Chapter 160. Epilogue: Camellia (2)

While the forest in spring and summer is full of vitality, the autumn forest, with its fading greenery, holds a somewhat wistful charm.

Ransel carefully followed Camellia as she walked among the yellow and red fallen leaves. Even when playing like this, the difference in the two children’s personalities was stark. While Ransel was passive and cautious, Camellia was fearless, lively, and proactive.

“Ransel! Look at this! It’s a cricket!”

“Eek…!”

While Camellia wasn’t afraid of insects or bugs, Ransel was. As Ransel stepped back startled at the sight of the cricket, Camellia frowned slightly in incomprehension and tilted her head.

“Why are you scared? It’s just a cricket.”

“It, it might bite…”

“Crickets don’t bite.”

“But…”

Camellia tried to reassure him by holding out the cricket, while Ransel retreated with a tearful face. The adults watched the scene with stifled laughter. Eventually, Ellen had to intervene.

“Camellia, you shouldn’t bully your friend.”

“I’m not bullying. I’m just showing him the cricket.”

“Ransel is afraid of crickets. Let’s stop showing it to him now.”

“Tch… Okay.”

Though grumbling, Camellia obediently followed her mother’s words. She put the cricket back in the grass and approached Ransel. Ransel peeked at Camellia nervously while hiding behind a tree trunk. Camellia reached out her hand to Ransel and said,

“I won’t do it anymore. Let’s go.”

“…Okay.”

Ransel cautiously emerged and carefully took Camellia’s hand. Camellia smiled brightly and led Ransel along the forest path. The adults followed leisurely behind, never taking their eyes off the children.

As Camellia and Ransel explored the forest, they discovered strange mushrooms they had never seen before, and found a bird’s nest high up in the branches.

When they reached a clearing with clusters of autumn flowers in bloom, Camellia was the happiest of all. Camellia and Ransel picked flowers to make flower crowns, and although they were a bit clumsy due to their small hands, they turned out quite presentable.

“Mom, a gift!”

“Wow, it’s beautiful. Is this for me? Thank you.”

Camellia gave Ellen the prettiest flower crown she had made. Ransel also approached his mother with a handmade flower crown, but he hesitated, seemingly unsure of his craftsmanship.

Marquis Norbert’s wife — Mercedes — waited patiently for her son, with an infinitely gentle and kind smile on her lips.

“Mother, the flower crown I made…”

“Thank you, Ransel. I’ll gladly accept it. I really like it.”

After shyly handing over the flower crown, Ransel’s face turned as red as a tomato and he quickly ran away. Mercedes covered her mouth and let out a small laugh. The fresh scent of flowers wafted gently from the crown in her hand.

“I don’t know who our son takes after to be so timid… Well, that’s what makes him cute.”

Ellen nodded in agreement to Mercedes’ words, which sounded almost like she was talking to herself.

“It’s the same with our daughter. I really don’t know who she takes after.”

Mercedes responded to Ellen’s words with a helpless laugh.

“I guess children don’t always have to take after their parents.”

The children were now watching a squirrel in a tree. When Camellia tried to climb the tree, it caused another commotion, but all in all, it was an enjoyable autumn picnic.

After finishing their forest exploration, they returned to the castle and had dinner together. The feast prepared by the chef, who had shown off his skills, was delicious, and the atmosphere was livelier than usual, perhaps due to the increased number of people.

The Norbert family was planning to stay for one night. Guest rooms for two adults and one child were already perfectly prepared, but the problem was Camellia.

“Can’t I sleep with Ransel?”

She kept insisting on sleeping with Ransel. Although they were still young children, sleeping together shouldn’t be a big issue…

“No, daughter.”

Of course, Enoch opposed with fire in his eyes. Camellia was throwing a tantrum, asking why not.

Ellen, who had been quietly watching, let out a deep sigh and stepped in between her husband and daughter who were childishly bickering, to resolve the situation.

“Camellia, we can’t trouble our guests. Tonight, let’s sleep with Mom and Dad. That’s okay, right? And Enoch… Don’t just firmly say no to the child, try to soothe her a bit.”

The last words were whispered only to Enoch. Camellia was deeply disappointed, her lips pouting, but when Enoch picked her up and gave her a piggyback ride, her face immediately brightened as if she had never been upset.

“Wow! It’s high!”

“How is it? Isn’t Dad the best?”

“Yes! But Mom is even better!”

Ellen chuckled softly at the comical conversation between father and daughter, then exchanged good night greetings with the Norbert family. Meanwhile, Ransel kept glancing at Enoch and Camellia, seemingly envious of the piggyback ride.

Noticing this, Warren lifted Ransel up and gave him a piggyback ride too, and Ransel’s face bloomed with a smile like a flower.

The two children, perched on their fathers’ shoulders, waved their hands to say goodbye.

“Good night! Ransel! See you tomorrow!”

“Good night, Camellia.”

With that, they parted ways and headed to their respective rooms. Beyond the window pane, the moon in the dark night sky was spreading its light like a song.

The firelight dimly colored the dark interior with warm hues.

On this quiet night, Ellen and Enoch lay side by side in bed with Camellia between them. Camellia’s face, covered up to her neck with the blanket, wore a happy smile.

“Do you like sleeping with Mom and Dad that much?”

“Yes!”

Ellen smiled faintly as she kissed Camellia’s forehead as she answered cutely. Camellia loved her family, her mom and dad, very much. She was a kind and bright child, full of love.

When looking at Camellia, when thinking about her, Ellen felt great concern along with loving and precious feelings. It must be the same for Enoch. Ellen could tell his feelings just by looking at his eyes.

It was truly ironic that Camellia was born with powerful ancient magic. When Ellen was pregnant, she hoped this child would be happy as an ordinary person, not a mage. That wish was utterly shattered when Camellia’s magic manifested, but…

Camellia doesn’t have to graduate from the Mage’s Tower until she’s 18. The Tower said they would wait until then.

It was truly fortunate that they didn’t have to send their young daughter to the Tower before she even came of age, but… all they could do was worry, feel anxious, and pray every day. That Camellia’s power to peek into others’ present wouldn’t make the child unhappy.

“Good night, our daughter. Sweet dreams.”

“Yes, good night Mom and Dad.”

Camellia smiled brightly and closed her eyes. Enoch patted the child’s blanket-covered body and sang a lullaby. The low, quiet, pleasant resonance spread like gentle waves.

Tired from running around all day, the child quickly fell asleep. The couple, who had been staring blankly at the sleeping child, suddenly met eyes and smiled without anyone initiating. Telepathy. Without words, they could understand that they loved each other, that they were happy.

“Good night, Enoch.”

“You too.”

Ellen felt sleep washing over her and slowly closed her eyes.

Soon, the boundary between unconsciousness and reality crumbled.

A night wrapped in distant tranquility.

There were never any nightmares.

The next morning.

After breakfast, the Norbert family, having finished all preparations, came out to the garden to leave Evitern Castle.

Ellen, Enoch, and Camellia also came out to see off the guests. While the adults’ attitudes were calm, the children were very reluctant to part.

“I’ll come play again…”

At Ransel’s hesitant words, Camellia seemed to choke up and pressed her lips tightly, then immediately shouted energetically, “I’ll come play too!”

Then she suddenly hugged Ransel tightly, and with a determined expression, solemnly said,

“When I grow up, I want to marry Ransel.”

“……?!”

Ransel’s surprised face turned red in an instant. Enoch’s expression hardened grimly, while the Norbert couple and Ellen burst into laughter.

“Let’s get married when we grow up. For sure. Promise!”

“O-okay…”

Ransel nodded, linking pinkies with a dazed expression. After Ransel, whose future had been thus mortgaged, left with the Norbert couple, Enoch grabbed Camellia with a slightly terrifying smile and said,

“Daughter, didn’t we agree you’d live with Dad forever without getting married?”

“Dad is jealous.”

“What?”

Camellia put her hands on her hips and spoke primly, then turned her head away sharply. Enoch couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.

“Camellia is going to marry Ransel.”

“Didn’t you say Dad was the coolest in the world?”

“Dad is cool, and Ransel is cute. I like him because he’s cute.”

Camellia grinned, stuck out her tongue teasingly at Enoch, and ran to Jasmine and Laila. The two tried to hold back their laughter as they picked up Camellia, who was clinging to them asking to play in the playroom. Ellen, on the other hand, openly mocked Enoch’s predicament.

Enoch sighed helplessly and turned to Ellen, seeking agreement.

“Our daughter’s taste in men is really not great. Don’t you think so?”

Ellen mocked him again and retorted.

“No matter who Camellia brings, you won’t be satisfied.”

Unable to deny this truth, Enoch responded with silence.

It’s still a distant future. Camellia becoming an adult, falling in love with someone.

As a father, he probably… won’t be able to purely support his daughter’s romance.

If, in the far future, Camellia truly falls in love with someone and is happy, even Enoch wouldn’t be able to break that happiness. He’d just be seething inside.

“Besides, don’t Ransel and Camellia look good together? Though I’m not sure if they’ll still like each other when they grow up…”

“He’s Warren’s son. I don’t like it.”

“See, I told you you’d dislike whoever Camellia chooses, didn’t I?”

The two climbed the stairs, playfully arguing in light tones. Heading towards the playroom where Camellia had gone ahead. Today’s schedule was relaxed, so they could play to their heart’s content with their cute daughter.

The present that breathes, and the future to come. The luxury of being able to envision them peacefully.

Sometimes, even when worry and anxiety invade the heart, we can overcome them. Because we’re not alone. Because we’re together.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t said this today.”

“……?”

“I love you, Ellen.”

The fact that I still feel fluttery at this love confession, which must have been made well over a thousand times, means you really must be my destiny.

Ellen smiled softly and responded. To her star, her destiny.

“I love you too, Enoch.”

— End of Epilogue.