After Story 21: Lover (4)
“M-mother… I-is that true?”
“Yes, it’s that birthday gift you wanted. We kept our promise, right?”
“Dad had to work on it quite hard.”
“Whoa, wow, wow…”
Surprised, Abel got up and trembled, then clasped his hands over his mouth, deeply moved.
“Wow!”
Soo seeing Abel raising his arms in the air shouting, we couldn’t help but smile.
“Is the Childe’s sibling going to be born then?”
Just like Abel, Deborah had heard the news for the first time as well and seemed to be looking forward to it.
I nodded to Deborah who was asking a question with a reddened face.
Abel suddenly kneeled in front of me.
He was so excited that he was panting as he stared at my stomach which isn’t even showing yet.
“I-Is it a girl or a boy?”
“We don’t know that yet. Do you want a sister? Or a brother?”
“E-either will do. Can I pat them?”
“What? It wouldn’t matter I suppose, but…”
It would be closer to cells than a human at this stage, really…
Not knowing any better, the 14-year-old Abel seemed to think that there was already a sibling in my stomach with ears and head to pat already.
Abel put his hand slowly on my stomach and spoke while gulping dryly.
“H-hi?”
Deborah also got off Michael’s lap and stared at my stomach with interest in her eyes.
“Hello, Childe’s sibling.”
The two of them were adorable and made me and Hades and Michael laugh for a long while.
Abel hugged my waist and stuck his cheek on my stomach and asked.
“What about a name? Did you pick a name?”
“Not yet. Will you give them one?”
“Can I do that?”
“Sure. but your father said, there is a name he wants to give if it is a girl.”
“Sure! Then I will name him if it’s a brother. What’s the sister’s name?”
I was also curious, as I had not heard it yet.
I just told him to do as he wished because he said he wants to name a girl…
As I looked back at Hades, he pinched Abel’s cheek lightly and said with a smile.
“Sinya.”
“Sinya? That’s pretty! Really!”
What wouldn’t be?
Right at this moment, I was certain that Abel would nod at any name brought in to be put on his sibling, calling it nice and pretty.
“Please grow healthy, my second nephew or niece.”
“Pahahahah…!”
Hearing Michael adding a blessing, Hades laughed aloud.
He spoke looking satisfied as he looked at Michael.
“The grand priest’s baptism was always tasteless, but I am quite pleased with this one.”
“It is a baptism for the greater good. Something like this is fine, right?”
“Of course, of course.”
Sharing an odd conversation, the two smiled at each other.
“Anyways, where should we go this time?” Hades said as he looked up at the night sky where fireworks were still ongoing.
It was busy during the festival. Handling aristocrats who came to celebrate one by one, doing celebratory speeches before the people of the duchy…
Though it was a festival for all the rest, for us couple and Abel who were under the spotlight, we were pretty much working.
And so as always, we won’t be able to spend time together just as a family due to various reasons, but Abel seemed somewhat content because of his upcoming sibling.
The real birthday party was always the short trip we took somewhere nearby or far away after the festival period.
Abel mused for a while and shook his head.
“I don’t really know. I don’t mind anywhere. The Grand priest and Priestess Deborah are coming too this time, right?”
Hearing Abel’s excited voice, Michael pulled his gaze away from up at the night sky and looked at him, Deborah back on his lap.
Michael smiled without a word and Deborah looked up at him with a bitter expression on her face.
Sensing the sudden quiet atmosphere, I forced a smile and spoke, “How about going to Paradis isles down in the South? No one here had been there before, right? The sea is so clear that the fishes in the water are visible.”
“Wow!”
Hearing my words, Deborah exclaimed with her eyes wide open. Seeing Deborah, Abel got even more excited and nodded hard.
“Yeah!”
“Paradis, huh… Nowhere like that place for sightseeing. That place is…”
Hades suddenly put his arms around my shoulder as he spoke.
“…A property Viscount Stanley Anning had purchased three years ago, correct?”
Whoa!
This meticulous man, so he was still keeping tabs on Stanley Anning’s actions?
It was a tourist spot I bought without anyone knowing so that we could take vacations there all on our own asfamily…
At this point, I am amazed at how Hades knows of every step Stanley Anning takes yet, not knowing he is me.
No way…
Could it be that he is playing dumb when he already knows everything?
I laughed awkwardly and Hades stared at me with his eyes narrowed.
“I suppose he has contacted you in person to pay him a visit since it’s Abel’s birthday. So I finally get to see his face now?”
“Ha ha…”
No, well. Though it was a name I no longer needed to hide, now that Louvremont was above the level of the Imperial house, the problem was that I had lost the timing to confess everything to Hades.
Looking at Hades gnashing off his teeth towards the mysterious patron Stanley Anning, I have decided on finally revealing the truth on our trip to Paradis this time.
“Let’s all go together! Grand priest, Priestess Deborah, Anne and magician and Azar too…! And my sibling too!”
Excitement and expectations visible on his face Abel spoke. I nodded to him.
“I recall visiting Paradis isles once a while back. It’s a truly wonderful place. I would be nice only if I could come with you all, but…”
Hearing Michael’s words, I suddenly felt bitter.
Because I knew that would be difficult, hearing that it’s unlikely to happen.
“Duchess, how is… the other world? Is it as beautiful as this place? They must have lots of sight to see like Paradis Isles as well, right?”
“Absolutely. there are so many places perfect for dates.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
I quietly rose and stepped behind Michael. Did Deborah know that he was preparing his last moments…
Sadness flowed from her eyes as she dug into Michael’s bosom.
I quietly hugged Michael from the back and he smiled lightly, caressing my arm.
After sharing each other’s warmth for a while, I quietly spoke.
“I’ll miss you.”
“Me too.”
Michael replied with a smile.
“Go on before me and wait for me there. I will go after being happy here for a bit.”
“Absolutely. Just don’t be too late.”
“In the other world… you better call me big sister.”
“Ha ha ha, what are you saying? I would be the older brother.”
“No, I’m the older one.”
“No, I’m the older one.”
“I said no.”
“We’ll see then.”
Everyone fell silent hearing our whispers.
I could tell there was not too much time left until our farewell.
[About those flashes of colored lights seen during the day, it’s something I’ve seen in the future when I die. I think today’s going to be the day.]
The firework Roxa had shot up into the sky during the day, not sure if it was on purpose or not but that’s what Michael told me after seeing it.
He said he closed his eyes for one last time under the beautiful night sky.
Deborah was already tearing up and digging into Michael’s arms.
He spoke with his head slightly tilted.
“I’m tired…”
“Then get some sleep. I will be by your side.”
“Okay.”
“You will have sweet dreams.”
“I will.”
“You’ve been through so much.”
“So did you…”
“I love you.”
“I… love you, too…”
“I love you Ignis.”
“Yeah…”
“I love you…”
“…”
“Be happy, for me.”
There was no longer a reply.
His hand caressing my arm slowly fell downwards.
“I really love you.”
My poor sibling.
“Ignis.”
“…”
Though I never got to hear his reply, he gave his last goodbye only I could hear, and…
Just like that, quietly closed his eyes.
‘Yeah, I love you. Hope you are happy too.’
* * *
Michael’s funeral was held in small scale at Louvremont after all the festivities were over, per his wishes.
The priests in black mourning clothes tearfully mourned for their Grand priest.
Holding Abel’s hand on one side and Deborah’s on the other, I kept his side till the end in a black dress.
Thankfully, the veil hanging under my hat hid my face that was in a mess. I could cry as much as I wanted.
“Even dead, he still has his pretty face,” Hades quietly muttered as he stood beside me
Abel and I turned to him at once and raised our index finger to our lips in unison.
As Hades said, Michael’s face was still lively even as he was placed in the coffin.
He almost seemed like he was smiling, lying among white chrysanthemums.
‘Did they meet now?’
Since time here and there should not flow at the same rate, perhaps Michael may already have reunited with his sibling he missed so much and his lover too.
“You know,”
I opened my mouth with a sudden thought. Abel and Hades stared at me.
I felt a smile coming on looking at the father and son looking identical.
“I’ve never been scared of death before. Since every life was an agony for me.”
Because being alive itself was painful, I had no hesitation in choosing death every single life.
“But after everything was over, I became scared of death right away, as if the lives before had never happened.”
The happiness I experienced for the first time since creation was so sweet, I hoped that it would never end.
But one day, even this first life that had given me happiness would come to an end.
That fact made me so sad before, but…
“But we don’t need to feel sad.”
Michael’s death gave me relief instead.
Because I was able to have certainty that this is not an eternal goodbye through his death.
“Deborah, you promised me not to cry, right?”
We were at peace at once. I held onto Deborah’s hand affectionately and asked. Deborah nodded with a slight smile.
“Let’s stay here and be happy before we go meet him again.”
“Okay.”
“Paradis should be really warm around this time of the year. It’s going to be a happy trip. right?”
This time, I asked Abel. He also smiled and gave me a nod.
Then I turned to look at Hades who stood firm by my side.
“We would be saying goodbye someday too, right?”
“Let’s die together, same hour and same minute, because we love each other,”
“Pah.”
Hearing Hades’ daring proposal, I burst into laughter.
“Now I no longer fear parting. Since I know that we will meet again.”
“I’m not scared either, but it is a bit of a hassle to have to recall you again every time.”
Hades grunted, his hand around my shoulder.
“Though it’s ridiculous to worry about it already, you better know I would be coming for you if you mistake me for another guy because you can’t remember. I would just… beat you up until you are all swollen.”
“Whew, Abel… I’m so worried that your father is such a violent man. What if your sibling takes after your father?”
Knowing that his weapon of choice was his lips, Abel let out a laugh.
I was really worried, though.
What if they breathe fire and speak the moment after they are born?
Something like, ‘Hya, I, the tiresomely perfect being have begun their life!’ maybe?
Seeing me trembling at the sudden chilling imagination, Hades asked what I was thinking.
I shook my head as if I had no clue and held tightly at Abel’s hand in mine.
“I love you, son.”
“Me too.”
The sun was slowly rising up the dawn sky.
A new start blossoming from death.
“So you only love your son?”
“I was getting to you. No need to be so hasty. I love you honey.”
I quietly leaned onto Hades’ shoulder and whispered. Hades hugged me tight in his bosom.
The end that seemed like the new beginning.
A death that promised the life after.
How glad we were, to be certain of our eternal connection even if we say goodbye?
Numerous goodbyes with no sadness would never be fearful but a blessing.
We are tied together eternally.
“Let’s swim lots and lots when we get to Paradis.”
So let’s not be sad.
Let’s just enjoy everyday happiness like how we did until now.
“Okay!”
“I’d like that too.”
“But do you know how to swim? You aren’t going to fall in like a dummy and flounder?”
“I don’t know how. So put me on your back and swim for me”
Hades held me in his arms and stuck his forehead on mine and smiled.
“Easy.”
Smiling within his arms, I whispered very quietly.
“I’m happy.”