An Unexpected Proposal

October 22, 2020

"It’s strange, isn’t it? Without me saying anything, Mikael really likes you. The child who has never disobeyed me even once, even lied to come find you for the first time."

"......"

"Did you think he was a monster, then?"

Alicia gently bit her lip, holding back tears. It felt like she might break into sobs any moment, but she didn’t want to show her weakness, so she struggled to hold it in. She wanted to look him in the eye and confront him just once.

"Cabelenus, you were wrong. My child was not a monster. He was just a child. That’s all."

"I’m sorry, I... I never meant—"

"Sorry doesn’t fix this. You can’t just end it with those words. If I hadn’t run away, you would’ve killed my child."

Tears welled up in Alicia’s eyes as she struggled to hold them back. Cabelenus opened his mouth, but then shut it tight. He knew that anything he said would sound like an excuse, so he couldn’t say anything.

"You see? You still can’t deny it."

"......"

"So don’t say anything more. The child from eight years ago is dead."

"I won’t argue with you about parenthood now. I know I don’t have the right. Just... let me protect him."

Cabelenus finally managed to force out the words.

"Who do you think will protect who?"

"There are those who want to harm the child."

At first, Alicia thought she was the target. But if the child from eight years ago was still alive, the story changed. Jerpeneus and Hermann weren’t after Alicia—they were after Mikael, who shared his blood.

"My child will not be touched by anyone."

"I understand that you want to protect him. But think realistically."

"Realistically?"

"The people after the child aren’t easy opponents. You can’t protect him with your strength."

Cabelenus’s gaze fell to Alicia’s thin wrists. She looked so fragile, it was hard to imagine how she had endured so far. He couldn’t let her carry any more weight on those small shoulders. If it came to it, he would rather bear several times the burden himself.

"No. I can protect him. I’ve done it until now, and I will keep doing it."

"Alicia—"

Cabelenus instinctively tried to rise but collapsed back down as his vision blurred.

"It looks like the medicine’s starting to take effect."

"Medicine?"