I examined the woman’s face again closely.
I had thought they looked similar before, but after hearing her answer, the resemblance to Artisha beca even more apparent.
The gentle, almost sleepy eyes, the slender jawline. Her voice also had a subtle similarity to Artisha’s… If you took the exhaustion off Artisha’s face, this might be what she would look like.
“Having a grown-up daughter with that appearance… Isn’t that cheating…?”
“It’s possible.”
“What do you an possible! She looks the sa age as Artisha, or even younger…”
“A mother who looks younger than her daughter? That only happens in comics,” Da-eun muttered.
The fact that the Demonic Race can live for a long ti without aging was sothing she should have known by now.
Well, I could understand why Da-eun might feel that way. Justina’s appearance could easily pass for a minor if you were being generous.
“If my daughter brought you here, then you must be trustworthy. I am Justina. That is my na.”
“Your way of speaking is weird.”
“You impudent child, are you in a position to speak to that way?”
“Hm, I suppose not.”
After poking fun at her, I was imdiately t with a sharp retort. How cunning, using straightforward logic… Truly fitting for the leader of a clan. Very wise indeed.
“I’m Canaria. Just call Kana.”
With Justina’s introduction setting the tone, Da-eun, Celine, and I all introduced ourselves. Da-eun hesitantly raised her hand.
“Um… What should we call you?”
Her voice trembled with nervousness as she asked.
“Why are you so nervous?”
“…From a human perspective, this is like eting a king. Honestly, I’m more amazed that Kana can respond so casually.”
“Hm… Is that so?”
I heard Da-eun’s words but still didn’t quite understand. After all, hadn’t all the people she t so far been far from ordinary?
Even standing next to her were a forr knight captain and a trainee saintess, not to ntion that she had even t a deputy leader and a prince before.
She hadn’t been this tense then, so why now?
“Don’t tell , you’re looking down on them just because their kingdom is already fallen?”
“No, I’m not!”
…Could she really be that kind of person?
As I shot her a disappointed look, Da-eun frantically shook her head.
“Well, I got to know you and Celine before finding out who you were, so I didn’t have ti to be shocked… And honestly, Ashié didn’t really feel real to .”
“Hmmm…”
“But I did feel nervous when I talked to Aeron! Though, maybe it was for a slightly different reason…”
“Different reason?”
“…Ah. Let’s just forget I said that.”
Nervous is nervous, what does she an by ‘a different reason’?
Even after pressing her further, Da-eun firmly shut her mouth without giving any answers.
…Sothing is fishy. Even though I felt that way, I had no choice but to stop my questioning.
After all, it wasn’t just the three of us here, and we couldn’t keep chatting among ourselves forever.
“If you’re done chatting, may I speak now?”
Of course. Just as the conversation began to dwindle, Justina interjected.
“Humans call the Demon King, don’t they? You can continue to call that, or you can call Lady Justina, it doesn’t matter.”
“Th-then, I’ll call you Lady Justina.”
“Sure. Justina.”
“And where did the ‘Lady’ go, leaving it behind?”
“In the Ardina Continent.”
With an expression full of things she wanted to say, Justina stared at for a long while before turning her gaze away without a word. It was as if she were saying, “Better to bear it than die.”
“…Perhaps.”
A single word slipped from Justina’s lips. She hesitated, unable to continue her sentence easily, but eventually closed her eyes tightly, as if she had made up her mind about sothing.
“…If it’s not too much trouble, could you tell a little more about Artisha?”
It seed that a simple assurance that she was doing well wasn’t enough to ease the mind of a mother worrying about her child.
“Was it that hard to ask?”
“…How could it not be difficult to ask about the well-being of a child I drove away with my own hands? Anyone with a sense of sha would naturally feel the sa.”
“Oh. Um, sorry.”
…I didn’t know that. Scratching my cheek awkwardly, I watched as Justina let out a deep, weary sigh.
“I did not say that expecting an apology. It is my burden to bear—who else could I bla?”
“Artisha spoke as if she left on her own.”
“That is because she is kind enough to cover for others’ faults… Judging by your expression, it seems you are curious about what happened.”
“To be honest… yes, I am curious.”
“It is nothing too remarkable.”
Though Justina’s eyes were directed at us, it was clear she wasn’t truly seeing us. Lost in a distant mory, she began to recount her story slowly.
The previous leader of the Demonic Race.
That is to say, Justina’s husband and Artisha’s father, who was the only person to have successfully undergone the Ascension Ritual, yet he was also a failure.
He believed that if he could ascend once more, he might be able to resolve the Magi that plagued Laxia.
With that hope, he attempted the Ascension Ritual again but vanished without a trace, along with a large amount of Magi.
After him, Justina took on the role of the leader.
“As he did, I too attempted the Ascension Ritual. It is the leader’s role to shoulder responsibilities befitting their position, is it not?”
Artisha was displeased with Justina’s decision, but she did not oppose it.
After all, Artisha was also a mber of the Demonic Race. She could understand Justina’s sentints.
“On the day I conducted the Ascension Ritual, a creature called a Dinsional Creature appeared.”
“…What?”
I tilted my head in confusion as I listened quietly to Justina’s story.
“When did this happen?”
“I do not recall exactly, but it must have been several decades ago. But why do you ask?”
“I’m just… curious.”
The first appearance of a Dinsional Creature on the Ardina Continent was only a little over a decade ago, but she spoke of decades. The tiline doesn’t seem to align, does it?
‘Is ti flowing differently between the Ardina Continent and here?’
For a mont, I entertained the thought with a chuckle.
‘That can’t be true.’
I had thought that the Dinsional Creature from over a decade ago was the first to appear in the world of Silia, but perhaps that wasn’t the case. Though I hadn’t heard anything specific from Edel, it made sense that a place where corrupted mana gathered would be more vulnerable.
Justina resud her story after a brief pause.
“However, I was preoccupied with the Ascension Ritual, and news of the creature’s appearance reached belatedly. Had it appeared a little earlier or later, I would have confronted it myself…”
Under normal circumstances, the strongest, Justina, would have dealt with it herself. But the creature appeared at an oddly perfect ti, as if taking advantage of the mont she was imrsed in the ritual, leaving her unable to intervene.
In her place, Artisha stepped forward.
“Because of that fierce battle, Artisha lost one of her horns. For us, horns are as vital as the source of our life. Even though she was in such a state, Artisha wanted to stay here, but Laxia’s environnt was too harsh to endure with just one horn.”
So Justina made the decision to send Artisha away to the Ardina Continent, against her daughter’s wishes.
To save Artisha.
It was a decision she made as a mother, even before being the leader of the Purifier Clan.
“How could I stand by and watch my daughter slowly die? I could not bear it. All I had left was my daughter.”
“I see.”
“Don’t you think your reaction is rather dry?”
“Would you prefer I cried?”
“…Never mind. That would feel like I was forcing an apology.”
It wasn’t just an issue of my sensitivity.
It wasn’t even a sad story in the first place, so isn’t it natural to respond calmly?
“Artisha was regretful about losing her horn, but she said she was proud.”
“…What do you an by that?”
“Just what I said.”
She fought against a powerful foe and was able to protect her people.
Artisha said that her broken horn was a badge of honor that proved that.
“If she says she’s proud, wouldn’t it be more disrespectful to feel sad about it?”
“…I was short-sighted. You’re right, insolent child.”
“You didn’t really need to add the ‘insolent child’ part, did you?”
“I added it deliberately because you left behind what you should have brought.”
“…Petty.”
Holding onto that one missing ‘title’—how childish can she be?
“Anyway, that’s the end of my story.”
Her eyes were expectant.
So, now that she’s done with her story, she wants to share mine, right?
I tugged on Da-eun’s sleeve.
“Joanie, it’s your turn.”
“…Huh? For what?”
“She said she wants to hear about Artisha. Go ahead and tell her.”
“? I’m the one?”
Talking isn’t my style.
Reluctantly burdened with the task, Da-eun seed flustered, but under Justina’s expectant gaze, she hesitantly began to speak.
From the mont we first t Artisha to when we brought her to Laxia.
Other than the ti Krumo’s Shadow attacked, I didn’t think there were any particularly significant events. But Da-eun had a knack for making even those ordinary stories sound captivating.
Even I, who had been there at the ti, found myself listening intently.
Is this what they call the talent of a strear?
If she had been a bard, she would’ve excelled—my assessnt beca all the more convincing.
But…
‘Isn’t she embellishing it too much?’
I twisted a lock of my hair with an awkward smile.
Calling a hero of the village, saying I fought off the shadow without regard for my own well-being.
With all the flowery words and praise, I didn’t know where to put myself.
“I didn’t think she had such a spirit of self-sacrifice. Quite surprising.”
“Of course. Our Kana is very kind.”
“No, I think your first impression was more accurate.”
See? Even Justina says the sa.
I wasn’t sacrificing myself to save the Demonic Race—I just foolishly overexerted myself.
The one who truly saved them wasn’t , but Da-eun.
“She fought against a Breath Attack to save a child.”
“Oh…”
“T-that was reckless…”
“Even if it was reckless, offering one’s life for others isn’t sothing just anyone can do. You should take pride in that.”
After hearing about Da-eun’s achievents, followed by Celine’s tireless efforts in tending to the Demonic Race day and night, Justina’s expression softened considerably.
I’m glad the shaless praise paid off.
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