Alicia let out a rough breath.
When she heard that Michael had recently been spending time with Cabelenus, it felt like her world was collapsing.
She couldn’t even breathe properly and ran straight there.
No matter how silent Cabelenus was, she never knew when he might change his mind.
"No."
She didn’t realise how far she had been running when a familiar voice reached her ears.
Alicia was about to dash out but immediately stopped at the voice that followed.
“I am not your dad.”
At that low voice, her heart suddenly dropped.
Leaning against a tree, Alicia bit her lip hard.
“Is that really true?”
"Yes."
Cabelenus turned his head, avoiding Michael’s gaze.
Alicia reflexively swallowed hard.
There was quite a distance between them, but it was impossible not to see the desperation in the child’s gaze.
“Then, you don’t even know who my dad is?”
"I don’t."
"I knew it! Honestly, you're way too mean to be my dad, right? My real dad must be way cooler and kinder than you — there's just no comparison!"
Michael smiled widely enough to show his teeth, but the more he did, the more it hurt Alicia.
It felt as if her heart were being torn into thousands, even tens of thousands, of pieces.
“Let’s hope so. If he were some worthless guy…”
Cabelenus stopped speaking and turned his head.
Alicia quickly hid behind a tree.
"What’s wrong?"
"...No. It’s nothing."
Even as he said that, Cabelenus couldn’t take his eyes off one spot.
Alicia clenched her hands tightly, squeezing her eyes shut.
She had thought it was something that could never happen, but it wasn’t.
From a distance, the two of them looked far more convincing together than she had imagined.
Consequently, her throat tightened even more.
・・・・・
“Share it with Chris.”
"This much?"
Michael’s eyes widened as he looked at the lunchbox full to the brim in his arms.
Alicia gently patted the boy’s round head.
“To grow up to be a great adult, you have to eat well.”
“Mmm, that’s true.”
Michael nodded and glanced out the window.
The sun was already high in the sky.
Cabelenus was surely outside as well.
"Michael."
"Yes, Mum."
“Do you miss your dad a lot?”
“No! No way! I don’t need a dad! I only need you, Mum!”
Michael shook his head vigorously.
Alicia looked at him and smiled gently.
"It’s okay to miss him."
“But Dad’s a bad person.”
“…Why do you think your dad is a bad person?”
“He left you all alone. That’s the worst. So I don’t need someone like him.”
At the edge of Alicia’s gaze, she noticed the pendant hanging around Michael’s neck.
"Even so, there's something your dad left behind."
Alicia reached out and took hold of Michael’s pendant.
The necklace, worn like an amulet since Michael first learned to walk, bore the marks of many years.
“…Mum, do you miss Dad?”
“…I do. Always.”
So much so that, even knowing she would never be able to give it to him, she made an amulet for Cabelenus every year.
Alicia smiled, hiding the feelings she couldn’t bring herself to say aloud.
“In that case, Dad really is a bad person. He always makes you wait.”
“...”
“Mum. I’m really okay.”
Michael struggled with his short little arms, trying hard to hug Alicia.
Holding the child, Alicia fought back the rising sobs.
“…Michael, shall we go on a trip?”
"A trip?"
"You said this before. You wanted to see the sea that you saw in a book. Shall we go see it?"
"Really?"
"Of course."
“Wow, Mum’s the best! I want to go! I’m definitely going!”
As Michael excitedly burrowed into her arms, Alicia held him close with a bittersweet smile.
Cabelenus was more tolerant of Michael than she had expected.
He simply wasn’t used to it yet, but over time, he might truly become a good father.
But Cabelenus was the master of Schwarhan.
And in Schwarhan, they were there.
Monsters with ominous golden eyes, living in the snowy fields.
As long as they existed, Michael could never return to Schwarhan.
‘Still, just for a little while… only for a very short while…’
Alicia held the child tighter and closed her eyes.
She wasn’t sure if there really was such a thing as a bond between blood relatives, but Michael naturally felt drawn to Cabelenus.
If that was truly the bond that connected blood relatives, she hoped he could feel it, even if just a little.
・・・・・
“Your mum made these for you?”
“Yep. Looks delicious, right? I’m being really generous sharing it with you, you know.”
Michael puffed himself up and offered the sandwich to Cabelenus.
But Cabelenus only stared at the sandwich and didn’t take it.
“…Did your mum say anything else?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…”
At that moment, his gaze definitely met Alicia’s.
It wasn’t possible for him not to notice her presence — it was her, after all.
‘Why is she pretending not to notice?’
Cabelenus’s frown deepened.
Alicia didn’t want Cabelenus to get close to Michael.
If she had caught them together, she would have taken some kind of action.
"Whatever it is, just take this first. My arm’s about to fall off.”
“...”
"Mister."
Michael’s lips stuck out in a pout.
Judging by the boy’s bright, innocent expression, Alicia clearly hadn’t taken any real action.
“You’re not going to eat it?”
"No."
Before Michael could pull his hand away, Cabelenus snatched the sandwich.
It wasn’t made with fancy ingredients, but the sandwich was neatly layered and cut in half — it looked tidy and delicious.
“Tasty, right?”
"Yeah."
“Is that all you have to say?”
"Then what else?"
Cabelenus calmly picked up another sandwich.
He hadn’t even taken more than a bite or two, yet the sandwich quickly disappeared.
“You shouldn’t just say ‘tasty.’ There are better ways to describe food, you know.”
"A sandwich is just a sandwich."
“Then don’t eat it! You don’t deserve to eat my mum’s cooking!”
Michael snapped angrily.
“There's way too much for you to finish on your own, though.”
“Even if it’s not you, there are plenty of people who’d eat it! It was packed for me to share with Chris, but I specially gave it to you…”
Michael grumbled as he took a bite of his own sandwich.
The slightly salty ham, the savoury cheese, and the sweet and tangy tomato — each one delicious with nothing missing — but what was truly infuriating was that the best that man could say was such a halfhearted reply.
"Is Chris the friend that I met from back then?”
“Don’t even think about approaching him. He trembles just from hearing your name.”
“A coward, then.”
Cabelenus clicked his tongue and picked up another piece.
“Can’t be helped. He’s still just a kid.”
Michael chewed his sandwich vigorously, determined not to lose to Cabelenus.
At this rate, that man was going to eat all of his mum’s sandwiches.
‘There’s definitely too much for a kid to eat alone.’
Looking at the remaining sandwiches, Cabelenus slightly curled the corners of his mouth.
It was just a sandwich, but somehow his heart raced.
To him, that small thing felt like a spark of warmth.
"…Kid."
"It’s Michael."
“Is your name really that important?”
“Of course it is! Names are meant to be called.”
"…Fine, Michael."
Cabelenus sighed shortly as Michael glared at him with wide eyes.
Though the tiny creature flapping about was no match for him, now was not the time to provoke the child.
“Last time, you said you were curious about your dad, right?”
"Well, I’m still curious."
Michael bobbed his head, crumbs stuck to his cheeks.
"Really?"
“When I see my dad, the first thing I want to do is kick him in the leg. That’s one of the reasons I’m training with you… Wait, why are you asking?”
“Even if it's not your biological dad—”
"I don’t like you, Mister."
“...”
"You’re mean."
Michael stuck out his tongue.
“How did you know what I was going to say?”
Cabelenus turned his head slightly.
"It’s not like this is the first time someone’s said they’d be my dad."
"...Were there really that many?"
Cabelenus’s voice dropped noticeably, but Michael calmly picked up the last sandwich.
“Of course there were. You know how pretty my mum is.”
“...”
“Anyway, don’t even dream about it. I don’t want you to be my dad.”
That man must never find out that Michael once thought it might not be so bad.
Michael opened his eyes wide in mock innocence and kept munching his sandwich.
"You asked if I was your biological dad."
"You said you're not. Then that’s the end of it."
"That’s the end of it?"
“Whether I like it or not, I can’t choose my biological dad, but I can choose my adoptive dad."
“...”
What on earth was going on inside that tiny head?
The more he looked, the more he realised the boy’s way of thinking was quite unusual.
“Honestly, if it comes down to you or Uncle James, I’d pick James any day.”
"James? The painter?"
“Huh? You know my uncle?”
"Maybe."
“If you know him, just say so. What’s with the ‘maybe’?”
“...”
“See? You’re not answering again. That’s exactly why I don’t like you.”
A wrinkle formed across Michael’s nose.
“That uncle of yours must be good at answering questions, huh?”
“Uncle James is an angel.”
"An angel?"
“He’s busy, so he can’t come often, but whenever he does, he brings loads of presents.”
It should be about time for him to visit again.
Michael rested his chin on his hands and smiled softly.
Just thinking about what James might bring this time already made his mouth water.
"Anyone can do that."
“But you didn’t bring anything.”
“...”
“Be honest. The grown-ups say you’re really rich, but that’s not true, is it?”
At Michael’s pitiful look, a flicker passed through Cabelenus’s eyes.
Finding Alicia had been his top priority, so he hadn’t brought anything.
To increase mobility, he had kept his load light and travelled with minimal manpower.
If only he had the time, he could have piled up as many gifts as he wanted and brought them all.
“What do you want? I’ll give you anything you ask for.”
“Can you really give me everything I ask for?”
“As long as it’s not dangerous.”
“That's a lie.”
“Why would I lie about that?”
“Then buy me a house. One way bigger than Chris’s.”
Michael threw his arms up in exasperation, recalling Maren, who always clicked her tongue at how shabby their house was.
He wasn’t really expecting his wish to come true — it was more that he hoped Cabelenus would just back off.
But the answer that came back was surprisingly calm.
“How many houses do you want?”
"Don’t joke around."
"I'm serious."
“I’m not falling for it. It’s not like you’re some fairy-tale guy with a castle—”
“I do have a castle. It’s a bit old, but still pretty usable.”
Cabelenus rested his chin on his hand as he thought about Schwarhan Castle.
Though smaller than the imperial palace, Schwarhan Castle was the second largest in the empire.
"Why do you keep lying?"
"I’m not lying."
“Then do you have a dog this big, too?”
"Yeah."
He answered so flatly that Michael became even more suspicious.
After thinking for a moment, Michael scrunched up his face.
“Are you some kind of emperor or something?”
“Not an emperor. A grand duke.”
“What’s a grand duke? Is that high up?”
"Next in line after the emperor. For now, at least."
"...As expected, that’s also a lie."
Michael’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.
He had gotten his hopes up because everyone said Cabelenus was rich, but adults couldn’t be trusted after all.
“Fine, whatever. It’s not like I’m hanging out with you for your money."
“...”
“So, what are we doing today? More stick-swinging practice?”
Michael stood up and brushed the leaves off his pants.
“No. I want you to keep running from here to there until I return.”
“Until you return? Then what will you be doing while I’m running?”
"Hunting."
“Are you catching a rabbit or something?”
Michael’s eyes sparkled.
"No. A wild boar."
"A wild boar?"
“It tore up the fields yesterday. Best to deal with nuisances early.”
“Mister, are you going alone? What about the others?”
“It’s just a boar. Why make a fuss?”
Cabelenus lightly rubbed the back of his neck.
“Aunt Miller’s husband was attacked by a wild boar at night and was bedridden for months.”
"So?"
"Mum says that stepping forward when you can is an act of courage, but stepping forward when you can't is reckless."
“Wise words. Keep that in mind. Don’t go causing trouble.”
“No, that wasn’t for me — it was for you, Mister.”
Michael didn’t want to outright say he was worried, so he brought up other things instead.
But the indifferent man had no intention of listening.
Puffing out his cheeks, Michael stood on his tiptoes.
"If a mere boar can take me down, I don’t deserve to be called the master of Schwarhan."
“Master of Schwarhan or not, it’s still dangerous, isn’t it?”
“You’re worrying over nothing.”
“As if I’m worried about you…!”
Michael scowled but then quickly lowered his head.
As much as he found Cabelenus annoying, he didn’t want to see him get hurt.
Michael fiddled with the pendant hanging around his neck for a moment, then, as if he’d made up his mind, looked up again.
"If you're going boar hunting, even if it kills you, at least take this with you."
“What is it now?”
"It’s an amulet my mum made, but I’ll lend it to you for a bit."
“...”
"Of course, I’m not giving it to you for good — I'll just lend it to you for a moment. Really, just for a moment."
After all, if the mister got hurt, who would watch over his training?
Michael held out the pendant like he was doing a big favour.
Cabelenus picked up the pendant, then slightly furrowed his brow.
The pendant was a locket that opened by twisting the side slightly.
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