Chapter 184: Birth, Day…? (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 184: Birth, Day…? (5)
Once the suffocating atmosphere—which Alon hadn't quite fully grasped—finally settled...
Seolrang, who had been grumbling "My plan, my plan..." under her breath, hesitantly stepped back out of the box.
Step.
"I’m giving you this, Mentor."
She handed a document to Alon, even as she cast a wary glance toward Yutia.
"...Is this the gift?"
"That's right!"
Alon took the document and stared at it blankly. He wasn't sure if he should say thank you or something else entirely. He couldn't quite wrap his head around it.
'...Well, I suppose it feels a bit like that.'
A space in his now-faded memories. A story he had seen on a community board in his previous life.
'Is this how it feels for a father to receive a letter from his young daughter saying she wants to marry him?'
Of course, what Seolrang gave him wasn't a letter, but a marriage registration form. One where the names of both parties were already filled in.
...Perhaps, if Alon just stamped it once, they really would become a married couple(?).
Well, regardless, wasn't the sentiment behind the gift what mattered? He soon nodded.
"I accept it with gratitude."
"You can use it whenever you want! ...I mean, you can."
Seolrang’s ears perked up energetically, but she quickly tucked her tail between her legs when her eyes met Yutia’s. Alon let out a small chuckle at her childlike behavior. He reached out and patted Seolrang on the head a few times.
Poke.
Suddenly, he felt a faint sensation against his side.
"?"
He turned his head to see Yutia’s hand hovering awkwardly in the air.
"What is it, Yutia?"
"Oh, nothing. Just because."
"?"
She was definitely smiling, but her voice sounded slightly pouting. After glancing toward Seolrang’s head, Yutia quickly withdrew her hand and let out a soft exclamation.
"Ah, speaking of which, I’d like to give you my gift as well."
"I shall accept whatever it is with thanks."
"Hmm—I’d love to give it to you right now, but it’s difficult to do so here. You’ll have to come with me for a moment."
"...Where do we have to go?"
"Yes. Would you happen to have time tomorrow?"
"Will it take a long time to get there?"
"Hmm—it might?"
His schedule was tight. He had planned to head to Greinif immediately after this birthday was over.
'It’ll be a bit troublesome if it takes too long.'
As Alon hesitated, Yutia added, "I think you only need to clear about a day."
"...If that’s the case."
It wasn't as if a one-day delay would cause any major problems. Once their plans were set, Yutia looked around at everyone gathered in the room.
"Well, since the sun is setting, why don't we have some dinner?"
"Let’s do that."
* * *
Dinner at the Marquis's estate was noisier than usual. It was only natural, considering the number of people had increased by five.
"Isn't it fun!?"
[Kyuuuuu—!]
"One more time—"
[Ekyah—!]
Seolrang had stopped eating halfway through to start playing with Blackie in a corner.
'...I can't tell if Seolrang is playing with Blackie or if Blackie is playing with Seolrang.'
Blackie was letting out screams Alon had never heard before, going beyond his usual 'Kyu.' It almost felt like the little guy was working hard at his social life. Beside Blackie, who was desperately pumping up his energy levels...
"Hmm, he’s so pathetic it’s actually cute."
"Right. Pathetic and cute."
[You damn bastards!!! I’ve told you a dozen times, I am a God! A God, I say!!]
"But this is a bit disappointing. Looking at him—his face is a bit squashed. I think it would look better if we leveled it out like this."
[You son of a—!!!!!!!!!!]
"Hmm—I don't think it's bad as it is."
"Really? I prefer things to be perfectly symmetrical."
[If I ever manifest, I’ll start by devouring every single one of you! Do not underestimate a God’s divine punishment! I am a man of my word! I mean it!!!]
"Ah, anyway, so all these things happened in Laxas. It’s become quite a headache."
"I see."
[Don't ignore me!!!!!!!]
Ladan and Deus were playing with Basiliora. Or rather, instead of playing together...
"This is delicious."
"Mhm, indeed."
[I said don't ignore me—!!!!!!]
It was closer to teasing him. Turning his gaze to the opposite side...
"Hmm—well, the Marquis usually spends all day cooped up in his office or doing magic research, right?"
"I see."
Evan, Line, and Yutia were having a casual conver—
"Other than that, he occasionally goes out for a walk—or maybe checks out the auction house? But why do you ask?"
"Hmm—just pure curiosity?"
"Me too."
—sation, or so it seemed.
Alon realized the subject of their conversation was himself. He considered intervening for a moment but soon gave up and stuffed another piece of meat into his mouth.
'Delicious.'
The juices spread through his mouth. The pleasant flavor made the corners of his lips curl up slightly. No, it wasn't just because of the flavor.
"You like Blackie, right?"
[Ekyah—!]
"Let's make the face a bit more even, like this..."
"Hmm, that wouldn't be bad."
[I am a God, a God, I tell you—!!!]
"Well, the Marquis is usually alone."
"That’s a relief, haha."
"It really is."
For the first time in a long while—perhaps for the first time ever—the dining room was boisterous. The warmth filled every gap in the air. It wasn't bad at all. In fact—
'...It’s quite nice.'
Alon touched the corners of his lips, which had risen without him realizing, and watched the lively scene in the dining room for a while.
* * *
The noisy birthday dinner passed, and a new morning began. Alon saw the others off as they prepared to leave.
"Mentor, I’m heading out now!"
"I’ll be going as well."
"Me too."
"Brother, I’m heading back."
Each of them said their goodbyes. Alon gave a single nod.
"Right, get back safely. Thank you truly for the gifts. I’ll make good use of them."
In truth, he felt like a major disaster might occur the moment he actually 'made good use' of any of those gifts. Whether they knew his inner thoughts or not, the four of them left the Marquis's estate with satisfied smiles.
"Well, shall we head out as well, Teacher?"
"Let’s do that."
Alon and Yutia also prepared to depart so he could receive the gift Yutia had prepared.
"By the way, where are we going?"
Come to think of it, he hadn't even heard the destination.
"It wouldn't be very fun if I told you now. I’ll tell you once we arrive."
"Hmm, but from what I heard yesterday, it sounded like it was quite a distance away. It’s already afternoon, though?"
"It’s fine."
"...Is it? Can we really make it back in a single day?"
Yutia let out a vague, knowing smile. "I’ll tell you about that in a little bit, too."
"...In a little bit?"
"Yes. Once we arrive."
Yutia’s gift was shrouded in a perfect veil of mystery. Alon’s curiosity grew, but he eventually boarded the carriage. Soon, the carriage carrying the two of them left the estate and began to traverse the unpaved roads through the forest.
* * *
How long had they been traveling along the rugged path? The sun, which had been in the middle of the sky, was gradually setting, hanging over the mountainside. Just as darkness began to fall on the opposite side of the sunset...
"...The sun is starting to go down."
"Mhm, we’ll be there soon."
Yutia glanced out the window.
"Ah, we’ve arrived."
She soon called to the coachman and stopped the carriage.
"Let’s go, Teacher."
"Is there something in here?"
Yutia led Alon into the forest. A shallow darkness had already settled within the woods. Yutia moved inward without hesitation, and Alon followed behind her.
Eventually...
"...Oh."
As they reached the end of the forest path and the space opened up, Alon couldn't help but let out a gasp of admiration. It was an incredibly beautiful sight.
The sun barely peeked over the mountain's edge, its final rays on the verge of vanishing. The sky was a dreamy expanse where the fading sunset blended with the encroaching blue of the night. Below the cliff where they stood, thousands of evening primroses were slowly blooming in harmony with the falling night.
"How is it, Teacher?"
"It’s beauti—no, it’s radiant."
At Alon’s high praise, Yutia let out a laugh as pure and clear as the evening primroses. She then slowly began to walk among the flowers. Soon, she seemed to blend perfectly into the cluster of blossoms.
As Alon watched her...
"……?"
He felt it again—the sense of dissonance he had been feeling more frequently lately. It was strange, something that pricked at his senses. An inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
Since possessing this body in this world, he had absolutely never seen this scenery before. He was certain of that, and yet—
'It feels as if I’ve seen this somewhere before—'
Right then.
"Teacher, did you know?"
Yutia suddenly asked from among the flowers, her hands tucked behind her back. Alon, who had been dazed, snapped out of it and asked back.
"...Know what?"
"Cliffs filled with evening primroses like this can be found on that mountain over there, and on the mountain in front of us, too. There’s even one on a mountain a few days' journey away."
"Do you like this kind of scenery? You must have searched for places like this quite a bit."
Yutia slowly shook her head at his words. Her white hair shimmered like breaking waves under the moonlight.
"Actually, I didn't even know about them before, and I didn't like them—but now, I really love them."
"I see. Did someone tell you about them?"
A faint smile played on Yutia’s lips. Her eyes were fixed solely on Alon.
"Yes, that’s right. But Teacher, do you know why I specifically brought you here?"
"To be honest, I’m not sure."
Unable to find the source of that inexplicable déjà vu, Alon simply shook his head. Meanwhile, Yutia had approached him.
"That’s because—"
She parted her lips slightly.
"—I wanted to be with you, Teacher."
"...Wanted to be with me?"
"Yes. Because if the journey takes a long time, the time we spend together gets longer. So... I told a little lie."
"Then, the part about it being a gift that could only be given here—"
Her eyes curved like the blooming evening primroses.
"That was a lie, too."
"...I see."
"Aren't you going to scold me?"
"Is there any reason to scold you?"
"But I lied."
"Between us, something like this doesn't matter much."
Pause.
A moment of silence fell between them.
"...Is that so?"
"Yes."
"That’s a relief. I was actually worried I’d get in trouble."
"You didn't look worried at all."
"Did you catch me? But I couldn't help it."
Yutia burst into a playful laugh again. She then pulled a small box from her robes. It wasn't large—it was small enough to be carried in one's pocket quite easily.
"...I wanted to give you a gift that would be much more memorable than what the others gave."
Yutia held out her two small hands. Alon looked at her hands, which glowed translucently under the moonlight.
"I’ll accept it gladly."
He carefully took the box from her.
"When we go back, wait until some time has passed after I’ve left before you open it. Hmm—about a month later would be good."
"Why?"
"That way, you’ll think of me a little more."
Yutia didn't specify who 'me' referred to. Alon just stared at her.
With the full night sky as her backdrop, standing among the pale, blooming evening primroses, her radiant figure...
Was so breathtakingly beautiful that he felt dazed for a moment.
And so...
"...Alright."
Alon could only answer her like that.