Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Dad?!
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Dad.
Another word for father.
It was a foreign word to me. From the moment it entered my ears until I unwittingly rolled it around in my mouth, any word related to parents felt so utterly unfamiliar.
And hearing it from the daughter of my benefactor, no less, made it feel even stranger.
Absurd and flustered, I asked her naturally.
"Why do you think that?"
"⋯Th-that's⋯"
Ellie fell silent for a moment before her face flushed bright red. It was nearly the same shade as her hair.
Her eyes darted around uncertainly, as if she had no idea where to look, scanning various spots on my body. And then.
"⋯⋯!!!"
Ellie's long elven ears turned red-hot, practically smoking as they twitched wildly.
She tried pressing down her wide-brimmed mage's hat to hide them, but there was no covering those up.
"Never mind. I think I get the gist of what you're imagining."
"⋯⋯"
Ellie hung her head, clearly embarrassed even by her own thoughts.
Tracing back to the root of the misunderstanding.
That day, I'd headed to Diana's bedroom to soothe her curse.
And shortly after, Ellie had come looking for Diana.
She'd peeked through the crack in the door, misunderstood that Diana and I were in the middle of baby-making—i.e., having sex—and bolted from the inn.
When we reunited, she'd shifted from the shy but vibrant positive Ellie mode I'd seen at the library to a depressed, pessimistic, pathetic Ellie mode.
'She's still young. No wonder reuniting like that with a foster mother she doesn't get along with would shock her.'
"Diana and I aren't in that kind of relationship. That time, I was just helping my benefactor Diana deal with her curse."
⋯At least not yet. Who knows what it might turn into later, but that's how it was right now.
On a separate note, I hesitated for a second about whether to mention Diana's curse, but with everyone else around asleep and Ellie being Diana's daughter, it should be fine.
"B-but⋯ I-I heard⋯! Th-the incredible m-moans⋯"
"It was that kind of curse. Diana couldn't help herself."
Honestly, whether it was the "reject inferior dick intrusion" curse or the "lewd weakling corruption tattoo" curse, neither was anywhere near normal.
Especially since getting found out with even one of them would make you itch for social suicide.
"⋯Really? Then Uncle, you're not my dad?"
"Really. And I'm not 'Uncle,' and definitely not your dad."
Me—someone who hasn't even kissed, let alone had sex or gotten married—getting called "dad." What a misunderstanding, Ellie.
"I had no idea you were Diana's daughter until we met at the library. I only first heard about you on the day you ran off."
"Ah⋯⋯"
Ellie's mouth fell open blankly. Her eyes shook like there was an earthquake, and her ears flapped out of control.
Yanking her hat brim down hard, Ellie buried her face straight into her knees.
"Wh-what kind of misunderstanding did I⋯!"
No blood relation, and yet mother and daughter through and through? Her reaction was eerily similar to Diana's.
"Stupid idiot girl⋯! Ugh⋯! Just die⋯!"
No, maybe a little different after all.
Ellie was so mortified by all the solo misunderstandings and delusions she'd harbored about me that she couldn't bear the shame. She rolled around on the ground, writhing in agony.
Like a college student suddenly recalling their middle school black history.
After rolling around, Ellie lay flat on her back, staring into space with her face hidden under her hat. Her long ears drooped limp, mirroring her mood.
"⋯I'm pathetic, aren't I?"
Her self-mocking tone suggested she'd crashed hard back to reality.
"Running off like an idiot all by myself, fantasizing, wanting to ask straight-up but lacking the guts⋯"
"⋯⋯"
"And it's not just this once. It was the same at the academy. I can't even take praise at face value—I twist it every time. People's compliments always come with some agenda."
"⋯What agenda?"
"They all only care about the Ordia name. The girl named Ellie? Doesn't exist to them. Even when I shove even bigger accomplishments in their faces out of spite, nothing changes."
I recalled how Ellie had lit up like sunshine at a single bit of praise from me in the library.
Only then did I vaguely grasp Ellie's deepest lacks.
'Inferiority complex, affection... or just plain attention.'
Inferiority toward Diana. A craving for praise. A wish for others to actually see her.
Perfectly ordinary feelings for any kid her age.
"I don't get it."
"⋯Huh?"
I walked over to Ellie. Her face peeked out from under the hat.
Thud!
I plopped down right next to her head and rested my hand on top of her hair. The soft texture of her red locks tingled through my fingertips.
"Wh-what are you doing all of a sudden⋯!"
The flustered Ellie tried to pull away from my hand, but there was no way a clumsy, low-agility mage was escaping a warrior's grip.
Before long, she stopped struggling and meekly accepted my touch.
She probably hadn't even washed, but Ellie's elf-blooded hair flowed soft and silky, like it was perfectly maintained.
I stroked her hair gently.
"Ellie. I don't know squat about magic or the labyrinth city's history. So I have no clue just how amazing Diana is. She must be impressive, sure. But is that really so important?"
Ellie stared at me with a dazed look. Like, Of course it is.
I just didn't get it.
Why keep measuring yourself against others and tearing yourself down?
"The Ellie I've seen up till now? She's already a fine mage all on her own."
"⋯⋯!"
Ellie's eyes went wide as saucers. I kept going.
"I survived thanks to your magic. Without it, you think I'd have wrapped up the Minotaur that easily? Nah. So let me say it now: you saved my life. Thanks, Ellie."
"Th-that's nothing! ⋯Anyone would've done the same in that spot."
"But you saw it yourself. You were the only one who stepped out from behind that barrier. That's a choice most people couldn't make."
"⋯⋯"
"Ellie. You don't need to despair comparing yourself to others. You're already plenty special, just as you are."
No matter how much you live your life stacked up against everyone else, the person who matters most in it is still you.
What I'd done for Ellie wasn't anything grand.
'Just breathed a tiny spark of self-esteem into her.'
No dramatic transformation on the surface.
"I... am special just as I am⋯"
Ellie murmured my words back to herself, her eyes calm and settled.
"⋯You really think that?"
"Obviously. You're the best mage I've ever laid eyes on."
"But there are professors... and the assistants too⋯"
"The useless lot who don't lift a finger when you actually need 'em."
Ellie let out a small chuckle at that. Having laid it all out, I felt pretty sheepish myself and just grinned.
After the laughter died down, a brief silence settled in.
Crackle— Crackle—
As only the pop of campfire embers filled the air, Ellie spoke up cautiously.
"Thank you, Uncle."
"Just spoke the truth. No need to make a big deal out of it."
"⋯Ugh⋯ For real⋯"
Embarrassed, shy, or both.
Ellie averted her eyes, her flushed ears twitching as she stared at the campfire.
Was it the crimson flames? A flicker of burning resolve seemed to dance in her half-visible eyes.
Whether this sliver of self-esteem would get swallowed up by her old inferiority complex like always, or become a springboard for something new...
"I'll do better from now on."
...that was up to Ellie's determination.
The next day, the students wrapped up their labyrinth phenomenon survey.
"This was your final survey, so please craft a thesis you'll have no regrets about before graduation."
Professor Mangkostil beamed with satisfaction, a stark contrast to the students' forced grins.
"To graduate from the academy, you have to write a labyrinth analysis paper or develop your own unique spell. It's basically your senior thesis."
Ellie's explanation cleared it right up. So that's why we'd gone through all this hassle.
"Ellie. What're you planning to do after you graduate?"
"⋯Still deciding. I've got a royal mage recommendation, and I could pick any noble house to serve as a retainer, but⋯"
Ellie mulled over her future with a serious look. It was a big decision—best to choose wisely.
"No prospects? Join our party! Door's always open!"
"⋯Huh?"
"What kinda nonsense is that, Jubel? You nuts? Ellie, don't listen. It'll rot your ears."
I clapped my hands over Ellie's long ears and backed away from the crazy kid.
Dragging a girl with a bright future ahead into our dumpster-fire party? She's out of her mind.
Ellie, who'd been pulled along with her head still gripped in my hand, slyly lifted her gaze.
"⋯Uncle. You gonna keep exploring? With that party?"
"Yeah. For the time being."
Unless some massive disaster hit them or the party imploded out of nowhere, we'd at least stick together through the 8th floor.
"⋯Hmm⋯ So you really are sticking with it⋯"
Ellie eyed me with a strangely sultry expression. A faint chill crawled up the back of my neck.
Ellie was a brilliant mage. But the labyrinth was way too dangerous. Maybe because she was my benefactor's daughter, but her safety weighed extra heavy on my mind.
"Ellie. You're a genius. A genius mage with a glowing future and royal recommendations."
"I know. I'm a genius without question. You made sure to remind me last night, Uncle."
"⋯Right. You know, then make the smart choice. Got it?"
"⋯I'll think it over!"
Ellie flashed a bright smile and let it slide.
She'd been smiling a lot more freely since last night, it seemed.
Or had pathetic Ellie flipped back to positive Ellie?
"Tch⋯"
Good was good. She was sharp despite the vibes. I trusted she'd make the wise call.
Two weeks and three days after entering, we finally exited the labyrinth. Extra caution on safety meant zero injured students or incidents.
The commission wrapped up successfully. Our party agreed to rest up, meet later, settle rewards, and parted ways.
"I'm heading to Diana's inn. You wanna come?"
"⋯Snagged a bit of free time, so I'll just pop in for a face-check and head back to the academy."
Same destination: Diana's inn.
I hoped this mother-daughter duo could mend fences, even if it took a while.
Ellie, who'd gone quiet for a moment, suddenly perked up like she'd remembered something.
"Oh yeah, Uncle. Keep that promise."
"Huh? Promise? What promise?"
What promise was this? Ellie's cheeks turned pink as she sidled right up next to me. And then.
Squeeze.
She hugged my left arm tight. A tad smaller than Diana's but far from small, that soft, pillowy sensation swallowed my arm whole. I couldn't help but focus every nerve on that heavenly feel.
"⋯The praise stamps. You said you'd stamp 'em plenty."
⋯Oh. Right, I had said that... But why the hell was she making that face?
"It's embarrassing out here in public, so do it at the inn. Foster Mom's inn!"