Chapter 302: Webtoon Special Edition – Extra 14 Corin and His Children (7)

“Seems like something like second-year syndrome.”

“Second-year syndrome?”

“Yes, well… she has a bit of that.”

I thought about how to explain the modern concept of second-year syndrome.

In this world, there is no internet, but even so, there are quite a lot of people who suffer from this kind of strange condition.

Needless to say, the golemist Cranel also falls quite heavily into that category—though no, his is a different genre altogether.

“Believing that one has a noble lineage, that one hides great power, that one is actually a being with sealed power—”

“…But all of that is true, isn’t it?”

“Ah, that’s true.”

I did not see this twist coming!

Finn has divine lineage, enormous latent power, and her divinity is sealed to allow normal growth…

“Everything fits too perfectly.”

The world is unpredictable. It turns out that the child with second-year syndrome was not fantasy, but reality.

“Well, I don’t think there’s much to worry about.”

“Is it really fine?”

Erin asked with a worried expression, but I didn’t make much of it.

“Those kinds of things are just a phase. They heal on their own over time.”

It’s jokingly called an illness, but in the end it also becomes a childhood memory.

I myself, when I was little, dreamed of becoming a hero and saving the world—ah, wait, I actually did do that.

“Anyway. Finn isn’t sick or strange; she’s just a bit precocious. And I have a good idea.”

“A good idea?”

Erin blinked with her eyes wide open. I twisted the corner of my lips.

***

The place where Finn usually spent her time wasn’t fixed, but she often played in the Castle of Shadows, Erin’s territory.

It was dark and gloomy, a place that didn’t seem very suitable for a child’s education, but since it was the domain where Erin had lived for countless years, it seemed instinctively familiar to her.

“Ngh! The sealed left arm that grows stronger in the domain of darkness! Calm down, Black Flame Dragon! Pacify your rage!”

Saying that, Finn Danua pressed hard against her own arm. Josephine, who was watching the scene, shook her head.

“I don’t understand absolutely anything she’s saying.”

Josephine had taught for decades at Merkabah Academy, but even she didn’t know how to handle a case like this.

One could say the girl played on her own without any problems, but the real issue was that she always dragged Josephine into her world, assigning her roles like the Space-Time Administration Department or a hundred-year-old golden dragon.

‘I said I’m not Gold Miss…!’

Witches live a long time, so marrying late is no problem.

“Gold Digger! The time has come to release your hidden power!”

“E-eh… please, it’s Gold Miss.”

“Bah! That’s not important! It’s time to release the sealed demonic power!”

“Who in the world is this child fighting with…?”

That was when it happened.

Josephine doubted her own eyes.

From deep within the Castle of Shadows, beyond the darkness, two figures were approaching.

Corin and Erin.

It was only natural, since only the two of them lived in that castle.

The problem was their attire.

Corin had one eye completely bandaged, and Erin was wearing a rather aggressive outfit with black wings.

“W-what… what is this? What are you two doing?”

“Hahahaha, have you asked for our names? Then it’s only natural that we answer!”

“T-to prevent the destruction of the world…”

“To protect world peace!”

“Love and truth, spreading darkness—”

“Speak louder, Darkness!”

Smack!

Corin slapped Erin on her bare back.

“Hii! L-love and truth, spreading darkness!”

“From here on, we’ll skip the middle part to avoid copyright issues. I am Justice!”

“A-and I… Darkness.”

“Ah, I should’ve brought Deokgu. What a waste. He would’ve fit perfectly with the ‘I’m a puppy’ bit.”

“C-Corin… you broke character. And Deokgu would never have agreed.”

At Erin’s remark, Corin shamelessly poked the side of her chest.

“Darkness! What are you saying? I am Justice! The legitimate successor of Heavenly Demon Michael Jackson, Heavenly Demon Kim Corin! I don’t know anyone like that!”

“Hii!”

“You two… what the hell are you doing?”

Ignoring Josephine’s interruption, Corin turned his head toward Finn.

“Hahahaha, persistent bastards. Causing trouble again, were you? Gold Digger! No—Gold Miss Dragon! And reincarnation of Bloody Crazy Harmageddon who carries the sealed Black Flame Dragon!”

“Ah……”

Finn, who had been stunned for a moment, seemed to understand something and replied.

“You’re the dogs of the Space-Time Administration Department!”

“Correct! Did you think you could escape our pursuit while carrying the sealed Black Flame Dragon?”

“What have you been talking about this whole time…?”

At that moment, Josephine met Erin’s gaze—the one wearing that extreme winged outfit.

‘Go along with it now.’

‘…And that outfit?’

‘I don’t know! Corin made me put it on! It wasn’t my decision!’

Josephine recalled how Corin used to make them wear anything whenever he asked—the last time it had been a nurse uniform taken from who knows where.

Remembering that role-play scene of a millionaire patient and nurses, she resigned herself to the fact that yet another strange performance had begun.

“Today is the day we protect the order of space-time! Bloody Crazy Harmageddon!”

“It won’t go the way you want, you bastards of the Space-Time Administration Department!”

“Explode, reality!”

“Burst, synapses!”

But watching the scene—

“Well, in the end, it’s just a father playing normally with his daughter.”

“Right?”

Both of them smiled warmly as they watched the father–daughter pair having fun.

“I shall stand above the heavens!”

“At last you reveal your ambition, ponytail! I’ll stop you no matter the cost!”

“Hahaha, don’t use such harsh words. You look. weak.”

“Kuh! Kisama! Bankai!”

“Gear Seconddoooo!!”

“…..”

Is it just my imagination, or does it look like she’s enjoying this a lot too?

***

If there was a truly enormous change on the continent after the War of the Sun, it was the great transformation of the religious world.

After the internal purge of the New Clergy carried out by Estelle Hadassa El Ras, First Princess of the Kingdom of El Ras and a saint, the absorption of the Old Clergy took place following the War of the Sun.

And furthermore, the doctrinal unification with the Heavenly Sect of the East.

So then, who is the human of the highest status in this world?

If we set aside the God of the Sun, Corin Loch—already a great hero beyond all categories—the candidates are reduced to two.

Marie Dunaleff, future duchess of the Empire of the Southern Papa and mistress of the new magic tower, Dunaleff Tower.

And Estelle Hadassa El Ras, the only Grand Saint who achieved a colossal religious unification that transcended continents.

Both were born as members of royalty or the highest nobility, and among Corin’s wives they possess political and economic influence without comparison.

Could it be because of that influence?

Abigail, Estelle’s eldest daughter, had a distinctly “royal” character, very different from Corin’s other children.

“Princess, today it is Barsil aromatic oil. Would you like to try the fragrance?”

“Hmm~ It’s not bad. You know today is an important day, right? Make sure to take good care of me.”

“Of course, Princess.”

Today she would participate in a religious ceremony as a princess of the kingdom and as the daughter of Estelle, head of the Holy Tribunal.

Although in practice she would only show her face and fulfill a symbolic role, Abigail took the matter very seriously.

“But the Supreme Pontiff said it wasn’t necessary for me to participate. Do I really need to go out?”

“It will be a boring time for you, Princess Abigail.”

Despite the attendants’ care and concern, Abigail replied while puffing out her chest.

“I’m not a child!”

“But you are still young in age…”

“For royalty, as noble as blood are also obligations. I am the daughter of the God of the Sun and of the future Goddess of the Earth. If I appear childish before the believers, what will they think of Mother?”

Certainly, the faithful of the Cult of the God of the Sun placed great expectations not only on Corin’s wives, but also on his children.

After all, they were not mere humans born in this land, but genuine divine descendants, bearers of divine power from birth.

“If they show behavior unworthy of children of the gods, like Park Sirin or oppa Deokgu, faith in the Cult of the God of the Sun will weaken. That’s why I, with legitimate royal blood, must stand out!”

Regardless of that, Corin believed that children should simply grow as children, but Abigail, just like her mother, was full of ambition.

Among Corin’s innumerable children, she believed herself the most worthy to represent the descendants of the gods, and she intended to occupy a priority position among the future deities.

“Everything is ready, Princess.”

Abigail reinforced her confidence as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her pink hair, inherited from her mother, was her greatest pride.

“Perfect! The hairstyle is impeccable! And the clothes too, except that it feels a bit cool under the arms!”

“Saintly vestments prioritize a sense of openness.”

“Ah, but I can’t let my belly button get cold during my growth period. I’ll put on a sash underneath.”

After finishing her preparations, Abigail left her palace and headed toward the carriage.

And there she encountered an unexpected figure.

“Huh? My… Miruam, Crown Princess?”

A beauty with red hair and a crimson dress. Miruam was waiting for her inside the carriage.

“Get in, Abigail.”

“Ah, y-yes… yes!”

Abigail bowed awkwardly and got into the carriage. Miruam watched her with an elegant smile.

“They say you’ll be participating in the ceremony. That’s admirable.”

“Y-yes! It’s my duty as my parents’ daughter and as a member of royalty!”

“They don’t usually worry about such things.”

Miruam smiled elegantly. Abigail etched that image into her memory.

That was how a true member of royalty should smile.

Although Abigail was Estelle’s daughter, much of her conduct and sense of royal duty she had learned from Miruam, Estelle’s younger sister.

Unlike Estelle, free to the point of seeming capricious, Miruam possessed the grace and nobility proper to royalty.

Moreover, while Estelle was the pontiff of the Unified Cult, Miruam held the position of Crown Princess, the future queen of the Kingdom of El Ras.

“Estelle will already be there. Let’s go together to the temple.”

“Y-yes, Aunt!”

Corin’s children called the other mothers “mom” with their names added. Park Hayeon also said “Mom Marie” or “Mom Alisha.”

However, Miruam asked for different treatment from the children who called her mom.

It was unclear whether this was due to strict royal protocol, but it wasn’t as though she acted distant.

“Rest a bit during the trip. It’s fine.”

“Really… I can?”

“Yes. They’ll fix your hair again at the venue.”

Miruam patted her lap lightly. Abigail rested her head on her thigh without hesitation.

A warm, gentle hand stroked her hair.

Miruam was especially attentive to her husband’s children.

If Park Sirin was the most feared mother, Miruam was without a doubt the most considerate.

‘But then… why doesn’t the Crown Princess have children?’

The doubt suddenly arose.

There were families where, like with Mom Alisha or Mom Lunia, two more siblings were born every year.

Or cases like Mom Hwaran, who had only one and raised him well.

With so many siblings, Kang Hyeok or Finn Danua didn’t feel lonely, and Abigail also had a newborn little brother.

But Miruam.

She hadn’t had a single child.

Why would that be?