[Episode 105]
“If you only look at the physical information, that’s correct. The golden halo created by the divine power in the blood test is not something I can decorate.”
“But what happened after that was a clear rejection.”
Dad, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.
Lucillion looked at his father sitting across from him, then shifted his gaze to me and opened his mouth.
“you’re right. That is a rejection.”
said Lucillion.
I couldn’t understand which one was correct. Lucillion’s words were vague.
‘If you look at the physical information, what does it mean to be right?’
Does that mean anything else isn’t right?
Lucillion was silent for a while, as if acknowledging that his answer was somewhat lacking, and then opened his mouth again.
“I can’t get any information about you, but I can infer something about you by getting information from people around you.”
Everyone was quiet at Lucillion’s sudden explanation.
“I knew that His Highness the Prince could twist his fate and survive if he overcame a few crises. So I helped.”
The emperor sighed slightly.
Were you surprised that Lucillion knew more than you thought?
“If Dragonia was the only way for Her Majesty to survive, I could infer that the princess would make it bloom, and I was convinced by that time that the princess was a dragon.”
It was true that the longer the story, the more embarrassed I was. Lucillion knew more than he thought.
Perhaps it was a long time ago. Knowing all of that, I was a little saddened that I had to keep my mouth shut.
“Human beings have a soul and a body. The dragon’s imprint and blood test usually proceed simultaneously with the soul and body.”
Lucillion added that he had seen it in a theology book.
“It is true that the two of you share blood, but… the soul of one is unstable.”
said Lucillion. He looked at me for a long time as if he was seeing through something, then continued.
“In other words, even the imprint, which should have been correct, is not perfect.”
“You mean that the imprints between me and Eirin didn’t work properly?”
Dad asked in response, frowning a bit infuriated.
In fact, I heard that I was imprinted only in words, but I did not feel a big change.
Just a little bit, I didn’t want to hear my dad get scolded, or the urge to retaliate against those who bullied my dad increased.
However, I thought that something was lacking compared to the powerful word ‘imprint’.
“Since ancient times, dragons and gods have been intertwined for a very long time.”
So, Lucillion continued, adding that there are still stories about dragons in ancient theological texts.
“Ancient theological texts say that opponents who are properly imprinted will receive a mark.”
Lucillion looked at us and said.
In that gaze, there was a question as if such a mark existed for us.
‘Mark? There was no such thing.’
I shook my head, recalling my clean body.
“So you mean that only the body is flesh and blood… and the soul is not flesh and blood?”
Charniel Etam, who had been listening like a bystander, interrupted as if he did not understand.
“No, rather than that… it seems that there is another side with a soul already imprinted on it.”
“Is that a bastard?”
“If you did, you would have had the same reaction.”
Lucillion shook his head. The emperor, who had been listening quietly, tilted his head.
“So to put it in words, the Duke of Etam and the princess are blood relatives, but since their souls are already imprinted with someone, are they only physically imprinted?”
“If my guess is correct… Of course it doesn’t make sense, but if you interpret the information given, it is.”
Lucillion answered with a worried expression. He, too, had a thoughtful look on his face as if he was frustrated.
Suddenly, I felt an eerie feeling.
“Is this possible? Doesn’t that mean you have two parents?”
“Similar. I can think of…”
Lucillion pursed her lips. He put his hand on his chin and spoke slowly, as if pondering for a long time.
Then, he opened his eyes wide and raised his head.
“I guess it’s just that the ties from the previous life haven’t been severed yet. Their ties are still intertwined, so it feels like their souls don’t fully belong to the person named Eirin.”
As soon as Lucillion’s words were finished, the eerie feeling that I felt suddenly became anxiety and overtook me.
‘No way…’
Is it because I possessed this world? Is it because you weren’t born and belonged to this world properly?
“But what is certain is that you are the real daughter of Duke Etam.”
Lucillion replied with confidence. Dad’s expression darkened. And I couldn’t hide my puzzled feeling.
‘Where are your children again?’
I wasn’t Callan or Silian, and I didn’t think I would have had a relationship with a woman outside because of my father’s personality.
“It is true that I had a third child… but he died before being born.”
Dad said in an infinitely heavy voice as if he had been struggling for a very long time. At those words, my eyes widened.
“The gore was buried with my wife.”
“….”
“I cherish and love Eirin enough, but what you are saying doesn’t make sense.”
Dad said.
It was after the usual smile disappeared from his lips as if it was very painful to bring up the story at that time.
“It is, after all, something seen and thought with human eyes from a human point of view.”
“….”
“There are many more miraculous things in the world than you think.”
Dad, who had been sitting without responding to Lucillion’s words, got up after a while.
“Daughter.”
“yes.”
“Let’s just go back.”
Dad got up and stretched out his arms to me. I fell into his arms as naturally as always.
Her arms were still wide and warm. His touch was kind and the feeling of being stroked was soft.
“I think I’ve come to a conclusion, so I’ll leave.”
Dad climbed into the carriage with me in his arms. All the way back home, Dad stared blankly at me.
“Eirin.”
“…yes.”
“From the first time we met, you were something special and unusual.”
Dad opened his mouth just before the carriage entered the mansion.
“Can I ask you one question?”
“yes.”
“Are you hiding anything from me?”
“….”
I was speechless at the unexpected rush. The carriage stopped before I could even open my mouth.
“…I see.”
I didn’t say anything, but Dad muttered to himself as if he had heard an answer.
Still, Dad never asked me anything.
He just took me in his arms, carried me to my room, and kissed me on the forehead as usual.
“Sleep well.”
All of that was so friendly as usual that I felt like I was going to cry a little bit.
That day I had a dream
It was a strange dream that I still can’t remember, but only the unpleasant feeling remained like coarse sand.
Shiiik-
rattle!
A strange sound, as if the flow of gears had reversed again, lingered in my ears for a long time.
* * *
Knock knock again.
Drops of water fell regularly. It was a very small noise, but it was exceptionally annoying.
The peculiar smell of the hospital that touched the tip of my nose made me frown.
I felt a little more sane than the last time, when I was in a state of panic and couldn’t see anything.
I slowly opened my eyes with a short sigh, and saw a white ceiling that I would have gotten used to by now.
‘Hey again…’
He came back again.
‘Why the hell?’
I stared blankly at the ceiling and thought. I couldn’t help but think about this.
I couldn’t figure out why I kept coming back to this terrible place. The luxurious single room was quiet.
Only the sound of the humidifier running and liquid dripping from the intravenous drip echoed through the quiet hospital room.
‘…The strange thing is, when I become Eirin, what happened here feels like a dream and I can’t even remember it.’
As if the world is shut off and memories are naturally forgotten.
Why do you keep coming back here?
Admittedly, I didn’t want to live here. Even if Eirin’s world was a dream, that dream became more precious to me.
It is better to live in a dream than to live in a hellish reality.
‘What’s the matter?’
It was the moment when I thought so with my face twisted in frustration.
Suddenly, as if a faucet that had been closed very tightly was turned off a little, a part of a faint memory trickled in.
“Ah…”
It seemed that the back of the head was slightly beaten by the memory that came to mind.
“I…”
A hushed voice leaked out.
“I didn’t go over there in my sleep.”
I was sleeping in my own room, reading a novel, and when I came to my senses, I thought I had passed into that world. Somehow, I kept thinking that way.
But I remember it clearly.
Baaaaang-!
Kiyi Iik-!
A child was standing in the crosswalk. As if the brakes had failed, the truck was rushing ferociously with the klaxon sounding.
In a brief moment I ran and pushed the child away. And I…
[Hey Cha Smile!!!]
I didn’t avoid the truck.
My family was watching me. with astonished and astonished eyes. So I didn’t dodge.
hoping you’ll feel guilty The last look on his face filled his humble heart with joy.
A big truck hit me. The body floating in the air rolled to the floor.
The last thing I felt and saw was the terrible pain and horror of their bodies, unable to move.
‘Ah, I’m still at that level with you guys.’
I hope my death will leave a scar on them. Thinking so, I closed my eyes.
okay.
I died that day
No, I thought he was dead.
But when I came to my senses, I forgot everything and was in another world. To a world that has everything I’ve ever wished for.
why do you keep coming back?
Why can’t Eirin remember me in this world?
Why the hell did I go there?
Questions filled my head, but I didn’t want to think about it any more.
I thought it was not the time to face the truth yet. I wanted to believe that.
‘I’m still alive in this world, so the test results came out like that.’
That’s why Lucillion told me that the ties of my previous life were not severed.
I blankly looked out the window.
The windows of the hospital room were tightly fitted with iron bars, as if in preparation for any accident that might happen.
‘Is that world really a dream? Will the dream end when I die? Or… will I belong to that world at all?’
Even if you think about it, it is impossible to know now. The thoughts I was thinking now were too close to gambling.
‘Not yet.’
I haven’t even solved the Hatar case yet. He couldn’t give Uncle Cruneau a pet as a present, and he couldn’t reciprocate the love of his family.
‘So just a little bit…’
Let’s think a little later.
It’s okay if you’re still buried in this happy dream. I pulled the blanket over myself and closed my eyes tightly.
When I opened my eyes again, I was Eirin Etam again.
