Book 1 Chapter 867
867.
Karl fell into thought, looking at Elim and Eli, the fraternal twins.
Soon, Karl, with a serious expression, said.
“Perhaps in the northern part of the continent, ‘Dad’ is used with a different meaning?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Like calling a male friend of your parents ‘Dad,’ for example.”
“If that kind of situation happens, the family breaking apart is the same no matter where you go on the continent.”
Leo wore a truly dumbfounded expression.
“No, it’s strange!”
Karl said in confusion.
“Born between me and Eliza? Does that mean I’m Eliza’s future husband?”
“There’s a good enough possibility, isn’t there, for this situation to have happened? You also said you had feelings for Eliza.”
“That’s true, but… I feel like I’d be indescribably happy if it were like this, but…”
It was when Karl scratched his head fiercely, watching Leo shrug his shoulders.
Chelsea, who had been playing with Elim and Eli not far away, approached.
“Wow~ The kids are unbelievably cute for being born between you and Eliza!”
“Hey, what does that mean?”
“Exactly what it means.”
As Karl squinted his eyes, Chelsea smiled faintly.
“By the way, what are you guys talking about?”
At Chelsea’s question, Leo recounted the conversation he had with Karl a moment ago.
Then Chelsea also wore a dumbfounded expression.
“Do you think that makes sense? And.”
Chelsea brought Eli, who had the same hair color as Karl, in front of Karl.
“Anyone can see she’s your daughter.”
At Chelsea’s words, Eli blinked her large, innocent eyes.
“Dad!”
And she ran to Karl with a bright smile and hugged him.
At that, Karl’s face broke into a wide grin.
Elim also hugged Karl from behind.
Watching that scene, Chelsea stroked her chin.
“I think I underestimated Karl. To succeed in charming that Eliza.”
“Because Karl is a cool guy.”
Leo smiled faintly.
“Did Eliza ask us to come to the annex because of these children?”
Chelsea tilted her head.
Leo also looked puzzled at that.
“Then Chen Xia and Eliza must have seen these kids first?”
Leo and Chelsea’s expressions subtly changed as their thoughts reached that point.
‘Eliza’s appearance was no different than usual.’
‘Then she must have somewhat considered such a future, right?’
Their minds raced quickly.
“Karl. Tell me honestly.”
Chelsea’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“Are you dating Eliza right now?”
Karl flinched.
“I knew things were unusual between you two, but… I never imagined it was already that kind of relationship.”
“Woah! You’re really amazing! How on earth did you charm that Eliza?!”
Leo looked amazed, and Chelsea was also startled.
“Anyway, congratulations.”
“Yeah, yeah! Congrats! Congrats!”
Leo and Chelsea said with sincerity.
At their reactions, Karl scratched his head bashfully.
“Congratulations, Dad.”
“We don’t know what happened, though.”
Elim and Eli also got caught up in the atmosphere and congratulated him.
“By the way, it’s a bit disappointing. That you were hiding that fact.”
“Right. Right.”
Chelsea nodded at Leo’s words.
Watching their reaction, Karl scratched his head fiercely.
“Sorry. But if it ever gets into other kids’ ears…”
“Well, rumors do spread in an instant.”
Chelsea nodded, seemingly understanding.
Karl and Eliza.
No matter how close the two of them were, considering Eliza’s usual self, it was an enormous scandal.
“Chelsea. You really, really can’t tell Illiana, okay?”
“Don’t worry. Don’t worry! Just trust me!”
Chelsea smiled faintly, patting her chest.
Watching her, Leo chuckled.
“It’s a good time.”
***
Eliza looked at the attendant chief of the Hergin family in front of her with a hardened expression.
He was a man who had served the Hergin family as their attendant chief since Eliza was young.
A very capable and trustworthy man.
As this was the future, he had more wrinkles and had aged, but the fact that he was still the attendant chief remained unchanged.
Eliza felt extreme anxiety at the fact that he had come to the annex.
“What brings you to the annex…?”
“Yes, Lady. The young master and young lady insisted they must have dinner with you…”
Eliza’s face turned pale looking at the attendant chief’s troubled expression.
Lil, who had been listening to their conversation, wore a puzzled expression.
“Young master and young lady, you say?”
At that, Chen Xia covered her cheek and gave a troubled smile.
“Oh dear.”
“Oh, oh, oh?”
Melina, who had noticed something, widened her eyes and gasped.
Just then, the door opened, and Karl entered, carrying Elim and Eli in his arms.
Eliza closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and put a hand to her forehead.
Chelsea was grinning at Eliza, and Leo had his usual expressionless face.
Lil also understood the situation belatedly and gasped.
With everyone’s gaze focused on Eliza.
Eliza forced a smile and said.
“First, let’s have dinner.”
***
A lavish dinner banquet was prepared.
Sitting at the head of the table was Melina, a professor at Lumen and a Dragon Lord.
To her left sat Leo, Lil, Chen Xia, and Chelsea, and to her right sat Eliza, Elim, Eli, and Karl.
At the seating arrangement, Elim looked puzzled and asked Eliza in a small voice.
“Mother. What is that person’s name?”
The fact that Eliza, who always sat at the head of the table, had vacated it, had piqued Elim’s curiosity.
He couldn’t ask openly, so he asked in a small voice.
Seeing Elim, Eliza smiled faintly.
At just ten years old, he was still young and innocent.
But as the heir of the Hergin family, he showed an awareness of the atmosphere and an effort to uphold the family’s honor.
‘Whose son is he, truly… Ah, he’s my son.’
Eliza, thinking to herself, felt that her future self had done a good job raising the heir.
‘No, this is just a possibility, after all.’
As Eliza thought and pondered.
“Hehe. I’m Ms. Eliza’s professor from her school days. My name is Mel.”
Melina said with a laugh.
Elim, who had not expected his voice to be heard, was startled and then bowed.
“You were my mother’s esteemed teacher.”
“Hehe. Your son is very clever.”
Eliza was at a loss for how to react to Melina’s compliment.
As the meal began, Eliza couldn’t tell if the food was going into her nose or her mouth.
Even so, she subtly served food that young Elim couldn’t reach.
Eli also ordered what she wanted from Karl, and Karl, though flustered, also served her food.
Watching Karl, Eliza thought.
‘Karl will make a good father.’
Eliza, who had been smiling warmly watching Karl happily eat with Eli, felt a gaze and turned her head.
Melina was gently smiling with her chin propped in her hand.
Lil was staring intently at Eliza’s face with a fork in her mouth.
Chelsea and Chen Xia were whispering among themselves.
“Eliza is surprisingly different.”
“Indeed. She truly looks like a mother.”
“You two over there. If you’re going to pick a fight, say it openly.”
Eliza said, pressing her temples firmly.
Normally, she would have flared up and exuded a harsh aura, but she held back because Elim and Eli were nearby.
“We’re not picking a fight or teasing. Eliza. I’m truly surprised. You seem like someone who has raised children.”
Lil said with genuine surprise.
As she said, Eliza was very skilled at caring for children.
Eliza found the innocent compliments from her senior and classmates annoying.
She was rather grateful for Leo, who was eating as usual.
“She’s a beast tamer, after all.”
Just then, Leo spoke.
“Young mythical beasts require a lot of care. Since she’s been looking after such beasts since they were young, she can’t help but be good at looking after children.”
Although Eliza exuded a harsh and sharp aura, her skill in handling mythical beasts was overwhelming.
Moreover, she handled any mythical beast with proficiency.
It was a skill difficult to acquire unless one had carefully observed and cared for the characteristics of each mythical beast since childhood.
The female students admired Leo’s words.
Karl also looked at Eliza with admiration.
After the meal.
Eliza, who had put Elim and Eli to bed, let out a deep sigh.
“How will I face those people tomorrow?”
Karl said, seeing Eliza’s expression, which showed that just thinking about it gave her a headache.
“They won’t tease you anymore. And they won’t spread rumors about us anywhere either.”
“Of course not.”
Eliza gave a fierce smile.
“If they teased or spread rumors anymore, I was truly planning to die with them.”
Eliza growled.
‘They know that, so they won’t bother me, I guess.’
Those annoying classmates were experts at teasing people.
‘Their control over intensity is absolutely brilliant.’
Thinking that, Karl stared intently at the sleeping Elim and Eli.
Eliza wore a strange expression watching him.
“What are you looking at like that?”
“No. Just… I’m surprised that such a future could exist.”
“What?”
Eliza furrowed her brow at Karl’s words.
“What do you mean by that? Were you thinking of meeting me casually?”
At that, Karl waved his hands.
“No, no. That’s not it. I’m really serious. But…”
“But?”
“You’re the heir of an incredible family, the Hergin family. If you get tired of me, our relationship will end.”
“Are you serious? You’re thinking about that at the beginning of our relationship?”
“Well…”
Karl wore an embarrassed expression.
Eliza stared intently at Karl.
Karl’s thoughts were perfectly natural.
No matter what, both Karl and Eliza were young.
Adolescent emotions.
And even if love burned fiercely, didn’t it also cool down quickly?
Even if they liked each other right now, there was no guarantee that the feeling would last.
Especially considering the difference in their statuses, even more so.
But even so, Eliza didn’t like Karl already thinking about ‘after they broke up.’
She understood his feelings, but she was still angry.
“Ugh, so annoying.”
When Eliza spoke irritably, Karl flinched.
“Hey, Karl Thomas.”
“Uh, huh?”
Grab-
Eliza grabbed Karl by the collar and pulled him towards her.
Karl, who was pulled by Eliza unexpectedly, widened his eyes at the sensation on his lips.
In the dark night.
The two of them kissed for a long time in a room bathed in soft moonlight.
Soon, Eliza let go of his hand.
Eliza snorted, watching Karl cover his mouth with a flushed face, unsure of what to do.
“Remember this, Karl Thomas. We don’t know what will happen in the future, but.”
“Yes, yes.”
“You’re mine now.”
Eliza curled the corners of her mouth.
“So don’t think useless thoughts and focus on me. Understand?”
“Yes, yep. Understood.”
As Karl nodded in a daze, Eliza gestured with her chin.
“Then go out.”
“…Yes.”
Karl walked out of the room in a daze.
Clack-
The door closed, and Eliza squatted down in that spot.
With her face buried in her knees, Eliza muttered to herself.
‘Crazy! Crazy! Seriously!’
She had impulsively done it, seeing Karl look like he was about to go somewhere.
‘Ha… He won’t think of it lightly, will he? If he tries any tricks, I’ll kill him, though.’
Eliza raised her flushed face, fanned herself with her hand, and stood up.
And finally, she looked at Elim and Eli, then froze stiff.
The twins were looking up at Eliza with wide, unblinking eyes.
“You weren’t asleep?”
Eliza asked kindly with a forced smile, and Eli muttered.
“Mother.”
“Yes. Why?”
“I want the next sibling to be a little brother.”
“No, a little sister is better.”
Elim immediately interjected.
Eliza endured the twitching at the corners of her mouth and stroked both children’s heads.
“Good children go to bed early.”
““Yes.””
The two children answered obediently and closed their eyes tightly.
Eliza, who took one last look at the children’s faces as she left the room, closed the door.
Clack-!
‘…Karl’s and my children.’
Touching the corners of her mouth, Eliza walked down the hallway.
‘Maybe such a future isn’t so bad.’
She chuckled and walked out of the hallway.
Meanwhile.
In the room next to where Elim and Eli were sleeping.
Leo was pinching Chen Xia and Chelsea’s cheeks.
“You shouldn’t eavesdrop on others’ conversations.”
“I, I’m sorry!”
“Ow, ow, ow! I won’t do it again…!”
They had been caught by Leo while eavesdropping on a conversation and were being punished.
Leo clucked his tongue and let the two of them go.
Chelsea rubbed her reddened cheeks and asked.
“But, Leo oppa, did you happen to hear what those two were talking about?”
“I didn’t hear anything.”
At Leo’s words, Chelsea clicked her tongue, as if disappointed.
“Are you that curious?”
“Karl and Eliza are dating. Of course, we’re curious.”
“That’s right. We’re at an age where we’re very interested in other people dating.”
“Are you kids?”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
“They only claim to be kids at times like this.”
Leo, who had given the two of them a gentle punch on their heads for their quick replies, folded his arms and looked out the window.
‘Such a future isn’t bad either…’
Leo, chewing on Eliza’s words from a moment ago, smiled bitterly as he looked at the future landscape.
‘This is the future we wished for so much, yet why are both you and I looking back at the past?’