Delight’s eyelids slowly blinked, and the focus gradually sharpened.
“What did you say?”
His hoarse voice came out in a cracked, fragmented manner.
“Did you just call me Dad?”
Without even attempting to clear his throat, his broken voice pierced through with a clear resonance, showing an immense will.
He suddenly jumped up so violently that it was worrisome he might faint from dizziness.
Whoa, that was surprising! Is this the same person who just lost consciousness a moment ago? It seemed like he had a sudden surge of energy.
“Haha. Hahaha!”
His lips curled up as if they would tear, and his laughter was loud. It felt like he might collapse again from laughing too much.
“Oh my… My daughter… she called me… called me…”
“Wait a second.”
Delight suddenly grabbed his head and looked around.
What’s going on?
What’s wrong with him all of a sudden?
I watched his strange behavior anxiously.
Suddenly, he whipped his head around and stared at me with an intense gaze.
Then, urgently grabbing my cheeks, he opened his mouth.
“This can’t be a dream, right? If I’m still trapped in a dream, only seeing what I want to see…”
Enough of this. I gave Delight a sharp slap on the cheek as he came too close.
How about that?
Not a dream, right?
Talking nonsense right after regaining consciousness…
I was seriously worried that it might be some side effect.
I shook my head, but a small smile crept up.
Seeing my disciple, who seemed so hopeless and pathetic, looking fine after all, made me feel somewhat relieved.
After Delight woke up, the doctor, who had been on standby, immediately examined him.
In fact, Delight was so fine that he hardly needed medical attention. His complexion was so good that it was hard to believe he had collapsed.
Moreover, he was smiling brightly, looking healthier than ever.
“Both the flow of mana and your overall condition seem excellent, Your Majesty. However, since you were unconscious for quite some time, there may still be hidden issues. Do you feel any discomfort?”
“I’m feeling great! Hahaha!”
He was so full of energy that it made the examination difficult. The doctor was visibly sweating.
As a doctor, it was his duty to thoroughly check Delight’s condition, no matter how good he seemed, to ensure there were no missed signs that could lead to a deterioration in his health.
If any overlooked detail caused a worsening of his condition, it would be a matter of life and death.
“It would be wise to be more cautious, just in case.”
“Of course, but what can I say? I feel fantastic!”
It seemed like Delight’s senses were numbed by the joy of being called ‘Dad’ by the princess.
The expression and tone he reserved only for the princess kept slipping out uncontrollably, a clear sign of his delight.
Throughout the examination, Delight couldn’t stop smiling. Even if he had any pain, he wouldn’t have noticed in this state.
Realizing he wouldn’t get a proper answer right now, the doctor gave up, planning to check again later. He instead focused on checking any remaining unusual signs.
“I’m really relieved. It seems there won’t be any sudden mana surges anymore.”
After the doctor withdrew, Zaire took care of the remaining minor details and spoke.
“So, is he completely recovered now?”
Delight checked his condition and asked.
“Unfortunately, I can’t give you a definite answer on that.”
“But still, this is better than nothing.”
“This time, it was really dangerous. We’re so lucky.”
As Zaire was examining Delight with visible relief, Delight spoke up.
“Luciel seems to have come and gone.”
“What?”
Delight looked at Zaire, who was avoiding his gaze.
“But how did he manage to come at the exact time when I was in that state?”
“……Ugh!”
Zaire choked on his words at Delight’s sudden question. Delight’s inquiry only tightened the noose around Zaire.
“Could it be that you’ve been secretly communicating with him behind my back?”
“No… That’s not it. Lord Luciel never stays in one place, so it’s impossible.”
“Is that so?”
Delight’s eyes narrowed at Zaire’s desperate excuse.
“The truth is… he has a magical artifact that reacts if there’s a problem with your health, Your Majesty.”
Delight’s eyes twitched at Zaire’s confession.
It couldn’t have been a coincidence that Luciel showed up at such a perfect moment. Delight had suspected as much, and it turned out to be true.
“So, he had that without my permission?”
He showed up when I was on the brink of death and left before I regained consciousness.
He left because he knew I would get angry if I found out he had helped.
It was unbelievable, and I couldn’t understand it at all. Every time I saw Luciel, I felt frustrated and angry.
When I visited him after teacher passed away, I thought there must have been a reason.
Luciel wouldn’t have just sat idly by knowing what was happening.
If he had explained, I would have tried my best to understand.
But Luciel never even offered the excuse that he couldn’t help it.
And yet, he kept hovering around me, intervening every time something happened.
I knew, in my mind, that everything Luciel did was for my sake.
‘It must be because I’m teacher’s disciple.’
The truth is, I was angry at Luciel because I couldn’t protect teacher. I didn’t want to admit it, so I used Luciel as a scapegoat.
“Do you really want to hear that from me?”
He’s such an infuriating person. My face twisted involuntarily.
But the next time I see that annoying face of his…
My thoughts paused.
At the very least, I should thank him for this time.
Just thinking of Luciel’s face made my expression sour again, but I knew I needed to face him properly next time.
Thinking about it made my head feel cluttered and suffocated. I needed some air.
“I can’t take this.”
“What’s wrong? You need to rest now more than ever.”
“I’m going to rest.”
“Excuse me?”
“I need to see Ollia to calm down and rest.”
But the princess won’t be able to rest if you do that.
Instead of voicing that concern, Zaire brought up something he’d been hesitant to mention since he started reporting on Luciel.
“Your Majesty, the truth is that this time, Luciel wasn’t alone. Hiel was with him.”
“Hiel?”
Delight paused and looked back reflexively.
Delight used to play with Hiel often in the mountains. But after his teacher passed away, Hiel had disappeared for years.
No one knew whether he was alive or dead, but then he suddenly reappeared, accompanying Luciel.
That was all there was to it.
Most of the time, when Luciel came to visit, he was alone, so there hadn’t been many chances to see Hiel.
But to think he had come when I was unconscious…
While Delight was lost in thought, Zaire carefully continued speaking.
“While Hiel was here, he stayed with the princess the entire time.”
“With Ollia?”
“Yes. The princess was delighted when Hiel took his true form. They spent a lot of time together during their stay in the palace.”
“He did that on purpose.”
Delight let out a faint, deflated smile.
Hiel’s true form was that of a large but gentle-looking dog. With a face like that, wagging his tail, it was no wonder the princess would want to hug him every day.
Even without seeing it, the image came to mind, both irritating and nostalgic for the time they had spent together long ago.
“Has Hiel gone back too?”
“He returned with Lord Luciel.”
“I see.”
Since he was with Luciel, there was no need for Delight to worry. Without asking further, he resumed walking.
***
Before leaving the capital of Promian.
Luciel stopped. He turned to look at Hiel, who was following him.
“Hiel, it’s been quite some time since you’ve been traveling with me, hasn’t it?”
“That’s right?”
Hiel tilted his head, puzzled by the sudden reminiscing tone.
“Thanks to you, I haven’t been bored.”
Luciel lightly patted Hiel on the shoulder as he spoke.
“So, Hiel, it’s okay for you to go back.”
Luciel gazed at Hiel with a faint smile on his lips.
“I know you’ve been thinking about it all the way here.”
“Haha. Well, it’s not like I expected to meet her again.”
Hiel chuckled awkwardly.
From the moment they left the palace, Violyana had been on his mind.
Not a single moment had passed in the past twenty years without thinking of the Great Archmage, Sherina.
It was only natural for him to worry about whether she, now a child, would be able to manage.
And Luciel had perfectly understood Hiel’s concerns.
“So, go wherever you want. It’s okay.”
With those final words, Luciel resumed walking.
The rest was up to Hiel’s choice.
Would he continue to follow Luciel, or would he turn back to the direction they had come from?
