Chapter 283-2 Father’s Qualification
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”You’re right. I didn’t look into this myself. It’s just something my meddlesome little sister told me.”
”That brat? When did she even bother to investigate such a thing… Honestly, she didn’t inherit the will but somehow got good at this kind of stuff.”
Melgis threw a question at Golarf, who gave a dry smile thinking about the girl he picked up after Melgis.
”Marquis Rustorl is a noble who benefits the empire. He should’ve been off our kill list. Why did we have to take him out, even if it meant trapping him?”
”……”
Golarf didn’t answer. He just offered his neck silently. Melgis finally spoke the words he had swallowed before.
”Could it be… it was ‘for my sake’?”
”……That’s different.”
Golarf lifted his face slightly and started to talk.
”You were unstable back then. Mentally weak, barely holding yourself together. One wrong push, and you could’ve killed that man.”
”So you took him out before I got caught up in useless revenge?”
”I raised many children. Some inherited Grelego’s will, some didn’t. Even those who did were weak. But Melgis, you were a rare one. I believed you’d lead the empire right. So I had to remove anyone who might pull you off that path. Not for you — for the empire.”
”Sounds like something you’d say. But the act wasn’t like you.”
Golarf meant to prepare more before killing Marquis Rustorl. But when he heard Melgis was escorting Hern, he got anxious and had to act fast — before Melgis did something terrible, causing chaos.
”That hurts to hear… But why ask this now? You came to kill me. These questions don’t matter.”
”What do you think?”
Golarf looked troubled as Melgis threw the question back.
”That girl begged you, ‘Please don’t kill me,’ right? Man… she’s a pain. Never follows orders quietly. How about you? She talked a lot, huh?”
”Yeah, she kept saying what a good father you are — even though I never asked.”
”Haha, don’t worry about her. She seems emotional, but she’s logical. Even if you killed me, she wouldn’t get revenge.”
”Don’t think I’ll change my mind because of her words.”
”Then why──!?”
Before Golarf could finish, Melgis hugged him tightly.
”Me, Melgis?”
”When I was taken in, almost forgotten what warmth felt like, you did this for me. I’ve always wished for it.”
”Wished? For what…?”
”To return the love you gave me, just like I got it.”
Melgis hugged Golarf tighter.
”Not just as someone who inherited the will, but as your child. I wanted to give back your love with love.”
”I don’t want that──”
”I get it. You want me to fulfill my duty, not just be part of some family game… but isn’t that unfair?”
Melgis’s voice started clear but turned tearful.
”I heard from that girl. You raised her like you wouldn’t change, even though she didn’t try to inherit the will, right?”
”That’s… I’m not a monster who tosses kids away just because they don’t want the will. Once I take them in, I raise them — unless they become a threat to the empire. You should know that.”
”I didn’t know!! Back then, I hid my feelings just to get your love, to please you…!”
Even without trying, Golarf loved Melgis. But Melgis, taught by his stepsister’s existence, showed feelings he’d kept locked away.
”I wanted to hug you and be spoiled like her! I wanted to celebrate your birthday like her! I wanted to call you ‘Dad’ like her…!”
”Ugh──”
”That girl’s fine, but what about me? I inherited the will, I must kill you… Why did it get like this? I don’t get it, tell me!”
”Melgis…”
”I… can’t do it… I’m weak… I need you… like before, stay by my side, teach me…”
As Melgis cried clinging to him, Golarf was lost for words. Lewya, who’d been silent, spoke up.
”Golarf, maybe I can’t fully care for you, but there are people here who do. Your other children might feel for you like Melgis does. What about you?”
”…What do you mean?”
”Do other kids besides Tris matter to you? You must’ve loved your children, right?”
”……”
Golarf stared at sobbing Melgis in his arms.
”I poured love because it was for my own good.”
”If that’s true, why love the ones who didn’t inherit the will? You didn’t just do it for the empire, you loved them personally, didn’t you?”
”I don’t know… Thinking back, I’m not sure I truly loved other people’s kids. When Neil-kun told me, I realized maybe I loved them too much — as a stand-in for Tris, whom I couldn’t love.”
Golarf felt shame, thinking his love was just a poor replacement for his own child — but…
”What’s wrong with that?”
Huh? Other kids like Tris? They’re orphans who never got love, but loved you instead. You’re both each other’s substitutes.
But, no buts. You said blood ties don’t matter, so don’t deny that now.
Golarf, defeated by Lewya and himself, looked back to Melgis crying on his chest, then cracked a joke with a tired smile.
──I wonder where they give out the ‘parent’ title.
──I haven’t had kids yet, so I don’t get it from that side. But from the kid’s view──
Golarf made the joke to Lewya, who smiled back.
”Maybe it’s when a kid calls you ‘dad’?”
”…I see.”
Golarf nodded, then looked at Melgis still crying.
”Sorry, Melgis. I made you endure so much.”
”Uu… ah──”
Melgis swallowed her words. Could she live under Grelego’s will, just a shadow? Could she find normal happiness now? If she threw away the will, wouldn’t she disappoint Golarf? Sensing this, Golarf hugged her gently.
”I wanted you to inherit the will. I taught you to give up your own desires and live as a shadow for the empire. As a parent, I failed… No, I wasn’t a parent because I never wanted my child’s happiness.”
”That’s wrong, I──”
”No. I was wrong. I raised children for my ideals, using their lives for my goals. But I couldn’t love my own children. So I dumped love on them irresponsibly, to soothe myself. I was never truly their parent, not once.”
Melgis’s despair drained away from those words. As she weakened, Golarf hugged her tighter.
”So maybe you’ll think it’s too late. Maybe you’ll hate me for denying everything I taught you. But still, can you give me one more chance?”
”…?”
Golarf loosened his hold and met Melgis’s trembling eyes — fear, doubt, and a flicker of hope.
If he said this, everything might fall apart — Melgis, the kids following him, everything they built.
But Golarf wouldn’t stop now.
”If you still feel you can… please call me ‘father’.”
”Y…! ‘Dad’!!”
Overwhelmed, Melgis buried her face in Golarf’s chest again. Golarf held her strong.
Tears fell, but now they were different — filled with something new.
The stepfather and child, torn by misunderstanding, finally faced each other’s true feelings.
Lewya watched quietly, then slipped away.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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