After crying for a while, Larisa bravely ate her sandwich. She was hungry since she had barely eaten breakfast.

“Doesn’t Willy have class today?”

“No. The professor said to comfort you first.”

“You’re not calling him Dad?”

William frowned.

“Lara, if your father suddenly appeared, could you call him Dad?”

“If it were me, I’d punch him first!”

There it was again. That back alley thug talk. William bit his lip slightly to hold back a laugh.

“Dad probably has his reasons, but thinking about Mom being sick and passing away makes me hate…”

“Yeah. I don’t hate him enough to punch him, but I do dislike him.”

Larisa was shocked. It was the first time William had honestly said he disliked someone.

“I thought I wouldn’t resent him since I never expected anything, but that wasn’t true.”

“Why did Teacher Siod show up now?”

“Seems there was a misunderstanding. He said he didn’t know I was his child.”

Watching William answer nonchalantly, Larisa said with a gloomy face:

“I’m sorry, William.”

“For what?”

“You must have been really surprised because of me.”

“…”

“…I was jealous. I don’t have a mom anymore, but you even got a dad. Everyone loves you so much.”

William put his hand on Larisa’s small head. And he ruffled it vigorously.

“Don’t cry.”

But Larisa grumbled in a voice full of tears.

“You’ll become a wonderful duke, but I have nowhere to go.”

William wondered what Larisa meant by ‘nowhere to go’. A place to rely on? A goal? Or a dream?

Whatever it was, what was there to worry about? William cleared his throat, embarrassed before revealing his true feelings.

“Ahem. What’s there to worry about when you have a duke as your backing?”

“Huh?”

“I’m telling you I’ll be by your side.”

Another sobbing sound was heard.

“Why do you keep crying? You little squirt.”

“I’m not a squirt.”

“Okay.”

Giving a perfunctory answer, William lay back down and looked up at the sky. It was a relief. Larisa was still a squirt and the strange dream was just a strange dream.

After considerately letting Larisa cry for a while, William went with her to the cemetery. Although Larisa had only been there once, she found the way accurately.

“I’m here, Mom.”

Originally, she wouldn’t have been able to be buried in the public cemetery. Only proper citizens with residence in the capital could be buried there.

People from the slums were roughly buried anywhere on empty land when they died, and were often forgotten. The fact that she could come visit her mother whenever she wanted was all thanks to Guinevere.

“I’m doing well.”

Larisa managed not to cry with her swollen eyes. Instead, she smiled brightly and sat leaning against the tombstone.

“Willy Willy, was my mom really pretty?”

“I know.”

“Will I be as pretty as Mom when I grow up?”

William reflexively recalled the adult Larisa he saw in his dream.

“Hmm, you’ll be pretty…”

It wasn’t a joke – the Larisa in his dream was more beautiful than anyone he had ever seen. But dreams are fantasies, so it must have been a reflection of his ideal type.

‘Wait, then is that woman my ideal type?’

William unknowingly recalled the Larisa from his dream. Delicate and lovely, yet aggressive… William’s ears turned bright red.

‘Get a grip, it was just a dream.’

There’s no guarantee Larisa will grow up like that, right?

“I want to be as pretty as a princess too.”

“I’m telling you, you’ll be pretty.”

“I’m cute, but not pretty.”

Larisa had good self-awareness. Instead of comforting with empty words, William gave realistic advice.

“It’s because you’re too skinny. Try eating more.”

“Just tell me I’m pretty!”

“Hah, why are you so picky for a squirt…”

Larisa was more difficult than the academy noonas.

*

When Larisa appeared in the dining hall holding William’s hand again, Guinevere visibly sighed in relief.

Every evening she had lingered in front of Larisa’s door, urging her to eat together, but only received refusals in response.

She felt there was no way she could cheer Larisa up.

But for her to appear in the dining hall as soon as William returned, it truly was fate.

‘Should I talk to her or not?’

However, it was difficult to speak up readily. Seeing Larisa’s gloomy expression, she worried about upsetting her again if she said the wrong thing.

As Guinevere hesitated, Siod, growing impatient, greeted her first.

“Lara, did you do well while Teacher was at the academy?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have fun playing with William today?”

“Yes.”

As Larisa just held her fork, William sitting next to her busily served her.

Larisa looked at the small cut pieces of food arriving on her plate but didn’t touch anything.

Then William asked.

“Why aren’t you eating? Should I feed you?”

“I’m not a baby. I can eat by myself.”

“Hurry and eat, it’ll get cold.”

Larisa reluctantly picked up her fork because of the overbearing William and the adults looking at her worriedly.

As she chewed a mouthful of meat, she could see them all letting out sighs of relief. Larisa’s eyes welled up with tears.

She wondered why these people were being so nice to her.

“Um…”

Larisa cautiously opened her mouth.

“I’m sorry because of me.”

Then Guinevere quickly said.

“There’s no need to apologize.”

She meant that Larisa truly didn’t need to apologize, but Larisa started to cry. Guinevere was flustered, not knowing what she had done wrong.

“I said there’s no need?”

Big teardrops fell from Larisa’s large eyes.

“Why are you crying?”

Cold sweat trickled down Guinevere’s back. It seemed better if she just didn’t say anything.

“That’s right, Lara. Thanks to you, now there are no more secrets between us and we’ve become closer. Don’t cry, okay?”

Siod chimed in with a soothing tone. But Larisa’s tears showed no signs of stopping. William whispered in Larisa’s ear.

“What’s wrong? Are you scared of Mother?”

“Sniff, no.”

“Then?”

“…Because I’m sorry.”

Guinevere, who had been listening intently to the fading voice, stood up abruptly.

“It would have come to light anyway. Even if you hadn’t said anything, someday… So there’s no need to be sorry.”

“I’m a bad child.”

“No, you’re not!”

Guinevere shouted. Larisa was so startled she stopped crying.

“You are, you are the kindest child I know.”

“What?”

Guinevere bit her lip. She couldn’t explain the lost past, but Larisa was always a good daughter-in-law who endured everything, supported William, and obeyed Guinevere.

“So you have the right to live very badly.”

“What?”

“I’m saying you should live badly now since you’ve lived kindly so far.”

“…?”

“I’d like you to be happier than my son.”

To someone listening without context, it sounded like nonsense.

“William has lived as he pleased until now, so in this life, live for her.”

It was bewildering even for William who was listening.

“Anyway, I’ve resolved to live for you in this life.”

“Vera, calm down.”

Only when Siod intervened did Guinevere sit down hesitantly. Then she downed her aperitif in one gulp.

“Let’s eat.”

Although she couldn’t understand at all, and it was an unbelievable story, Larisa started to eat.

*

“Why don’t you just tell them about the time regression and everything?”

“Should I?”

“Guinevere…”

Siod sighed, holding his throbbing head.

“They’re still children, Vera. There’s nothing good for them to know.”

“I know. But somehow I feel like the kids already know everything.”

Maybe so. Siod thought that while Larisa might not, William certainly would have memories remaining in his subconscious.

“The dragon language… I’m thinking of starting to teach it soon.”

“…”

“Ordinary humans can’t hear it, but William could. I tested him.”

Guinevere asked quietly.

“Are you sure? That if he can use dragon language, he can be recognized as a dragon?”

“Yes. There’s a precedent.”

“Even if William turns back time again with dragon language magic, will he still be forgiven?”

Siod embraced the anxious Guinevere. Unlike other times, she nestled into him willingly.

“They’re the kind who don’t care as long as it doesn’t affect them. This time too, they wouldn’t have intervened if the egg hadn’t hatched. If William is recognized as a dragon, even time regression will eventually be seen as just child’s play.”

A deep sigh flowed out, whether of relief or anxiety was unknown. Guinevere gently pushed Siod away and stood in front of the rubbing of the time regression magic again.

“That, so you don’t need to hold onto it anymore.”

“If someone needs to turn back time again, it should be me.”

“Vera, I’ll protect William…”

“You said there’s only one precedent? In all those long years, was there really only one instance of a dragon and human having a mixed-blood child? It must have been recorded because it was a miracle. I’m not someone who goes all-in on uncertain odds.”

“I’ll protect the children. I’ll make sure William doesn’t even need to turn back time. So please.”

Guinevere thought Siod would demand something. To trust him, or to love him.

“Just put your mind at ease.”

But Siod spoke as if that was all he wished for.

“Everything will be fine. William will be recognized as a dragon and inherit everything from us. Then no one will be able to harm Larisa. This time, all three of us will protect Larisa. Then… William won’t have a reason to commit suicide anymore.”

Siod wiped away the tears flowing down Guinevere’s cheeks with his thumb and pressed his forehead against hers.

“Even if that doesn’t happen, in the worst case, I’ll give you my heart.”

“What?”

“I don’t want to see you sacrifice yourself. Of course, not my son either. So use the magic of my heart as a sacrifice to turn back time.”

“What if you lose your memories?”

“It’s okay. I’ll still love you anyway.”

“If the dragons hold us responsible for the time regression…”

“Just say I did it all. My heart will be the evidence. Shh, don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

As if entranced, Guinevere wrapped her arms around his neck. She tasted the salty flavor of her tears on his approaching lips.