Proof (7)
In a dimly lit room, a middle-aged man spoke with a puzzled tone.
“Hmm? Why go after that place specifically?”
The young woman seated across from him answered.
“It has high foot traffic, and we’ve obtained information that the Academy students will be gathering there this time.”
“…The Academy? Is that true?”
“Yes. If we miss this chance, we might never get another opportunity.”
At the young woman’s words, the man let out a low groan.
“…Isn’t a place crowded with civilians too dangerous? Both the Association and the Academy have already failed….”
“Father. If you’re going to be this cautious with your own safety, how do you expect to lead the Gujae Church?”
The man addressed as Father faltered at her rebuke and hurriedly replied.
“Ah, no… I was just thinking we should wait a little longer for the right moment….”
“…Because of your stupid plan, Yumi unnie died. Just how long are you planning to wait?”
At the young woman’s sharp response, the man exploded in anger.
“Y-Yumi died honorably…! She fell as a glorious apostle under the name of the Gujae Church…!”
At that moment, the woman cut him off bluntly.
“Enough. I don’t want to hear it. Don’t forget that our church has plenty of replacements for a Father like you. I’ll be confiscating your authority to execute operations. For the time being, stay quiet as a dead mouse.”
The man trembled, unable to utter a word, then slammed his fist on the desk with a loud bang! before storming out of the room.
Left alone, the young woman let out a short sigh and shook her head.
“What a piece of trash….”
The table was gradually filling with mouthwatering dishes. Grilled eel fragrant with garlic, abalone porridge simmered with its own innards… but that wasn’t the end of it. As if prepared in advance, a chive salad with oysters and an energy drink made from red ginseng soon followed. When on earth did they make all this…?
Anyone could see these were blatantly suggestive dishes.
After a few more side dishes were laid out, the two maids smiled warmly at us.
“Please enjoy your meal, both of you!”
“If you finish everything, just ring the bell.”
With that, they left the room. The moment the door closed behind them…
“…Shall we eat?”
My wife picked up her spoon and spoke.
“…Please enjoy.”
I subtly avoided her gaze and cautiously lifted my own spoon.
…What the hell is going on?
Everything had happened so suddenly that my head wasn’t working properly.
Earlier, while I was busy helping prepare lunch, my wife had suddenly appeared in the kitchen and led me up to the second floor. Wondering what was happening, I followed—only to be invited to eat together because she had something to say.
Since I’d been wondering if she might have noticed my true identity, I gladly accepted.
But…
“…Why aren’t you eating?”
“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”
At her pointed remark, I quickly scooped up a spoonful of porridge. The maids’ skills were excellent, so it tasted clean and quite good. But there was one thing that bothered me.
When I stirred the bowl with my spoon, it was practically half rice and half abalone—so many abalones that it was almost excessive. I glanced sideways at my wife’s bowl just in case, and…
…It looked perfectly normal.
At a glance, it was obvious that an absurd amount of abalone had been piled onto my side.
What could this mean?
At that moment, something was placed onto my spoon with a smooth motion.
“…Eat this too.”
Two pieces of bright red seasoned oysters. And they were particularly plump ones at that.
I glanced up at the person across from me. My wife was staring at me with a look that clearly said, What are you waiting for?
“…Thank you.”
I quietly thanked her, put the oysters in my mouth, and scanned the entire spread on the table. Oysters, eel, abalone, chives, red ginseng… Every single item was suspiciously invigorating.
She had said she chose the menu herself, yet the only one of these she actually liked was the eel. What did that tell me?
Her reactions and behavior over the past two days, these suspicious dishes, and this sudden lunch invitation. No matter how I looked at it, it seemed my wife had figured out who I really was.
…But how?
We had only met twice, and there was nothing that should have given away my identity. Could Jeon Nando have dropped a hint? Nothing else came to mind.
While I mechanically shoveled down the porridge to assess the situation—
“…Here.”
This time, my wife offered me a piece of eel. She even extended her arm toward my mouth as if to feed me directly.
After a brief moment of hesitation, I gave a short word of thanks and obediently ate it. She smiled faintly and lightly licked the tip of her chopsticks.
This…
Her seductive gesture solidified my suspicions. There was no doubt my wife had caught on. She wasn’t the type of woman whose heart would flutter so easily toward a man she had only met twice.
Of course, nothing is absolute in this world. She could have changed in the three years since we last saw each other. But…
Considering how she had acted from the day we first met until now, even if I didn’t want to believe it, I had no choice but to trust her. We had spent far too long together for me to doubt her now.
…At this point, was there any reason to keep hiding my identity?
The only reason I had hidden it was because her condition had been so poor. Thinking back to when she looked like she might die at any moment, she was doing remarkably well now. I had never planned to hide it forever, and she might have been waiting for me to reveal myself.
In that case, I should answer her expectations—
“…Does it suit your taste?”
My wife’s perfectly timed question snapped me out of my thoughts. I glanced at her and saw her gazing at me with strangely subdued eyes.
“…Yes. It’s delicious.”
Apparently satisfied with my careful reply, she gave a faint, ambiguous smile and slowly set down her spoon.
“…Actually, the reason I suggested we eat together like this is because I have something to tell you.”
Finally, the main topic. I swallowed nervously at her words.
What else could she possibly say to me in this situation? It had to be about my true identity. I held my breath, waiting for whatever she was about to say, when she suddenly showed me her right hand and smiled softly.
“…Isn’t it pretty?”
…Ah…
I looked at her and let out a silent sigh. It was the first time in three years I had seen my wife smile. It was still so beautiful that the corners of my mouth unconsciously lifted.
While I was staring blankly, captivated by her smile, she glanced at me and added.
“…Not me.”
“…S-Sorry….”
Feeling my face burn, I quickly looked away and focused on her hand. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent. Against that fair complexion, a ring stood out like a single dot. It was a dark blue gemstone ring that she always wore on her right pinky finger.
I had never seen it while she was alive. Since she had never particularly liked jewelry, the fact that she cherished this one suggested it held special meaning.
“…It’s my husband.”
“…Pardon?”
Husband…? Me?
I couldn’t quite understand what she was saying. That tiny ring was… me?
After thinking for a moment, I vaguely recalled seeing something like this on TV. Memorial diamonds or something—made from cremated remains…
As I traced my memories to figure out the ring’s true nature, one fact suddenly hit me.
Huh? But I’m right here, aren’t I?
My thoughts froze in confusion. At that moment, my wife slipped the ring off her right hand and moved it to her left ring finger.
“…I… still love my husband. I’ll probably love him for the rest of my life, until the day I die.”
Watching her gently caress the ring now on her left ring finger with such loving touches sent a chill down my spine.
After stroking the ring affectionately for a moment, her expression suddenly hardened.
“But my husband is gone now.”
Her cold, deeply sunken eyes made me flinch slightly.
“The husband who left me first… he probably doesn’t know how sad I am, does he…?”
The way she looked at me as she asked the question felt like she was reproaching me.
“…You’re right.”
She stared at me for a moment, then her eyes sparkled with satisfaction as she asked another question.
“…If… my husband saw me living like this… what do you think he would feel…?”
What on earth was she trying to say? I couldn’t read her intentions at all. Why was she deliberately bringing up ‘me’? Was this some kind of test? Since I couldn’t just come out and say I was Min Sungjae, I decided to keep watching for now.
“…He would be incredibly sad, I think.”
She let out a short sigh as if she had been waiting for that answer, then spoke in a resigned tone.
“…That’s why I’m thinking of slowly leaving this kind of life behind.”
…Huh?
It was a completely unexpected statement. She was going to end her reclusive lifestyle?
Could there be better news than this? If my wife returned to society, not only would Jeon Nando and I be happy, but Soyeon would be overjoyed. Was there any hunter who could wield a sword as well as the Queen of Swords? If Soyeon learned from her mother, it would be an incredible opportunity…!
“…Would you like to become my adopted son?”
The moment I heard her words, my mind went completely blank.
“…Pardon?”
Adopted son…? The one I’m thinking of?
Stunned by the sudden proposal, I froze. She continued slowly.
“…I’m sorry for looking into it secretly, but I heard you’re quite poor. If you come under my care, you’ll be able to live without any shortages.”
She was serious. After being husband and wife for life, we had become complete strangers, and now she wanted me to become her son? My brain couldn’t keep up with this line of thinking.
Wait, hadn’t she figured out my identity?
The unexpected development left my head spinning. Just as I was trying to organize my chaotic thoughts—
“…You remind me of a son. I’ve always wanted one my whole life.”
I had never heard before that my wife wanted a son. What was I supposed to say? No, I should reveal my identity right now—
As I struggled to pull my scattered mind together, my wife spoke again.
“…If becoming my adopted son doesn’t appeal to you, anything else is fine. For example… how about being my sponsor?”
“…S-Sponsor…?”
Sponsor? What the hell is this woman saying?!!!
Seeing her push further and further, it was clear that regardless of her condition, I needed to reveal myself immediately. I steeled my resolve and slowly opened my mouth to tell her the truth.
“…You know…”
The moment I was about to say her name—
“My husband no longer exists in this world.”
She cut me off cleanly.
“…Huh?”
Confused by her statement, I let out a dumb sound. She looked straight at me with her deep crimson eyes and spoke.
“My husband, Min Sungjae, is dead. He’s no longer in this world. You know that very well, don’t you?”
Her tone was so firm, so absolute, that it completely sealed my lips. I finally understood what she meant.
“…There’s no other meaning behind the word sponsor. I’ve only ever had my husband, you know?”
Just as I thought, she had indeed figured out my identity.
“…You are Yu Jihwan. Isn’t that right?”
But she had no intention of letting me reveal it. She wanted to protect her love for Min Sungjae while building a relationship with Yu Jihwan… After all, they were both me.
“…If you won’t accept me… then I’ll follow my husband.”
It felt like I had been hit in the back of the head.