonderful adult and come to meet Unnie and Oppa again!” “Hehe… I’m already looking forward to it.” I turned my steps. Stepping onto the stairs leading outside, I bid farewell to the silhouette remaining behind.

It was a short, simple remark. “See you then.” From behind me, I heard her clear voice until the very end. I savored the nostalgic background sound and boarded the carriage waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

Neigh! The coachman immediately cracked his whip. The wheels slowly began to roll. As I gazed at the rapidly speeding outside scenery right after, a belated realization washed over me that all of this was over.

Now, truly. It was time to return to the academy.

***

After spending a day in the carriage, the snake and the fox returned to the academy. Perhaps it was because they arrived late at dawn. The academy was steeped in tranquil silence. The scenery reflecting in the night sky was so utterly peaceful that the events of the past few days felt like a dream. Irene trembled for a moment at the unfamiliarity.

“…” Inside the spacious dormitory. The fox, who had been gazing out the window, suddenly turned her head and looked somewhere. Where her eyes were directed, a blond boy was sitting.

Soft breathing. The snake was leaning against the sofa. He seemed to have fallen asleep just like that. It was difficult to tell due to his usual narrow eyes, but it could be inferred from his steady breathing.

Irene softly posed a question. “…Are you sleeping?” The scattered words. There was no reply.

Only then did the girl relax and gaze at the snake sitting beside her. She examined him slowly. The boy exuded a mysterious aura. Even though he had clearly fallen asleep in the chair, there was no sign of disarray in his posture. She couldn’t even find a single wrinkle in his clothes. He simply maintained his dignity.

“What a dreadful person.” A sigh escaped her naturally. Irene lingered around. As she stood blankly for a long time, a certain scene suddenly came to mind.

A few days ago, the voice that saved her. -Miss Irene. -If it means you can be even a little less unhappy, I will gladly lend my strength. The lips whispered gently. A particularly vivid memory. The girl unconsciously clenched her fists.

What filled her mind was none other than the question she hadn’t been able to conclude last time. ‘Why does this person… care so much about me?’ Looking back, it had been like this from the very beginning. She had received countless forms of help. He had helped her escape from slave traders, and afterwards, provided a safe place for her to stay. He took in her homeless younger siblings and cared for them with devotion. This time, he even came to rescue her himself after she was abducted by dark mages.

‘What am I, anyway?’ What on earth was he hoping for? What did he want from this miserable beast, to pour such heavy affection upon her? Irene bit her lip in confusion.

-I don’t trust humans. -I know how vile and cruel your kind is. That resolve from before remained unchanged. The fox did not trust. For the burn marks that had set her past ablaze remained as indelible scars. It was a distrust of humans.

However. ‘I don’t know what he’s thinking.’ She just wanted to know. About this blind devotion that kept confusing her.

-Because one must always take responsibility for what one has tamed. -Did that answer your question? The snake had clearly said that, but it was no answer at all. If anything, it only felt more enigmatic. For the fox did not yet understand ‘taming.’ When the meaning isn’t grasped, a sentence is merely an empty shell.

It was the same for Irene. “Let’s drop it.” She couldn’t reach a conclusion today either. She merely postponed it.

Softly. The girl carefully spread out a blanket that was beside her. And then, she gently covered the sleeping boy’s lap on the sofa with the thin fabric. Along with a voice that wouldn’t reach him.

“…Good night.” It was the girl’s own way of expressing gratitude.