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What does this mean.
I couldn’t understand, so I furrowed my brows deeply and tilted my head. The Demon King stared intently at me and said.
“A mixed-blood between demon tribe and human is unconditionally on the human side. That’s why they heal like humans even from the holy power emitted by the follower of Nyx.”
…He knew that, so why did he test Durante?
“…But I hurt.”
“Yes. That is the evidence that you are my daughter.”
I looked at him with distrustful eyes and murmured.
“Why does that become evidence?”
“Roselin, born between Charl and me, was clearly human. If she had been demon tribe, I wouldn’t have failed to sense it. And you are clearly human, yet you showed a rejection reaction to holy power. This is a reaction only seen in demon tribe members.”
I shut my mouth tightly. So, the fact that I, a human, hurt from holy power was instead definite evidence that I am his child. It seemed understandable yet not quite.
No, perhaps I couldn’t understand it emotionally. It felt like the threads in my mind were tangling even more.
I tried hard to deny it.
“B-but I could be a mixed-blood with strong demon tribe blood….”
“As I said once again, a mixed-blood between the two races is unconditionally human. Even if Durante’s appearance is closer to demon tribe, he is indeed human. The reason I tested with holy power is simply because my mind has been fluctuating lately, so I confirmed it.”
…He knew he was crazy.
The Demon King continued to explain.
“The fact that you are human yet reject holy power means that my energy is dwelling in you in some form.”
“Why….”
“Because I am not an ordinary demon tribe member.”
…Ah, because he’s a god.
“There is no surer way to confirm paternity than this.”
“…….”
I bit my lip and took a step back. I rolled my eyes and looked over the faces of the people.
Stella and Durante with relieved expressions, the one-armed knight lying face down on the floor trembling, and the marquis shedding tears with the grand duke patting his back to comfort him came into view.
When I glanced behind, Kaiden was smiling faintly with a face that looked like he might collapse at any moment.
It was as if everyone had an atmosphere of ‘it’s over’.
“You’ve grown a lot.”
The Demon King’s voice was heard.
“You were very small.”
Am I really the Demon King’s daughter? The lie I told desperately to survive is actually true?
…It didn’t make sense. Something was definitely wrong.
“…No, I don’t think so.”
“It is true.”
My head felt like it would explode.
“I, I am an orphan. I have no parents. I’ve lived well without them and will continue to live well in the future.”
“Yes. But I am your father.”
“I don’t want that!”
I unknowingly shouted. The sound of someone gasping was heard.
For some reason, I was angry. An inexplicable rage swirled from deep in my stomach. Heat rose to my head.
When I looked up, the Demon King was looking at me with an expressionless face. Those eyes seemed so indifferent that it was hard to believe they were looking at a daughter found after decades.
When I turned my gaze, I saw the marquis a little distance away. The face of the old man over sixty was soaked with tears. The feeling of burning anxiety was conveyed from his eyes looking at me.
I couldn’t handle all this.
“Merien!”
I passed the people and ran out of the room.
* * *
A wind blew from the eastern flood. The refreshing smell of the forest tickled the tip of my nose, carried in the night air.
I sat somewhere on the high walls of Marquis Fernandi’s castle and gazed at the scene.
This is the place where my mother was born, saw, and grew up.
I had a mother. She was even the only daughter of a marquis. It didn’t feel real, but this huge marquis castle belonged to her father, who is now my grandfather.
…What if I had grown up here too.
Most slum children just lived day by day. Since every day was a battlefield for survival, they couldn’t have proper dreams or think about the future.
The person who first planted hope in my life was ironically the one-armed knight. He said that if I learned the sword, I could become a knight, and if I worked hard, I could even become a noble.
Holding my hungry stomach, I swung the sword because of those words. To receive his praise, to achieve the first dream I had, and hoping he would become my father, I followed him.
For slum children, parents were an unattainable wish. Hiding in dark alleys, I envied countless days watching parents buying delicious snacks for their children.
I think I desperately wished until before joining the mercenary group that I had parents too, that they hadn’t abandoned me, that they were looking for me.
But after joining the mercenary group, receiving knighthood, and spending years in Baltstein, those wishes had long been blown away in the cold snow.
Yet the Demon King had been looking for me. For over 20 years.
That fact was a tremendous comfort to my past childhood self, but memories of the miserable life in the slums kept coming up, and grief surged like a tide.
[Merien….]
I curled up my body and cried profusely. I felt Bled comforting me with his small hand beside me.
After crying for a long time and calming down a bit, Bled wiped my eyes. Sniffling, I said in a nasal voice.
“Bled, I’m glad you’re by my side.”
[Your eyes are all swollen. Are you okay?]
“Yes. Just….”
I couldn’t continue the words.
Why of all people is the Demon King my father. Can I consider him my father?
That crazy being who killed so many people?
I clearly remember how terrifyingly he dealt with me and Kaiden. With a single gesture, Kaiden collapsed, people lost their lives, and homes crumbled.
To think such a person is my biological father.
From a god’s perspective, he might not care about mere human lives, but as an ordinary human, it was hard for me to accept.
Moreover, he said he searched for his daughter for decades, but the eyes looking at me were extremely indifferent. Well, since he lost me at age two, my current appearance must be unfamiliar….
My mind was a mess.
“Sigh…. I don’t know.”
Bled patted my cheek.
[Yes. It was full of unknowns.]
I let out a wry smile and murmured.
“The marquis… cried a lot.”
[He probably never expected to have a granddaughter.]
“Yes….”
[What will you do now?]
“Well…. I only know that I’m glad the world is at peace because I really am the Demon King’s daughter.”
Bled let out a wry laugh.
[That’s right. You’re a hero, a hero!]
At the flattering words, I smiled bitterly.
Yes, it was a lie that happened to hit the mark, but since no more people will get hurt or die, it was fortunate if I thought of it that way. Thinking like this would be good for my mental health….
Let’s put thoughts about the Demon King aside.
I remembered the surprised faces of the people when I suddenly ran out. And Kaiden lying in bed.
I vigorously wiped the remaining tears with my sleeve and stood up.
“I’ve gathered my mind, so let’s go back now. I’m worried about the Grand Duke too….”
[Yes. With the saintess there, Kaiden will recover soon. You saw him wake up earlier, right?]
“Yes, thank you.”
A wind blew from the eastern flood.
I watched the trees waving like waves for a moment and then moved my steps toward where Kaiden was.
In the dark sky, a pair of red lights twinkled.
* * *
Deep in the eastern flood.
Pelles and his subordinates were passing through the cave silently. Even after walking for several days, it continued endlessly, making it seem worth expecting this time.
‘If we just find the origin….’
Pelles asked the subordinate ahead.
“Is it still far?”
“We’re almost there. Ah, there it is!”
Looking where the subordinate pointed, light was leaking from beyond the dark cave.
Pelles hurried following the light. Then, a cavern with an open sky appeared, and in the middle, a huge tree spreading branches in all directions was revealed.
It was clearly a transcendental existence that shouldn’t be here.
He looked at it with ecstatic eyes and murmured.
“Finally… I found it.”
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