Chapter 184
Once again, countless memories flashed before my eyes.
Naiad went to the Kyrgram Family mansion, where she met a young man drowned in alcohol.
She spent several years with that man, slowly opening the heart he had long kept shut.
And a few years later, after he had completely opened his heart… she shared love with him.
“Yoas, if we ever have a child… what should we name them?”
“If it’s a girl, I’d like to name her Idelli… How does that sound?”
“That’s a pretty name. How did you come up with it?”
“It was… my mother’s name.”
“Ah… I see. Anyway… it’s lovely. I like it. Then what about a boy? What would you name him if it’s a boy?”
At Naiad’s question, the man called Yoas paused to think.
After a few minutes of contemplation, he opened his mouth again.
“How about Gideon…?”
“Gideon? That’s nice too. Who’s it after?”
“It’s my younger brother’s name. Is it all right to use it?”
“Of course.”
Naiad embraced Yoas from behind.
“Then let’s go with that.”
“Yeah, thank you. Always, thank you, Naiad.”
“Don’t be silly. I should be the one thanking you—for opening your heart to me.”
Time continued to flow after that.
And about ten years after Naiad left the Protected Zone for Other Races—
She gave birth to a son.
“Yoas, it’s our child. Our son.”
“Yeah… he’s so beautiful. Our baby.”
Yoas carefully bent down, gazing at the baby in Naiad’s arms.
His face seemed fuller of happiness than ever before.
“My son, my child… please, may only blessings, not curses, be upon you. May your story end differently from mine and the rest of our family. This father will pray for that—truly.”
“Don’t worry, Yoas. A happy ending surely awaits our child.”
Naiad gently caressed Yoas’s head as tears streamed down his face.
Then, she handed the baby into his arms.
“Should we name him as we decided before… Gideon?”
“Yes, if you’re all right with it.”
“Hehe. Good. Then, baby—from now on, your name is Gideon. Gideon Kyrgram. Just like your father said, your mother will also pray that only good things await you.”
Naiad and Yoas.
The two held their small baby together and smiled in happiness.
But their happiness did not last long.
A memory from about a year after the child’s birth.
In that memory… Yoas was dead.
As I slowly followed the sequence of events, I saw that Yoas had died after falling while repairing the roof of the old mansion.
“…So the curse still lingers within this family’s bloodline. I thought it was over, but that Curse of Short Life… it’s still active.”
Far from the Kyrgram Family mansion—
There, a small grave had been made.
Naiad stood before it, holding her small child in her arms, wearing a hollow smile.
“I can’t say I didn’t expect this might happen… but now that it has, it hurts more than I thought. Yoas… I must’ve truly, deeply loved you.”
After placing a single white flower on Yoas’s grave,
Naiad looked down at the child in her arms.
The baby gazed up at his mother with pure eyes.
At that sight, Naiad smiled.
“It’s all right, my baby. I’ll do everything I can to make sure you find a happy ending.”
After saying this, Naiad glanced around.
There was nothing nearby, yet her eyes carried a faint unease.
“…I also need to think of a way to make sure that evil dragon doesn’t sense your existence.”
“Uu?”
“He must have felt it when I left the Protected Zone. Through the curse he laid on us, Suiroti must be watching our actions to some extent. Luckily, she doesn’t seem particularly interested in me… but who knows. We can’t let that evil dragon discover you—at least not until you’ve grown up.”
With those words, Naiad softly kissed her baby’s forehead.
“I don’t know how long I can endure… but I’ll do my best too, Gideon.”
Once again, the memories showed time flowing swiftly.
Scenes of Naiad raising her child—
A series of brief moments, one after another.
She was always with her son, caring for him with love.
And when he grew older, she even taught him swordsmanship—the very same swordsmanship Kaina Mainac had once used.
She gave her all for her child.
Yet at the same time, it became clear that Naiad was growing weaker as the years passed.
“Ugh, nghh… I guess my time… is truly running out now.”
Late at night, Naiad sat at her desk, coughing up blood.
Anyone could see she had become terribly frail.
“I probably won’t make it through this year. Still, I’ve done everything I could for my child… No, have I really done everything? Let me check one more time.”
Naiad pulled out a small notebook from her desk drawer.
“I’ve passed down his father’s swordsmanship, given him the Elves’ full Blessing… Yes, that’s right. I also placed the highest protection on his mind and soul so that evil dragon can’t toy with him. His weak mana and sealed aura… Well, mana can’t be helped because of the curse, but aura—he’ll be able to fix that someday when he meets a good teacher.”
She murmured quietly as she flipped through the pages.
“Ah, and just in case, I should erase all traces that someone lived in this house. If anyone tracks us here, it could become troublesome.”
Naiad prepared thoroughly, considering every possible situation.
But as she did, a faint illusion appeared before her eyes.
Upon seeing it, Naiad smiled softly.
“It’s been a while, Veron. Has it really been about two years since you last contacted me?”
“Yeah, around that long. I’d like to contact you more often, but… you know how it is. Even with mystical power, sending messages beyond the Protected Zone is difficult. Besides, you don’t seem to want me contacting you too often either.”
“Right. If I exchange messages with the outside too frequently, Suiroti might catch on. At the very least, she must never realize that I have a son.”
“I know. But I reached out this time because… I can feel from afar that your condition is worsening.”
Veron’s voice came through the illusion.
He sounded truly worried for Naiad.
“I can sense your life force fading. You’ve been outside the Protected Zone for too long. The curse is slowly devouring you.”
“My child is eleven now… It’s been twenty-one years since I left the Protected Zone.”
“If you return there even now…”
“Even if I go back now, I wouldn’t last long. Like you said, the curse has already eaten away too much of my body and soul.”
Naiad looked down at her trembling hands and gave a hollow laugh.
She had already accepted that her end was near.
“If only you had raised the child inside the Protected Zone…”
“That’s impossible. The curse of Suiroti still lingers thickly there. If I had raised my child there, who knows what harm it could’ve caused him.”
“Then what if you at least visited for a few days every month…”
“That wouldn’t have been wise either. If I’d kept coming and going, Suiroti might’ve gotten suspicious. You know how that curse woven into the Zone works—it makes moving around recklessly dangerous.”
With a sigh, Naiad reached out toward Veron’s illusion.
She gently stroked his head.
“I probably have only a few months left. And I’ll be spending those months inside the Protected Zone, so don’t worry. I plan to return within this week.”
“…Are you letting your child go, then?”
“Yes. It’s time to follow the prophecy. According to Sakiel’s prophecy… ‘The descendant of the Wanderer who has lost his memories will, like his ancestor, wander the continent. The one who has no memories of childhood will return after his journey and set everything right.’ That’s what it said. So tomorrow… I will erase my son’s memories. Just as foretold.”
“…Then he’ll forget you as well.”
“Yes. All memories of our time together will vanish. So, Veron—when he eventually returns, please tell him about me. Promise me.”
Veron did not respond.
Naiad smiled faintly.
“After I send my son away tomorrow, I’ll go back to the Protected Zone. So… can you tidy up my house for me beforehand?”
“…I’ve already been keeping your house clean every day. Without missing a single one.”
“Really? For twenty-one years? That must’ve been such a hassle.”
“It was the only thing I could do for you.”
Veron’s voice trembled, followed by a quiet sigh.
“Naiad… I hate to say this, but what if your child dies while wandering the continent? What if he isn’t the one from the prophecy? Then… everything you’ve done would be for nothing…”
“Veron, listen. These past twenty-one years, the time I spent with Yoas and our son—every single moment was filled with happiness. None of it was meaningless. And besides… I’m certain. My son will return for the sake of us all. So be ready. And when he comes back, greet him with joy, not sadness.”
“…I promise. I’ll give your son a grand welcome—just like we did during the last celebration.”
“Thank you, Veron. You really are my best friend.”
And so, the half-elf and the fairy quietly spent the night talking.
The next morning.
“Mom? Weren’t we going on a trip today?”
“That’s right. Are you all packed?”
“Yeah, I’m done… but why are you…”
“Hehe, I’ve done all my preparations too. All right, shall we go?”
A boy with snow-white hair.
Naiad took the boy’s hand and led him out of the old Kyrgram Family mansion.
“My son. Starting today… ‘you’ will be setting out on a very long journey.”
“…What about you, Mom?”
“I too will soon embark on my own long journey—just a different one from yours.”
“Mom, what do you—ah…”
As Naiad placed her hand on the boy’s forehead, his expression turned vacant.
And with tears beginning to stream down her face, Naiad continued speaking.
“For the next day, you’ll keep walking until you’re far away from here. And once that suggestion lifts… all of your memories until now will be gone. You’ll remember your name and where you’re from, but… you won’t come back home. You’ll keep traveling—across the continent, endlessly. And someday… you’ll return.”
Though her voice trembled violently, she somehow managed to go on.
“The curse flows in your blood, but I’ve already taken precautions. You’ll always have the blessings of our kind, of the Elves, and of me. You will never live a short life. You will find a happy ending. And lastly… Gideon.”
Naiad called the boy’s—my—name.
Though she was speaking to the child before her, somehow, it felt like she was speaking to me as well.
“I’ve just placed my memory within you. You won’t see it yet, but one day, you’ll witness it all. And when you do… I hope you remember me. Remember what your mother looked like, my son.”
With those final words, the white-haired boy turned and began to walk away with a blank expression.
He slowly grew distant from the Kyrgram mansion… and the memory I was seeing came to an end.