Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 286

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Side Story Episode 29

Belinda couldn’t easily open her mouth.

She knew her daughter had been curious about Ophelia all along.

Even so, she had hesitated to speak about her because Belinda herself didn’t know what story she should tell.

Most people remembered Ophelia as a benevolent Saintess who led the way in performing good deeds.

But she was a terrible slaughterer and the leader of the Black Mages, an Ascetic.

She had sprouted the World Tree with her nurturing ability, but at the same time raised the Demon King.

She had tried to save the world 37 times, and on the last attempt, tried to destroy it.

Since much about Ophelia was hidden from the world, whatever Belinda said would become truth for Ria.

She had been constantly pondering what truth to tell and how much to reveal, but now she had finally found the answer.

“There was Ophelia, Mother’s best friend. Your name Ria was also taken from Mother’s hometown friend, you know?”

That day, words that burst out without her knowing.

“She was the friend who understood Mother’s heart the best.”

Just this one sentence would be enough.

Ria asked again.

“Doesn’t Mother miss your friend?”

Of course she missed her. There were so many things she wanted to share. If they met again, she would hug her tightly and let her know how glad she was to see her.

But at the same time, she never wanted to see her again. She didn’t want to exchange even a single word. If they met again, she felt like she’d need to slap her cheek at least once to feel better.

What do you call this kind of feeling?

“…We parted after fighting at the end. So maybe… I’m scared to meet her.”

“Mother has things she’s scared of too?”

To the twins, nothing was stronger or scarier than Mother.

Even Father, the strongest on the continent, and Brother Leo, everyone’s hero, couldn’t do anything against Mother.

“Of course. I was so scared when I saw your empty beds after you disappeared.”

At those words, Ria hesitated then stepped forward like an older sister.

“Theo only came because I begged him to go with me, he had no choice… It’s all my fault.”

“No. I actually wanted to go with Older Sister too. So I didn’t follow reluctantly.”

“What? Then you would have come with me even if Guardian hadn’t given you the dimensional bag?”

“…It’s already mine.”

“You coward!”

The twins, who were about to fight right then and there, suddenly came to their senses.

Because Belinda’s gaze looking at them was very cold.

The twins quickly clung to the gravestone as if they had made a promise, trying to avoid the situation.

“Huh? There are unfamiliar letters here? Older Sister, do you know how to read this?”

“I wonder? This isn’t how Ophelia is written, is it?”

Really, they only work together perfectly at times like this.

Belinda sighed and pretended not to notice, letting it slide.

“Actually, Mother’s friend has a separate real name.”

In the process of collecting Saintess Ophelia’s belongings, writing that Mages and linguists absolutely couldn’t interpret was discovered.

A strange language remaining in a small notebook that was half burned away.

When Belinda held the notebook in her hands, she realized she was the only one in this world who could interpret its contents.

Ophelia’s traces written in the language of a previous life.

She was barely able to find a certain name within the horribly crumbled pages.

“What does it say on the gravestone?”

“What’s Mother’s friend’s real name?”

Like finding a pearl in mud, she groped for that name with her hands again and again.

“‘Saetbyeol’… It says Onsaetbyeol.”

She carved that name in a corner of her heart with the ashes on her fingertips.

Belinda’s gaze turned to the gravestone overlooking the peaceful Great Frozen Sea.

[Onsaetbyeol, Returns Home.]

May she find peace in her hometown.

Earlier than usual, in front of the gravestone she visited with the children, Belinda repeated in her heart what she wished for every year.

* * *

After returning to the Magic Tower.

Ria pondered something with a serious face, and Theo looked at his older sister with an anxious expression.

Generally, when Older Sister made that kind of face…

“I’ve decided to use the summoning name tag after all.”

She would always cause big trouble.

As expected. Theo’s face turned coldly serious just like Belinda’s.

Ria hastily made excuses.

“It’s not because of finding my roots!”

“Then why?”

“I want to meet Mother’s friend and tell her. That Mother misses her a lot… enough to name me after Ophelia.”

She remembered Mother’s face as she looked at the gravestone.

Theo reluctantly agreed.

“Well, if it’s for that reason, I’m in favor too.”

Soon the siblings huddled together, putting their heads together as they wrote the foreign name on the summoning name tag.

[Onsaetbyeol]

There must be countless people named ‘Onsaetbyeol’ throughout the universe and dimensions.

[Our Mother’s best friend who understands her heart the most, Onsaetbyeol.]

But there’s only one Onsaetbyeol who is Mother’s best friend in this world.

Soon the summoning name tag showed a different reaction than ever before for the first time.

The spinning hourglass suddenly stopped, then shattered into pieces, scattering particles of light like paper flowers.

Search for specific target completed. Summoning dimensional door.

Dozens of magic circles intertwined and created a deep blue door in front of the children.

“Wooooow!”

The admiration was brief.

“Mother’s best friend Onsaetbyeol! Are you there? Are you there?”

Impatient Ria jumped forward, turned the door handle and tried knocking, but the door wouldn’t budge.

“What? Why won’t it open?”

As if answering her question, a system window appeared.

(!Warning!) Target is too far away to fix location coordinates. A magic circle is needed to fix the location of that soul.

“What does this mean?”

Theo, who had at least learned about magic, spoke in an uncertain voice.

“Um… Doesn’t it mean there’s insufficient mana?”

Theo placed his hand filled with mana on the door handle.

At that moment, golden chains extended from his fingertips against the child’s will and began to entangle around the door.

Theo, who had consumed a large amount of mana all at once, let out a shrill scream.

“Kyaak!”

“Theo!”

The target’s soul location has been stably fixed.

“S-Sister. My mana is…”

“Let go! Take your hand off the door!”

(!Warning!) The distance to the target is too far for summoning. Substituting with appropriate communication.

To proceed with conversation with the target, please enter the mental space.

New system windows appeared one after another, but the children had no time to check them.

Theo’s eyelids slowly closed as his mana vessel was completely emptied, and his body began to lean.

“Aaah, Theo!”

Ria, who was struggling to support her younger brother, also collapsed together with him.

Creak.

The door that had remained motionless all along opened diagonally and caught the falling children inside.

The moment their bodies crossed the door’s threshold, Ria’s eyelids also slowly closed and she lost consciousness.

Thud.

Leaving only the children sprawled on the floor, the door disappeared without a trace.

* * *

“These little ones must be having quite wonderful dreams, hm?”

Chaser, with a pleased expression, poked the cheeks of the collapsed twins as he spoke.

Just as he said, Ria and Theo had incredibly happy faces, as if they had candy stuffed in both cheeks.

“They seem to be sleeping too long though.”

Belinda looked at the children with a worried expression.

It had been yesterday evening when they found them collapsed in the middle of the room like dolls with unwound springs and moved them to the bed.

It was already noon the next day, but the siblings showed no signs of waking up.

“After all that trouble yesterday, it’s understandable they’d be exhausted.”

Though he said that, Cesar also seemed concerned.

Just as he was reaching out his hand toward the children’s foreheads with a worried expression.

“Aah!”

“Uwah!”

As if someone had pinched their sides, the twins simultaneously opened their eyes wide.

Cesar, who checked the siblings’ temperature a beat later, said with relief.

“Fortunately, there’s no fever. The children must be hungry, so I’ll go make something simple to eat.”

“Your Grace, I’m hungry too.”

“Make it yourself.”

“You’re going to be petty like this while staying and eating at our Magic Tower? I’ll whip cream for you, so make dessert too.”

Chaser chased after Cesar, rattling off the lunch menu he wanted to eat.

Once the two men left, Belinda sat the siblings, whose faces were still drowsy, on chairs.

“You little sleepyheads. What kind of dreams were you having that you just slept without even knowing you were hungry?”

Lightning flashed in the eyes of the twins, who had been drowsily wandering as if still in a dream.

“Mother… I met Older Sister Ria in my dream!”

“That’s right, Older Sister Ria appeared!”

Older Sister Ria?

Though it was a bit strange, Belinda laughed it off and combed the children’s disheveled hair.

Theo and Ria sat side by side, chattering endlessly about their dream stories.

“She played with us all day long! The place where Older Sister lives was really amazing!”

“Older Sister Ria is an incredible alchemist! She summoned light magic with a palm-sized magic tool and used communication magic too!”

Had the two children had similar dreams?

Belinda was tilting her head in puzzlement when it happened.

“And Older Sister Ria raises a really big dog!”

“Its name is Luca.”

Belinda’s hand stopped.

She could no longer laugh off the children’s story.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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