127. Poison Apple (2)
127. Poison Apple (2)
[Chapter 127] - Poison Apple (2)
Titania's throat choked up with overwhelming emotion.
Because she couldn't believe the texture and warmth of her mother against her fingertips, Titania boldly traced her palm over her mother's face as if stroking it. The reality felt through her entire hand made her fingertips tremble slightly with emotion.
5 years.
It had been a whole 5 years since she last met her mother.
As the deep sense of loss in her chest was slowly filled, Titania smiled bashfully and stroked Vivian's cheek. Was it because it had been so long? She pressed her body against her mother and inhaled, and a familiar scent brushed against the tip of her nose.
As she inhaled the scent of her mother that she had missed so much, Titania finally felt the sensation that she was alive. It was as if the time without her mother hadn't been living at all; she felt like her stopped heart was starting to beat again, and she felt like she might cry.
'I really, really missed you.'
Titania looked at the unconscious Vivian and greeted her internally. She hadn't intended to go this far, but she really had no choice. If she didn't do this, her mother would just run away again. This was truly the best way to make sure she caught her mother.
If she used the royal knights to bring her back by force, her mother would get hurt, and if she spread rumors about her being a witch, she didn't know what the villagers might do to her. So, Titania thought this was the only way for her mother.
"Let's go back now, Mother."
Titania put one hand behind Vivian's neck and the other behind her knees, lifting her up. She held her mother in her arms in what is commonly called a princess carry. Seeing her mother fully embraced in her arms, Titania smiled as if she were the happiest person in the world.
Just as she was about to leave with Vivian—
"W-wait, wait a second...!"
Katarina, who had been stunned on the side, grabbed Titania's ankle.
Titania glanced back and looked down at Katarina coldly. At the sharp gaze that seemed to ask why she was interfering after she had explained everything, Katarina gulped down dry saliva and continued.
"U-uh... I-I mean..."
Katarina was horrified by this sudden situation. Vivian suddenly eating an apple and collapsing. The guest from earlier arriving as if waiting for this moment. Plus, for some reason, she was even being treated like a thief.
In a situation she couldn't understand at all, the only reason she could pull herself together was because Titania called Vivian 'Mother'. Katarina had heard stories about Titania a few times.
'I'm sorry I left without saying anything to that child. I miss her even here.' Vivian, who had returned after seeing Titania last winter, had cried so much she was sick for almost a week.
Katarina didn't intend to interfere in their family relationship. She wasn't in a position to. She just had to keep the 'contract' with Vivian. But this, no matter how she looked at it...
Katarina looked up at Titania in shock. When Titania tried to shake off Katarina's hand as if she had nothing more to say, Katarina grabbed her even tighter and shouted.
"E-even if you're her daughter, I don't think this is right...!"
"What?"
"Hick! I-I mean... I made a 'contract' with Vivian...! Vivian does work for me here, and I... I protect her..."
"Ha, protect?"
Titania let out a scoff and shook off Katarina's hand that was holding her ankle. Then, glaring at Katarina, who had fallen to the floor, she replied in a low, growling voice.
"If you really intended to protect Mother, she wouldn't have eaten the medicine I prepared. Right? You can't even protect Mother properly, and what? A contract? Don't make me laugh."
"A-that's...! Anyway, I can't let you take her! You can't go...! I-I don't want to use magic on people either...! So put Vivian down quickly...! I-I'm s-s-scary when I get angry, you know...?!"
"...Ha."
Seeing Katarina struggling while holding her ankle, Titania let out a hollow laugh. Then, hugging Vivian even tighter, she glared at Katarina as if to kill her. She felt an urge to just brush her off, but Titania held it in and continued.
"...She's my mother. She's my mother! She's my mother who left as she pleased without saying a word to me!! I just came to get her back, so who are you to get in my way...? Do you have the right to stop me?! Is it just because of that 'contract'?!"
"B-but... W-witches shouldn't break contracts..."
...Come to think of it, there was a story like that.
It was what her mother said when they pinky-promised for the first time a long time ago. That witches shouldn't lie. She definitely thought it was a lie, but seeing Katarina holding her ankle and tearing up, she thought maybe it wasn't. But...
"I'm sorry, but I don't intend to keep Mother here. In the first place, the moment Mother ate the medicine I prepared, the 'contract' with you is as good as over. Right? You couldn't 'protect' Mother."
"Ah, ugh..."
"So, let go of this right now."
Titania shook her ankle, which was held by Katarina, back and forth. However, Katarina didn't let go until the end and shook her head while tearing up. Just when she thought she might really have to use violence—
"T-then, can't I come with you...?"
"...What?"
Katarina looked up at Titania with a silly smile.
"I-I don't want to go back to the days of living alone like this...! I can't go back to those days anymore...! I don't want to go back to living in a trash house alone...! I want someone to be with me...! I want a person, not a fairy...! If possible, I want to be with Vivian...!"
"You..."
Titania looked down, dumbfounded, at Katarina, who was now hugging her ankle and refusing to let go, rather than just holding it. Seeing her look similar to a 'koala', an animal she saw in an animal encyclopedia when she was young, Titania sighed involuntarily.
Titania felt both frustrated and a little relieved by Katarina, who was hugging her ankle. After all, Katarina liked her mother just as someone who helped her. She didn't see her mother as a woman like she did. Plus...
'I know the pain of when someone you can rely on suddenly disappears.'
But, even so...
-Why not just bring her? Instead, make sure to have a 'contract'.
"...Veronica eonni?"
-Even if she looks like that, she's a witch of the 'Coven'. She'll be helpful someday. Besides, I have things I want to ask other witches soon... Instead, make sure to have 'binding' through a contract. For my sake, at least.
As Titania was wondering what to do, Veronica's voice came from the mirror necklace. At Veronica's tone, which sounded as if it was fine to bring home a stray puppy, Titania let out a long sigh. Even so...
"...Haa, okay. Instead, make a 'contract' with me. Do not tell 'anyone' about what happened after contracting with me. From now on, listen to my words first. If you contract like this, you can follow."
Titania issued a gag order to Katarina for Veronica's sake. Titania issued the gag order for Veronica, who was still being chased by the Great Witch, and since she didn't really have anything else to order, she roughly proposed a contract to 'listen to her words first.'
Katarina nodded her head vigorously without a moment's hesitation. Titania looked down at Katarina and wondered if this was really okay, but what could she do when Katarina herself wanted it? In the end, she had no choice but to resign herself.
Besides, the important thing wasn't Katarina.
Titania didn't care as long as she could take her beloved mother. Looking at her mother, who was sleeping soundly in her arms, Titania smiled happily and walked out of the shop.
"Eonni, since I came here on my own, open the 'door' when I go back, just as promised."
-...Yes. You know you have to prepare for the coronation ceremony as soon as you get back, right?
"...I know. Thank you, eonni."
Bang.
As the shop door opened, she could see her room beyond it.
The room where she had spent her whole life with her mother. Titania had continued to use that room even after Vivian left. So that her mother could use it whenever she returned, so that it would be fine whenever her mother returned.
Titania took a step and returned to her room through the 'door' Veronica had connected. Then, she gently laid her sleeping mother on the bed and looked down at her calmly.
As expected, her mother looked best here, Titania smiled and stroked the sleeping Vivian's hair. She wanted to wake her mother up right away, but she couldn't yet.
Because—
"Are you back?"
"Yes, eonni."
"Then get ready quickly. Soon, the maids will come in to dress you up for the coronation ceremony."
Tomorrow, Titania had to attend the coronation ceremony to become queen. The reunion after 5 years had to be postponed until after the coronation ceremony.
Veronica, who was looking at Vivian lying on the bed, sighed softly and asked Titania.
"...Are you just going to leave Vivian like this?"
"Ah. Mother is..."
Saying she had a really good idea, Titania, who had a smile of infinite happiness, looked at Veronica.
It was a smile she hadn't seen from her younger sister in a long time, but for some reason, Veronica got goosebumps. Because...
"There's a room upstairs with a good view, perfect for watching fireworks. Take her there and..."
Unlike her expression, which said she was the happiest in the world.
Her words were laced with terrible obsession.
"Tie her up well to the chair. So she can watch the fireworks tomorrow."
"......Okay."