IDVM 41

Chapter 41

The two of them headed straight home.

Vivian asked her dad to put her down, worried that his arms might hurt, but Dias carried her the whole way, even after they had left the forest—until they finally reached home.

Vivian had so much she wanted to tell her father, about the spirit and everything else, but she quietly let herself be held in his arms.

Both the child, who had gone through a frightening ordeal, and the father, who had nearly lost his daughter, needed time to sort through their emotions.

When Dias finally set her down at home, the dark spirit that had been clinging to Vivian’s hair floated down into her palm.

Sensing her father’s gaze on the spirit, Vivian finally began to speak.

“Daddy, this is a dark spirit. It turns out it was the one calling me all this time. I gave it the name Kkamang.”

At the mention of its name, Kkamang shivered, almost as if it understood the introduction.

“But it’s not bad! When I was trapped in the cave, it showed up and helped me. It even saved Rahel.”

Vivian hurriedly added this part, worried that Dias might dislike the dark spirit.

After all, it was her father who had taught her not to be swayed by prejudice—but that lesson had been about demons, so she couldn’t help but worry a little.

However—

“That’s a relief. I’m glad my daughter has found such a reliable friend.”

To her surprise, Dias readily accepted the spirit’s presence, without the slightest hesitation.

In fact, he almost seemed unsurprised, as though he had already guessed.

Watching her father’s reaction, Vivian carefully asked the question she had really been holding in.

“Daddy… they say dark spirits only respond to someone who carries demon blood.”

“……”

“Does that mean… was Mom a demon?”

Demon blood usually thins out after three generations.

For Vivian to have been chosen by a dark spirit, it meant that one of her parents or grandparents must have been a demon.

At first, when she met the dark spirit, the confusion of the situation made her brush off the thought.

But now that everything was settled, the scattered pieces in her head had fallen into place.

Her father had cut ties with his family when he married her mother.

And then—

“Back then, I believed only the history I’d been taught, and I thought badly of that person. And then… I regretted it.”

She remembered the faraway longing in his eyes whenever he spoke about demons.

Startled by her sharp deduction, Dias’s eyes widened. Soon after, his expression twisted into a sad, bitter smile.

He lowered himself to meet her gaze.

Vivian did not look away.

Her eyes were steady, as if to say she could accept whatever truth came from his lips.

Even so, he hesitated, his lips parting and closing before he finally managed to speak.

“Vivian, I’m… afraid.”

“Of what?”

“That your mother’s existence might only bring you sorrow.”

His confession came out in a sigh, half a laugh and half a sob. He couldn’t bear the thought of seeing his child wounded by the truth. His head dropped.

But when he finally looked back up, the eyes he met were not filled with hurt.

“Mom… I don’t remember much, since I was so little. But… she was still kind, and precious to me.”

Vivian couldn’t recall her mother’s face clearly anymore. But the feeling—the certainty that someone had once loved her very deeply—still remained.

So even if her mother had been a demon, nothing about that changed.

The fact that she had cherished and loved Vivian wouldn’t change.

Vivian smiled as if to reassure him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I’m okay, Daddy.”

It was almost as if she were the one comforting him.

Dias blinked in astonishment. Then he held tightly onto the small warmth that had grown enough to comfort him, and silently vowed:

Vivian, you must never know.

Not your mother’s true identity. Not who took her life.

The painful truths about revenge and loss—he would carry those burdens alone.

“Mm…”

I woke up to the tickling warmth of morning sunlight on my eyelids.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Dad’s face, still deep in sleep.

Normally, he’d already be up, preparing breakfast or opening the bakery.

Well, considering that someone who can’t even fight spent all yesterday wandering through the forest… of course he’d be exhausted.

I was usually an independent nine-year-old who slept in her own bed. But last night, I’d clung to Dad a little more than usual.

Not because I was scared of sleeping alone—of course not! But because Dad had seemed really shaken.

Hmm, maybe today I should prepare breakfast instead of him!

Carefully, so as not to wake him, I slipped out of bed.

After breakfast, I’ll go check on the villa.

Dad said he had just collapsed from overexertion, but I was still worried.

Honestly, I wanted to go straight there right now, but then Dad might panic if he woke up and I wasn’t home.

So for now, I decided to make breakfast.

As I was heading toward the door, something very light suddenly plopped down onto my head.

Looking into the window’s reflection, I saw Kkamang perched there.

And at once, memories of last night rushed back, making it feel real—I really had become a spirit user.

I held out my palm, and Kkamang hopped down obediently.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

In reply, Kkamang’s little body trembled with a shiver.

Maybe it had realized that in its true form, it was too hard to stay by my side. Since the fight against the bad men last night, it had stayed small.

It’s so kind and clever. If I’d let other people’s prejudice make me reject Kkamang, I’d have regretted it forever.

Pleased with my choice, I tiptoed out of the room with Kkamang.

Downstairs, I tied on my special apron and began cooking.

The simplest thing was a sandwich.

I tore up lettuce and cheese, fried some bacon and eggs, and piled them on.

All that’s left is to spread jam on the bread, and done!

Meanwhile, Kkamang had been hopping between my head, shoulder, and the table, quietly watching me cook.

At last, I set the top slices of bread on and finished two sandwiches.

“All done!”

Kkamang quivered again, almost like it wanted to clap its hands.

Ah—!

I realized I hadn’t thought about Kkamang’s share.

But… what do spirits eat?

I didn’t know much about them yet.

So I pulled out the best topping—bacon—and held it out.

“Want this?”

Kkamang studied it for a moment, then grew to the size of the bacon itself and swallowed it whole.

Next, it gulped down the cheese and lettuce too.

“Huh. An omnivore, maybe…”

I made a mental note to look it up in a book at the villa later.

Just then—

“Ah!”

Before I knew it, Dad had scooped me up and was smothering my cheeks with kisses.

“Oh, my sweet girl. You even cooked breakfast for Daddy. You’ve grown so much, so fast.”

“Ugh, your stubble’s prickly!”

Kkamang trembled again as it watched me squirm in discomfort—almost like it was enjoying the show.

Dad held me like that for a long time, only letting me go after I pounded his back, gasping that I couldn’t breathe.

I knew he was playing around even more than usual, so I wouldn’t dwell on yesterday’s events or on Mom’s identity. I decided to pretend not to notice.

Because that was what Dad wanted.

“Well then, let’s see how this royal sandwich, bestowed by our princess herself, tastes.”

I waited until he took his first bite before I spoke up.

“Daddy, I have a favor to ask.”

At the exact same moment, he set the sandwich back down.

“I won’t take bribes until I hear it first.”