episode_0172

[Episode 168] – Opposite of the Past (2)

Lately, it had been extremely difficult for Ainsel to remain in the Seelie Court.

Since Veronica became the “fairy egg,” Ainsel was undergoing a “penance” for covering up a sinner, Morgana. It wasn’t exactly a punishment, but rather a restriction from crossing over to the human realm.

Originally, fairies weren’t supposed to form deep “bonds” with humans.

Morgana judged that Ainsel had crossed that line.

In order for a fairy to form a deep bond with a human, a “contract” had to be made, but Ainsel had helped a human without making a contract, and the fact that the person happened to be a criminal who had overturned the fairy direction was the problem.

Therefore, Ainsel had to obtain Morgana’s permission once a week in order to leave the fairy direction and return to Vivian’s side in the Seelie Court. It wasn’t strictly necessary to get permission, but…

Honestly, Ainsel had been reluctant to go to the Seelie Court lately.

Even if they went to the Seelie Court, they could only watch the two of them and then return to the fairy direction. After all, they didn’t have the confidence to interfere in the increasingly close relationship between Titania and Vivian.

…When did it become so difficult to interfere between the two?

The moment goes back to when Titania confessed her feelings to Vivian. When Titania pleaded with Vivian to love her and see her not as a daughter, but as a woman.

“So, please see me as an ‘adult’ a little.”

“……”

“Please see me as ‘the one person’ who loves you.”

“Oh my, oh my!”

At that time, Ainsel was watching through the mirror as Titania confessed to Vivian. Ainsel knew that Titania liked Vivian, but never imagined it was that kind of “love”!

Having lived for over hundreds of years, forced into a contract by Vivian to live in the human realm for decades, Ainsel thought they fully understood human love and dating culture. However, what unfolded before their eyes was…

“Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!”

It was a sight that Ainsel, who had lived for over hundreds of years, had never seen before.

Oh my god, I never thought a princess would like Vivian like that…!

A daughter who loves her mother who raised her that way! Is it okay for humans to be like this? Is that it? Eincel covered her face with both hands and looked at the two people through the gap between her fingers.

As he watched Titania and Vivian kissing each other deeply and mixing their tongues through the gaps between her fingers, and even Vivian being released from the curse with a kiss, Aincel got one thought.

‘Ah, I guess I shouldn’t get in between the two from now on.’

Eincel was not a fairy without her notice. No matter how often she causes accidents and behaves foolishly, she is not an inconsiderate fairy who would do something stupid to get between them.

From then on, Heinsel began to quietly observe the two people. She watched Vivian as a child by her side, and just looked at Titania and Vivian in the mirror, kissing each other every day.

‘Oh my God, can her daughter do that to her mother?’

The time when the three of them were always together has come to an end, and it was a bit bittersweet to realize that there was no longer a place for oneself between the two, but Ainsel was okay. After all, she had Veronica.

She was glad that she could now help the “princess” whom she had only watched over from afar in numerous returns. So, she moved her main body to the cabin and spent time helping Veronica.

Anyway, Titania had become queen, and Vivian would be by her side from now on.

Feeling that there was nothing she could do between the two, Ainsel judged and left the side of Vivian and Titania to move her main body to the cabin and started living with Veronica.

However, even Veronica was taken by Morgan and became a “fairy egg,” Ainsel was extremely depressed. She went to the fairy scent and tried hard to defend Morgan, but it was of no use at all.

Instead, she was restricted from leaving the fairy scent, being told that she was protecting a criminal.

“Mischievous Morgan.”

It would be okay if I could go back to being as lively as before and be by Titania and Vivian’s side, but I couldn’t do that now. How can I interfere when they are so close to each other?

Einsel, who had once again lost a place to stay, felt like crying right away. Should I go back to Vivian without caring about others? But it was really difficult to go back now.

“Well, it must be hard for them even to kiss when I’m around…”

Considering Vivian’s personality, she would definitely use herself as an excuse. If the princess tried to kiss, she would probably come up with ridiculous excuses like “Wait! Einsel is watching!” or avoid it altogether.

Hearing that, I would be incredulous and say, “What am I watching?! They’re kissing!” and ruin the atmosphere, and then the princess would glare at me as if she wanted to kill me with hateful eyes. It was obvious even without looking.

“Rather than looking at the princess with those eyes, it’s better to just watch from afar…”

In such an atmosphere, it was much more comfortable to sneak out of the fairy realm and touch Morgana’s hand instead of interfering. So, staying in the royal palace was very difficult for Einsel.

However, Einsel escaped from the fairy realm to the royal palace once a week. No, about every three days. Even though it was certain that I would be in trouble if caught sneaking out of the fairy realm.

I only checked if they were healthy and what had happened, no, I only confirmed it. Einsel only confirmed and did not interfere further. Oh my, oh my, oh my…! Under the desk…!

After confirming until satisfied, Einsel returned to the fairy realm. It was regrettable, but there was no choice because I might never be able to leave the fairy realm if I got caught by Morgana.

“Maybe after 3 to 4 years, Morgana will forget everything? That’s her nature, isn’t it?”

Einsel sighed softly and immersed in contemplation.

If Titania and Vivian are in this state now, I cannot intervene between them, but as time goes by, won’t there come a day when we can all spend time together like before?

That day will surely…

“I’ll be back soon. So, don’t cry too much. When I come back, the four of us will be together. Me, Ainsel, Vivian, Titania. We’ll live together as one family.”

-Really…? But how…

“…If my prediction is correct, we should meet within 3 years at the latest. Oh, and keep it a secret from Morgan. I plan to come back in secret. So, trust me and wait for me. Got it?”

-Veronica…

Could it be the day Veronica returns?

Ainsel briefly closed her eyes and remembered the story she had with Veronica when she was caught in the fairy realm. Veronica seemed to smile confidently, as if telling her not to worry.

She didn’t know how Veronica would return after becoming a fairy’s egg, but since Veronica clearly said she would return, Ainsel believed without doubt that Veronica would return.

She didn’t doubt, but…

“But really, how is she going to come back…?”

*

The night Titania coldly told me to sleep alone from now on.

I lay in bed, feeling exhausted. Despite being so tired, the inability to sleep made my discomfort twice as bad. I had dozed off during the day, but upon waking up, I felt three times as tired as if I hadn’t slept at all.

It was truly unbelievable that I could be this tired after just one sleepless night, but there was a reason for my condition. A truly absurd reason.

That reason was the 10-year age gap.

A 10-year-old body wasn’t as tired even if it stayed up all night, and I even felt confident that I could endure for another week in this state. It felt like adrenaline was coursing through my entire body.

However, after kissing Titania and breaking the curse, turning into a 33-year-old body, I could only collapse onto the bed. The battery that had been full just moments ago was drained in an instant.

Yes.

Being 33 meant I couldn’t stay up all night.

The body of a 10-year-old and the body of a 33-year-old. Feeling the stark difference, as soon as I was released from the curse, I could do nothing but lie down on the bed and faint. It’s not just a curse. It feels like eating candy and bitter medicine at the same time.

Moreover, is it because I took a nap as if I fainted? Even though it’s late at night and time to sleep, I couldn’t bear it because I couldn’t fall asleep. Moreover, when my body shrunk, I felt an incredible freshness, as if I had just woken up from a nap. In a moment, my eyes became clear, and I couldn’t help but open them.

Yeah… it’s midnight.

“Ugh!!”

Feeling like I was going to lose my mind, I buried my face in the pillow and quietly screamed. I hugged the pillow and rolled from side to side, kicking the blanket with my feet, but the feeling didn’t go away.

At this rate, tomorrow would be the same repeated day.

Staying up all night, breaking the curse, fainting as if falling asleep, and waking up in the evening. I gnawed at the pillow while lying on the bed, grumbling.

After struggling like that several times, I lay on the bed with my arms spread out, looking at the ceiling, and let out a small sigh, choking back tears. Why am I like this? Is it because Titania isn’t here that I can’t sleep?

It really didn’t make sense. I’m not a child. Well, I am a child now, but my mind wasn’t that of a child. The curse only made my body younger, leaving my mind intact.

So I couldn’t understand it even more. If I thought that missing Titania’s embrace was due to my younger mind, I could understand to some extent. However, my current mind was perfectly fine.

But why? I don’t know, but even now, I had a feeling that if I went into Titania’s embrace, I would be able to sleep very comfortably.

The feeling that this tiredness will soon be relieved. Tomorrow morning, I’ll feel incredibly refreshed. If I were to lie down with Titania right now, could we quickly fix our reversed day and night?

Should I go back to Titania’s room right now? She’s probably asleep by now. Would it be wrong to sneak into her bed and sleep? If I wake up and lie about it…

I wanted to go into Titania’s room right away, but my pride was the problem. Saying I can sleep alone, boasting loudly, and now sneaking into Titania’s embrace?

As a mother, as an adult, it was hard to tolerate my pride.

It was hard to tolerate, but…

The extreme tiredness was enough to make me abandon my pride.

Even thinking about it, my stubborn pride, I slowly burrowed into Titania’s bed. To ensure Titania wouldn’t wake up, I pulled the covers over us, leaving a slight distance between us.

As I got under the covers, I felt the warmth of the blanket, warmed by Titania’s body heat. Slowly, I blinked, feeling the warmth emanating from Titania spread through the blanket.

It was really strange.

Just moments ago, no matter what I did, I couldn’t fall asleep.

Just knowing that Titania was next to me made my eyes start to close. Even the restless and dizzying emotions I had just felt completely disappeared just by being next to Titania.

I slowly began to relax in the pleasant warmth of Titania. Blinking slowly, I moved closer to her and huddled into her embrace.

What will Titania say when she wakes up tomorrow? Will she call me foolish? Why did I suggest using separate rooms if this was going to happen? Will she scold me? Somehow, it didn’t seem to matter as I lay there with my eyes closed.

Amidst these meaningless thoughts, I felt the tension slowly leave my body, and I pressed myself tightly against Titania, breathing deeply. As I did, a familiar scent tickled my nose.

As I took deeper breaths, the scent I longed for filled my body, and somehow, I felt like I might have a good dream today. Or maybe I’ll sleep so soundly that I won’t even dream.

*

Rustle, rustle.

After some time had passed, Titania cautiously opened one eyelid to check on Vivian, who was lying next to her. It hadn’t even been two days since she adamantly refused to sleep together.

Unable to ask her to sleep together due to pride, she felt her mother, who had sneaked into her blanket while she slept, was the cutest in the world. Had she been too harsh? She had meant to speak after three days.

She couldn’t help but smile at her mother’s return to her embrace after just two days. Really, she wished her mother would acknowledge it little by little. No, did she know but pretended not to?

Titania slowly rose to ensure Vivian didn’t wake up, and gazed down at her deeply sleeping form, even drooling. Watching her deeply asleep form, she smiled with true happiness.

Her mother’s young appearance was truly adorable, but…

Gradually, it seemed she couldn’t ignore her mother’s appearance.

Her mother still seemed unaware, but the time to break the curse was gradually lengthening.

Five minutes, ten minutes. Each time they broke the curse by kissing, her mother’s time as an adult grew longer.

…It must mean there isn’t much time left.

How much time remained?

A week? A month? Half a year?

It certainly wouldn’t be more than a year.

Now, it seemed her mother should ‘acknowledge’ her feelings…

…Did she need a reason?

Titania smiled with her eyes and patted Vivian’s belly as she slept. Yes, I can wait for about a year. Or maybe, my mother might find a reason on her own without me knowing.

A ‘reason’ for her mother to acknowledge her feelings.