Chapter 174
The Emperor and Heros walked along a nighttime path. Far off in the sky hung a crescent moon, though thick clouds left its light faint and dim.
Because of this, the path was extremely dark. And it was a steep enough path that any ordinary person, unable to sense their surroundings the way they could, would surely have stumbled and fallen more than once by now.
Heros followed silently behind the Emperor. Having been abruptly pulled away from the ballroom, he raised no real objection to any of it. Just as he always did, he simply obeyed the Emperor’s command.
Because of this, the Emperor—that is, the gold dragon—remained convinced that his Dragon Tongue was still working effectively on him.
Dragon Tongue, quite literally, meant the language of dragons. A power usable only by dragons, a race superior to humans, allowing them to control another with a single command, compelling obedience.
Even for him, however, this power was somewhat taxing to use repeatedly, and yet the Emperor had used it on Heros countless times regardless, keeping him subdued. Heros was, after all, a human worth that much effort.
‘Not bad, for a human.’
Of course, in the end, he was still just a human, prone to being swept up by emotion, having suffered a needless loss because of it.
The Emperor spoke to Heros, walking half a step ahead of him.
“Aren’t you curious?”
He said, smirking.
“Where I’m taking you right now, why I suddenly brought up Daphne, why I asked you about trust.”
“…”
“You’d think you’d be curious enough to ask. Why haven’t you?”
Heros came to an abrupt stop. Then slowly turned his head, staring steadily into the Emperor’s bright yellow eyes.
“I cannot question what Your Majesty chooses to do. I merely do as I’m told.”
The corners of the Emperor’s mouth curled upward.
“This is exactly why I like you.”
“My thanks.”
Heros turned his head forward again and continued walking. Thanks to this, the Emperor never got to see his face, his expression.
“There’s something I’m curious about.”
“Please, ask.”
Heros answered, still walking silently.
“Why did you adopt those children, exactly?”
The Emperor added.
“You and Elise could easily have had several children of your own—no, wait. There was no need to go to an orphanage and adopt a child in the first place. Even now, aren’t there vassal households eager, practically clamoring, to send a child your way?”
Heros’s fingertips curled slightly. Images of the children flickered through his mind. He stopped walking again and turned around. He looked steadily at the Emperor.
“I’m not sure I understand what you mean by there being no need to adopt an orphanage child.”
“Humans have social classes, don’t they.”
The Emperor answered without a second thought.
“I’m simply saying you could have brought home a child befitting your rank. Like that girl who’s become a Guardian now.”
Heros nearly let his expression twist into a scowl without meaning to, but drew a breath and lowered his gaze instead. As he did, he deliberated. Should he ask this? Should he even bring this up? Turning it over.
“Your Majesty.”
Then, finally unable to hold back his curiosity, Heros spoke.
“Your Majesty,”
He asked, staring intently into the Emperor’s eyes.
“Do you love humans?”
Right at that moment.
Boom!.
An explosion rang out from somewhere not far away. A tremor followed close behind. Reaching all the way to where they stood.
“What in the…”
Startled for a moment, Heros soon found himself tracing the mana signature carried on the incoming wind. And realized.
This mana belonged to Daphne.
* * *
“Why are you trying to make me give up being your daughter?”
Did Daphne know?
That her own eyes had welled up with tears.
And that, having finally learned the reason for her own existence, so long sought after—not merely “something manufactured,” but “a place she was always meant to belong”—she was overwhelmed with emotion.
[What does the body matter?]
Watching the mix of sorrow and joy on Daphne’s face, Elise raised her translucent hand, hovering it near Daphne’s cheek.
[Look at me now. I want so badly to hold you. But I can’t. I’ve already died, and all that remains of me is my soul.]
Daphne sniffled and looked at Elise, and Elise smiled, her faint eyes crinkling at the corners.
[But that doesn’t change who I am, does it.]
Daphne felt she understood well enough what Elise was saying. That whatever body she lived in, she remained herself, and nothing about that would ever change… That was what she meant. Daphne nodded.
[Right. You understand, don’t you? The same is true of you. That’s why I told you to go back. I simply…]
Elise said, burying her face against Daphne’s shoulder—or making the motion of doing so.
[wanted you to live.]
Her voice trembled faintly at the end. There seemed to be tears mixed into it.
[I just wanted you… to finally live without pain, doing everything you’ve ever wanted to, living happily. That’s all.]
“…”
[I want you to be able to do everything you couldn’t do because of causal fate. Make friends, fall in love, have a family if you want one, travel, study, laugh among crowds of people… I want you to be able to do all of it. You’re a child who can, and a child who deserves to.]
Lifting her head, Elise smiled brightly once more.
[Daphne.]
Then, very carefully, she asked.
[Do you hate me?]
“…”
Daphne drew in a deep breath.
What Elise had just described were precisely the things Daphne had wanted to do most, back when she’d been the Calamity.
Someone else might call these trivial things, hardly worth yearning for so desperately, but Daphne had never once experienced even those trivial things.
Being among people had been unimaginable, and friends, lovers, let alone family, had been beyond even dreaming of.
And so, entering this body and gaining a family had felt desperately urgent, and her friends had become precious to her.
But no one had ever truly understood these feelings of hers. No one had lived through what she had. And no one… understood her that deeply.
But Elise, it seemed, was different.
Was it truly because she was her mother? Was that why she understood her daughter so well? Daphne felt a burning sensation rise in the back of her throat as her chest swelled.
“Why would I hate you. What I hate are those damned dragon bastards and black mage bastards.”
[Is that so?]
Elise smiled brightly, dipping her chin, and once again extended her translucent hand toward Daphne.
[If you truly hold no hatred toward me, if that’s really true…]
Then, very carefully, she asked.
[Could you call me… Mother?]
“…”
Suddenly, memories surfaced of a past she had once endured—not knowing where she’d been born, not knowing who had given birth to her, simply having come into existence one day out of nowhere, and the crushing loneliness and loss that came from believing she was utterly alone in this world.
But now…
[Mother. Even just that one word would be enough.]
No, that wasn’t right.
She hadn’t been the only one in this world, after all.
Daphne pressed her palms firmly against her eyes and drew in a deep breath. Then slowly opened her lips. Looking at Elise.
Right at that moment.
BOOOOM!
The cave they were in collapsed with a thunderous crash. Precisely at the spot where Sellus’s body lay.
[Daphne!]
“Lady Daphne!”
Elise and Shio rushed forward to shield Daphne, but Daphne stood frozen exactly where she was, unable to move an inch.
Two figures emerged from beyond the explosion.
“Lani…”
And,
“…Hero.”
Heros.
Lani’s appearance wasn’t particularly surprising. With Sellus’s body located here, it made a certain kind of sense that he would show up too.
But Heros was different.
Why was he here, of all people? No, wait, why was the Emperor here beside him too?
“What in the world is going on.”
Daphne pressed a hand to her forehead, frowning, but the expressions on the faces around her were far from ordinary. Why? Daphne looked up at Elise, and saw that her face had gone completely rigid. She looked at Heros. He wore an expression she had never once seen on him in her entire life.
“…Elise?”
Clatter.
He dropped the Emperor’s sword he’d been holding.
