episode_0161

[Episode 157] – Aftermath

Several hours after Vivian arrived in Wangsung.

Titania looked closely at Vivian’s face as she slept, exhausted from crying. Her eyes and cheeks were reddened from weeping. Titania let out a small sigh at the sight of Vivian, whose entire being was tinged with sadness.

She had ‘anticipated’ this situation to some extent, but when it actually happened, all sorts of worries surged like waves. Ultimately, the rebirth of Veronica rested in Titania’s hands.

Furthermore, Titania hadn’t yet planned to tell Vivian about this story. She intended to deepen their relationship a little more, so that they could share love without it being strange before discussing the ‘child’.

Otherwise, her mother would be confused.

She didn’t know when that time would come, but she was prepared to wait indefinitely. Until her mother thought it was okay to have her ‘child’. Until she wished for a child who resembled herself.

Then she would stroke her mother’s belly and say, “There’s a way for women to have a child too.”

That was the most ideal way Veronica and Titania hoped for. They didn’t want to force pregnancy on her mother. Being born unloved once was enough.

Even if her mother continued to refuse her feelings and rejected affection, preventing Veronica from being reborn, Titania intended to respect her mother’s heart.

That was also a promise between Veronica and her.

Never do anything ‘forced’.

Titania tidied Vivian’s disheveled bangs. As she gazed at Vivian’s face, she suddenly let out a laugh. It was because she realized that there was still a long way to go.

It was good to discover through their kiss that they were destined for each other, but so far, there was no sign of her mother’s curse being lifted. Moreover, her mother was determined not to cross the line between mother and daughter.

It felt like it was still a long way off to become a mother or a lover, let alone thinking about having a child. I wanted to break the curse quickly and approach with more than just a kiss…

“I wonder if we’ll grow old and die faster than my mother accepting my heart? Well, I wouldn’t mind growing old by her side…”

Titania chuckled quietly as she looked at Vivian. Just as she was starting to doze off, the terrace door creaked open, and a young woman in white walked in.

As if it were natural, the way she opened the door and came in, Titania stared at the young woman in white as if bewildered, but the young woman simply shrugged as if unconcerned.

“Morgana… What’s the sudden occasion?”

Titania sat up in bed and asked Morgana in a hushed voice so as not to wake Vivian. Morgana let out a small sigh and then unfolded her hand to reveal a ‘jewel’ resting on her palm.

“As promised, I’ve come to entrust this child to you.”

“This child is…”

“Yes.”

Titania, upon seeing the jewel-like object, instinctively reached out her palm to Morgana. In response, Morgana placed a tiny “fairy egg” that radiated a golden light onto Titania’s palm.

“This is Veronica.”

“This is…”

The fairy egg resting on her palm felt subtly warm, causing Titania to shiver involuntarily. She had anticipated it, but seeing it in reality felt strange. This was Veronica…

Thump, thump.

She could feel the fairy egg gently pulsating in her palm.

Unlike the fairy egg she had seen before, the one in Titania’s palm was smaller and its light wasn’t as bright. It seemed fragile, as if it would break with just a little force.

Gently holding the fairy egg, Titania raised her head to look at Morgana. Morgana let out a small sigh and turned to look at Vivian, who was sleeping beside Titania.

“It’s fortunate that the baby came while she’s asleep. I didn’t want to see her crying again.”

“…She was crying just a moment ago.”

“…I see, so that’s how it is.”

For a moment, silence fell inside the room.

With tightly closed eyes, Morgan let out a deep sigh, as if having seen everything, then turned towards the terrace where he had come in. Holding the terrace door handle, Morgan paused for a moment and then spoke.

“From now on, unless Aga directly seeks you out, there won’t be any chance of meeting. It seems she has earned Aga’s firm resentment through this incident.”

“…As time passes, Mother will surely come to terms with it.”

“Well… I’m not sure about Veronica. It seems like Aga has firmly set her mind against her…”

Morgan sighed as if truly disappointed, briefly rolled his eyes, and looked at Titania. Then, subtly, he brought up the topic of Veronica.

“Moreover, she didn’t even know what that child was up to. Titania, do you…?”

Morgan tried to ask Titania something but only pursed his lips and said nothing. In response to such a sight from Morgan, Titania responded with a meaningful smile.

Seeing Titania’s meaningful smile, Morgan eventually sighed and turned his head again. Turning the latch of the terrace, he stepped outside and spoke.

“…Well, the punishment has been carried out, so that should be the end of Veronica’s involvement. What happens after this is no concern of hers. Whatever mischief you get into, whatever happens, it’s none of Veronica’s business.”

“…Thank you. For saying you’ll turn a blind eye.”

“I’m not turning a blind eye. I really don’t understand your thoughts. Besides, it doesn’t seem like I have anything to tell you… what Veronica should do…”

Clearly, it seemed that waking up Veronica was out of the question. However, no matter how much he thought about it, Morgan couldn’t figure out a way. Surely, he could force Titania, who knew something, to speak, but…

“Seems like I just don’t want to stir up any more trouble.”

Morgan chuckled and covered his mouth with his hand. Then, once again, he looked at the sleeping Vivian and let out a small sigh before bidding farewell.

“Alright, I should be going now. Make sure to tell the child properly.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Morgan, who exchanged their final greetings, disappeared beyond the terrace. Whether through magic or not, no further trace of them could be felt from the terrace.

Having confirmed Morgan’s disappearance, Titania let out a small sigh and looked down at the small fairy egg in her palm.

Tap-tap. Titania let out a bitter smile at the sight of the gently trembling fairy egg. Then she got up from the bed and began to search for a case where she could safely store her sister.

Finding an empty ring box in the drawer, Titania carefully placed the fairy egg inside and gazed at it intently.

The sight of the fairy egg emitting a golden light and faintly flickering somehow felt similar to the form of a fetus. No, it must have transformed into a fetus.

Titania let out a small sigh and closed the ring box, gently brushing over its surface. As if caressing a head, she softly whispered to prevent her mother from waking up.

“…Welcome, sister. I don’t know if things will turn out as you wished…”

Placing the ring box back in the drawer, Titania returned to the bed. Gazing at her mother, who was breathing gently, Titania smiled faintly.

“I’ll do my best… as much as possible.”

*

The next morning.

Titania woke up with a sense of unease for some reason. The anxiety rising up from her chest seemed to stem from her tightly embraced mother.

“Mother…?”

Titania lowered her head and looked down at Vivian, who was sleeping in her arms. Her mother, lying curled up and covered in cold sweat, was running a high fever.

As she touched her forehead, droplets of sweat formed on her skin, and she was burning up. Groaning as if wandering through a delirium, her mother writhed in agony.

Had her mother ever been in such pain before? No, as far as Titania could remember, her mother had never been in such excruciating pain.

The moment Titania realized her mother was unwell, she felt a chilling sensation run through her body. She quickly got up and laid Vivian down to examine her.

Her nightclothes were soaked with sweat, and her lips were parched as if suffering from dehydration. The breath she exhaled felt scorching hot, and it seemed like her skin would peel off from the heat.

“This… What should I do…?”

This was the first time Titania had encountered such a situation, so she was also confused.

She had been nursed by her mother when she was young, but it was the first time she had seen her mother in such pain.

She thought about shaking her mother to wake her, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Her mother looked too much in pain.

She was afraid that touching her might cause her more pain. She seemed so fragile that she couldn’t bring herself to touch her.

“First, I need to call a doctor…”

Titania, who had been hesitating for a moment, finally realized the presence of a doctor and muttered. She had to call a doctor first. In her urgency, she shouted for the maid next to the bed.

“Get the doctor!! Quickly!!”

Why is mother suddenly in so much pain? Titania asked herself amidst the confusion. The reason for her mother’s pain was obvious.

Veronica had left, and the stress that had been building up had finally erupted. The reason her mother was in so much pain was the aftermath of Veronica leaving.