The Baby Isn't Yours

At Leah’s words, Titiana looked at quietly.

Leah, who had been asleep for a long time, suddenly brought up the story of her missing granddaughter, who was said to be part of the elf forest.

It was impossible not to feel puzzled.

The eyes of the two clan representatives, who had been close friends for a long time, were closely locked.

Their eyes that stared at each other were clear and transparent.

Because of that, they could feel without saying a word that they didn’t create secrets or engage in dangerous discussions with each other.

Suddenly, Titiana smiled and said.

“I’ve made delicious sweet potato pie, so let’s eat it first, shall we? I made it for you, but it won’t taste good if it gets cold.”

“Oh, Titi’s sweet potato pie is so delicious that I even dream about it. I’d love to.”

* * *

The taste of the sweet potato pie, eaten after more than 30 years, was still the same.

Leah satisfactorily licked the cream off her fingertips.

“Did you enjoy it?”

“Mm. It was so good. It was worth coming all the way here.”

After tidying her mouth with green tea, the two of them looked outside the window for a moment.

Even though they were considered the free-spirited elf race, they still maintained a certain level of seclusion, so only elves could come and go inside the castle.

Children running around and elves busily bustling about looking for their own things to do.

Titiana, who peacefully gazed at the scene, opened her mouth first.

“Even though there are many mixed-blood elves among us, this place is still more tolerant of purebloods.”

Leah nodded in understanding.

Titiana kept her gaze fixed outside the window and spoke with a sigh.

“I don’t know what it means to be of mixed blood, or why, but the heart doesn’t move the way you think.”

“Hmm.”

“Sometimes, you receive subtle discrimination and rejection. Especially if you stand out.”

“My granddaughter grew up in the village, abandoned by her mother.”

With her black eyes and strange golden-green irises.

Titiana, at that time, had become the Grand Elder and had a lot to attend to.

So, she couldn’t give much attention to the child.

‘…Is that so? No, Titiana. You just wanted to turn away. It’s just an excuse.’

Yes, it was just an excuse to say that she was busy as the Grand Elder.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t pay attention, but rather that she chose not to.

Despite Titiana’s opposition, the disobedient daughter met a troublesome human man and fell in love.

Titiana and the rest of the family tried to dissuade her, but they couldn’t stop the girl whose mind was already set.

It wasn’t that Titiana and the others opposed her because she belonged to a different race.

It was because they could see the greed lurking in the man’s eyes.

And as expected, the man stole the daughter’s wealth and the clan’s treasures and ran away.

He did it at a time when the daughter was about to give birth.

To prevent her from pursuing him.

How cruel and heartless it was.

Titiana’s daughter ran barefoot through the forest, unable to believe it, chasing after him.

However, there was no way that an elf who was pregnant and received a mental shock could immediately make a plan and catch the human who ran away early.

‘Foolish.’

Of course, the human was eventually captured again.

No matter how wicked the human was, unless he was a mage, he couldn’t escape the swift pursuit of the superior elves.

Titiana quietly dealt with the man without telling her daughter.

Her daughter was speechless from the shock and gave birth to the child only in pain.

She didn’t even bother to look after the child she had given birth to.

Instead, with hatred, she barely nursed the child and quietly disappeared without anyone noticing.

The girl left behind is innocent, but the girl darkens as a sinner.

Even if Titi paid attention, the darkness that had taken root in the child’s heart couldn’t easily be dispelled.

Around that time, Titiana became the Grand Elder, and she gradually paid less attention to the child.

And then, one day, her granddaughter disappeared, leaving behind only a single letter.

[I just wanted to be recognized, that’s all.]

That one line.

It was a line that contained a lot of meaning, but Titi couldn’t fully grasp her granddaughter’s heart.

Titiana didn’t chase after her granddaughter.

In fact, she didn’t even realize why it was a bit frightening.

It was like facing her daughter’s guilt every time she faced the child.

No, as a mother, she felt a sense of guilt and helplessness for not properly addressing her daughter’s wrongdoing.

Titiana was a perfectionist, and that perfectionism extended not only to her work but also to her family.

So… that’s why Titiana didn’t try to find the girl.

She pretended not to know about the treasures the child had taken.

She thought that as long as she had that much, wherever the child went, she would eventually settle down.

After some time had passed, a letter arrived from her granddaughter.

Saying that she was going to marry into the human royal family.

[Grandmother.

The humans fear me and call me a duchess.

At times, they show respect and admiration in their eyes.

Is this the taste of power? I think I will never let go of it in my lifetime.

Someday, my name may spread even there, far away.

I will give birth to the greatest child in this continent, a child who can stand tall anywhere.]

When was this story written?

Yes, it must have been about 30 years ago.

But why was Leah asking about the child, the child who had been forgotten even by herself?

“You know very well that the girl left. You were here at that time too.”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s what happened.”

Leah nodded in agreement.

Titiana had introduced the child to her as well.

A girl with flowing black hair and mysterious golden-green eyes.

“Then why are you suddenly bringing up the story?”

“Well, I saw a certain human who looked remarkably similar to your granddaughter whom I saw back then. So I thought, just in case.”

“Just in case?”

Titiana asked Leah, slightly furrowing her brow.

Leah sipped her lukewarm green tea and spoke.

“I had a thought that the human could possibly be your granddaughter’s son.”

“What…?”

“An archmage who reached the line of enlightenment at a very young age. Not to mention his natural talent and considerable magical qualities. At such a young age, and on top of that…”

Click.

Leah, who had set down her tea cup, chuckled and crossed her legs.

Leaning comfortably against the back of her chair, Leah casually relayed the information.

“He has elven blood.”

Even with Leah’s words, Titiana’s expression remained unchanged.

She simply looked at Leah quietly, then smiled slightly and took a sip of her lukewarm tea.

“I see.”

“Huh, is that all?”

“What other reaction is necessary? She met a good partner and became a great mother. That’s good.”

Rather than being bothered, Titiana seemed oddly relieved as she finished the remaining tea in a few sips.

Leaning her chin on her hand, Leah, who had rested her elbows on her knees, chuckled and spoke.

“Oh yeah? But that child has a baby with my granddaughter?”

“Cough!”

Kyuk, kuk!

Titiana, who always tried to maintain a calm demeanor, couldn’t hide her surprise this time.

She clutched her suddenly choked throat and looked at Leah with teary eyes.

“W-what, what did you say?”

“Hoho, your flustered appearance is quite pleasing to see! Hohoho.”

“No, wait, what did you just say, Leah?”

“Hehe, if that child is your great-grandson, it’s possible. We haven’t confirmed it yet, so there’s still a chance it’s not true.”

Titiana expressed her disapproval at Leah’s casual remark, shrugging her shoulders.

Leah noticed her expression and corrected her own.

Although she was curious if the man was indeed Titi’s granddaughter’s child, but in reality, her main theme was different.

“But Titiana, the truth is I didn’t come to find you because of your granddaughter’s son. There’s a more crucial issue.”

“…A more crucial issue?”

Titiana, who regained her composure a beat late, looked at Leah as if asking what she meant.

Leah erased the playful glint in her eyes and spoke seriously.

“I hope you lend me the Spear of Life, the one that exists within you.”

There were three weapons guarding the forest.

Three spears given only to those who can manage their power, crossing over from the boundaries of dimensions.

The Spear of Judgment wielded by the Fairy King Kalexia, the Spear of Guardianship held by the Queen of the Fairy Forest Leah, and another spear that protects the forest.

That was the Spear of Life held by the Grandmaster Titiana.

Unlike Ektarion and Nation, who focused on defense and offense, the Spear of Life had no attacking power.

A spear that bestowed the power to heal, contrasting with its designation as a weapon.

The expression disappeared from Titiana’s face.

Her gaze was neither cold nor warm as she looked at Leah.

Leah, meeting her gaze, spoke firmly once again.

“To revive the Primordial Tree, we need that spear. And only by reviving the Primordial Tree can we ignite the wretched heart of the superior demon.”

Asmodian.

At that word, Titiana wiped her pale face with her dry hand.

She had sensed the presence of demons here and there.

Considering that there were more than one or two individuals who had summoned those impure beings out of curiosity, their appearance wasn’t entirely impossible.

But seeing Leah rushing here as well, it was undoubtedly not a simple occurrence of demons appearing.

‘But… the Spear of Life…’

It wasn’t something she could easily give away.

Summoning could only be done by Titiana, but anyone could use the spear.

However, unlike the other two spears, the Spear of Life drew upon the user’s life force as its source of power.

It was the act of reviving the spark of life in what had been cut down using the user’s own life.

Of course, it went without saying that the summoner’s energy would be consumed.

Of course, Titiana wasn’t concerned about her own energy being depleted.

But…

Titiana fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.

Then, she slowly raised her face and looked at Leah, speaking.

“I’m sorry, Leah. I will have to decline.”