“Are you still being picky with your food?”
Delight didn’t eat the potatoes.
Blueny criticized him openly, something that no one had pointed out until now.
In the end, just as Delight reluctantly tried to stab the potato with his fork and eat it—
“Give it here. I’ll eat it for you.”
Blueny took it instead.
‘What the heck? Was she offering to eat it for him?’
I was so surprised that my mouth hung open.
“Then I’ll eat this.”
This time, Delight nonchalantly took broccoli from Blueny’s plate.
“Every time you eat this, you always make a face as if you’re enduring it.”
“You knew it from the start?”
“You were eating it with such a scowl on your face. It’d be strange not to notice.”
“…Wow.”
I couldn’t help but be amazed.
Then, as if feeling awkward, the two of them averted their gazes and glanced at me.
When our eyes met, I shouted cheerfully with a big smile.
“I’m not picky! I eat everything well!”
Then I deliberately showed them how I happily ate everything on my plate.
So, don’t mind me.
Just keep your lovey-dovey act going, you two!
Now I don’t have to worry about those two anymore.
Just watching them fills me up.
***
“Hehehe.”
Look at them, Delight and Blueny, liking each other.
They’ll keep living happily together, even if they argue and bicker sometimes.
Seeing the two of them fussing over each other like that warms my heart.
After I found out how Delight lived after my death, a part of my heart always felt heavy.
I was worried that he’d spent all his time consumed by revenge, living in a barren world.
But despite misunderstandings and mistakes, he wasn’t alone.
There was someone who liked Delight, and Delight liked that person back.
And even though they took a long way around, Delight now had a true family of his own…
That brought me comfort.
And since they have plenty of time ahead of them, they can build new memories together from now on!
If those two ever start straying off course, I’ll be there to knock some sense into them!
‘Maybe that’s why I feel so refreshed, even though I didn’t sleep much!’
It was early morning, just before dawn.
I woke up earlier than usual and quietly stepped out of the room.
I wanted to check my condition since it had been a while, so I looked for a place where I could move around on my own.
Feeling good, I hummed a little tune to myself.
‘Wait, isn’t that Delight over there?’
I spotted Delight heading somewhere alone.
‘Where is he going?’
The direction he was headed was strange.
Wasn’t there nothing over there?
His movements, secretive and deliberate at this early hour, caught my attention.
***
Delight opened the door that had been sealed for so long.
The room was larger and more elaborately decorated than the emperor’s bedroom.
However, it was an empty room, untouched by any human warmth.
In the center of the room hung a portrait of a person, as vivid as if he had just seen it yesterday.
“I’m here.”
The owner of this room was his teacher.
His teacher didn’t even have a grave.
So, there was no place to visit when he missed her.
This room served as a substitute for that.
But for a very long time, Delight had not entered this room.
“I promised myself I wouldn’t come here until I had finished avenging you, Teacher.”
But in the end, he couldn’t hold back and ended up coming in before that.
“That doesn’t mean I’ve given up on revenge. It’s just going to take a little longer.”
While he was so focused on revenge, he realized he had overlooked many things.
From now on, he planned to look after the people he cherished while moving forward.
He was sure that was what his teacher would have preferred.
“Teacher, I have a very beautiful daughter.”
She resembles me a lot.
And sometimes, when I look at her, I think of you, Teacher.
If you were here, I’d probably spend the whole day bragging about Ollia to you.
Delight felt his emotions welling up, but he managed to keep his composure as he continued.
“On top of that, I’ve finally found someone I like.”
If you had been here, Teacher, I might have realized my feelings for that person much sooner.
You would have stood by my side, feeling frustrated and nagging at me.
If that had been the case, I wouldn’t have wandered around aimlessly for so long.
So, in a way, it’s your fault that it took me this long to figure it out.
Delight grumbled.
“If you were here to see me now…”
He slowly closed his eyes.
Then, the corners of his lips lifted into a small smile.
“You would definitely tease me, wouldn’t you?”
He could vividly picture his teacher clutching her belly and laughing.
And in that moment, Delight would feel so embarrassed that his face would turn bright red.
“I miss that.”
When he thought back to the times when he would get angry, excited, and grumble, those moments now seemed like the most carefree and enjoyable times of his life.
“Teacher would definitely regret not being able to see me like this.”
Without a doubt, she would have loved it.
She missed the chance to see the family I now have and smile warmly as she watched over us.
“So, you should have stayed alive.”
Delight muttered in complaint.
“If you had, you could have watched and been happy for the family I have now. But since you left, you missed all of it.”
It’s all your fault, Teacher.
“You didn’t keep your promise to me.”
Delight had planned to return.
Even though his teacher didn’t seem to believe him, from the day he left, Delight had been waiting for the day he could return.
“So please, wait a little longer.”
This was a declaration.
What would Teacher even do if she didn’t wait?
There was also a hint of defiance.
“I’ll protect the people I need to protect and finish it slowly but surely.”
No matter how many new family members I have, Teacher is always among them.
To him, his teacher was like a parent and his entire world.
So, from the very beginning, his Teacher was someone he could never forget.
“I’ll make sure Ilnord can never conduct experiments on people again.”
Delight made a firm vow in front of his teacher’s portrait.
“Where did you get this thing?”
“I bought it from the village. They say it heals most wounds. Everyone says it works well.”
“I’ll never use something like that.”
“Why? Everyone else uses it.”
“Do you even know how it’s made? It’s a horrible item. So, never use it.”
At the time, I didn’t understand the reason.
I just assumed it was because Teacher hated Ilnord.
But now, looking back, I think I understand.
Teacher knew about the experiments that Ilnord was conducting.
Right now, they’re doing experiments for counterfeit magic stones, but in the past, they had been experimenting on humans for other purposes.
That was Ilnord’s way.
A twisted fate that started with Teacher.
“Now I understand what kind of things Ilnord has done, just as you mentioned, Teacher. So, you don’t have to worry anymore.”
***
“I’m thinking of forming an alliance with Ilnord.”
Delight suddenly made a shocking statement.
Early Morning, Yesterday
I saw Delight heading somewhere, so I followed him.
And I saw it.
A room prepared for me.
The place felt like an empty grave just for me.
That’s how Delight had buried my existence.
So, I had a feeling that there would be some changes in his future actions.
‘He’s talking about not just a truce but getting close to Ilnord?’
This was definitely a shocking statement.
“I see.”
Blueny reacted calmly, as if she had expected it.
On the other hand, the other person sitting across from him was so shocked that he froze, unable to react.
“……….”
Of course, it was understandable since he was Serdin, who had been invited for dinner that evening.
“I plan to make it public soon and even send people to Ilnord.”
It seemed Delight had already made up his mind.
Moreover, the fact that he was saying this in front of Serdin appeared intentional.
What was he thinking?
“It would be best to show a clear sign of sincerity in the friendship offer.”
No sooner had doubt crossed my mind than Delight turned his head to look at Serdin as he spoke.
“Prince Serdin. Do you want to return to your homeland?”
“…Huh?”
Serdin blinked in confusion, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
To be honest, I felt the same way.
What kind of situation is this all of a sudden?
Could it be that Delight was…
“If you wish, I’ll send you back to Ilnord.”
It’s true.
As a gesture of reconciliation, Delight was planning to send Serdin, who was being held as a hostage, back to his homeland.
“Make your choice.”
This was an opportunity for Serdin to return to his homeland—a place he had believed he would never see again.
