"I, I will live well, Father. I understand you don't trust him... but you will trust me, right?"
Calver looked at Irel who was speaking. Her face squinted and smiled at him, shining with deep understanding.
When did his little daughter, as weak as a lamb, grow up? Calver felt the tip of his nose sting for no reason. But before he could immerse himself in emotions, Varkan destroyed his emotions immediately.
“Father.”
"Bam... father? Did he just call me that?"
Calver rubbed his goosebumps-covered arms and questioned. Varkan smiled like a painting and fluently apologized.
"I know my attitude last time was wrong. I want to take this opportunity to apologize to you."
"At least you know. Luckily you're apologizing now."
"Of course I have to apologize. Since we are about to become a family, we shouldn't leave behind any small problems."
…He was deceived. Only the tone was calm, and Varkan's cunning remained the same. It made him even more frustrated when he acted fake, as if he was being sincere, without even blinking his eyes.
‘I thought that bastard was acting normal now.’
Calver's eyes looking at Varkan sitting next to Irel became even colder. But unfortunately, Varkan's madness has only just begun.
"If I could take out my heart and show it to you, I would definitely do it. Then perhaps you would see my sincerity for Irel."
“……”
“You probably don't know how much I love her.”
“I really don't know.”
Calver cut in coldly as if drawing a line. He didn't know that a few minutes later, he would regret this answer.
“If so, I would like to speak.”
Varkan smiled brightly as if he had been waiting for this moment. Irel looked at that smile and had an uneasy feeling that something was wrong. But before she could stop it, Varkan's mouth opened.
"I love her to death. If my lifespan were longer and she died first, I would die with her."
"What?"
Calver doubted his ears.
"I will hug her living body until her last breath. Every morning, I will wash her face, wash her hands, comb her hair, dress her and whisper words of love to her. Even if her body rots and turns to ash, I will never let her go."
“Hey you, why do you say such terrible words…”
“Cho dù tôi có trở thành Masaka đầu tiên chết vì độc xác, tôi cũng không hối tiếc. Không, thậm chí tôi còn mong điều đó. Chỉ cần có thể theo kịp Irel sớm hơn, nắm lấy bàn tay cô ấy trên con đường cô độc đến thế giới bên kia.”
Varkan's eloquent confession, uttered without pause, was over. After listening, Calver wondered whether to be touched or angry because of his crazy words.
‘If only Michael were here.’
However, his eldest son announced that he would not attend the same morning. With dark circles under his eyes, it was clearly the mark of a long night of worry.
‘I'm sorry, Father. Thanks to Father's guidance, I think I have somewhat distinguished between right and wrong. But this time, I really don't know.'
So, Michael chose his simplest, most simple and devout way. Thay vì mặc bộ lễ phục chật chội, tham dự buổi gặp mặt và mỉm cười với vẻ mặt thối ruột, cậu đã chạy thẳng đến Thánh điện, đóng góp một khoản tiền lớn và cầu nguyện cho Irel.
‘O sole Savior, our Lord of Hashbash. Please have mercy on my sister.'
Calver sighed as he thought of his eldest son praying hard. Những lời Varkan nói quả thật điên rồ, nhưng vì thế, ông lại thấy hắn sẽ không bao giờ phản bội con gái mình, dù có phải chết đi chăng nữa.
'He said even death would follow, so he wouldn't underestimate his daughter's longevity.'
If Varkan had brazenly used the excuse 'You promised', perhaps his heart wouldn't have softened like it does now. Ngược lại, sự phản kháng sẽ càng tăng thêm, nhưng Varkan dường như đã đoán được điều đó, không hề đề cập đến lời hứa. His sincere attitude in persuading Calver, as if no promise existed, made a strong impression.
‘Someone willing to endure this trouble, maybe I should trust him for once?’
Varkan smiled, seemingly realizing Calver's struggle. Then he bowed his head, placing one hand on his strong chest, just like when he was ordained Masaka at the Holy Temple.
“Tôi sẽ bảo vệ cô ấy suốt đời. Đây không phải là lời nói suông, tôi có đủ năng lực và ý chí để làm điều đó. Có một người con gái như tiểu thư Irel, Ngài không hài lòng với bất kỳ chàng rể nào là điều đương nhiên, nhưng trong vô số kẻ ứng cử không vừa mắt đó, tôi sẽ là lựa chọn tốt nhất. Xin Ngài đừng phủ nhận sự thật này.”
It was so mad that I wanted to jump up. He behaved so politely that Calver had no room to retort, causing him to feel a lump in his throat.
But he had to admit it. That he didn't have the strength to protect his daughter.
‘The opponent is not human.’
The shock was evident when the soldiers sent to rescue their daughter returned as cold bodies. Among them were those who had been raised and trained by Calver since they were teenagers without beards.
Beautiful lives have perished because of him. Yet his daughter was still trapped in the hands of the monster. That truth made Calver feel like the ground beneath his feet had collapsed.
And it was Varkan who ended all that despair.
“Father…”
The daughter looked at him with concern, young and beautiful. And strangely, she looked very healthy. It's funny to say that a Receiver looks healthy next to Masaka.
"Please accept it, Father. I cannot be without this man."
If only the daughter's cheeks were a little haggard. Her eyes were a bit dark. Or her appearance seems tattered and a bit sullen.
‘In that case, I would have held her hand and taken her out of here immediately.’
Thanks to his wife who loves shopping, he knows it very well. The dress and jewelry Irel is currently wearing are high-end items that even Countess Louisa can hardly afford. Irel should have shown off a bit by wearing such things, but she was completely unaware. Because…
"Oh, shit. Got it."
Irel was not used to cumbersome clothes, so he accidentally touched his sleeve, causing his sleeve to fall into the teacup. Thanks to that, a dark black tea stain was printed on the light purple sleeve.
It was a dress made from precious dye that could only be imported from the Eastern Continent. But Irel just scratched his head shyly and brushed his sleeves. She didn't seem like she wanted to immediately wash it with water or call the maid to make a fuss to save the dress.
‘If you leave it like that, it will get stained.’
Calver stood and watched, feeling worried. He glanced reflexively at Varkan. But Varkan, who had apparently bought the dress, appeared completely unconcerned.
“You have to be careful.”
He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, but what he wiped was not the dress, but Irel's hand. Varkan looked at the thin wrist in his hand, turned it around and around indifferently, and then spoke.
“The tea is cold so you won't get burned.”
He didn't say "Fortunately." But Calver thought he caught a glimpse of relief in those yellow eyes he had always thought belonged to animals.
‘Oh my god.’
People sometimes make big decisions for small reasons. That moment was Calver's excuse.
It's hard to explain or express in words, but he saw a glimmer of hope in that moment. A strong premonition that this man would never be stingy or cruel to his daughter.
“……You. Can you really keep what you just said?”
After a moment of silence, Calver had difficulty speaking. In that half-convinced, half-skeptical tone, Varkan instinctively recognized it. This is the opportunity.
“I swear before the Lord God, in the name of Ha Mash. I will take Irel Elorance as my wife, love, protect and protect her for life.”
At his harsh words, Calver turned to look at his wife. Louisa, who had been sitting with an unpredictable expression on her face, raised her eyes as if fascinated.
A brief look was exchanged between the couple. Louisa turned away, looking at her daughter with eyes of speechless sadness. And after a moment of hesitation, she silently took her husband's hand.
Even though the hand trembled, it was full of strength. That's enough.
"Okay. I agree... to this marriage."
"Acclaim!"
It's successful! Irel was filled with a sense of accomplishment when he finally surpassed that solid and difficult wall.
"I really thank you, Father, thank you, Mother! For trusting me."
Irel, with her cheeks red with joy, stood up and hugged her parents. Calver and Louisa hugged their beloved youngest daughter, although their expressions were still a bit complicated.
“Thank you.”
Varkan, who was watching from behind, also naturally expressed his thanks. His handsome face was smiling, but unlike Irel, he didn't look excited or restless.
Just when Calver thought 'Maybe I agreed hastily' when he saw that measured smile.
“Ha Mash.”
Louisa called Varkan's name without looking him in the eyes.
"Can I talk to my daughter alone for a moment? Just the two of us."