Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: The Saint's Inner Thoughts Are Heard
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I bit my lower lip as I looked at the scene unfolding before me.
The cool breeze brushing past through the open window, the warm warmth felt against the skin, the children playing in the wheat fields dyed blue.
For a space said to be inside a cursed holy sword, it looked far too alien.
I remember this scenery more clearly than anyone.
No, I had been longing for this memory more achingly than anyone.
This is the scenery of my old hometown home from ten years ago.
The scribbles drawn in a corner of the room were exactly the same. The cosmos flowers my mother liked, blooming softly in the yard, were also identical.
"...So, seeing you holding hands with our Astal like that, you really are dating, right?"
"Darling, Astal was famous as a handsome boy even when he was little. Have you forgotten how all the village girls kept coming to our house just to see our son?"
The man and woman smiling contentedly at me... I felt as if I might be dreaming just looking at them.
Could I be seeing an illusion or a hallucination?
If not, was this a scheme by Dullahán to escape the seal?
The people before my eyes now were the reckless ones who, during the tragedy on my tenth birthday, tried to fight the Demon King's army armed only with farming tools to protect their child.
My parents, whose heads were then brutally torn off and severed by the Demon King's army, whose brown hair I had to watch roll in the mud.
"Father... Mother..."
Claude Caisaros and Celine Caisaros.
Facing my parents' faces after so long, my throat tightened and my voice wouldn't come out properly.
I had a mountain of things I wanted to talk about if I ever met them, but actually facing them like this, my mind turned blank white and no thoughts came.
Because the moment came back to me when I had to place flowers on a tombstone with nothing buried beneath it, unable to even recover their bodies.
Because I wanted to place the cosmos flowers my mother liked, but all I could find in the village where everything had burned were nameless wildflowers.
"Oh my, our son. Are you crying now? You should show your cool side in front of your girlfriend...!"
"...Was the joke too much? Sorry, Astal."
But now was different from then.
My parents, whom I thought had vanished from this world, existed perfectly fine inside Dullahán's holy sword.
"It's not auditory or visual hallucinations. It's not Dullahán deceiving me either.... As far as my eyes can see, there's nothing strange."
Just in case, I used my mana-seeing eyes to determine if they were fake, and by confirming the unique flow of magical power from my mother's side, I knew they were real.
A person's magical power was like a fingerprint, something hard to imitate or forge.
"Th-then, this is no time to just stand around like this!"
Victoria hastily straightened her hair and clothes, trying to make a good impression on my parents.
She didn't really need to do that.
Just seeing us arrive holding hands like this, my parents would view Victoria favorably.
"Nice to meet you. Father, Mother. I am the Saint currently dating Astal... Victoria Aberhardt."
Unlike usual, she wasn't using extreme honorifics and used a slightly lighter tone, perhaps to become closer to my parents.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Celine Caisaros. Astal's mother."
"I'm Claude Caisaros. Judging by appearances, it looks like our son has been through a lot of heartache. Is that right?"
Seeing that, my parents, perhaps feeling sorry that Victoria and I were still standing, sat in the chairs placed before the table as they greeted us.
No matter how I thought about it, my parents seemed to be doubting that I was dating a beauty like Victoria.
"Actually, I've been through more heartache. I confessed and got rejected once."
"......"
I couldn't respond to Victoria's story to my parents. Seeing her making a sad face like a rain-soaked kitten made me feel almost resentful.
"Oh my, is that really true? He's had no interest in girls since he was little.... But I never thought he'd still be like that even after becoming an adult...."
"Astal, how many times did your father tell you to treasure women who like you...?"
While drinking their usual black tea, my parents were sending cold glances my way.
As far as I knew, my parents were people who had transcended even the status of butler and noble lady, eloped for love, and settled in this rural village.
The reason I had talent in magic, known to be the exclusive domain of nobles since childhood, and the reason only my mother had a special flow of magical power, was because of this.
The Caisaros family my mother came from was famous for their hereditary family magic of disassembling and recreating magic.
"I'm sorry. This probably isn't what you hoped for."
I didn't make excuses to my parents. No matter what I said, it was true that I had pushed Victoria's feelings away.
And because I now realized I liked her enough to want to accept her confession again.
"No. It's our fault for not being able to protect you. If we hadn't died, you could have lived an ordinary life."
"I'm sorry. I should have resisted that bastard Dullahán at least a little. Or at least left last words that wouldn't make you feel so guilty."
"......"
Hearing my words, my parents were telling me they were sorry. Unlike moments before, they couldn't hide their pitying emotions.
"Ah, no! It's because I was clumsy at expressing my feelings to Astal... At first, I treated him completely harshly! Astal hasn't done anything wrong...!"
Here, only Victoria was waving her hands, trying to lighten this gloomy atmosphere. Perhaps it was because she was an outsider, not from the same family.
One of the reasons I came to like Victoria was this. She was always someone who talked about hope and moved forward even in such dark situations.
"'Harshly'... Specifically, how did you treat him?"
"Calling him demeaning names like pervert, or even cursing while disparaging him a bit..."
Perhaps thinking this might be the last chance to meet my parents.
Victoria was speaking honestly to my parents without embellishing her words. I thought she might even lie to look good if it were the usual her.
"That's a bit harsh.... No, wait. I think our pretty new daughter-in-law must have had a reason for being like that."
Already, my mother seemed to be acknowledging our relationship by calling Victoria 'new daughter-in-law' with an affectionate term.
Just seeing her take Victoria's side instead of mine, even after hearing that her beloved son had been cursed and disparaged by his lover, showed that.
"At that time, I was living a life with a time limit, and I thought I couldn't date men because of my position as Saint. I thought if Astal disliked me through such methods, I could sort out my feelings..."
Victoria was slowly explaining her feelings to my parents. She probably even thought of showing them the flower still remaining on my body if they couldn't believe her.
"I understand that feeling. My husband tried to quit being a butler after he came to like me too. He said you can't have feelings for the person you serve, right?"
"We agreed not to talk about that time. Darling."
At Victoria's words, my mother spoke while subtly giving my father a look. Perhaps my passive attitude toward Victoria might be hereditary.
"All the men in our family are like that. Even when they actually have a woman they like, they think they should just treasure her from the side and only show passive behavior."
My mother sighed deeply with an expression that said, 'So you were like that too, Astal.' My father was looking at the table, unable to properly meet her eyes.
It was a scene I hadn't seen in a long time.
As if watching a butler and a young lady.
Since my mother had once been a noble lady, there was an aspect of her dominating my commoner father.
"...Daughter-in-law, you could have lied or embellished your words and not told the story properly. Why did you honestly tell us even about the harsh things you did to our son?"
"Because that's what I think love is. Even if feelings are misaligned, or we argue harshly, or hurt each other.... Acknowledging each other's different parts and moving toward a better relationship, that's what it's about."
Victoria placed her hand over her chest and spoke while looking at me with gentle eyes.
Unlike before we entered our contract relationship, the woman named Victoria Aberhardt showed an honest aspect to her emotions.
"I truly love Astal, your son. To the extent that I would gladly give my life for him."
Seeing Victoria's resolution, my parents took her hands in theirs and smiled brightly.
"...Our son really brought home a proper daughter-in-law. With this, I won't have anything to worry about even after attaining Buddhahood."
"You, treat our new daughter-in-law well. If things like not talking things through between husband and wife or awkward matters pile up, they'll eventually lead to fights."
It seemed they liked that she didn't try to look good by deceiving others, but instead showed this honest side.
"So, how did you end up falling for our Astal? Our son may be handsome, but he's completely clueless about dealing with women..."
My father was showering us with questions about how Victoria and I met and why we fell in love.