CHAPTER 136…………………………………………
“I’ll miss you, milady.”
“Yeah, we’ll see each other again.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I’ll take good care of my parents too.”
“……Yes.”
Siphon, wearing a slightly regretful expression, pulled Esther into a firm embrace and then stepped back.
“Raxa, you can handle the demon realm, right? Don’t let Siphon get hurt.”
“Don’t worry. I may look rough, but I do cherish my contractor quite a bit.”
Esther reached out her hand, and Raxa met her palm. They lightly clasped their hands together.
Crimson magic flowed from Esther’s body into Raxa. He clenched and unclenched his fists several times before finally smiling.
“You didn’t come here secretly aiming for the Demon King’s throne, did you?”
“Of course not. I only want to see Lady Esther safely become the Demon King.”
Hearing Raxa’s faint smile, Esther shrugged.
“Then, I’ll be off.”
She didn’t know exactly what had been said between Siphon and Raxa, but Siphon’s expression as she followed him didn’t seem bad.
“Esther.”
“Yeah?”
“When should we have our wedding?”
Sidarius approached her, his face bright with excitement.
“After this banquet should be fine.”
Since the delegation from the Destroka Empire was arriving, it seemed best to wait until after that event.
“Well, it’s a good chance to tidy things up cleanly.”
Esther lightly stretched.
“That is, if I can convince Father and Mother beforehand.”
Seeing her faint smile, Sidarius’s expression darkened slightly.
“I can do it… I’ll manage…”
His voice sounded a little drained.
A few days later, a delegation arrived from the Destroka Empire.
As expected, the Egbert family was included. More precisely, Ernhart Egbert himself had come.
The day after the delegation arrived, he visited the house.
“……It’s been a long time.”
“Yes, it has.”
That was all the greeting exchanged between Ernhart and Kaelos.
Even though it was a rare reunion of father and son, the atmosphere was cold.
Freya, acting as if her presence wasn’t necessary, only exchanged greetings and then excused herself to attend to her duties.
Esther decided to stay behind.
She wanted to see her grandfather’s face after a long time…
And perhaps she vaguely sensed that this might be their last meeting.
“It’s been a while.”
“Yes, you look well.”
“You seem a bit unwell, grandfather.”
“…Do I?”
“Yes.”
“Indeed… my health isn’t great.”
Ernhart Egbert said, tilting his teacup lightly.
Seeing his face more haggard than her last memory of him didn’t feel good.
Though it was his own fault, he had once been someone she had lived closely with.
“I’m retired now, living quietly in a secluded place. This delegation will be the last task I take on.”
“I see.”
“My first grandchildren wanted to see you.”
Esther thought of the children who used to follow her around and smiled faintly.
“Don’t say strange things. Esther is adapting well here.”
Kaelos interrupted immediately upon seeing Esther’s expression. She glanced at him and sighed.
“You won’t be coming back, right?”
“No, you’ve already assumed the role of caretaker, haven’t you?”
“Exactly.”
Ernhart Egbert quietly sipped his tea, the air around him austere and cold.
‘Well, it was inevitable.’
To fulfill their duty, they had trampled on their children’s happiness and stolen their freedom—how could that life run smoothly?
Though they had stopped Cardem’s conspiracy, that was all. Once Cardem ran amok, the dissatisfaction had already erupted.
“Yes, as long as they’re doing well… that’s enough.”
Ernhart Egbert seemed to have much to say but swallowed it all.
Perhaps Kaelos’s stern, resolute attitude made it so.
Even to Esther, Kaelos seemed displeased with this meeting.
“Maybe I once respected my father… but at some point, I just wanted to escape from you. A home that isn’t a home, a family that isn’t a family… don’t try to take away the happiness I’ve finally regained.”
“When did I say I would? I only asked because I was curious… if there’s anything that can be restored now…”
“There isn’t.”
“…I see.”
“If things had been twenty years earlier, maybe things would have been different. But now isn’t the time.”
By now, everyone had been too hurt, too exhausted.
“So please leave. We are doing well, and we will continue to do so.”
Kaelos’s words made Ernhart Egbert slowly stroke the edge of his teacup with regret.
Yet Kaelos didn’t offer another cup, and Ernhart Egbert didn’t speak further.
“Yes, if they’re doing well, that’s enough.”
Ernhart Egbert finished his tea, sat quietly for a long moment, then slowly rose.
He looked exhausted, as if he had already given up on much.
‘It would have been nice if things had gone better.’
Once, everyone had sought his affection, but the grown children had apparently decided to turn away.
Esther slowly closed her eyes and turned her head. She didn’t want to see someone who was once strong reduced to this.
“I regret that things turned out this way.”
Kaelos said to Ernhart Egbert as he turned to leave.
“It’s my fault, the sins of my greed.”
Ernhart Egbert would probably spend a long, lonely time, just as his children had.
‘Still…’
Someday, surely, joy would come again. If not, he would grow accustomed to the solitude.
“I’ll be going now.”
“I won’t go far.”
“Of course. When have you ever gone far?”
Ernhart Egbert spoke lightly, as if amused.
“If you live well, that’s good. Continue living well. Don’t fall ill. Crossing borders at this age is no small task.”
“Don’t worry.”
Ernhart Egbert began leaving the reception room.
“Grandfather.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll visit next time.”
“…I’d appreciate that.”
His face softened slightly as he answered.
“Everyone makes mistakes. Crushing others’ lives for your own was wrong… but…”
Esther said, “You wanted to protect what was precious to you.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t love his children—he just had a poor method. It didn’t change the consequences, though.
“Next time, don’t do that.”
“…I hope I get a next time.”
Esther smiled faintly, lightly waving her hand. She would live a long life, and perhaps one day she could visit again.
“Take care of yourself while you’re away, without any ailments.”
“Yes, be careful… Father.”
Ernhart Egbert’s eyes widened.
“…Yes.”
Knowing this was the final farewell, his expression twisted slightly with pain.
“I’ll be going now.”
“Yes.”
Ernhart Egbert slowly left the mansion.
His slower-than-usual pace revealed the weight of his steps. Esther sighed and glanced aside.
“Why speak so coldly while wearing that expression?”
“I can’t raise false hopes, and I don’t want to get involved any further.”
“…Still.”
“It can’t be helped; everything went wrong long ago.”
Kaelos shrugged.
“You’ll visit next time, won’t you?”
“We’ll see.”
“Go then. Don’t wait until grandfather passes to regret it.”
Each of them would now slowly heal their hearts in their own way…
Someday, they would meet again. Kaelos didn’t reply.
Meaning, he neither denied nor confirmed. That in itself was a decent response.
“Will you attend the banquet?”
“Hmm, no. I don’t want to see His Highness, the Crown Prince.”
The demons wouldn’t appear anymore, and the problem was gone, but it still felt awkward.
‘He won’t say I’m a demon, right?’
Surely not.
Esther rolled her eyes several times and swallowed a sigh.
“Father.”
“What is it?”
“I revealed to the Crown Prince that I’m part demon. Will that be okay?”
“It doesn’t matter. The Emperor already knows.”
Kaelos replied casually.
“Specifically, you are a descendant of Surtr, so you have demon blood.”
“…Is that so?”
“Indeed.”
Kaelos lightly brushed Esther’s hair. Her cheeks flushed slightly at the gentle touch.
“Then… that’s a relief.”
Peace was slowly approaching.
“Father, can I get married?”
Before she could finish, a harsh sound echoed, and part of the wall crumbled into rubble.
