Chapter 21: A Mother’s Embrace and a Daughter’s Jealousy

This was a memory from long ago, when he was just a child.

It unfolded within the palace of the Kingdom of Farl, specifically in Queen Katina’s chambers—on his mother’s bed.

“Mmh…”

“Oh, you’re awake, Zero.”

Awakening from a dream, he heard his mother’s voice. It was merely a greeting, yet it felt like a sacred spring, capable of healing all wounds, nourishing his very soul.

He opened his eyes to see her lying beside him, clad in a thin nightgown. Her hand rested gently on his chest, and her smile remained as tender and angelic as ever.

“Katina… Your Majesty…”

“No, it’s ‘Mama,’ dear.”

“Ah… my apologies, Mama…”

He was merely the Queen’s adopted son. As some officials whispered behind their hands, he was nothing more than a piece of trash picked up from who-knew-where.

Thus, even in his youth, he had to respectfully follow his mother, addressing her as Your Majesty or Queen Katina whenever they were in public. His mother, too, maintained her regal bearing, yet she never once admonished him as a queen.

In private, however, such as now, lying beside her on the soft bed, she ceased to be the Queen. She was simply his mother, the one who doted on him.

He didn’t need to call her ‘Your Majesty’ anymore, but having just been outside and now drowsy from sleep, his thoughts were slow to catch up.

That’s right, he had been outside. How had he returned here?

“Mama, how did I get…”

“You, my dear, were lying outside. You would have caught a cold, so Mama carried you back.”

“Oh…”

He closed his eyes again, shifting his body to nestle closer to his mother. She, in turn, gently embraced him, stroking his head.

Her body was so soft, possessing a tenderness that seemed to encompass all the world’s worries. Embraced by her, all his troubles seemed to vanish.

“What’s wrong?”

He shook his head, offering no reply to her question.

He had overheard some idle chatter outside earlier. As long as he remained here, the criticism—or rather, the truth—would never fade, no matter how much time passed.

‘Why would Her Majesty Katina adopt such a magic-less child?’

He knew he was worthless and had always grieved over it. He questioned his very existence in this world and imagined when he might finally be cast aside.

The more he pondered these thoughts, the deeper his despair grew, until finally… he would run to his mother, seeking comfort, just as he was now.

Only his mother loved and protected him unconditionally, despite his lack of talent. When he was sad, only she could heal him. And she understood his innermost feelings perfectly in that moment.

“It’s alright.”

She gently patted his back, whispering into his ear:

“Zero, my child, no matter what happens, no matter what others say, Mama will always be by your side. Mama will never abandon you. Mama… will always love you.”

“Mmh…”

He whimpered, nodding, his cheek nuzzling against his mother’s chest, which was already damp with his tears.

“Sleep, my child. When you fall asleep, and when you awaken, Mama will still be here. Before you close your eyes, and after you open them, you will see Mama. So, rest easy, my child.”

“Mmh…”

Amidst her soft murmurs, the worries within his heart were driven away by her gentle words. His body and mind grew languid, and before long, he was guided back into the realm of dreams.

“Goodnight, my child. May you have sweet dreams.”

***

That was all from his childhood. If he had continued to indulge in his mother’s tenderness as he once did, he surely wouldn’t be where he was today.

He had vanquished the Demon King, cast aside his past, and become Nina’s father. Now, he had returned to his former home.

Though not a prince by birth, as Queen Katina’s adopted son, cherished and pampered by her, it was no exaggeration to call this royal city his home.

Ultimately, he accepted Emma’s kind offer, traveling to the royal city of Brandes in her carriage. After all, having Nina ride the same horse as him for a long journey would be exhausting for her. It was far better for her to ride in the carriage.

Emma was indeed from a wealthy family. She traveled with two servants and her own private carriage, bringing them to her luxurious mansion, right here in the royal city.

That day, when Emma declared, “This is Emma’s home, you know!” he had been truly startled.

According to his previous line of thinking, “the royal city is home” would imply Emma was royalty! Thankfully, it simply meant her house was *in* the royal city. He had been overly sensitive.

“You two should rest in your rooms first. I have some matters to attend to and won’t be able to entertain you. My apologies.”

“It’s fine. We should be thanking you instead.”

“Thank you so much for allowing us to stay, Little Sister Emma.”

He and Nina bowed to Emma in gratitude. Her willingness to provide free accommodation genuinely ensured Nina’s safety, for which he was profoundly thankful.

“It’s nothing, really. I’ll see you later then~”

After a temporary farewell, Emma departed with her butler, leaving a maid to escort them to their rooms.

“Please follow me, Mr. Ken, Miss Nina.”

“Alright, thank you for the trouble.”

Initially, he hadn’t intended to accept Emma’s invitation, but considering Nina’s safety, he ultimately relented.

Given Nina’s abduction a few days prior, he had developed an aversion to places like inns.

To ensure her safety, he might have stayed awake all night, much like he had for the past few days during their carriage ride, essentially keeping watch the entire time and only snatching some sleep during the day. He still felt somewhat fatigued.

Staying here, however, in a prominent household, security would undoubtedly be paramount, alleviating his worries.

For this reason alone, he was immensely grateful to Emma. But for her, was it not simply a matter of repaying a kindness?

In any case, he could finally get a good night’s sleep with Nina tonight. The only remaining tasks were to find the Sacred Dewleaf at Blue Lake and then swiftly return to Levo Village, to their cozy little home.

Speaking of which, he wondered how Beatrice was doing. If he returned late, or if she arrived late and failed her studies… she wouldn’t actually jump into a volcano, would she?

Never mind. Those weren’t his concerns. He only needed to look after Nina and complete his mission.

“This is it. Please come in.”

He carried his luggage inside. The room was more opulent than he had imagined—high-end tables and chairs, a dressing table, a wardrobe, and thin silk sheets spread on the bed. It didn’t look like a guest room at all, yet this was the one Emma had arranged for them.

“Wow… it’s so beautiful.”

Nina, too, was seeing such a luxurious guest room for the first time. She gazed around in awe, but just as she was about to step further inside, the maid gently stopped her.

“Miss Nina, your room is next door.”

“Huh? Nina and Papa are in different rooms?”

“Yes. Although you are father and daughter, Miss Emma believes it’s better to separate you, as it will make your routines much more convenient.”

“Mmh… Papa?”

Nina couldn’t decide and turned to him for help.

“You decide. It’s a small matter; you should make up your own mind.”

He said this, wanting his daughter to learn to decide independently and not always rely on him. Yet, in his heart, he still wished to answer, ‘Let’s share a room.’ After all, when traveling, letting his daughter sleep alone still made him incredibly uneasy.

Even at home, they had separate rooms, but being away from home provided a rare excuse to sleep with his daughter. How could he let this opportunity slip away?

‘Nina, darling, even though Papa just said that, please refuse their arrangement!’

“Miss Nina.”

“Eh?”

But the maid pulled Nina aside, moving to a spot where he couldn’t hear their conversation.

***

“Miss Nina, I believe you should go to your own room.”

“But Nina wants to be with Papa.”

“That’s the most crucial point. Consider this: if you decide to be independent, Mr. Ken will see your growth, and he will be very happy for you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, as parents, their greatest joy is seeing their children grow. Look, Mr. Ken works hard to protect you, isn’t it because he wants you to grow up healthy? If you always rely on your father, he might worry that you’re not growing up. Wouldn’t that concern Mr. Ken?”

“This…”

“Learning independence is also part of growing up. Let your father see your progress.”

“…Mmh! I understand!”

***

He wondered what they were secretly discussing over there. He waited, arms crossed, and after a few seconds…

“Papa, Nina has decided to go to the other room.”

“…Oh.”

Upon hearing Nina’s reply, he didn’t react immediately. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

It was true, at her age, what child would want to share a room with their parents? Everyone needed some private time and space. Still… he felt so lonely.

“Very well, Mr. Ken, please rest for a while. I will return at lunchtime.”

“Ah… alright. Thank you for your trouble.”

The maid bowed deeply, then closed the door, taking Nina to the adjacent room.

He set his luggage aside and lay back on the bed, an forearm shielding his eyes.

This bed was truly soft. Though not quite as luxurious as the royal chambers, it was definitely more comfortable than the one at home. Surely he’d get a good night’s sleep tonight?

No. Without Nina by his side, no matter how opulent this guest room was, it couldn’t dispel the loneliness in his heart.

He had a feeling he might not be able to sleep again tonight.

***

Not long after, as lunchtime approached, he heard a knock on the door after a short nap.

“Brother Ken~ I’ve come for you~”

It wasn’t the maid, but Emma’s voice. He hadn’t expected her to come personally.

“Coming…”

He rubbed his eyes, stretched, and listlessly went to open the door.

For some reason, hearing Emma’s voice always made him feel a little tired. He wondered if she was going to tease him again, especially since she still held that certain ‘leverage’ over him.

“Hehe~”

As soon as they met, she lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Why was she so overly familiar? Weren’t they just newly acquainted allies?

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s lunchtime, so I just came to call you.”

“Then quickly let go and lead the way.”

“Oh, don’t be like that~ It’s rare for Nina not to be here; I wanted to enjoy some alone time with you.”

“You little brat… sigh. Alone time with whom? If you want to play, go find Nina next door.”

“Eh~ No way. It’s rare for me to offer myself to you~”

“…What?”

He froze. What did she mean, ‘offer herself’?

“Listen, Emma, you can’t just say things like that, understand?”

“I’m not just saying things! You saved my life, shouldn’t I offer myself to you? Or are you saying Brother Ken isn’t interested in me?”

“It’s not a question of interest! It’s just that…”

‘If Nina hears this, I’ll die!’ He was about to say, when a familiar filleting knife flew past, embedding itself with a thunk into the wall across the corridor. A small portion of the blade’s tip had sunk deep into the plaster.

‘So, our family’s knife is that sharp, and that sturdy? And the thrower’s arm strength is incredible too… No! This isn’t the time to be marveling at such things!’

Killing intent… it was emanating from the other end of the hallway! He finally understood what this “offering herself” truly meant!