Chapter 39 : Cousin (4)

A cool breeze gently blows into the room.

And in that room, I lie on the bed.

Tonight, I decided to sleep with Emila unnie.

Hearing that, Emila unnie smiled and welcomed me.

Sleep washes over me.

But I can’t seem to fall asleep.

“…Minho, are you asleep?”

“…Yeah.”

“…Alright, good night.”

“…You too, unnie…”

Five seconds later.

“…Minho… are you asleep?”

“…Yeah.”

“…Haam (yawning), alright, good night…”

Ten seconds later.

“Minho, are you sleeping?”

“……”

“Minho?”

“…Huh?”

“Asleep?”

Emila unnie, lying next to me, showed an obsession bordering on madness, making it impossible for me to sleep.

Just kill me already.

[The King waves, saying that they and the GM are going to sleep.]

[They rub their eyes, telling me to stay strong.]

Even as that message appeared before my eyes, unnie kept calling my name.

“Minho.”

“…Yeah.”

“Minho, you’re warm.”

“…Minho?”

“Mm… Am I warm?”

“…Yeah.”

Unnie hugged me tightly and smiled.

…Forget caffeine.

She’s adorable.

I heard she’s about the same age as my dad, but maybe because she didn’t eat properly growing up, her growth seems stunted.

She’s only about the height of a middle schooler.

And with the lack of education and guardianship, she really acts like a child.

I need to take good care of her.

She seems to trust and follow me more than anyone else.

Thinking that, I hugged unnie tightly.

“…Ow…”

“M-Mian (Sorry).”

As my arm touched her body, she winced in pain and curled up.

She looked like she was in a lot of pain, so I tried to let go of the hug.

“…Don’t let go. Don’t leave…”

Emila unnie, with a blank face but sparkling eyes, told me not to let go, so I held her gently.

“…You can hold me tight…”

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“…Minho, you’re fine.”

“…No, I don’t want unnie to be in pain.”

“…Okay. If the baby doesn’t like it, the adult has to endure it.”

Who’s the real baby here?

For the first time, I questioned what it meant to be a child.

But my arms were too small to even fully embrace unnie’s frail body, so I had no choice but to accept it.

Then, a question arose in my mind.

Why is unnie still covered in bruises and wounds?

“…Unnie, didn’t the adults treat your injuries?”

Hearing my words, unnie flinched before answering.

“…I, I said I didn’t want them to.”

“…So they wouldn’t hit me.”

Unnie turned her gaze away as she spoke.

“I-I won’t hit you!”

“Thank you. Minho, you’re a good child.”

“Unnie, did they hit you?”

“…Yeah. When I didn’t listen… sometimes even when I did.”

“W-What…?”

“…Ehehe.”

Seeing my shocked face, unnie gave an awkward smile.

After witnessing that, all my sleepiness vanished.

“…Unnie, let’s live happily from now on.”

“…Yeah, I will. I’ll apologize to little dad, too.”

“Yeah.”

“…Sleepy.”

After saying that, unnie yawned.

She rubbed her eyes and made a gesture as if preparing to sleep.

“…Sleeping warmly like this… how many decades? …No, centuries has it been?”

“I lost count midway, so I don’t know.”

“…Good night, Minho.”

Unnie, after hearing that, I don’t think I can sleep…

Sleeping warmly for the first time in centuries?

I was too shocked to fall asleep.

Chirp, chirp, chirp.

Chirp, chirp, chirp.

KROOOOAAARRR!!!

Flutter, flutter, flutter!!!

Among the peaceful morning bird sounds, a dragon’s roar echoed.

The startled birds taking off in a flurry had become part of my daily routine.

When I half-woke up, the roars I heard were dragons stretching their wings as they woke up.

Dragons who dislike polymorphing usually make such sounds.

Dragons who live in human form stretch like humans.

Of course, I didn’t wake up in shock at the roars.

“…Minho, Minho, wake up.”

Only when a beauty wakes me up do I actually get up.

“…Good…”

“It’s morning, Minho.”

“…Good noon.”

“Minho, it’s morning.”

“…Ohayo.”

“Oh…hayo?”

“It’s Japanese.”

“Japanese?”

Hearing that, Emila unnie looked confused.

I smiled gently at Emila unnie.

Following my lead, Emila unnie also smiled.

She doesn’t even know why she’s smiling, which makes her even cuter.

“…Didn’t you go to dad?”

“You said we’d go together.”

Emila unnie tilted her head and looked at me.

“…I’m still scared of the other dragons.”

“Alright. Let’s go together.”

“Yeah.”

Today, the head maid isn’t around.

That means I won’t be forced to wake up and wash my face.

If she were here, I would’ve had to wake up early.

Feeling happy about having slept in, I couldn’t help but grin.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Because I’m satisfied.”

“…Hmm.”

After hearing my words, unnie grinned as well.

Why is she smiling?

“Why are you smiling?”

“If you’re satisfied, isn’t that a reason to smile?”

“…I guess so?”

“…I like being with Minho.”

What a touching thing to say.

She’s happy just being with me.

I looked at unnie with a moved expression.

“Shall we go?”

“Yeah.”

I gently held her hand so it wouldn’t hurt.

“Thank you for being considerate.”

Noticing my effort, unnie smiled slightly and thanked me.

I returned her smile.

“By the way, it’s a bit noisy outside today.”

“Huh?”

Is it because of the festival preparations?

Is that why it’s so noisy outside?

Curious, I dashed toward the window.

Emila unnie followed me, walking toward the window as well.

And what I saw was…

“Your Highness!!!”

“Princess Minho!!!”

“Where are you?!”

Servants desperately searching for me early in the morning.

“MINHO!!”

“I’m sorry!! I won’t smack your cheeks while you’re sleeping anymore!!”

“MINHO! IT’S MOM!!”

Dad, my older sister, and my mom.

“”Where is our granddaughter?!””

The elder grandmothers and grandfathers.

“Hey, Void! Hurry up and find her!”

“Mi-Minho… Minho is gone? I can’t live anymore…”

“Hey! Snap out of it!”

Void unnie, gradually turning transparent as she lost all hope.

And Damien, pushing Void unnie to the ground to stop her.

Everyone was looking for me.

…Oops?

Did I run out without saying anything?

“…..”

“…Minho, everyone is looking for you.”

While I was hesitating, Emila unnie had already hidden herself near the balcony railing and whispered to me.

“Y-Yeah…”

“….I’m jealous.”

Unnie looked at me with pure envy.

“Uh, huh?”

“When I disappeared, no one looked for me.”

Ah.

“Aha… haha…”

I guess that could be something to envy.

I understood, but I had no idea how to respond, so I just laughed awkwardly.

Emila unnie laughed too.

“Unnie, do you want to say hi to my family now?”

At my question, Emila unnie peeked over the railing, only showing her eyes as she looked down.

“…Are they all nice?”

“Yeah, they’re nice.”

“…Minho, you’ll go with me, right?”

“Of course!”

“Then I don’t mind.”

Since unnie didn’t mind, I boldly jumped up and shouted from the balcony.

“I’m here!! Here!! Up here!!”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward me.

“MINHO!!”

“Oh, my dear granddaughter!”

“Minho?! Minho?!”

“Sir Magician! Minho is up there!”

“Thank goodness, Hero.”

A crowd of people gathered, all staring at me.

The elders sighed in relief, placing their hands over their chests, while Mom’s eyes filled with tears.

Fortunately, Void unnie returned to her normal state.

My older sister, holding Damien’s hand, was jumping up and down in excitement—until her face suddenly turned bright red.

That was funny to see.

Damien pretended not to notice, but his flushed face made it obvious.

It seemed like something would happen between them soon.

In the meantime…

Whether through magic or sheer physical ability, Dad leaped up and landed smoothly on the balcony.

“Minho! Are you okay?! Where did you suddenly disappear to?!”

“S-Sorry…”

Dad fired off worried questions, his face full of concern.

I hesitated, feeling guilty, and apologized.

— Hug!

“…I was so worried.”

“S-Sorry…”

“Are you hurt?”

“Nope! I’m strong!”

Dad must have been really worried because he hugged me tightly.

But I’m actually pretty strong, you know? No, not just strong—I’m a dragon.

I’m even stronger than Dad.

Realizing that, Dad hesitated and awkwardly corrected himself.

“…R-Right. My daughter is a genius and strong, so of course, she wouldn’t get hurt.”

“Of course!”

“…Even so, a father can’t help but worry.”

Dad gently patted my head.

His warm touch made me smile.

At that moment, I heard Emila unnie’s voice beside me.

“…Little Uncle.”

Dad’s pupils widened slightly before returning to normal.

It was as if he had just realized where we were.

Standing up straight, he turned to look at Emila unnie.

“…Emila.”

Emila unnie reached out as if she wanted to say something, but then hesitated and lowered her hand.

Her fingers trembled, and her eyes gradually filled with tears.

She looked at me, her gaze full of uncertainty and fear.

She probably wanted to speak but was too overwhelmed to find the words.

Dad simply stared at her in silence, his face filled with emotions he couldn’t express.

He seemed to have so much to say.

But just like Emila unnie, he couldn’t find the words.

Watching them, I quickly ran over to Emila unnie and held her hand.

“…M-Minho?”

“Unnie, you can do it. You wanted to apologize, right?”

I said it with a bright smile.

But it was Dad who reacted first.

“A-Apologize?”

Hearing his voice, Emila unnie, who had been staring at me, shifted her gaze to Dad with determination.

“…Little Uncle.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“You helped me… but I ran away on my own.”

“I’m really, really sorry.”

“And… I’m sorry for trying to give up on everything…”

She poured out her words in a rush, then bowed her head.

From my position below her, I could see her face clearly.

Tears dripped onto the floor.

As Dad remained silent, more tears fell.

For a long moment, he didn’t say anything.

Then, he slowly stepped forward.

His expression looked as if he had just been struck by something.

Emila unnie, who had lifted her head slightly, caught a glimpse of his face.

When she saw him approaching, she panicked and bowed her head even lower.

Dad reached out his hand toward her head.

“P-Please don’t hit me…”

Her voice trembled.

Dad’s hand stopped for a moment.

“…I’m sorry. I’ll leave…”

— Pat.

In that moment of hesitation, her quivering voice was cut off.

Dad’s hand didn’t land on her cheek.

It rested gently on the crown of her head.

Emila unnie, who had been bracing for pain, looked up in confusion.

I, too, turned to check Dad’s expression.

“…Where do you think you’re going?”

“You’re family too.”

Tears rolled down Dad’s face.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

“I’m sorry for not finding you. Truly, I am.”

As he spoke, he gently stroked Emila unnie’s hair.

Emila unnie couldn’t stop crying.

She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but only sobs escaped.

“It must have been so hard for you. I’m so sorry…”

With those words, Dad pulled both of us into a tight embrace.

“Will you accept my apology?”

At that, Emila unnie choked out a tearful response.

“T-Thank you!!”

“…Thank you!!”

“Really… r-really…!!”

“Hic… hic…”

Her whole body trembled as she sobbed like a child.

Dad held her tightly.

From the side, I reached out my short arms and patted them both.

My tail swayed happily.