The Baby Isn’t Yours

‘The children disappeared into the fairy forest? Could it be the work of the guards who went looking for those children?’

He lost four dogs, but it wasn’t a significant loss. After all, those creatures with weak magic stones were unpredictable and could die at any moment.

However, if they wanted to avoid problems later, they needed to retrieve them…

“Luin.”

Buford, who had been deep in thought, called out to his subordinate.

A man who had been concealed in the darkness and hidden his presence emerged.

“I’m feeling bored. How about taking a walk?”

“…To the fairy forest, you mean?”

“Yes, let’s see how Lirik’s new offspring is doing.”

As he casually spoke, Buford got up, extending his palm.

A black tattoo covered his right arm.

With a small knife, he lightly cut his palm, and something sluggish started to emerge from the wound, where pale blood oozed.

Buford watched as it took shape, almost absentmindedly giving an order.

“You tell Damon to protect these children. If they make any fuss, tell them you’ll cut off their hands and eat them.”

Grinning cruelly, he glanced at the tiny spirits who shivered in horror.

He gazed at them mockingly, taunting their fear.

Suddenly, a being had emerged from the wound in his palm and looked at Buford with empty eyes.

With the man in black robes trailing him, Buford went down to the city where the festival was in full swing.

* * *

-Come with me.-

Gaia continued to cling to Kalia, pulling her forcefully.

-Come with me, please. We must go together.-

Without speaking, her will was fully conveyed to Kalia.

Kalia looked at Gaia, who was both her father and the king of fairies, with eyes so deep it was impossible to fathom.

“Gaia.”

Her father called her with a melancholic voice.

Gaia looked back at her father at the sound of her name. Her hesitant lips shook as she pleaded with him..

-I have to protect her. The baby, soon. That’s why, we need, to be, together!-

“Why are you so obsessed with this child?”

Gaia seemed confused by the king’s question. Her expression revealed everything.

She also didn’t know why. She shook her head and begged earnestly, holding onto Kalia’s hand tightly.

-I can just tell. You’ll need me. The baby, when you give birth, you’ll need me.-

Kalia was also confused.

Why would this fairy be needed when giving birth to a child?

Feeling as if her head was stuffed with fog, Kalia’s frustration was almost tangible.

“If you leave this forest, it will be dangerous to you. You know that, don’t you?”

-But…-

The father gently stroked his daughter’s head.

This human woman seemed to be the source of his daughter’s confusion.

Was it because she was pregnant with his child?

But his daughter seemed to cling to the girl herself.

His daughter wanted to follow this girl, even though she knew the danger. As a father who had once lost his daughter, he couldn’t allow it.

-…But.-

Seeing her daughter weep like that, the king agonized for a moment and then took out a bracelet he had brought as a gift, intended for his daughter, and held it toward Kalia.

“This is an ancient amulet with the spirit of the ancient spirit Amuntia.”

Kalia looked at him, puzzled by why he was giving her this item.

“Take it. With the fairy seal on this amulet, you can summon the fairy you desire, even without a fairy contract.”

Of course, the power of the ancient spirit was even more potent, but the king didn’t need to say that.

“According to Gaia’s words, the moment you need this child, you can summon us, even without the contract. I’m not giving it to you, so there’s no need to be surprised. When you’re done with it, I’ll take it back.”

Kalia wondered whether to thank the Fairy King for giving it to her.

Should she be thankful to him for giving her this item, even if it wasn’t really a gift? She hadn’t even asked for it…

Holding the amulet in her rough, scarred hand, she hesitated for a moment, wondering what to say.

With an affectionate gaze, the king watched her, and then he chuckled.

“Your expression is honest.”

“But why did you say ‘us’?”

“Just as you cannot trust us, I cannot blindly trust you either.”

‘Well… That’s true.’

Kalia reluctantly agreed and accepted the Amuntia bracelet, watching as it was gently clasped onto her wrist.

The beautiful, iridescent bracelet was a stark contrast to her scarred and rugged hand.

Looking at Kalia with regret in her eyes, Gaia took her hand and whispered her name in the language of the fairies.

The bracelet emitted a faint light as if absorbing the power from the exchange.

-Gaia. Gaia.-

Gaia repeated her name to Kalia several times.

Kalia looked at the fairy with a complicated expression and nodded, finally accepting.

-Say it. My Name.-

“Gaia.”

Gaia smiled brightly, as if she was satisfied.

The king, who had been watching the scene with strange eyes, suddenly raised his head. With deep-set eyes, he mumbled:

“Intruders. Those who enter the night fairy forest without fear…”

Kalia, who had heard his words, also turned her gaze in the direction he was looking.

Who would dare enter the fairy forest at this hour without any fear?

“Gaia, you will guide these children outside with Riella. Stay inside the forest until Maya calls for you, and don’t come out. Understand?”

Gaia nodded vigorously and took Kalia’s hand, following behind Riella.

Unconsciously, Kalia turned her head briefly to glance at the remaining Fairy King.

Their eyes met as they brushed past each other.

It couldn’t be true, but for some reason, the king seemed to smile affectionately at her.

‘It must be an illusion, right?’

* * *

When they reached the edge of the forest, Gaia embraced Kalia tightly.

-Gaia. Please be sure to call me.-

Even though her arms were void of warmth, her embrace felt warm.

Kalia replied that she understood. She waved to the young fairy who stood there with her hand out, eagerly wanting to be called.

The children had been sleeping all this time, and they had not yet awakened.

Occasionally, they stirred, murmuring for their mothers, but they seemed physically and mentally unharmed.

Kalia noticed Mrs. McCanna, who had been waiting at the forest’s edge for the children.

She had concealed herself behind the nearby shadows and woke the children up.

“Hey, kids, wake up.”

“Um… uhh.”

Seizing the gentle wake-up, Sage was the first to open her eyes. Her partially closed eyes gradually widened as she looked around.

“Eek! Mon-monster!”

Sage was startled, trembling, and Kalia, who was embracing her, tried to soothe her.

“Shh, it’s all right now.”

“Definitely in the forest. How did we get outside? What about John?”

“John is with us.”

“How? How?”

Surprised and puzzled, Sage asked, while Kalia smiled and stroked the child’s cheek.

“I’m not entirely sure, but it seems like a kind fairy helped send you outside. Fortunately, you’re safe now. Come on, your mom is probably looking for you over there… Shall we go?”

“Ah. Yes, yes!”

Sage, her face still bewildered but relieved, quickly shook her friend’s shoulder, who had been sleeping soundly, to wake her up.

“John! Wake up, look!”

The sleepy child with disheveled hair raised his head at the sound.

Sage grabbed her friend’s hand, helped her to her feet, and said enthusiastically:

“We’re outside. Let’s go to Mom. Quick!”

“Uuh… outside? We, we were in the land of toys…”

“Stop the nonsense and let’s go! To Mom!”

Even in his dazed state, the child mumbled like he was still in a dream. In response, Sage urgently tugged her friend towards the group of adults nearby.

“Mommy-!”

At the loud cry of the child, Mrs. McCanna, who had been anxiously waiting at the forest’s edge, suddenly turned her head.

Her eyes widened in shock, and she called her daughter’s name in a voice full of tears.

“Oh my God! Sage!”

“Mom!”

Checking to make sure her child was unharmed, Mrs. McCanna held her tight, her hands trembling.

She hugged her youngest daughter with all her strength without even checking to see if she was in pain.

Kalia, who had been observing this from the forest’s edge, turned quietly and walked back home.

But the place was already empty.

* * *

Kalia and Hemmie went straight home. Hemmie was carrying a dragon egg wrapped in clothes in her arms.

Standing in front of the door, Hemmie and Kalia exchanged a glance and took a deep breath.

It was already much later than the time they had promised Allen.

With their readiness for his stern lecture, they exchanged comforting pats on each other’s shoulders.

‘Let’s go inside.’

They opened the door with determination, and the moment they entered the living room, they locked eyes with Allen, who was anxiously pacing.

“Uh… We’re here.”

“We’re back, Allen.”

Oddly enough, Allen was armed to the teeth with weapons and even wore a tattered leather armor that looked like it was borrowed from the neighboring Charles when he was young.

But what was even more peculiar was the saucepan on his head, which he had put there because he couldn’t find a helmet.

He looked as if he was about to go out looking for the two in that mess of a getup right now.

“I’m sorry for being late.”

Upon hearing their late apology, Allen’s pupils trembled significantly.

His chest seemed to swell with every deep breath.

“…You two!”

His fierce gaze radiated as he approached them in no time.

Every step he took caused the armor and the saucepan on his head to wobble.

Laughably, his appearance was anything but composed, but Kalia couldn’t help but feel intimidated because his gaze was as fierce as ever.

‘Ugh, that’s right…!’

As Hemmie stifled a laugh and closed her eyes, Kalia quickly averted her gaze.

At that moment, as Allen rushed toward them with one more step to go, he embraced both of them at once.

“Seriously, you two such troublemakers…”

Allen’s chest, which had swelled greatly earlier, seemed to deflate along with a long sigh. It felt like a weight was being lifted off him.

Kalia and Hemmie didn’t hear any of the nagging they had been expecting. Instead, they just felt his powerful grip and his embrace.

His saucepan hat even tumbled to the ground at the last moment.

The pot clattered to the ground and, for some reason, Allen’s shoulders, which had been so stiff and tense, quivered with relief.

He muttered quietly with a voice that revealed his anxiety.

“I was going to go in there to find you, even though it was so dark.”