Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: I Want to Call You Mom
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"......I want to call Asrania Mom."
"Ahh, Goddess Asrania. Please save us."
"Can't you just call me normally?"
"How about Asrania Ver. 2.0?"
"......Do whatever you want."
"Yay! Goddess Asrania!"
She wasn't getting through to me at all.
Staring at Marigold—no, Calendula—made my temples throb.
She clearly looked like a fluffy little child, but inside lurked a cunning old monster who'd seen it all.
And the way she lisped and acted cute?
It was giving me cognitive dissonance so bad I felt seasick.
'Her original personality is probably still in there, right?'
Every now and then in our conversation, I'd catch a glimpse of something chilling, so it seemed like her true self was mixed in.
"So, how should I treat you?"
"Huh? I figured you'd expose me? Like, 'Everyone! This cute kid's true identity is the creepy Number 3, Calendula!'"
"Why would I? What's the point?"
"Oh?"
Marigold's eyes went wide.
What would I gain from outing her?
The fact that I knew her secret.
That was my biggest weapon.
'She's desperate to hide her identity, so I can just use this to my advantage.'
Marigold seemed to read my mind and grinned slyly.
"Then call me cute Marigold. Come on, say it. Cute Marigold!"
"Got it. Marigold."
"With 'cute'!"
"Not-cute Marigold."
"No 'not'! Ugh, fine. Whatever!"
Realizing I'd never say "cute," she quickly gave up and moved on.
"Hehe, thank you so much! Big sis Asrania!"
She was way older than me, yet calling me "big sis."
It felt so weird.
Like having your grandma call you "sis."
'No need to swallow that red pill.'
I swallowed my unease as best I could.
Anyway, she looked like a cute girl on the outside,
so whether she had a hundred sly foxes inside or not, right now she was just a bouncy little kid.
Like Wonhyo and the skull full of water.
That was when it hit.
A chilling sensation crawled up my spine.
A presence?
I slowly turned my head to check behind me.
Nothing there.
Just smooth marble walls.
Not a crack, not a stain—perfectly pristine.
'Just my imagination?'
I furrowed my brow.
This place was designed by Axiom's Number 5, Sage.
As Marlboro said, the guy wasn't right in the head.
No surprise if there were hidden mechanisms.
Someone behind the walls?
It was a building, so not that weird.
'But it feels like someone's watching from behind the wall.'
"Asrania......!"
From the far end of the corridor, I heard someone calling my name.
'Esira?'
Gone was her usual clear, cheerful tone.
A cracked voice thick with tears.
The moment I turned, my heart dropped.
Breath caught in my throat.
Esira was running toward me. Her face was a mess. On the verge of breaking down like the world was ending.
No, she'd probably been crying on the way—tear tracks stained her cheeks.
I bolted to her without thinking.
My mind went blank white, then boiled over with red-hot rage in an instant.
What the hell happened? Who dared?
"Whoa......"
Marigold paled beside me.
The killing intent pouring off me must've been ferocious.
Like, 'This crazy bitch is about to snap.'
Esira clung to my waist like a koala. Her tiny body shook like a leaf.
"......What happened? Who made you cry?"
"Asrania...... doesn't need a dad or anything."
The words came out of nowhere—I thought I'd misheard.
"What? What does that mean?"
Esira looked up, eyes brimming with tears.
"I'll make Asrania happy. I promise."
Dad? Happy?
What the hell was this?
I couldn't make sense of it.
I'd only been gone ten minutes or so.
What happened?
A perfectly fine kid comes running with the world-ending face, grabs my waist, babbling about "dad" and "happy."
'That damn Commander.'
What nonsense did he feed this child?
"I asked him to look after her......"
And he makes her cry? Not enough—he gets her saying "no need for a dad"?
I'm gonna kill him. Kill him. Rip his head clean off. Psycho.
Crunch.
I clenched my fist without realizing.
Hot fury surged through my veins. I wanted to storm in and sever his neck right now. So he could never spout crap again.
"......Eek."
Marigold gasped beside me.
"R-Right now, you're old Asrania. Like, Ver. 1.0 Asrania......"
I let her babble slide in one ear and out the other.
First, comfort the kid.
"Esira."
I knelt to meet her eyes.
Gently wiped her teary cheeks with my thumb, suppressing my boiling anger, and asked as softly as I could.
"What happened? Did someone say something weird? Or scare you?"
"......No."
Esira shook her head. Stared up at me with puffy eyes.
So pitiful, yet somehow resolute—it threw me off.
"The Commander's an idiot. A moron and trash."
"......Yeah, I agree."
"So, Asrania."
Esira sniffled and threw her arms around my neck. Squeezed tight.
"Forget that jerk. You have me."
"Huh?"
"I'll stay by your side forever. I won't let you be lonely. So don't be sad. Okay?"
Warmth flooded through me.
Her patting hand was gentle, comforting.
I froze in my awkward pose.
'What is this situation?'
Question marks floated in my head.
I just wanted to know why she was crying and who did it.
Planning to hunt down the culprit and punish them.
But the victim was comforting me.
With eyes like she was gazing at a tragic heroine.
Don't be sad? Me?
Forget that trash guy? The Commander?
The Commander was the original protagonist.
What did she mean "forget"?
"Hey, Esira. Wait. I don't get it......"
"Don't cry. I know everything."
Esira, I'm really sorry, but
what do you know?
Esira buried her face in my chest and mumbled.
"I'll be your family. You don't need a dad. We can be happy just us."
Is this a hidden camera?
That's when my eyes met Marigold's over Esira's shoulder.
Her mouth hung open, watching this bizarre melodrama.
'How the hell did you live that she'd act like this?'
Her eyes said it all.
She turned away hurriedly when our gazes locked. Played innocent.
I played along for now.
"I only need Esira. Nothing else."
Was that the right answer?
Esira bit her lower lip, hesitated, then spoke.
"Mommy......"
"Huh?"
"......I want to call Asrania Mom."
Call me Mom?
Time froze.
Mom.
A word I'd never thought would touch my life.
A promise to become her whole world, beyond just guardian.
First, bewilderment hit.
Did I deserve to be called that?
Could I be this child's mom?
Thump. A heavy wave stirred deep in my chest. A hot lump surged from my solar plexus.
I kinda got it, but words failed.
So close, yet ultimately intangible.
'Ah.'
Then it clicked.
Why I'd been so furious about the Commander making her cry. Why my heart ached.
We were already each other's one and only family.
No blood shared, but we perfectly filled each other's voids.
"......Yeah."
I gently stroked Esira's hair.
"Call me that."
Esira's tense face melted into the happiest childlike smile in the world.
"Okay, Mommy!"
So dazzling, I forgot to breathe for a moment.
Esira.
Now my daughter.
To protect this smile, I'd turn the whole world against me.
We hugged like we'd shatter.
Marigold, watching it all, shut her mouth with a complicated look.
I tucked the mommy emotions away in a corner of my heart.
Time to deal with this.
I marched on, gritting my teeth. With Marigold and Esira in tow.
Marigold kept glancing nervously at me. Not a face Calendula would make.
Stepped back into the hall alone.
The bustling crowd had vanished without a trace. Axiom folks had moved somewhere.
'Where'd everyone go?'
Four remained in the hall.
Commander. Reina. Marlboro. And one girl in black-and-purple attire.
The Commander sat with hands neatly on his thighs. Head bowed like a condemned criminal.
If he'd smirked with his usual "Oh, you're here?" I would've bashed his skull scabbard-first, no hesitation.
Reina swallowed hard. Tense as hell. But ready to fight if I drew.
Marlboro just fiddled with his chin.
The new girl.
Odd black-purple outfit.
I knew her instantly.
Face I'd seen countless times in the game.
"Black Purple?"
The second I said her name, she jolted like electrocuted.
"A-aaaaaaaaah—! Y-Yes! Axiom Number 69!"
"What a jump."
"I-I'm always on L-Lady Asrania's side no matter what! Loyalty!"
Thought she just stuttered, but she was in bad shape. Vibrating like a phone on max buzz.
"What'd you do wrong?"
"Y-Yes!?"
"Then why're you like this. So distracting."
"I-I'm naturally s-scared of everything!"
"Loud."
"Eek! A-Are you gonna kill me? Please spare my life......!"
Black Purple reached for my hem, then yanked her hand back.
Probably met my eyes head-on.
"Y-You're making a total murder face right now......"
"......"
Not denying it.
"Where'd everyone go?"
"Th-They evacuated for a bit......"
Evacuated? Like a disaster hit?
Whatever. Not important now.
I slowly turned my head.
Time for answers.
Commander.
First time since isekai I'd felt this urge to snap his neck.
My shadow fell over him.
My right hand naturally went behind my back. Grip closed on the hilt.
Shing.
The sharp blade half-emerged.
"What the hell did you do?"