I could feel Yoon Si-woo’s piercing gaze on Ari, who was on my shoulder.
That look, complex and chillingly sharp, made cold sweat trickle down my body.
The once cheerful air in the room, filled with our earlier conversation, suddenly turned heavy and oppressive, as if it were a weight pressing down on me.
“Uh-huh, it seems Yoon Si-woo is surprised too?”
But it seemed I was the only one struggling to breathe in the changed atmosphere.
Seeing Sylvia casually talking to Yoon Si-woo made it clear to me that it was my understanding of the current situation that was causing my distress.
I envied Sylvia for being blissfully ignorant at that moment.
I felt like I was sitting on a bed of nails.
Some might argue there shouldn’t be a need for me to be this anxious since it’s not my fault that Ari killed Yoon Si-woo’s parents.
Yet, when a pet bites a person, it’s the owner who should take responsibility for such incidents.
Ari might not be exactly my pet, but if I were to split hairs, I had a claim of ownership over Ari in some way, which made me feel somewhat responsible for what had happened.
But how does one take responsibility for snatching away someone’s parents…!?
While I was swirling in anxiety, Sylvia opened her mouth to Yoon Si-woo again, without giving me a chance to say anything.
“Well, it is understandable to be surprised. I was pretty baffled at first too, when that terrifying beast joined our side.”
“…Our side?”
“Yes, when the Witch of Lust led the demonic beasts to invade the city, the Fury Beasts came and saved the city. Now they are our indispensable allies.”
I could see Yoon Si-woo slowly looking Ari up and down as Sylvia sang Ari’s praises in blissful ignorance.
What must it feel like for Yoon Si-woo to hear praise being showered upon the one who killed his parents?
I couldn’t even begin to imagine it, so I stood there, frozen in shock.
However, Sylvia seemed to interpret Yoon Si-woo’s stiff demeanor differently and chuckled before continuing.
“Hehe, it’s not easy to accept that a beast you thought was an enemy is now an ally, is it? I understand, since you worked under Captain Martina in the Northern Border Area, but you need to let go of the past. For us elves, the Fury Beasts are the ones who burned our forests and took our homeland, yet we decided to forget the past and forgive because they have helped us so much.”
Upon hearing Sylvia’s words, my mind went blank.
“Sylvia, while you might think you’re being kind, that statement is literally a landmine right now…!”
To say “just forget and forgive” in front of someone whose parents were taken away by the very being they are expected to forgive—how is that even plausible?
Even if that being helped many, would I truly be able to forgive the one who took my parents from me?
And it seemed Yoon Si-woo’s reaction was not one of calm acceptance, as he muttered with a completely frozen expression.
“Forget and forgive…”
“Uh, Yoon Si-woo? You don’t look good; did I say something wrong…?”
It wasn’t until he displayed a grim reaction that Sylvia seemed to realize there was a problem.
I wished she had caught on just a little sooner…
As I sighed and watched Sylvia look uneasy, Yoon Si-woo spoke to her like someone whose wounds had been opened.
“…Sylvia, do you remember? Fifteen years ago, when the Astrape 4th Division went on a reconnaissance mission to explore the Northern Forest, they suffered great losses and were driven back by the Fury Beasts. You’ve heard about that, right?”
“…Of course, I remember. It was relevant to my family as well. But why bring that up suddenly…?”
“…My parents were on that mission.”
“Yoon Si-woo’s parents? Oh, but Yoon Si-woo, you’re an orphan…”
Sylvia had been perplexed after hearing that Yoon Si-woo’s parents had gone on a mission, but she abruptly halted mid-sentence.
She knew Yoon Si-woo had grown up in an orphanage, so she must have realized by now who was responsible for taking his parents away from him.
Sylvia’s face turned pale in an instant.
“Uh… aah, I’m sorry, Yoon Si-woo… I didn’t know…”
“…It’s fine. You didn’t know.”
“No! Aah… What did I say, as if I’m some wise person who said we should forget and accept everything! I’m so sorry, Yoon Si-woo…!”
Even though Yoon Si-woo said it was fine, Sylvia couldn’t help but express her remorse as if she were tormented by her guilt.
Watching Sylvia in such a state of self-reproach was agonizing.
However, while I was watching Sylvia apologize, I suddenly had a thought.
Isn’t there someone else who should be apologizing to Yoon Si-woo?
Yeah, the one who should be apologizing isn’t Sylvia.
So, who should apologize?
The one responsible for the incident that took Yoon Si-woo’s parents, the one accountable for Ari’s actions, is me!
Realizing this, I grabbed Yoon Si-woo urgently and shouted loudly.
“No! It’s all my fault! I’m sorry!!!”
And then there was a moment of silence.
“…? Why are you suddenly apologizing, Scarlet…”
“…That’s right. Scarlet has nothing to apologize for, right…?”
Yoon Si-woo and Sylvia mumbled in confusion as to why I was apologizing.
But those were words for someone who didn’t know anything.
I explained to them why I needed to apologize.
“No, I absolutely need to apologize. After all, it was Ari that caused Yoon Si-woo to lose his parents, right? The one responsible for Ari is me. So, I take responsibility for Ari’s actions. Yoon Si-woo, I’m sorry. I’ll apologize on behalf of everything that Ari has done.”
Saying this, I walked in front of Yoon Si-woo, dropped to my knees, and pressed my forehead to the ground.
This was the most respectful posture of apology I knew—an act of sincere remorse.
“D-don’t, Scarlet. You didn’t do anything wrong, so there’s no need for this…”
– Screeech!! Bwaaaah!!
And in that moment, Ari’s sharp cry burst forth, drowning out Yoon Si-woo’s shocked voice as he tried to lift me.
– Baek! Peeeek!
Ari tugged at my hair, as if to say she didn’t like me kneeling in apology.
“Don’t you kneel to that guy! I didn’t do anything wrong, so why is my mom apologizing to him!”
Hearing that, I felt like a parent who rushed to school to apologize for Ari’s mishap, begging for forgiveness.
And yet, instead of feeling repentant, this little troublemaker was saying such childish things.
Overwhelmed by my rising frustration, I grabbed Ari and shouted.
“Ari! What in the world do you think you’re doing right now?! Yoon Si-woo offered forgiveness from the bottom of his heart, and instead of being grateful, you’re acting rude! If you keep this up, I’m really going to get angry?!”
– Peek? Peeeeek?
Ari muttered in a betrayed tone, “W-why?”
Fortunately, Yoon Si-woo seemed to disregard Ari’s rude behavior as he tightened his arm around my shoulder and smiled.
“Haha, don’t get so worked up. Nothing’s going to change anyway.”
He was saying that, no matter what, it wouldn’t alter his feelings now that he had decided to forgive.
This guy, was he really that magnanimous?
As I marveled at how impressive Yoon Si-woo’s composure and generous nature were, Ari suddenly began muttering, “No way… no way…”
Anyway, contrary to my worries about what would happen, I was relieved that everything ended up well.
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