I'm Sorry, Rune
"Sorry, Rune."
"Even though I knew what to expect, when it actually happened, I got cautious."
"'I figured you'd be suspicious.'"
"Rune had restrained his strength and achieved maximum results."
"But I knew only he could be outdone by Christina."
"He consoled himself."
"'It's okay. It's something that was going to happen someday.'"
At that moment, Christina smiled gently.
"Don't worry, Rune. I already knew it would be hard for you to say."
Rune's eyes widened at Christina's understanding gaze.
"'This... I didn't expect this. Could it be that Christina knows something?'"
"If Christina noticed his secret identity...?"
"Saying what he had prepared wouldn't help."
"What do you mean?"
Rune asked, and Christina's smile deepened slightly.
"Thinking about it, you've been incredibly smart since you were young. I thought your power was different from any hatchling's."
Her deep blue eyes grew serious.
"Yes. Even now, it's like... the kind of power an adult should have. It's strange I didn't realize earlier."
Rune felt his Adam's apple tighten from tension.
"I know I have to listen calmly."
"But my palms are sweating just from the nervousness."
"'Am I caught?'"
"He couldn't say the answer he expected, and Rune looked at Christina."
She reached out and gently stroked his head.
"How much hardship you've endured hiding this secret."
"!"
"Boom!"
After hearing the decisive words, it was very difficult for Rune to maintain his composure.
"'So sure about that?'"
"The truth that, unless he didn't know about the other world, he couldn't touch it."
"Maybe that thought was wrong."
"But don't worry. I understand why you couldn't tell the secret."
"This was out."
"He had been discovered."
"'So that's how I would be found out.'"
"He thought he had hidden it well, but it wasn't enough."
"I don't know how, but Rune thought it was time to relax."
"In the end, Rune, having resigned himself, nodded honestly."
"I didn't think you'd realize. Sorry, Christina. It wasn't about deceiving you."
Rune admitted honestly.
"With the shoulders drooping, Rune lowered his head a bit."
Christina bent her knees to match his eye level.
"As I thought. You liked being alone so much, so I wondered. Was it because you knew you were different from the other children?"
"Not exactly... but there were times it felt awkward."
"I see. Rune, look up."
"With his head raised honestly, Christina continued."
"Do you remember my request to live like a dragon? You need to be proud even thinking of your mother's heart."
"?"
"Something was odd."
"'Like a dragon? Thinking of a mother? To be proud?'"
"A phrase that shouldn't come out if he knew he was an Imugi from another world."
Rune, sensing something strange, looked up at her.
"Rune, from the time you were an egg, your body must have had special power."
"!"
"At those words, Rune's eyes rounded."
"'It was found out... no, was it?'"
"He didn't know what to say, so he stayed silent."
Christina nodded and said.
"It wouldn't have been easy. If she had your knowledge and abilities... Rune, have you ever felt something strange?"
"If it's strange..."
"His words trailed off."
Christina answered kindly.
"For example... yes. Abilities to handle knowledge or power related to the Dark Clan."
"?"
Rune could only look puzzled.
"Actually, that ability was something he had trained and awakened from his previous life."
Christina, seeing the young black dragon hatchling who seemed to be thinking, explained her guess.
"Rune. You probably didn't know, but before you were born, your mother's plan existed."
"..."
"The story was going in a direction he hadn't thought of."
"To Rune, who couldn't speak, she patted his shoulder with pity."
"Do you remember? When you were born, you understood the situation and could convey your will. If you already had the knowledge, it's not strange."
Her confident words continued.
"It must be that your mother, the black dragon elder, cast the Transmission magic on you."
"Christina had misread."
"The knowledge and ability he had, even actions equal to an adult, were planned by the body owner's mother."
"'She thought like that and helped?'"
"Rune's red pupils shook as if an earthquake hit."
"But Christina nodded several times, as if understanding his agitation."
"Not long after you were born, I cast the Transmission magic on you again, so you and I both didn't even suspect until now."
"At first surprise."
"Rune saw an opportunity."
"'So... that's it?'"
"With a suspicious glance, Christina met his eyes again."
"Yes. The black dragon elder I know values the survival of the Dark Clan most."
"Her misty gaze turned blue."
"The light of the irrecoverable past lingered a moment, then captured Rune's current appearance."
"I worried because I thought you might have trouble accepting this. But."
"Christina's hand on Rune's shoulder gained a little strength."
"If it became more confusing, I worried you would suffer more. Because you might feel your uniqueness couldn't mix with the thought of being different from other hatchlings."
"..."
"Her delicate heart was grateful, but it was quite off the mark."
"On the other hand, it was a strangely accurate remark."
"'Unique and hard to mix. That is correct.'"
"Her insight was admirable."
"And Rune, not missing the chance, opened his mouth."
"I already knew I was special. Don't worry too much. Thank you for telling me."
"Hoo."
"Rune thought with a sigh of relief inside."
"'Not a lie. Because the types of uniqueness are many.'"
"Rune then poured out what he thought."
"Actually, I thought someone might have done something to my body before I was born."
"Is that true?"
"Rune nodded."
"He said to Christina, who was quietly listening."
"'At that time, it was during the war with the demons, and my mother, as a Dark Clan elder, had to lead the war.'"
"Yes, that's right."
"With Christina's affirmation, Rune continued explaining more comfortably."
"'I don't know if my egg was born during or before the war... but since it existed as an egg, someone must have touched it?'"
"'Christina is using this in preparation for when she eventually questions my identity.'"
"Even though it didn't match Christina's thoughts, it was a persuasive enough statement."
"Rune opened his mouth again with an innocent expression."
"'When I was born, I saw a tombstone nearby.'"
"Rune recalled the inscription."
"'A child who has never seen the light of the world. Even if we can never meet again, I wish you to be happy in that distant place.'"
"The black stone kept in one corner of the black room."
"Since Rune had finished magical treatment, he could see it unharmed often."
"He mulled over it."
"'Thinking about it now, maybe my mother already knew she would die in the war.'
"Christina took a small breath."
"Saying a mother’s death to a hatchling only over a hundred years old was heartbreaking."
"'Yes. It was a time when many dragons were dying, so it might be.'
"Her sad heart was conveyed in her voice."
"Rune waited a moment and carefully opened his lips."
"'I thought it meant I wished to be happy in that distant place. But it wasn't.'
"Seeing Christina hum lightly, Rune smiled faintly."
"'Then, wouldn't she have written that we would definitely meet again? In that place where we and my mother would coexist.'
"!"
"Christina's blue eyes trembled with shock."
"A sad realization for a child to hold in their mouth."
"Ignoring her agitation, Rune continued his explanation."
"'But it said a distant place we can't meet. Maybe my mother thought I definitely would be born in that distant 'future'?'"
"Christina felt her eyes moisten with emotion."
"'You thought of it in that sense?'"
"'The child, the mother's heart in his pure voice was truly beautiful, more than she could feel.'
"'Yes. So I thought the inscription meant that.'
"'Even if we can't meet again, [Be happy in that distant 'future'].'
"After hearing Rune's continued words, Christina's hand trembled."
"Whoosh!"
"It was not the gentle pat on the back as usual, but a slightly stronger hug."
"With a voice as if something would burst, Christina said."
"'Rune. You are truly a lovable child. There will be no kinder child in the world than you.'
"Rune waited a moment and lightly hugged Christina's neck."
"'...Thank you too, Christina. For giving me birth.'
"Why?"
"After Rune's words, Christina felt a weight of long-forgotten guilt lifted."
"The last black dragon elder she had seen, her master."
"When she entrusted her egg to Christina, she promised to care for it until it hatched."
"She didn't know the weight would crush her for nearly a thousand years."
"The vanished Dark Clan."
"The only egg of the dead mother."
"After everyone disappeared, the disappointment when only the tombstone made of black dragon scales was found."
"For a thousand years, while watching the egg that didn't even move or make a sound of crying."
"Finally, the times of giving up."
"Moments of regret and apology."
"With all the remaining emotions sweeping at once, Christina sighed."
"Drip. Pat pat."
"With the feeling of wet shoulders, Rune asked quietly."
"'Christina... are you crying?'"
"'...'"
"Wiping tears on the small child's shoulder, Christina tried to hide them."
"Soon realizing it couldn't be hidden, with an apologetic heart, she hugged the child's body tightly."
"'You grew up like this.'
"Christina, too, often looked at the tombstone."
"Sometimes she ignored the words, but while grieving, she quietly looked at the tombstone."
"Even so, she couldn't read the hope in the inscription."
"She had once resented the egg that didn't even have a heartbeat."
"Could it be because she was mother and child?"
"In the end, Christina said the words she had never put into her mouth."
"Sorry... Rune."
"With a trembling voice."