The Baby Isn’t Yours

‘Oh.’

Everyone present was shocked and frozen in place.

However, the person most surprised was Shaik himself.

He didn’t intend for it to go this far…

But due to his immature consciousness that kept turning him into a baby, his body moved before his mind could catch up.

‘…What should I do?’

Shaik’s eyes widened in shock, but he didn’t reach out to help the fallen Drea or offer an apology.

Kalia, who had been watching sternly with a disapproving face, approached him.

“Shaik, what you just did was very wrong. You need to apologize to Drea.”

Shaik didn’t respond.

Although he felt sorry for Drea, who was looking up at him after falling, a part of him believed that Drea was also at fault for persistently clinging to him, even when he expressed his dislike.

The adult soul and the regressed soul were entangled in confusion within Shaik.

“Shaik.”

Kalia urged the unapologetic Shaik.

Shaik clenched his small fist and turned his head abruptly.

“I won’t do it.”

“What?”

“I won’t apologwize! I don’t want to.”

Kalia and Simon were taken aback by Shaik’s stubborn words.

This was the first time they had seen Shaik like this since he was born.

The usually well-behaved baby acted truly like a ‘baby’ today.

Of course, he had occasionally been annoyed with Drea before, but today it was particularly severe.

Kalia spoke to Shaik with a puzzled expression.

“Sasha, are you feeling bad today? Did you have a scary dream in the morning? Is that why you’re unusually mean to Drea today?”

“Just stop it and help Drea get up. Okay?”

As Kalia spoke like an adult, Shaik’s gaze shifted to the fallen Drea.

In an instant, he felt the desire to run over and help her up, but at the same time, he also wished that Drea wouldn’t bother him again.

It was a fleeting moment.

Drea, who had been staring blankly at Sasha while still lying on the ground, suddenly shook off the dust and stood up energetically.

“I’m fine, Sasha!”

Brushing off her dress, Drea stood up and spoke confidently.

“I’m fine, Kalia mama!”

As if confirming it, Drea said again to Kalia.

The baby even picked up the crown that Shaik had thrown.

“If you don’t want to wear this, you don’t have to!”

Drea threw the carefully crafted crown behind her as if to show that she didn’t care.

“…!”

Shaik was surprised by her action, and his eyes widened.

Drea approached Shaik with a gentle smile and spoke cautiously.

“Sasha, can Drea hug Sasha?”

For the first time, Drea asked for his consent before hugging him, as if she were aware of his mood.

Sasha felt strange hearing her slightly hesitant tone, as if she was considering his feelings.

He was a baby too, but this dragon was also a baby.

Even though they were both babies, something in Sasha’s heart stung at the fact that Drea was aware of his feelings.

Finally, Sasha turned away his uneasy gaze and quietly said, as if there was no other choice.

“Do as you please.”

“Wow… Hehe!”

Finally, Drea smiled brightly without any reservations.

The baby spread her arms wide and hugged Sasha tightly.

Sasha felt that Drea’s embrace was warm and gentle, and it made him feel strange.

Uncomfortable, awkward, and sorry.

‘Ugh.’

…Why does she keep doing this since I was born?

Shaik’s heart was as complicated as his thoughts, and he didn’t know what expression to make.

“Hehe. Shaik, love you.”

While hugging Sasha, Drea’s forehead glowed with a faint green mark under the sunlight, as she smiled happily.

* * *

Thanks to Simon’s improved teleportation magic, Kalia and her companions arrived in the capital of the Eempire in an instant.

Louismond welcomed Kalia’s group, who arrived so quickly that it would be embarrassing to say they were traveling.

“Welcome!”

Louismond’s face was brighter than ever, as if he was radiating the excitement of a groom before his wedding.

Seeing his undisguised joy in his eyes, Simon shook his head in disbelief.

“You’re really happy, Louismond?”

“What are you talking about? You were happier than me when you got married. Don’t you remember?”

Simon, who was grinning, nodded his head, smoothing his chin.

But then his words were completely unexpected.

“I was so happy getting married. There was no reason to hide my joy. It was a very happy day.”

“I understand. I feel the same way. It’s really that good. Finally getting married.”

Simon provocatively said to Louismond.

“Isn’t it worse than mine?”

“Oh, I’m happier than you?”

“Huh? Can’t you compare to my joy? It was the fruition of a 20-year-long unrequited love.”

In response to Simon’s confident words, Louismond smirked and retorted sarcastically.

“Having a long unrequited love isn’t such a big deal to boast about. You’re a strange friend.”

“What did you say?”

“Ah, where does a lowly magician dare to talk back to the Emperor of the Empire?”

“I am the head of the Mage Tower, who operates across the continent. How dare a mere Emperor of a single nation speak to the head of the Mage Tower…?”

As the argument between the two men escalated, Kalia raised her hand.

“…You two, please stop. Isn’t it embarrassing? My face is already burning hot.”

Her face, subtly wrinkled, turned red without being able to hide her embarrassment.

Huh, those troublemakers.

“Why, Kalia, it looks good on you.”

Janice quietly interrupted Kalia.

She smiled faintly and whispered in a voice that could only be heard by Louismond and Simon.

“But isn’t it cute how they fight like that every time? Let them be. It’s a sight we can’t see more than once a year.”

At Janice’s murmuring, Louismond cleared his throat and took a step back first, while Simon also turned his head in confusion and distanced himself from Louismond.

Kalia looked at Janice with a gaze that seemed to say:

“You’re quite impressive.”

Is it the power of seniority?

How is it possible for her to suppress the two men with just a few words?

Three years later, with her head held high and elegance restored, Janice embraced Kalia’s shoulders and spoke.

“It’s been a while, Queen of Purito. Nice to see you.”

“I’m the one who’s truly glad to meet you again. Your Majesty, the Queen of Nathan.”

Three years ago.

It was Princess Janice who had single-handedly restored the almost fallen Nathan.

Between the nobles who became swordsmen and the trapped royals, weakened and unable to regain strength, and the half-mad older brother, there was no power left to rebuild the country.

In the end, it was Janice who wore the crown.

She led the country splendidly and comforted the grieving people.

With the power to heal the land shrouded in darkness and souls, she gained the nickname ‘Holy Queen’ and became a beloved queen of the Nathan Kingdom.

Because of Janice’s ascension to the throne, her marriage with Louismond was further delayed.

But finally, they found a good opportunity for the two of them to join together, and there was no better news than that.

When Kalia greeted her, Janice opened her mouth as if it were amusing.

“It seems the Queen of Purito hasn’t heard the news yet. Well, the official announcement is tomorrow…”

What is she talking about?

When Kalia stared at her as if she didn’t understand, Janice smirked and shrugged her shoulders.

She spoke cheerfully.

“I knocked him out.”

* * *

“So, the truth is, I sat on the throne, but it was more like a temporary contract. At that time, there was no suitable person, so I took on the role, but it wasn’t because I wanted to.”

Janice took a sip of warm tea and spoke in a satisfied voice.

“At that time… the country was in such ruins that I felt a sense of duty to do anything and worked hard, but it was a burden on my heart. Fortunately, Nathan gradually improved, and after about a year and a half, when the country was somewhat stabilized, I made up my mind to step down from this position within a few years.”

Her words were somewhat striking.

There were many people who wanted to become king.

Wasn’t it usually those who wanted to become absolute rulers who caused bloodshed each time?

But she was different.

She never wanted to become an absolute ruler.

In fact, even after becoming queen, she wanted to leave this position as soon as possible, she said.

“It gives me a headache. There’s no freedom. Actually, I wasn’t even fit to be a queen.”

She chuckled and clapped her hands.

“And above all… there was something I’ve always wanted to do since I was young. Something that a queencould never do.”

She shrugged her shoulders and looked at Louismond.

Louismond had a mysterious expression.

It was a face that seemed good, but couldn’t simply be happy.

Louismond sighed and smiled with a face that had already resigned to everything.

“To the person who came to propose, there is no one but you, Janice, who says they want to go on a pilgrimage.”

“Because we have to be together for a lifetime, so I thought I should tell you directly.”

“You’re saying that you want to leave for a pilgrimage right after getting married?”

“I’ll come back. Just wait a little longer.”

A pilgrimage refers to traveling to approximately 14 countries and visiting 18 temples.

It means visiting all twelve temples that protect this world, offering prayers under the blessings of the gods, and opening the eyes of the prophet.

Anyone who received the gods’ blessings would have dreamed of it at least once.

It was never a bad thing.

However, it usually took about two years to go on a pilgrimage, which was a painful thing for Louismond.

“Anyway, fortunately, I found a successor to follow me, and it was unanimously agreed upon in the nobles’ assembly. But I couldn’t step down from the throne immediately, so I decided to become an ‘Akoi’ for the time being, monitoring the current king. With that, I can retire completely.”

Akoi means ‘watcher’ or ‘behind-the-scenes figure’ in the Nathan language, referring to someone who engages in politics on behalf of the king.

Although not exactly a behind-the-scenes figure, it meant that she would be keeping an eye on the future actions of the next king, so he didn’t completely withdraw from politics.

“And during the six months when Janice serves as Akoi, it will be our honeymoon.”

‘Ah.’

Kalia, who now understood how things had progressed, belatedly nodded her head.

Simon wasn’t greatly surprised as he already knew about it.

“Then who will be the next king?”

“My older brother.”

Startled by the words, Kalia looked at Janice.

Although she couldn’t bring herself to say it, wasn’t he the one who had brought Nathan to such a state?

Reading Kalia’s thoughts, Janice answered in a calm voice.

“Yes, he is a sinner. That’s why he will become the weakest king. He will have to dedicate his life to repenting for his sins. He must let go of everything and focus solely on his duties.”

“…Will the people allow that?”

In response to Kalia’s worried words, Janice spoke as she sipped her cold tea.

“We already have their consent. It wasn’t a one-sided decision made by the nobles and council.”

He was a prince who loved the country more than anyone in the past but also destroyed it with his own hands.

“Atonement through death is actually too trivial, isn’t it? Perhaps my older brother… will become the most shameful king in history. He will have to spend the rest of his life making Nathan safe and happy.”

He was hated but pitied, resented but unable to be discarded. Nathan’s punishment for the prince was exactly that.

The most shameful king.

A king who couldn’t assert himself.

A king without authority.

A king with a watcher.

“That… It’s the only way he can atone.”