Chapter 33. A Predestined Farewell (1)
Since he left early in the morning, she naturally thought he would return early in the evening.
“The lights in the room were off… Could he be sleeping?”
Suppressing the uneasiness that clung to her like glue, Elluciana turned off the fire beneath the properly heated pot and rushed up to the second floor.
She soon arrived in front of Astain’s room and paused to catch her breath.
If he wasn’t here, then it meant he hadn’t returned yet.
But for some reason, her hand wouldn’t move toward the doorknob.
Elluciana bit her lip slightly as she hesitated without even realizing it.
It was strange. Why did the image of the Lisianthus flower he had given her suddenly come to mind?
‘He said he just happened to see it while passing by.’
He must have bought it simply because it caught his eye. There was no way it had any special meaning.
‘What exactly am I so worried about?’
Taking a deep breath, Elluciana grasped the doorknob.
‘As wouldn’t leave without a word.’
Even if he were to leave, he had no place to go.
“Right. Where else would he even go? This is his home, his hometown.”
Forcing a weak smile, she gripped the handle firmly and pulled it.
The door opened with an unpleasant creaking sound that quickly faded.
And then she was met with a dark, empty room.
For a moment, her fingertips turned cold.
The space that had felt warm when he was in it now felt unusually cold.
Elluciana slowly stepped inside.
With trembling hands, she turned on the magical lamp. The overly neat and tidy room felt oddly unsettling.
But nothing had changed. It was as clean as it always had been.
Relieved, Elluciana stepped back out of the room. Leaning against the door, she let out a long sigh.
“…Then, where did he go?”
Seeing as he had taken Soda with him, he probably hadn’t gone far.
Just as she tried to push down the anxiety thrashing in her chest and turn away—
“Huh? Why is my door open?”
Frowning, Elluciana walked over to close it.
Through the slightly ajar door, she could see the simple and unremarkable state of her room. Nothing had changed from when she’d left that morning.
She chuckled, but then her gaze landed on the table.
“What is that…?”
Frowning, Elluciana stepped inside.
She walked straight to the table and looked down at the glass jar filled to the brim with colorful candies. Her dry lips parted.
“…It’s full… of candy?”
Her trembling hand reached out and picked up the jar. It wasn’t hard to guess who had done this.
Only two people had ever taken an interest in such a simple glass jar—her father and Astain.
Her heart, which she had barely managed to calm, began racing again. A sense of foreboding shook her composure.
She clutched the jar of candy tightly. Her knuckles turned white around the jar, which had an unusually large number of red candies.
But then—
Something else caught her eye.
“…What is this.”
Biting her lip tightly, Elluciana walked over to her vanity. Sitting atop it was a luxurious box—something that should never have been in this room.
Her heart pounded harder, and a dull ringing filled her ears. Even so, she opened the lid of the box.
If she didn’t confirm what it was, she felt like she wouldn’t be able to breathe.
“Th-this is…”
Her pupils dilated in shock at the sight.
All the strength drained from her hands.
“Why is this… here…?”
Almost dropping the box, she quickly grabbed it again, her lips trembling as if she couldn’t believe her eyes.
“This is what I gave to As… Why is it here?”
Elluciana stared blankly at the Lisianthus flower petals crafted from white gold. Her mind whirled with thoughts running amok.
But looking more closely—it seemed somehow different from what she remembered.
‘This gem…’
…The color is different.
It wasn’t the clear and pure diamond she remembered—but a deep, vivid ruby that shone brightly.
Elluciana frowned, utterly confused.
It wasn’t the original—it was a replica.
“It’s not even my mother’s… Why would he give this to me—”
Just then.
There was a commotion downstairs.
‘As?’
Clutching the necklace, Elluciana rushed down the stairs.
He had come back.
When she saw him, she would ask.
Why did he return something that wasn’t even her mother’s?
Why had he done something so meaningless, only to stir her heart into confusion?
She had to hear his excuse.
…So she didn’t notice the thing that had fallen from the box onto the floor.
A small note, written in neat handwriting.
<Wait for me, Lucy>
“Father?”
Thinking it was Astain, Elluciana blinked in surprise and stared at Simon.
“You must be upset that I’m late,” he said with a gentle smile.
“…No, it’s not that.”
Elluciana bit her lip hard as she forced out the words. If she didn’t, she felt like she’d burst into tears at any moment.
“That’s good, then.”
Simon, unaware of anything, gently patted her back.
Perhaps that gentle gesture triggered something—
Elluciana suddenly threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.
“Lucy?”
Startled by her sudden action, Simon flinched. Then, with an even softer touch, he began to stroke her back.
“Did something happen while I was out?”
“No, Father. I just… missed you a lot today.”
“Did you?”
“Yes. But you came back quite late.”
“Well, you see. I had an unexpected but very welcome visitor.”
His unusually cheerful voice made Elluciana frown in confusion.
“A welcome visitor?”
“Yes, someone you know very well.”
She tilted her head—then suddenly widened her eyes in alarm.
“Father!”
There was a reason people called Simon a pushover. Even if it was a distant relative or a beggar from the slums, if they needed help, he’d give away everything he had without hesitation.
“Don’t worry. The person didn’t come asking for help.”
Knowing exactly what she was thinking, Simon shook his head firmly. But her long-cultivated instinct made it hard to believe him so easily.
‘What did you lose this time, Father…?’
Feeling helpless, Elluciana sighed deeply.
Maybe wanting to avoid more nagging, Simon quickly offered an explanation that was more like an excuse.
“Astain came to see me.”
“…As came to the administrator’s office?”
“I was surprised too. It’s the first time he’s come alone.”
Simon smiled in satisfaction. In contrast, Elluciana’s eyes instinctively turned toward the closed door.
If Astain had gone to see Simon, shouldn’t he have come home with him?
Why had only her father returned?
A chill swept through her chest.
Her hand clenched tightly around the Lisianthus necklace.
Maybe it was just her imagination—but what if Astain really didn’t intend to come back?
Leaving a gift behind without saying anything. Visiting her father alone when he’d never done that before.
Biting her lip, Elluciana pressed further.
“And As? Didn’t he come back with you?”
“He said he had something to do, so we parted at the entrance.”
“…At the entrance?”
“Let’s sit down first, Lucy.”
Simon led her to the dining room and continued speaking.
“If you’re worried about that boy, don’t be. He made a promise with me, so he won’t be late. But you know what surprised me? I never knew Astain could be so naggy.”
“…Naggy? As nagged you? What did he say?”
“Well, he told me that if I ever need to spend money, I should discuss it with you first. And he was really firm about it—said I need to break the habit of signing documents without reading them first. Haha.”
Elluciana’s heart dropped with a heavy thud. A guy who never cared about anyone suddenly going to see her father, and then giving him warnings?
Her hand, which had been holding the necklace, fell limply to her side.
“Lucy? Are you feeling unwell? You don’t look good.”
Alarmed by her pale face, Simon examined her closely.
“You must be exhausted from work. That’s it. Sit down and rest. I’ll prepare dinner tonight.”
He led her to the dining table, seated her in a chair, and quickly headed to the kitchen.
But Elluciana didn’t hear a word.
All she could hear was Simon’s voice from earlier—echoing endlessly in her head.
Every word he had said confirmed everything she had desperately tried to ignore.
‘…He’s really leaving like this?’
Looking at the empty seat across from her, Elluciana felt a rush of emotion.
Every morning and evening, he had sat there, eating with her and sharing stories.
For over ten years.
But now, like this?
Without even giving her time to prepare?
He was just going to leave?
‘That can’t be. Where would he even go? There’s nowhere else in the world for him but here!’
Clutching her chest, Elluciana’s face twisted in pain.
“Then why… is he trying to leave?”
She clenched her teeth as she lightly tapped her aching chest. Now that the vague sense of farewell had become reality, her stomach churned.
Her fingertips trembled. Her mind felt dizzy.
She didn’t know why she felt this way. It wasn’t like they were parting forever—but why did it feel like she’d never see him again? Why did it feel so suffocating and painful?
It was like sinking in water, being pulled down endlessly.
“This isn’t right.”
At the very least, this kind of one-sided farewell—was wrong.
“I won’t accept this, As. I won’t let you leave like this.”
