The Baby Isn’t Yours

Leah, who had been stroking Kalexia’s back with her fingertips, slowly turned her head and looked towards the forest.

She spoke in a soft voice as if reassuring him.

“And I missed all of you so much.”

My children.

Kalia, who was running towards the Primordial Tree, stopped abruptly.

Everyone who ran with her stopped and looked at Leah, who was sitting like a goddess on the burned tree.

“Ah.”

Ganini seemed as if he had forgotten how to breathe.

His usually composed expression crumbled, revealing how shocked he was.

It was Gaia, who often trailed behind him, that reacted first.

“Oh, Mother!”

Trembling, Gaia called out to her and darted towards Leah, brushing past Kalia.

As Gaia nestled into her mother’s embrace, she shed tears as if pouring out an inexplicable sorrow.

Only then did the other siblings come to their senses and gather around their mother.

Leah hugged her family in her arms and extended her hand as she looked at Kalia.

“Come here too. Let’s embrace once, daughter of Gaia. My granddaughter.”

Kalia hesitated and cautiously approached her.

Leah gently caressed Kalia’s cheek and hugged her.

The whole family was finally gathered together.

Even in the midst of the urgent situation, their hearts swelled with emotion.

Then suddenly Kalia stepped away from them.

Without hesitation, she stepped back and approached Simon, who was silently observing them.

“Come here, Simon.”

“What…?”

Then, without hesitation, she clasped her hands together, took his hand, and led him.

“Why me… Kalia?”

Perplexed, Simon hesitated and faltered, but Kalia glanced at him briefly.

“Wherever I am, whoever I am with, you are my first family.”

The gaze towards Simon was grave, yet steady.

It felt so beautiful that it made her eyes go cold.

“So wherever you go, stay by my side.”

Only then did Simon realize what he meant.

It was not his mind but his heart that felt it first.

“Do not go away from me”.

“…”

“If you want to die at the same time, you have to stay close. Isn’t that so?”

The hand that held onto her tightened firmly. Simon’s heart trembled at the firmness.

Like intertwined fingers, it felt as if their lives and his life had become one.

‘Perhaps… can you be this lovable in so many different ways, Kalia?’

He felt her concern, as if she worried that he would feel bitter when they were apart.

At the same time, her words, calling him her first family, deeply pierced his heart.

Strong yet tender, Kalia.

Blunt yet honest, seemingly dull yet lovable, she was his woman.

Simon placed his lips on the back of her hand, responding as if it was only natural.

“Not apart. Never.”

The two of them smiled at each other and, belatedly, turned their heads to look where their family was.

“Ah.”

“Hmm. Um.”

There, seven pairs of eyes shone brightly, as if expressing great interest, watching them intently.

* * *

“In truth, the Primordial Tree can’t bear fruit anymore.”

Awakened, Leah first examined the state of the tree. Her expression was not pleasant.

“Then, what about the fruit I received?”

“The tree depleted its life force to produce those fruits. It suffered greatly. It had guilt for making me sick.”

Leah cleaned the outside of the burnt tree with a sorrowful touch.

Black soot spotted on the rough bark of the tree.

Due to drinking the water infused with the tree’s roots, she fell into a deep sleep.

Originally, it was just a mild poison that would have caused her to sleep for about seven days and then awaken. But in the middle of that, Kanal used his hand to make her fall into a deeper sleep.

The roots were infused, infused again, and once more to create a concentrated extract.

After mixing it with a plant called Hwaincho, which prevents blood circulation, Leah made her consume it once again before awakening.

Even her eldest son had directly fed her the poison.

Everyone present was left speechless by Kanal’s wickedness.

The past years of following such a person as an elder had brought blood to the point of gushing backwards.

But Leah, protected by the forest, possessed a powerful force, which neutralized the poison.

She didn’t die but fell into a sleep so deep it was difficult to awaken from.

“The tree waited 20 years to produce those fruits. And because it forced the production of fruits, it no longer has the power to recover its own body.”

Like a swallowed darkness, the tree remained silent.

Leah stroked the tree and whispered affectionately.

“You did nothing wrong. It was all Kanal’s doing, driven by evil desires. I will definitely… restore you.”

A coldness flashed in Leah’s eyes.

She slowly turned to look at the child Tokan was holding.

“Though I glimpsed through the dreams of the long-tailed birds… it might not be entirely accurate.”

Even in his unconscious state, the boy seemed burdened and in anguish, his face furrowed.

Thanks to Gannini’s protection, he hadn’t inhaled the smoke, but the child still couldn’t wake up.

The child was resisting regaining consciousness.

It was clear that the events in the palace were too overwhelming and terrifying for a child who had lived for only a few dozen years.

Sadly.

Leah gently cupped Ahim’s cheeks in her hands.

Her forehead touched the boy’s forehead.

She closed her eyes and slowly seeped into the depths of the child’s unconsciousness.

A cold and chilling palace.

The nobles with downcast eyes.

A place where eerie screams echoed through the night.

Leah slowly descended into the underground, following the illuminated corridor.

A strong scent of blood filled the air.

The demonic energy mixed in the air strongly pressed down on her intangible body.

As she went deeper into the underground, the demonic energy grew thicker, and the stench of blood became nauseating.

Finally, she reached a very small door.

Upon opening it and entering, she found Ahim crouched beneath a pile of corpses, trembling.

‘…How terrible.’

The corpses were so mutilated that their forms were unrecognizable.

From demons hanging upside down like meat to draw blood, to various monster body parts displayed all over the wall.

‘How did this child end up witnessing things like this?’

Leah pitifully looked at the trembling child, wondering in confusion.

How could such a small and fragile child witness such a sight and escape from the palace?

But the confusion didn’t last long.

“…Please help me.”

It was because the voice of a child sobbing with his face in his lap reached her.

“Please, help me, please.”

Ahim’s voice trembled pitifully.

Leah reached out her hand and gently embraced the child’s head.

“It must have been terrifying.”

“It was… so terrifying.”

“Yeah. You must have been very scared. I am proud that you have endured it well.Э

“Hu… Huhuh.”

“You did well.”

Leah stroked the child’s hair and gently kissed the hair.

The child’s trembling head lifted and looked at her.

As Leah wiped away the tears streaming down his eyes, the child hesitated before grabbing her hand.

“You… do you know who is responsible for making this place like this?”

Ahim’s already trembling body began to shake like a dying tree.

Leah gently stroked the child’s cheek as if consoling him.

“You don’t have to think about it if it scares you.”

Ahim stared at her intently, seeking comfort.

At that moment,

Creak—

The door to the hidden basement where Ahim was hiding opened, and someone entered.

Ahim, with a pale face, buried himself tightly in Leah’s embrace.

The two figures came inside talking, unaware that the boy was there.

“Indeed… The bodies of fairies don’t match with demons. As soon as they are attached, everything will be necrotic.”

“To mix with demons, you need a high-level fairy magic stone that can withstand it.”

“But it’s not easy to obtain a high-level fairy magic stone, you know.”

“Well, why bother mixing demons and fairies? If we’re going to confront those creatures, we can jump in with our bare bodies.”

“Let’s leave the fairies alone for now. As promised, the first thing to do is to overturn the Empire. You said you wanted to see a country of humans without gods, didn’t you?”

Leah’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the man who had entered.

A demon wearing the remains of a king’s corpse and a middle-aged man in a white robe.

“…The authors.”

A chilling coldness entered her shimmering eyes.

At that moment, the two men stopped and turned their heads towards Ahim and Leah.

As Leah and the two men locked eyes, the space shattered and the darkness receded.

As Ahim regained consciousness as if being sucked into reality, he blinked his eyes and gasped.

“Ah!”

Ahim gasped for breath and quickly stood up.

Then, a gentle embrace pulled him in and comforted him.

“It’s alright. This isn’t the palace.”

A hand patting his shoulder, a soft voice.

It was the same voice that guided him in his dreams.

Ahim looked at the Queen of the forest who was holding him with trembling eyes.

She was completely different from the noble ladies he had seen in the castle.

Her gaze had a strange power that drew people in, emanating strength.

“I… “

“Hush. It’s okay, my child. You don’t have to say anything. Thanks to you, I have come to know many things.”

“…”

“As a token of my gratitude, from now on, I will protect you in the forest. So that you won’t be afraid, and you’ll be safe.”

Saying that, Leah looked at Tokan.

Tokan, realizing the mother’s will, went to the boy’s side and placed a hand on his shoulder.

At the comforting touch, Ahim moved closer to Tokan.

In case he might slip away, Ahim quietly grabbed onto the hem of his clothes.

Leah looked at Ahim like that and gave him a slight smile before standing up.

“Thanks to that child, we have seen clearly whose throats we need to cut.”

Her words stiffened the expressions of the family members.

There were the grim-faced sisters and the brothers with cold gazes.

Even Kalexia’s broad shoulders seemed to tense up.

She placed her hand on her husband’s chest and spoke with a voice full of conviction.

“War is coming.”

“I know.”

“Are the forces prepared?”

Kalexia sighed and held his wife’s wrist, which she was gently stroking, with a pained expression.

“Don’t rush into things as soon as you wake up, Leah.”

Upon his words, Leah chuckled softly.

Her gaze, which had been scanning each of the children, met with Gaia and Kalia.

“I’m not rushing. Do you know how long I’ve been sharpening my blade and waiting for over twenty years?”

“Leah…”

“Don’t stop me, Kal.”

With a whisper-like warning, she stomped her foot firmly.

And then, a huge spear, reminiscent of Kalexia’s Ektarion, materialized in her hand.

It was the spear of guardianship, Nation, which protected the forest alongside Ektarion.

“For those who dare to harm our family, they will pay the price…”

Leah smiled slyly and addressed her children, who were looking at her with fiery eyes.

“That’s right, my darlings?”

Clank, clink.

Hoa, Nua, Ganini, and Furiosa, as well as Tokan and Gaia, unsheathed their weapons without hesitation.

Similarly, Kalia also grasped Nua’s sword and displayed an even more fierce determination than ever before.

‘…Indeed, the inherited bloodline is strong.’

Simon’s eyes, who had been closely observing Leah, Gaia, and Kalia, met with Kalexia’s.

The Fairy King nodded, as if understanding everything.

Seeing the slight embarrassment in Simon’s eyes, Kalexia smiled and nodded his head.

It seemed like there was no turning back for him.

‘Hmm.’

Simon couldn’t help but feel a happy yet slightly fearful anticipation that their future married life won’t be easy.