Chapter 63
Chapter 63
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Mother's Resolve
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Here's some red bean tea."
"It's been a while. Thank you, Pastor."
"...Haha, then please talk comfortably."
Park Do-young had personally brewed and brought tea for Shin Su-kyeong and Go Yohan, who were sitting in one corner of the church chapel.
Everyone else was probably hiding somewhere, holding their breath, but that would create too awkward an atmosphere, so Park Do-young had stepped up.
"......"
Go Yohan quietly looked away, feeling the awkwardness.
'What should I talk about?'
Should he start by asking how she knew he was here?
He had told Go Minji, but she had staunchly denied it.
"How did you..."
"I've known where you'd go since you were little."
He had barely opened his mouth when the answer came.
"School and church. You did some questionable things from time to time, but those were the places you spent the most time."
Shin Su-kyeong said as she sipped her red bean tea.
She was nearing sixty, but as a powerful player, she looked like a dignified woman in her early forties.
"Have you been eating well...? How's your health...?"
In Go Yohan's eyes.
Tremble.
He saw Shin Su-kyeong's shaking hand.
"......"
How much had she worried?
How much had her heart ached?
Excluding his childhood, he didn't have many memories with Shin Su-kyeong.
But that alone was enough.
"I don't know where to start asking."
He could tell how much she loved him and how cautious she was.
"Mom. It's okay. For today."
Go Yohan said.
"Anything is fine. So just relax."
"...Thank you..."
Shin Su-kyeong quickly turned her head away.
"...Here."
Park Do-young, who had come running from somewhere, handed over a clearly expensive handkerchief at a glance.
Seeing her disappear again with quick steps, Go Yohan chuckled and relaxed.
"You have good people around you."
"Yeah. Especially for me."
"......"
Silence again.
It was awkward.
Insanely so.
"...I knew I shouldn't come."
Shin Su-kyeong spoke first.
"I know why you avoid Divinity, why you can't even comfortably come home."
Before being a mother, she was a player and Divinity's vice guild master.
As far as Go Yohan knew, Shin Su-kyeong hadn't become vice guild master just because she was Go Jaehan's wife.
"You were always such a warm child. Special... unique from a young age."
Shin Su-kyeong smiled faintly.
"And... it was heartbreaking."
Go Yohan looked at Shin Su-kyeong.
"Because of what happened at the Incheon villa?"
"No..., or maybe yes."
Shin Su-kyeong wiped her tears and looked at Go Yohan.
"You were special even before that, but that was when I truly realized how special you were."
"......?"
He couldn't understand.
Was it special to her that a child in his childhood had been so unfazed by that shock?
Or was she calling him special because of the bizarre actions he took after the Incheon villa incident?
"Yohan, my son."
Shin Su-kyeong caressed Go Yohan's cheek and said.
"Mom... Mom..."
He could feel her heart pounding wildly through her fingertips.
Her pulse, her face.
She looked ready to burst into tears and sob at any moment.
"I knew you saved me."
At that moment.
"...Mom?"
Go Yohan truly felt like his heart had stopped.
*
*
*
His mother, injured by the assassins.
To protect her young son, she had thrown herself in harm's way, and if left alone—or if they had waited for Yi Jae-kyeong to arrive—she would have lost her life.
'I thought she was unconscious for sure.'
At that time, Go Yohan was still lacking.
Even if his past life had been a great holy knight, at just six years old.
It might have been impossible to regain all those senses and powers in six years.
It was a mistake he had made because of that.
"...Mom?"
It was a fact he had overlooked because he was angrier than he had ever been in all his lives.
That while he was healing his mother, she had been faintly conscious.
"What do you..."
"My son."
Tremble.
The trembling didn't stop, and Shin Su-kyeong grabbed Go Yohan's hand as if to hide it.
"I know my son healed me, and... took care of the bad people."
Even though he had proclaimed holy war and spoken of annihilation, she chose her words carefully, treating him like a child.
"......Why? If you knew."
"Because that specialness of yours was no ordinary thing. I knew you'd tell me whenever you wanted to."
"......!"
"There must be a reason you didn't. And I worried that unworthy parents like us might make your specialness seek the light prematurely."
It was truly shocking.
"And... I couldn't even dare imagine what that little child was carrying."
-Son, want some fried chicken?
-Son.
-Son. I love you.
All of it.
"......You knew and..."
It had all been sincere consideration.
"It's the same now. I've seen what you've been talking about. Now things are starting to make a little sense."
"......"
"That's why I thought even more that I shouldn't come. I didn't want to burden you."
"Mom."
"But still, still..."
Shin Su-kyeong buried her face in Go Yohan's shoulder.
Even as a player, her aging was slow, but.
Grip.
His mother had grown thin and old.
"I'm worried you'll suddenly leave somewhere and I'll never see you again."
Go Yohan closed his eyes.
He couldn't explain what emotion he was feeling now.
"I'm... grateful... and sorry..."
What was it exactly?
"Mom..."
He felt like he was going mad.
It wasn't anger, it wasn't pain.
His chest felt like it was tearing apart—he just wanted to rip it open.
"Son. My son, Yohan."
"......"
"Don't carry it alone. Okay?"
Shin Su-kyeong lifted her head, holding back her tears, and said.
"Divinity is stronger than you think. Your father, your sister, your brothers too. Only Mom is... weak."
"You're strong too, Mom."
"Yeah?"
Shin Su-kyeong smiled faintly.
"Yeah. Strong. Mom too."
And slowly, her true self emerged.
Not as Go Yohan's mother or Divinity's mother, but as Divinity's player, Divinity's vice guild master.
As a strong female warrior.
"So I'll make sure you don't have to carry everything. Divinity will grow stronger, and for that, I'll do whatever it takes."
"I'm afraid of the finger-pointing you and the family will face."
His honest feelings.
"I'm afraid of the ruin you and the family will face because of me."
"Son."
She was resolute.
"That's not for you to decide."
"......?"
"You didn't choose to be born as our child, but we vowed to have you, love you, and take responsibility."
"......!"
"Your brothers and sister think the same. Your father too."
Go Jaehan.
"We'll handle it all. If someone points fingers, we'll take it. If someone tries to harm you."
Ripple.
"They'll be Divinity's enemy too. That's what family is. Push us away as much as you want. Run as much as you want."
Shin Su-kyeong said.
"Mom, our family, Divinity—we will never abandon you. Just like you never did."
He couldn't stop it.
This was all so unfamiliar, so unaccustomed.
But he had to admit it.
'I was arrogant.'
He had truly misjudged what family meant.
*
*
*
After the conversation that mirrored Shin Su-kyeong's vow and Go Yohan's own declaration.
"You've been eating properly, right? Of course, these people will take good care of you."
Shin Su-kyeong returned to being an ordinary mother and chatted.
"Everyone treats me well."
"My son is so strong and amazing that you might unknowingly burden others. You always have to be mindful."
"Got it."
"I won't come until you call. I won't visit until you come home."
Shin Su-kyeong said.
"But call anytime, and come back. Don't forget you have a home."
It might have been easier if those words had been coveting his power and influence.
But her selfless voice and face, without any hint of personal gain, made it even harder.
"......Okay."
"Good. You're busy enough as it is—I, your foolish mom, have taken too much of your time. Time to go."
He could sense the congregation bustling about.
-Code Red lifted.
-Request confirmation of no additional threats on the route.
-Escort forces kept discreet so as not to burden him, prepared?
-Vehicle repairs complete. Equipped with protective items and easy escape features for emergencies.
I'm the one burdened, Go Yohan wanted to say.
But he was grateful.
"Did you have a good talk?"
Park Do-young said, waiting at the door.
"Yes. Thanks to your consideration. If Yohan allows it later, I'd like to help here too. Especially with the kids."
"Your words alone are appreciated."
"Is Director Yi Jae-kyeong doing well?"
"Of course."
They headed to the parking lot while talking.
"Everyone in this church owes their lives to your son. And the lives he's saved beyond that... are countless."
"......"
"I have so much more I'd like to say, but I hold back for fear of imposing. But... you have a truly remarkable son."
Just how much gold was she gilding it with?
Scratch.
Fortunately, Park Do-young backed off after that.
"Get in."
"Yeah..."
Shin Su-kyeong couldn't even open the car door, her feet rooted to the spot for a long time.
"...Dad."
A child peeked her head out from behind the parking lot wall.
"Huh?"
Startled at being spotted, the child quietly emerged.
A small, cute girl who looked about seven—like what a kitten would look like if it turned human.
"...Daddy."
"...Yohan, is that you?"
Pride's owner, Joo In-kyeong, had caused a massive blunder.
"Mom! It's not what you think!"
"...Harmo...ny."
"No, it's not!"