Chapter 213

Although it would have been wonderful if he had fallen into a deep sleep, Roan opened his eyes again in a familiar atmosphere.

His body, which could not move properly, a characteristic of a dream.

A white world where visibility was heavily blocked as if covered in fog.

‘I really can’t say a single word carelessly.’

Still, since it was the second time, he had gotten a bit used to it.

If Roan’s guess was correct, it would probably be that dream again.

Roan walked as if wandering in the fog, regardless of his own will.

It was like the appearance of a child who had lost their parents’ hands and become a lost child.

However, even swinging an arm once, even taking a single step forward, was extremely difficult.

Standing at the end was a woman with long black hair wearing a white dress, just like before.

Just by looking at the woman’s back, Roan’s heart swelled for some reason, and his scar-filled heart was healed…….

“……Mother.”

Roan called out to her from a few steps away, also regardless of his own will.

Receiving Roan’s call, she turned around with a bright smile.

“Oh my, has my son arrived?”

*Whoosh—*

Simultaneously, the fog covering the world cleared, and the brilliant sight behind it unfolded.

A place where warm sunlight shone down on a grass-covered plain, and a quiet castle showed off its stature.

The ruined castle of the Darc family.

Roan’s mother, Charlotte, walked lightly over the grass even on barefoot.

“It is so good to see you even though I saw you not long ago, son~ It was a shame we couldn’t talk much last time, you know?”

Charlotte was speaking in a bright tone, but tears of joy had welled up in her eyes before she knew it.

Roan nodded.

“Same for me.”

Perhaps finding her son’s words admirable, Charlotte’s smile grew even brighter.

Then, she clapped her hands, suddenly remembering something.

“Ah, right! Son, your mother was so moved this time~”

“……?”

Roan was slightly concerned, not knowing what on earth Charlotte was going to say.

‘No matter how much I think about it, I haven’t really done anything to move anyone.’

Honestly, throwing punishment holy spells at classmates, showing the Bottomless Abyss to someone, and entering and exiting the Thieves’ Guild…….

Although he did them because they were necessary in their own way, they weren’t things to brag about proudly to his parents.

If anything, he would get scolded.

However, Charlotte, with her motherly broad understanding and devotion, did not care much about such minor (?) things.

“Why, didn’t you name your second holy beast after your mother~ Son, thank you so much!”

“Aha.”

Roan let out a sigh of relief internally.

Indeed, a mother’s love was as vast as the sea!

Charlotte let out a sigh of relief externally.

“Phew, you woke up early last time, so you wouldn’t have heard the name. How did you know?”

‘I didn’t know.’

Although it was just for a brief moment, Roan, who had thought of his mother’s name as something like *Kirrrr—*, felt extremely sorry.

And he could by no means say that he accidentally stumbled upon it while trying to name it after another hero he knew.

Nor did it seem like it would do any good to say so.

Roan contemplated briefly, then decided to just push through.

“……In fact, I originally knew your name, Mother. Charlotte Denia Bistrin Darc.”

Although he had heard it briefly from Harden, he had to be able to memorize names like this immediately to achieve an all-clear in “God & Devil.”

“Huh? But you said you didn’t know last time, didn’t you?”

“That was because I wanted to hear that name again in your voice, Mother…….”

If the son claimed he remembered it originally, what could she do!

Upon hearing Roan’s words, Charlotte’s face instantly stiffened.

‘Is there no helping it?’

Roan, in spite of himself, worried if his excuse was too insincere or if it sounded too much like a lie.

‘Or if it was just rubbish…….’

Anyway.

“Roan.”

“Yes.”

Charlotte called Roan seriously.

Just as Roan swallowed hard.

“My son!!! You remembered my name too! Your mother is so touched~”

Charlotte embraced Roan tightly with an exceptionally beautiful smile, as if she had never stiffened her face in the first place.

Not only that, but she even lifted Roan, who was already slightly taller than her, and spun him around once.

It seemed to be something possible only because it was a dream.

“My goodness, I guess this is what they mean when they say blood doesn’t lie~ Isn’t my son a real genius? Whom do you take after to be this smart? You’ll grow up and enter Acherandir later!”

“Uh, I have already done that.”

He hadn’t wanted to, but he did so as if dragged.

Roan scowled slightly as he recalled the memory of that time.

“Ah, right! Yes, I was just too happy~”

Charlotte, thinking Roan’s mood had soured because of her, set him down and apologized.

……Actually, since Roan was the one who should apologize, his face brightened immediately.

‘Well, at least it’s a relief she is pleased.’

Sometimes, a little lie was necessary for filial piety.

Roan will let out a wry laugh.

“Since we died when you were so young, your mother thought you naturally wouldn’t even remember our names…….”

“?”

Roan tilted his head upon hearing Charlotte’s words.

‘Did the people of this world know how to think about such things?’

Well, things like claiming to be close because they saw him when he was two, or asking if he didn’t remember them from when he was four.

Roan had heard such absurd things naturally from Espard and Yusina that even he hadn’t thought of it.

If it was a world where such things were possible, shouldn’t it be fine even if he remembered his parents’ names from when he was born?

However, Charlotte, unaware of Roan’s thoughts, repeatedly let out sighs of relief.

“Also, if it were the people of the Holy Emperor’s Palace, they might not have told you our names out of a desire not to hurt you……. Since there are circumstances too.”

Roan was practically moved to tears.

*Trickle—*

No, he genuinely shed a tear.

‘To think such common-sensical people are my parents!’

It was a concern so obvious on Earth, but hearing it after coming here, there was no more touching true story.

“Still, I won’t tell your father. He might feel left out if he hears you only remembered my name.”

Charlotte said, winking one eye.

She was truly the epitome of a mother who loved her son from the depths of her heart.

Roan, feeling incredibly grateful, decided to play the role of a good son a bit more.

“Mother.”

“Hm? Why?”

When Roan called her in a serious voice, Charlotte tilted her head, her clear eyes sparkling.

“I plan to rebuild the Darc family in the future. So—”

“……As expected, you are.”

However, contrary to Roan’s expectation, Charlotte’s face darkened in an instant.

Roan, who thought she would be pleased to hear about rebuilding the family, was slightly flustered.

Because whenever he brought up rebuilding, everyone he had met so far would shed tears of emotion.

‘So I was going to ask her to appear in my dreams more often in the future and give me lots of help……?’

A slight hitch arose in his plan to secure practical benefits while acting like a good son.

It was by no means an atmosphere to bring up such words.

Charlotte spoke, mumbling softly.

“Yes, I knew my son would think that way.”

“……Is there some problem?”

Roan asked cautiously.

If things went well, he might be able to gather some information regarding the Darc family.

Charlotte shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes with a slightly different meaning than before.

“No, of course I’m grateful. It’s just……”

A hesitation as if contemplating for a moment.

“Your mother and father want you to live freely.”

“…….”

Roan remained silent at Charlotte’s heartfelt words.

It would have been better if she had reacted playfully as usual.

Charlotte held Roan’s hand tightly.

The hand, which she definitely held tight but felt no body heat from, reminded him of reality.

“Roan, do not bind yourself to anything. Everything must be your choice, not fate. Otherwise, your mother and father would feel too sorry.”

Roan nodded with a firm expression.

Then, Charlotte smiled brightly and spoke.

“I’m glad you understand! I was worried because I wouldn’t be able to refuse if you asked for help while saying that~”

“?”

Roan felt the emotion he had just experienced fade slightly.

“I mean, of course I could help you~ but then the higher-ups wouldn’t really like it! Even if they don’t seem like it, they watch everything, you know?”

‘I-I understand, but.’

He felt as if he were sitting in the palm of Charlotte’s hand—not the holy beast Charlotte, but his mother.

It seemed certain that Charlotte was a master of push-and-pull in her past life.

“I see…….”

Roan reacted reluctantly.

Yet Charlotte seemed to have something to say, as she contemplated for a moment.

“Hmm…… hmm…….”

“…….”

“Hhmmm……. Hm?”

“……?”

In truth, she contemplated for quite a long time.

Roan, wondering what it was, decided to ask first.

“Do you have something to say……?”

“Ah! Actually, telling you this is leaking heaven’s secrets, but it’s a secret just between us~”

At that, Charlotte looked around as if she had been waiting, and opened her mouth.

Roan found it slightly absurd.

Since this was Roan’s dream, there was no way anyone else could be here besides the two of them.

‘And why is it a secret between us when you said the higher-ups are watching anyway……’

Was this what they called an open secret?

At any rate, since she said she would tell him something, Roan intended to listen seriously.

Charlotte whispered close to Roan’s ear, as if truly sharing a secret conversation.

“In the near future…… something really dangerous will happen. You might even die, so you must be careful!”

“Aha.”

It was a considerably threatening warning, but Roan reacted as if it were trivial.

Charlotte opened her eyes wide in surprise.

“Heh! A-Aren’t you scared, son? They say you might die?!”

Roan nodded out of politeness.

“Yes, it is scary, but that is……”

Come to think of it, Roan was always in a position where he could die!

Since he always lived with the alertness that he would die if things went wrong, he wasn’t particularly shocked or anything.

It felt like at worst, he would just get caught by Professor Kaina or someone.

“O-Our son indeed has great courage? Yes, that is a good thing.”

Since Roan accepted it so calmly, Charlotte spoke reluctantly.

‘Just how does he live on a daily basis for him to……?’

Even the master of push-and-pull Charlotte could not help but be flustered at this moment.

Then, she placed her index finger on her hand and contemplated for a moment.

“Hmm…… then I guess it won’t be very surprising that your father is still angry either.”

“!”

This was surprising…… no, terrifying.

“Do you mean Father is still angry?”

Roan jumped.

Charlotte wore a puzzled face.

No matter how she thought about it, she felt an unknown crisis would be much more terrifying than her husband being angry.

‘Since surely a father wouldn’t try to kill his son!’

Of course, Roan’s stance was different.

‘An unknown crisis can just be overcome, but the previous Darc could truly kill me!’

What if he found out that some dark soul from another world had not only taken over his son’s body but was also a black mage?

……Then there would be no enemy more terrifying than his parents.

Especially if those parents were of the caliber of the previous head of the Darc family.

“Why is Father……?”

Roan asked cautiously.

Charlotte looked up as if contemplating, placing her index finger on her chin again, and spoke.

“Well…… he is so angry that I can’t really make it out either, you know? But it seems similar to last time. He was saying something about the abyss?”

‘This is indeed a huge problem.’