Episode 23
“I might be overstepping, but if you’re worried about what to do with the child, I have something to say.”
As expected, experience wins.
The old woman had noticed that Estelle and Lennox had argued about Duren.
She looked at Estelle and Duren—who looked like a kind mother and son—and spoke.
“I wasn’t here today because I went to see a doctor.”
“Is your condition serious?”
“Grandma Afo?!”
“No, it’s not that bad,” she said quickly, waving her hands.
“My daughter worries too much, so I went to a nearby doctor. He said it’s nothing serious.”
“That’s a relief.”
“But my body is weak with age. It’s hard for my daughter to take care of even just me.”
The old woman looked away from Duren, who was staring at her with teary eyes.
“I don’t want to be a burden to my family anymore.”
“Your family probably doesn’t think of you as a burden.”
“But the guilt I feel still remains. I’m sure you understand that.”
Estelle understood what the old woman was trying to say.
“It’s an honor to meet someone as noble as you, but we have our own lives to live. Please leave now.”
“Then, what about Duren…?”
“Please take him with you.”
She said this firmly.
“I got emotional when I saw a boy who looked like him. I must’ve said nonsense.”
“…”
“A dog can’t become a person…”
“Grandma! I’m Dudu!”
“Please don’t come back here about this again.”
“Dudu!”
Tears started falling from Duren’s eyes.
“Why do you keep saying I’m not?”
The old woman avoided his eyes on purpose.
She truly believed the boy was her dog, Dudu.
But if people knew that a noble child had the memories of a dog, they wouldn’t see him kindly.
She was afraid it would hurt Duren’s future.
“You’re not Dudu anymore. You’re Duren now. Even if you have those memories, it’s time to live your own life.”
“I’m not a noble boy!”
“…”
“I hate being called that!”
Duren ran to the old woman.
But she only gripped her cane tightly and didn’t open her arms.
“Don’t be too harsh. I know it’s hard to see Dudu and Duren as completely different.”
“Madam…”
“Do you know what Duren said when I first asked for his name?”
The old woman looked confused.
“He said, ‘My baby, my cutie. Pretty. My puppy. My child.’”
“…”
“They were all words full of love.”
At that moment, the old woman couldn’t hold back her tears.
He had just followed her around because he loved her.
She had said those sweet words naturally, without thinking.
But he had believed those words were his name.
She hadn’t realized how much they meant to him.
“I know how much you loved Dudu. Don’t say things you don’t mean. You’ll only hurt each other.”
“Anyone would’ve called Dudu that way if they met him.”
The old woman wiped her tears and gently patted Duren’s head.
His eyes were red, but still full of trust.
Dogs love people even when they’re treated harshly. Just like this.
It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
“…It’s true. I can’t take care of him anymore.”
She wiped Duren’s eyes gently.
She used to do that every day so his eyes wouldn’t get crusty.
“I always planned to let him go if a loving family appeared.”
She had only been a temporary guardian.
After making sure his face was clean, she slowly pushed him away.
“If I keep seeing his face, I’ll miss him too much. Please leave. I’m begging you.”
“Grandma, I won’t see you again?”
The old woman couldn’t answer right away, so Estelle stepped in.
“If you ever want to see her again…”
She glanced at Lennox.
He nodded.
“You can visit her anytime.”
“Really?!”
“Of course.”
The old woman looked worried.
“Let’s just say your grandson is visiting. That should be okay.”
“As long as you don’t talk about what we said today in front of others, it’s fine,” Lennox added calmly.
“Duren, say goodbye to Grandma.”
They had accomplished what they came for. It was time to leave.
Duren happily ran to Estelle and waved.
“Grandma! See you again!”
Duren jumped into the carriage.
As Estelle was about to follow, the old woman stopped her.
“W-wait! This is nothing special, but please take this.”
She gave Estelle a scarf she had knitted herself.
It was colorful and eye-catching.
“After the village was destroyed, this was the only thing I managed to save.”
“…”
“It’s not perfect, but I thought it would look nice on him.”
“Why not give it to him yourself?”
She shook her head.
“If I do, I won’t be able to let him go. Please give it to him for me.”
The old woman remembered when she had first knitted that scarf.
“Dudu was so small and white that people didn’t notice him sometimes.”
“…”
“Some even stepped on him by mistake. So I started putting this scarf on him.”
She had been upset then.
But now, she was relieved. That wouldn’t happen again.
“If Dudu really became human, he’ll live much longer than me.”
Words she could never say in front of Duren.
But also why she had to let him go.
“Before, I was sad that my little one would die before me…”
Her hand trembled slightly.
“But now he’s met someone who’ll love him more than I ever could. That’s enough for me.”
She smiled.
Estelle thought it was the most beautiful smile she had ever seen.
Later…
As the carriage moved, Estelle put the scarf around Duren’s neck.
Sniff sniff.
He smelled it and shouted,
“Grandma’s smell!”
“She gave it to you.”
“Really?!”
“She made it just for you.”
“Heehee!”
Duren laughed out loud.
The carriage passed through a warp gate.
In the blink of an eye, they arrived in the north. The scenery changed completely.
Duren pressed his face against the window in amazement.
Even watching petals flying in the wind made him giggle.
“So dark.”
Then, he suddenly said, staring at a distant village covered in black mist.
“Dudu saw that before.”
It was a common sight in the north, but Duren couldn’t take his eyes off it.
“Dudu wants to go there!”
He suddenly stood up and ran toward the door.
“Duren!”
“Dudu wants to save the hurt people!”
He looked like he might fall, standing up in the moving carriage.
Estelle reached out to pull him onto her lap, but stopped when she heard what he said.
“Hurt people?”
“Yeah! People in danger like Grandma. People who are hurt, all of them…!”
Rattle.
The carriage hit a rock and shook hard.
Duren almost fell, but Estelle and Lennox quickly reached out to catch him.
