Side Story 7.4 - The Beginning of All Stories (1/2)
Side Story 7.4: The Beginning of All Stories
THE BEGINNING OF ALL STORIES(4)
The child grew rapidly every day. He sat, crawled, walked and soon started running. He spoke and learned to write. Cael taught the child everything he knew without reserve. The bright child absorbed Cael’s teachings and grew up, going from a little boy to a young man.
Around the child’s 16th birthday, the people Evangeline’s husband’s family sent looking for her, had searched everywhere and even entered the devil’s forest. Her father-in-law, whom she thought to be dead, was alive. He retained his life but one of his arm and leg was cut off, so he was unable to move around properly. Her father-in-law was looking for the only remaining bloodline of his dead son.
People who entered the devil’s forest normally got obstructed by the barrier so they would be endlessly lost, collapse from exhaustion and starved to death. Cael usually didn’t care what happened to the people who entered the forest and left them to their devices but knowing they were looking for Evangeline, he opened the barrier. And he erased traces of himself in order not to appear before them.
“Ahh! Milady. So you were safe. The young master is so grown-up!”
The vassals who had gone to search for their madam and young master by their lord’s order, were thrilled to see Baden. Baden, who had just grown out his adolescence, looked so much like his late father and grandfather that there was no doubt to be made.
“You must have suffered so much. Come with us, Milady. You must be rewarded for your hard work and troubles in raising the young master. The young master will inherit everything from the lord in the future and he’ll become the master of the family.”
Although she was thanking them for finding her, inwardly, Evangeline couldn’t be happy. Why did he let these people in? She momentarily resented him, then she heaped curses at herself.
‘Wow, you must be so thick-faced. You don’t even have any shame. You’ve lived in his care so long, how much longer are you going to trouble him?’
Cael didn’t even appear before Evangeline. After flipping through the mansion for a few days, looking for him, the tired Evangeline cried at the empty air.
“I’ll leave, Cael-nim. Just let me say goodbye for the last time. Please.”
However, Cael never showed up at the end.
* * *
Cael watched from afar as the group of people left with Evangeline and Baden in their midst. He did not even let her say her last goodbye. But it wasn’t because he was worried that her heart would waver, but because he feared he would hold onto to her and not let go.
‘Our times are different, Evangeline.’
He was living in a different flow of time. He would remain as he was even if hundreds of years pass but she would grow old and die someday.
The incoming future filled Cael with dread. He had no confidence in being able to watch her die. He chose to run away from his fear.
* * *
“Mother.”
At that voice, Evangeline, who had been blankly staring out the window from her spot on the bed, turned her head. Seeing her son with his wife, she smiled faintly.
“When did you come in?”
“What were you thinking about that you didn’t even notice us come in?”
“When you get old, you tend to think a lot. I know you must be busy, there’s no need to go out of your way to greet me in the morning.”
“No, mother. I should greet you even when you’re at home. And, I have good news today.”
The mansion that his mother lived in as a child was put up for sale, so Baden had purchased it. His mother’s family had already collapsed and scattered without a trace, but he felt his mother missed her hometown sometimes. So he arranged it as a gift for his mother.
“That house…?”
His mother’s pale face brightened up for a change. Baden was happy to see that his thinking was on the right track.
“Yes. It’s very old, so it has to be renovated. Would you like to go see it after the renovations?”
“Sure, that would be nice.”
After leaving his mother’s room, Baden sighed heavily and spoke to his wife.