Chapter 280
A very small baby in Avinox"s arms approached and familiarly visited Larane"s arms.
"Wow, he"s just like his daddy."
Looking at Lix, I murmured involuntarily.
"It feels like you"re hugging a little Avinox."
At my words, Larane folded her eyes beautifully and laughed.
"Right? At first, I thought he resembled me because of the color of his eyes, but as the days go by, he is becoming more like Sir Avinox." (TN: Larane and Avinox still call each other with "-nim".)
As Larane said, Lix had blue eyes.
It was amazing.
Larane and Avinox met and gave birth to a child who resemble the two.
The two people I"ve seen since they were teenagers suddenly looked very grown-up.
However, that was the first impression I had on seeing Lix.
"Cute!"
"So small!"
It wasn"t like the twins were rioting next to each other.
It was a rather blunt reaction that "You look just like your mom and dad".
I don"t usually have much interest in small children, so I thought it was.
Obviously it was.
Lix, who was only interested in Larane"s hair a little while ago, found me.
Bright eyes full of curiosity blinked a few times at me.
"Kkyaa!"
He still flapped his short arms.
He didn"t have teeth yet, so he smiled softly with his small, red mouth like a baby bird.
"So cute...!"
"Oh my!"
Larane said to me, who was dazed by Lix"s blunt attack*, as if surprised. (*Baby"s smile)
"He"s so shy these days, but it"s amazing that he like Tia, whom he has never seen for the first time!"
"Really?"
Does a small child recognize the blood?
My heart fluttered at Lix"s clear lake-like eyes staring at me.
"Do you want to hug him?"
"Oh, no! I don"t think that"s right."
He"s too small!
What if I accidentally drop it by mistake?
When I placed my hands, Larane smiled as if it was understandable.
That was then.
"Cough!"
With a small coughing sound, Lix"s vomited milk dripped down Larane"s dress.
"Oops!"
Vomit?!
"Uh, is he sick?"
"Is it because there are so many people? Shouldn"t we get some fresh air from the outside?"
The twins, as surprised as I was, were restless.
"It"s okay. Babies are like this sometimes. But I have to change my clothes."
"I"ll help you, Miss Larane."
"Can you please, Sir Avinox?"
The bride and groom, who got married today, looked at each other and smiled affectionately.
"Um, then Lix..."
Larane, who seemed to be agonizing for a while, suddenly held out Lix.
In Perez"s arms, who was looking at Lix strangely.
"I"ll be right back, Your Majesty. Please take Lix for a moment."
Larane, who said so, moved away with Avinox.
"Uh... Perez?" (TN: LoLoLoLoL XD)
"......"
Perez didn"t answer.
He couldn"t move as Larane gave Lix to him.
"Are you okay?"
"...yes."
I don"t think so.
Lix looked quite comfortable even in Perez"s arms, which had been hardened like stone statue.
No, beyond being comfortable, he seemed to like Perez very much.
"Abubu!"
Lix"s small hand, with an incomprehensible babbling, grabbed Perez"s clothes.
And.
"Au."
He buried his chubby face like a pure white steamed bun in Perez"s strong arms.
He close his eyes tightly to see if he"s going to sleep, and even rub his eyes.
"Ha, so cute."
He"s my nephew, but can he be this cute?
Wait, what could Lix need?
With that in mind, I was making a list of gifts for Lix.
Pat Pat.
I could see Perez gently patting Lix on the back.
His hand that covering the back, which was small enough to be proud of breathing, looked particularly big.
After hesitating for the first time or two, Perez soon comforted Lix with a skillful gesture.
"Whew."
I could see Lix"s eyelids getting heavier and heavier.
Luman"s deep blue eyes like the sea blinked a few times, and then soon the shadows of long eyelashes descended.
I looked at the two without making any sound.
He looked so peaceful that even the sound of his breathing could be heard.
"It looks much better than you thought, right?"
Said Larane, who returned in a new dress with a low voice.
"Ugh, that"s right. More than I thought..."
What should I say about this feeling?
There was a mixture of strange emotions, and it was not easy to put it into words.
"It"s great."
In the end, all I could say was one word.
"Your Majesty will be a good father."
"Is that so?"
"It"s like looking at it now."
At Larane"s words, I had no choice but to nod.
Suddenly, the form that was holding Lix changed to a stable one, and although it was still stiff, the eyes looking down at the child were full of warmth.
"I"m sure it will."
Larane"s way of speaking contained firm conviction.
"How"s the East?"
When I asked, Larane answered with a smile.
"Great. After coming here, It has become very strong."
Larane"s blue eyes gleamed with vitality.
"You have found your hometown, Larane."
"Hometown?"
After thinking for a while, she soon nodded.
"That"s right. I think that"s how it feels. Hometown. And now..."
Larane looked at Lix.
"I want to make this land where Lix lives in a better place."
"That"s how you achieved wheat farming."
Actually, I was a little surprised.
I already knew from what I had seen and heard in my previous life about the treatment of wheat disease that would spread in the South.
So there was no doubt about its effectiveness.
However, wheat farming in the East was a completely different matter.
At Larane"s request, I sent some scholars from Lombardi, but I honestly didn"t expect it to be successful in such a short period of time.
Larane, who smiled proudly at Lix, seemed to be a slightly different person from the one I knew.
"Larane is getting stronger."
At my words, Larane shyly dyed her cheeks like she did when she was a child.
But at the same time, she nodded firmly.
"Because I have something to protect."
Something to protect.
Just as Larane looked at Lix, my gaze unconsciously turned to Perez.
Perez was staring at Lix, who had now completely fallen asleep.
Then, suddenly, a subtle smile spread over his expressionless face.
It was a small change that loosened his stiff lips, but it was a smile that was as comfortable as a sleeping Lix.
How many things had happened before that the dark man in my previous life, and the boy who was guarding the collapsing star palace alone, could laugh like that.
Then, as if feeling my gaze, Perez raised his head.
Our eyes met immediately.
He didn"t look away.
As if we were the only ones in the countless people going to and from the banquet hall.
How much time has pa.s.sed like that?
Perez smiled.
His eyes were nicely curved, and his lips were drawn in a good-looking arc.
It was a smile flower that only bloomed toward me.
"I want to protect you, too."
Just like Larane did wheat farming in Luman for Lix.
I also wanted to protect Perez.
"That"s why I have to be stronger in the future."
It was a promise to myself.
It was also a promise to protect that person no matter what happened in the future.
So that Perez can always smile like that.
And before I knew it, a smile resembling that of him appeared on my face as well.
Suddenly, I had such a hunch.
You too, and me too.
We will probably remember this moment for a long time.
Even in the distant future, we will hold hands together and talk about today, and we will be smiling together even then.
Until that day, we will go through all kinds of hardships together, but it will be okay.
Because those who have something to protect become stronger.
"It looks like an angel is sleeping..."
"Shh. Be quiet, you idiot!"
The twins couldn"t stand it any longer and gathered around Perez to watch Lix fall asleep.
The sight of three big men surrounding a small baby somehow made me happy.
A long time ago, I told Larane, who was suffering from forced marriage.
"Larane, you need to find something that makes you happy."
So I asked Larane.
"Larane, are you happy now?"
Then the answer immediately came back.
"Yes, I"m happy."
Okay, then that"s enough.
It doesn"t matter where you start.
Where your heart is filled with joy, that is home.
"Eueng!"
There was a sound of Lix waking up and crying.
"He cries like that when he finds his mother."
Larane shook her head as if she couldn"t help it and laughed.
Joy was reflected in the back of Larane walking toward Lix.
Thank G.o.d.
Having returned to Lombardi with a withered cold, Larane came back once and now took root here in Luman.
And now she lives happily in a land that is warm, sunny, and sung by friendly songs.
I will go.
"Then, shall I hug Lix too?"
Avinox has already returned, and above all, his mother, Larane, is by his side, so I can just ask her to teach.
I took a step toward Perez and my family, who were far away.
Because they"re my hometown.
***
And again, the present.
Meam- Meam-!
The season when cicadas cry loudly.
I smiled as I entered the Lombardi"s office.
"It"s been a month since I saw you, Patriarch Sushou." (TN: It"s back to side story chapter 0, haha)