Chapter 429: Failure(3)
Chapter 429: Failure(3)
Everyone has their own "secrets." Secrets that can never be shared with others.
Sometimes, people carry these secrets to their graves, but most eventually reveal them during their lifetime—even if the secret sounds utterly unbelievable to others. However, if evidence for that secret begins to surface one after another, people will eventually come to believe it.
And today, I intend to reveal my secret to the people I trust and love.
It wasn't a secret I intended to bury until death, but it wasn't one I could proudly announce, either. It was a truth that no one would have believed if I hadn't already gained the absurd reputation of being a prophet or a regressor.
"So, may I ask why you've called us all here?"
Sitting across from me next to my mother, my father asked with a face full of curiosity. My mother, perhaps having already guessed, maintained a demure and composed posture.
I met his golden eyes for a moment before looking to the side. Next to me, Dave and Nicole were watching me with expressions similar to my father's.
Then, across from them—opposite me—Clark sat with his arms crossed, still clad in his heavy armor. Since I had requested that no one else enter, he had completely removed his stifling helmet.
"Zzz..."
And perched atop his head, Ariel was fast asleep, drooling slightly.
It was an act of extreme disrespect toward one's great-grandfather, but Clark had generously forgiven her, saying it was fine. Moreover, since she looked quite adorable, the rest of the family was watching her with fond smiles. I decided to let it slide as well.
And finally...
"Seeing as you called even me, there must be something going on, right?"
My lovely fiancée, Mari, was seated right next to me.
Because my parents were right in front of us, she didn't engage in any overt displays of affection, but she sat so close that even a slight lean would have resulted in us being pressed together.
I chuckled at the sight of Mari, who looked as lovely as ever, and carefully reached for her hand under the table. As soon as I took it, she interlaced her fingers with mine, responding to my gesture. Just holding her hand made my heart feel warm.
"...First, I want you all to know that there isn't a single shred of a lie in what I'm about to tell you."
Perhaps they hadn't expected me to speak in such a heavy, serious tone, as my family members all looked at me with varying expressions.
My mother, who had been given a prior hint, remained calm; my father raised an eyebrow in question; and Dave and Nicole, proving they were siblings, blinked in unison.
Since Clark was a skeleton, it was hard to read his expression, but he seemed equally puzzled.
Finally, there was Mari. When I looked at her, she was wearing a deep smile for some reason—as if she had already realized what I was about to say. That shouldn't be possible, but perhaps she had a general idea?
The grip on my hand tightened, and my confidence surged. As the atmosphere grew solemn, I added with a faint smile:
"And... I want you to remember that no matter what I say, I am a member of the Maishal family and your third son. I am the child of my father and mother, the beloved younger brother of my brother and sister, and the older brother of our youngest, Lily. And finally, I am Mari's fiancé."
"......Are you finally going to reveal the truth?"
My father spoke in a low voice. He looked surprised at first, but he quickly regained his composure.
As my mother had mentioned before, my father was a man devoted to his family—a man who had raised two sons and two daughters. I was his third child, and there was no way a father who had raised Dave and Nicole wouldn't have noticed something. He simply hadn't spoken of it until now.
Furthermore, throughout my growth, I had a history of asking questions that didn't fit the common sense of this world, so he couldn't help but be suspicious. Add to that the appearance of the Xenon Chronicle and its status as a book of prophecy, and his doubts must have solidified. Yet, for my sake, he had never uttered a word of it.
'Truly...'
I had thought this many times before, but I was born into a wonderful, harmonious family. A family that didn't obsess over rank or fame, but respected their children and poured out unconditional love.
However, because they were such a family, I feared that revealing my identity might create a distance between us, leaving a deep wound. That fear was why I had kept my mouth shut until now.
But not today. Now that the Xenon Chronicle was finished, I had to tie up the loose ends before the misunderstandings grew any deeper. Our relationship might grow distant for a while, but I trusted them. They were the family who loved me, and she was my fiancée.
"Yes. Now that the Xenon Chronicle is complete, the books I plan to write in the future are deeply connected to this truth."
"Hmm... I see."
My father nodded and glanced to his side, toward Dave and Nicole. At his silent inquiry into what they thought, my brother and sister answered in their own characteristic ways.
"Well, we've always known our youngest... I mean, Isaac, was unique, haven't we? Nothing has changed since the old days, so he's still my brother."
"Dave is right. It would be ridiculous to stop acknowledging him as family now, wouldn't it? Isaac has always been smart and intellectual, but at the same time, he's always had his clumsy and airheaded moments."
Dave brushed it off with his typical easygoing personality, and Nicole treated me with the kindness she inherited from our mother.
Fortunately, it seemed my fears wouldn't come to pass. I smiled broadly and looked at Mari.
As soon as our eyes met, Mari gave me a refreshing smile and answered brightly.
"I can't live without you now anyway, can I? My body has become perfectly attuned to yours, so how am I supposed to live if we grow apart?"
"Haha..."
I let out an awkward laugh at her somewhat suggestive phrasing. Mari and I were certainly a perfect match, both emotionally and physically. Still, seeing her say such things without hesitation made me think, That's Mari for you. Thanks to her, the atmosphere felt much lighter than before.
I felt like a fool for worrying needlessly, but the truth I was about to reveal would still be a massive shock to them. I hadn't glimpsed the future, nor had I returned from the future to the past; I had come from an entirely different dimension.
And above all, there was one person who would undoubtedly be the most shocked. With that thought, I turned my head toward Clark.
"Grandfather Clark."
[Yes. What is it you wish to say?]
"When you fought the lords of the demon worshippers, they were performing a summoning ritual, weren't they? I heard this from Lina as well."
Clark nodded silently at my question.
[You are correct. The ritual had already begun by the time I arrived. Fortunately, I managed to stop it somehow, but...]
"It wasn't a complete success, was it?"
[......But it wasn't a complete failure, either.]
Clark hesitated before answering quietly. As I had seen in the lucid dream, Clark knew that due to the incomplete success of the summoning ritual, an innocent soul had been pulled into this world. He simply hadn't told anyone else. He likely felt it was his own fault.
So, if I brought this up, Clark wouldn't just be surprised—he would be floored. At the same time, he would be relieved. Because just before he died, the gods had looked after the soul that had crossed over, just as he had requested in his final wish. I was the proof of that.
"Actually, after performing the sorcery, I had a dream. I saw you leaning against a giant stone statue, talking to an elf whose face was caved in at the center."
[......What?]
"And finally, I heard your last wish, asking the gods to look after that soul with kindness."
As I continued, Clark's jaw slowly dropped. Being a skeleton, it was a somewhat comical sight.
He must have realized it by now. Clark blinked and stammered in a voice of disbelief.
[S-Surely. My boy, are you really...]
"Yes. It's exactly what you're thinking, Grandfather."
Unlike Clark, the rest of the family looked uncertain. Clark knew the details because he was there, but the others didn't.
Leaving the shocked Clark aside, I slowly looked around at my family. Then, I placed my hand gently over my heart and spoke calmly.
"I am not a prophet, nor am I a person who returned from the future. I can swear this even before the gods."
"......"
"I am simply... a human from an entirely different dimension, who was summoned here by the demon worshippers' ritual."
The die was cast. However, the numbers on that die were already known. I had left a trail of suspicious actions throughout my life, and the Xenon Chronicle was the pinnacle of them all.
The shock would be the same, but I didn't expect a violent reaction like the one Lina had.
'Spilling tea from her mouth back then was really something...'
I don't think I'll ever forget that scene, even decades from now. It surely holds a proud place on the list of Lina's darkest memories.
I thought of something else for a moment to suppress my nerves, but the silence in the room persisted. I spoke again to provide a clearer explanation.
"That said, I was by no means a noble or royalty. I was just a commoner living an ordinary life. The country I lived in had no kings or nobles; it was a place far removed from any monarchy."
"Hmm..."
"No wonder he always seemed so down-to-earth."
"Our family hasn't been noble for very long either, so we're practically commoners ourselves..."
The family members each had different reactions. My father remained silent with his mouth shut tight, while Dave and Nicole nodded as if it made sense.
But even if they looked fine on the outside, they must have been quite confused internally. To think that I, who was just their cute younger brother, was a being from another dimension—not even a prophet or a regressor. For those who had lived as close-knit siblings, their feelings must have been complicated.
While they organized their thoughts, I shared some of the conversations I'd had with the gods.
"The gods granted Grandfather Clark's final wish and allowed me to be born as a member of the Maishal family. For that alone, I am deeply grateful. In my previous life, I was all alone after my parents died in an accident."
"Ah..."
"Oh... um..."
Groans of sympathy broke out here and there. I had mentioned it to ease their worries, but it seemed to have caused even deeper concern.
I glanced at Mari, and she was looking at me with eyes full of sorrow. It was as if she were looking at a delicate piece of art that might shatter at the slightest touch.
I sensed I had made a mistake, but then my father threw in a question that hit even harder.
"Then, Isaac. Let your father ask one thing."
"Yes? Ah, yes."
"If your soul crossed over to this place, what happened to your original body?"
"Well... according to Lord Luminous, crossing between dimensions is difficult even for the gods. So, as a side effect of the transition, my heart stopped... Yes. Only my soul came across."
Thud.
At my truthful answer, Clark covered his face with his hands. It looked like he was being consumed by guilt in real-time.
I desperately wanted to ease Clark's guilt, so I spoke up quickly.
"G-Grandfather. You don't need to feel so guilty. At the time, I had lost my will to live because my parents were gone. I am truly happy to have been born into the Maishal family."
[......When...... did you cross over?]
"Pardon?"
[I am asking... how old you were when you came to this world.]
His voice was thick with misery and guilt. I was taken aback by the question for a moment, then recalled my age in my previous life. My parents had died in an accident right after I finished my military service, and I had lived like a hermit for a while...
"I was... probably twenty-three."
[......]
At my answer, Clark bowed his head and covered his face with both hands, as if he were sobbing. The rest of the family wasn't much different; every one of them wore an expression of pity.
Was it because they were such a loving family that they reacted this way? Or was I the strange one? If I told them that my original lifespan would have exceeded ninety years, Clark might have tried to take his own life right then and there.
"Then... does that mean your current age is over forty...?"
While everyone else was reeling, Mari seemed focused on a different detail. I turned my head at her murmur.
Mari was looking at me with a look of utter incomprehension, then she spoke quietly with a puzzled expression.
"But why do you still act like such a kid...?"
"......"
This was not the reaction I was going for.