Chapter 2: Returnee Eluke (2)

Seoyoon’s head no longer hurt.

She was just a little dizzy. It was because she’d suddenly learned the shocking truth.

“Three kids…”

It was none other than Siu, the mother of three children.

She’d even given birth herself. She wasn’t the father, but the mother.

In fact, the mere presence of a husband was enough of a surprise, even without the need for childbirth.

It seemed not only her appearance, but even her heart had ceased to be ‘oppa.’

“Well, you said you’d lived for twenty years.”

Twenty years.

It was a long time, a time when a person’s identity and mindset could be completely transformed.

Despite knowing this, her shock remained.

Perhaps it was because the sight before her was so unfamiliar.

“Then let me introduce you.”

Siu, sitting in the center of the sofa… Elluke spoke politely.

They were sitting on the sofa with their family.

In the middle was the mother holding a baby, flanked by twin daughters. The father sat at the end of the sofa.

“First of all, this is my husband, Liam Erams. Please call him Liam.”

Elluke pointed to her husband, who was sitting awkwardly.

Liam, her husband, waved his hand knowingly. He also muttered strange words.

[□□□ □□□□□ □□□□? □□□.]

What was he saying?

It seemed to be the language used in that world.

Naturally, she couldn’t understand it at all, but it was definitely not appropriate for a first meeting.

“…”

Elluke’s usually gentle face twisted slightly. She began to stare coldly at her husband.

Liam, who had always been relaxed, averted his gaze and turned his head to the side, cowering like a cat facing a tiger.

Seoyoon, watching their silent conversation, began to realize how the couple usually lived.

“You must have had a hard time.”

Liam, her husband, possessed a handsome appearance, both subjectively and objectively.

Bright blond hair and sparkling blue eyes.

A sharp nose and lips that held a relaxed smile.

He looked like a Hollywood actor who made a living off his looks rather than his acting.

Honestly, he was handsome. At first, even Seoyoon was mesmerized by him.

But something about him felt off.

It wasn’t a thought with any concrete basis. It was just a feeling.

If she had to offer evidence, she’d have to resort to unscientific logic.

“His face reads like he’d be crazy about women.”

Men like that would habitually flirt with one woman after another. Some even had wives, but they didn’t change their lifestyle.

Of course, physiognomy isn’t science.

But why blindly believe in a science that can’t even properly explain the phenomenon of ‘possession’?

While Seoyoon was questioning her brother-in-law, whom she’d just met, Elluke continued.

“Liam isn’t a very conscientious person. Don’t expect him to live up to his reputation. He just likes to have fun.”

“So he was unemployed?”

“Yes.”

Even the word ‘unemployed’ was subject to correction? The standards were stricter than she’d expected.

“Were you unemployed in the other world, by any chance?”

“You could say that. Even while I was working hard as the Pope, he was always playing around.”

I see.

Seoyoon nodded absentmindedly, then suddenly paused.

Something important had just flashed through her mind.

“…The Pope?”

“Oh, I haven’t said that yet.”

Elluke frowned briefly, then added, matter-of-factly, as if she’d only just remembered something so trivial.

“I’m the Pope. Before I became the Pope, I was a saint.”

“…”

Suddenly, a sense of distance emerged.

Not just any ordinary priest, but the Pope?

Elluke glanced at her husband.

“And Liam was a warrior. We were in the same warrior party.”

“…A warrior? That person?”

Even Seoyoon, living in modern society, was well aware of the symbolism and prestige of the ‘warrior.’

A profession that required both a noble spirit of sacrifice and strong military force, joining forces with colleagues to defeat the Demon King.

Seoyoon thought a warrior should be serious and kind in all matters, not a man who looked so obviously slick.

Maybe he was an actor playing the role of a warrior. Such a frivolous thought crossed her mind when Elluke let out a chuckle.

“I understand that feeling. Honestly, I couldn’t believe it at first either and even complained to the Goddess about it. Just looking at him, he seems like some shady guy from the neighborhood.”

For some reason, a subtle aggression seeped through her polite tone.

‘Shady guy’ was probably a corrected expression. She likely meant something like ‘thug.’

Her words were a bit rough for a Pope. Seoyoon could roughly guess why Elluke’s speech was automatically corrected.

‘She seems refined, but her inner thoughts are still the same, huh?’

Seoyoon smirked, looking into the calm eyes of her former brother, now sister.

Honestly, things had felt awkward until now, but not anymore. The Park Siu she knew hadn’t vanished.

She was just… well, quite a bit different in appearance.

Seoyoon’s tense expression softened a little.

She didn’t show it, but she must have felt some distance. That was normal, really.

I didn’t expect to instantly regain the closeness we once had.

There was no need to rush.

Step by step, slowly, we could rebuild the bond we used to share.

Of course, it wouldn’t be exactly the same as before. We’d gone from being like brothers to being like sisters.

“Then let me continue the introductions.”

Before moving on, I shot a glance at that troublesome guy.

“…”

He must have felt my stare, but Liam just looked out the window. My warning to behave seemed to have worked.

Still, I couldn’t let my guard down.

He was less a warrior and more a walking disaster.

A troublemaker who could cause a scene anytime, anywhere. Honestly, my five-year-old daughters listened better than he did. No exaggeration.

It was astonishing that he’d managed to mature even once. Why did I fall for a guy like him?

[“Stay still. Don’t embarrass me.”]

I warned Liam again in the language of that world.

Only then did I introduce my two daughters, who were clinging to me, to Seoyoon.

“As I mentioned earlier, these are my twin daughters. The eldest is Erina, and the second is Ivayla.”

Did they realize I was talking about them? Both daughters looked up at me at the same time.

One had bright, curious eyes; the other had a blank, indifferent gaze. Their expressions differed, but their delicate, beautiful features were nearly identical.

It made me uncontrollably happy.

‘They’re… so adorable.’

They’re my daughters, but honestly, they’re just too cute. Especially their pinkish hair and eyes, just like mine, were my favorite.

I wanted to pat them and rub their cheeks, but I held back. I’m the Pope, after all. I had to maintain some dignity.

I’d shower them with love when no one was watching.

“Uh… unnie? Which one’s Erina, and which one’s Ivayla?”

Seoyoon asked the inevitable question everyone asks when meeting twins for the first time.

It was an expected question, so it wasn’t hard to answer.

“It’s simple. The one burying her face in me is Erina, and the one with the blank look is Ivayla.”

“…?”

She didn’t seem to understand, so I decided to show her.

[“Erina, Ivayla. Pay attention.”]

Having to use formal speech with my own daughters was bittersweet. I continued, swallowing the feeling.

[“Both of you, greet your aunt. Politely, as I taught you.”]

The twins listened well. Thankfully, they hadn’t inherited any of Liam’s personality.

Erina and Ivayla immediately bowed to Seoyoon.

It was the greeting I’d taught them before coming to this world. They did it perfectly, even clasping their hands in front for extra politeness.

Could my daughters be geniuses?

The sight of them understanding so well made the corners of my mouth lift.

Anyway, after the greeting, the twins reacted differently.

[“Mama…”]

Shy Erina buried her face in me, embarrassed.

“…”

Ivayla, always cynical, just stood there blankly.

I stroked Ivayla’s head and smiled.

“Seoyoon-ssi, how’s that? Can you tell them apart now?”

“Yeah…”

She seemed to be following along. If I were in her shoes, I’d still be frozen.

“Then, last but not least.”

I held up my son, sleeping soundly in my arms, so she could see him clearly.

“This is my youngest, my son, Rohan.”

“Rohan… he’s cute. He takes after his dad?”

“Indeed.”

Rohan’s still young, but his features already resemble his father’s.

He’ll grow into a handsome young man who’ll make women cry. I just hope he doesn’t inherit his father’s personality.

“Can I hold him?”

Seoyoon seemed charmed by Rohan’s soft, adorable look. It happened often.

“Of course.”

I carefully placed Rohan in Seoyoon’s arms.

Seoyoon, with a contented aunt’s smile, lifted Rohan into her arms. That made me laugh too.

Every time this happens, I realize anew that I’ve become a mother.

Honestly, I’m still dazed. I never thought I’d feel maternal love, not paternal.

If you’d told me that before, I would’ve called it nonsense and told you to get lost. It felt that unrealistic.

“There are five of us.”

“Our Siu oppa… you’ve been doing well.”

Seoyoon’s face, which had been smiling brightly, suddenly turned bitter.

“My heart ached whenever I thought of you. I regretted not treating you better when you were alive.”

“…”

“But I’m glad you’re doing well. I’m still surprised you have three kids, though.”

Truthfully, I still haven’t adjusted. How did I end up having three kids?

The fact that I, who was so busy as the Pope that I had no time to raise my children, ended up pregnant twice was entirely because of that guy.

“I find it strange, too. Even though I was strictly using contraception, I ended up getting it more often.”

“…More often?”

Seoyoon seemed to have already figured out the answer even as she asked. Judging by the way she glanced back and forth between me and Liam.

“You’re right. I won’t go into detail. If I were to be more direct, they’d correct me.”

“…”

I avoided their astonished gazes and placed my hands on my daughters’ heads.

Then, in a low voice, I spoke.

It was time to change the subject.

“Seoyoon, to be honest, my future is uncertain after all this sudden transition to this world. We have nowhere else to go.”

To put it simply, we were a penniless family with nothing but our good looks.

“I’ve been meaning to bring this up for a while, but I’m sorry, so I’m only saying it now. Could you let us stay here for a while? I’ll pay for my own living expenses. After all, I’m the Pope.”

“…”

Seoyoon, without giving permission or refusal, narrowed her eyes and began to stare at me.

Her gaze was sunken, as if she had so much to say, but couldn’t bring herself to say it. It was similar to the way I looked at my husband, my nemesis.

Was I untrustworthy?

It was perfectly understandable. Seoyoon knew my past self.

She was probably worried that I wouldn’t be able to adapt to society like before and would wander.

It was a needless worry.

“Seoyoon, someone very close to me has this motto.”

I raised the corners of my mouth in a pleasant way.

“Just charge forward and you’ll find the answer.”

If you face things head-on and move forward, a bright future will eventually arrive.

It was a lesson I’d learned while living as Clitia Elluke.