Chapter 102 – Kirika's Resolve

“That’s dangerous…”

A luxury carriage more opulent than any I’d ever seen sped past us, clipping right alongside.

“There are a bunch of old folks over here. A little consideration would be nice.”

But no way that’d get through to them.

After driving the wagon a bit longer, a man dressed like a coachman up ahead started waving his hands.

Looking around, there weren’t any other carriages nearby. What could it be?

“Everyone, I’m pulling the wagon over for a sec, but stay put and wait, okay?”

“Yeah, we’re good.” “No worries.”

I called back to the elders riding in the rear, then slowly approached the coachman and brought the wagon to a stop.

“Sorry about this. You’re Kirika, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me…”

The coachman let out a relieved breath and thrust a letter right in front of my eyes.

“What’s this?”

“It’s from Lady Lily. Well then.”

With that, the coachman bowed his head and hurried off.

“Lady Lily?”

I stared down at the letter in my hand, my heart pounding.

The time Lily had brushed my hand away like it was something filthy and I’d turned my back on her…

Maybe I shouldn’t have just left her there like that.

What the hell am I supposed to tell the uncles?

“Everyone, I got a letter, so hang tight while I read it through.”

“Yeah, read it as long as you like.” “Kirika can read? You’re one impressive kid.”

The elders said that much before turning their chat back to the Saintess, chuckling away happily.

This could be trouble. Better read it right here.

I ran my fingers over the smooth, high-end paper, then carefully broke the seal.

Inside was a sheet of glossy white noble-grade stationery, neatly folded.

I unfolded the letter, tension gripping me.

The handwriting was godawful messy.

No mistaking it—Lily’s penmanship.

——————–

To Kirika

I’m gonna put on a dress and become a princess from here on out.

So tell Dad and Mom not to come looking for me.

Our statuses are worlds apart now. Don’t go calling yourself my family anymore.

——————–

What the…?

The letter was way too short. I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

Become a princess?

Statuses different?

“Don’t look for me” means she’s heading off somewhere on her own accord.

“Don’t call yourself family” means cutting all ties?

It was just Lily’s one-sided demand—no mention of where she was going or anything.

I slapped a hand to my forehead without thinking, but my mind was too rattled for any thoughts to form.

“We’re heading out, so it’ll jostle again.”

“Gotcha.” “Yeah, thanks.”

With an empty pit in my chest, I got the wagon rolling slowly again.

Off on the roadside sat that luxury carriage that had passed us earlier.

As I glanced over absentmindedly, the coachman from before bowed his head low.

I stared blankly at the carriage interior.

Then from the window, I spotted Lily laughing merrily with some rich-looking guy.

I jerked my eyes away, faced forward, and just kept driving the wagon.

A little while later, the village entrance came into view.

“Lily… was with a man?”

I startled myself with the sound of my own voice.

“Hahaha, now that I think about it, she didn’t write a damn thing about me.”

When my parents had chewed me out, skipped my dinner, and I was bawling outside, Lily snuck me some bread.

That one tiny act was all it took for me to fall for her.

This time, I’d protect Lily.

I’d decided that on my own and busted my ass in my awkward way.

Ten years had passed since then.

I’d lived all this time unable to forget that angelic smile of hers.

But to Lily… was I still just that same nobody…?

In the end, it was all one-sided on my part.

“Ahhh! My first love’s over—clean, crisp, and totally done!”

Saying it out loud made the reality sink in at last, and my heart finally let go.

I rolled the wagon slowly into the village just like that.

“Kirika, thanks.” “You saved us.” “Appreciate it.”

“No biggie. You guys are always looking out for me.”

I flashed a smile as I said it, and the elders grinned back before heading off home.

“Phew. Wonder if Uncle’s still out at the farm.”

Once I was alone after waving them off, a wave of restlessness hit me hard.

Just thinking about what I had to say next filled me with dread I couldn’t shake.

But I had to get it out there—even a second sooner.

“Kirika! You’re back!”

Uncle’s face was ashen.

He’d found out Lily had chased after me.

Uncle came running up to me.

“I was out hunting for Lily after she vanished, and I just heard from Kelun that… Did she pull something?”

Uncle grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard.

“Uncle, calm down. Far as I know, she didn’t lay a hand on Marie.”

Hearing that, Uncle released my shoulders and bowed deep.

“Sorry. I should’ve kept a closer eye on her.”

“Uncle, nobody could’ve stopped Lily acting like that. Not even me.”

Even so, Uncle kept muttering “Sorry” over and over.

His eyes had been scanning for Lily this whole time.

Damn. Gotta tell him.

“Sorry, Uncle. Truth is, Lily and I got into it in town, and I ditched her like a coward. I’m done with Lily. So I’m leaving the village. The farm and house I got thanks to Marie? They’re yours.”

I blurted it all out in one rapid-fire breath, then bowed low.

Uncle pulled me upright and clamped down on my shoulders again.

“Hold on, Kirika. You don’t gotta leave. Breaking up with Lily changes nothing between us.”

I handed over the letter and told him about spotting that luxury carriage on the way back.

Uncle skimmed the letter, his face twisting up before he crumpled it into a ball.

Then he fixed me with a dead-serious look.

“Kirika. You’re family to me already. The day you said you’d leave the village with us, I swore I’d be your dad. You’re my boy, plain and simple.”

Uncle held me in that iron grip, not letting go.

To a loner like me, those words hit so deep the tears I’d bottled up came flooding out.

“Uuu… Hic…”

“Even if you marry some other girl someday, Kirika, I’ll back you up as your old man forever. Been set on that since day one here.”

“Uuu… Uncle…”

Lily never knew, but the last letter from my real folks said, “You’re no son of mine anymore. All the farmland goes to your brother. No coming back for you.”

If even my blood parents didn’t want me… was this really okay?

Was I really good enough?

“I’m a green dad still, but please—don’t talk about leaving.”

Uncle teared up too, bowing over and over with pleas of “Please.”

This herb patch was thriving better than the neighbors’ only ’cause Uncle picked up tips from the villagers and guided me every step.

Looking back, it was all for my sake.

He’d always introduced me—the eternal loner—to the village as his son.

Always dished out advice to keep a fool like me from getting the short end.

“Uncle… Can I call you Dad?”

I threw it out there to cover my embarrassment, wiped my tears, and forced a grin.

“Yeah, Kirika. Call me that, and I’ll be over the moon.”

Finally, Uncle—no, Dad—cracked a smile.

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