Chapter 12: That Was Certainly a Memory
Slowly, Ryushi opened his eyelids.
An unfamiliar ceiling stretched out before him.
It wasn’t his room, but it wasn’t anywhere in the castle either.
Where could this be?
Yet, Ryushi felt a strange sense of nostalgia looking at this ceiling.
“Hmm, it feels like I’ve seen this somewhere before.”
While thinking such things, Ryushi attempted to turn his body to the side and was taken aback.
His body wouldn’t move at all! Ryushi was in a state of panic.
No matter how hard he tried to muster his strength, his body refused to respond as expected.
Of course, there was a reason for that. Right now, Ryushi was nothing more than a headless baby.
“Ah, uh,” Ryushi uttered clumsy words, finally realizing this. At first, he was bewildered, but he quickly regained his composure.
It seems I’m dreaming. Ryushi reached that conclusion.
There was no way he could revert to being a baby again. At the same time, he accepted the strange sense of nostalgia.
Before long, two men and a woman appeared in front of Ryushi.
They looked very familiar. Even though they had only been together for about two months, they were unforgettable figures for Ryushi. It had been over ten years since he became Astaroth’s adopted child. Ryushi had completely adapted to life among the demons, but he never forgot the presence of his parents in the depths of his mind.
“■■ is always so energetic, while this child hardly ever cries,” his mother expressed her concerns, causing Ryushi’s expression to darken with guilt.
All the events that led to this situation resulted from seeds he had sown. It was too late now to regret that he should have acted differently. Once time had moved forward, it could never be reversed.
This was a dream, a precious memory that Ryushi had hidden deep in his heart, one he couldn’t share with anyone. Even though he understood that it wasn’t easy to accept, so Ryushi avoided making eye contact with his parents, who were reenacting the past. Meanwhile, the conversation between the two continued.
“Come on, calm down. This child is probably special in some way. Somehow, I just have that feeling,” said his father.
“…Yes, you’re right,” his mother agreed.
Gradually, their anxious expressions transformed into warm smiles.
“He is our beloved child, and that won’t change. There may be various uncertainties, but for now, let’s watch over him together,” his father said.
“Yes, you’re right.”
“■■… You’ll be ■■’s big brother. If anything happens to us, protect your little sister.”
Ah, truly… nostalgic.
Suddenly, a loud cry echoed in the room from the adjacent area.
There was no discomfort; Ryushi naturally smiled at the lively and vibrant voice.
“Oh, ■■ is laughing now!”
“Really!? Haha, I guess ■■ gets happy when it’s about her little sister.”
In his mother’s arms, a baby was cradled.
She is very small yet exudes abundant vitality through her voice.
Ryushi realized that this might be his first meeting with his sister. They met as he gazed intently at his sister, who was gradually calming down in his mother’s embrace. A bright smile bloomed when his sister’s round eyes met Ryushi’s gaze.
“They seem to get along very well. I’m relieved,” his mother remarked.
“Indeed. ■■, you can rely on your big brother,” his father added.
Ryushi suddenly felt an overwhelming drowsiness, and it happened quite unexpectedly.
He felt incredibly sleepy. Even the clear voices and the images he had just heard and seen seemed to be fading into a light slumber.
Oh, my time is up. Ryushi thought.
“It’s about time to wake up, isn’t it?”
“Well, this is just a part of my past.”
Dreams always come to an end. Ryushi fully released his sinking consciousness.