Thirteen years later.

I was rushing down the hallway of the magic lab.

Because... Richt and Ceres have disappeared neglectfully from the lab.

After Richt and Ceres fell asleep for a long time by Coldsleep, I was allowed to go in and out of the lab to come and see how they were doing at Dr. Melvin's expense.

Since then, I have been going to the magic institute in Wangdu regularly to see their faces over the capsule… lately, I have been less likely to go to the institute because of my busy work.

Still, it doesn't make a difference that the two of them are important to me, so I always went to the lab once a month.

Thirteen years later they never showed any signs of waking up, so today I even visited here with a slightly negative feeling that "maybe the two will die like this..." No way anyone dreams that there is a big thing going on, such as the two of them disappearing.

Looks like the researchers took turns making sure to check in the morning, noon and evening and three times a day.

It wasn't until noon that I visited the lab, so I'm sure the two woke up shortly after the researchers came for their first confirmation and immediately left the lab.

"Richt, Ceres... where the hell have you guys been...?

Zero to himself, he stops and glances at the envelope in his hand.

This is a letter to me that was placed on a desk in the lab where they were sleeping.

There were several other letters I had addressed to Melvin, my two parents, etc... but for now, I only brought a letter to myself.

Since the envelope has Celes' name on it, I know it's probably a letter she wrote herself... why would she do something like this...?

While I think so, I carefully open the envelope and read the letter inside.

Dear Nate Quodor,

As you read this letter, I'm sure you'll be searching desperately for us.

I'm sorry I'm gone all of a sudden.

But this was the best choice for us.

We hurt you. I let my parents and uncle down.

I got a lot of people involved and annoyed. I made all sorts of people unhappy.

And... I've committed a lot of sins. After all, it's not about being forgiven.

Still, you said you'd forgive us like this and welcome us back in.

I've had a lot of worries, but I'll stop sweetening to your generosity.

After all, the blanks of thirteen years are not so easily filled, because I don't think we can go back to our original lives, in front of the inconvenience.

So we decided to embark on a journey together. I'm going to abandon my status as a nobleman and have a drink about something I've never been able to do before.

I'm going to try to find a place where our sisters and brothers can be themselves as they are, in contact with different people and seeing different things.

Nate accepted us from the bottom of her heart as sisters and brothers.

"It's disgusting," he said. He couldn't help but despise us.

And yet...... really, I'm sorry I took the liberty of it. I'm so sorry.

But one day... when the time comes for us to forgive ourselves, we're going to see you both.

So please wait.

Ceres Roseblade

P.S.

Oh, yeah, yeah. I found a delicious crepe shop. I used to go to a store with Richter.

In the past life, the three of us used to eat sweets on our way home from school, didn't we? (Almost in line with expectations, but...)

I highly recommend it, so if that store is still there, let's go for three this time.

"... at all, you guys... I don't even think it's annoying..."

─ ─ But, well... sounds like those two.

I thought so. I lift the edge of Ni's lips while folding a note.

"... well. In the meantime... report to the Doctor."

When I took care of the letter and put it in my jacket pocket, I headed to the lab where Melvin was.

A few days later.

Walking on a crowded platform to catch the train, he was pulled off his clothes sleeve all the way from the side.

"Already, if you daddy... get confused again. Were you listening to me?

"Oh...... sorry, sorry. So, what are you talking about?

"Look! I knew I wasn't listening!

The girl who called me "Dad" - Nadi Quodor - swelled her cheeks in a grumpy manner.

With clear blue-green eyes and platinum hair flowing all the way to her waist, this beautiful girl doesn't look like me with a mediocre appearance.

But she's my daughter for once. Although there's no blood connection to her, she's been an important child I've raised by hand salt for the last thirteen years, and she calls me a dad and admires me because I've treated her like a real parent and child.

Nadi is a child born to Ceres thirteen years ago. This means that the fruit parents of this child will be Richt and Ceres.

Now, when I say why she was supposed to be born stillborn, and she's living like this now -- the story goes back thirteen years.

At the time, Nadi was indeed born stillborn. But the pitiful Melvin used cutting-edge technology at the time, betting on the slightest possibility, and succeeded in breathing back Nadi's breath.

Melvin said the reason for the successful resuscitation had much to do with the fact that it hadn't been so long since he died (his heart stopped a few hours before giving birth, apparently) and that Nadi's own vitality was strong.

She didn't let the two of them know that Nadi breathed back because her condition was unstable and she didn't know when her heart would stop again.

Let them expect badly and they'll be discouraged again if things end up like their kids dying, and if they do, the two worst are going to come to Coldsleep unconditionally.

So they said the researchers, including Melvin, gave every consideration they could.

Though a dear friend's child, at the time I thought Nadi was irrelevant to me.

Because Nadi was to be kept in an orphanage run by Melvin's old familiarity, and she was reassured that there she would have a legitimate life as well.

But... after the two of them fell asleep for a long time, I saw a baby in the nursery trying so hard to live and somehow a strange emotion sprang up.

It may have been like fatherhood now, but anyway, I couldn't leave Nadi alone at the time, and when I realized it, I offered to "let me take this girl".

"I have a class visit at school next week. Now it's definitely time to come!

"Oh next week or... I wonder if I can take a break from work next week..."

"Look, work again..."

"You have no choice, do you? Besides, I knew Dad was Lean, so I was in a position..."

"What are you talking about? If you served the master properly, even Lian would be able to attend class visits for kids, right? I've been doing that for years... Dad always tries to get to work and run away when there's a school event...?

"Ugh..."

They poke me in the pain and I get stuck in words.

As Nadi put it, the wind to Lian has weakened somewhat in the last decade or so.

Of course, going to quarantine facilities would not be spared if inspections found no magic, as before, and abuse of Lian is as pervasive as ever.

But...... I'm getting a lot more understanding when it comes to marrying LeAnn and Leann having children.

Still, I figured I was in a weak position, so I tried to stay away from Nadi attending school events.

But...

"Ok, ok. I'll join you this time. I can't help it......"

It's time to be brave and take a step.

I may not change anything by myself. [M] But... if I can get any closer to an "equal world," I think I'll take action.

Besides, I'm sure my courage would be insignificant compared to his (...) and (...) courage, so it would just be embarrassing if I were Uzi.

"Really!? Thanks, Dad! Love it!"

"Ha ha... at all, Nadi is doing well"

Nadi jumped a little lightly, happily hugging me in the arm.

While we were having that conversation, we heard a blunt whistle from a short distance away, and eventually the train arrived.

I pull Nadi's hand and walk fast looking for a vehicle that seems relatively empty.

As many passengers descended, I saw a pair of people walking in who looked familiar from the front.

─ ─ Is that...?

The man and woman had a very similar look to Nadi, thinking he was a late teenager who was having a conversation with us in a friendly way.

"Richt......? Ceres......?

Unexpectedly, two well-known names come out with their mouths shut. I don't know if those two are really people I know.

But it's too similar for someone else's aerial likeness. If it's been thirteen years on the boulder, my appearance has changed a lot, so I don't seem to notice it over there...

Hmmm... I'd be embarrassed if I was wrong, but let's talk through it...?

I think so, and I look back in a hurry, but the two of them had already disappeared into the crowd.

"Oh... I've lost sight of it..."

"Dad? What's going on?

"Hmm...? Oh, no. It's nothing. Come on, let's take the train."

…… Weird Daddy...... "

I gently pressed Nadi's back, tilting his neck, with my hand, prompting him to take the train.

When we get on the train, we sit in the empty seats first.

─ ─ Well, fine. I'm prepared to wait for you forever.

Elbowed at the window frame of the car window, looking out, I think so.

- Besides, I can't help but show you what a grown Nadi looks like. Nadi, your daughter and mine, has grown up to be such an honest good girl... I can't help but report that.

"Hey, Dad. Can I ask you something?

"Hmm? What?

"What were my real fathers and mothers like? We were friends, weren't we?

"Ugh... yeah... but... how could you do that all of a sudden...?

"Hmm... somehow, I guess. Hey, let me hear it. Is that okay?

"Okay, okay. Well, shall we talk about it?... about Nadi's real father and mother."

I gave it back to Nadi so far as I could remember the fun days we had together, including the memories of our previous lives.

Nadi was blinking her eyes and obsessed with the story, but I was kind of soaked in sentiment.

"Heh, we were that close? So, you two, uh... you're living in a foreign country because of circumstances, right?... someday, will I see you?

"Oh, I'll see you. I'm sure."

"Really!?"

"Yeah."

"Yay!

Nadi glanced into my face as if she had noticed something unexpectedly.

"Hey, Dad. Daddy doesn't miss you two...? I don't remember spending time with you two, so I'm fine... but I didn't miss you so much..."

"Huh...?

I don't miss you, that makes me lie. But...

"It's okay. I don't miss you at all because I live looking forward to seeing you again someday. And... now, Nadi will be there for you."

"Oh well... but keep your parent fool on schedule! In the future, I'll have trouble crying when I go to my wife!

"Haha... I'll try my best to keep you away from me so you don't"

Somewhere in this wider world, Richt and Ceres live. We live hard to find our place.

So let's live every day so I can't beat them either.

─ ─ With my precious daughter (Nadi).