Side Story 21. [After Story] Sid (2)
Imperial Year 662.
Ten years after the final battle against the monsters.
Southern end of the Empire. Crossroad.
The lord’s manor. Children’s playroom.
“Daddy! Daddy!”
The five-year-old twins, Erald and Sapphire, ca running toward Lucas with quick, eager steps.
“Pick us up! Pick us up!”
Lucas smiled warmly at his two children, who were so angelic they could have been mistaken for cherubs. He opened his arms wide.
“You’re just like your mom… Co here!”
The twins threw themselves at their father, burrowing into his embrace.
“Hi-yah!”
And at the perfect timing, they both launched a synchronized attack—slamming their small bodies into Lucas’s solar plexus with pinpoint accuracy.
“Guhk…”
Though they were his children, their combination strike was absolutely flawless. Lucas clutched his solar plexus and crumpled to the floor.
“You’re just like your mom…”
The twins, now perched on their father’s fallen body, began bouncing up and down with peals of laughter.
“Climb on! Climb on!”
“Stomp him! Stomp him!”
Their angelic faces were now adorned with mischievous grins.
Lucas, kicked and pumled by his children, eventually surrendered completely.
Watching this unfold, I couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.
‘I’ve heard the twins are notorious troublemakers, but seeing them in action… They’re terrifying. To think they could subdue Lucas, the greatest swordsman in the Empire, in an instant.’
Still, as I glanced at Lucas, who was smiling despite being beaten up, I couldn’t help but feel happy as well.
“You look happy, Lucas.”
“I don’t get to see my children often… I’m grateful for every mont like this…”
As Lucas spoke, four chubby little hands enthusiastically patted his cheeks. Being a dad really wasn’t an easy job.
Then, as if deciding they’d had enough fun with their father, the twins suddenly turned their gazes toward .
Gulp.
Erald’s green eyes and Sapphire’s blue eyes glead like those of wild beasts that had spotted their next prey.
“Hey~ya~!”
“Woo~hee~!”
On all fours, they began crawling toward at lightning speed.
‘Oh my God, quadrupedal movent?!’
“Hiiiii!”
A scream escaped before I could stop myself.
“Nooo!”
Lucas, who had sprung up from the floor, leapt between and the twins, throwing himself down dramatically.
“Don’t touch the master! Hit instead… Just hit !”
The twins paused, exchanged glances, and then broke into bright smiles.
“Okay~!”
And so it was decided.
The twins resud pumling Lucas instead of . Whenever it looked like their attention might shift toward , Lucas would hurl himself in front of them to shield . What a heartwarming display of loyalty.
This one-sided beatdown continued until the true ruler of the household—Evangeline—finally arrived.
“You two troublemakers! How many tis do I have to tell you to stop bothering your father?!”
The twins, who had been drawing on Lucas’s face with crayons, burst into laughter and scrambled away.
“Mommy’s here~!”
“Scary~!”
“You little rascals! Can’t you stay still for once?!”
Evangeline lunged to catch them, but the twins rolled and dodged nimbly, evading her grasp with ease.
“Haha…”
I folded my arms behind my back and watched the spectacle with amusent.
In Korea, there’s a saying: “Four-year-olds are annoying, and seven-year-olds make you want to kill them.”
It’s a phrase that describes the phases of childhood when kids drive their parents up the wall. Though it sounds extre, any parent who’s been through it can relate.
Indeed, Erald and Sapphire were doing an excellent job tornting their parents. I couldn’t help but look forward to their future mischief.
“You’ve got a tough road ahead, Lucas.”
I teased.
“Hehe…”
With his face now covered in an abstract crayon masterpiece, Lucas let out a aningful chuckle.
“Have you forgotten, my lord…? You’re next…”
“Gah!”
At the ntion of Serenade, who was carrying my second child, a surge of anxiety washed over .
‘Will my child also beco a reckless, wild troublemaker like these two…?’
“No, no way! My child will be kind, upright, and a paragon of filial piety! I’m sure of it!”
“Pfft… Yes, please keep believing that…”
“Gyaaah!”
As I trembled in fear of the daunting future that lay ahead, the twins launched a new raid on their mother. They clung to Evangeline’s sides, tickling her rcilessly under her arms and ribs. Even the formidable Evangeline was on the verge of collapse.
And just then, a calm but firm voice rang out.
“Kids.”
The voice was young, yet carried an air of quiet authority.
“Your parents are struggling. Stop ssing around.”
“…!”
“…!”
As if by magic, the two little devils stopped tornting their mother. They gently climbed down to the floor and scurried toward the source of the voice.
At the entrance to the playroom stood a boy with red hair. As the twins approached, he reached out to softly pat their heads.
“There, there. Good kids.”
Erald and Sapphire, like well-trained wild animals, obediently sat down and accepted his touch. Witnessing this miraculous scene, we all felt a shiver run down our spines.
This was the epito of a model child!
The child who, even at four and seven, never once caused trouble for his parents—a legend in the realm of child-rearing!
“Sid!”
“Godfather.”
Sid bowed politely to . His small fra straightened after the courteous gesture, and a soft smile spread across his round face.
“It’s been a while, Godfather. Have you been well?”
Look at that mature smile and composed deanor!
Is this child really only eleven years old? He’s the very embodint of kindness, righteousness, and filial piety—a paragon of virtue!
“Lilly… How in the world did you raise this kid?! I need to ask for your parenting secrets!”
“No matter how many tis I asked, she never told … She just said Sid grew up like this all on his own…”
At my muttered words, Evangeline, who was sprawled next to Lucas, replied in a defeated tone.
In any case, Sid, the wild animal tar—no, the older sibling who skillfully managed the chaotic twins—turned to us and spoke politely.
“I’ll take care of the children, so the adults can attend to their business.”
“No, Sid.”
I smiled gently at him.
“I ca here today to see you.”
“? You ca to see ?”
Sid’s eyes widened in surprise. At the sa ti, Erald and Sapphire let out low growls and clung to Sid’s pant legs from either side.
It seed they didn’t like the idea of their big brother being taken away to talk. But why did they look more like guard dogs protecting their master?
“Seeing that reminds of the two of you when you were younger.”
“…We were like that?”
“…We weren’t like that… Actually, maybe we were…”
Evangeline and Lucas got lost in their mories.
Oh, you two were definitely like that. I vividly recalled the duo of knights who clung to my sides and growled at anyone who dared approach . That was over ten years ago. Now that I think about it, the twins really do resemble their parents.
But back to the matter at hand—I needed to have an important conversation with Sid.
I gave Evangeline and Lucas a pointed look. Understanding my intention, the two swiftly stood up and grabbed Erald and Sapphire.
“Stay still! Ah, don’t bite Mom’s hand!”
“Let’s play with Dad, kids! Co on, let’s go!”
While the young parents wrestled with their squirming, wild-animal-like children, I quickly led Sid out of the playroom.
“I’ll be back soon!”
“Take your ti, my lord! Ack—don’t pull my hair!”
“We’ll have a lovely family ti while you’re gone!”
Leaving behind the playroom, now transford into a chaotic battlefield, we made our escape. Raising kids really wasn’t an easy job.
“Godfather, is there sothing wrong?”
Sid walked beside , his face filled with concern.
“Did I… do sothing wrong?”
“…”
His large eyes, shimring with unease, looked up at .
They were the eyes of a child who had matured far too early for his age. There was a depth in them that was almost unsettling.
For a mont, I couldn’t find the words to speak. Then, I smiled warmly at him.
“No, it’s quite the opposite.”
“The opposite?”
“There’s sothing only you can do. I’ve co to ask for your help.”
I gently placed my hand on Sid’s shoulder and guided him forward.
“Let’s go. Soone is waiting for you.”
Dearmudin was waiting for us in the drawing room.
The old mage, who was stroking his neatly braided beard, imdiately lit up with interest when Sid entered the room.
“Hoho, indeed…!”
Seeing Sid looking unsure of what to do, I quickly stepped forward and introduced them.
“It’s been a while since you last t, hasn’t it? This is Dearmudin. He’s the head of the Ivory Tower of the Magic History Foundation and was once your mother’s colleague.”
“Hello, Sir Dearmudin.”
Sid imdiately bowed politely.
Dearmudin removed his sunglasses and placed them on the table before gesturing to Sid.
“Yes, it’s been a long ti since I last saw you as a baby. Co closer, will you?”
Though Sid hesitated for a mont, he didn’t stop. He walked over and sat on the sofa in front of Dearmudin.
The old mage studied the boy carefully.
“…Even when I saw you as a baby, I could feel it.”
After a long examination, Dearmudin finally spoke.
“Such extraordinary talent. Had you been born in the age of magic, your na would have resounded across the world. People would have praised you for generations to co.”
The Mana-Chosen.
Sid’s innate magical talent was overwhelming, to say the least.
It was so imnse that even in the womb, his mana sensitivity caused constant discomfort for his mother, Lilly.
Even in the bleak visions of the future I’d seen—after the world’s destruction—Sid had risen as the sole archmage of that era.
And even now, in a world where magic had all but vanished, fragnts of his talent still lingered.
“It’s truly a pity. If the age of magic had persisted, I would gladly have handed over the position of Master of the Ivory Tower to you…”
Dearmudin’s regretful words made Sid tilt his head in confusion.
“Um, excuse … but what exactly is magic?”
“…”
“I’ve heard my mother ntion it a few tis, but I’ve never seen it myself.”
Dearmudin stroked his beard, letting out a good-natured chuckle. The usually strict old man was surprisingly gentle when it ca to children.
“Magic was once the miraculous light that supported this world.”
“The miraculous light…?”
“But because it was fundantally a borrowed power from another realm, your godfather destroyed it to free our world completely.”
Dearmudin glanced at briefly.
I shrugged awkwardly. Well, it was true that I had effectively rendered an entire class of mages unemployed.
“But even though that power has faded from the world, remnants of it still linger in certain places.”
As he spoke, Dearmudin began rummaging through his belongings.
“As the head of the Magic History Foundation, I’ve spent the past ten years collecting, identifying, and studying these remnants of magic.”
Dearmudin reached into his robes and pulled out an item, holding it out for us to see.
“Do you see this?”
The object he revealed was a necklace with a transparent gemstone dangling from it.
Even with the heightened perception that ca from having held the power of three Absolute Beings, I couldn’t detect anything particularly strange about it. Only by focusing intently could I barely sense a faint ripple of energy emanating from the necklace.
But Sid saw sothing entirely different.
“What is this? Sothing blue… it’s glowing and spilling out from the necklace.”
“…”
“…”
Dearmudin and I exchanged a look.
“Can you see it, Prince Ash?”
“Beyond a faint ripple, no. Nothing.”
“The sa for . But it seems the boy can see it much more clearly.”
Dearmudin extended the necklace toward Sid.
“Would you like to touch it?”
“…”
Sid hesitated for a mont before slowly reaching out. The instant his fingertips made contact with the necklace—
Whooosh!
A cool gust of wind burst forth from the necklace.
The curtains in the drawing room flapped wildly, and the flas of the lit candles tilted sharply to the side.
While Dearmudin and I could only perceive the gusts of wind and their physical effects, Sid saw sothing far more extraordinary.
“Blue particles… they’re everywhere…!”
The boy’s wide eyes darted around, following the shimring motes.
“It’s beautiful…”
As quickly as it had co, the wind began to subside. The light from the necklace gradually dimd and faded away.
“It’s disappearing… the glow is fading…”
A mont later, the drawing room returned to its previous calm, as if the windstorm had never happened.
Dearmudin leaned forward slightly and spoke softly to the stunned Sid, who was still processing what had just happened.
“This is a remnant of magic—a fragnt of a miracle.”
“…”
“When the gate to the spirit realm was sealed, and all the guardian trees vanished, the vast majority of mana simply evaporated into nothingness. However…”
Dearmudin held the now-dull necklace aloft.
“A small fraction—an exceedingly tiny amount of mana—and the magic it created still lingers in scattered places across this world.”
“…”
“This stray mana, left unchecked, can manifest in unpredictable ways. It might do sothing as harmless as turning grass red, or bring rain to a drought-stricken land, or provide warmth on a cold winter night. But…”
The old mage’s weary eyes locked onto the boy’s clear, innocent gaze.
“In the worst-case scenario, it could manifest as an enormous infernal disaster that burns the entire world to ash.”
“…”
Sid swallowed hard, his throat bobbing with nervous tension.
Dearmudin continued, his tone earnest.
“For years, I’ve been working to safely eliminate these remnants of magic. But even for soone once hailed as an archmage, it hasn’t been an easy task. Simply locating these remnants is a monuntal challenge, and removing them is even harder. Most of the ti, I’ve had to settle for storing them or recording their locations.”
“…”
“But with your help, as soone chosen by mana itself… It might finally be possible to completely and safely eradicate every last fragnt of these miracles from this world.”
Dearmudin’s voice grew more impassioned as he made his plea.
“This is sothing only you can do. Will you help us?”
“…”
“Of course, I’ll seek your mother’s permission first, and I promise you’ll be properly compensated. But ultimately, your decision matters most.”
“…”
“This is not an easy matter, so if you need ti to think, we can discuss it later with your mother. And if you choose to refuse, that’s perfectly fine as well. There’s no pressure.”
A brief silence hung in the air.
Sid, who had been staring at the floor, slowly lifted his large, shimring eyes to et ours.
“There’s… one thing I’d like to ask.”
“Anything. Go ahead.”
“If these remnants of magic… these fragnts of miracles… can be used…”
Sid’s voice trembled as he struggled to speak.
“Could they… could they heal my mother’s legs?”
“…”
Dearmudin and I were rendered speechless, staring at the boy in stunned silence.
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