Chapter 61 Family
“Here it is! You’ve been waiting a long time! It’s ready!”
“Wow! This is going to be delicious!”
As Veronia, Killion, and Onyx’s minds chartered away, the cotton candy was finished. One by one, the cotton candy was placed in the hands of everyone waiting. Except for Killion.
“Mr. Killion, you don’t eat cotton candy?”
Jediel scratched his head in confusion, and Killion replied casually.
“No, I don’t want much of it.”
“Well, at least try a bite, here!”
Espin, who was standing beside him, broke off a piece of her own cotton candy and offered it to him. Unable to resist her kindness, Killion took the piece of cotton candy.
“How do you like it? Is it good? Is it edible?”
“Yes. It’s delicious.”
The sight of the two of them affectionately sharing the cotton candy sparked a spark in Veronia’s eyes this time. A cold breeze stirred in her barren chest.
‘You seem to be getting on well with … How could you make such a desperate confession to me when you have a prospective fiancé, and only yesterday?’
A pointed grumpiness threatened to rear its ugly head. Veronia tried to regain her composure, but it wasn’t easy, and she thought herself ridiculous. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t control her heart.
Whereas her feelings for Killion had become sharply defined, her feelings for Princess Espin had become more and more elusive.
It was hot and then cold, bitter and then sweet.
Princess Espin was beautiful to look at. So beautiful, in fact, that even four-year-old Jediel had said, ‘She’s pretty.’
Her curly pink hair was softer than cotton candy, and her violet eyes sparkled like intricately cut amethysts.
It wasn’t just her appearance that made her pretty. The way she giggled at the smallest things made her seem so innocent and pure. Her demeanor towards a commoner child she met for the first time was warm and friendly.
‘She’s so pure and innocent. I’m jealous of her, but I don’t want to be. She’s so different from the original Veronia and me.’
She was as different as heaven and earth from the original Veronia, who was still somewhat crooked from the abuse and brainwashing she had endured since childhood.
And the current Veronica, who still carries the secret of her past life and can only lie to cope with life.
‘With someone so pure and sweet, the future of… Killion could have a pretty bright and happy ending.’
In the original novel, Killion never got involved with the heroine, Evangeline.
Of course, it’s a newspaper article, so there may be differences in reality, but it’s true that there was no romance between the two.
He was right, for Killion was busy with imperial affairs, and Evangeline was busy with the work of the Great War.
It bothered Veronia inwardly. Without a heroine by his side, she worried that they would never truly have a happy ending.
‘But I think a new happily ever after with Princess Espin would be just fine.’
Veronia’s heart sank as she wished for a happy ending for Killion. Depression threatened to overtake her at any moment. At this rate, tears were going to start rolling down her cheeks.
‘I’d better get out of here before I look ugly,’ Veronica thought, ‘I’ll be fine once I’m out of sight.’
Veronia grabbed Jediel’s hand, ready to leave, when Jediel pointed to a spot and exclaimed.
“Mum, I want to try that!”
Where he pointed, there was a darts vendor.
It was a fairly spacious stall, and the game involved winning prizes based on your dart score. She couldn’t resist the way his eyes looked up at her, full of anticipation.
“Okay. Let’s play.”
Veronia nodded eagerly, and an impatient Jediel took the lead, tugging on her hand.
As awkward as this meeting had been, it was still necessary to say goodbye. And so it was that Veronia was about to turn her head towards Killion.
The unthinkable happened.
“Oh my! That looks like fun, Lord Killion, we should go, too. Go do it!”
Princess Espin beamed and tugged on Killion’s hand! Kilion can’t resist the way she looks up at him, her eyes full of anticipation.
Veronia gritted her teeth, holding back a sigh that threatened to burst forth.
The queue wasn’t long, and almost as soon as she paid, Jediel was standing in front of the target. The short Jediel stood on the footrest and threw the dart at the target.
But the target was too far away, and he had no skill. His darts either missed the target or didn’t even reach it.
“Jediel, you need to keep your arm straight, and it’s important to keep your eyes on the target the whole time.”
“Okay, …”
The boy nodded at Killion’s advice, but still looked unsure. Then Killion spoke again.
“Remember the last time we practiced playing ball? That’s how you do it. It’s just that it’s not quite right because it’s your first time, but you’ll get it after a few practice sessions.”
“Yes!”
Feeling more confident, Jediel picked up the darts again. He had practiced and had become a better ball player, so he knew he could do it again.
He was just warming up, reaching for the dart, when Onyx, standing behind him, interrupted him.
“More important than keeping your eyes on the bull’s-eye is keeping your fingertips tense until the last second.”
Onyx glanced at Killion, aware. Killion returned her gaze with a fierce glare.
Onyx continued.
“So, at the last second, you concentrate all your energy into your fingertips and throw the dart. Do you understand, Jediel?”
“Yes! I get it!”
The child nodded vigorously, his face serious.
Meanwhile, Veronia’s mind was racing again. It was because of what Killion had just said to Jediel.
‘When was the last time you two practised playing ball? When was the last time you practised playing ball? How close have you two become since when, and why didn’t Jediel tell me?’
Tonight, when she got home, she knew she would have a long talk with Jediel.
In the meantime, after a few warm-ups, Jediel threw the dart.
Thud.
The dart, which had missed the bull’s-eye every time before, hit the target board this time. Of course, it was a three-point edge, not a ten-point center, but he was still overjoyed.
“Wow, I hit it, I finally hit it!” he said.
“Good job, Jediel!”
“Excellent, Jediel!”
Killion patted the boy’s head, and Onyx patted him on the shoulder. The child shrugged and smiled broadly at the affectionate touch.
But the adults didn’t smile as much as the child. Killion spoke up, eyeing Onyx warily.
“You were able to hit the bull’s-eye the whole time, weren’t you? Yes, that’s how you do it.”
Onyx couldn’t keep still at that. Onyx raised his voice and said.
“No, I think it’s because I kept my fingertips tight until the very end that I was able to throw the dart without faltering, and you shouldn’t forget that feeling, Jediel.”
Jediel, unaware of the nerves of grown-ups, nodded at Killion’s words and Onyx’s as well.
The shopkeeper smirked and handed Jediel a gift. The gift, worth a total of three points, was a small carved wooden doll in the shape of a puppy.
“Wow, thank you. Mum, look at this! Jediel threw a dart and got it!”
“Well done, my boy!”
Jediel’s adorable mother exclaimed, sending Jediel a dripping glance.
“You’re lucky, little one, you have a supportive family.”
“Family?”
“Yeah. You have a mum and dad, and an uncle and aunt!”
The words stunned Jediel. He looked around the group, scratched his head, and asked the owner.
“Who is my dad and who is my uncle?”
This time, the owner was confused by the child’s question. Is this a mistake…? The owner replied in an unsure voice.
“That’s right… this is your dad, and this is your uncle, isn’t it…?”
The owner pointed to Onyx and said he was his dad, and he looked at Killion and said he was his uncle. But he wasn’t sure, so he scratched his cheeks in confusion.
For a moment, Onyx and Killion’s faces crossed. The corners of Onyx’s mouth curled upwards in triumph, while Killion’s lips twitched with effort.
Then came the twist.
“Ahhh, you don’t have the eyes to see for your age, do you?”
The owner’s wife appeared, slapping him on the back. Her hawk’s eyes swept across Jediel, Killion, and Onyx’s faces, and she spoke with conviction.
“I can tell at a glance. This one looks more like him, so he’s the father, and this one is the uncle. Right?”
The owner’s eyes lit up and she pointed to Killion and said, “Father,” and Onyx and said, “Uncle.
This time, Killion’s eyes curved in a gentle curve, and Onyx’s eyes snapped into a sharp straight line.
Jediel, who had no idea of the tension between the two adults, snorted.
“You’re wrong, you’re wrong, they’re not Jediel’s dad or uncle, they’re just Mr. Killion and Mr. Onyx.”
“Ah… I see.”
“Oh no… we made a mistake. Sorry, kid, sorry.”
The owner and his wife spoke in hushed tones and flashed embarrassed smiles. They deserved to be apologized for their unwarranted intrusion into the domestic affairs of another’s home.
But Jediel was too preoccupied with the puppy-shaped wooden figurine he had received as a gift to hear their apology. In fact, he didn’t even seem to recognize that this was a situation where he needed to hear an apology.
Then, as if on cue, Jediel looked up at Veronia and exclaimed, ‘I’m sorry!’
“Mum, you should throw it too, Jediel got a wooden doll, so you should get a cotton one!”
Veronia smiled and nodded at the fairly specific wishes.
“Yeah, Jediel got one, so Mum should get one too! I don’t know about a cotton doll, but I’ll take anything!”
“Wow, my mum is awesome!”
The child cheered Veronia, pumping one fist in the air.
It was then. Princess Espin stuck her head out of nowhere and suggested to Veronia.
“How about we make a bet then?”
“What? A bet…?”
Veronia was taken aback by the out-of-context remark and didn’t understand Princess Espin’s words at first.
