AAGULT Ch 132

Chapter 132

The very fact that he recognized me meant that within this seven-year-old version of Aiden resided the Aiden I knew. And yet, seeing the child from the photograph desperately trying to staunch the bleeding on my arm… it felt unreal. It was a strange feeling.

“Aiden…”

But the warmth in my arms assured me this was reality. I had spent days fretting over him, wanting nothing more than to hold him tight, yet the situation was what it was—and besides, this seven-year-old Aiden was so much smaller than I imagined that my arms hovered awkwardly in the air. If I held him too tightly, I felt as though he might break. It was strange. I had always had to look up at him…

“……”

No. This wasn’t the time for that. Forcing myself to focus, I turned my head to assess the situation. It was astonishing that Aiden, with such a small body, had somehow survived for two whole days in this dangerous place. Fearing that the monster might target him, I quickly scanned our surroundings.

Thankfully, the battle was nearing its end. At that very moment, the monster’s life ebbed away and it dissolved into ash. The taut nerves in my body relaxed slightly.

I looked up at the giant screen in the sky.

< Past Team: 27/52 │ Future Team: 44/49 │ Monster Team: 51/101 >

< Past Team: 27/52 │ Future Team: 44/49 │ Monster Team: 50/101 >

“Thank goodness…”

I let Aiden continue tending to the wound on my arm and instead focused on him. Now that the tension in my body had eased, a faint ache swept over me alongside relief. But that wasn’t what mattered now.

“Were you alright? I was so worried…”

“I don’t think you’re the one who should be saying that right now. What were the other combat Espers doing, not guarding you? This isn’t why we came in here together, seriously. When we get back, I’m going to tell the Chairman—”

“No, no! I’m fine. But what about you, Aiden? Were you the one who fired the gun earlier?”

With his small, childlike hands, he skillfully performed first aid on my wound. His strength was lacking only because of his tiny body—his movements were otherwise deft and quick. Still dazed, I asked again, and he shook his head.

“No, that was…”

He stopped mid-sentence. Aiden, who had been speaking rapidly while staunching the bleeding, suddenly hesitated. He turned his head slightly, and naturally, my gaze followed.

“……”

A guide stood there, blankly staring at us with a gun in his hand. He looked to be in his mid-twenties—about my age—and judging by his outdated uniform, he must have been part of the Past Team. His eyes were fixed directly on me, his expression twisted into something complicated and confused.

“…Say hello, Jaeha.”

“……”

I instinctively realized who he was. But whether I didn’t want to admit it or simply couldn’t process seeing someone I was never meant to meet standing before me, no words escaped—only shallow, ragged breaths.

“Whoa… no way…”

Miae, standing beside me, seemed equally struck. She glanced between the guide and me, muttered under her breath as if piecing something together, then quietly closed her mouth. Taking the memory-wiped Esper with her, she tactfully retreated to give us space.

“That’s your father, Jaeha.”

“……”

Indeed.

He was the man from the old photograph the Chairman had once given me—the man who had been smiling gently while holding young Jaeha in his arms. He was also one of the faces displayed among the fifty-some profiles during the earlier briefing.

“Uh… so…”

“……”

“Are you… Jaeha?”

“……”

He carefully holstered the gun, his hand trembling slightly from the shock. Slowly, he walked toward me. Aiden, who had been in front of me, quietly stood and stepped aside.

As if everyone around us had realized what was happening, the atmosphere grew still. It felt like the world itself was clearing a space for just the two of us. The sensation twisted something deep inside me.

“Ah…”

My throat tightened.

What was I supposed to feel right now?

I had lived my whole life as an orphan, with no guardian but the President. Every time it rained at school and I watched parents come to pick up their kids, I’d walk home alone, staring at my soaked sneakers. On family days like sports festivals, I’d fake being sick to stay home or sit alone in a corner of the schoolyard. By middle school, I’d grown used to it, got along fine with other kids, and felt less lonely—but every so often, the wound would resurface, cutting deep. That scar still remained inside me.

“…Father?”

Judging by how readily he called my name, Aiden must have told him about me. But surely, no matter the circumstances, he wouldn’t have told him, “You’ll die in two years, and Jaeha will grow up an orphan.”

Forcing myself into objective reasoning, I tried to keep my expression neutral. Still, the pain leaked through in spite of myself. He must have seen my tearful face because his eyebrows softened into a gentle smile. Finally, he knelt on one knee and lightly embraced me.

“So this is what you look like all grown up. You’ve grown so well…”

After a brief hug, he stepped back and studied my face intently. He cupped my cheeks and gently brushed back my hair—so tenderly, so full of paternal warmth, it almost hurt.

“Ah…”

“When you cry, you’re the spitting image of your mother. Why are you crying? Is it because this is your first Gate and you’re scared? Don’t worry. I’m here with you.”

Perhaps that’s how he interpreted the tears threatening to fall from my eyes. He hugged me again, patting my back reassuringly. To an outsider, it might have looked almost comical—two people of similar age embracing like father and son, greeting each other as if across lifetimes.

“……”

A part of me wanted to return the embrace, but I hesitated. Something about it still didn’t feel real. I feared that if I touched him fully, he might vanish. Frozen stiff, I darted my eyes toward the one person here I trusted most.

[It’s okay.]

“……”

[Really. This time, trust me.]

Funny, isn’t it? Outwardly, he looked like a seven-year-old child, yet the voice echoing in my mind was that of an adult. Sure, I’d doubted him before—but somehow, realizing he knew even those doubts left me feeling sheepish. I forced myself to calm down.

“…Yeah. Maybe I was just nervous—it is my first Gate, after all.”

“Is that so? That makes sense. I’m glad we could meet up like this.”

“Yes… Father.”

Awkwardly, I wrapped my arms around him. Warmth flooded me. Yes, I could feel it—real warmth…

The members of the Future Team, who knew what would become of my father later, simply watched in silence. We were supposed to be withdrawing to the safe zone soon, but the fact they gave us this moment was telling. I knew I should pull myself together and get moving, but this embrace was too precious to let go.

[Why does Jaeha look so sad?]

“……”

[Could it be… am I…?]

Sensing the raw desperation in my actions, my father’s curious thoughts faintly echoed in my head. Before he could piece it together, I hastily pulled away and forced a smile, pretending nothing was wrong.

“Anyway, we should get going. Guess I got choked up seeing you young—it surprised me, that’s all.”

“…Really?”

He raised an eyebrow. Whether he believed me or merely chose to, he eventually smiled softly and stood up. Offering me his hand, I took it and rose to my feet.

“…Alright, everyone, let’s move out. Get the incapacitated back.”

The team leader, who had been watching us quietly, finally issued the order. I realized even he had given me this brief reprieve, despite the perilous nature of the Gate, and I steeled myself to separate business from personal feelings.

So it was, hand in Aiden’s on one side and my father’s on the other, that I began walking as instructed.

• Bam-parararam! Pararara-ram-bam!

  “…!”

  “Everyone, stop!” 

A cheerful fanfare rang out from the sky, freezing us all in place as if on cue. Back to back, we scanned our surroundings, wary of monsters bursting from the dense buildings. But inevitably, our eyes drifted upward.

The giant screen filling the sky now flashed with cutesy fireworks emojis. The broadcast voice—the same one that had introduced itself as the “boss” of the Gate on our first day here—spoke in a chirpy, playful tone.

– Wow! Look how far we’ve come already! Time for a mid-game check-in!

“What the hell…?”

– Past Team: 27 members! Future Team: 44 members! And the Monster Team is now exactly 50! Aww, why’s the Monster Team slacking so much~? First half goes to the humans!

“……”

Considering that both the Past and Future Teams had entered the Gate for the purpose of clearing it and were cooperating, the current tally of 71 to 50 did indeed mean the monsters were losing. Factoring in the allies rendered combat-incapable might have evened things out, but regardless, the voice of the so-called boss was so cheerful it felt surreal.

– So, here’s the deal: to celebrate Monster Team hitting 50… I’m gonna switch up the Gate’s layout a bit~

Change the Gate’s layout? What did that even mean?

“……”

– And now… I’ll be joining the fray myself! Hehe. Look forward to it!

The pure excitement in that playful voice froze everyone’s faces stiff.

Whether we were stunned or terrified, the sky above simply continued bursting with adorable, sparkling emojis, as if echoing the boss’s delight.