Boundary Labyrinth and the Foreign Magician

"Carter and the others better stay in the back."

I don't care if you apologize in front of the kids. As parents, you wouldn't bother to show them that kind of scene, and it would be hard for the Carters to see it.

"No, is it? I didn't think we'd see it either..."

Carter says so, but I shake my head to the side.

"I would if I needed an explanation of how it happened. It's more than saying that what a parent did has nothing to do with the child... I think it's just between the parties to hear it in person and to see it through. So... if there's anything Carter and the others really want to say or hear about what you've been thinking about since that day, maybe we should just talk about it as parents and kids."

Though the desire to see it through doesn't even make sense. I don't want to go out of my way to leave new wounds.

Carter and the others leaned down for a while on my words, but eventually they looked at each other and nodded.

"Okay. We're in the back."

That's how Carter and the others go into the back room.

Look up at the sky through the window. The snow seemed to increase in intensity and descend deeper.

That's how I looked up at the snowy sky and remembered this and the old days... but a soldier flew a fast horse and came to my mother's house. Unstoppable thoughts are also interrupted.

Father was out the door, listening to the soldier's report, but eventually turned around and opened his mouth.

"They're coming up the street nearby. I'll go halfway and explain the situation first."

"Okay."

"I..."

Daryl leaves one step ahead, but his father smiled.

"You wait. This is my job."

"Yes."

Darryl nods when his father tells him.

My father, who received a report from the commanding officer's soldier, leaves the house.

"I wonder if it's my job now to learn"

I dropped off my father's back, Daryl said. Maybe I have the feeling that I've made things easier.

"Dad might say, well. I was happy for you."

"Hmm...... Thanks."

Daryl scratched her cheek in the light.

After a while... a group came off the road from the street leading to the next town. The carriage that came with the father and the soldiers and the inhabitants across the horse arrived in front of the house.

Dad was at the window. He looked up at me and nodded quietly. You mean we talk here?

Though the inhabitants across the horse wear a coat for cold protection... it was certainly a familiar touch to the face. It was the inhabitants of the neighbouring town - the ancient figures - who showed up with the carriage door open. His name is Hadley.

Should I say that I am originally a celebrity of the neighbouring town? He is a facial figure in various places and has heard that his mother has healed his injuries.

Most of all... although I heard you retired after one of the Dead Sleeping Kings.

Is the body decaying according to the year? He was getting off the carriage, supported by other inhabitants.

... Do you think that seeing them again like this means that no one and he are old and they look like they are done? That's what Carter and the others predicted, though.

If you close your eyes, some memories come back behind the lid of your eyes, like it's a memory of the inhabitants saying thank you to their mother's house and bringing crops, or the inhabitants stroking their heads...

Yes. Even in peacetime like that, it did happen. The raid of the Dead Sleeping King, though it has changed.

People desperately fleeing the winter streets. Coming through the snow, that demon figure. Mother's hindsight going to battle. Light and explosion.

The end of the battle ended with the sight of my mother falling to the ground in conflict with the demon.

Mother about to suffer on the bedside. The inhabitants who rushed to the house...... would have seen it and heard about the survival from the raid of the Dead Sleeping King. I was afraid that the plague and the curse would fall on me.

There's nothing we can do about it, shaking my hands off and leaving in the snowy darkness on the backs of the inhabitants... we just had to drop off.

"-Theo."

He took a deep breath, opened his eyes and was stopped by Grace as he tried to make his way to the door. Looking back, everyone was looking at me.

"Mm-hmm. It's okay. Let's go."

"Yes."

Grace nodded quietly as she smiled small and answered.

Exit the door and take the stairs that lead to the front door. The inhabitants realize I'm out, and their gaze gathers here.

"Oh... oh..."

"... Te, Theodore, Dear"

Hadley notices me and circles his eyes, one or two steps forward with a good foothold. And so are the other inhabitants. Look at this one to stiffen your body.

That's how Hadley kneels over the snow like he's halfway down. To imitate it, the inhabitants also knelt on the snow.

Going all the way before them, Hadley says in a trembling voice.

"Sorry, I didn't...... By now...... I don't have any opening words. I came here ready to accept any punishment."

That said, they just uttered words of apology.

... Punishment, huh? I said I didn't intend to punish my father or Carter.

My father told me he didn't give the residents any information he said that.

They also told their father that the residents were prepared to punish them, in which case they would ask for Carter and the others. I guess my dad revealed that information to me because he told my dad that I wasn't going to punish them.

I apologize because I'm afraid of revenge. Apologizing because I have the power only comes from being conservative. It doesn't make sense if you don't show your readiness to weigh your feelings.

Dad didn't give them any extra information to see it.

"I want to ask you something. Why are you here now?

When I asked, there was silence. Eventually one opens his mouth. It's Ronnie. If you look again, Carter has a shadow, too.

"We just tried to protect ourselves then... But from that day on, there was nothing left to be proud of. And that's what I'm now aware of."

Oh...... Is it an argument with the children that they noticed?

I guess we're the words that include families who weren't there. You don't say family because you know that's an excuse.

There is no doubt that they were drawing attention to that day. That's what Carter and the others told me about my normal life and how they do it now.

Daily life continues even when the Demon Man is gone. I immerse myself in just living, telling myself that that deed was to protect my family, so that I don't just look at it, even if I can try to forget it...... If the child who tried to protect me asks me if it was right, I will have to face what has drawn me from that day on.

"… I want to make it clear to you. I mean, I didn't listen to you to punish you. Mother's revenge is on that demon, not you. That's not why I wanted you to kneel or apologize to me."

But let me tell you what I want to say.

"I know you wanted to protect your family. I also understand. It's just... I didn't want my mother to return such a lonely answer. That's all I've ever wanted to say."

All this time, it's what I've been thinking about them.

Not forgive or not forgive. I just wanted you to listen and think.

... This could be a childish grudge. But it's the undisputed feeling I had.

Look back and see Grace. Grace lay her eyes down quietly, looking up and saying.

"What I'm trying to say... Theo says. I regretted myself for not being able to do anything then. I'm here to never regret it again. So I believe your words about protecting your loved ones."

If you live to stand up and not regret it. If that's to protect your family, believe it or not, it's just like you. I guess that's what Grace meant by that.

"We... irrevocably..."

From all over, the whimper leaked. Take a big breath, then continue with the words.

"Please get up already. How do you feel… I want you to tell me directly in front of my mother's grave. If there's something you want, it's all there is to it, and I'm sure it's not meaningless."

so that the spirits can reach the thoughts of men. As the Mercy Mother of Grantios has always protected.

I'm sure words and thoughts will reach my mother... now I think so.

That I couldn't do anything. I don't think my mother will forgive me or blame me for running away from fear.

Looking up at the snowy sky.

The childish grudges that were in me - I did tell them what I wanted to say as Theodore. I did hear how they felt, too.

I also found out that they were being harsh on guilt. Suppose there was a reward for what you did then. So, that's enough.

I think it's enough that they... have regretted it since that day.