137
After Apophis left, Yeon Ji-ho and Set fell into a brief silence. The message he had delivered was quite shocking.
“Hmm. Set, have you ever thought about the child’s future?”
“…Future?”
Yeon Ji-ho opened the conversation with a soft voice. The child’s arrival was sudden for them, so they hadn’t discussed the future with Set before.
“Korea is very different from Asterra, isn’t it? The language, culture, history.”
Once, while watching a video, he had observed the lives of mixed-race children. These individuals, neither fully Korean nor foreign, often struggled with their identity. Yeon Ji-ho worried that his child might face similar concerns.
As Yeon Ji-ho brought up the topic, Set also began to seriously consider the child’s future for the first time. He cautiously spoke.
“I hope they grow up ordinarily.”
“Ordinarily?”
“Healthy and without trouble… And not different from others.”
Without being pointed at.
Set didn’t add that last part out loud. He hoped to be a parent who could readily protect his child if anyone pointed fingers at them. But at the same time, he felt afraid and anxious, having never had proper parents himself.
“Then, you don’t want them to become a magician or a knight?”
Even if one wanted to become a magician, not just anyone could. To become a magician, one had to be born with a mana circle, and to become a knight who handles aura required bone-breaking effort.
However, if a child born with great magical talent became a magician or knight, it would be difficult to live an ordinary life in this world. When Yeon Ji-ho expressed this concern, Set replied.
“If the child wishes for that, we should help them live while hiding it.”
Listening to Set’s calm response, Yeon Ji-ho felt his own confused feelings begin to settle. Considering his own abilities, the child’s mana, and their future, there was only one conclusion.
“Then, let’s use my ability to visit occasionally. To Asterra.”
“…That place?”
“Well, it’s the homeland of Set and everyone else. And the child’s roots are there too.”
Yeon Ji-ho assured the worried Set that he would only use the gate within reasonable limits. This eased Set’s mind somewhat.
As it was getting late and almost bedtime, both were about to start preparing for bed. Yeon Ji-ho, who had just happened to check his phone, paused for a moment upon seeing the date. Then he hurriedly said to Set.
“Set, do you remember what we have to do tomorrow?”
“What we have to do? Ah.”
At Yeon Ji-ho’s words, Set also recalled the memory he had put aside and nodded. On the upcoming weekend, they were planning to leave the knights’ order and go outside the village for a while. There was one reason.
“We were supposed to do the imprinting test, weren’t we?”
***
Early in the morning, Yeon Ji-ho was pacing anxiously in the middle of the living room. Seeing this, Set, who had just changed clothes and come out, went back into the dressing room. When he came out again, he was holding a scarf.
Set approached Yeon Ji-ho and wrapped the scarf tightly around his bare neck. As he did so, he spoke softly.
“We haven’t even arrived yet. Let’s sit down instead of standing, Ji-ho.”
“I’m just too anxious to…”
“What’s there to be anxious about?”
Set tilted his head and asked Yeon Ji-ho. Yeon Ji-ho avoided his eyes for a moment before meeting them again and said.
“…What if the imprinter isn’t you, Set?”
“Is that a problem?”
Perhaps the reason their reactions were so different was that Set had never been a shapeshifter to begin with. Set understood intellectually how important ‘imprinting’ was in this world, but he hadn’t fully accepted it in his heart.
Even if Yeon Ji-ho’s imprinter turned out to be Hadad instead of himself, nothing would change for Set. In the end, he would be the one remaining by Yeon Ji-ho’s side. That was all that mattered to Set.
“Well, you see…”
-Ji-ho! Are you ready?!
Their conversation was interrupted at that moment. Seon-rok’s voice calling them from outside could be heard. Glancing through the floor-to-ceiling window, they could see Seon-rok and Soo-cheol standing next to a parked car.
Putting aside what he was saying, Yeon Ji-ho put on gloves at Set’s urging and went outside. With his body now much heavier, it was difficult to put on shoes by himself, so Set helped him with his shoes.
Seon-rok, who greeted them, opened the back door first to make it easier for Yeon Ji-ho to get in. As Yeon Ji-ho entered the car, the pre-warmed interior hit his skin.
The car started after Set also got in next to Yeon Ji-ho. Seon-rok, sitting in the passenger seat instead of the driving Soo-cheol, gestured to the back seat and spoke to the two.
“It’s really cold today. Are you both dressed warmly? Especially Ji-ho?”
“I made sure he’s dressed warmly.”
“Oh! That’s a true newlywed’s answer. I feel very reassured with Set here.”
Seon-rok broke the awkward atmosphere with an exaggeratedly dramatic voice. It seemed Seon-rok had also guessed that the two would be nervous about today’s test.
“The hospital we’re going to today is one I know personally, and the doctor is experienced with these things, so don’t worry. Ah, but don’t say anything unnecessary.”
“Unnecessary?”
“You know… things like other worlds and such. Look, not many people in the world can easily accept that kind of thing.”
Seon-rok listed out precautions as they drove. The hospital they were going to was a famous shapeshifter specialty hospital in Seoul, and today being a weekend, it was officially closed for regular appointments.
Yeon Ji-ho once again thanked Seon-rok for his help. If it weren’t for Seon-rok, it would have been difficult for Set to get tested comfortably.
“Thanks? If you’re thankful, grant me a wish.”
“A wish? What is it?”
“I want to be the first to know the baby’s gender!”
“Yang Seon-rok. Stop being childish.”
“Ah, why!”
When Soo-cheol, who had been quietly driving, cautioned him, Seon-rok pouted.
“You know, that thing where you find out the baby’s gender first and throw a party. I want to do that too.”
“Why should you do that?”
“Because! I’m Bael’s uncle!”
Soo-cheol shook his head at those words. Yeon Ji-ho, listening from the back, laughed and said it was fine.
“I don’t mind if Seon-rok tells us. But I’ll hear it together with Set.”
“Ah, of course.”
The four continued chatting and arrived at the Seoul hospital in less than a few hours. After parking, they all entered the hospital lobby together, and Yeon Ji-ho was surprised by the unusually quiet space.
“Ah, I told them in advance. No outsiders allowed today.”
Seon-rok said casually, but it was a different world to Yeon Ji-ho. Among the four, Seon-rok took the lead, guiding everyone into the elevator.
When the elevator opened and they got out, Seon-rok led them to the examination room. On the door labeled ‘Examination Room 1’, there was a plaque with the word ‘Director’ and the doctor’s name. Yeon Ji-ho involuntarily muttered as he saw it.
“Nam Young-soo?”
“Yep. You can call him Dr. Nam. Now, let’s go in.”
The sliding door opened smoothly, revealing a comfortable examination room. At the single table in front, a middle-aged doctor in a white coat was seated.
“Ah, welcome. You’re right on time.”
“Dr. Nam, we’re in your care today.”
“Alright, I’ll call you when it’s done.”
Seon-rok waved to Yeon Ji-ho and left first. Left alone with Set, Dr. Nam gestured to them.
“Now, you two can sit here together.”
“…Thank you.”
Yeon Ji-ho sat down awkwardly in front of Dr. Nam, cradling his belly. Set, who had been watching Yeon Ji-ho sit down, quietly took a seat next to him.
Dr. Nam read a piece of paper and asked softly.
“I hear it’s an unusual case?”
“Pardon?”
Although they had arranged for the test through Seon-rok, Yeon Ji-ho hadn’t heard that anything had been told to the doctor in advance. As Yeon Ji-ho inwardly broke into a cold sweat, Dr. Nam continued speaking nonchalantly.
“I heard you didn’t know you were an alpha until after conceiving, and found out later.”
“…”
“And there’s suspicion of imprinting too. Ah, of course, we can’t be certain.”
It was slightly different, but close enough. Yeon Ji-ho silently nodded to confirm Dr. Nam’s words.
“Then we should start with the husband’s examination first. This morning, we’ll begin with simple blood tests and pheromone tests. Have you two eaten?”
“What? Yes.”
“Good, that’s good. We won’t have time to eat with today’s schedule. Now, could the husband please stand up and move to the examination room?”
Yeon Ji-ho was momentarily taken aback by how smoothly the examination was proceeding. However, since Set did need to be tested, he let go of the hand he had been holding under the table and prepared to send him off.
Or rather, he would have.
If only Set hadn’t refused.
“…Why should I go alone?”
Set’s gaze towards Dr. Nam was unsettling. He didn’t look at all like he trusted the doctor. He seemed to view it as some sort of trick to separate him from Yeon Ji-ho in an unfamiliar place.
“S-Set. What’s wrong? It’s just for the examination…”
“No, we’ll move together.”
“Huh huh.”
Dr. Nam chuckled as he looked at Set. He read through the chart he had received in advance once more and said.
“According to the chart, it says the husband might not be the imprinter.”
It seemed to be a chart written by the obstetrician Yeon Ji-ho had been seeing. Dr. Nam closed the paper with a thud and said.
“If this isn’t imprinting, I don’t know what is. Tsk…”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
