C 176
It's a strange feeling.
Even though I spent a week in a daze after the dream, it still didn't feel real.
I stayed in my room the entire week and went through all sorts of concerns, from Lucilion's response to the downfall of the old family.
I thought that revenge would be simply thrilling and refreshing, but as time passes, there is also a subtle bitterness.
Oh, I'm not saying that I sympathize with my old family at all.
Even if Lucilion had something to do with it... from the beginning, Cha Yido and Cha Hyun were people who would someday cause an accident.
"My father surprised me a little."
I never thought that a person who was so noble and kind would show his ugly face when he lost everything.
Will my mother live in hiding for the rest of her life?
—Lucilion...
Did he handle all of this?
Did he stay there for some time after my death? Or did he have many things in mind, anticipating the moment of my death?
"That's surprising..."
Lucilion thought that there was a line that was invisible to others, and even though he acted casually, he didn't allow people to cross that line.
A person who doesn't significantly intervene in another person's life unless there is direct harm to me.
However, although he is a rather sweet person who will definitely help you if you ask, there is a line that should not be crossed.
I could already imagine it.
"I guess I'll give my final report to my dad soon."
I couldn't even tell my father about the Star Guardian.
"I need to go to the temple today to give Lucilion my answer."
Although I wasn't sure of anything yet.
I looked at the time, lazed around in bed for a while, and headed to the office just in time for my dad to leave for work after finishing breakfast.
"Eirin?"
"Dad."
"You've been resting in your room for the past few days. What are you doing here this morning?"
"Just... I have something to report and something to discuss."
Dad squinted his eyes, sighed briefly, and opened the office door.
"Go ahead."
"Yes."
"It's early, but would you like a cup of tea?"
"Yes."
As I sat on the office sofa, my father went into the pantry.
"Dad?"
"Why?"
"Dad, will you do it yourself?"
"Yes, I used to make it for your mother often. It's not that bad."
"No, it's not that..."
I just couldn't believe it for some reason.
Because my dad didn't have the image of preparing tea himself.
Contrary to what I expected, my father skillfully prepared the tea and brought it to me.
I looked at my father sitting across from me, then picked up the teacup with both hands, touched it lightly, and then smiled.
"I was really scared when I first saw my dad."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, I felt like I was in front of a very big beast."
Dad tilted his teacup with a embarrassed expression on his face. My father, who used to look so shrewd in the past, has become much softer now.
"You know, Dad. Everything has been resolved."
"It's been resolved?"
"The Star Guardian, my old family in the other world... They were all punished for their sins."
My father's hand, which was tilting the teacup, stopped at my words.
Dad soon finished tilting his teacup as if nothing had happened.
"Thank God. If you hadn't done it, I would have."
"Really?"
"Yes, I was thinking about making a deal with God or something like that.
Dad casually said something quite astonishing. While blinking in embarrassment, my dad chuckled softly.
"Did that god help you?"
"No, Lucilion..."
Crack-
There was a crack in the teacup handle. When I suddenly closed my mouth, my dad quickly put the teacup down.
"Can't they go back to the way they were before? I will take care of it."
"What?"
What kind of nonsense are you talking about?
Dad must have realized that what he was saying was quite absurd. He remained silent for a moment and then sighed.
"Alright, this is the report, what do you want to discuss?"
"Why did Dad think about marrying Mom? A promise... was there something like that? Something about being with you for the rest of your life..."
"..."
Dad quietly got up from his seat. My father's eyes gleamed as he held the sword in the corner of the office.
"It was the High Priest, right? Dad, he will kill him."
"That's not it...! No, it's true..."
Dad looked at me with his arms crossed, then sighed and sat back on the sofa.
"It's not that I had much confidence or motivation. Just the part I couldn't recover... the ugly and weak parts..."
Dad, with his arms crossed, slowly clicked his lips.
"I thought the only person in my life who could show me something different would be your mother. That's all."
Dad responded briefly.
I thought that when I fell in love, it would be like a lightning strike.
I thought a lightning would strike my head and tell me that this was love.
"If I get married, will Dad feel lonely?"
"It will be lonely."
"Dad, don't you want me to get married? Then I... as long as I can be with Dad for the rest of my life..."
My father, who had been silently listening to the story, got up from his seat in one leap.
Then he came over with his long legs, sat down beside me, and pressed my head with his large hand.
"Eirin."
"Yes."
"It's natural for children to leave their parents. If you decide, I will respect your opinion even if it means cutting off one of your limbs."
No, wasn't it simply disrespectful to cut off his limbs?
When I clicked my lips, my dad chuckled mischievously, as he used to do when I was young.
"I don't want to leave my father's arms."
"I will leave someday. There will be things more precious than me."
"... Dad, if there were a way to live forever, if such a way existed..."
Since I am a dragon, if somehow I can find a way...
"Dad, will you live with me?"
"......"
Dad's pupils widened significantly but then slowly contracted and returned to their original position.
"No."
Dad's deep voice was gentle. It was a warm voice that contradicted the answer. Dad's large hand gently stroked my cheek.
Dad opened his arms and hugged me tightly.
"I will do my best for you as long as I live, and when the time comes, I will die and go to see your mother."
"......"
"I have a lot to be thankful for my days of immaturity and the words I couldn't say back then."
Dad said.
"As much as I love you, I also love your mom. And I don't want to be a burden to you."
"But..."
"Eirin is no longer so weak that I need to protect her."
Despite the friendly voice, the content wasn't very friendly. I know I'm fighting in vain.
I know this period won't last forever and will come to an end.
"I..."
I don't want to be alone.
However, I can't act childishly with my father anymore. My dad had already made his decision a long time ago.
I lowered my head weakly and nodded.
"I'm sorry for the trouble."
"And I think, Eirin, even though I was against it, you have already made a decision."
Dad said.
"In the end, you have to create a family that lasts a lifetime."
Dad is kind. Everything my dad said was right. But it was also cruel.
I realized that my father was already making plans for after his death, even though I had vaguely thought about the death of the people around me.
"I'm definitely sad to leave your arms, but..."
Dad gently took me out of his arms.
"Eirin, if you're sure, I... won't stop you."
"... Dad."
"But it may be a little annoying."
"Dad..."
"They are taking away my daughter, whom I raised so well. Please forgive me for being a little grumpy. However, I admit that the high priest helped you a lot."
Dad said with a very reluctant expression.
Dad patted my shoulder.
"Go on."
"... Dad."
"Is it an important day?"
"... Yes, I was supposed to give an answer."
Dad nodded.
"Go and come back, daughter."
Dad's lips lightly touched my forehead and then fell.
"My lovely daughter. No matter what choice you make, no matter what life you lead, I will always love you."
Hearing my father's reassuring words, I slowly stood up from my seat. I left the office with a hand pushing my back.
***
The corner of Erno Etham's mouth twisted as he watched Eirin walk away.
"Really, I don't know when she grew up like this. Dahlia. It would be good if you could see her too."
It was a day he especially felt like smoking.
Erno Etham lightly scratched the corner of his mouth with his finger and got up.
The feeling of suddenly seeing his daughter become an adult and leave his arms was very sad and gave rise to a strange feeling of something missing.
Erno Etham, who had been sitting on the sofa for a while, finally got up and sat at his desk.
Soon, only the sound of processed documents echoed hollowly in the spacious office.
***
Close your eyes and imagine.
Just by thinking about it, the dragon's magic would gain strength.
"I want to see Lucilion."
Just by thinking and wishing like that, I could stand in front of him.
Lucilion was in an empty white room. Lucilion was sitting in a chair and staring out the window.
No matter how you looked at it, it didn't seem like he had been on a business trip. It seemed like he had locked himself in his room for a week and lived like a mess.
"Lucilion."
"... Eirin?"
"You said you were on a business trip..."
When I finished speaking, Lucilion looked at me silently and then smiled. It was the same smile as always.
"I felt that if I didn't say that, it would pressure Eirin. Have you organized your thoughts?"
"Yes."
Lucilion, who was looking out the window, got up and turned around. Lucilion, who was standing a couple of steps away from me, looked at me silently.
Like a criminal awaiting judgment.
"Honestly, I can't let you be the first."
"Is that so? I had a vague idea, but... I can't do it. As expected, I will shave my head, follow a new religion, and wait a hundred more years..."
"Wait!"
I quickly shouted as I watched Lucilion pull out a pair of scissors.
"Listen to the end!"
"Yes."
He obediently put down the scissors.
"Limited to a maximum of a hundred years."
"......"
"After that, you... could be the first."
Lucilion's eyes widened at my words. His bright blue eyes trembled as if they couldn't believe it.
"I'm self-indulgent, I get tired quickly, I'm weak-minded, and I can get tired over a long period of time and get stuck in things that are annoying, and I want to have children but I don't want to get sick..."
I spewed out a series of stories that could be considered flaws. As I listed them one by one, I kept thinking about it.
"Yes."
"Maybe I can't trust you for the rest of my life and wonder when you'll leave..."
"I said I'd give you my heart."
"If you're sure you can handle it..."
If there was someone who would stay by my side for the rest of my life without going crazy, if such a person truly existed, if there was someone who would teach me love, I wanted it to be Lucilion.
"Let's get married."
Lucilion took a deep breath at my words.
"I like you. Love is... I don't know because I'm still young. I like you. I don't know if as a friend or as someone of the opposite sex, but I'll be with you for the rest of my life... Ah."
Before I could finish speaking, Lucilion took me into his arms, lifted me, and spun me around.
"Lu, Lucy?"
"Yes. I will only look at Eirin for the rest of my life. I will protect Eirin and be by her side."
"... Yes."
The bright smile on Lucilion's face, filled with a sincerity I had never seen before, made me smile.
"Even if I'm not the only one for you, you're the only one for me. The small pity of a piece of bread, which perhaps wasn't a big deal to you, was salvation for me."
"Yes."
"I love you, Eirin."
Lucilion's face leaned in at an angle along with a whispering voice. I closed my eyes slowly.
Soon, our lips met.
We formed a relationship on this day. It was a new relationship called "lovers" that would last a long time.
