82

Before the hero appeared in the Empire.

This story is about a child who abandoned the feeling of love.

The bright red sunset was warmly shining down on the fields.

The rice, ripened to a yellowish hue, bent their heads as if urging to be harvested soon.

I worked with my father, wandering through the lush paddy fields, harvesting the rice, and then we returned home.

"Good job, honey. You worked hard too."

A mature and beautiful woman embraced me warmly.

Then, a handsome man with brown hair and golden eyes looked at her and spoke.

"Honey, I think our Ana is a genius. The way she swings the sickle is amazing. She cuts the rice better than I do."

"Heh, you're saying that again. Are you trying to make our daughter a swordsman or something?"

"Haha, if Ana wants to, I think it would be fine."

"Absolutely not."

The woman said firmly, and the man shrugged his shoulders before sitting down at the table.

We three then had a simple yet warm dinner together.

For some reason, my father, who seemed unusually happy that day, began to drink with my mother.

Under the influence of alcohol, my father started expressing the regrets he had built up over the years.

He said that when he was young, he had a talent for magic.

But because there wasn't enough time or resources for proper training, he missed the crucial period for his magical abilities to grow.

Thus, he had to give up his dream of becoming a wizard.

He regretted not finding a way to earn money and learn magic, because if he had, our family might have been living more comfortably than we are now.

My mother comforted him, saying that she was already happy enough with what they had.

I, too, didn't want to see my father sad, so I smiled and told him that I was happy, even now.

At that, my gentle-hearted father began to tear up.

Yes.

He was happy.

Though he couldn't say he was rich, he had the ability to make a living.

And he had parents who loved him—beautiful and noble people.

Though we didn't live a life that others would envy, he could proudly say that he was happy.

And he believed that this happiness would last forever.

Years later, one day.

Until the day my father began to have an affair.

Crack—

My mother screamed.

She was beating my father, her eyes filled with tears of blood, while my father, like a sinner, bowed his head and silently accepted the blows.

My father kept saying how sorry he was. But still, his intentions remained unchanged.

He said he was going to leave us.

Though my father had always been handsome, one day, he caught the eye of a noblewoman from a marquis family.

This noblewoman offered him money in exchange for him coming to live in her mansion.

At first, he refused, but my father, who had always been hungry for success and wealth, began to slowly change his mind.

Eventually, with the condition that he would give us a substantial amount of money, my father decided to go to the noblewoman from the Count family.

My mother, who had not stopped hitting him, eventually collapsed from exhaustion and began sobbing on the floor.

Then, with a face full of guilt, my father spoke to me.

"…I'm sorry, Ana, for being such a bad father. But one day, you'll understand."

As my father grabbed my hand, I almost cried without realizing it.

But I forced myself to swallow the tears and looked at him with a completely expressionless face.

"If I had this money, I could stop farming like Ana and start doing what I want. I hope I never have to give up on my dreams because of money, like Dad did."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"….."

"In the end, you're just abandoning us for your own satisfaction."

"Well… take care, Ana."

As he turned and started walking out of the house, my body trembled slightly.

I wanted to stop him and tell him not to go.

If he really loved Mom and me, I wanted to beg him to stay here.

But maybe it was because of my pride.

Or maybe it was because I didn't have the courage to hold him back.

I let him go without even holding onto the collar of his clothes.

And so, he left us.

Though slow, time continued to pass.

In the end, was time really the cure?

Mom, who had been crying for a long while, soon regained her strength and smiled at herself.

She said that now, she was all she had.

She would somehow raise me well and take revenge on that son who had left her.

Although Dad had left, there was still something other than misfortune.

There was still Mom, who loved me.

With the large sum of money inherited from the Marquis family, the two of us were able to buy a small house in the Empire.

We began living a somewhat comfortable life there.

Mom, who had always worried about my future, wondered if I might have magical talent like Dad, so we walked together to the Magic Tower.

Was it fortunate or unfortunate that I had inherited that man's blood?

I had magical talent.

Not just any talent.

But the talent of an Archmage.

From then on, my life completely changed.

With a rare talent that might only appear once in a thousand years, both the Emperor and the greatest sages became deeply interested in me.

With their support, I made tremendous progress.

Eventually, at the young age of 12, I became a genius who reached the 6th Circle, becoming a famous figure in the Empire.

And that was not the end.

By chance, during a practice battle with a swordsman, I discovered that I also had talent with a sword.

From then on, I began training in swordsmanship as well.

At 14, I reached the expert level in swordsmanship.

I became known as the Empire's prodigy.

Everyone looked up to me.

They always showed me kind consideration, filled with goodwill, and never held back their praise.

But to me, those gazes were nothing but a burden.

All the expectations people placed on me only made the weight on my shoulders heavier.

I just wanted to go home quickly.

I hurried back to find my mother.

"Ana! Welcome. It must have been hard, huh?"

My mother greeted me with a warm smile.

Her expression was much brighter than before.

As I received various supports from the Empire, naturally, my mother's life also became more prosperous.

Since then, when I wasn't home, Mom would wear the clothes she always wanted or buy things she had wished for, spending her alone time.

I always felt guilty for leaving my mother alone at home while I focused on my training or missions. But I felt relieved when it seemed like she had found a hobby of her own.

That day, I had a warm meal prepared by her and engaged in a conversation with her.

My mother had a face full of anticipation.

When I listened to her, she mentioned that she would be meeting some noblewomen from the Empire tomorrow. She said she would be happy to meet good people.

Was she lonely after all?

I felt a pang of sympathy, but I smiled at her without showing it and told her that she would definitely make good friends.

After finishing the warm meal, I wished that my mother could meet good people.

But perhaps my wish didn't come true.

The next day.

My mother's expression was very dark.

I asked her what had happened, but she shook her head and said it was nothing.

But her eyes, shaking with anger, and her trembling body were saying otherwise.

Was there a problem at the meeting with the noblewomen?

I secretly asked the Imperial Palace to look into it.

I was told that there had been no problems at the tea party they attended.

However, when I saw the list of attendees, I was able to find the reason.

The noblewoman from the Marquis family who had taken away the man who had once been my mother's.

Her name, which was still vivid in my memory, was on the list.

The reason my mother was so angry was surely because of that woman.

I returned home to comfort her.

But for some reason, she wasn't home.

According to the neighbors, she had gone to a high-end clothing store.

Eventually, as I waited for my mother at home, she came in, carrying clothes and jewelry in her hands.

I looked at her with a puzzled expression and asked what kind of clothes they were.

She said she was meeting someone tomorrow and had to make a good impression, so she had spent money she didn't have.

It wasn't hard to guess who that person was.

It must have been the woman who had taken away the man who had once been my mother's love.

My mother apologized, saying she was sorry for spending money so recklessly.

I shook my head at her and said it was okay.

I didn't want my mother to feel overshadowed by that woman.

I wanted to show her that she was living a happier life than anyone else.

I hoped that she could stand tall in front of that woman.

I told my mother not to worry about me and to spend as much as she liked.

She thanked me with tears in her eyes.

I smiled at her.

Another day passed.

When I returned from my training, my mother greeted me with a happy expression.

Did I successfully hit that woman where it hurts?

I felt relieved, thinking, 'Thank goodness.'

Since then, my mother developed a new hobby.

She began buying rare gemstones and luxurious clothes.

There was a bit of excessive spending, but I didn't interfere, hoping that it would make her happy.

Then, one day, the Emperor called for me.

"Why don't you try to achieve something as well?"

"…."

I listened carefully to his words.

He proposed that I go to the frontlines where a battle with the demon race was taking place and deal with them.

He said that if I succeeded, I would be given a noble title and land.

Had I been someone with an ambition for power, I would have accepted without hesitation.

But I refused outright.

If I were to go to the frontlines and fight, it would take at least a month.

I wasn't worried about fighting demons for a month, but…

I couldn't bear the thought of being away from my mother for that long.

Recently, I had been leaving her alone more often.

If I were away for a month, she would definitely be sad.

And I, too, didn't want to be apart from her for such a long time.

So, I rejected the Emperor's offer.

However, my mother thought differently.

"I wish you would go, Ana."