On a dark night, Recardo stood in front of a black pond.

The cool night breeze ruffled his silver hair.

His face, which had been quite stiff during the wedding, now seemed a bit more relaxed.

Recardo’s lips moved slightly.

“The child has grown up.”

It was a reminiscence dedicated to Trisha Quenne.

From the moment Mechius entrusted him with the child, Recardo never thought he would be a good father.

This was Winchester, where iron-blooded monsters lived, and perhaps it was Mechius’s mistake to have a child raised in such a place.

However, as the child grew, such thoughts gradually faded.

“…Very admirably.”

Sprouts began to emerge in the mansion. Sweetness, laughter, and happiness started to bloom here and there.

That Jin, the deceased Othello, and even Recardo Winchester himself changed as if under a spell.

The clear green eyes that evoked protective instincts, and the bright sincerity felt in her words and actions, made one reach out to the child.

What seemed like it wouldn’t fit in transformed the barren surroundings and blended in brilliantly with them.

“I should have realized from the moment I first saw you that everything would change.”

Trisha Quenne was the same.

A woman who didn’t seem to belong in Winchester.

And Sasha, the child she left behind… is Winchester’s blessing.

The child breathed a soft and warm glow into this place where only darkness used to fall.

She made him know the joy of being a father.

Compassion, love, even jealousy… she made him understand emotions he had never known.

“……”

Looking at the surface of the quiet pond, Recardo uttered words that his self from decades ago would never have said.

“Thank you for gifting me a daughter.”

And after standing there for a while, he slowly moved his feet.

A faint smile played on Recardo’s lips.

In the night sky, the stars that the child once chattered about were shining brilliantly.

***

“To think I’d forget the most important thing.”

The next day, I sighed, slightly regretting my decision to make the Square our newlywed home.

I can still hear his voice in my ears.

“The Square is not affected by the flow of time.”

Evan, looking at me with deep blue eyes, said while stroking my tired forehead.

So our first night in the Square was… quite long.

He pushed me with his overflowing stamina.

“Well… it was good, but……”

My cheeks burned as I recalled last night’s events.

Evan overlapped his firm body with mine several times, giving me sensations I had never felt before.

We kissed until we were breathless and whispered words of love.

“If your body wasn’t so weak, I wouldn’t have let you go this quickly.”

If I hadn’t declared that I couldn’t take it anymore because it was too hard, he would have embraced me many more times.

My face heated up as I recalled last night’s events.

How could he be so virile? It’s truly insane.

“…And what’s with that regretful look?”

When I said I should go back after spending a night that far exceeded just one night, he gave me a piercing look as if I was taking away an important treasure.

Even though we’re married now and will meet in the Square every day anyway.

‘I should ask Grandfather Hector if there’s a time adjustment function for the Square…’

I thought as I stretched with reddened cheeks.

If such nights continue, my stamina will be completely depleted.

I need to be careful since my Health isn’t particularly good to begin with.

As I open the window, bright morning sunlight enters my room.

The flower scent flowing from the Erasinis garden awakens my senses.

“Brother!”

And suddenly, I waved my hand upon seeing Jin’s back as he walked on horseback.

Jin stopped his horse as he turned back at my call.

“Where are you going?”

“Hunting.”

Behind him, who wore a faint smile, I could see a large bow and arrows.

“I’ll catch something good for you, Sasha.”

Black flame swirled behind his back.

The probability is high that the ‘something good’ will be a beast’s carcass, but I nodded with an awkward smile.

Well, I can’t say I dislike it when he’s about to go hunting.

Soon, the horse Jin was riding started moving again.

***

In the peaceful campus of Seoul, South Korea,

A warm spring day was arriving.

Cherry blossoms fluttered and fell from the trees with each gust of wind, and students taking pictures in this scenery all had joyful faces.

And amidst all this, there was a man walking silently.

“…Is he a model?”

“Isn’t he a celebrity?”

Even those taking photos would glance at him once, as he had such superior looks.

His black hair swayed gently in the spring breeze, and the pupils within his slightly cool and chic-looking eyes seemed particularly deep.

Below the man’s left eye was a small mole that looked like a beauty mark.

His nose bridge and jawline were as if sculpted, and his height was at least 185 centimeters, with proportions that would catch the eye even from a hundred meters away.

“Wow, he must be in the top 0.01% of dating apps, right?”

“Why would such a handsome guy even join a dating app? Women would approach him even if he just stood still.”

Two male students playing catch on the field also whispered with admiring gazes.

In the scene of falling cherry blossoms, the man whose mere walk resembled a photo shoot suddenly stopped in front of the campus pond.

Although the pond had a blackish tint, it had its own well-established ecosystem.

A pair of ducks was taking a stroll, and frogs could be seen clinging to the water hyacinths.

“……”

The man’s eyes flickered as he looked at the pond, as if seeing something nostalgic.

His hand, which was about to reach out towards the pond, flinched.

After gazing at the pond for a few more seconds, he started walking again.

A faint smile played on his lips.

‘So this is what the world you came from looked like.’

A blue status window had appeared before his eyes.

It was the content that had appeared after he woke up in this body a few days ago.

[A new account is being created: The Chosen One from the Spiral Clock]

[Accumulate great achievements to unlock new abilities.]

As he reached the school gate, a chauffeur who had gotten out of a black foreign sedan opened the door.

“I’ve been waiting, young master.”

The man silently got into the back seat of the sedan.

As the chauffeur closed the door, he lightly twisted open the cap of a small water bottle and took a drink.

The water flowed down his slightly dry throat as his Adam’s apple moved.

He felt as if he could smell her scent from the cherry blossoms.

Soon, the vehicle quietly departed.

He opened the window slightly.

Although the air was more stuffy and humid than the breeze in Winchester, it wasn’t too bad.

Othello leaned his head back on the headrest and closed his eyes.

His long eyelashes cast flickering shadows.

‘I have a feeling that I’ll meet you someday as time passes.’

The gentle breeze tickled his flawless skin. It was as warm as the gaze of the one on whose lap he had once laid his head.

‘Sasha.’

The Sickly Youngest Member of the Villainous Family END

This is the third novel I’ve finished translating, and it’s the first one where I’m unsure how to feel about the ending—especially the final chapters. Phersetos was mentioned throughout the story, but the final battle with him felt surprisingly anticlimactic. Sasha’s seven years in the Underworld felt as if they were also wrapped up in just a few sentences, which made that part feel rushed.

The romance suffered as well. It was clear early on that Evan had deeper feelings for Sasha, but this wasn’t fully explored until the last chapters. After Othello’s death, I found myself less invested in how Evan and Sasha’s relationship developed. I had hoped that Othello might make a surprise appearance in the final chapter or at the wedding, but sadly, that didn’t happen. (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel, but the second half, in particular, felt a bit lacking. Maybe I would have found the ending more satisfying if I weren’t such an Othello fanboy, but I guess I’ll just have to accept that my favorite character ended up in the wrong place, still holding onto his memories. Sorry for the rant—the ending really tugged at my heartstrings! (┳◡┳)

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this novel. And lastly, I hope to see you in one of my other translations. Have a great day! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°