Chapter 75
Chapter 75
Had my lie already been discovered? Such a flimsy excuse would surely be seen through by anyone. I swallowed, forgetting how to breathe in my nervousness. If Father were to shatter the window in a fit of rage, I’d simply flee. That’s what I’d decided to do.
“[How can you see me?]”
My held breath whooshed out. The tension in my shoulders eased slightly.
“Oh, um…”
As Father had said, why could I see him…?
And why had I accepted it so quickly?
Father and I blinked at each other, question marks hanging in the air.
***
Dale Blashur had been unconscious for five years. His wife, Minerva, visited him every day, but she didn’t know. She didn’t know that he was desperately calling out to her each day.
“[My love.]”
“…I’ll come back again. Oh, and Daykin, I told you last time that our son got married, right? My daughter-in-law is so pretty and sweet. As I said before, she saved our son’s life, so she feels like a daughter to me.”
“[Really? How sweet is she?]”
“She’s coming here with me tomorrow. You need to behave yourself and not look disheveled in front of her.”
“[When have I ever looked disheveled? Honestly, that hurts. I’m going to sulk.]”
During his academy days, Dale had been somewhat reserved, but after his marriage, he hadn’t hidden his affection for Minerva. The same was true with his son.
“I’ll be back tomorrow.”
Minerva smiled sadly and kissed his forehead. Over the five years, Dale’s body had steadily weathered the passage of time. Looking at his now wrinkled skin, Minerva rose from her seat.
“[Are you leaving?]”
Minerva couldn’t hear Dale, so she didn’t respond. The tower door closed. Dale frantically tried to move, to follow her, but whenever his spirit drifted too far from his physical body, it snapped back with a tug.
“[Hmph.]”
He hadn’t spoken to anyone in a long time, hadn’t interacted with anyone besides Minerva and the few medical staff who cared for him. He had been trapped in the tower for so long.
Fortunately, perhaps because only his spirit remained, his mind hadn’t deteriorated despite the state of his body. He had simply become more honest, more… thoughtless.
In the past, he would have quickly grasped others’ intentions and, like Kin, commanded a presence that could sway the tide of war. Now, he was just a carefree, kind soul.
This was actually his true nature, so it was hard to say he had ‘changed.’ He had only ever acted this way around his wife and son; others were unaware of this side of him. There was a reason Daykin always clicked his tongue at Dale’s frivolous behavior.
Perhaps that’s why…
He hadn’t recognized Ailee as his daughter-in-law when he first saw her. Even after Minerva had described her appearance and sung her praises!
From Dale’s perspective, the moment Ailee approached, his spirit had been inexplicably freed. He’d been too startled by this sudden freedom to seriously consider who she was.
She freed me? Is she a fairy?
She even looks like one. She must be a fairy!
Thinking simply, Dale had panicked when the fairy started bleeding. And when he realized she was his daughter-in-law, he’d truly wailed.
Oh no, the person who saved my son is dying! Someone, help!
Just then, strangely, he felt a surge of power, even in his spectral state. He was prepared to sacrifice his very essence for his one and only daughter-in-law. But then, his dear girl hurriedly explained, trying to calm him down.
“Oh, no! Please don’t! I’ve already…already seen a doctor!”
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