Albert walked over to Josh.
Instead of immediately following his command to open the letter, he first held his hand, lowered his eyes to look at the fingertip that had been unconsciously rubbed red, and slightly frowned, “Does it hurt?”
It was only then that Josh noticed the unusual state of his fingertip.
He initially wanted to say it didn’t hurt.
But perhaps due to noticing it, with the addition of the visual, his sense of touch became more acute.
The fingertip suddenly emitted a tiny, fine pain.
Not intense enough, even the word “pain” was a bit of an exaggeration.
It was more like the dull discomfort left by a small bug’s gentle nibble.
He had been injured before, as traveling across the continent wasn’t always romantic and easy.
Later, after joining the adventuring party, battles became more frequent. Even though Josh was strong enough, getting hurt was still commonplace.
However, under the knight’s watchful gaze at his fingertip, Josh licked the corner of his lips and softly said, “A little bit.”
The letter had been left for a long time, not only had the paper yellowed with time, but the wax seal at the opening had also lost its moisture, becoming hard after drying out, which had rubbed his fingertip red.
After Josh’s incubus physique awakened, his skin became very delicate, leaving marks easily.
However, because incubi are actually a special kind of demon, possessing self-healing powers far beyond that of humans like other demons, his recovery speed was also fast.
Josh used to have two shallow scars on his body, both left from his time in the adventuring party.
But after his physique awakened, those two scars disappeared without him noticing.
As for the marks Albert left on him every day, they actually couldn’t last more than two days before fading away on their own. However, unable to withstand the knight’s almost daily re-marking, it seemed like his body was constantly marked, as if they had never disappeared.
In reality, every day was new.
Thinking of how Avril would point and prod at his neck, Josh felt a bit embarrassed.
Being seen by friends wasn’t a big deal, but once Avril’s aunt saw it. Although she remained composed and didn’t say anything, Josh still blushed.
After that, he obediently wore high-necked dresses from the moment he woke up, never daring to unbutton until she left.
Thinking of all this, he still felt a lingering fear, suddenly blurting out to the knight in front of him, “It’s all your fault.”
He had been wearing overly tight clothes for days, feeling completely constrained and uncomfortable.
An abrupt blame, it sounded like he was rudely pinning the blame for his injured fingertip on the knight who came to care for him.
But it was clearly his own hesitation that caused it, so what did it have to do with Albert?
It really didn’t make sense.
But Albert knew him well. Seeing his slightly absent-minded look, he knew his little lord had probably remembered some old grudge and was starting to get angry.
Josh was just so good at holding grudges.
In this regard, he was very much like those elusive and inscrutable feline monsters.
Once, back in the demon palace, Albert saw his old steward using a delicate little comb to groom his cat. From his expression to his strength, it was visibly flattering, and the rare comfortable expression on the black cat’s face, even arching its tail to allow the comb to reach more precisely.
A rare harmony in the atmosphere.
Albert was pondering, thinking that maybe his old steward’s obsession with this little creature might have some merit.
Then, the next moment, the creature suddenly turned without warning and whipped his old steward across the face with its tail.
Albert: “…”
The perplexed demon king couldn’t help but summon his steward and inquire, “Why did it suddenly get angry?”
The steward honestly replied, “I don’t know.”
Demon King: “?”
The steward pondered for a moment, “Maybe it suddenly remembered the last time I forcibly touched her paw pads and got angry again.”
As he spoke, he revealed a mysterious smile, “Oh, it’s okay, it’s a common occurrence. She always remembers those things between us so clearly.”
Demon King: “???”
What’s he happy about?
He couldn’t understand why this little creature was so good at holding grudges, nor could he understand the pleasure in raising such a quirky-tempered creature.
Now he understood one hundred percent.
Although he didn’t know what old grudge Josh had brought up again, his posture of kneeling over was already very skilled.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Albert: “Well, my bad.”
Abrt vlv gfjilhf atja tlr kbgvr kfgf yflcu wlrecvfgrabbv, rb tf fjgcfrais fzqijlcfv, “P’w cba ajixlcu jybea cbk. P wfjc, sbe jikjsr ifjnf wjgxr bc ws cfmx, wjxlcu la ecmbwobgajyif obg wf ab mbnfg eq klat aluta mibatfr ktfc uefrar mbwf bnfg.”
Ciyfga rwlifv ubbv-cjaegfvis, “Pa’r ws ojeia.”
Lf atbeuta ab tlwrfio, tbk byfvlfca tlr ilaaif ibgv kjr, atgbklcu j ajcagew jcv atfc fzqijlclcu atf gfjrbc. Vb meaf mbwqjgfv ab atf biv ugewqs-ojmfv mja bo atf rafkjgv!
No, there’s simply no comparison.
Josh originally wanted to warn him not to bite his neck again, but Albert’s deep azure eyes looked at him, like a tranquil lake. For some reason, his warning took a detour, and instead, he said, “From now on, when we have guests, don’t leave any marks above the neck.”
Albert still had a very docile demeanor, “As you wish.”
Anyway, he agreed first. On the surface, it meant not defying the lord’s wishes, but in reality, when the time came and Josh was feeling dizzy from his licking, he would willingly climb up, and he’d forget all about the “dos” and “don’ts.”
While they were talking, Albert had already brought a warm towel and wrapped it around Josh’s fingertip.
After drying it, he carefully applied some ointment for him.
Josh originally wanted to say that such a small abrasion didn’t need any attention, as it would dissipate on its own in a few tens of minutes.
But Albert’s movements were so natural and swift that before he even noticed, he had completed this series of actions.
Josh could only stare blankly at his fingertip for a few seconds.
After a while, his gaze shifted to the stack of letters, returning to the main topic, “You, help me open these.”
Albert complied and picked up the top letter as instructed.
The wax seal at the opening had long lost its stickiness, so it was easily opened with a gentle push.
Just as the knight was about to pull out the letter inside, Josh’s heart skipped a beat, his little face tensed, and he said, “Wait, wait.”
Albert stopped as instructed.
After a moment’s pause, Josh felt his heart fluttering less severely and said, “You can open it.”
A few seconds later, he added, “No, wait, wait.”
This cycle repeated a few times.
On the fifth time, Albert finally set down the letter in 9s hand and looked at him, “My Lord, I think you’d better do it yourself.”
Josh knew he was in the wrong, but he still maintained his lordly demeanor, even if he felt uneasy, “What? Am I not ordering you around now?”
Albert stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled, walked over to him, and bent down to lift him up.
Caught off guard by being lifted, Josh felt a bit flustered as his line of sight elevated. He kicked his legs in his arms, feeling uneasy, “What are you doing?”
He always couldn’t adapt to Albert’s sudden habit of hugging him. Every time he was lifted up, he experienced a slight sensation of weightlessness, causing his heart to skip a beat.
This time was no exception.
Thump, thump—
Albert carried him to the soft couch by the window, where a comfortable sheepskin cushion was laid out. This was Josh’s favorite spot for napping.
After placing him on the couch, Albert sat down as well, right behind Josh, his chest snug against his back, and he placed a stack of envelopes in front of Josh on the soft cushion.
It was only then that Josh noticed he had brought the letters over as well.
The cushion lacked support, and the stack of letters quickly leaned to one side.
Watching this, Josh’s heart started racing again, so he carefully straightened the letters.
The man’s arms wrapped around him from behind, holding him close around the waist, the two of them snuggling together.
“Don’t be afraid,” the man’s deep voice sounded from above.
Albert was much larger than him, easily embracing him even while sitting.
Josh felt a slight itch on his head, probably Albert kissing his hair. He always had a strong desire to explore every inch of Josh’s body.
Being held and controlled like this by someone else should have made Josh unhappy.
But at this moment, the warmth of another person’s body temperature seeped through the thin clothes onto him, and another steady heartbeat sounded beside him.
His whole body enveloped in the other person’s breath, it felt like returning to a warm nest.
Josh’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly, leaning back and letting the weight behind him rest on Albert.
He let out a breath.
Unconsciously, his previously erratic heartbeat seemed to be soothed, following suit and stabilizing, returning to a normal rhythm.
Albert repeated, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here with you.”
Josh swallowed a gulp of saliva, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and said firmly, “I’m not afraid, I’m just opening a few letters.”
—Just opening a few letters.
Josh picked up the top letter again, and in a long moment of contemplation and hesitation, he almost engraved every detail of the letter into his eyes.
This time, he opened the seal, his fingertips trembling hesitantly for a moment, but ultimately not retracting.
He gently pulled out a thin sheet of paper from inside.
A rustling sound.
An old scent wafted along with the paper, reaching Josh’s nose.
It was the musty smell of aging paper, with a faint ink scent. Avril’s aunt had carefully arranged the letters in chronological order, and the one on top was the earliest one.
It dated back to the year before Josh was born, making this letter older than him.
In other words, it had been mentioned in correspondence before he was born.
Josh’s drooping eyelashes trembled slightly as his gaze slowly moved to the body of the letter.
Alyssa’s handwriting, contrasting with her fiery personality, was surprisingly elegant, narrating a side of her that Josh had never seen before.
Calculating the time, she was barely in her early twenties at that time, certified as the highest level mage, powerful and beautiful, like a dazzling pearl.
The content of the letter was also lively and cheerful, revealing a hint of the undeniable pride that comes with youthful fame and success.
Josh read on, word by word.
It was as if through this aging letter, he traveled back over twenty years, witnessing the carefree years of that woman with fiery red hair.
The majority of the letter talked about some interesting events in the central city and some private conversations between friends.
It wasn’t until the end of the letter that she finally mentioned the existence of Josh, who was just a tiny embryo at the time.
The pen seemed to hesitate, and halfway through, she even agonized over crossing out a typo:
“Let me tell you a secret, I’m pregnant. It’s an accident and a mistake. I shouldn’t have kept him.”
Josh paused and opened the second letter.
According to the timeline, it was six months before his birth.
The young mage expressed her dilemma on the paper: “The abortion potion was already prepared, but when I was ready to take it, he suddenly moved in my belly, and I accidentally broke the potion myself. It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? I’ve killed the most powerful monsters before, but I couldn’t bring myself to kill an unconscious embryo.”
“I’ve become very weak, but… sometimes I feel like it’s not fear.”
The third letter:
“I’ve decided to give birth to him, even though the risk is great. Anyway, I’ve decided to be reckless once. Please keep this a secret for me. I’m planning to go somewhere where no one is.”
The fourth letter:
“It’s a boy, very cute, even cuter than my cousin’s child. His eyelashes are long, his eyes are like two black grapes, he smiles at people just after birth, and he likes to curl up on one side while sleeping. If you see him, you’ll definitely like him.”
The fifth letter:
“As he grew a little older, I kissed his face while he was asleep. It was so soft, even more delicate than the desserts we had in Egla Town made from raw cow’s milk. I couldn’t resist and took a bite of his cheek. He scrunched up his little face in anger in his dream. When he’s a bit older, I won’t be able to kiss him anymore. I have to be strict with him. I hope this child grows up to be the most powerful mage, stronger, calmer, and tougher than me.”
…
Many letters later:
“I’m too selfish, my dear. Parenthood is a selfish love. I’ve had some… bad dreams, and I’m feeling very depressed.”
The next letter:
“I’ve been thinking lately, if children were given the choice, knowing that life has so many bitter elements, would they still be willing to come into this world? Perhaps I was too arrogant, just because I wanted to love a child, I brought him into this world, subjecting him to so many unknown risks.”
“My father once accused me of arrogance that would eventually destroy me, and I dismissed it. But now, I have to admit: he was right to some extent. I’ve destroyed not only myself, but there’s no turning back now.”
…
The last letter:
“My dear, I’m leaving, I may come back, or I may not. If I don’t come back, please take care of him for me. I’m truly a terrible person, I couldn’t even give him a hug in the end.”
The air was very quiet, only the rustling sound of the paper being pulled out, unfolded, smoothed, and put back.
Repeated dozens of times.
The fading sunset slowly disappeared, and the magic lamps in the study automatically illuminated, casting a clear light on the aged yellowed papers, revealing the faded ink.
Dozens of letters, each not too lengthy.
But Josh read them very slowly.
It wasn’t until the clock passed the boundary between today and tomorrow that he finished reading them all.
With a “click,” he stuffed the last letter back into its envelope, and as if devoid of strength, the envelope swayed and fell onto the soft cushion.
Josh lowered his head, arms hugging his knees, chin resting on top.
His eyes were distant, obscured by the dark feathers of his hair, concealing most of his expression, and he remained silent.
Only the erratic breathing and the excessive rise and fall of his chest betrayed that his emotions were not as calm as they seemed.
A hand reached out from behind him, stroking his cheek, knuckles slightly bent, as if to comfort, gently caressing his cheek.
But the person being comforted was not so docile; instead, he turned his head and bit down on the object swaying next to his cheek.
The force was fierce, as if wanting to vent the pent-up emotions of uncertainty or unwillingness, biting through the skin, the taste of blood spreading.
Josh’s teeth even tingled from the force of the bite.
But his body was tense at the moment, so the tingling sensation wasn’t noticeable.
Yet the knight who was bitten didn’t even furrowed his brow, only the arm that encircled his waist tightened slightly.
Even the thumb that wasn’t bitten continued to gently rub against his jaw.
At some point, a warm drop of water fell onto the knight’s hand.
Soon after, like raindrops, they intermittently fell, landing on Albert’s hand, then flowing down to his wrist, forearm, dampening the rolled-up sleeve.
For a while.
Under the subtle but effective comfort, Josh’s tense back slowly relaxed.
Josh spat out the knuckle that he had bitten, whispering, “Actually… There were many moments when I felt she should love me, but I always got struck by her stern demeanor and fell into self-doubt. My, my mother said she was arrogant, but I am too, not only arrogant but also cowardly.”
“In fact, the answers to many questions have always been in front of me, I just didn’t dare to believe. I lived too long relying on another answer, so afraid to accept another one. I am the coward.”
In fact, there were signs.
For so many years, his mother invested resources in him, turning him, a kid with mediocre talent, into someone even more outstanding than those geniuses.
Although the strictness and criticism still left scars in Josh’s heart.
But objectively, it had to be admitted that she, using the worst and most effective methods, taught Josh, at just over ten years old, how to distance himself and calmly hide his outsider status in the crowd.
And the prophecy scroll that appeared out of nowhere—
These magical artifacts carrying the rules of time and space, the reason they were listed as forbidden magic was the immense cost required to create them.
If there was anything worth risking the life of a top magician from over twenty years ago, then this could certainly be considered one of them.
Most of the time, luck doesn’t come without reason.
At least, it doesn’t just appear out of thin air on a half-demon’s head.
The first day the scroll appeared, Josh vaguely had a thought.
But due to subconscious fear, he never delved deep into it.
Sometimes, admitting love but missing and hurting each other may not necessarily be gentler than never being loved at all.
Especially, those yellowed papers, the dimmed words rubbed by time, silently tell: all the stories ended more than a decade ago.
What remains here now is just a memory.
A past that can no longer be repaired or compensated for.
But, once truly acknowledged, there’s no sense of panic like the imagined collapse of pillars. There’s only a bit of bittersweet warmth slowly flowing in his heart.
Although tinged with a sour bitterness, it’s still warm.
Even though it wasn’t perfect, it was indeed a love he once received.
After many years, it was finally dusted off and accepted by him.
Josh’s voice was hoarse, with a bit of nasal tone.
His tone was fragmented, his words unclear and confusing, leaving others puzzled.
But Albert still understood, he kissed Josh’s forehead and said, “No, you’re very brave. My lord is the bravest little cat in the world.”
Josh lifted his head.
His eyes were teary, but after the tears washed over his thick black eyes, they appeared even purer and clearer, like two carefully nurtured and polished gemstones, still shining brightly after enduring the storm.
Beautiful yet fierce.
Still stubbornly, he said, “Albert, don’t go off on a tangent. I’m not your little cat.”
The knight lowered his head and kissed the reddened corner of Josh’s eye. “Okay, I was wrong, I was wrong. I’m your little cat.”
🥺🥺
Thank you for the chapter! AHH~ what sweetness. I am glad he didn’t have to read them alone.
So sweet
precious cat
Thank you for the chapter 😍 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
So soft and sweet these two 🥺
😔😔 I didn’t see the reveal about that prophecy scroll coming… a mother’s ultimate sacrifice (´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)
rip alyssa. you had your flaws as a person and parent but your courage, spirit, and steadfast character will go down in history ✊
I love how Albert’s always there for him!
It’s so bitter sweet
Thanks for the chapter
I had the feeling that the scroll was created by his Mother. So bitter sweet🤧
Although I will never understand why Josh’s mother had to be so strict, I feel sorry for the both of them. 🥹
Right? I don’t get it either. What’s difficult about hugging the child you love? If she didn’t want him to be dependent oh her, well, she already showed up infrequently enough. Didn’t he deserve a hug like once a year or so?
Exactly 😭 There’s nothing wrong with giving the bare minimum! It reminds me of the situation with Elsa’s parents, where people argued if they were good or bad. I’m leaning towards the idea that although Alyssa cared for Josh, she was just going about it in all the wrong ways.