Chapter 100
Father.
What is father, who fled taking every last piece of furniture along with the vast family fortune taking advantage of the young family head's idiocy, doing and where?
Where is he trying to use all that money, leaving without a word and not coming to visit without news?
Could he have lost all the family assets at some gambling den and be wandering the streets?
Is that why he's too ashamed to even see his child and doesn't come to meet? A state where he's crushed by his own sins and even fears a bright future.
-I couldn't find his whereabouts. There are circumstances suggesting the imperial family helped when disposing of Craft's assets, but going deeper is beyond the student council's capabilities.
-You worked hard, Ellie.
Such thoughts come to mind.
Could this mean the imperial family is the villain?
It's suspicious that father, who was merely a scholar, collapsed the empire's greatest noble family and fled.
The cult's activities becoming active is recent. After winning against the demon realm and subjugating the cult, could the imperial family that lost its merits have been dealing with internal noble families and happened to catch Craft whose family head position was weak?
At that moment, weak father may have been threatened.
-Interesting thought.
The demon in past memories fell into thought.
-It's more likely than the possibility that bookworm who loved his lover so much fled without reason leaving his child behind. Many changes may have occurred during the time I was trapped again.
-If the imperial family is involved, should I expand into central politics?
-There's no need to be hasty. Even if you do it gradually, the past won't disappear. You're still young. It's not too late to focus on studies.
Father must have some circumstances. They say he loved mother very much.
-You mean your father? His love story is famous. I heard anecdotes even though it was already over by the time I was born. To think a scholar succeeded in marriage between the then crown prince His Majesty the Emperor and a great demon who only loved God.
Hmm.
-Demon...?
-Hmm. You don't need to know.
-When you react like that, it makes me more curious!
-You don't need to know.
It seems father does have some circumstances. As his child, I should prepare to get moderately angry and moderately accept.
But but.
"But meeting at this timing is too embarrassing!"
Pastel clutched her head soaked in blood from the massacre.
"Uwaa! Uwaa!"
Can I have a family reunion in the middle of raiding the cult? Is that okay?
Is this right as the person in charge?
But if we believe the knight-class cult member's words, father seems to be a high-ranking person in the cult, so aren't we achieving the original purpose of paralyzing the command? He won't command during conversation.
Huk, that's right.
Then it seems okay to have a conversation!
She moved her steps confidently.
Whether because hormone friend killed all the cult members or some fled in the meantime, no people were visible in the white interior.
When she entered the center, a large engraved mural covered one side. It was an image of Sky Island.
What is this place?
Why is the command post in a place like this?
Pastel was confused then glanced at a passage where she felt a presence. She alternately looked at the mural and passage then subtly moved her steps to the passage.
Tsk, I'll ponder as the person in charge a little later.
Nod nod.
She walked through a white corridor. Passing through a doorless passage, a wide interior came into view. Artificial sunlight from the terrace created shaded lighting.
A back view both familiar and unfamiliar was visible. Some man focused manipulating white magic circles.
Ah.
Pastel held her breath.
What words should I say first? A greeting? Hello? Nice to meet you? It's the first face-to-face meeting not in an idiotic state, right?
More importantly, what are you doing here? Why are you in the cult, not the imperial family?
Is there really a complex circumstance? It wouldn't be good for me to jump to conclusions.
Then what words should I say first...?
Let's get along well from now on even if we didn't until now?
No no. This is the last thing to say. If I say this from the first words, dad will be perplexed.
The girl grabbed one of her arms behind her back. Her lips moved then her body shrank slightly.
Then, shall we talk candidly about our circumstances and try to understand each other? Since we each have our situations.
Nod nod, it seems okay. If I open the conversation from my side, dad can talk comfortably.
Once we start talking, the conversation can go well. Since we're blood relatives. That's right! If we continue discourse using mom as a common topic, we won't be embarrassed from lack of things to talk about! Moreover moreover how much dad must have to say that he couldn't until now! We might not have enough time!
The girl's expression brightened. Her stiff body loosened and posture changed. As she did so, shoe sounds rang out quietly but clearly.
A breath was inhaled. Stiff pink eyes stared at father's back.
Silence fell.
After a while, father moved his hand and manipulated the relic device. The appearance of white magic circles changed once.
The commotion subsided and silence came.
Wind blew from the terrace. Pink hair shook. Trembling lips made a sound.
"F-father!"
Once she opened her mouth, several words burst out from her heart.
"How have you been all this time? As for me."
Her gaze moved here and there.
"The only retainers I knew all died and I had no money so I starved for a while. But there were many things I had to do and I was scared but couldn't not do them, so I always whined or threw tantrums to the person I was indebted to."
"Then I made many friends and mentors appeared and somehow things went well luckily so so."
Hands clapped clap.
"I feel quite good now!"
Whatever story I hear!
Brightened pink eyes looked at the back view. Her voice echoed in the room then subsided.
Amidst silence, sunlight entered and illuminated the interior. The relic device was manipulated. Her gaze watched as if observing the changing magic circles.
A voice was heard as if flowing.
"It's been a while, Pastel."
The girl's expression brightened again.
"Yes! Yes! It's been a while!"
The girl's arms spread.
"Let's get along well from now on!"
No this isn't it.
"L-let's talk candidly about our circumstances! As for me. So so anyway, I feel quite good!"
The girl hesitated then quickly added.
"Now too!"
Fingers manipulated the relic device.
"Candid..."
The girl swallowed dryly.
"Yes! Yes!"
Father chose words as if recalling the past.
"Blossom's health wasn't good. Someone among the bloodline blinded by succession competition probably did something when she was young. She insisted it was a chronic illness until the end though."
A faint laugh sounded briefly.
The girl hesitated unsure how to react. Hands clapped slowly.
"Oh mom!"
There are people to trust.
The relic device clicked.
"So she shouldn't have given birth."
The girl's expression froze.
"I never wanted a child to be born. I needed a child to continue the family line and had one unavoidably."
Clasped hands shrank.
"The next generation, your birth was not wanted at all. It's just a bothersome and awkward topic. We didn't have enough to enjoy our remaining lives, let alone handle you too."
The scholar's gaze examined the magic circles.
"But we had you, and it didn't last long. She was sacrificed for you. To give birth to a child who became an idiot because her body couldn't handle her own soul."
The relic device was touched. The magic circles' form changed.
"Remnants of the cult we collapsed came and suggested. There's an opportunity in the soul power your child has."
A nostalgic voice continued.
"A way to revive Blossom who left."
His gaze came down to the relic device.
Silence fell for a moment.
"The golden time has passed."
Sunlight created shadows.
"The resolve to take care of the remaining child and the heart to let go of my lover. It shouldn't have been born in the first place."
The girl panted. A small hand pressed her chest.
"It's reviving Blossom. Help if you want, if not don't interfere and leave."
The girl's lips moved.
"Be happy...?"
Tears flowed down her cheeks.
Father stopped his actions. He looked at the ceiling for a moment then slowly turned back. His gaze passed by the girl and looked far away.
"Love is greater than anything."
Rapid breaths were heard.
"Would even mother be happy?"
The girl spoke then collapsed. Pink hair spread then settled. White clothes covered the ground.
An answer was heard between empty breaths.
"Is death better than a painful life?"
Ah.
"I'll hel-"
Footsteps rang out in the passage.
『I endured since it's a family reunion.』
The demon in formal wear walked over.
『But it's endless.』
The girl turned back blankly. Rapid breaths slowly subsided. Pink eyes rippled then shed tears.
"Demon!"
Footsteps ran. Pink hair fluttered. The demon staggered and received the girl.
『Oh my.』
Crying sounds were heard.
『Cry.』
A palm patted her back.
『To your heart's content.』