An Unexpected Proposal-Chapter 76

"Mikael, stop that. His Highness might find it troublesome."

"But he keeps making promises and not keeping them. Promises are meant to be kept!"

With a sulky huff, Mikael buried his face in Alicia’s skirts, his voice quivering as if he were about to cry. Alicia looked down at his small, trembling head and let out an awkward chuckle. Ever since meeting Cabelenus, Mikael had become more prone to acting childish. It wasn’t necessarily a good thing, but at least now, he seemed more like a child his age. She couldn’t bring herself to scold him for it. It was better than pretending to be mature and constantly watching his surroundings.

"If you want to see the dog, then I’ll show you."

Before Alicia could respond, Cabelenus stepped forward. Mikael clung tightly to Alicia, but his eyes remained locked onto him.

"You’re not lying this time, right?"

"First, come here."

"Why?"

"Just do it. Come on."

Mikael hesitated, his eyes darting around before cautiously stepping forward. Cabelenus crouched down to meet him at eye level.

"Try calling me ‘Dad’ once."

"…"

"…"

"…Uncle, are you feeling okay?"

In the silence that followed, Mikael furrowed his brows.

"I just want to confirm something. Just say it once."

"Why should I? I don’t want to."

"Just once."

"It’s not going to work. I already told you—I don’t plan on accepting you as my dad."

Mikael shook his head adamantly. It had been Cabelenus himself who first told him he wasn’t his real father. There was no way he would suddenly turn around and call him ‘Dad’ with a smile.

"Then what will it take for you to say it?"

"I already told you. You have to prove to me that you deserve to be my dad."

"Hah?"

"If you don’t want to, that’s fine. It’s not like I’m the one losing out."

Mikael snorted exaggeratedly and shook his head with unnecessary flair. Cabelenus rubbed his chin as he stared at the small, defiant face in front of him. Alicia wasn’t like this—so why was this child so shamelessly bold?

"How do I prove it?"

"You’re actually going to take the test?"

"Let’s hear what you want first."

Cabelenus responded without much enthusiasm, disregarding the way Mikael’s eyes sparkled with excitement. Playing along with the child’s antics felt tedious, but he had already learned that Mikael wouldn’t back down easily. If he wanted something, he would insist on getting it.

"First, show me the dog."

"That’s all?"

"And then, you have to grant me three wishes."

Mikael held up three fingers proudly.

"Why three?"

"Haven’t you ever read fairy tales? It’s always three wishes."

"…"

"What? Do you not want to?"

"I’ll give it a try."

It wasn’t like this would prove anything, but it was better than doing nothing. Cabelenus nodded, though his expression remained somewhat uncertain.

***

"Mom! Look! There’s the dog! He’s so—whoa!"

"Calm down, Mikael. You’re making things difficult for your mother."

Clicking his tongue, Cabelenus lifted Mikael out of Alicia’s arms. Mikael flailed slightly in midair before his eyes widened in excitement as he caught a clearer view of the dog.

"Uncle, since you’re already carrying me, can’t you give me a shoulder ride too?"

"A shoulder ride?"

"I’ll be able to see the dog even better that way!"

"You sure are demanding."

Cabelenus frowned but still lowered himself slightly, allowing Mikael to climb onto his shoulders. The boy cheered as his field of vision expanded—until he realized just how high up he was. He immediately latched onto Cabelenus’s hair with both hands.

"…Let go."

Cabelenus’s voice dropped at the painful tug on his scalp. But Mikael refused to loosen his grip.

"If I let go, I’ll fall!"

"You were the one who asked for a shoulder ride."

"But you’re too tall—ahh! Don’t move!"

"Then get down."

"No way! If I get down now, that makes me a coward!"

"You already look like a coward."

Irritation seeped into Cabelenus’s voice. He had never had someone grab onto his hair like this before.

"I said don’t move!"

"If you’re going to keep shouting, just get off."

"I just need to endure a little longer!"

"I’m the one who’s not okay here. If you don’t let go right now, I’m putting you down."

Cabelenus growled under his breath, but it had the opposite effect. Mikael only clung to him tighter.

"I can’t let go! I’ll fall!"

"You won’t fall. I won’t let you."

"How am I supposed to trust you?!"

"…"

Cabelenus’s grip on Mikael’s waist tightened. Sensing that, Mikael immediately panicked and raised his voice.

"Wait! I take it back! I’ll let go! Okay?"

"…"

"I will let go! I swear!"

"Then do it first."

Despite his irritation, Cabelenus didn’t set him down. It was only when Mikael finally released his grip and realized he wasn’t falling that he hesitantly relaxed.

"…Hey, Uncle."

"What?"

"Is that really a dog?"

"You’re only noticing that now?"

Cabelenus let out a short laugh and tilted his head slightly.

"Well, I was riding on your shoulders to see the dog, so now I’m looking at it properly."

"You sure have a way with words."

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"Let’s stop talking about the past. So… is that thing really a dog?"

Mikael discreetly tried to fix his messy hair without Cabelenus noticing.

"If it’s not a dog, then what is it?"

"What kind of dog looks like a bear? There’s no way a dog that big exists."

"It exists. Right here."

"That’s not what I meant!"

"The dogs of Schwarhan are naturally large. Their thick fur makes them look even bigger."

It wasn’t just humans who had adapted to survive the harsh winters. Every creature in this land had evolved, becoming stronger to endure.

"Even so, that’s too big. I’m not saying this for no reason—it really looks like a bear from one of my books."

"My brothers and I once hunted a bear with these dogs."

"Really?"

Mikael’s mouth fell open in amazement. No matter how many times he blinked and stared, the enormous dog still made him gasp in awe.

"Then what’s its name?"

"Rex."

"Oh! Did you see that? His ears twitched! He knows his name!"

"Of course he does."

Cabelenus answered indifferently as he patted Rex’s head. Mikael watched in fascination. At first, the dog had seemed terrifying, but now, seeing him rub his face against Cabelenus’s palm and wag his tail, his fingers twitched with curiosity. The fluffy fur looked so soft—he had to touch it.

"Can I pet him too?"

"No. You can’t."

"Why not?"

"You’re too small. Rex might mistake you for prey."

"I’m not that small!"

"If you want to argue, come back when you’re at least this tall."

Cabelenus waved his hand lazily at chest height.

"Don’t worry! I’m going to grow soon! I’ll be way, way taller than you!"

"Grow first, then talk."

"Were you born tall?"

"I was."

"Liar."

"I was never smaller than my peers. I was always the tallest among them."

"Ugh, do you know how annoying you are?"

Even as Mikael grumbled, Cabelenus didn’t put him down. And Mikael, despite his complaints, didn’t seem eager to be set down either. Watching the two, Gajev quietly stepped closer to Alicia.

"They seem to be getting along far better than you expected, don’t they?"

"Yes, much better than I thought."

Alicia smiled faintly. They might not realize it, but their bickering looked like nothing more than a normal father and son having an ordinary day.

"They’ll be fine. As time passes, things will only get better."

"…Sir Cloud, you’d like me to stay, wouldn’t you?"

"I can’t help it—I am His Highness’s man, after all."

Gajev made no effort to hide his feelings, smiling openly. Alicia didn’t mind. She simply clasped her hands together as if in prayer, watching the two continue their playful argument.

"And… there’s something I’d like to ask you."

"Something to ask me?"

"I heard that the young master has no power. That he had power, but lost it."

"That’s right. Mikael is just an ordinary child now."

Alicia nodded firmly.

"If you don’t mind, could you tell me how he lost his power?"

"Why are you asking about that?"

"Because… it might be the key to saving His Highness."

"…Saving His Highness?"

Alicia’s eyelashes trembled.

"Do you remember the shackles I told you about?"

"Yes. I remember."

"Those shackles react specifically to the power of monsters."

"…"

"In other words, if we could somehow remove the power of the monsters, we could break the shackles."

A sharp glint flickered in Gajev’s eyes. Perhaps the answer to the shackles that had tormented Cabelenus for so long was closer than they had ever imagined.

"…If that’s the case, I’m sorry. I don’t know why Mikael’s power disappeared."

"Is that so?"

"But… I do have a suspicion."

"Do you really?"

Gajev immediately turned to face her, his heart racing as if he had discovered an oasis in the middle of a desert.

"Recently, after hearing about His Highness’s situation, I started looking into the temple."

"Yes, I know."

"But while researching, I noticed something strange."

"Strange?"

Alicia had spent every free moment reading anything related to the temple, but most of it had been unfamiliar. Despite living within the empire for years, she had never paid much attention to its religious teachings. However, one thing stood out.

"The Prime Temple doesn’t use the empire’s common language."

"That’s correct. The temple uses an ancient language, which they claim is the language of the gods."

"An ancient language?"

"As the name suggests, it’s an old language that’s no longer in use. But the temple calls it the ‘language of the divine.’"

Gajev smirked slightly. It was obvious the temple used it for effect—creating an air of mystique and exclusivity.

"…Then what if I told you that I know that language?"

"You do? But… you were raised in the South and never received a formal education…"

Gajev trailed off, realizing his words were too blunt. He quickly covered his mouth.

"It’s fine. That doesn’t bother me. But what does bother me is how I know a language that is only taught within the temple."

"…If I may ask, who taught you?"

"My mother."

Alicia lowered her head. She never expected her mother’s presence to resurface in a moment like this.

"Your mother?"

Gajev exhaled sharply. The moment she mentioned her mother, a long-buried memory resurfaced.

A power that granted wishes.

When he had investigated Alicia’s past, there had been strange rumors. A power that could grant any wish. And that was the exact phrase used in the Prime Temple’s doctrine.

‘I dismissed it at the time…’

Alicia had always seemed normal. At least, the Alicia he had known in the past had been. She had been small, fragile—certainly not someone who possessed some incredible power. But what if that wasn’t the case? What if there was a hidden truth behind her past? Just the thought of it made his breath catch in his throat. A possibility he had long ignored was rising back to the surface.

"…I once conducted an investigation into you, my lady. And I came across something difficult to believe."

"…"

"Your maternal bloodline is said to be a vessel for the divine—a family that carries the power to grant wishes."

"…"

"At the time, I thought it was just a legend. And back then, I knew little about His Highness, so I never had reason to care about a power that granted wishes. But now… if you do have that power…"

Can you remove His Highness’s shackles?

Gajev’s voice was thick with emotion, wavering on the edge of desperation.