Leo stood silently in the middle of the forest.
The cold wind brushed past him, yet his mind remained elsewhere.
Behind him—
Lana suddenly blinked in confusion.
"Wait… why am I here?"
She looked around frantically.
"I was in the room… holding Leo…"
Then she turned toward Null, who was walking toward them alongside Max and Charlotte.
The moment Lana saw Max—
Her eyes widened.
"Max?!"
Max awkwardly scratched his cheek.
But before he could answer—
Null spoke first.
"Lana, did something happen?" His voice was calm but serious. "And where did you go?"
Lana hesitated.
"…Brother, you don't need to worry about it."
Her gaze moved around the forest again.
"But… how did I even get here?"
Max looked ahead and answered casually.
"Don't worry. We're only a few meters away from the kingdom."
Charlotte suddenly pointed at Leo.
"Dad, who's that?"
Leo still hadn't moved.
He stood there staring at the ring on his finger.
Lost in thought.
Why did I tell her I loved her…?
Even after learning who she really is…
After what she did to my friends…
He closed his eyes briefly.
No.
I won't regret it.
I promised I'd meet her again.
Then—
A hand landed on his shoulder.
"Hey, Leo."
Null looked at him carefully.
"Everything okay? You've been standing there without moving."
Leo snapped out of his thoughts.
"Oh… yeah."
Then he looked toward Max.
"…Who's he?"
Null smiled faintly.
"He's my childhood friend."
He pointed toward Charlotte.
"And that's his daughter."
Lana's eyes widened again.
"…Max," she said slowly, "you actually became a father?"
Max immediately sighed.
"That's a long story."
Then he smiled lightly.
"Why don't you all come to my house first?"
Lana instantly nodded.
"That sounds great!"
Then she grinned mischievously.
"I also want to meet Charlotte's mother."
Null shrugged.
"If Lana agrees, then I'm fine too."
Everyone looked at Leo.
"…I'm not coming," he said quietly.
Null frowned.
"Why?"
"I have something important to do."
Lana crossed her arms.
"What important thing?"
Leo avoided eye contact.
"…Something personal."
Max raised a hand calmly.
"If he has important work, don't force him."
Then he looked toward Null.
"Besides, my wife will still be happy even if only you two come."
He smiled slightly.
"And he can visit tomorrow."
Null thought for a moment before nodding.
"…Fine."
A while later—
They arrived at Max's home.
Null and Lana both froze.
"…Are you serious?" Null muttered.
Before them stood a massive mansion.
Luxurious.
Elegant.
The complete opposite of the slums they once knew.
Lana leaned toward Null and whispered,
"Brother… are we sure this is the same Max?"
"The same guy who lived with us in the slums?" Null whispered back.
Max laughed awkwardly.
"Stop staring and come inside."
They entered.
And the inside was even more absurd.
Crystal chandeliers.
Massive halls.
Beautiful decorations.
Everything screamed wealth.
A maid immediately bowed toward Max.
"Welcome home, sir."
Max nodded casually.
"Prepare tea for our guests."
"And tell the chefs to start lunch."
"Yes, sir."
The maid quickly left.
Null and Lana stared blankly.
"…Sir?" Lana repeated under her breath.
They entered the living room—
And someone was already waiting there.
Charlotte immediately ran forward.
"Mom! Mom! We have guests!"
The woman turned around.
The moment Null and Lana saw her—
Both froze.
"…Rose?"
Rose smiled warmly.
"Null. Lana."
"Why are you both standing there? Come sit."
They slowly sat down on the luxurious sofa.
It was so soft Lana felt like sinking into it.
"I still can't understand this…" she muttered.
She looked at Max.
"How did any of this happen?"
"And more importantly… how did your parents even agree?"
Max immediately groaned.
"…That's exactly the part I didn't want to explain."
Rose laughed softly.
"But that's the most interesting part of our story."
Before she could continue, a maid entered carrying expensive-looking tea sets.
Even the cups looked more valuable than entire houses from the slums.
Max looked toward Null.
"Why are you staring at it?"
"Drink before it gets cold."
Null carefully took a sip.
Then Max's expression turned serious.
"So…"
"What happened after the slums were destroyed?"
Null's eyes darkened slightly.
He silently pointed toward Charlotte.
Max understood immediately.
"Charlotte," he said gently, "why don't you show Aunt Lana the garden?"
Charlotte happily nodded.
"Okay, Dad!"
Lana stood up and followed her outside.
Once they left—
Null explained everything.
The destruction of the slums.
The deaths.
The incident.
How only he and Lana survived.
Silence filled the room afterward.
Max leaned back slowly.
"…That much happened, huh?"
Null glanced at him.
"You don't seem very sad about it."
Max shrugged faintly.
"I am sad."
Then his expression became distant.
"But honestly…"
"I never felt emotionally connected to them."
"They were only my biological family."
He looked down quietly.
"That's why I ran away back then."
Null stared at him for a moment—
Then smiled faintly.
"…Yeah."
"I remember."
And just like that—
The conversation continued.
Like old times.
Meanwhile—
Back at the room.
Leo opened the door and entered alone.
"…I really don't have anything important to do," he muttered.
"I just wanted to be alone for a while."
Suddenly—
His phone screen lit up.
Chibi Leo appeared.
"…Why?"
Leo blinked.
"Why what?"
Chibi Leo crossed his tiny arms dramatically.
"You're missing her."
Leo looked away.
"…I don't know."
"Maybe you're right."
Chibi Leo narrowed his eyes.
"…Traitor."
Leo nearly dropped the phone.
"What?!"
Suddenly—
Another figure appeared beside Chibi Leo.
Chibi Lana.
She was crying.
Chibi Leo gently patted her head.
"Don't cry," he said seriously. "A betrayal never comes from an enemy."
Leo stared blankly.
"What are you two even talking about?"
Chibi Lana sniffed loudly.
"Because you cheated on Miss Lana…"
"…HOW?!"
"We're not even in a relationship!"
Chibi Leo pointed accusingly.
"That doesn't matter."
"You destroyed our dream."
Leo's eye twitched.
"…What dream?"
Chibi Leo's eyes sparkled.
"A future where you and Miss Lana fall in love."
"Then you have kids."
"Then your kids have kids."
"And finally both of you become grandparents together."
Leo stared in horror.
"…How long have you been thinking about this?"
Chibi Leo looked away proudly.
"…A very long time."
Then his expression softened slightly.
"But honestly…"
"I'm praying you meet Iris again."
"And don't regret your choice."
Leo quietly looked down at the ring.
"…Yeah."
"…I hope so too."
Then—
Knock. Knock.
Someone knocked on the door from outside.