Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 208

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 208
“Happy birthday, Calypso!”
I blinked as paper confetti dusted my face.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Misa.”
“Hehe. No, it’s fine.”
As I turned the corner, someone threw something at me, and I instinctively caught and subdued it.
I realized it was Misa, and only after the paper confetti hit me did I think, “Oh no.”
‘My reflexes were too fast.’
I released Misa’s hand and brushed the confetti from my shoulders.
The nanny, who had once been much taller than me, was now nearly my height.
“By the way, why do you look so surprised? Don’t tell me you forgot it was your birthday…?!”
“No, no. How could I forget?”
I had, in fact, forgotten. Just for a moment.
And for good reason…
‘Third Brother showed up so naturally.’
Early in the morning—no, practically at dawn—Agenor had barged in, said what he came to say, and left.
Since he hadn’t offered a single birthday greeting, I’d naturally forgotten myself.
‘There’s something else I shouldn’t forget.’
I lifted my head sharply.
The reason I couldn’t forget today. Was it because I’d finally come of age?
No, I’d come of age several times before, so there was nothing particularly special about it.
‘Ekion.’
Today was the day he finally grew up!
I hurried my steps.
“He’s not there?”
“Yes? Yes…”
When I arrived at Ekion’s room, I encountered Eiya tidying up.
“He said he was going to the library and stepped out for a bit…”
Ekion went to the library?
It wasn’t unusual. He often went there, saying it was the quietest place.
While he did go to read books, his main purpose was usually to take naps there with Tus.
He said it was a habit he’d developed while I was away from the manor.
“Uh, C-Calypso?!”
Eiya called out to me from behind, but I didn’t answer and kept walking.
‘Ah, I should have asked Ekion if he’d grown.’
After walking toward the library for a while, I suddenly realized I’d forgotten to ask Eiya.
What he looked like if he had grown.
But it was fine.
I’d see him soon enough.
‘How strange. It’s my birthday, yet I’m more excited to see someone else.’
But the long-awaited meeting did not go as planned.
“Calypso, Calypso! Just a moment!”
Dede, whom I’d passed on the way, thrust an envelope into my hands.
“Oh?”
It was an adorable, charming envelope.
The sender’s name was ‘Airi’.
I burst out laughing at the sight of the small squirrel sticker attached beside the name.
Airi was the alias Lili was currently using.
The original heroine of this story had apparently escaped that dreadful place with Second Brother and was living happily.
‘If I recall correctly, when she learned I’d fallen asleep, she was desperate to come here, but Palaya barely managed to stop her.’
From what I’d heard, the Black Panther Family was still searching for Lili, so it would have been dangerous if she’d come.
“I’ve placed the gift from Airi in the study!”
Since she’d been thoughtful every year, I was curious what she’d sent this time.
But Ekion took priority.
I glanced over the letter briefly, then asked Dede to bring it to the study as well.
After that, I arrived at the library.
“He’s not here?”
Ekion’s usual spot was empty.
I began to furrow my brow.
It was strange—everywhere I went, I seemed to miss Ekion.
‘It’s like we’re playing some kind of game of tag.’
Before long, I found Ekion in the garden.
It was a garden created solely for Ekion, given his circumstances of needing to remain inconspicuous.
The one sleeping quietly in the pavilion was a small boy.
A boy with blue hair.
My strength drained away.
‘…Unchanged? Why?’
As I approached carefully so as not to wake the sleeping Ekion, my body felt heavy, as if submerged in water.
‘Why hasn’t he grown?’
You clearly said he would grow on the day I came of age.
I reached out to touch Ekion’s head but stopped myself.
Ekion, sleeping like a cherub in a classical painting, looked like a work of art itself, yet my heart grew heavy.
I lowered my gaze from his porcelain-white skin, as pale as a doll.
‘Could it be because of me?’
In this life, where I’ve charged forward without hesitation, there was almost nothing weighing on my mind.
Not being sent to the Black Panther Family.
Seizing the position of Matriarch with my own hands—I’d accomplished it all through my own strength.
Now that obtaining the power of water was no longer a problem, Ekion was the only one whose fate suddenly caught in my chest.
‘I was hoping, wasn’t I?’
I’d been anticipating this child’s growth far more than I’d realized.
As I stared blankly at the young boy, Tus slowly opened his eyes.
Upon seeing me, Tus opened his mouth happily.
Shh.
The moment I brought my index finger to my lips, Tus quickly closed his mouth.
‘Good.’
I spoke with only the shape of my mouth.
‘I hope Ekion isn’t disappointed either.’
I didn’t want to wake the young boy who was sleeping peacefully.
‘But why hasn’t he grown at all?’
If he’d grown even slightly, there would have been hope.
As I sat carelessly on the floor for a while, lost in thought, I heard a soft, youthful voice.
“Calypso, why are you frowning?”
“….”
“Is someone bothering you?”
I turned my head while still frowning.
“Why am I frowning? Because of you. Why haven’t you grown?”
“….”
“Did you lie to me?”
Ekion, who had just woken up, suddenly became alert and hurriedly sat up.
“…I didn’t.”
He shook his head vigorously.
Though his height hadn’t increased, the child grew more beautiful and graceful with each passing day.
Everything Ekion did was beautiful, but right now I couldn’t see it.
‘How can he be so unbothered? Looking at me with such an innocent face.’
Without realizing it, my frustration must have shown. Tus trembled, his scales rustling.
-Calypso!
“I won’t listen to excuses.”
-That’s not it. My Lord! I didn’t lie!
“You didn’t?”
Tus hurried over and climbed up onto my hand.
“I’m watching right before my eyes as he hasn’t grown even a millimeter. What are you talking about?”
-But I didn’t say anything about the timing!
“So what, will he suddenly grow by this evening?”
-That is….
Tus tilted his head this way and that before speaking.
I could feel his determination to calm me down.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to take it out on you. It’s just that, as you know, Ekion’s growth is like a thorn in my heart.”
-No. Calypso. Don’t hurt. Really, my Lord, I didn’t lie.
Looking at Ekion, I saw an anxious expression.
-It’s just not time yet. This evening, no…. It’s tonight.
“At night?”
“Dragons complete their transformation at night.”
I turned my gaze away.
Ekion continued speaking while gently holding onto my sleeve.
“I was born at night, so I grow at night too.”
“I see… what the—”
I set Tus down and buried my face in my hands.
“Sigh, you startled me.”
No matter how much of a birthday it was, such a cute and startling surprise wasn’t appropriate.
Ekion hesitated for a moment, then began patting my shoulder.
“What are you doing?”
I asked, irritation rising within me.
He’d apparently seen in a book a scene where someone pats the shoulder of a person holding their face in their hands.
Eventually my tension dissolved, and hollow laughter spilled out. I stood up from my seat, feeling unburdened.
“Thank goodness. At least I’ll be able to enjoy my coming-of-age day and birthday today.”
It was my fourth coming-of-age ceremony.
“Shall we go? Everyone should be preparing the party.”
* * *
That evening.
A grand party was held just as I’d told Ekion.
The first part was a party with many people—members of the Orca collateral family and Beastkin from various houses.
Ekion couldn’t come here.
Of course not. There was no way I could bring him to a gathering where all the nobles would be present.
‘I’ve lived long enough to attend all kinds of parties like this.’
I glanced at the clothes I was wearing.
In my first and second coming-of-age ceremonies, I wasn’t permitted to attend the party.
‘In the Black Panther Family, I was treated as if I existed but didn’t.’
In my third ceremony, I’d been living a rough life, so there was no such occasion.
‘No wait, wasn’t there one because of Levai’s nagging?’
He’d insisted so much that a victory celebration should be held for morale, and that the Matriarch should attend as well.
Back then, I’d attended in uniform.
‘Wearing a dress—I’ve truly lived long enough to see everything.’
Since I’d firmly rejected anything extravagant and heavy, I’d ended up wearing something close to a simple one-piece dress.
It was fine.
Aquatic Beastkin parties accepted such attire.
“Wow, my father sure is popular.”
Standing to one side of the party venue, I chuckled as I watched the crowd gathered around Father.
“Popular? That’s only because people can’t approach you, so they naturally gathered around him instead.”
“Did I tell you not to greet people?”
Atlant glanced at me from beside me and shrugged. He too was dressed handsomely for the party, with his hair styled back past the halfway point.
“Your father seems to dislike having other men around you.”
Unable to withstand Father’s pressure, no one had come to my side? It was almost laughable. It was my birthday, after all.
“Who said anyone shouldn’t come? Ah, handsome young men?”
“…Heh, what’s with that expression? You looked like an elder.”
“I am an elder, aren’t I?”
Having lived over sixty years, wasn’t that only natural? I muttered to myself.
“…Hey. If I may offer an excuse instead.”
Atlant glanced at me without being prompted, then spoke slowly.

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