[I will now fill this sphere with your magic, my lady.]

Marbas jumped up from the floor—and the small sphere rose into the air.

The transparent orb began circling around Tie.

[When the sphere turns completely gold, it will mean it is fully charged. Then...]

"Marru will take it and go back?"

Marru spun in the air.

[Exactly! As expected of you!]

Marbas glanced briefly at Tesetan and continued:

[If I safely deliver your magic, my lady, Lord Lucarion will be able to use it to reinforce the temporal passage.]

"Then Tie and Papa can return to Tallocium too?"

[Yes! Right now the passage is unstable, and there is a risk that you could be thrown out—or get stuck halfway.]

Tie swallowed.

The long tunnel she and Papa had passed through before surfaced in her mind.

‘Uu, I don’t want to get stuck again.’

That tunnel had been so long it made her dizzy.

And not just that.

Everything around them had rippled like oil on water—it had almost made her sick.

Gathering her courage, Tie asked:

"I understand. Then when will the sphere be charged?"

Marbas flinched.

[Ahem! Well...]

Glancing at Tie, he lowered his voice slightly.

[To be honest... even I don’t know.]

Tie’s eyes widened.

As she fell speechless, Tesetan intervened:

"What do you mean—you don’t know how long it will take?"

Marbas backed away from him.

[The harmonium was developed in haste. To increase stability, we had to complicate its structure, so the speed of magic accumulation may be somewhat slow...]

"How slow is ‘somewhat’? Be precise."

Marbas looked cornered.

He stepped back until he was pressed against the wall.

[Not exactly certain, but... in this world’s time, perhaps several weeks...]

"Several weeks?"

Tesetan’s eyes widened.

He quietly pressed a hand to his forehead.

Several weeks in a place he understood nothing about...

"Ah, if it’s several weeks—that’s not long at all..."

But Tie, on the contrary, looked disappointed, as if it were too short.

Marbas blinked in confusion.

[My lady? Do you not wish to return to Tallocium?]

Tie hesitated, looking at him.

"It’s not that..."

Marbas’s eyes lit up.

[In that case, I believe we could remain here together!]

Tie opened her mouth.

[I have already heard! It seems you are far more familiar with this world?]

Marbas hopped closer to her.

[If you wish, I have a way. What is the greatest problem here? I could resolve it...]

"Hey."

Tesetan suddenly grabbed Marbas.

"What are you suggesting to a child. Be quiet."

Marbas shut his mouth.

As soon as he was released, he darted back to the wall.

But regret still lingered in his eyes.

‘What a waste... a chance to escape that insane elephant...!’

His lion-like face dimmed.

He glared at Tesetan.

‘So what if you’re my lady’s father! What of it!’

Honestly, the young lady had clearly been interested in his suggestion.

After all, she had spent most of her short life here.

Marbas thought to himself.

‘Maybe I should try persuading her when the father isn’t around.’

His eyes gleamed again as he looked at the slightly downcast Tie.

That same evening.

"Grandma!"

"Oh my dear!"

Tie ran to Grandma from 107 and hugged her.

A sharp smell came from her.

Tie sniffed and tilted her head.

‘What is that smell?’

It smelled like medicine...

Grandma patted her head.

"You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Your sick father probably didn’t cook anything for you..."

She glanced toward the kitchen—and froze.

Tesetan stood there in her pajamas, holding a spatula.

He hesitated for a moment.

Then, glancing at Tie, he awkwardly said:

"You... are back."

Chae Boksu straightened, confused.

Setting down her bag, she replied:

"Ah, yes, I’m back."

Tie pulled her toward the television.

"Grandma, Tie was watching this."

"Ah, I see?"

Grandma leaned down beside her, watching a singer performing trot.

"But, little one... your father doesn’t seem to have completely lost his mind."

Tie tilted her head.

"Didn’t they say he forgot everything?"

"Yes."

"Then how did he know the sausages were in the freezer?"

Tie’s lips parted.

That’s right...

A few minutes earlier—

When her stomach had rumbled.

‘...Hungry?’

They had been lying together watching television.

As soon as Tie got hungry, Papa naturally got up.

Just as naturally, he opened the refrigerator and took out four eggs.

Then opened the freezer and found the sausages...

"Ah!"

Tie jumped up and ran into the kitchen.

Eyes shining, she asked:

"How did you know?"

Tesetan flipped the egg and glanced at her.

The child looked at him with sparkling eyes.

He silently stepped in front of her, shielding her.

"Oil will splatter."

But Tie did not back down.

"How did you know where the sausages were? «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» Tell me!"

"......"

Tesetan silently watched the oil splatter in the pan.

The sausages sizzled softly.

‘That’s true...’

How did he know?

The child’s stomach had rumbled—and he had simply started cooking.

"How did you know Tie likes sausages?"

The questions did not stop.

Tesetan looked at Tie, then at the nearly finished food.

He took out a plate and carefully placed everything onto it.

"Eat first."

Tie’s eyes widened.

But she obediently stepped back.

Grunting slightly, she unfolded the small low table for three.

Tesetan watched her carefully.

‘Papa!’

The voice echoed again in his head.

‘Papa—hehe! Papa!’

Ever since he came to this world, the hallucinations had been growing stronger.

He had seen and heard too much.

Now they no longer faded—they remained vivid.

Tesetan’s expression grew complicated.

‘If this...’

It was impossible, but if somehow it were true.

If he really was the father of the King of the Dead—

"Depu—no, um... come here!"

At that moment, Tie called him.

Not knowing what to call him.

Tesetan let out a quiet sigh.

‘Damn hallucinations. At least show everything clearly.’

Fragments only confused him more.

When he sat down, the child placed the dishes in front of him.

"Eat a lot."

On the other side, the old woman picked up her spoon first.

"Yes!"

Tie stuffed her mouth full of rice.

And at that moment—

"Cough!"

The old woman suddenly coughed, covering her mouth.

Tie’s eyes widened.

She quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled as if nothing had happened.

But Tesetan was already frowning.

His sharp senses caught a smell that could not be mistaken.

‘Blood?’

Last time too...

The old woman had definitely coughed up blood.