57

"It's a relief that you returned safely, my lord."

The knight standing guard at the front gate saluted Athena as he spoke.

For a moment, I felt as though he was glaring at me. Perhaps it's just another of my delusions, though.

Unable to muster the courage to meet his gaze, I kept my eyes on the ground as I entered the mansion.

Even if I could face others, I couldn't bring myself to look the Dawn Knights in the eye.

Naturally. I had nearly brought one of their members to the brink of death, and even forced him into retirement. There was no face left for me to show in front of them.

The deeper I went into the mansion, the more I felt suffocated by the growing number of eyes on me.

Countless maids and butlers had come out to greet us.

"Welcome home, Master. And the young lady as well."

Roselin greeted us with a warm smile.

"You must have had a hard time, my lord. And it's a relief that the young lady is safe too."

The head butler bowed deeply in greeting.

And then—

"Miss…"

Alina looked at me with trembling eyes.

Unable to return her greeting, I averted my gaze. Her wounds still haunted me.

Many people welcomed us back as well.

Or rather, they were welcoming Athena.

"Mom, are you okay…?"

Mari looked up at me with a worried expression, holding my hand.

She must have felt my trembling through our clasped hands.

Suppressing the negative emotions welling up inside, I forced a smile for Mari.

"Yes, I'm fine."

I'm fine.

Nothing is wrong with me.

After receiving greetings from countless maids and butlers,

I returned to my room, one I was painfully familiar with.

Though, there was one difference this time.

"Mom's room…?"

Instead of being alone, Mari was with me.

Mari, her eyes wide with wonder, looked around the room as if it were her nest, lighting up as she darted from one corner to another.

After exploring the room for a while, she finally leapt onto the large bed.

"Mom and Mari's bed!"

Hugging a pillow with a blissful smile, Mari was a sight that tugged at my heartstrings.

'You're… just too cute…'

Someone once said that cuteness is the only justice and truth in this world. In this moment, I felt the truth of those words.

Suppressing a smile, I approached the bed where Mari lay sprawled and sat beside her.

"Mari, won't Athena give you a separate room? You can sleep there."

"…..!"

This mansion had more than enough rooms. Surely there would be one just for a child.

Perhaps even one that suited Mari's tastes.

But instead of looking pleased, Mari stared at me with a shocked expression.

"I can't… sleep with Mom?"

"Huh?"

Her round, aquamarine eyes started to glisten with tears.

"Mari… alone… hic…"

"M-Mari?!"

As her sweet little face began to fill with tears, my mind went blank.

"Hic… Mom… if Mari is unwanted… she'll sleep alone… alone…"

Her forlorn sobs made me realize just how badly I had messed up.

I had forgotten.

Mari was still such a young child.

Athena may believe that dragons have no need for companionship, but any creature with emotions would surely feel loneliness, no matter who they are.

Mari's attachment to me must be proof of that.

No doubt, she looked at me this way because she also wanted affection.

Besides, Mari was still a hatchling who had barely been born.

It was a time when love was essential.

I hadn't considered how the idea of having separate rooms might have sounded to her, who saw me as a parent.

From her perspective, it must have sounded like I didn't want to sleep with her.

That's probably why she cried so sadly.

'You promised to take care of her, Hera.'

Yet, here I was, already making this young girl cry.

A wave of self-loathing washed over me.

I quickly took Mari into my arms, wiping her tears away with my fingers.

"No, Mari..! There's no way Mommy could dislike you.."

"…But… the room… separate…"

"That was just because I thought you might feel cramped. Of course, if you want, I'd love to sleep with you..!"

"I want to sleep with Mommy…"

Mari murmured shyly with her little mouth.

"Then… should we sleep together from now on?"

Hearing my words, her eyes grew wide, and then she beamed, wrapping her tiny arms around me.

"I love you, Mommy!!"

"Oh dear…!"

The sight of Mari nestled in my arms was so unbearably cute that it felt almost destructive.

Is this what they call a heart attack? At this rate, I might actually burst from sheer joy someday.

***

"So… you two are going to sleep together from now on?"

Athena looked at me with narrowed eyes.

Mari and I were resting from our journey and having a meal with Athena.

"Yes, I think it's better to sleep together since Mari is still so young."

I decided to share the same bed with Mari until she grew a bit more.

I wasn't sure if dragons would go through puberty, but at the very least, we'd sleep together until then.

"No."

"Huh?"

Both Mari and I let out dumbfounded noises at the same time.

"You're being overprotective, Hera. Dragons don't need that."

"But…"

"And if you spoil her too much, she'll develop bad habits."

Athena firmly voiced her disapproval.

I hadn't expected her to refuse, and I looked at Mari with a flustered expression.

Mari stared at Athena with eyes that had turned cold as ice.

Her blue eyes, usually as clear as the sea, now looked as if they had frozen over.

She kept looking at Athena for a long time, then met my eyes.

"Mari… wants to sleep with Mommy…"

The cold gaze on her face vanished, and she looked at me with an expression like a puppy caught in the rain.

Seeing her so lovable filled me with a surge of maternal instinct I didn't even know I had.

I smiled at her to reassure her.

Trust me, Mari.

Since I've taken on the responsibility of caring for this young life, I'll keep that promise to the end.

With a resolute look, I clenched my fists and faced Athena with determination.

"I… promised to take responsibility."

"What?"

Athena raised one eyebrow, looking at me with a curious expression, as if she hadn't anticipated my answer.

"Even if she's a dragon, Mari is still too young."

"Hmm."

"Even though I'm not her real mother… I still want to do whatever I can for her."

Seeing the faint displeasure on Athena's face made me feel a little self-conscious, but I took a deep breath and managed to continue speaking.

"So… please, let her sleep here."

Athena shot me a sharp look, as if she wasn't entirely pleased with my request. But then, as if something came to her mind, she pondered briefly before her face softened with a smile.

"Hera, do you think of Mari as your daughter?"

"Y-yes… I'm trying to."

"And that feeling, it'll never change?"

For a moment, I didn't fully understand Athena's question. Would changing my feelings mean no longer thinking of Mari as my daughter?

If that was what she meant, then I would never do that.

Parents who abandoned me. I refused to be someone as irresponsible as they were.

I gave Mari's head a gentle, affectionate pat.

"Yes. My feelings will never change."

"So, you'll always see her as your daughter?"

Athena looked at me for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright. Do as you wish, Hera."

"R-really?"

"Yes."

At her wholehearted approval, Mari and I both broke into bright smiles.

"Thank you, Athena…!"

"But there's one condition."

"Huh?"

With a slightly mischievous smile, Athena moved closer to me, leaning in to whisper just softly enough so Mari wouldn't hear.

"Every night, after you put Mari to bed, come to my room."

"W-what?"

Her voice, whispered so close it tickled, made her request sound almost… suggestive.

"Just an hour."

"Uh… what… what do you want to do…?"

Was there a reason she wanted me to come to her at such a late hour?

But Athena simply put a finger to my lips, shaking her head as if to keep it a secret.

"You'll find out tonight."

Though her words left me full of questions, I didn't see a reason to refuse, so I agreed.

"O-okay."

One hour wouldn't interfere too much with my sleep, after all. If I put Mari to bed early, it should be fine.

Seemingly delighted about sleeping with me, Mari buried her face into my belly and giggled brightly. Feeling a surge of fondness, I gently pinched her chubby cheeks.

"Mom…"

Her soft, round cheeks stretched like sticky rice cakes, but her cute smile remained bright on her face.

'…If it makes Mari this happy, one hour is nothing.'

Turning to thank Athena again, I noticed her expression looked… unusual.

"…A-Athena?"

"Yes?"

"A-are you okay? Your face looks a little…"

"It's okay, Hera. Let's finish our meal."

She said this as she picked up her utensils again.

But there was still a lingering chill on her face.

It was as if she was watching prey right in front of her, a hungry smile forming.

And for some reason, as she kept smacking her lips, a bit of tension crept up.

'It… it'll be fine, right?'