"This heinous act!"
Babam!
With a tremendous sound, white lightning struck around the grandfather.
It was a current strong enough to make even my hair stand on end.
"How dare you! How dare you to anyone!"
Grandfather's blue eyes seethed with murderous intent. I was the one who had suggested bringing him here first, but I was incredibly nervous.
"Put that scoundrel in jail immediately! Do not give him a single ray of light or a sip of water!"
At the grandfather's stern command, the servants dragged the man out.
Electricity was still flowing around the grandfather.
Then, perhaps noticing my gaze, Grandfather hurriedly got rid of the lightning.
"Ah, my Princess, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Yes. It's fine. The only place it was grabbed was my wrist..."
"Outside the wrist! This old man cannot even tolerate that wicked thing entering your field of vision!"
Lightning surged around him, and at the same time, thunder struck.
Since he knows how to use multiple spells, seeing it with my own eyes was truly amazing.
I watched the storm raging behind him, then hurriedly pulled Noelier, who was beside me, closer.
"Grandpa! I'm really fine. You saw his hands were blackened, right? Noel helped him."
Grandfather's eyes narrowed. He seemed suspicious of Noel, even though he was a dragon.
The two of them stared at each other for a long time. Caught in the middle, I just quietly rolled my eyes.
It was the grandfather who averted his gaze first.
He, who had squeezed his eyes shut, opened them again.
Then, with a smile that was obviously awkward to anyone, he said.
"Th-thank you. Grandson-in-law.'
Grandson-in-law?
I looked at him with a surprised face.
The grandfather forced a smile, pulling up the corners of his mouth, and said.
"He is your husband, so of course he is my grandson-in-law, isn't he?"
"Uh, that's true, but..."
To think a human would call a dragon their grandson-in-law.
Besides, what is with that honorific language?
I wasn't the only one who felt something was off. Grandpa also shook his head with a sound like "Gong."
However, Noelier is a dragon. Even though he is my grandfather, we couldn't just speak to him casually.
"Uh..."
At that moment, Noelia, who had been keeping silent, spoke up.
“Speak comfortably.”
"Yes...?"
"Because I'm Eve’s family.”
Noelier looked down at me and smiled gently.
"...You two get along very well."
Then the grandfather said in a slightly gloomy voice
"I wish you would stay here a little longer..."
Grandfather averted his gaze with a sad face.
It was only then that I realized my mistake.
After running away here to escape Noelier, I had reconciled as if nothing had happened and was introducing him as my husband. It was no wonder he felt hurt.
As I racked my brain, a thought suddenly struck me, and I held his hand.
"Grandpa, so..."
I opened my mouth as I looked at the grandmother.
"I want to invite Grandpa."
"...An invitation? Where are you talking about?"
I gestured to Noelier, who was standing next to me.
"We are getting married soon."
"What?"
Grandfather opened his mouth wide. Noelier also blinked slowly, appearing surprised.
"We will proceed with the handover as soon as possible. I hope Grandpa can come and celebrate with us as well."
And before he could feel any deeper disappointment, I quickly added.
"I want to enter with Grandpa. In Dad's place."
"..."
The blue eyes rippled like waves. It seemed as though longing and sadness were mingling together in the place where the disappointment had vanished.
"Would it be okay for me... to do that?"
Grandfather spoke in a suppressed voice. It was as if he were saying that he didn't deserve it.
I nodded loudly.
"It's only natural to enter with your family."
"..."
The grandfather, who had been looking at me with a lump in his throat, slowly nodded. He looked as if he were about to burst into tears at any moment.
'It seems like everyone around me is a crybaby.'
I chuckled and hugged my grandfather.
"Thank you, my dear. Thank you so much."
Grandpa kept whispering in my ear. I closed my eyes, muttering, "I'm the one who's grateful."
A faint scent of Dad wafted from Grandfather's warm embrace. It was the fragrance of a long-held longing.
***
After finishing the reunion like that, I left the castle with Noelier again.
"I will come to let you know once the exact date is set."
"You're coming in person, right?"
Grandfather asked with a face full of anticipation.
"Yes. Of course. I'll come with Zion, too."
Grandfather's face lit up at my words.
"Alright. Then I'll be counting down the days until that day. In the meantime, I should practice my entrance hard."
"You don't necessarily have to practice..."
At that, the grandfather clenched his fist tightly, his face full of passion, as if asking what I meant.
"What are you talking about? It's my puppy's once-in-a-lifetime wedding."
"..."
"I'm a wolf," I was about to add, but I just kept my mouth shut. I knew it was a nickname, but the word "puppy" gave me a nervous breakdown.
"Uh, then, I look forward to working with you."
"I am the one who should be asking for your help. Until I reach out to your husband...”
The grandfather, who had been speaking with a flushed face as if excited, paused.
As I quietly shifted my gaze to the side, I made direct eye contact with Grandfather and Noelier.
"..."
"..."
A suffocatingly awkward atmosphere enveloped us.
Grandpa forced the corners of his mouth up and smiled.
"Th-then I will wait. My grandson-in-law..."
" ...Yes. Grandfather."
The strange titles and strange honorifics combined to make for a smooth, chaotic mess.
The gap between them could not be forcibly narrowed. Time is the one that will resolve it.
I stepped away from my grandfather. I stroked his wrinkled hand as if reluctantly, then smiled again.
"Goodbye.”
“I’ll come again.”
I held Noelier's hand tightly. It was truly time to return to the Beast World.
'I won't let go now.'
I looked up at Noelier. His face still looked as if the anxiety had not yet subsided. I hugged him tightly. Oh! I heard a sound that seemed to be Grandfather letting out a small exclamation.
" Let's go back, Noel."
I whispered into his ear as if making a promise. Noelier's trembling breath brushed past his ear.
"... Yes."
His voice was filled with tears as he answered.
What am I going to do with this crybaby? I ended up bursting into laughter.
***
The orange sunset was disappearing beyond the horizon.
Rachel sat idly in a corner of the garden, staring blankly at the scene. Whenever she heard the occasional sound of sobbing, tears would stream down her face as if she had been waiting for it.
I kept waiting like this, hoping my sister might come back, but...
'My sister didn't come back today either.'
What if she never comes like this?
Whenever that thought crossed her mind, her nose stung again. Her swollen eyes kept producing hot tears.
Rachel bit her lip and buried her face in her knees.
"Miss..."
The prisoners watching the scene let out a small sigh.
Zion, who was standing behind them, cautiously approached Rachel.
A shadow fell over her head. Rachel quietly raised her head.
The sunset light poured down behind Zion.
"Let's go inside. Rachel."
"No."
"You haven't even eaten yet. Everyone's worried; let's head inside now. Okay?"
Zion spoke in a soothing tone.
Rachel just blinked blankly. Tears began to well up again.
Rachel shook her head slightly and buried her face between her knees.
Lil, who was sitting on Zion's shoulder, pecked at Zion's cheek.
"...Let's just leave him alone. He says he wants to be alone."
Zion whispered softly in a voice only audible to him.
Zion cautiously stepped back from Rachel's side.
He pretended to be fine in front of Rachel, but tears began to well up in Zion's eyes as well.
'I miss you, older sister.'
His heart felt empty without his sister.
Even eating sweet candy didn't make him happy like before. He felt empty inside.
“Ugh..."
Despite holding back her tears, Zion finally burst into tears. His nose began to turn red like a setting sun.
“Sister..."
The sound of sobbing grew louder. Rachel quietly raised her head and looked at Zion, who was crying.
It felt like her heart sank.
'It's all my fault.'
Everyone is sad when they are with me. No one laughs. Not in dreams, not in reality.
"It's all... because of me."
"Hu..."
Rachel suddenly burst into tears. Even burying her face in her knees, she could not hide the sound.
Zion, with his eyes wide open as if startled by the sound of crying, approached Rachel.
"Don't cry "
"Huh..."
"Don't cry, Rachel..."
The children hugged each other and wept bitterly. Even the people watching were moved to tears.
It was when a dragon approached them to soothe them.
Lil, who was sitting on Zion's shoulder, tilted her head and fluttered up.
Then it landed softly on someone's shoulder.
"...!"
Everyone except the children opened their eyes wide.
At the same time, a shadow fell over the heads of the crying children clinging to each other.
Has night already come? Rachel and Zion sniffled and looked up.
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