“Da…d…”
“…What?”
My thoughts ground to a halt at the title I heard.
It was a word I had never used or heard in my entire life.
What did I just hear?
‘Dad?’
I narrowed my eyes and stared, completely unaccustomed to the word.
No matter how I looked at it, it was a face identical to my childhood.
Generously, he was seven years old. At the very least, he didn’t look over ten.
Just like my stature, which had been consistently small until my shedding, his small physique stood out regardless of his age.
Eyes glaring fiercely, as if full of complaints.
A gaze looking straight at me, even while seeming bewildered.
“...”
No matter how I looked at it, it was me.
The problem was.
‘…What the hell is that.’
So ultimately, what was that guy’s true identity?
He certainly couldn’t be me from the past.
What the hell was he doing to be here?
Sitting on Namgung Bia’s lap, no less.
“...”
“...”
For a moment, he quietly met my eyes.
After a few seconds passed, the other side made the first move.
The kid, who had been quietly embraced, slipped out of Namgung Bia’s arms.
“…Ah….”
As the child left her embrace, Namgung Bia let out a short sound.
Feeling a sense of reluctance was probably just my imagination…?
Landing on the floor, the guy walked steadily towards me with his gaze fixed on me.
Seeing him up close made it more real. He really had a face that screamed nasty personality.
Maybe because he was young, I didn’t feel immediate revulsion, but he definitely didn’t look like he had a good temper.
That guy walked up to me step by step, and then.
Thump.
“…?”
He abruptly wrapped his arms around my leg and leaned into it.
Perhaps because my height had increased after shedding, his small physique could barely wrap around my legs.
“What is it.”
The moment I was flustered by the sudden embrace.
“…Dad.”
The guy leaning into me spat out the same title as before.
Wondering what the hell he was doing, I tried to peel him off first.
Wuuung.
“…!”
The moment I touched him, I felt a vibration near my heart.
A short vibration. A subtly spreading sensation, but the moment I felt it, I had to widen my eyes.
‘Ah.’
Now I understood. The identity of this unknown brat.
What was it…
“You-”
Having figured it out, I tried to bring up the topic about him immediately, but.
“…Dad? He clearly said Dad.”
“His real dad?”
“…Dad… How old is the kid?”
“Impressive. The Ninth Young Master is much more of a man than I thought. Yes, a man should be like that… Elder Sister Nong-i… please don’t look at me like that.”
“...”
I had to clamp my mouth shut at the voices coming from all directions.
I lifted my head from looking at the child and stared ahead.
Not a single person among the gathered crowd was missing; they were all staring at me.
Their gazes were especially a sight to behold.
Not only were they filled with shock, but the glares were terrifyingly fierce.
“Dad…? His real dad…?”
Moyong Hia’s gaze, in particular, was no joke.
Her expression, alternating between looking at the guy leaning on me and me, changed from suspicion to certainty.
Seeing that, I let out a hollow gasp.
“What kind of thoughts are you all having right now.”
I could tell they were making some strange misunderstanding, but it was so absurd that words wouldn’t come out.
“It’s not like that.”
I wondered if I should explain this, but looking at their faces, it seemed like they would kill me if I didn’t.
“It’s not?”
“Of course not. Do you think that makes sense?”
How old am I that I’d be a dad?
Besides.
“You can tell the kid’s age at a glance.”
Even if I underestimated, he was six, and he didn’t look over ten.
Calculating that with my age, it doesn’t make sense.
“How old would I have to be to have him? There’s no way I’d have a kid this big.”
I mean, I wouldn’t be the one giving birth. Still, it just wasn’t true.
It would be at least five years ago. At that time…
‘I was busy running around everywhere.’
Since it was only a few years after my regression, it was a time when I was busy making proper plans.
It was a period mostly spent training, where would I have a kid like this?
‘If you go by age, I would’ve had to have him quite a while ago.’
That’s including my past life.
This life was different.
‘Honestly, even now is considered a late time to get married, but…’
Even if I had married, I should have done it earlier.
If I had a child, I should have had them around this time.
I was just putting it off somehow.
‘I have a shit ton of things to do, how can I get married?’
Same for marriage and having kids.
Taking on more weaknesses here, let alone more things to protect, was something I refused.
With such reasons, I was putting it off as much as possible.
“Why are you believing such nonsense?”
Whether they didn’t know this situation, the others’ expressions were still brimming with doubt.
Honestly, even if I didn’t want to admit it, it couldn’t be helped.
“…But, no matter who looks at it,”
“He’s too… identical to you.”
“Plus, he’s calling you Dad. Dad.”
“...”
It was something I couldn’t help but acknowledge.
If he looked identical even to me, how would others see it?
Moreover, since he was clinging to me and even calling me Dad, it seemed they would believe even an absurd situation.
However.
“…Anyway, he’s not my kid. I said no.”
It felt very unjust to me.
‘Fuck. If I had some dirt on me, I’d feel less wronged.’
I had lived cleanly and uprightly, albeit semi-forcibly.
Setting aside my past life, this life was the epitome of a clean slate.
As I expressed my utter indignation, Moyong Hia, with a deeply crumpled expression, spoke to me.
“Then, who exactly is this child?”
“…First, explain it to me. Why is he here?”
“Judging by your reaction, it seems you do know this child.”
“...”
I swallowed slightly at Moyong Hia’s words.
I thought about just pretending not to know, but that was impossible.
‘If I say I don’t know, that’ll be troublesome in its own way.’
Not only is the face identical, but I also know this guy’s true identity.
It was questionable why he had such a face, but pretending not to know here was the worst move.
While I was stammering, unable to bring up the explanation right away.
Moyong Hia, who had been quietly watching me, continued with a cold expression.
“…Geommuhui found him in your quarters, Young Master. She said he was sleeping naked.”
“What?”
Found in my quarters? Namgung Bia?
I looked at Namgung Bia with doubt.
It seemed like she fainted while consuming energy, but why did she go into my quarters?
As I looked at Namgung Bia with a puzzled face, she slightly averted her gaze. Did she have something to hide?
I was about to ask why she went there, but Moyong Hia’s words came first.
“First, we found some clothes and put them on him… He kept looking for his dad, and no matter who sees him…”
Doesn’t he look exactly like you?
It was an undeniable fact.
“…So you thought he was my kid and all gathered here?”
“Rather than knowing, we thought we needed to confirm it.”
“Confirm? You were convinced.”
Even saying you’d kill me if I didn’t come.
Didn’t that mean you already thought he was my kid?
It was the same now. Even if I said no a hundred times, there wasn’t a single face that believed me.
Not a single doubt was dispelled. In that situation where the skepticism was evident, Moyong Hia asked me.
“Is it really not true?”
“I’m telling you it’s not.”
Holding back a sigh, I pressed my fingers against my brow.
Irritation was slowly rising.
“I get that we look alike… but there’s no way he’s my kid…”
As I gritted my teeth and tried to explain again.
Tug.
I felt a sensation grabbing my pants.
Wondering what it was, I looked down to see the kid tugging on my clothes.
“What.”
When I asked what it was, the child’s expression gradually distorted.
“…D-Dad…”
His eyes crumpled, and a pitiful expression surfaced.
What’s with that face…?
“Y-You’re not… my dad…?”
“...”
As if struck by shock, his eyes shook, and I could see moisture welling up in the corners of his eyes.
Uh, this is bullshit.
“Hey, hey! Why are you crying?”
“Daaad…”
“What dad! Why would I be your dad! Get away from me!”
A feeling that I was fucked flashed through my mind.
I hurriedly tried to pry his hands off and push him away, but sure enough.
“…Trash.”
“He’s trash.”
“Young Master, you’re going too far…”
“...”
“No…”
The reactions around me turned quite chilling.
It seemed that in their eyes, I already looked like a shameless bastard denying my own child.
It looked like this guy’s expression played a part too.
The moment I tried to hide my cold sweat, wondering how to resolve this bullshit situation.
“…Come here…”
Someone called the child.
It was Namgung Bia, who had been sitting quietly.
When she called, the teary-eyed child turned around and toddled over to her, being embraced in her arms once again.
I watched it in disbelief, but Namgung Bia, seemingly used to holding the child, lightly lifted him up, hugged him tightly, and looked at me.
“...”
She was just looking quietly. Her expression hadn’t changed, and she was merely staring, but to me, it felt like she was demanding an explanation.
‘Even if it’s an explanation.’
Even receiving such a gaze, there was only one thing I could say.
“I’ll say it again, it’s not.”
“It’s not…?”
“Yeah. It’s not. I’m not that guy’s dad…”
“…I understand…”
“Huh?”
Namgung Bia nodded at the answer. Rather, my words got stuck again at that reaction.
Namgung Bia soon acted as if she had no interest, busy stroking the child in her arms.
Calmly running her fingers through his hair and patting the child.
Seeing that, the others also made dumbfounded expressions this time.
Moyong Hia’s expression was particularly subtle.
She looked like she was angry. And also like she couldn’t believe it.
To me, it was both.
“Geommuhui…”
Eventually, Moyong Hia called Namgung Bia.
“Is that it?”
“…?”
Namgung Bia tilted her head. She had a face that didn’t seem to understand what she meant.
“…What is…?”
“I’m asking if that’s all you’re going to ask.”
“…Yeah…””
Nodding calmly, Namgung Bia added.
“…He said it’s not him…”
He said it wasn’t him.
An attitude that that was enough. However, Moyong Hia still seemed unable to understand Namgung Bia.
“You just believe that?”
“…Yeah…””
“No… Why do you believe it so easily…”
“Hia.”
“...”
Moyong Hia, who was about to flare up, closed her mouth when Namgung Bia called her name.
That was surprising even to me.
Because it was extremely rare for Namgung Bia to call someone by their name.
“Why the name all of a sudden…”
“Hia, you already know too.”
“Know what?”
“He said it’s not him. Then it’s not. I don’t know about other things… but for this matter, it is. That’s already… Hia, you know it too.”
“...”
At Namgung Bia’s resolute words, Moyong Hia said nothing.
I thought the logical Moyong Hia would surely present a rebuttal to those words. But no words came, contrary to expectations.
Squeeze.
Moyong Hia rolled her pretty hands into fists.
Her face looked like she had a lot to say, but in the end, no words came out.
Could it mean she accepted it?
Pat.
Pat.
Only the sound of softly patting the child’s back could be heard in the room.
As a silence that wasn’t quite silence continued.
“…Then, what exactly is this child?”
Moyong Hia asked again, looking at me.
“Uh…?”
“…He’s not your child, Young Master. Yet he was in your quarters. He looks exactly like you, and you know this child too. What is this child?”
“...”
I swallowed my saliva again at Moyong Hia’s question.
It’s not true, but her tone said I had to explain.
Indeed. Acting nonchalant like Namgung Bia would be weirder.
Right.
I should explain.
But.
‘How do I explain this?’
The child embraced in Namgung Bia’s arms.
No, I racked my brain looking at that.
‘Why did that guy suddenly end up like that.’
My head ached like crazy.
Yes, that was a guy I knew.
I didn’t know why he resembled my childhood. Or why he had suddenly taken this form and was in my quarters.
But I was certain he was a guy I knew.
I should have recognized him the moment I saw him. Maybe it was because his appearance had changed so much, but it took me a little longer to recognize him.
That guy’s identity was none other than.
‘The Ttolttoli guy…’
It was Ttolttoli.
A red demonic beast hunted in Sacheon a few years ago.
A being born from consuming my energy from that guy’s demonic stone.
At first, it was in the form of a small snake, but as time passed, its size grew and its appearance became increasingly ferocious.
As if linked to my realm, the guy changed drastically the stronger I became.
These days, when he grew to his maximum size, he became as big as Mount Tai, so he was a guy I couldn’t easily keep by my side.
It was definitely supposed to be like that.
‘Why did he change like that.’
Now, of all things, he had taken on a human form instead of a demonic beast.
I wondered if maybe it wasn’t Ttolttoli.
‘That can’t be.’
The guy was a being directly connected to me, of all things.
Even now, I could feel a sensation connected to my heart from him.
That guy was Ttolttoli. I was certain.
However, why had the once giant demonic beast taken on such a form?
Grasping for the cause, one thing immediately came to mind.
‘Is it because of me again this time?’
Ttolttoli, whose appearance changed as I grew.
That meant there was a high possibility that the reason he took on that form was because something had changed within me.
It was right after I had fainted due to the demonic stone, as expected. Since my body had undergone a major change, if I recalled the cause, it was only that.
I had experienced some change, and because of that, Ttolttoli had taken on a human form. It was right to see it that way.
Then, the reason he took on my childhood appearance specifically was.
‘Don’t tell me, it’s because he possesses my energy?’
Since he was a being created by my energy in the broad sense, it was a fully plausible explanation.
That meant, in other words.
‘…Looking at it this way, is he my child?’
If I really thought about it, it wouldn’t be wrong to see him as my offspring.
‘…But saying he’s my son is also weird.’
The problem was I couldn’t explain all this one by one and admit to it here.
“Young Master.”
“...”
If not a child, then what. The eyes demanding an explanation grew even deeper.
How on earth was I supposed to overcome this crisis?
Should I just admit it?
‘Ah, that’s a bit…’
Even if I were an idiot, I knew I’d be dead if I admitted to this.
Ah.
Or not…?
‘Should I just shamelessly push through?’
He is my kid. What’s it to you? It’s not like we’re in some serious relationship.
I just didn’t tell you because you didn’t ask.
I briefly considered going out like that, shameless and brazen.
‘…This is… This is definitely not it.’
Logically, it made sense, but… deep inside my mind, something was grabbing my brain by the waistband and trying desperately to stop me.
Saying that would be the end.
‘Then what should I do…’
While I was agonizing hundreds of times per second.
“Ah.”
Something brushed past my mind.
“Young Master? Please speak…”
“He’s my brother.”
“Pardon?”
At the words I spat out, Moyong Hia made a dumbfounded expression.
It was an expression saying she misheard.
“What did you just say…?”
“Brother. This guy. He’s my brother.”
“What do you mean by that…?”
“Oh right. I’m not this guy’s dad.”
Pointing at myself with my hand, I said one thing.
The second time, pointing at Ttolttoli, I spoke.
“Our father is his dad.”
Crash-!
“Huh?”
I heard something shatter. I turned around.
There.
“…Uh.”
The fragments of a shattered glass on the floor.
And.
“…Madam Mi?”
Madam Mi was standing there, completely frozen solid.