Natalie continued moving her hand without caring, and Rashid endured while biting his lips tightly without crying.

“Are you reflecting now?”

Rashid maintained silence even at his mother’s question. As if unable to stand that anymore, Natalie raised the cane again with a sneer.

“Don’t ever fight with your brother again.”

But brother bullied me first. He sneered saying ‘if I was frustrated I should pick up a sword and burn him. Mother didn’t say anything to brother, why only to me. Why does she hate only me like this?’

When she pulled down his pants, the torn flesh of his calves wasn’t visible.

Natalie acted nonchalantly without showing a trace of distress.

“It will heal soon anyway, right? You’re a strong child now after all.”

That was his sin.

That the second son of a ducal family dared to be born with abnormally strong Dragon’s Strength.

Though he had never once wished for it, it became his original sin.

Returning to his room, Rashid opened the window. It was already evening, with the sun setting in the west. The pink sky dyed by sunset was beautiful.

Don’t cry. He diligently cultivated his face to hide expressions in front of people. Because the more he showed his suffering, the more miserable it seemed to become.

But when facing such a beautiful light like this, he could be somewhat honest. Because no one was watching him. Because no one would say anything….

A tear rolled down young Rashid’s cheek. Even that he quickly wiped away with the back of his hand in case someone saw. He took a deep breath and blankly watched the fading light.

It was darkness again.

Countless scenes rose and sank in his mind. Father patting his head. Mother wanting to strangle him. Brother wanting to stab his back. Sister crying not knowing what to do. Amidst the dizzily swaying sights, Natalie’s voice arose.

“I shouldn’t have given birth to you.”

Young Natalie speaks to the current Rashid.

“You’re not human after all.”

She smiles. The smooth red curve is lips formed to inflict wounds.

“Something like you shouldn’t exist in this world.”

No.

“Because no one loves you.”

That’s not true.

“You too! You can’t love anyone!”

She points and giggles. It was a curse. The prophecy of Natalie who was born with black magic that tears people apart.

So in the end, didn’t it become as she wished?

Realizing that, suppressed and hidden anger burst forth like an active volcano.

Rashid reached out and grabbed Natalie’s neck, choking her. With just a little force, the woman’s thin neck falls back with a metallic sound. So easy. It would be so easy. Why did I, I…

Natalie collapses. Bled and Dana are already fallen on the floor. The sparks dripping from his fingertips become blood when they touch the ground and pool up. The blood gradually darkens and dyes his entire vision in darkness.

1. So I. I just….

“……Rashid!”

Light suddenly entered, burning away that thick darkness.

When he opened his eyes, Alisa’s face shone through the red lamplight. Her expression was full of worry.

Rashid pulled her close and embraced her tightly while catching his breath. His heaving chest rose and fell as rough breaths continued.

“Rashid.”

“Just a moment, Alisa. Just a moment……”

Rashid’s voice was desperate. Alisa stayed still for a while, lying on top of his body. Thinking she might become part of Rashid at this rate with his arms holding her so tightly.

How much time had passed? Rashid’s breathing gradually stabilized. But Alisa remained as she was with her ear against his chest. Rashid didn’t push her away either.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

There was no answer. Only then did Alisa slightly raise her upper body to examine his face. Her gestures were gentle as she lightly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and kissed his lips.

“I was having some tea after waking up, and you didn’t look well.”

“I see.”

It had been a very long time since he’d dreamed of the old days. Before, he used to wake up drenched in cold sweat once a month, but that hadn’t happened since he started sharing a bed with Alisa.

“……Do you hate it that much?”

Alisa asked carefully. She seemed to think he was stressed because of her pregnancy. Though the nuance was somewhat different, it wasn’t wrong in the broader view.

Rashid slowly opened his mouth while gauging the dream fragments randomly rummaging through his mind. His anxious heart was still whispering to him.

Can you properly love that child when you grew up experiencing only hatred and pain?

That remaining question in his heart seemed to have finally awakened memories he thought forgotten.

“Alisa, I’m… afraid.”

Dry lips slowly confessed the agony. Alisa quietly listened to his words.

“That I… might hurt the child.”

That someday I might cause that child pain, just as I experienced growing up.

What exactly does it mean to ‘properly love’ a child as a parent? I’ve never experienced such love. It’s an unknown world to me, so I don’t know if I can step into it.

What if I make your child sad because I’m caught up in ideals? What should I do if that makes you look at me with eyes stained with fear and disgust? Alisa, I…

“I don’t really know how to love a child.”

I’m afraid you might leave me because of my ugly side.

The end of all those thoughts reached her. Because I’m worried about losing you. So.

That alone was what made Rashid anxious.

Hearing his words, Alisa suddenly sat up and sat by Rashid’s head. Then she stole his pillow and made him rest his head on her thigh instead.

Alisa smiled as if satisfied that he used her body as a pillow. Her touch was careful and gentle as she stroked his cheek while brushing back his wet hair.

“You know, Rashid. Actually, I’m scared too.”

Yet she was smiling.

“I’m the one giving birth after all. So of course I’m scared. I still lack so many things, I worry a lot about whether I can raise a child well.”

Then Alisa added that in the world she originally lived in, she wouldn’t have had a child at this age.

“But because you’re here. Rashid, it was possible because I trusted in you completely.”

Alisa looked down at Rashid and slowly caressed from his forehead to his reddened eyes, prominent nose bridge, and swollen lips. Remembering the past moment when she made a huge decision to meet this man again, to love him without reserve.

“You don’t hate the child, right?”

“No.”

At Rashid’s answer, Alisa smiled saying that’s good.

“Then that’s enough. We can work out the rest together.”

“Together……”

“Yes, together. Actually, I don’t really know what makes a good mother either. So I understand why you’re scared.”

Alisa nodded slightly.

“But who is born a parent from the start? Everyone figures it out together. I think it will be fine if it’s with you. That’s how it’s been until now.”

Alisa’s face as she said this looked both shy like a young girl and noble like a holy goddess. Various lights that couldn’t be pinned down to one brushed across her face. She was beautiful.

Like a lamb worshipping God, Rashid pulled her small hand to kiss her palm.

Ah, you are the woman who loves even my flaws.

Perhaps my god, who loves me more than I love myself.

She embraced even his shabby and weak side. She had always done so until now. Before Alisa, both his compulsion to always show strength to others and his belief that only then would they revere him and his family were all useless.

She simply loved him. Alisa generously embraced everything—the Rashid who feared the ghosts of old times and cried and lost his composure swept up in passion, even the tender side within his sharp exterior.

How could he not love someone like her?

Rashid slowly rose and embraced Alisa. He slowly closed his eyes at the infinite sense of stability from the fact that her body existed where his hands touched.

“Our child will be happy living with a handsome and affectionate dad, and a kind mom who loves them lots. I’m sure of it. We grew up not knowing what a happy family is, but we can create that together from now on. Right?”

“Yes.”

Rashid agreed. Because it felt possible if it was with her.

Pleased with his answer, Alisa patted his back. Then she tilted her head sideways and pressed their foreheads together. All his senses touching her filled the empty spaces in his heart that the nightmare had torn through, making him feel even more complete.

“Alisa, everything will work out with you here.”

Rashid was actually still afraid. He had never experienced what makes a good father, and everything was just superficial knowledge. The fact that a child originating from him would be born also felt unfamiliar, and the expression of being connected by blood sometimes felt eerie.