CHAPTER 92………………………..
How to Be a Great Pet and a Great Owner…?
Do you really want to see that?
Is this thing really a hatchling?
Esther thought as she absentmindedly stroked the hatchling’s plump head.
Still, the creature snorted happily and took off into the sky, meat clutched in its claws.
“Call me anytime! I’ll take care of everything, got it, Master?”
“Yeah.”
Esther replied half-heartedly and was about to head back to her room when—
From the opposite direction, Kaldem Egbert appeared, looking unusually gloomy.
He stopped as soon as he saw Esther.
“Esther! Did you visit your mother?”
“Yeah. What about you, Uncle?”
“…I just came to see my lovely niece!”
His previously somber expression melted away when he saw Esther’s flushed cheeks.
He bent down and poked her chubby cheeks playfully, making her frown in annoyance.
“What are you doing, you idiot?”
“Haha, so you actually talked with your mother, huh? I asked to see her earlier, but she refused—said she wasn’t feeling well.”
Well, that’s because I didn’t bother asking before barging in.
Esther’s eyes rolled.
“She might be okay now.”
…Or maybe not?
“Actually, maybe tomorrow’s better.”
She shrugged, and he sighed deeply.
“If only I could be you, Esther.”
“Why?”
“You can meet Mother so easily.”
He muttered bitterly.
“That’s not all. Even Nigel, of all people, likes you. And even those annoying kids of my eldest brother follow you around.”
Well, that’s the result of all my hard work and flattery, isn’t it?
Guess it’s about time for the sexy version.
But for some reason, Raksa and Siphon kept getting in the way.
“That sounds exhausting.”
Esther spoke with a weary face.
“I’m more jealous of you, Uncle.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. Too much hassle.”
Honestly, if it weren’t for the curse she had to break, she wouldn’t care about any of this.
“But why did you want to see Grandma?”
“Oh, you don’t know yet? I’m leaving soon.”
“Leaving? Where to?”
“The war. That’s why Brother Kaelos came back, isn’t it?”
“Ahh, right.”
Now that she thought about it, there was still that matter unresolved.
Actually… two things, maybe?
She also had to visit Michael Enoch and demand the item that could break her mother’s curse.
Esther sighed heavily.
Solving these “exclamation marks” was fine and all, but having them pile up like this was exhausting.
Let’s start with the war one first…
That required a direct negotiation with Kaelos.
Without his permission, Esther couldn’t accomplish anything.
“Huh?”
Esther blinked.
Above Kaldem Egbert’s head was an exclamation mark.
Green…?
A color she’d never seen before.
Had Michael Enoch ever mentioned such a color existed?
Curious, Esther focused her magic, and a piece of parchment unfurled before her eyes.
[Why?]
It was an incomplete parchment—just one word written at the top of a large blank sheet.
Esther tilted her head.
What’s this supposed to mean?
A green exclamation mark—and she couldn’t even decipher it.
“You really didn’t know anything, huh?”
He grinned mischievously.
“I did. But I didn’t know you were going too, Uncle.”
“That’s right.”
“Then I’m going too.”
“…What?”
“I said I’m going too.”
Esther’s eyes gleamed with determination.
“If I don’t go, Father will die. And he can’t die.”
She’d worked too hard for him to die now!
“Hmm, but he seemed really angry earlier.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
She was going.
Esther’s eyes blazed.
“Pfft—how can you be so cute, seriously?”
“Well, good genes. And I’m a genius.”
“Right, right. My amazing niece. I’d love for you to come along anyway.”
“Why?”
“…Because if you do, I won’t be lonely. I’ll be in the support unit.”
“Don’t worry, I’m going.”
Esther said firmly, then took off running toward where Kaelos was.
“Faaatheeeeer!!!”
She shouted, looking like a child about to throw a tantrum.
“E-Esther?!”
Kaldem Egbert burst into laughter as she disappeared from sight.
“She really is adorable.”
He chuckled softly and turned away.
Bang!
Startled by Esther’s voice, the door to his room flew open.
Before he could react, she darted inside. He dropped the sword in his hand and caught her in his arms.
For a moment, he froze in surprise.
“Father!”
“…Yes, Esther.”
At her call, the sharp tension in his aura softened completely.
There was not a hint of coldness left.
Just moments ago, he’d looked ready to kill someone—but now, everything about him had changed.
That transformation was both shocking and oddly heartwarming.
“I’m going to the battlefield, Father. I’m going to save you.”
If you die now, it’ll just be a huge hassle for me.
…And besides, there’s still that exclamation mark.
It’d be a shame if he died before she could deal with that.
He’s also my sacrifice, after all.
A precious offering shouldn’t be wasted carelessly.
If he was to die, it should be by her hands—she couldn’t allow him to die and come back as a corpse.
Right. Killing him is my job.
A sacrifice for the birth of the Demon King—he had to stay alive and well until then.
Yeah, that’s all there is to it.
Solve the exclamation mark, save the sacrifice. Simple.
“Esther. I’d grant most of your wishes if I could, but I can say with certainty—this isn’t a place you should go.”
“……”
“And if you were to get hurt, I wouldn’t be able to face Freyja again.”
He knelt down, meeting her gaze, and spoke softly.
“When I was young—much younger than you—I showed you a world born of foolishness and poor judgment. I told myself it was for your sake, but the life I handed you was closer to hell. Even so… that place is something I’d never want you to see, no matter how much of a failure I am as a father.”
There was deep pain in his eyes.
Trauma.
Regret.
“So I don’t want to take you with me. But I promise—I’ll do everything I can to come back alive.”
He reached out and gently patted her head, forcing the kindest smile he could muster.
It was clumsy and half-formed, but sincere.
“So you don’t need to step into that terrible world. I may be the worst father, but there are still things I never want you to see.”
Esther recognized those eyes.
“Eh, I’m going anyway.”
Those were the eyes of someone prepared to die.
Solid, unyielding—like cooled candle wax—but fragile enough to shatter in an instant.
And so, Esther stubbornly refused to back down.
“Don’t worry, Agreas. Even if I die, I’ll return someday… once you become a great Demon King…”
Those were the eyes of someone who already knew their end.
Esther exhaled softly.
He always managed to strike her weakest point.
It irritated her—and yet…
“I’ll be fine. You’ll protect me, won’t you, Father?”
She couldn’t just stand by and watch.
Like a moth drawn to flame—beautiful, desperate, burning bright for a fleeting moment before disappearing into ash.
If anything, “moth to a flame” perfectly described Kaelos Egbert.
Esther smiled brightly.
“Well, I’m going anyway! If you don’t take me, I’ll sneak off on my own.”
One way or another, I’m going.
Raksa and Siphon were there, and Esther was much stronger now.
With Raksa’s magic and Siphon’s knowledge of the human world, she could go anywhere.
As she thought that—suddenly, out of nowhere, Kkyu-Kkyu—no, Ross—appeared, waving a tiny hand.
“H-hey, Master! I’m coming too!”
Esther shut her mouth.
“……”
Ross and the hatchling tilted their heads at the same time, as if to ask, What about us?
Ignoring them, Esther turned away, and Ross slumped over her shoulder in disappointment.
“Esther.”
Seeing her father preparing to speak again, likely to persuade her, Esther bolted.
“Goodbye, Father! I’m off to pack!”
She waved her hands wildly and dashed out of the room before he could stop her.
“……”
Left alone, Kaelos Egbert could only stare blankly, all his careful persuasion plans crumbling to dust.
