IBRIP l CH 147

Chapter 147

As soon as Noe saw Millia in the cabin, he ran straight to her before anyone could stop him.

“Mom!”

We had no choice but to follow him. Inside, Millia greeted us warmly.

“Come on in, everyone. Noe, this is the first time you’ve brought friends home.”

Her smile was so natural that we all exchanged uncertain glances. Noe looked just as confused.

“H-Honey?”

Hojen approached her awkwardly. Millia lightly tapped his shoulder.

“Noe’s friends are here. Go outside and catch a deer or something for us.”
“Huh? Catch a deer? What are you—”
“Go on, hurry!”

She pushed Hojen out the door. We could only watch. Outside, Hojen looked around, clapped his hands, and—just like that—came back holding fresh venison, knocking on the door.

Millia ignored him completely and led us to the table.

“Uh… Mom? Are you really my mom?”
“Noe, that’s a strange thing to say. Who else would I be?”

I glanced at Winter. Did he figure anything out from meeting this Millia again?

I wanted to blurt out, Are you the real spirit of the late Lady Rustin?—but that was Noe’s question to ask, not mine.

We all sat in awkward silence as Millia busied herself cooking. Soon she ladled something into a deep bowl and set it down.

…Wait. That’s Hojen’s “pig stew.”

“Eat up,” she said with a bright smile.
“Um… Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Your body is out there, dead… so how are you here?”

Nice, Noe!

I half-expected him to break down crying in her arms, but thankfully he didn’t.

It was a blunt, slightly clumsy question—but exactly the right one.

I stared at Millia’s lips. She didn’t look shocked. She simply bit her spoon and murmured:

“Well, this is a dream, isn’t it?”
“…Huh?”
“In dreams, you can do anything.”

Noe shook his head and dropped his spoon.

“No, I mean… Are you just a fantasy Dad made, or… or the real Mom?”

He couldn’t quite say my dead mother’s spirit. Millia just laughed, a clear, bright laugh like a young girl’s.

“Does it matter? I’m already dead. I’m just here in a dream.”
“Of course it matters!”
“You and your father have to go back. When you wake up, I’ll be gone. So why does it matter?”

She was saying it didn’t matter if she was Hojen’s longing made real, or Millia Rustin herself.

Classic T-personality, I thought—rational to the point of being cold.

Noe suddenly shoveled a big spoonful of stew into his mouth.

“You… You resent me too, don’t you? That’s why you’re saying this?”
“Noe—”
“Why not just say it? Dad, you, everyone—you keep dodging it. I know I did wrong. So why won’t anyone just say it’s my fault?”

He slammed his empty bowl down.

“Why can’t you say I’m the reason you died?”

Millia looked at him with quiet affection.

Noe, that’s not it, I thought. But she didn’t deny it or give him any comforting words.

And maybe she was right—saying it’s not your fault would be just empty comfort.

“Forget it. I shouldn’t have asked. It was my fault anyway.”

After a pause, he added:

“Let’s drop it. There’s something more important. Mom, we need to convince Rose to cooperate, but I don’t know what she wants.”
“Rose is the same,” Millia said with a soft smile. “She’s just being a little clingy. She’s still a baby. So, Noe, we just…”

She stroked his head gently.

“We just need to wake up.”
“Wake up?”

Noe blinked, confused. I didn’t get it either, so I spoke up:

“Lady Rustin’s necklace is very important to Noe. If we just take it but Rose refuses to help, it will cause a lot of trouble.”
“Rose will always be a stubborn baby,” Millia replied, walking to the door.

She opened it slowly and whispered:

“But she won’t hate you forever. She’s been waiting for you her whole life—though she probably doesn’t even realize it. She wasn’t waiting for me. She was waiting for you. So take Rose with you. You’re both too old to be clinging to your mother now.”

And with that, Millia’s form vanished like smoke.

Wow… she’s really raising them tough, I thought. Must be the hunter family in her.

Hojen rushed up.

“Where’s Millia?”
“She… disappeared,” I said.

His face went pale.

“What? Then was she… real? Or not?”

I just shrugged and ran after Noe, who had gone outside.

“She said it doesn’t matter,” I called over my shoulder.

We reached Millia’s grave. Noe spoke to the bell:

“Rose, I’m taking you with me now.”

The bell rang loudly.

“Mom entrusted you to me. We’re going to stay together from now on.”

I nodded.

“Alright, now let’s talk about the real-world problem.”
“What problem?”
“The fact you were kidnapped. We’re going to rescue you. Can you tell us where you are and who has you?”

Noe avoided my eyes.

“No need to rescue me. Tell me where to go to find you.”
“What do you mean, no need?!”
“Those guys are adults and bigger than me, sure—but poison arrows work on anyone. No one’s faster than my arrows.”

I stared.

“…Was that blood from earlier—?”
“I’m a hunter. Don’t be shocked. Just tell me where to go.”

I sighed.

“Come to the Western Empire and ask for Lady Rohia. I’ll tell them to guide you to me.”

Noe nodded, squeezing the bell.

“I’ll take the bell. You take care of Mom.”
“…And your father?”

I gestured to Hojen, still sitting in shock.

“He’ll be fine. We’ve got work to do.”

True enough—we did.

Suddenly, Millia appeared again, hugging Noe tightly from behind.

The bell chimed happily. Noe froze for a moment.

“Honey!” Hojen called, running toward her.

Millia whispered to Noe:

“Will you visit us again next time?”

Noe gave the slightest nod.

And then—I opened my eyes.