00701 Thank you. And I’m sorry.
When I opened my eyes, the ceiling above me was a dull, coffin-like gray, blurred at the edges. Bright morning sunlight slanted through the window, casting a soft glow across the room.
I took a breath, inhaling the crisp, cool air. My foggy head cleared instantly, though I still felt as if I were dreaming. Waiting for the dizziness to subside, I glanced around and recognized the familiar layout of the room. Then, the cozy, soft sensation against my skin registered.
Only then did it hit me: I was in my office. Come to think of it, I had meant to wait for Mar, but I must have just fallen asleep. I remembered lying down for a short rest, but apparently, I’d slipped into a deep sleep. I must have been more exhausted than I realized.
My eyes flicked toward the desk, where neatly stacked documents sat alongside a few crushed cigarette butts.
“…”
My forehead still throbbed. I shook my head and was about to sit up when my hand slipped beneath the blanket.
“Huh?”
Just as I pulled the covers away to get up, my hand brushed against something soft. Small, warm, gentle, and squishy. Something was wriggling beneath the blanket.
At first, I didn’t think much of it. The feeling was so pleasant that I absentmindedly poked and prodded it.
“Eee…”
But then, I froze.
My mouth opened reflexively, but it had been tightly shut since I woke. Curious, I gently lifted the blanket—and there, curled up against my chest, was something breathing softly.
“Se… Se…”
I stared blankly down at it.
Hair like shimmering silver, reflecting the morning light. Tiny, pointed ears poking through the strands. Skin as soft and pale as a baby’s. A small, slender body shaped with delicate curves—this little being looked about the size of a second grader. And then, thirteen pairs of wings wrapped around its back, enveloping its whole form.
That’s when it hit me.
“Chu…”
The girl curled tighter, burying her head deeper into my chest. It was as if she was silently demanding I give the blanket back, but I couldn’t bring myself to cover her again. Instead, almost hypnotized, I reached out and gently stroked her shining hair. Instantly, her drooping ears perked up.
As I continued to caress her, the ears twitched happily. If I pulled my hand away, they drooped again, but a few more strokes and they fluttered wildly. So adorable.
“Mm… uh-huh…”
The little girl squirmed and babbled softly, then slowly lifted her head. Her eyes remained tightly shut, still heavy with sleep, but the muscles around them twitched. Then, suddenly, she opened her eyes—those sparkling, delicate silver irises, glowing with a sacred light, fixed on me with a dizzying intensity.
A brief silence settled between us.
“Marni?”
Already almost certain, I broke the quiet gently.
“…Daddy.”
The girl—no, Mar—didn’t disappoint. I smiled warmly.
“When did you get here?”
“Today… at dawn…”
Her voice was still thick with sleep as she struggled to sit up. I lifted her carefully into my arms, and she smiled with pure innocence, wiggling her slender limbs as if asking to be held.
Blinking sleepily, Mar stared at me with wide eyes, then grinned and leaned in close.
Peck.
“…Huh?”
Suddenly, I felt a soft touch on my cheek. When I came to my senses, I saw her lips, like a delicate flower bud, gently parting. It was a perfect, unexpected kiss.
“Mar. You scared me.”
Feeling a little shy, I lifted her up into the air while still lying down.
“Daddy.”
Still giggling, she clung to me, begging for more cuddles. Her laughter made me smile without thinking.
Then—
“Frrrrr…?”
“Beep?”
Suddenly, the blanket at my feet began to ripple and rise like waves. A silver horn flashed into view, followed by a bright yellow snout poking out from beneath the covers. Two pairs of eyes, full of curiosity, looked up at Mar and me. Meeting their gaze, I felt a surge of joy.
A unicorn, more mature and majestic than before, and a young pegasus, still a child.
“So you were here too. Ha ha ha.”
The unicorn opened its mouth wide and let out a soft whinny. The baby pegasus snorted dismissively, turning its head away. That one’s as proud as ever. I brushed the hair out of my eyes and lowered Mar back into my arms. The fresh, childlike scent filled my nostrils. I gently smoothed her glossy hair.
“Daddy… ah…”
Suddenly, a shiver ran through my chest. Looking down, I noticed a subtle change in Mar’s expression. The innocent brightness had dimmed; her eyes and mouth twitched faintly, twisting into something I couldn’t quite read—neither smile nor frown.
“Ah… ah…”
Then, her face shifted fully to one side.
“Da, Daddy… Daddy…”
Her eyes began to falter.
“Lo, look…”
Her lips trembled.
She seemed to be trying to hold back, but in the end, she couldn’t.
“I missed you…”
Her voice cracked pitifully, and tears began to fall from her closed eyes. Before long, her sobs broke through the quiet.
“Waaah… waaah…”
“I’m sorry. You must have worried so much.”
I whispered softly, patting her small back.
Mar’s crying continued for a long while.
After waking and reuniting that morning,
I washed up lightly with Mar and the two elders, then headed down to the dining hall. I couldn’t afford to stay away long, so I planned to eat breakfast and then return to Atlanta immediately. That was the plan from the start.
Most of the clan members were waiting for me in the dining hall. After exchanging brief greetings, I spoke with Jo Seung-woo about the city restoration support we hadn’t finished discussing yesterday. Since Jung Ha-yeon had already relayed the message well, there wasn’t much to say. We just needed to keep gathering materials and residents, and prepare to wrap up everything in the northern continent within three months before moving on.
As we talked, a delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen. Sang-nam hyung brought out a large platter piled high with meat, its surface golden brown and slathered in a rich, red sauce. It looked incredibly appetizing—a proper feast after so long.
Of course, Go Yeon-ju and Im Han-na’s cooking was excellent, but eating stew every day can get tiring. I grabbed a fork and dug in immediately.
“Is Mar acting spoiled because Daddy’s here today?”
Just as I was enjoying my meal, Sang-nam hyung smiled kindly and asked. Mar, sitting on my lap and busily wielding her fork, suddenly widened her eyes, unsure how to respond.
“N-no…”
She muttered in a voice barely louder than a mosquito’s and lowered her head.
“Clan Lord, Mar is very kind and mature. Even when we worried, she smiled and prayed every day for your safe return. That was true until yesterday, but now that you’re here, she’s finally acting like a child.”
Sang-nam hyung chuckled warmly. I smiled lightly and cut the meat into small pieces, feeding some to Mar. She blushed faintly but ate obediently, chewing quietly. The sight brought a ripple of laughter through the dining hall. The heavy atmosphere from yesterday was slowly lifting.
Then, my thoughts drifted to someone still absent.
“What about Han-byul…?”
“She came by earlier but said she wouldn’t eat.”
I looked around and asked. No-no nuna’s sharp voice answered, her face full of worry.
“She’s been standing in front of the old man’s grave all morning… I hope she’s okay… sigh.”
“Wasn’t their relationship almost like master and disciple? The shock must be huge. So, Clan Lord, maybe you should…”
Jo Seung-woo’s voice trailed off, sharing the concern in No-no nuna’s sigh. I tapped the table twice with my fork and spoke quietly.
“That’s probably best. But for now, I want to let her cry.”
“Still…”
“She’s capable of taking care of herself. Too much worry might do more harm than good.”
“……”
With that, I ended the conversation and resumed eating, lost in my thoughts.
Kim Hanbyul, who never once shed a tear even in hell, cried like never before yesterday. She wept and sobbed for hours on end, so intensely that I almost wondered if her parents had truly passed away. If she hadn’t fainted midway, she might have kept crying like that indefinitely, her tears flowing with a heartbreaking sorrow.
No doubt, as Jo Seungwoo said, the shock must be immense. Within the clan, the only person she leaned on besides me was the old man, especially when the others rejected her.
But I believe in Kim Hanbyul. If it had been anyone else, they might have coddled her by now, but Hanbyul is the type who clearly separates business from personal feelings. So it’s okay for her to grieve as much as she needs right now. What really matters is whether she can overcome this and return to her daily life. Judging by how she’s been so far, I’m confident she will.
Some time passed.
After breakfast, I said my goodbyes in advance. Mar tried to keep a composed front but couldn’t hide her regret. When I promised to keep in touch often, she nodded firmly. Unicorn, now fully grown and mature, gave a slight bow, and the baby Pegasus playfully nipped at my ankle.
I told them not to see me off. Jo Seungwoo strongly objected at first, but when I said I’d just talk quietly with Kim Hanbyul and leave, he quickly relented.
After finishing the farewells in the dining hall, I walked out to the garden. Just as I’d heard during the meal, Kim Hanbyul stood silently in front of the graves. Even after crying her heart out yesterday, tears still streamed from her vacant eyes.
She barely reacted when I approached. I wasn’t about to offer any clumsy comfort anyway, so I quietly pulled out some incense sticks from my pocket.
“Let’s see… the right one was Shin Sangyong’s. Then the left must be the old man’s grave.”
I lit two of the three incense sticks and placed one at each grave. It wasn’t a ritual with any special meaning—just my own way of mourning.
Standing beside Kim Hanbyul after placing the incense, I heard her mutter softly, “Grandpa never burned incense…”
I smiled without saying a word, then lit the last stick and held it between my lips.
“If you want to stay, it’s okay. I can give you all the time you need to pull yourself together.”
I exhaled the smoke and spoke.
“…I’ve felt this before.”
Kim Hanbyul finally broke the silence, her voice hoarse and strained.
“You’re so composed, like emotions don’t even exist for you.”
“I’ve been through a lot. I’m just used to it.”
I answered calmly. I felt her obvious gaze on me but didn’t turn around.
After the incense burned down completely and I brushed off the ashes, I bowed respectfully as a final farewell.
“What did the record say…?”
Kim Hanbyul asked again, her voice cautious. I considered showing her the record I kept but decided to just speak.
“It said, ‘Thank you and I’m sorry. May you achieve your goals in the Whole Plain.’”
“……”
“And to you, don’t be insensitive—treat her well. How about you?”
“And me…?”
When I asked back, she looked a little surprised and hesitant.
After a long pause, she finally spoke.
“Thank you and I’m sorry.”
Same as before.
She continued.
“I hope the knowledge about the jewels I shared was helpful…”
“……”
“Opportunities don’t come just by waiting.”
“Hmm. It’s a cliché, but good advice. …Though I think the last part might be wrong.”
A puzzled expression crossed Kim Hanbyul’s face. I shrugged.
“You didn’t just wait, did you? So back then…”
I deliberately trailed off.
“You still haven’t answered me…”
For a brief moment, her face went blank, but then she wiped her face with the back of her hand and muttered softly, letting out a deep sigh.
I watched her quietly for a moment before speaking gently.
“Anyway, it’s okay to rest or to follow me. The choice is yours.”
With that, I turned and headed toward the main gate.
A moment later.
“…I’m coming with you, oppa.”
I sensed her footsteps behind me.
“You’re so clueless. At least reach out your hand at a time like this…”
She grumbled just loud enough for me to hear. I slowed my pace and reached out my hand. Soon, a cold but gentle touch slipped into mine.
Hand in hand, we walked on together.
Toward Atlanta.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Yes, that wraps up this part of the story. You can think of it as the conclusion of one episode. We’ve focused on the city’s development here, and now it’s time to build on the foreshadowing we’ve laid out and start a new arc.
Also… thank you for mourning the death of Imanseong yesterday. I’m not sure if it’s right to be thankful for a character’s death, but since I created him, I just felt grateful. Haha.
I’ll be back tomorrow with a new story.
Wishing all my readers a peaceful night. (__)