“We have to be careful as we proceed. If one instinctively knows they have power, they’re prone to taking dangerous risks.”

We had to start with small spells to learn how to control the massive magical power.

Otherwise, events like today would repeat, the message warned.

“Please do.”

Uncontrolled magic was always dangerous.

‘In the original, they wielded magic like a sword.’

The twins had awakened to vast magical powers but didn’t know how to properly cast spells.

After Elysius was taken to the temple, the twins returned to the palace to regain the power needed to bring her back.

The twins were finally able to receive magical training.

But their hastily activated power was extremely violent and always hard to control.

‘It’s fortunate that I can teach magic.’

Although the awakening was unexpected, I found solace in the fact that Evan wasn’t hurt.

While I was stroking Evan’s head,

His eyeballs trembled.

“Evan?”

Evan slowly opened his eyes.

“…Aileen?”

“Are you aware?”

The child’s voice, filled with sleepiness, was pitiful.

I quickly held a cup to his lips, and Evan drank the water like a baby bird.

“Sorry.”

The first word the child uttered was an apology.

I was about to say it wasn’t his fault,

But Evan’s next words made my heart drop.

“I feel like I’ve ruined the birthday of the person you like. I tried to make it right, but it didn’t go well.”

“…What are you talking about, really.”

I felt sorry for not being attentive to the child while preparing for Kashar’s birthday.

How mature must one be to say something like this?

Looking at the child, who matured so quickly alongside his early awakening, my heart felt heavy.

As I bit my lower lip,

Kashar, who had stepped out for a moment, entered.

“The kid worries about such things too?”

“…He’s worried about Aileen, not you.”

Evan, who had started using polite language with Kashar at some point, looked up at him with sharp eyes.

Kashar chuckled and lightly patted Evan’s head.

“I’ve already received a gift so great that you can’t even imagine. And there will be more.”

His gaze, sneaking a look at me, was lustful.

My face turned beetred in an instant.

‘There’s no inappropriate talk in front of the kids!’

As I glared at him, he took his hand off Evan’s head.

“Stay by my side until you’re okay.”

“…I’m sorry.”

It wasn’t anyone’s fault, but I felt sorry towards Kashar.

He smiled as if it didn’t matter and pressed his lips to my ear.

“I’ll get everything back. Just as someone said, I’m greedy.”

It was something I had said while pounding on his chest, crying, the night I spent with Kashar.

“…Ah!”

Kashar stood up from his seat first.

“I must take my leave. Seems like the young brother is about to cry.”

He pointed where Louis was.

Even after Evan woke up, Louis had been quiet for a long time but burst into tears as soon as he was mentioned.

“Wahh, brother!”

Louis rushed and hugged Evan tightly.

“I won’t call you by your name anymore. I’ll always call you ‘brother.’ So don’t get hurt, okay?”

“…You, keep that promise.”

Evan hugged Louis back.
After a night’s sleep, he would probably brush it off, saying he didn’t remember making such remarks.

But my concern for Evan was genuine.

“Ah, right.”

I suddenly remembered Kashar asking what the soup was called earlier.

I yelled out to Kashar, who was about to leave.

“The soup you asked about earlier. It’s seaweed soup. Make sure to eat it, it’s a birthday tradition!”

The restaurant had taken damage, but I heard the kitchen was still in good condition.

There should still be plenty of food I made left, so there was no issue with eating.

“……Alright.”

After Kashar left, I stayed with the children until nightfall.

Louis and Evan were deep in sleep.

Alone and awake, I thought of Kashar.

‘Did he eat the birthday meal?’

If so, I hoped he enjoyed it.

Eventually, fatigue took over and I closed my eyes.

Perhaps due to the exhaustion, I quickly fell asleep.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in the middle of the mart.

The scene was embarrassingly familiar by now.

I looked around for Hayang.

“Hayang?”

Hayang was always here, but appeared in different corners each time.

A moment later, Hayang popped up from the bakery line.

Coochiecoochie.

I squatted down and called Hayang over.

“You were here, come here……”

[You’re late today.]

Did you just speak?

‘Am I hallucinating?’

It sounded like a young girl’s voice.

Having had an exhausting day, I wouldn’t be surprised if I was hearing nonsense even in my dreams.

‘Guess I should clean my ears.’

Just as I raised my pinky to dig in my ear, Hayang seemed displeased.

[That’s disgusting!]

I hadn’t misheard.

“How can you talk?”

[I’ve always been able to. You just didn’t understand.]

Hayang fluffed her fur as if belittling me.

Fluff and shrink.

Hayang then spoke in an indecipherable language.

[Interesting?]

Interesting?

A talking Hayang was certainly surprising.

[No, I meant is it fun living here?]

“Oh, if that’s the question.”

I could confidently nod in agreement.

“Of course, it’s fun…… wait a minute.”

It was a loaded question.

“Do you know something?”

[If it’s fun, that’s all that matters!]

With that, Hayang hopped away.

“Wait!”

I rushed after her, but the distance between us only grew.

She even took the escalator up to the second floor.

“Hayang! Come down!”

The second floor was a clothing section, which I had never been to due to the invisible barrier blocking me.

The mysterious barrier only affected me, not Hayang.

[If you’re happy, then that’s okay!]

I heard the sound of giggling.

At that moment, it felt like someone was lifting me up.

Upon closing and reopening my eyes,

“……What?”

I saw Louis and Evan sleeping.

I had woken up from a dream.