Chapter 49

Their breaths mingled gently, then slowly parted. The two of them gazed at each other, endlessly shedding tears. Then Lisbeth wrapped her arms around Dion’s neck. She collapsed from the chair as if crumbling, holding him tightly. Dion, too, held her firmly. It had been years since they felt each other’s warmth, but it was so familiar and so dear.

“Dion… Dion…!”

“Ha… I missed you, Miss.”

“I’m sorry, for leaving you behind, I really…”

“It was my fault. Miss. It’s all my fault.”

They cried together for a long time. They caressed each other’s faces, stroked each other’s hair, and hugged again and again. Their touches were almost desperate, as if they feared the one in their arms might disappear at any moment.

After crying for a while, they sat on the parlor floor, holding each other’s hands tightly, eyes swollen but smiling brightly. Again, they hugged each other tightly.

As if afraid the other would vanish like a mirage, tightly, tightly.

And then, their lips, their breaths, their tongues mingled in an instant. Like people who wandered long in search of water and finally found a spring, they thirsted for each other. Their bodies quickly grew hot. Like young lovers discovering each other’s bodies for the first time, they fumbled, not knowing what to do.

“Dion, mm… huh…”

“I thought I’d lost you. Forever.”

“Ah, sob… I, I did too.”

Their tongues tangled fiercely. They pulled each other close, tangled again. Tilting their heads, seeking each other’s breath more deeply, they realized how much they wanted each other right now. After so much time apart, urgency and longing overtook them.

But in the midst of it, Lisbeth was the one who regained her senses. She stopped Dion’s hand as he tried to undo the tie at her back. Dion looked at her, face flushed, as if to ask why. Lisbeth tried to calm her breathing as she spoke.

“Wait, not yet… At least, greet the child first.”

“Ah…”

Dion quickly calmed down. Come to think of it, he had never once asked who Diana was, whose child she was. Only then did Lisbeth, feeling puzzled, try to speak, but Dion spoke first, his face clouded.

“Now that I think about it, this isn’t what I should be doing.”

“What? Ah, Dion. What are you doing?”

When he knelt in front of Lisbeth, she was startled and tried to help him up. But Dion shook his head and said,

“How could I ever atone for the sin of making you bear a child alone… I have no excuse. If only I had acted a little sooner… If I had…”

“No, how could you have found me, when I came to a foreign country.”

“I heard from the Black Bird Guild. That you left, carrying my child, and went somewhere.”

“You went there…?”

“I had to find you.”

Dion bit his lip, his face full of anguish.

“So I tried to find you as quickly as possible. But… no, really, I have no excuse, even if I had ten mouths to explain. It’s all my fault.”

“Dion.”

Lisbeth crouched in front of him and met his eyes.

“That was my choice. All I wanted was to protect our child. And I did. That’s why we’re able to meet again like this.”

“You must have been so scared, so lonely, so hurt…”

“I’m fine. I’ve been happy ever since I was with Diana. Truly.”

When she took his arm and stood up, Dion reluctantly rose as well. She smiled softly and said,

“Let’s greet her first. Ah, it’s almost dinnertime… Let’s introduce you over dinner.”

“Yes, let’s do that. But… do you think the child will like me?”

“What are you saying? Diana took a liking to you the moment she saw you. She asked me who you were because she was curious. She’ll definitely like you.”

“I hope so…”

The two of them smiled at each other. Then they exchanged a gentle peck on the lips.

“I’ll give you a room, so wash up… and rest a bit until dinner.”

“Are you going to explain everything to the child?”

“Hm? Ah, yes, I should.”

“All right.”

Dion smiled sweetly. Lisbeth found his face so lovely that she couldn’t help but kiss him once more.

* * *

“What’s your name, Mister?”

“My name is Dion.”

“I’m Diana. Mister, are you really my dad?”

Sitting on his knee, Diana asked, and Dion smiled gently, nodding. Diana let out a little “Wow!” of amazement. Then she turned to Lisbeth and raised her voice.

“He says he’s my dad, Mommy!”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then why wasn’t he here before?”

“At that time, Dion—no, Daddy—was living far away for a while.”

“He should have come sooner. I was curious because I didn’t have a dad.”

Diana didn’t seem the least bit awkward with Dion. She clung to him, chattering away. She even insisted on eating on his lap, only sitting in her own seat after Lisbeth scolded her.

Is it that blood draws people together? It was almost strange to think that Diana had never once complained about not having a father. She liked him so much, behaving as if they had always been together from the start.

In fact, Diana was not particularly sociable with strangers, so Lisbeth had been worried. She’d feared the girl might cry or throw a fit. But…

Dion, too, was not at all flustered by the sudden existence of a daughter. He acted as if he had already prepared his heart, no, as if he had already known he had a child. Lisbeth was relieved, but also a little curious.

Diana wouldn’t leave Dion’s side, even when it was almost time for bed. In the end, Lisbeth had to coax her, “It’s time for bed now,” and only then did Diana go to her room, holding Becky’s hand.

Left alone at last, Lisbeth felt a little embarrassed as she took Dion’s hand and stood up. He followed her obediently. She led Dion up to the second floor. Her legs felt shaky as she climbed the stairs.

Why am I like this? 

Lisbeth wanted to scold herself. 

Why can’t I pull myself together? Be dignified, be mature! 

But contrary to her inner voice, her hand gripping her skirt was damp with sweat.

There were no lights on in Lisbeth’s room, located on the left side of the mansion. She opened the door and led Dion inside, feeling like she might die of embarrassment. The moment she let go of Dion’s hand and closed the door—

Dion gently embraced her from behind. But the arm around her waist was so firm, it felt like he would never let go. He pressed his lips to her ear and cheek.