Chapter 69 : Grandma And Grandpa (2)

Clip-clop, clip-clop—the carriage raced forward.

The scenery changed with every passing moment.

The warm sunlight poured down.

The cozy embrace of my mother.

Unlike the usual bustling castle, the countryside was calm and peaceful.

As I gazed at the scenery, I was headbanging inside the carriage.

“…Minho, if you’re sleepy, why don’t you just sleep?”

Yuri unnie, unable to watch any longer, suggested that I sleep, but I didn’t want to.

I liked this atmosphere so much that I wanted to take in as much of it as possible.

It’s not every day I get to experience something like this.

“Minho, just listen to your sister~”

Mom stroked my head and urged me to sleep.

I can’t… I have to see everything…

“No… I can’t… It’s so pretty… I have to see more before I sleep…”

As I squirmed in my mother’s arms and answered, she chuckled.

“Really? You have to see everything before you sleep?”

I slowly nodded.

“Aww, so cute.”

“…Huh?”

Mom poked my cheek.

I was so drowsy and off guard that an adorable sound escaped my lips.

But I didn’t really mind.

Every time I pouted in front of my family, I always acted cute, so it was too late to feel embarrassed now.

I turned to look at Dad, who was sleeping against the window, and Emilia unnie, who was leaning against him—fast asleep.

“…Hehe… Emilia unnie’s drool is soaking Dad’s cape.”

“Oh my, you’re right.”

“Uh, unnie… Wipe your drool.”

“…Huh? Yuri? Oh… thanks…”

Emilia unnie suddenly sat up, wiped her mouth hastily, and then leaned back onto Dad’s shoulder—drooling again.

“…Huhu… Huhuhuhu…”

“Minho, are you enjoying this?”

“…Yes, it’s funny…”

As I chuckled weakly, Mom asked if I was having fun, suppressing her own laughter.

How could I not find this amusing?

I kept laughing weakly for a while until I eventually lost consciousness.

“Hmm…?”

By the time I came to, we had already arrived at a quiet farmhouse, which I assumed was where Grandma and Grandpa lived.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“Yes… Mom…”

I rubbed my eyes in her embrace, wiping away my sleep, and looked outside.

“Wow…”

Vast fields stretched endlessly before me.

I didn’t know what had been planted, but the vast fields captured my gaze.

“It’s a sweet potato field.”

“Sweet potatoes?”

“Yes, my family are farmers. They grow a lot of different crops, but sweet potatoes are the main one.”

“I see~”

A country bumpkin farmer’s daughter becoming the queen overnight—what a dramatic life reversal.

I suddenly wanted to hear more about their love story.

Dad didn’t seem to like Mom at first… so how did they end up married?

As I pondered this, I glanced at Dad, who had a grim expression on his face.

His face was pale, almost as if he were sick.

His shoulders drooped, unlike his usual confident self.

Worried that he might not be feeling well, I stared at him.

“…Dad, are you sick?”

“…No, I’m fine… It’s just… I’m guilty…”

Hearing his lifeless response, I turned to look at Mom.

She was shaking as if she were trying to hold back laughter, trembling like she was riding a bumpy horse.

“Mom, I think Dad feels really guilty.”

It wasn’t hard to guess why Dad was acting this way.

Since he had troubled Mom in the past, he probably felt really bad about facing Grandma and Grandpa.

But since Mom seemed amused rather than upset, I figured there was no need to worry too much.

And so, after some ups and downs, our family finally set foot on the countryside land.

“Are you all ready to meet Grandma and Grandpa?”

Mom asked with an excited face.

She was more excited than we were.

It was almost hard to believe that this was the same calm and elegant mother I knew.

At this moment, she didn’t look like a mother of three—just a simple country girl.

If not for the luxurious clothes she wore, no one would guess she was a queen.

“…I want to see them.”

Emilia unnie answered in her usual calm voice.

She wasn’t one to show much emotion, so it wasn’t obvious from her tone or expression.

But the corners of her lips were slightly raised, and her voice was a little higher than usual.

She must be looking forward to it.

“I want to see them too!”

Yuri unnie was practically bouncing in excitement, waving my hand around as she held it.

Not wanting to be left behind, I looked at my smiling mother and answered,

“I want to see them too!”

Hearing our responses, Mom smiled in satisfaction and lifted me into her arms.

“Then let’s go~”

Excited to finally visit home and see her parents, Mom was unstoppable.

She even tripped on her dress while running, but Dad quickly caught her before she fell—only for her to start running again.

She must have really missed them.

Now that I think about it, Mom’s usual calm and elegant demeanor doesn’t seem to be her true self.

It must have been tough for her to act that way all the time.

People naturally seek their parents when they’re struggling.

Feeling a bit emotional, I hugged Mom tightly.

When Mom called out, “Mom!! Dad!!” a voice from the distance responded, “Daughter!!”

It was a woman’s voice, full of joy.

It had to be Grandma.

I turned my head to look at her.

“El!”

“You’re here!”

“Oh, my daughter.”

Seeing Grandma, two thoughts crossed my mind.

The first—dragons look incredibly young.

‘…Dragons really don’t age, huh.’

She looked like she was around Mom’s age.

I had seen elder dragons before, but this was on another level—if even a human had these genetics, they’d still look young at that age.

I mean, that ancient wizard who tormented Emilia unnie and Yuri unnie was over a thousand years old but still looked middle-aged.

It seemed that even ordinary farming dragons maintained their youthful appearance after reaching adulthood.

‘Will I be like that when I grow up?’

That thought crossed my mind.

And the second thought…

‘…That’s some serious bust size…’

I suddenly worried that carrying those around would be a burden on her shoulders.

Now that I think about it, if Emilia unnie—who didn’t inherit Mom’s side of the family—had eaten properly while growing up, then…

Well, maybe it’s just from Aunt’s side of the family, but still, that size could probably release some massive breath attacks.

‘…That’s not good.’

That would be way too uncomfortable.

I had heard that it was cumbersome and uncomfortable, so I figured it wouldn’t be great.

Well, I had no interest in men, so even if I had something that could appeal to them… it wouldn’t be of much use to me.

And besides, dragons don’t even nurse their young, so why do they even have them…?

‘Well, Polymorph is magic, after all.’

I accepted it vaguely and quickly bowed to my grandmother.

“A-Ah, hello…!”

“Oh my~ how cute.”

“Isn’t our granddaughter adorable?”

Mom.

“She looks just like you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, when she grows up, she’ll charm all the men.”

Grandmother smiled warmly with her eyes slightly closed as she gazed at me.

She seemed like a kind and gentle person.

Before I knew it, Emila and Yuri had come to stand beside me and greeted her as well.

“…Hello.”

“Hello!”

Grandmother warmly welcomed them, even though they weren’t related by blood.

“Oh my~ these young ladies are adorable too!”

“…Hehe…”

“Thank you…!”

Emila giggled as she leaned into Grandmother’s embrace, while Yuri blushed shyly.

I watched the scene with a contented smile.

And then—

Grrrrrrrgle!

Both Emila’s and my stomachs let out a loud growl.

Since we had woken up too late, we hadn’t had a proper meal.

At that moment, Grandmother slightly opened her eyes and asked us,

“Are my little pups hungry?”

I had forgotten.

I had completely forgotten about the torture I suffered at my grandmother’s hands when I was first adopted in my past life.

The cruel punishment of food being shoved into my mouth until my stomach was ready to burst.

Forgetting that horror, I foolishly answered—

“I’m hungry!!”

“…Gasp.”

Next to me, Yuri let out a shocked gasp, and only then did the bright smile on my face fade away.

“…Me too. I’m hungry.”

As I reeled from my mistake, Emila uttered those fateful words as well.

“I see! Oh my… Good thing I prepared food in advance!”

Grandmother smiled and called out to someone inside the house.

“Dear~ Could you bring out the food we prepared earlier?”

“Alright~! Got it~!”

A voice quickly responded to Grandmother’s call.

At the same time, Father flinched beside me.

‘…Grandfather!’

I had to greet him properly later, but now wasn’t the time for that.

I needed to focus on survival in the upcoming battle.

I turned to Yuri and tried to communicate with my eyes.

‘…Sister, I’m sorry…!’

‘We have no choice. Now that it’s been said, we have to eat…!!’

‘…Yeah, I’ll do my best to stomach it all.’

‘Let’s do this. We have to survive, Minho!’

‘Yes!’

Resolving ourselves, Yuri and I sat at the table.

Meanwhile, Emila sat down with a cheerful smile, oblivious to the impending doom.

“Alright~ Let’s eat!”

“Kids, doesn’t it look delicious?”

Mom asked with a bright smile.

The food looked incredibly delicious.

The adults were grinning and watching us, making it clear that this feast was meant only for us.

I was grateful.

Really, I was.

To be given such delicious food…

However—

“…Now! Eat up!”

“…Y-Yes…!”

The way they were watching us was terrifying.

Día Odria (Minho’s maternal grandmother.)

Hyman Odria (Minho’s maternal grandfather.)