“Ruby!”
As I returned to my room, Clyde rushed towards me.
“Are you okay? Nothing happened? Did everything get resolved?”
His eyes narrowed as he cupped my cheek and asked questions.
“Did you cry?”
“Uh…”
I reflexively wiped the corners of my eyes. There was no way they were still wet. He must have noticed the redness in my eyes.
“Why are you like this? What the hell happened?”
Clyde asked with a stern face.
“I met my father.”
“…Your father?”
“Yeah. He came here thinking he could take me back with him.”
Clyde had an expression of disbelief.
“But how could a human come to the Demon Realm, especially this deep…”
“He must have found a way. He’s known as the archmage in Palma, after all.”
“…How did you know your father was coming?”
“…….”
“Was it from the dream you had earlier? Is that why…”
“…No.”
I took a small, deep breath and reluctantly opened his mouth.
“It wasn’t a dream. It really happened. My father led a group of men from a secret organization to infiltrate this demon castle, and then… and then…”
Unintentionally, my voice began to tremble. No, it wasn’t just my voice. Clyde tightly held my hands, which were shaking.
“Ruby.”
“…My father, my father… he came for you…. Clyde you….”
Clyde pulled me into a comforting hug.
“It’s okay. Stop now. You don’t have to force yourself to tell the story.”
“…….”
I sobbed quietly in Clyde’s embrace. He gently stroked my back, as if soothing a child.
“…It wasn’t a dream. It was supposed to happen.”
“You don’t have to tell me.”
“No, I need to. I have to.”
I pulled away slightly from Clyde’s embrace and looked into his eyes.
“I used a time reversal spell to go back in time; that’s why I knew my father would be here. I was able to stop him before he entered the Demon Castle.”
“Time reversal…?”
Clyde’s eyes widened.
“That… that’s possible with magic? Where did you learn that kind of magic? Have you ever used it before?”
“…No, this is the first time.”
I explained to Clyde about Eleanor. How I first encountered her in the artifact and how she’s been with me ever since her consciousness entered me—I learned every spell I’d ever wielded from her—all of them.
“Eleanor told me not to talk about her to anyone, so I kept it hidden from you too. I’m sorry.”
“…I see. I did think it was odd, somehow… time-stopping, teleportation… none of the human mages I’ve ever met had that kind of power.”
“You thought it was weird, then why didn’t you say anything?”
“Just. I thought it was because you were a genius.”
“…….”
I blushed in embarrassment, and Clyde smiled softly.
“It’s probably because of the first time we met. Back then, you seemed incredibly amazing in my eyes. You were so smart that I couldn’t believe we were the same age, solving various things effortlessly with your fascinating magical powers. So, even when we met again, I was never surprised. No matter how amazing magic you used or whatever you achieved…”
Instead of feeling flattered by his words, I felt a lump in my throat. I leaned my forehead against his chest.
“…Thank you, Clyde.”
Instead of replying, Clyde tightened his embrace.
“I used teleportation magic to send my father back home. I hope he won’t come back… but just in case, I cast a spell to know immediately. So, everything should be fine.”
“…….”
Clyde remained silent for a moment with a shadowed expression.
“I’m sorry, Ruby.”
“…Huh? For what?”
“If I hadn’t forced you to come here, none of this would have happened.”
Feeling surprised, I leaned back to look at him.
“What? What are you talking about? I didn’t force myself to come with you. It was entirely my decision to be with you. I’ve said it many times. I’ll spend the rest of my life with you.”
“…….”
Clyde’s eyes grew wistful.
“And the fact that we had to come to the Demon Realm is definitely not your fault. It’s my father’s fault. Instead of allowing our relationship, he wouldn’t even tolerate us being together. I’ve never blamed you for that. If anything, it’s the opposite. On the contrary, you did what I asked, and you didn’t hurt anyone, not my family, not other innocent people, and I can’t thank you enough for that.”
“…I see.”
“Yeah, so don’t think about that anymore. Understand?”
Clyde nodded quietly in response to my words.
“Oh, and… there’s something else I want to tell you.”
“What is it?”
I took a deep breath before continuing.
“I actually wanted to tell you first more than anyone else… but somehow, I ended up telling my father first. I’m sorry about that.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
Clyde looked a little uneasy.
To be honest, I still wasn’t sure how he would react to this. But after everything that had happened, I realized that I had to tell him. Even if he felt reluctant or afraid, I had to accept it because I was the only one in the world who could understand and bring change to him.
“I… I think I’m pregnant.”
Clyde’s face slightly stiffened.
“…Is that true?”
“Yes. Eleanor confirmed it. Maybe you can sense it too—the magic this child is carrying.”
I placed Clyde’s hand on my lower abdomen. He remained still, concentrating on the sensations beneath his hand.
“…It really is true.”
Clyde muttered in a low voice.
“Really… it’s inside here.”
“Yeah, our baby. Yours and mine, Clyde.”
“…….”
Clyde’s eyes glistened with a hint of moisture. He spoke in a shaky voice.
“…Will it be okay? Will I be able to…protect this child?”
“Of course. We’ll protect it together, you and me.”
I spoke each word with determination.
“Let’s make this child a happy one. A child who is loved by her father and mother, who has everything she needs, who is never sad, never sick, and who just wants to be happy.”
“…….”
Clyde’s eyes filled with beautiful, transparent tears.
I embraced Clyde’s neck and gently kissed his cheek, as if wiping away his tears.
“I love you, Clyde. You’re the only one for me.”
“Y… you’re the only one for me too, Ruby. Eila. I can’t live without you. Never, ever….”
We looked into each other’s teary eyes and kissed, as if our lips could become one and as if we could never be separated.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
“papa….apa”
“Yes, Tina, yes.”
“Gapa?”
“Yeah, that’s right. I’m your grandpa.”
Dioclyde spoke with a pleased smile.
He had been nodding in agreement with Tina’s babbling since earlier, as if he could understand her. It was a little funny, but also very endearing.
Dioclyde had been keeping himself at his palace. Perhaps because he couldn’t completely erase the thought that his very existence was a burden to us.
However, after Tina was born, he started visiting our quarters regularly, not minding being apart from her all day. Today, just like any other day, he didn’t plan to leave Tina’s side from morning until night.
“I wonder what Mother would say if she saw that….”
Clyde said, sounding slightly annoyed. I let out a small giggle.
The statement itself was amusing, but more than that, I was pleased that Clyde mentioned his mother without a dark expression. Surely, Tina had a lot to do with that.
Tina, who had just turned one, was adorable and lovely, like a baby angel from a painting.
It wasn’t just a biased view of parents, as even the maids, including Inka, were mesmerized and overwhelmed when they saw Tina. In that way, demons were no different from humans.
Clyde, who used to be afraid to even touch Tina when she was born, had transformed into quite a fatherly figure. Even now, his gaze towards Dioclyde and Tina is incredibly affectionate.
Seeing Clyde holding Tina, I couldn’t help but shed tears of happiness. If I cried, Clyde would be flustered, and Tina would start crying too, causing a bit of chaos. But I was happy. I was so happy that it made me scared.
Yet, watching Dioclyde and Tina together sometimes made me feel a sinking feeling. It was because of thoughts about Tina’s other grandfather.
Since that day, my father hasn’t returned to the Demon Realm.
Even the secret agents infiltrating the Palma Empire gave regular reports and said he didn’t seem to be up to anything.
He had traveled all the way to the demon realm to get me back. I could only assume that Tina’s presence was the reason for his sudden change of heart.
It was unbearably painful to think about what he has been through and doing these past two years.
