Chapter 170 Even the Almighty is New to Being a Dad Chapter 171
Even the Absolute One is New to Fatherhood - Chapter 171
That night was deep and quiet.
Swoooosh—
Amidst the relentless downpour, Kim Yeong-rye sat on the wooden floor of her old house, staring blankly up at the sky.
"Look at me, losing my mind like this..."
She kept nodding off as she gazed at the sky.
Like a sickly hen, she dozed off repeatedly.
Why had she grown so sleepy these days?
"I hope the little one made it safely..."
Surely, holding her father's hand, she must have gone peacefully.
Come to think of it...
Had the sky really cracked open?
"The rain should stop by tomorrow."
When it rained like this, her whole body ached.
A punishment for neglecting herself all these years.
Still, she wished for the rain to cease.
"I have to go to the market tomorrow..."
What should she sell tomorrow?
Summer brought an abundance of wild greens.
So many that she often struggled to choose.
"They're tasty and fragrant..."
As she pondered silently, she tilted her head slightly and murmured.
"Huh...?"
For some reason, not a single name of the greens she had spent her whole life selling came to mind.
"Ah..."
Not long after, she even forgot that she had forgotten anything at all.
She became ignorant.
All the knowledge and memories accumulated over a lifetime had evaporated in an instant, leaving only this void.
Swoosh—
She lifted her head slightly and stared blankly at the rain pouring from the sky.
"The rainy season should end soon."
Then she muttered again.
"Then I can go to the wheat fields back home."
She repeated the same words without even knowing what she was saying.
"I'll see the wheat fields of my hometown again..."
Soon, a smile spread across her face.
Fresh as wild grass, that smile.
As lovely and beautiful as in her youth.
Just then—
Creeeak—
The tightly shut, rusted iron gate opened.
Someone stepped inside...
Filled with anticipation, she asked:
"Is that you?"
The shadows by the door obscured their face, but she asked again, her voice brimming with certainty.
"Why did you take so long?"
Her fading memory made it impossible to tell how long she had waited.
But she knew it had been long.
She remembered sitting on the wooden floor of this old hanok, waiting for her husband for what felt like an eternity.
"Why are you so late?"
The figure at the door didn't answer.
"I raised our daughter all by myself."
As if entranced, she continued murmuring.
"Whenever people pointed fingers, calling me the widow who devoured her husband, I just gritted my teeth and lived harder."
The figure at the door simply listened.
No reply came.
"When the market women sneered, asking what kind of education I could give my daughter, I refused to back down. I did everything to teach Young-mi well."
"......"
"Those women would faint if they saw how accomplished Young-mi is now. I can see it so clearly."
Her voice was steady.
"Young-mi, study hard."
But then it began to tremble.
"You must learn as much as you can."
Her words carried a lifetime of sorrow.
"Education changes the world."
Her voice grew wet.
"Don't live like your mother did..."
Tears finally spilled.
"I'm sorry for pushing you so hard."
Her suppressed emotions surged uncontrollably.
"On the day I sent you away, I struck my own child for crying about being hungry."
"......"
"I didn't know how to live. I was so afraid of the future that I raised my hand against an innocent girl."
She sobbed wretchedly.
"I wish I could drag that version of me by the hair and shake her. Slap her and ask—what did that child know, to be scolded like that?"
It was the regret of a lifetime.
And so...
She still remembered that day.
"I raised her with nothing but guilt."
Even if she forgot her own name, that day remained etched in her mind.
"Young-mi went to university. Married a good man from a fine family. I don't know much, but they say he runs a big company in Seoul."
Between sobs, she asked again:
"Did I do alright?"
The figure in the shadows nodded.
And then...
Spoke for the first time.
"You suffered so much."
It was Kang-jun.
"You truly suffered."
At that, she broke into full-bodied weeping.
The iceberg in her heart melted.
Every embedded nail was pulled free.
"You fool, you rascal, my young master—"
"......"
"Why did you take so long?"
Kang-jun answered again.
"Tomorrow, the rain will surely stop."
"Really?"
"Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, we'll go to the wheat fields."
She nodded.
"Ah, goodness—"
Her body, broken from a lifetime of labor, struggled to rise as she shuffled unsteadily to retrieve the funeral clothes she had carefully prepared.
"Take me to the wheat fields without fail."
"......"
"Promise you'll take me tomorrow."
It had become her habit.
Ever since sensing her body's decline...
She had slept in her burial clothes.
Preparing for death each night.
As she adjusted her jacket, she murmured:
"I lived every day feeling punished."
"......"
"Now, I just want to sleep deeply."
With feeble steps, she moved to the room where the bedding was neatly laid out and lay down.
"Aren't you sleepy?"
Kang-jun answered Kim Yeong-rye's question.
"Not at all."
She nodded.
"Then hold my hand for a while."
Kang-jun took her hand.
Held it firmly in both of his.
Gently stroked its rough surface.
"A woman's hands shouldn't be this rough, right?"
"To me, they're as soft as silk."
"That's right... You always said that."
Even though years of hard labor had left them calloused and cracked, he called them soft as silk.
"Sleep well."
She closed her eyes.
"Who could've known?"
"Known what?"
"That the rainy season would last this long."
Then she whispered:
"After I sent you away, my life was nothing but rain. Like being drenched in a downpour, shivering from the cold, my body heavy with water."
Kang-jun stroked her hand even more tenderly.
"Sleep deeply."
She nodded slowly, a faint smile on her lips as she drifted off.
"Iriel."
Kang-jun spoke briefly, releasing a wisp of magic.
The magic twisted gracefully through the air.
Slithering like a snake, it soon reached its destination.
Had it only been a few minutes?
From the depths of the darkness, Iriel's voice answered.
"You called for me, my lord?"
Kang-jun nodded and gave his command.
"Let her dream well."
"As you wish, my lord."
"Her last dream in this life."
Only then did Kang-jun turn to Iriel and add:
"Let it be the best dream she's ever had."
Iriel bowed.
"Grandmother."
Kang-jun spoke again.
"May you reach the wheat fields."
He still held her rough, wrinkled hand tightly.
Giving her a beautiful dream—
That was the greatest kindness Kang-jun could offer.
"Young-rye."
She opened her eyes.
A bright moon hung in the sky.
It must have been the day she left her hometown.
Endless wheat fields stretched before her.
In the distance stood the young master.
No...
It was her husband, who had gone ahead.
"Dear, you suffered because of me."
Her eyes trembled.
"Come here."
Her husband beckoned.
"Ah, you fool..."
She wobbled forward.
One step, then another...
Each movement was a struggle.
"You rascal..."
With every step, she grew younger.
By the time she reached him, she had become a girl again.
"You reckless young master..."
Her husband smiled brightly.
"Yes, Young-rye."
The kind young master who had never once treated her as just a maid.
He pulled her into a tight embrace and spoke softly.
"Shall we walk the wheat fields like we used to?"
"Huh?"
"You sprained your ankle, so I carried you on my back."
Kim Yeong-rye laughed.
A girlish...
Sunlit smile.
"Let's do that."
She climbed onto her husband's back.
His broad back stretched before her.
She had sprained her ankle, and the young master had carried her.
She had ridden on his back through these very fields.
Moonlight spilled over the wheat.
A breathtaking sight.
The memories of that day returned vividly.
Her heart pounded with nostalgia.
And excitement.
Happiness seemed to wait just ahead.
"I regretted following you."
"I wouldn't dare argue."
"I spent my whole life regretting it, but..."
She regretted this day.
Regretted not clinging tighter.
Regretted it endlessly.
"But seeing you now, I'd follow you anywhere again. Hell or beyond, I'd let you carry me and trail after you..."
She buried her face in his neck and whispered weakly.
"Let's go anywhere like this."
A cool breeze rippled through the wheat.
"Young-rye, are you asleep?"
Her drowsy voice answered.
"Still awake."
"I see."
"We made it to the wheat fields at last."
"We did."
"We finally made it."
She shut her eyes tightly.
"Young-rye, are you asleep?"
She wanted to answer:
Still awake.
But no sound came.
Yes, now I'll sleep deeply.
Carried on your back...
I'll rest at last.
Days passed.
"Granny."
Seol stood before the iron gate.
It was locked.
No matter how much she called, no one answered.
"Gone away...?"
Then Kang-jun approached and said:
"She went to the wheat fields."
"Wheat fie'ds?"
"She'll come back later."
Kang-jun crouched to Seol's eye level and spoke softly.
"When she returns from the wheat fields, she'll come see you first."
Seol nodded.
"Okay."
Then she looked up at the sky.
"Wain stopped now."
The rainy season had ended.
And yet...
The alley felt empty.
The stall that should have been there was gone.
She had been scattered across the wheat fields.
Returned to the earth as fine dust.
Her daughter, who had received the will...
Had honored her last wish.
Kang-jun gazed up at the sky.
"Hmm."
Then he murmured:
"Grandmother."
The weather was unusually clear.
"How are the wheat fields?"
It was a quiet, peaceful afternoon.
"Rest well now."
No more selling at the market.
Be lazy.
Live forever among beautiful sights.