Episode 57

When people are utterly flabbergasted, they lose the ability to articulate.

'So, what? My father...'

The unforeseen truth made my head spin.

"—nnet!"

"..."

"Sonnet!"

Crash!

A scorching sensation spread across my forearm.

By the time I looked up, a large pot was rolling on the floor.

"Ah..."

"Oh no, the stand was unstable, now look what happened!"

"Sonnet, are you alright?"

The boiling soup jolted me back to my senses.

I hastily grabbed a rag and began wiping the floor.

"Don't be so absent-minded! What's wrong with you today?"

"I'm sorry."

"The kitchen's number one rule is safety, number two is safety, and number three is safety. Don't you know that?"

"I'm sorry."

"Tsk, why are you even cleaning that up? I'll take care of the mess; just go and take care of your hand! Quickly!"

It didn't hurt that much.

'I can hold a boiling pot with my bare hands.'

I was more startled by the noise than actually hurt.

But I wasn't about to pass up a chance to rest. I quickly wiped my shirt and headed to the infirmary.

Knock knock.

"Yes, what can I... Sonnet!"

The eyes that looked up from the desk widened. A gentle smile spread across his lips.

"What brings you here? There's no one around, so feel free to sit! Did you... What happened to your hand?"

The delicate eyes turned stern.

Ute rushed over, barely grasping the tip of my finger.

"Does it hurt? Of course, it must hurt! What happened?"

"I got burned by a boiling pot. The soup spilled, too. Some of it splashed on me."

"Huh..."

"What about dinner tonight? There's no soup. You like soup."

"That's not important—Sonnet, seriously..."

Ute's white forehead furrowed as if pricked by a thorn. Heavy sighs dropped to the floor.

"Did you come straight here? It doesn't look too old."

"I was sent here right after getting burned."

"First, let's cool it down. For 15 to 20 minutes."

Cold water slid over my arm and hand. Ute didn't remove his eyes from my forearm.

"How did this happen?"

"I made a mistake while I was distracted."

"..."

"That's all..."

"You usually don't make mistakes. What's going on?"

"It's really nothing."

"We're friends. We share happy and sad moments, right?"

'I only want to give you good things.'

But his persuasive look was overwhelming.

Besides... if I didn't tell someone, I felt like I would burst.

"I met someone who might be... my father."

"Huh? You have a father?"

"I didn't know, but apparently, I do."

"Well, biologically, you must have one. Your mother isn't Mary."

"Mary?"

"Never mind. So?"

"I asked mom in a letter, and she replied yesterday."

"What did she say?"

"...She said there's a one-third chance."

"What?"

How do I even explain this?

I handed him the letter I had shoved in my pocket.

"Can I read it?"

"Sure, we're friends, right?"

"...Yeah, we're friends."

Ute scratched his cheek cutely and unfolded the hastily folded paper.

Sonnet, my dear daughter. Now that you're old enough, I should tell you the truth.

Benjamin is one of the men who might be your father. Besides him, there are two others...

I met and broke up with all three around the same time.

(...)

Even mom doesn't know who your real father is.

His green eyes trembled. My head throbbed as I reread the letter.

"He might be my dad or might not be. What does that even mean?"

"Schrödinger's dad."

*Schrodinger's father. If a woman gets pregnant and doesn’t know who the father is, all the men she has slept with are simultaneously the father and not the father.

"Schrö, what?"

"Schrödinger. Until you check, he may or may not be your father."

"Check what?"

"By the way, if it's Benjamin, is it the one from our training center...?"

"Haha."

His already pale face turned even paler.

"Does he know you're his daughter?"

"He probably does."

"What are you going to do?"

"It's fine. We're going to be scattered to different postings soon."

I couldn't afford any illusions, and it wasn't any of my concern.

Whether he's my dad, one-third of a dad, or Schrödinger's dad.

"We won't see each other again."

---

There is good news and bad news.

The good news is my final team was as I hoped.

The bad news is...

"Captain! How much longer?"

"We're almost there, almost! Just a little more!"

"You said 'almost' two hours ago..."

Our assigned place was an island with only one boat trip provided every two weeks.

"Really, we're almost there! Why, are you seasick?"

"I'm fine."

Although the others were not so fine.

'I didn't expect to be assigned to such a remote place.'

The longer the journey, the more Ute seemed to melt.

"Seasickness, how tacky."

"Seasickness can be a congenital... problem... anyway... don't mock... someone for their weakness..."

"Mock? I'm just stating a fact—urgh."

Even the guy who was laughing hard didn't look too well.

The gold and silver spread under the sun were very bright.

"Haven't you both been on a boat before?"

"Ugh..."

"Of course, I have. Have you heard of a cruise? If I get the chance, I'd love to take Sonnet and see the sea—"

"The sea is right in front of us."

In other words, it was their first time on such a small boat.

"Ute, you went to Ronda before, right? How did you manage then?"

"I fainted..."

Even Lapis, who was usually all talk, remained silent.

'I have to spend my service time with these two gentlemen...'

It's alright!

I brought this upon myself, so I could endure it.

The real problem was—

"Is everyone alright?"

Our team leader was Schrödinger's dad.

'Is this a joke from the gods?'

Candidate number one, who had been inside, was trying to calm the wobblers while sneaking glances at me.

"We haven't arrived at the island yet, so just stay put. Sonnet... are you alright?"

"No problem."

"If so, please follow me."

Ute seemed worried but his eyes were unfocused.

The leader headed to the only separate cabin on the boat.

"What I'm about to say is purely personal, not as your trainer or team leader, so listen comfortably."

"Yes."

"I never imagined I might have a daughter, but..."

Then he went into a long explanation.

How he missed mom, wondered why she left, that having a daughter meant... this and that.

"So, until you finish your service, I'd like to get to know you better."

Another long speech.

In summary,

'I got assigned to this remote place because of Schrödinger's dad...'

Wanting to be with his daughter, he assigned me to his jurisdiction in this backwater area?

'It's not a joke from the gods, but human tyranny.'

I recalled a novel I read under Ute's guidance.

'Usually, when a late-found daughter is discovered, they shower her with mines or stocks.'

Life was definitely not a novel.

Haha.

---

No matter how unadaptable something seems, you get used to it.

For example, having three fathers, or living under the same roof as Ute, sharing the living room and kitchen...

You stop thinking about such things while chasing sheep or fixing a three-story house roof.

A few weeks after arriving on the island.

The bubbling sound of soup woke me up.

In the kitchen stood the most beautiful angel in the world, wearing a cream-colored apron.

"You're awake?"

"Aren't I on cooking duty today?"

"It's your birthday."

"How did you...?"

The table was filled with warm and neat dishes.

Lapis usually skipped breakfast, so it was just Ute and me at the table.

"Happy birthday."

"Thank you...?"

"This is for you."

"For me...?"

"Sonnet would probably prefer cash, but... circumstances didn't allow it."

Ute hesitated as he handed me a small tin case.

The one he guarded fiercely even when bugs entered the quarters.

As I opened the box, I heard a breath being held across from me.

"A handkerchief? Did you... embroider this?"

Sonnet Posa.

My name was clumsily stitched on the handkerchief, which smelled of dried flowers.

Ute tapped his right foot nervously as he explained.

"My last experience with stitching was during my surgical training, so I haven't done much since... I'll get better with more practice."

"No, that's not what I wanted to ask—"

"I wanted to give you something better, but it's hard to find things here. It might not meet your expectations, but—"

"So, you really embroidered this?"

The silver head nodded up and down.

I carefully held the handkerchief and lowered my head.

'How could this not meet my expectations?'

What does he believe in to be so cute?

"When is your birthday?"

"Today."

"Oh, today... What?"

"Whaaaat?"

I was the one who should be surprised, but the scream came from somewhere else.

---

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