“Will you still not call me Father? You’re the one who made me your father in the first place.”

“......”

Mephisto lowered his head, unable to meet his eyes, and kept his mouth shut.

It was true. It had been none other than himself who had tried to bind him with the thread of family by calling him Father.

And it had been himself who cut that thread.

Even now, the guilt felt like it would crush him whole.

But even so, there was something he had to say to him.

Mephisto forced the words out as if squeezing them dry.

“Please... give On Jurim back to Guru...”

Would Sheir even understand?

Just how special the affection between Guru and Jurim was.

Mephisto knew it all too well—because he had felt the same.

He had longed for affection as family, and Guru had told him family was precious.

Mephisto wanted to return a father to Guru.

Even if it meant breaking Sheir’s seal again.

Whether that would be possible now... he didn’t know.

As he bit his lip, Sheir’s long hand reached out, grasped Mephisto’s °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° chin, and lifted his face.

“......!”

Mephisto froze, unable to breathe, meeting his gaze.

It was the first time they had met since sealing Father away in the snowy plains.

Up until he’d lost his memories, he had always feared meeting him—

—because he’d been terrified of how Father would react.

Would it be sharp criticism? A thunderous scolding? Or that same cold indifference as always? He had stayed up many nights wondering.

Looking at the uneasy child, Sheir murmured almost with a sigh.

“When you put distance between us, it felt like a great hole opened in my chest. Is this regret? Sorrow? Or both?”

“Huh?”

Mephisto looked at him in puzzlement.

The boy blinked, dazed.

“What must I do for you to call me Father again?”

“......?”

The words didn’t even process in his head.

In front of the silent and stunned Mephisto, Sheir tilted his head.

“Raising children really is difficult. I can see why On Jurim has a hard time.”

Understand? He understands?

Mephisto struggled to follow his train of thought, but the moment the name “On Jurim” came up, he snapped back to attention.

“P-Please give On Jurim—”

“Alright.”

Mephisto stiffened at the curt answer. Just like that?

Sheir answered the unspoken question in his eyes.

“If you all wish for it that much, I want to grant it. Is this what a father’s heart is?”

He looked at Mephisto as if genuinely wondering.

“......?”

Mephisto truly had no idea and only blinked again.

When Sheir turned to Veilach for an answer, the hamster spoke seriously.

“Myu myu. Myu myu myut.” (I am what Earth calls a ‘mossol.’ It means I have never had a spouse my whole life. Therefore, I do not know what a father’s heart is either.)

Sheir seemed amused to have learned a new term.

“Then I am a mossol as well.”

“Myu.” (Indeed.)

“There’s no one here who knows, so I suppose I’ll have to ask On Jurim.”

“Myu.” (That would be best.)

With a faint smile at Veilach’s reply, Sheir continued naturally.

“What I feel toward you... it’s like a tightness in my chest. I suppose that’s guilt.”

“......”

Veilach’s mouth fell open. So did Mephisto’s.

A child and an ugly hamster both stood gaping in surprise, and Sheir, looking almost entertained, took a piece of bread from Guru’s arms and popped it into Mephisto’s mouth.

As Mephisto chewed uncertainly, Sheir stroked his head.

Startled, Mephisto quickly took a few steps back.

Sheir looked down at the hand that had touched the soft hair and said,

“I’ll be returning for today, so you needn’t worry.”

Mephisto opened his mouth to say something, but Sheir went on, unbothered.

“Guru doesn’t have the strength right now to make me a body. A shame... Still, I’ll be watching over you from the snowy plains, so when the time comes, let’s meet again.”

“R-Really?”

“For that day, I hope you will help Guru.”

Relieved, Mephisto nodded vigorously.

If Sheir went back quietly, there would be no need to seal him away again...

The ache in his chest had only just subsided when Sheir suddenly came close and whispered in his ear.

“I look forward to you calling me Father again then.”

“......!”

With that high-handed remark, Sheir closed his eyes as if his business were done.

Mephisto mouthed soundlessly in a daze.

'Really? Can I really call you Father again?'

He still had so many things he wanted to ask.

Crackle—!

The dungeon broke apart at the exact same moment those words ended.

Clang!

***

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Gidan, having driven the team leaders out, now stood with his back braced against the guildmaster’s office door.

The team leaders, like a horde of zombies, pounded on the door, trying to see the amnesiac On Jurim.

Even those who didn’t know the situation were loitering curiously, swelling the crowd in front of the office.

Arms crossed, leaning on the door, Gidan looked into the empty guildmaster’s office.

“...Guess they found Guru alright?”

Sitting in Jurim’s chair, Serhi spun it around once.

“They said they were going to find her. So yeah, I guess they did.”

Though his tone was indifferent, there was worry at the edge of his words.

Then—

“Oh, Guru’s GPS just pinged.”

“She’s home.”

Confirming that Guru’s location was her house, both Gidan and Serhi let out sighs of relief.

They’d been so alarmed when she’d vanished while their guard was down.

It had been Sheir who had stopped the two of them from going after her.

“Why don’t you two stay here and sign a few things for me?”

That’s what he’d said...

“Guru’s something else. From Gnosis to now the Master of the 99th Floor... Wonder if Jurim-hyung’s okay...”

Gidan muttered in disbelief, while the pounding on the door kept up.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Man, these team leaders are too much...”

Serhi, chin propped on one hand, idly twirled a pen and said casually,

“Can’t you just tell them On Jurim went home?”

“...Huh?”

“I’m heading home now.”

Seeing it was 6 p.m., Serhi got up.

“Wha—?”

He pushed Gidan aside and opened the door to the zombie crowd.

“It’s quitting time.”

The team leaders, eyes blazing until now, seemed to snap out of a trance and relaxed their grips.

“Oh, right.”

“Wow, it’s late already.”

“Guess I’ll go home.”

Soon, everyone began to scatter like petals in the wind.

“...Huh?”

Gidan could only gape after Serhi’s retreating back as he left with the team leaders.

***

“Gasp!”

Jurim opened his eyes and sat up.

'Where...'

He looked down at his hands, slick with cold sweat, then glanced around.

'Home?'

It was unmistakably his room, one Guru had slowly filled with dolls one by one.

And to prove it wasn’t an illusion, there was a warm little child clinging to his right arm.

By her head, an ugly hamster, a baby rabbit, and a white bird were all snuggled together, bellies up, fast asleep.

The cozy sight eased his heart at once.

Watching the children, Jurim let out a long sigh.

“...Haa.”

Breathing out, he lay back down.

It felt as if he’d just woken from a very long dream.

His last memory was of meeting Jeon Byeongho and heading back.

Then suddenly Sheir had appeared, and before he knew it, he’d been seated on the Throne of Gold, gazing out over the snowy plains—

—sharing Sheir’s emotions and consciousness in that lonely, empty field.

Pulling at the memory, he rubbed his face with his left hand and checked his phone.

There were missed calls from everywhere—Kazuki, Gidan, Serhi among them.

“...Ah.”

The moment he remembered Sheir pretending to have amnesia and playing along, irritation welled up in him.

He should’ve just forgotten everything, so why did he remember it all?

He smacked his forehead with his palm in frustration.

No matter how many times he did it, Sheir gave no reply. He had to be feeling everything, though.

Maybe he was enjoying watching Jurim squirm.

'Did Sheir choose to seal himself again?'

Jurim had regained his consciousness, and Sheir was once again asleep in his left hand.

The difference now was that the glove was no longer necessary.

He gazed quietly at his bare left hand.

Since Sheir had chosen to be sealed by his own will, there was no longer any need to spend sleepless nights fearing his body would be taken over.

Jurim let out a small, ironic laugh.

And all of it was because of the little one drooling on his right arm.

No one would have imagined the Master of the 99th Floor would so easily grant a child’s wish—not even Jurim himself.

He lay back and pulled Guru into his arms.

Sheir’s last question came to mind.

'Is this what a father’s heart is?'

Jurim answered him belatedly.

Yes.

Though anger had flared at the thought of Guru going out alone, not knowing what could happen—

—he couldn’t bear the thought of the child who had said she wanted to see her dad. The sorrow and guilt were overwhelming.

Feeling that deep, earnest affection, Jurim kissed Guru’s forehead.

Maybe stirred by the motion, Guru mumbled drowsily,

“...Daddychann?”