Chapter 13: Let’s go home (3)

Tap-tap-tap!

Robelm Ken Hynes, the Knight Commander of the First Military Camp of the Western Demon Realm.
Looking as though he could collapse from exhaustion at any moment, he hurried toward the medical tent.

‘I was so preoccupied with Cain’s funeral that I completely lost track of everything!’

He hadn’t even noticed that Lord Surd had disappeared.
Robelm hadn’t forgotten the sight of Surd glaring at the girl with murderous intent.

The pure-white girl who appeared to be the culprit responsible for Cain’s death.
Cain’s head had been resting on the girl’s lap, and she had fallen into a deep sleep while tightly embracing him.

Robelm wanted to ask what had happened, but no matter how much they shook her, the girl never regained consciousness.

They had no choice but to lay the girl down in the medical tent and wait until she woke up.

A mysterious woman whose identity was so unclear that she almost seemed otherworldly.

How had she entered the Demon Realm alone?
What exactly was her relationship with Cain?
How had she survived that light just moments ago?

There was more they didn’t know than they did, but one thing was certain.

‘Cain risked his life to protect her.’

Through Robelm’s ragged breathing, he spotted the medic who had treated the girl.

“Hey! You!”

Robelm approached the medic.

“L-Lord Robelm!”
“Why are you here?”
“Th-that’s because! Lord Surd told us not to go anywhere near the tent…!”
“What?!”

Damn it, he was too late.

Robelm shoved the medic aside and ran toward the tent.

“Huff, huff…!”

Robelm reached toward the closed tent.
Roughly pulling aside the tent flap, Robelm shouted toward Surd.

“Lord Surd! You mustn’t hurt that girl…!”
“Hahahahaha! So you really want to go home that badly? And you want to go out for a meal with your father for the first time in a while?”
“Wh…?”

What was this?

Surd was smiling happily.
The pure-white girl was nestled in his arms with a bright expression.

The hostility from earlier was nowhere to be seen, and Surd was stroking the girl as though she were his own daughter, leaving Robelm completely speechless.

“Yes, because I want to live like a normal person now.”
“Yes, I see.
Don’t worry.
I’ll make arrangements so that we can leave as early as tomorrow.”

What on earth had happened here?

Where had the sight of Surd grinding his teeth and threatening to kill the girl disappeared to?

‘No, more importantly, who exactly is that girl for her to call Lord Surd Father?’

After standing there silently for quite some time, the girl gently greeted Robelm.

“Ah, it’s been a while, Commander.
Are you feeling unwell somewhere?
You look quite pale.”
“…Commander?”

Who are you to call me Commander?

When Robelm said that, the girl panicked and covered her mouth.

Surd slowly released the arm he had wrapped around the girl.

“Robelm Ken Hynes… I’m pretty sure I told you not to come anywhere near this tent…”
“…Pardon?”

Swoosh.

Surd suddenly stood up, releasing an oppressive presence.
Realizing that the killing intent was directed at him, Robelm slowly began backing away.

“Disobeying an order… I suppose I can punish that with immediate execution, can’t I?”
“…What?”

Surd’s hand grasped the greatsword strapped to his back.
Seeing the enormous greatsword slowly rise, Robelm immediately dropped to his knees.

Thump!

“Don’t worry, Robelm… I’ll make sure to control my strength.”
“…….”

Fck, what did I even do to deserve this…?

The royal capital of the Leoni Kingdom, where countless knights and mages lived together.
On the very day Cain’s identity was officially registered as deceased, a major incident occurred at the Rosbelli Magic Tower in the royal capital.

—Rom Paeng, the man who glimpsed the abyss of magic, permanently expelled from Rosbelli.
—A decision personally made by the Sage Macmill Ron Lafrien.
—”The Rosbelli Magic Tower has no need for trash” statement causes controversy…

The Hero Party had arrived in the Leoni Kingdom after dragging their exhausted bodies all the way there.
Without even having time to collect his thoughts, Rom Paeng was forced to face the fact that he had been permanently expelled from the magical community.

Rom Paeng ran to the Magic Tower in a single stride.
When he arrived at Rosbelli, he could do nothing but collapse to his knees before the unbelievable reality.
He had witnessed every paper he had published being torn apart.

Thud!

“W-what… what is this…?”

A woman’s sharp voice came from behind the despairing Rom Paeng.

“You’re here?
Then stop lying there and come take this trash away.”
“M-Miss Macmill!”

Long blue hair.
Despite being nearly sixty years old, she maintained a youthful appearance without a single wrinkle.

She was the former hero of the Leoni Kingdom, the Sage Macmill Ron Lafrien.

“Please explain this, Miss Macmill!
Why are you doing this to me?!”
“Why?
You ask why?
You fcking idiot, do you really not know why I’m doing this?”

Macmill threw a bundle of newspapers at Rom Paeng.

Thud!

“What the hell is that, you son of a btch?”
“T-This is…!”

The front page of the newspaper read:

—Cain, Surd’s adopted son, makes a noble sacrifice to save the Hero Party.
—Cain, an ordinary human who rose to the ranks of heroes, brings his long journey to an end.
—A massive void has appeared in the Western Demon Realm.
Who will take his place?

The huge headlines made Rom Paeng’s mouth go dry.

Macmill had never adopted Cain, but she had watched over him throughout his childhood and was practically like a mother to him.

‘It’s already made it into the newspapers…’

Knowing that, Rom Paeng froze in place without being able to say a word.

“Nothing to say?”
“…….”

Rom Paeng kept his head lowered without answering for a long time.
Macmill continued watching him before eventually turning around and walking into Rosbelli.

“Hey.”

Before the gates of Rosbelli closed, she gave Rom Paeng one final warning.

“If you come back next time, I’ll kill you.
I originally intended to tear your head off, but the others stopped me, so I settled for your papers.
Understand?”
“…Yes.”
“Good…”

Creak…

“If you understand, get the hell out of here.”

Bang!

The massive doors slammed shut, and the torn papers fluttered in the wind.
After gathering the hundreds of sheets scattered across the floor, Rom Paeng silently disappeared.

“Are you really all right with this?”
“Yes?
With what?”
“Your official status.
We could simply have registered you as missing, so why go as far as declaring you dead…?”
“Apparently the funeral is already over anyway.
There’s no point leaving things awkward and creating unnecessary rumors.”
“…I suppose that’s true.”

Surd looked at Cain with a pained expression.
Even though he had come back to life by taking on the goddess’s body, seeing him remain so indifferent toward the death of his original body made Surd’s heart ache.

‘I should have taken him off the battlefield sooner…’

Cain pulled the hood of his robe over his face.

“Anyway, let’s just hurry home.
I want to sleep as much as I can after such a long time.”
“…Is that so.”

Surd was actually saddened by his words, but he didn’t show it.
The lively gestures Cain displayed now, so different from two years ago, filled him with profound relief.

‘At least I don’t have to worry about him dying alone somewhere like before.’

Unlike his former self, who neglected his own needs, the Cain of now no longer hesitated to act according to his own desires.

—I want to go home.
I want to go home, Father.
—Ugh… Is there anything more edible than military rations?
—Ah, Father?!
No, I didn’t steal this.
The guys in charge of distributing food gave it to me separately…
I’m sorry!

His son, whose spirit had been dying along with his body, was finally beginning to feel like a proper human being again.

‘It’s wonderful.’

Surd narrowed his eyes and composed himself.

‘I suppose it’s time to tell him.’

Originally, he had planned to do this after Cain had let go of his guilt toward himself, but he could no longer delay it.
No, he didn’t want to delay it anymore.

“Cain.
I have a favor to ask.”
“Yes?
A favor?”

Surd gently extended his hand toward him.

“If you’re willing, would you accept the name Crisis?
No, rather, I would like to ask you to accept it.”
“…Me?
Crisis?”
“Yes.”

Cain opened his eyes wide and looked at Surd.
Asking him to accept his father’s name, Crisis, meant asking him to become his adopted daughter.

‘Is Father really all right with this?
No, I suppose I’m the strange one for not inheriting his name despite being his adopted son…’

Cain knew.

He knew what emotions Surd carried whenever he looked at him.

Guilt.
Apology.
Regret.

He should have saved him sooner.
He hadn’t been able to protect the things precious to him.
He should have guided him toward a different life.

Trapped by all those complicated emotions, Surd had been unable to bring himself to give Cain his own name.

‘Me… Crisis…’

Cain thought back over the regrets and attachments that had filled his mind just before his death.
Remembering the lingering desire he had felt to see his father before dying, he raised the corners of his lips and took Surd’s hand.

“If that’s what you want, I have one condition.”
“A condition?
What is it?”

Cain smiled with his eyes and raised his index finger.

“From now on, you’re forbidden from looking at me like that.
And you’re forbidden from having thoughts like that, too.”
“Cain…”

The smile shining pure white conveyed his answer.
Having his hidden emotions seen through so completely, Surd felt his face grow hot.

‘He knew?’

He had tried his best to hide it, yet having everything exposed so thoroughly left him at a loss.
Judging from that mischievous smile, Cain had obviously seen through his feelings even now.

‘As expected, there’s nothing a parent can hide from their child.’

Surd sighed and nodded.

“Yes.
I will do my best to keep that promise.”

As he cooled his flushed face, Surd gently placed a hand on Cain’s shoulder.

“From this moment on, I will give you a new name.
Your new name is Lapis.
Lapis Crisis, the adopted daughter of the former hero.
Do you understand?”
“Yes, I like it.”

After receiving her new name, they climbed into the carriage heading home.
Humming a little tune, Lapis began eating the chocolate she had secretly brought along in her pocket.

Crunch, crunch.

‘Mmm~ It’s sweet.
So chocolate was such a delicious food~’
[Indeed~ It truly is delicious~]
‘Yeah, yeah!
Right?
It’s really delici… Huh?’

At the familiar voice echoing inside her head, Lapis stopped chewing her chocolate.

As though urging her on, Lilac’s voice continued pressing Lapis.

[What are you doing?!
Why did you suddenly stop eating?!
Move your jaw faster!]
“Huh?”
[What do you mean, ‘Huh?’?!
Quickly, keep stuffing that chocolate into your mo—]
“What the fck?!
Where the hell are you talking from?!”