HKWM | Chapter 13

“Your nephew will surely love this. I made it especially beautiful today.”

“What’s the name of this flower?”

I wasn’t particularly interested in flowers, but in case Noah asked, I wanted to be prepared with the name.

“Ah, how silly of me not to mention it. This is a forget-me-not. It’s associated with the meaning, ‘Do not forget me,’ and people often give this flower to soldiers before they leave for deployment.”

As a symbol of love and prayer from those who remain, it carried a promise of waiting love and a safe return.

While I was quietly observing the bouquet, Noah, who had been looking around, came over. The shop owner discreetly hid the bouquet under the table so Noah wouldn’t see it.

“I can’t decide, there are so many. Can you help me choose?”

“…Sure.”

As we walked, we stopped in front of some familiar-looking plants nestled among the colorful flowers.

“Noah, look at this.”

“Yes?”

“They have some of the vegetables we often eat.”

At the orphanage, we used to plant lettuce and cherry tomatoes in a small garden. Being cynical from a young age, I never thought much of such activities, but my younger siblings seemed quite fond of them.

Whaaa! Big brother, Jaehyun stepped on my lettuce!
It wasn’t on purpose!

Of course, that would lead to tears as if the sky had fallen.

“So we could grow these and eat them?”

“Yes.”

“Would we be able to take good care of them?”

“It’s not too hard.”

I wasn’t sure if growing them here would be similar, but if necessary, magic could help. Ah, would the vegetables absorb the magic…? If necessary, we could also bring in a new subject who specializes in plants.

“Let’s give it a try then.”

Hearing Noah’s decision, I bought every type of seedling. The shop owner gave us some advice, occasionally pointing out which plants might be difficult to nurture. Thanks to our earlier conversation, it seemed she saw us as a close uncle and nephew duo.

Regardless of the method, I planned to maintain Noah’s sense of wonder, so I didn’t pay much attention to the warnings. Noah was not like my siblings; he wouldn’t cry over wilted or trampled seedlings, but it was my simple desire to protect his innocence.

After shopping, as we stepped outside, I presented Noah with the hidden bouquet of forget-me-nots. Initially stunned, he soon realized the flowers were for him and quickly held them close.

“Are these for me?”

“Seemed like you’d like them.”

“Yes, I noticed them as soon as we entered the shop. They’re small and pretty… Thank you so much.”

Instead of responding to his thanks, I watched him enjoy the flowers, sniffing their scent and gently touching the petals. Then I remembered the flower’s meaning the shop owner had shared.

Will you forget me quickly once we part, or will you remember me for a long time? If you do remember, what kind of figure will I be in your memories?

Big brother, we haven’t forgotten you. We kept waiting.

Did you forget about us?

I certainly didn’t want to regret. Not anymore.

“Jin, can I put these in a vase at home?”

“…Yes, of course.”

Upon returning home, Noah immediately set about arranging the bouquet. He was so careful in choosing a vase that I decided not to interrupt him, hoping he would grow accustomed to acting on his own initiative and preferences.

Meanwhile, I was also engaged in my own form of study. Having inherited the memories of the previous Wrath, I had the advantage of a vast trove of information at my disposal, though the older memories could be jumbled or slow to surface.

Rustle-

As I sat on the bed, sifting through my thoughts, I heard a slight noise outside the door. The only person in the house who made such a small, secretive sound was Noah.

“Come in.”

Even before he knocked, I had given permission, and Noah entered the room, closing the door carefully behind him, making sure it was shut properly. This seemed to indicate he had something difficult to discuss, so I surrounded the room with a soundproofing spell.

“I’ve put up a soundproof spell, so speak freely.”

“I… have something I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“You once said that I would become so strong that no ordinary human could compare, and being strong means not easily losing what I have.”

“Yes.”

“Does that include myself?”

I quickly understood what he was getting at. He was asking if he could avoid repeating the experience of being sold into a gladiator’s ring.

“While it’s not absolute, that’s generally the case.”

“…Then, please cut my hair, Jin.”

This unexpected request reminded me of what the shop owner had said earlier.

“Is this because of what the shop owner said earlier?”

“No, it’s because my mother always told me to grow my hair out since I was very young.”

Your mother told you to grow your hair? After a moment of hesitation, I asked, “Can I lift your bangs?”

“Yes.”

Had he an extra eye? Unless there was a reason to hide his face…

Regardless of what I might discover, I resolved not to react with shock as I lifted his thick bangs, but I quickly let them fall back into place.

“What did I just see…”

“Is there something strange?”

Clearly, his mother had been insightful despite her illness.

It wasn’t me; the angel was this child.

Noah’s large eyes and long eyelashes could belong to a doll, and his light wheat-colored hair and green-tinted eyes felt warm. His small lips, nervously bitten, were exactly how I might imagine a little angel.

Yes, if a child from the slums possessed such looks, they would undoubtedly become a target for all sorts of crimes. While I couldn’t hide his soul’s quality, at least hiding his appearance had kept away the worst of the riffraff.

“I see why your mother wanted you to grow it. But why do you suddenly want to cut it?”

Noah would have understood from observing his surroundings why he needed to hide his face. Perhaps he even guessed that a fate worse than that of a gladiator slave awaited him otherwise. Thus, he had obsessively grown his hair.

“I respect whatever decision you make, but I’m curious why you changed your mind so suddenly.”

“Even if I become strong enough to protect what’s precious to me over time, I am weak now. But now I have you, Jin. You will protect me while I’m still weak, so I think it’s okay.”

Hearing this, I was at a loss for words.

Noah wanting to cut his hair was a sign of his trust in me. Given that he was a child who rarely cried, smiled, or showed interest in other humans, learning to trust was perhaps the first significant thing he gained from our meeting. My efforts hadn’t been meaningless.

“…I also learned something I never managed to do in thirty years.”

“What?”

Trusting someone requires considerable courage, a trait lacking in me as a deeply fearful human. I had chosen to endure loneliness rather than risk being hurt by misplaced trust.

Smiling at Noah, who looked puzzled, I added another commitment to my resolve to help him live a normal life—to not betray his first act of courage.

“Is there something like a hair salon here?”

I had never even cut my own hair, let alone someone else’s, but considering my track record, wielding scissors probably wasn’t a good idea.

“What’s a hair salon?”

“A place where they cut your hair.”

At my explanation, Phoras tilted his head.

“Are you referring to a guillotine or an execution block?”

I recoiled in horror and waved my hands dismissively.

“No! A place where they cut your hair!”

In Korea, mentioning a haircut was commonly understood in the conversational sense, but here, it might be misinterpreted due to the prevalence of actual beheadings.

“Hmm, nobles and wealthy merchant families usually keep a servant for that, but commoners often cut their own hair or just tie it neatly. So, a salon might not exist here.”

No salon… I hadn’t expected that. As I pondered what to do, Phoras, who had been leafing through a book, suggested,

“Maybe you could ask a gardener nearby?”

“A gardener.”

“Yes, it’s somewhat similar, isn’t it?”

Similar context… Was it really? Regardless, it seemed quite impolite to suddenly ask a stranger to cut hair.

Noah solved my dilemma.

“It should be okay.”

“Huh?”

“Commoners often solve difficult tasks by paying others to help. If they refuse, then you could cut it.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

If Noah thought it was okay, then it must be. And if all else failed, I could cut it myself. I could adjust hair length with magic, so practicing on my own hair might just work.

“Then let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Despite my confident suggestion to go, I paused, my face serious, prompting Noah, Phoras, and Kimaris to stare at me quizzically. Looking at them, all serious and waiting for my word, I finally spoke.

“But… should we really expose Noah’s face to the world? It’s too dangerous.”