Chapter 287: Park Sirin (4)

Her whole body protested with a sharp pain, and the blood in her veins throbbed as if it had dried up completely.

“It hurts…”

The soft texture beneath her back made her realize she was on a bed.

“Op… pa?”

And right in front of her, Corin was sitting, looking at the coastal scenery while fiddling with his phone.

“….”

“Ehm, hey…”

“Shut up for a moment. I’m thinking.”

“Yes…”

Sirin shrank slightly while carefully observing Corin’s expression.

‘I lost.’

The Sun of Clau Solas.

Against that colossal power, she couldn’t win.

In the past life, she had not been chosen by Clau Solas. Among all the party members, Clau Solas had only recognized Corin.

But he didn’t have enough mana to handle it.

Instead, now—now Corin used the Sun with even greater mastery than Ohad Breath.

‘No… that wasn’t even the real problem.’

The Sun was just a colossal distraction.

The truth was the tip of the spear that pierced even the fissure of the prison that could petrify the entire sea, destroying all absurd magic.

Tates Valtazar.

Just like him, Corin now possessed a talent that manifested no matter the magnitude of the power.

‘I… will never be able to beat him.’

Sirin understood it again.

When had he become this strong?

“Hey.”

“Huh? Y-yes, oppa…”

“Haa…”

A small sigh, but to Sirin’s ears it thundered like a storm.

Every one of his gestures left her breathless, her heart pounding hard.

From the beginning until this very moment, Corin had always held far too great a presence in her life.

“You’re still a disgrace.”

“Uu…”

The reproachful words made her shrink. Fear dominated her to the point she couldn’t resist it.

And she ended up crying.

Even as she fell into regret and self-loathing, even as she was unable to receive approval from him—she wanted to beg.

But if she begged, if she crawled—Corin might grow tired of her.

So she could only bite her lips and avert her gaze.

Even so, the agony, that miserable emotion, was painfully evident.

“I… I’m sorry. I was wrong…”

She had thought he was just an NPC.

She did it for efficiency.

Didn’t saving the world justify those things?

But no excuse came to her mind now.

In the end, the only thing she could spill out were apologies and regret.

“I was wrong… I’m sorry… please, please…”

Forgive me.

That miserable plea was the only thing she couldn’t bring herself to say.

What if she disappointed him?

What if he despised her and cast her out?

What if it backfired?

She couldn’t afford to beg him directly for forgiveness.

Her pride—her shame—the terror of losing him were too great.

She knew very well she was a selfish woman.

And she knew someone like her would never be accepted by someone as good as him.

“Ugh… uhh… sniff…”

Clenching her teeth, she let tears fall.

She couldn’t ask for forgiveness. She couldn’t ask for understanding.

It would be like expecting water and oil to mix.

She cried again and again. Because she had no words. Because she couldn’t say what she truly wanted.

For hours, Corin simply watched her in silence.

“Hayeon.”

Immediately, the tears stopped.

Her heart, however, began trembling uncontrollably.

Of course. There was something else she needed to beg for.

She crawled toward him, knelt, and grabbed Corin’s pants.

“H-Hayeon… our daughter… she didn’t do anything wrong. So… please… please, don’t take her away…”

Tears fell to the ground without stopping.

The woman who once was cold and cruel now had a second spark of warmth in her life—her daughter.

Even if she couldn’t protect her with strength or arguments, the only thing she could do was beg.

“…”

Corin watched her.

The great archmage, cruel and proud, crying and begging so miserably and desperately.

And he understood that this wasn’t for her own benefit, but from pure devotion—motherly love.

The woman who had been a player, an archmage, a Demon God, a supreme ruler—was now simply Sirin, the mother.

That human contrast, that emotional contradiction, was almost moving.

Three years since their return.

And his hatred—his resentment—was beginning to cool.

“…You’re also a daughter of men, in the end.”

He had always considered her a monster.

He thought her love was fake, like crocodile tears.

But no—Sirin was also a real person.

With emotions. Capable of crawling, of humiliating herself, of loving desperately.

“I’ll ask you only one question.”

She lifted her head. Her face was dirty with tears and sand.

Corin wiped it gently.

“Why do you love me?”

It was a real doubt.

How could someone so cold, selfish, and cruel be this obsessed with him?

“Oppa… you’re different from me.”

With her head lowered, she confessed with honesty a love that could never be fulfilled.

“You’re good, considerate… and kind of a dummy…”

“….”

A goodness she could never imitate.

A hand that reached out without asking anything.

A generosity that didn’t calculate losses or gains.

“I thought you were amazing. Even if I made fun of you… I could never be like that.”

Sirin longed for something she would never have.

And she hated in others what reflected what she herself was.

She was a villain.

A woman willing to sacrifice anyone for personal gain.

But then a man appeared who shattered that idea.

“If you were an elite student, why did you work as a trainer?”

“The coach of my club was rigged. I confronted him and they kicked me out.”

“Don’t you regret it? You could have been on the national team.”

“I followed my principles. That’s worth more to me.”

“You were left without a future.”

“My life isn’t over. And my value is something I decide.”

“…Why did you help me?”

“Since when do you need a reason to save someone?”

That stubbornness, that justice, that goodness…

Sirin hated it and admired it at the same time.

He seemed like a hero.

“Since that day when you saved me for the first time… since then, truly…”

I love you.

That was the first sincere confession of her life.

***

Upon leaving the villa, Erin was playing with the child.

“Ah…”

Black hair like her mother’s, a gaze that carried a cold energy, but the ruby eyes and the wild features resembled mine.

“Uuuh…”

Hayeon hid behind Erin’s back while looking at me warily. Of course, from her perspective, I probably seemed like a heartless man who had suddenly attacked her mom.

“Bad… ahjussi…”

I saw her walk past me while looking at me with a mix of distrust and sadness.

“So he’s the dad…”

“Hehe, even so, Hayeon looks a lot like you, Corin. She’s a determined and kind girl.”

I sat next to Erin, who was laughing softly on the bench.

“Did you decide to accept it?”

“She’s the mother of my daughter.”

“Yes, I thought so.”

“Why do you say that?”

Erin made a face as if the question were obvious.

“You’re not someone capable of separating a mother from her daughter.”

“…I could have done it. And I intended to.”

“Then why did you decide to accept it?”

“…”

I couldn’t answer for a moment. I felt an internal contradiction that was hard to swallow.

“If we talk about the sins of the previous life… Miruam would also fall into that category.”

She too had crossed lines I could not tolerate.

She killed countless people and ended up destroying herself.

The difference with Park Sirin was only a matter of scale.

Even so, I forgave Miruam and decided to take her as my wife.

“The difference between Miruam and Park Sirin maybe comes down to two things. First, the feeling of betrayal.”

“Betrayal?”

“Like it or not, in the previous life Park Sihoo was someone important to me.”

A compatriot I found in an unknown world, where everything was frightening and confusing.

The fact that I, a mere extra, could take on a relevant supporting role was thanks to Park Sihoo.

“We fought together, we protected each other’s lives… we tried to save the world.”

That’s why her betrayal hurt more.

That Park Sihoo would do something like that behind my back— trying to take me by force without asking anything…

It was horrifying, it made me angry, it made me feel betrayed.

“And above all, the worst part was that when she lost control, I had no way to stop her.”

What would happen if she lost control again?

Could I protect my loved ones from her?

When I threatened to take Hayeon, I did it to test exactly that.

Now I can completely dominate Park Sirin, the former Park Sihoo. And she, miserably, submits to me and begs for love.

If I can control her— if I can guide her in the right direction.

“I thought that… being the mother of my daughter, she was worth considering.”

If I hadn’t been able to surpass her, if I hadn’t even been close to matching her power, I would never have accepted her.

“Well, that’s what I think. What matters is what the others think.”

“The others?”

“Let’s start with Erin.”

Erin looked at me with her big eyes and then nodded calmly.

“I’m fine with it.”

Grateful, I pressed my forehead to hers.

“Always thank you… and sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize to me.”

My benefactor, my lifelong teacher.

She has always been like a tree that gives without asking anything. But.

“And the others?”

“…”

This decision wasn’t just between Sirin and me.

“…I’m upset.”

Marie pouted.

“Corin’s first child is our Duggu. The firstborn is Duggu.”

— Woof!

“Of course.”

“Then it’s fine.”

As if that were the only condition, Marie nodded and looked away.

“And you, Alisha?”

Alisha had been smiling for a while as if something delighted her. It was obvious her gentle gaze was fixed on Hayeon.

“Corin-ssi, I’m also a child born out of wedlock.”

“Eh? And what does that have to do with…?”

“Are you planning to make Hayeon an illegitimate child?”

“…I have no words to answer you.”

Alisha offered a honey explosive lollipop to the wary Hayeon and smiled.

“Children should be happy. Surrounded by their parents’ love.”

“…Thank you.”

I looked at Hwaran, or rather Ran, because of her blue eyes.

“Hwa isn’t interested. She says one more doesn’t change anything at this point.”

Ran looked at me with a dangerous smile.

“Well, if we look at the order of arrival, she came quite a bit before us, didn’t she?”

“Ehem… sorry.”

“It can’t be helped, oppa. What’s done is done.”

Ran jumped close to my ear and whispered,

“I also want to have a baby with you.”

“Cough… cough…”

Her smile was shamelessly seductive.

“That… can we talk about that after you graduate?”

“Well, let’s plan it little by little.”

I was grateful none of them were against it. I still had to speak with Estelle, Miruam, and Lunia, but.

“First round of approvals, complete.”

Upon hearing my words, Sirin cautiously stepped out from behind the door. She watched my reactions and those of my wives with her head completely lowered.

“Miss Park Sirin, there’s something important to ask.”

“Eh? W-wait, what is…?”

“How many children do you plan to have? Could you have about eleven more?”

“?????”

Sirin was completely stunned.

(Alisha… you were the first one Sirin killed in the previous life, how can you ask that?)

“Miss Park Sirin.”

“M-Marie… senior.”

“Ah, yes. We said it was a bond from the previous life. I have a question.”

Since we had already talked about the previous life, Marie said it straightforwardly.

“Do you like potatoes? In the Loch family, you cannot not eat potatoes.”

“Eh? A-ah… y-yes, I eat potatoes.”

“Perfect. And does Hayeon eat potatoes?”

After Marie, Ran came.

In the previous life, Hwaran ascended and Ran disappeared. This must have been Sirin’s first time seeing Ran.

“I have a question.”

“Ah… yes… tell me…”

Ran looked around, then leaned in almost silently and whispered.

“When a baby is born… does the stork really not come?”

“???”

After receiving acceptance or at least tolerance from the three, Sirin simply lowered her head with a somber air.

“I…”

“What’s wrong? Does it seem to you that everyone is accepting too easily someone who, objectively speaking, is almost an enemy?”

“…”

Sirin didn’t deny it.

She could barely hold back her tears.

“What… should I… do? I…”

I placed my hand on her bowed head.

“Do your best.”

The things she did, the mistakes she made, the sins cannot be erased.

What’s done is done. Not even I know how something like that could be redeemed.

But as her husband.

As the father of our daughter.

“We’ll look for the answer together.”

I’ll accompany her all her life to find it.