Right, Your Parents Were Bastards
"Fufu, let's get along, Ercia."
"Ah, yes..."
Class? Status? Though she was a maid, she was a free citizen of Kaliaarun, meaning such societal ranks did not apply to her. Besides, he was her beloved's brother. Therefore, it was only right to be friendly. Arahan offered a soft, benevolent smile. Ercia had no choice but to give a lukewarm response.
I'd heard the rumors, but... To think he had actually chosen to be with both women.
Even if polygamy was legal, it was hardly common. Nobles kept a primary wife and took concubines; they did not have two primary wives. Yet Rowen had chosen both of them as his primary wives. Two queens. It was unprecedented in history—he was likely the very first to ever do so.
"You are remarkable in so many ways, Brother."
"...What kind of bullshit is that?"
Having shed plenty of tears during their long-awaited reunion, the atmosphere had eased. Perhaps that was why they conversed so naturally, without a hint of awkwardness despite the long separation. Just look at that—profanity was already rolling off Rowen's tongue.
Mio merely scratched her cheek awkwardly.
Arahan's attitude had shifted. Normally, she would have growled like a lioness if Mio got even slightly close to Rowen. But at some point, she had begun to understand Mio and open her heart. Yes. It was undoubtedly because she had witnessed Leah's death and felt the depth of the bond between Rowen and Leah firsthand.
If things continued as they were, Rowen might end up choosing no one. Though she wasn't entirely pleased with the arrangement, if she swallowed her pride just this once, everyone could be happy. That was her reasoning. Arahan didn't particularly like Mio, but she didn't hate her either. She just disliked the fact that Mio was by Rowen's side. As long as he cherished and loved her the most, she could tolerate anything.
Mio and Arahan shot subtle glares at each other. Rowen pointedly ignored them both and spoke.
"Still, I'm glad. I'm glad you're the one managing Rianode."
"Haha. I was actually planning to keep it a secret and then go, 'Ta-da!' but..."
"...Yep, you're definitely Licht."
The boy who was usually quiet and calm, yet acted so warm and bright around him. The younger brother who had met an honorable death on the battlefield. He had reincarnated, just like Rowen.
"Anyway, what the hell? What do you mean, an illegitimate child?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. I am a concubine's son, not the legitimate heir."
"...Then what about your father? I mean, your biological father and mother?"
"They're dead."
Rowen felt as if... as if he had stepped on a landmine.
"Hahaha. Don't worry too much. Those people didn't deserve to be called father and mother anyway."
The light in Ercia's eyes died, plunging into a pitch-black darkness deeper than any other. A sticky, unsettling sensation crept into the air.
"...Did you kill them?"
"Let us head inside. A banquet has been prepared."
"Hey, Licht."
Rowen grabbed Ercia's arm. Ercia merely scratched the back of his head awkwardly, as if he had expected this reaction.
"Look, it's... well, I'm not trying to be a nagging old man, okay? Just, you know, keep that in mind."
"I know. You're not preachy at all, Brother."
"Right. So let me ask you just one thing."
Did you...
"Did you kill your family out of mere hatred?"
If he had killed them out of hatred, then, as harsh as it sounded, he was no different from Judas. Whether it was a massacre or a simple rebellion, the core remained the same. At the very least, Rowen was not a monster who had slain his own parents. On the contrary, he had harbored hatred toward the ones responsible for his parents' deaths. He had been consumed by that hatred, which ultimately led to his own tragic end. That was why he was speaking up. It wasn't out of a desire to lecture.
"Don't let yourself be consumed by hatred."
"...Let us discuss this later, Brother."
"You little bastard. How many times have I told you? Never ignore the words of your elders."
Frankly, Ercia found this annoying. It wasn't a pleasant topic, and compared to the discrimination and suffering he had actually endured, they deserved to die. No, they should have been kept alive and tortured to this day. Because he truly believed that, a murderous aura leaked from him before he could stop it.
"Oh, look at you. Glaring at me now, are we?"
"...Let's just go."
He forced down the murderous intent directed at his parents. Even though they were already dead, the ghosts of his past followed him like shadows, tormenting him every night. His brother didn't understand. Having grown up under a benevolent ruler like Kadan Balenos, Rowen had likely never faced discrimination. Ercia disliked how Rowen was trying to give advice without knowing the full story.
"Are you a nagging old man, Brother?"
"Ugh..."
"So, let's head inside."
Rowen couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal. Indeed, the Licht he knew was not the Licht of today. That was Licht Rose, the younger brother who had died in battle a thousand years ago. Today, he lived his life as Ercia Rose. Just as Lian had become Rowen, Ercia was living his second life. Ercia had likely lived longer than Rowen's current eighteen years. He must have experienced so much more. Realizing this, Rowen felt he had been a bit naive earlier.
"...Right, your parents were real bastards."
"I'm glad you understand."
"Yeah..."
This feels weird. What is this feeling?
The meal served to them was incredibly luxurious. Though it was vastly different from northern cuisine, it was deeply familiar to Lian. At the same time, it was a nostalgic taste—the taste of home, so to speak. The Sihad Scorpion Steamed Dish was truly a delicacy.
"...Ugh."
"Arahan, you don't have to force yourself to eat it. There are other dishes."
"Young Master! Do you even realize what you just ate?!"
She was utterly horrified. She tapped the scorpion's carapace with her knife, poking at the meat peeking through the cracks. The springy texture transmitted through the blade, giving Arahan goosebumps.
"Th-this is not normal."
"I literally just said you don't have to eat it..."
It was certainly a polarizing dish. Even Rowen, in his childhood, had thrown tantrums, refusing to eat scorpions. But what could he do? His palate had changed as he grew. Besides, Sihad scorpion was practically a national dish in Rianode. That was why Arahan was trying so hard to eat it despite her horror. Everyone else at the table was enjoying it. Mio had eaten it in her past life. Uba just devoured it, crunching down on the shell. He didn't care if his gums bled; as long as it tasted good, that was all that mattered.
"Um... Arahan, here."
Rowen placed a piece of meat and some salad onto her plate. It was better for her to calm her mind by looking at this instead. There was nothing more foolish than forcing oneself to eat something unpalatable. Though she was disappointed that she couldn't share the delicacy with him, Arahan's anxiety vanished instantly.
"Are you feeding me, Young Master?"
"...What?"
"It is quite simple. I will open my mouth, and you can gently feed me, Young Master."
"Hey, what are you..."
"Fufu, are you embarrassed because there are people around?"
He couldn't deny it. If they were alone, it would be one thing. But with his long-lost brother right there, Arahan was clearly teasing him. This playful side of her hadn't changed at all. Rowen hesitated, fidgeting. It was just feeding his lover. There was no need to be embarrassed. But... but...!
Fuck, everyone is staring at me!
Mio, in particular, was watching with an envious expression. The gazes of the two women sitting on either side of him felt incredibly heavy. With trembling hands, Rowen lifted a piece of meat and some vegetables to Arahan's lips.
"...What are you doing? I can't feed you if you don't open your mouth."
"Please say 'Ah.'"
"Arahan, please..."
"Fufu, can you not even do this much for the one you've promised your future to?"
She wasn't wrong. That only intensified his internal conflict. How was he supposed to survive this embarrassment? Mio tapped his shoulder. Her crimson hair caught his eye as she quietly opened her mouth.
"Ah~"
"Are you two trying to embarrass me to death?!"
"Of course not. I simply wish for you to feed me yourself, Young Master."
"Same here. Yeah, it doesn't really mean anything. I just want you to feed me too."
"That's literally the exact same thing!"
Dammit... Rowen squeezed his eyes shut. Fine, you only live once. I'll just swallow my pride. It was a monumental decision. It might have been the hardest choice Rowen had ever made in his entire life.
"Fufu, you were going to do it anyway, yet you made such a fuss..."
"Oh, this meat is delicious!"
"Haha... I'm so glad."
He had no idea if the food was going into his mouth or his nose. Sandwiched between the two women, his head throbbed. He missed his friend. Not an idiot like Uba who blabbed everything, but a friend who would keep his mouth shut even if Rowen bared his soul. Yes, he missed Lucius.
Save me, Your Majesty...
I worry for the future.
The homeland he was seeing for the first time in a thousand years had changed immensely. The swing his father used to push with all his might was gone, and in its place grew a colossal tree. The massive tree, having lived for centuries, was as grand as a mountain. Beneath its roots lay a hidden door. The Black Rose Sanctuary. The Tomb of Leandry Rose. The path leading to the massive underground sepulcher.
Licht—no, Ercia—made a small cut on his fingertip. A bead of fresh crimson blood welled up, trickling down his finger. It dripped onto the entrance of the sanctuary. Just five drops. Those five drops stained the door red, and with a heavy rumble, the earth split open, revealing a staircase winding down through the roots.
"Blood Magic?"
"As expected, Lady Mio recognizes it."
"Of course. How could I, the great Mio, not know Blood Magic?"
Though she spoke proudly, Mio frowned. She had believed the Rose family was one that would never dabble in Blood Magic. Still, after a thousand years, it was entirely possible that one of their descendants had laid hands on it. It wasn't completely out of the question.
With a trembling heart, Rowen calmly descended the stairs. It had been eighteen years. If he counted the time since he left on his journey and never returned to Rianode, it had been well over thirty years. But for the world, a thousand years had passed. Though only eighteen years of life had passed for him, the world had marched on for a millennium. How much had been ravaged by time? And how much had been preserved? A complex swirl of emotions overcame him at the thought of seeing the father who had raised him.
Was it sadness? No. It was longing. Longing and sadness could merge into a single emotion, yet their core essences remained distinct. It was a strange feeling to experience both simultaneously—a reverie triggered by fleeting memories of the past. Somewhere between longing and sadness, that indefinable feeling drove Rowen forward.
The scent of roses filled the vast cavern. Though it had been ages since he last stood here, the memory remained vivid. And then...
"It hasn't changed a bit."
Pure white stone walls and a grand statue. Beneath them, countless black roses bloomed in dark profusion. A rectangular stone coffin. Inside lay his father's body. Rowen could feel his father's presence there. Even though Leandry Rose no longer existed in this world, Rowen felt him in his heart and soul. That was what family meant.
"Did I keep you waiting?"
He sat down before the tomb and smiled. He placed his hand upon the coffin. He couldn't feel any warmth from the body inside—not even coldness.
"It's been a while, Father."
He had finally reunited with his father.