Ch#179
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Deep within the lush forest.
Tie's song echoed through the serene mountain path.
"Let's go through the green forest! Trot-trotting on horseback! When mana stones appear~ A horde of magical beasts comes out! Horde of beasts!"
At the sound, a single bird flew up from a branch.
Tie immediately lit up with excitement.
"Uncle Basto, there's a speckled bird over there!"
"That's a woodpecker, Tie. It's autumn."
"Woodpecker?"
Tie turned her gaze forward again.
Ahead, twenty Holy Knights marched in line with Leonardo at the lead.
Behind them, Dad and Princess Association President followed Tie and Basto.
Suddenly, the sound of their conversation drifted over.
"Why stop midway? So what happened then."
"What could I do. We just dueled."
"You're insane! You made an enemy of the Church over a single weapon?"
"It's not like it's the first day clashing with the Church. More than that, Association President, you wield a sword too?"
A flustered look crossed Ardiana's face.
"How did you......"
Muttering that, she suddenly stared at her own hand gripping Tese tan's waist.
The outer palm, ungloved, bore thick calluses.
"......!"
Ardiana yanked her hand back and nearly toppled from the horse.
"Hahaha!"
Tese tan laughed heartily and steadied her back.
He grinned at the frozen Ardiana.
"Wanna sit in front?"
Ardiana's face flushed bright red.
"N-no thanks! Quit with the nonsense and watch ahead."
As the mood turned awkward once more, Tie tilted her head.
"......Perfect timing."
Basto's voice came from above.
Lifting her head, Tie saw a faint smile on Basto's lips.
"What's perfect timing?"
Basto patted Tie's head.
"Those two. Eve and I were like that too."
A glint flashed in Tie's eyes.
Eve was Basto's late wife.
"No matter how much they bicker, they can't hide their expressions. Honestly, unexpected."
Basto chuckled lowly and continued.
"If Tese tan really develops that kind of relationship with the Association President. It'll be good for Agavert, Tie."
"That kind of relationship......?"
"Yeah. Like what Jen suggested to you at Kaldbain Ridge."
'But you, ahem! Got a boyfriend by any chance?'
"Gasp."
Recalling that moment, Tie whipped her head back.
There, the two were still bickering.
Boyfriend, girlfriend.
'Dad and the princess......?'
Her lips parted.
Honestly, she'd never imagined Dad with a girlfriend.
Nor Dad as someone's boyfriend.
'But right now, Tie hasn't even been born yet.'
Dad at this time was just a young bachelor in his early twenties.
As the Gold Apartment neighbors said, the age to date lots of women and plunge into the fires of love......
Tie felt oddly bittersweet and turned forward again.
With the woodpecker's calls as background, she sank into deep thought.
'Did Dad have hot hellfire love with Tie's mom too?'
Tie would be born in this world in 7 years.
So the person Dad dated then would be Tie's mom, right?
At that thought.
"Don't like carrots?"
Dad's voice came from behind again.
Tie perked her ears that way.
Ardiana let out a long sigh before answering.
"Yeah. I hate carrots. Spinach too."
"Kid tastes."
"......Nothing to say. Hated them since I was little."
"Gotta eat what you hate. Don't you know steady fiber intake prevents problems later?"
"Problems? What problems."
Tese tan chuckled.
"If I say, you'll scold me for being barbaric again."
"......I won't. Tell me. Better than making people curious."
Tese tan eyed Ardiana before teasingly opening his mouth.
"In that case. There was a guy in old Trebaga who only ate meat and saw blood."
"Saw blood? What do you......"
Ardiana realized something and gaped.
Soon, she smacked Tese tan's back.
"I-I don't have that problem! You barbaric......!"
Tie blinked.
Because the image of her and Dad from South Korea overlapped the two.
'Kiddo, gotta eat your fiber properly. Here, just two more carrot pieces Dad cut for you.'
'But Tie hates carrots!'
'Hey now. Keep being picky with veggies and you'll see blood when you poop later? Saw Mr. Choi from the alley couldn't even sit on his chair, right?'
'Yeah......'
'You wanna end up like that? Can't sit, can't watch TV at grandma's. Can't even go to kindergarten?'
That day, Tie had no choice but to finish the carrots Dad gave her.
Afterward, she fixed her picky eating a bit, so she even finished the carrot soup Basto made in this world......
'But weird.'
The princess hates carrots just like Tie.
And not just that.
'She hates spinach too, same as Tie.'
Her heart pounded.
The child kept glancing back at Ardiana, fidgeting her hands.
'Does the princess like fish soaked in water?'
Tie only liked grilled fish.
Then, entertaining a certain thought, she shook her head no.
A few hours later, at noon with the sun high overhead.
"......Wow!"
Off the horse, Tie gaped at the sight before her.
Before the Old Palace's main gate.
Antique stone arches lined both sides of the towering stone stairs.
Beyond them, the Old Palace's main keep roof looked tiny as a pea.
"Siege site investigation starts now."
At Commander Leonardo's words, the Holy Knights moved to their assigned spots.
Leonardo approached Basto and Tie.
"Old Palace blueprints."
The other members gathered, eyes shining.
"This is the main gate. Pass these stairs ahead and enter the plaza from the south. Agavert, investigate the Clock Tower. Meet back here at the promised time."
Basto nodded and turned to Tese tan.
"Vice Leader. Take the lead."
Tese tan casually began ascending the stairs first.
But for some reason, he stopped after five steps.
Looking down at his feet, he muttered to himself.
"......Kinda slippery."
Tese tan nudged the moss covering the stairs with his toe.
Then, as if deciding it wouldn't do, he turned back.
"Necromancer King."
Tie, preparing to cling to Basto, widened her eyes round.
"Come get a piggyback."
Tie gaped blankly.
Tese tan sighed and descended the stairs himself.
Then, as if to show Basto, scooped her up.
"Don't trip and get hurt again. If hanging on's hard, hold like this in front."
As Tese tan started moving, Tie's eyes widened even more.
The stiffened child finally pursed her lips long after.
"......"
And tightly hugged Tese tan's neck.
Glancing at her, Tese tan sighed again.
Tie had already buried her teary face in Tese tan's shoulder.
'Dad's carrying Tie.'
This moment felt exactly like living with Dad in South Korea.
Warm body heat.
The two arms holding her firmly so she wouldn't fall.
Even the breathing and heartbeat right by her ear.
Tie started sniffling.
Tese tan said in a troubled voice.
"......What. Don't cry."
Tie lifted her pitiful face.
Dad was frowning at her snot-streaked face.
"Why cry over something like this. Stop."
Tese tan wiped under her nose without hesitation.
But Tie couldn't stop her tears easily.
To the still-crying child, Tese tan added helplessly.
"......Sigh. I'll carry you like this tomorrow too, so quit crying."
Only then did Tie suck in a breath—hic.
And rubbed her reddened eyes hard, lips pursed tight.
As if afraid to let go, she hugged his neck even tighter.
"Yeah!"
"Kids these days."
Tese tan unwittingly chuckled and resumed walking.
But at that instant.
'Wooo— buoooa—'
A hazy illusion suddenly appeared before his eyes.
'Dada! Maaa......!'
A newborn swaddled in white cloth.
Tiny lips laughing gurglingly at him.
Tese tan frowned and froze in place.
