Ch#195
[From now on, I'll fill this orb with your mana completely.]
As Marbas bounced up from the floor with a thunk, the orb floated lightly.
The transparent orb began circling around Tie.
[Once the orb turns completely gold, that means it's fully charged. Then......]
"Marrr takes it and goes back over there?"
Marrr spun his body around once.
[Exactly! As expected!]
Marbas glanced at Tese tan once before continuing.
[If I safely bring your mana over, Lord Lucarion will be able to use it to reinforce the time passage.]
"Then Tie and Dad can go back to Talochioum too?"
[Yes! Though right now the passage is incomplete, so there's a risk of getting bounced out midway or trapped.]
Tie swallowed hard.
Suddenly, the long tunnel she and Dad had passed through came to mind.
'Ugh, I don't wanna get trapped again.'
That tunnel had been dizzyingly long.
And not just that?
The surroundings had undulated like oil floating on water, nearly making her seasick.
Tie steadied her mind and asked.
"Got it. So when will the orb be charged?"
Marbas flinched and stiffened.
[Ahem! Well.]
Glancing at Tie's expression, Marbas said in a slightly smaller voice.
[Truth is, I don't know exactly.]
Tie's eyes went wide.
While the child was speechless, Tese tan stepped forward.
"What do you mean? You don't know how long it'll take."
Marbas shrank back, putting distance between him and Tese tan.
[The Harmonium was developed so hastily. In raising stability, the external design got complicated, so the mana charging speed might be a bit slow......]
"A bit slow—how slow exactly? Explain precisely."
Marbas made a cornered expression.
He backed away little by little until he was pressed against the wall, then said.
[Not exact, but probably... a few weeks in this world's time...?]
"A few weeks?"
Tese tan's eyes widened.
He quietly pressed his forehead.
To endure a few weeks in this place where he understood nothing.
"Moya, a few weeks isn't that long......"
But Tie, on the other hand, looked disappointed that it was too short.
Marbas asked back in a puzzled voice.
[Huh, Master? Don't tell me you don't want to go back to Talochioum?]
Tie hesitated as she looked down at Marbas.
"That's not it......"
Marbas's eyes sparkled.
[In that case, I think it would be good if you and I stayed here together!]
Tie opened her mouth.
[I've heard about it! This dimension must be far more familiar to you, right?]
Marbas bounced over to Tie.
[If you wish, I have a way. What's the biggest problem while staying here? I could solve it...... Mmph.]
Tese tan snatched Marbas up.
"What are you suggesting to the kid. Quiet."
Marbas shut his mouth.
The moment Tese tan released him, Marbas scurried back to the wall.
But regret dripped from his eyes.
'To think, a chance to escape that violent elephant......!'
The lion face, briefly hopeful, grew forlorn.
His eyes glared toward Tese tan.
'Being the Master's father doesn't mean everything! It doesn't! I say!'
Honestly, the young master had seemed tempted by Marbas's proposal.
Having spent most of her short life here, it was natural.
Marbas sank into thought.
'Maybe persuade her a bit more when her father isn't around.'
His eyes sparkled as he looked at Tie's dejected face.
* * *
That evening.
"Grandmaaa!"
"Yes, my pup!"
Tie ran and hugged Chae Bok-su of room 107 the moment she opened the door.
Somehow, a sharp medicinal smell emanated from Grandma hugging her.
Tie sniffed curiously and tilted her head.
'What's this smell?'
It kinda smelled like medicine.
Grandma stroked Tie's head and said.
"No dinner yet? That sick daddy of yers wouldn't......"
Chae Bok-su, who had reflexively glanced at the kitchen, froze in place.
In the kitchen stood Tese tan holding a spatula, dressed in her pajamas.
Tese tan's eyes briefly showed embarrassment.
Glancing at Tie, he hesitated before opening his mouth.
"W-Welcome back."
Chae Bok-su startled upright.
She set down her bag and replied.
"Y-Yeah, yeah. I'm back."
Tie alternated glances between the two before pulling Chae Bok-su to the TV.
"Grandma. Tie was watching this."
"R-Really?"
Grandma, seeing the trot singer belting out a song, bowed her head slightly toward Tie.
"But sweetie. Yer daddy ain't totally lost his marbles."
As Tie tilted her head, Grandma continued.
"Didn't he say all his memories flew away clean?"
"Yeah."
"Then how'd he know the sausages're in the freezer?"
Tie's lips parted wide.
Come to think of it, a few dozen minutes before Grandma arrived.
When Tie's stomach growled.
'......Hungry?'
Dad, lying beside her watching TV, had naturally gotten up the moment her stomach rumbled.
Then naturally opened the fridge door and took out four eggs.
And naturally opened the freezer to find the sausages......
"Gasp."
Tie shot up and dashed to the kitchen.
Then asked Tese tan with shining eyes.
"How'd you know?"
Tese tan, flipping the fried eggs, glanced down.
The child was looking up at him with bright, sparkling eyes.
Tese tan quietly stepped in front of her.
"Oil splatters on your face."
But Tie didn't give up.
"How'd you know where the sausages were? Huh?"
"......"
Tese tan stared silently at the small oil bubbles popping on the pan.
The rotating sausages vibrated in place.
'Yeah.'
How did I know?
The child's stomach growled, and after that, he just naturally started cooking.
"How'd you know Tie likes sausages? Huh?"
Questions poured out again.
Tese tan looked at Tie once, then at the nearly done sausages and eggs.
Then took out plates and neatly arranged the food on them.
"Eat first."
Tie's eyes went round.
But the child obediently stepped back.
And unfolded the tiny folding table that barely fit three people.
Tese tan stared fixedly at Tie doing so.
'Daddy!'
A voice echoed in his ear once more.
'Daddyyy, hehe! Daddy!'
Right after arriving in this world.
The hallucinations and auditory ones grew worse day by day.
Having seen and heard them so much?
Now the contents were vividly unforgettable.
Tese tan's expression grew complicated.
'If this is......'
Though impossible, if all this were truly real.
If he really were the Necromancer King's father.
"D-Dad, no, uh...... come here!"
Just then, Tie called him.
Swallowing words several times, unsure what to call him.
Tese tan let out a secret sigh.
'Damn hallucinations. Might as well show it all clearly.'
Only fragments surfacing made it all the more confusing.
As he sat, the child placed utensils in front of him with her small hands.
"Eat lots."
The old woman across picked up her spoon first.
"Yeah!"
Tie, answering, shoveled a big spoonful of rice into her mouth.
That was when.
"Cough!"
Suddenly, the old woman covered her mouth with her hand and coughed.
Tie's eyes went round.
The old woman quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled as if nothing happened.
However, Tese tan's brow was already furrowed.
Because a smell his sensitive nose couldn't miss had passed by.
'Blood?'
It had been like this last time too.
The old woman was undoubtedly vomiting blood.
