Chapter 437 – Wiki Qliphoth (3)

Wiki is a child who bears the world’s calling as she takes her first breath.

Born to the wisest of women, her destiny is sealed. Yet, this is also the reason Wiki must endure the harshest lessons from her mother.

‘Why must I learn such things?’

The subjects she faces hold little interest for her.

Good and evil are merely processes of evolution, and what is perceived as right or wrong changes with time. Wiki believes she is not a grand enough being to judge such matters. To her, morality is but a weapon in a broader sense, a justification, and a resource to undermine opponents. Virtue and beauty are not much different.

It is not wrong to know the dark side of the world and view the problems one faces with a negative perspective. However, it may not be an admirable attitude to refuse to accept the bright side of the world.

– Understood? Wiki.

At least,

– It’s a problem for Wiki to solve. Perhaps when she’s a little older.

The world surrounding Wiki was far from bright.

– It’s only Wiki.

For Wiki as an infant, the world was the white silk skirt of the sage.

Anyway,

Young Wiki had a responsibility.
How many people would believe that the hopes and future of the lower classes relied solely on such a young child? Yet surprisingly, Wiki possessed the potential and intelligence for it. How?

[(Former) Child of the sage.]
[Heavenly Demon, daughter of King Mokryeong.]

Right from the start, her parents were nobles who ruled the world.
It was an environment filled with immense pressure.

However, Wiki didn’t care. It was strange to be affected by such things now.
Her resilient mentality was thanks to the rigorous education provided by the sage.

And naturally.

Wiki accepted the calling bestowed upon her by her mother.

For the birth of the World Tree, Qlippoth.
Gradually, Wiki began to learn her mother’s knowledge mechanically.

It was the birth of a three-year-old named Wiki Clipport.

* * * * * * * *

“Wiki, you know, right? You must always keep it in your mind. The power Wiki possesses can accomplish many things, but it can also cause great suffering to many people. There is no obligation for someone with knowledge, yet… it can save numerous lives.”
“I know.”

As Wiki slowly came to terms with her destiny and began to adapt to her mother’s teachings,

For the first time in her life, she was able to encounter another person.
A father she had never seen since she was a newborn.

Until then, all the information I had about my father came solely from my mother’s words.

“What is this child?”

When Wiki first saw her father questioning her mother in such a manner, she was afraid.

His body had been pushed to the brink of death from recklessly delving into the dungeon, and he wore a backpack filled with mana stones that appeared to have been obtained from that very dungeon. It was a brutal sight, and her fear was only natural.

“What? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Lee Si-heon’s face was cold, devoid of any emotion. Even young Wiki became worried that her father might hurt her mother, but—

“So, is this child mine?”

When Lee Si-heon finally heard the truth, his expression shifted to a complex mixture of emotions. He let out a sigh, careful not to let Wiki see, and then bent down on one knee to speak with her.

“Wiki?”
“… …”

Blood dripped from his chin, drop by drop. Like a robot that had just become aware of emotions, he awkwardly altered his expression, creaking as he lifted the corners of his mouth.

With a peculiar face that appeared gentle in Wiki’s eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

A man named Lee Si-heon extended his hand to a child he could call his daughter. Although there was no need for embarrassment, there was a faint emotion directed toward his daughter in his forced smile.

Wiki could feel it.

“Originally, I should have been there with you. I realize that now.”
“…No.”

It was a situation that could be considered unfair since her mother had hidden it of her own accord. Yet, why did he blame himself?

Wiki was well-acquainted with people’s personalities. She also felt she had a rough understanding of the personality of the man she should call father. He was the type to search for faults within himself for everything, causing him to take a roundabout path to resolve conflicts.

I could discern it from his hesitation as he reached out to embrace, only to realize he was covered in blood.

And the expression…
Unlike the emotionless one from just moments ago, he seemed to be making a deliberate effort to display various expressions, leaving a deep impression on me.

The Heavenly Demon and King Mokryeong.

Wiki was worried.
What would this man teach her?
Setting aside her impression of him as a person, that was her foremost concern.

She instinctively felt that her current life didn’t resemble a typical parent-child relationship.

“Let us rest today. There’s no need to push yourself.”
“We must hurry… Time is of the essence. Once the mana stones are replenished, I’ll immediately enter the Flower.”

His expression appeared harried, as if he were being pursued.
His trembling hands set down the backpack.

Wiki found the scene somewhat odd.
Her mother had always spoken of him as an extraordinary person.

It was because she had always imagined him as a cold and domineering individual.

I never imagined her desperately clinging to something like that. The more I observed her, apart from the initial impression, the more a sense of sympathy grew within me.

It was evident that she was going through a great deal of distress. For the first time, Wiki saw the worried gaze of her otherwise cold-hearted mother.

However, for a young child, that wasn’t the primary concern. What troubled her were the things she would now have to learn.

What would her father teach her? She felt fear, surpassing mere curiosity. Contextually, Wiki was expected to learn the art of combat.

But the child’s expectations were shattered in an instant.

It was bedtime, right after her father returned. As she was drifting off to sleep, tightly embracing her pillow, the door opened.

“Wiki?”
“…Dad?”

Her father, who had just cleaned himself, stealthily entered Wiki’s bedroom.

“Shh.”

Her dad, raising his index finger with an awkward smile, stepped inside. Little Wiki’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What’s going on?”

“I thought we could chat for a bit. It’s a secret from Mom.”

If they were caught, there would be scolding.
Wiki was taken aback as she watched her father leave out the rest of his words.

It was their first meeting, and they weren’t close.
However, that day, Wiki had no choice but to let go of the prejudices she held against Lee Si-heon.

“What did you learn?”

He asked kindly, and she answered.

“You worked hard.”

He encouraged her, patted her head, and hugged her.
From the middle of their conversation, Wiki even started to act a bit childish.

In truth, Wiki didn’t receive much love from her mother.

“There’s no way,” Lee Si-heon said with a chuckle.
For Wiki, praise felt like a distant concept.

“I-I learned this…”

As she conjured a tiny firefly on her hand, Lee Si-heon, looking surprised, stroked Wiki’s head.

“You’re good at this. It’s really pretty, isn’t it? Did you practice all day?”
“…Yes!”

Wiki was overjoyed.

“Wasn’t it difficult? It must have been very hard.”
“It wasn’t that bad…”
“You tried your best.”

She felt joy, but for some reason, sadness as well.

As unfamiliar emotions swelled within her, Wiki longed to be held, and she surrendered herself to her father’s embrace.

“Dad, why have you come only now…?”

Resting her chin on her father’s lap and looking up at him, Wiki asked the question that had been on her mind.

Praise makes a whale dance.
She used to think that saying was ridiculous.

However, to Wiki’s surprise, her father’s gentle encouragement was a significant source of strength for her.

Warmth like a gentle flame. A face that seemed visible even in total darkness.
Cradled in the expansive embrace of the man she called Dad, feeling the love that filled his arms.

A sense of accomplishment that came from the connection with another person.
For a brief moment, she felt a sense of rejection, but the image of her father had been deeply etched into Wiki’s heart.

And then…

“Dad, look at this too.”
“…”
“Dad?”
“…Hmm? Oh, a fire butterfly! It’s beautiful.”

Gazing at herself, the affectionate expression that appeared on her face
etched itself deeply into Wiki’s mind.

She is intelligent
and has a keen intuition.

She could tell that she was lost in thought, not looking at herself.
The gestures of longing for someone were laden with sorrow,
and Wiki blinked her eyes in a daze.

‘……’

Why does this feel slightly uncomfortable?
It’s probably just her mood making her irritable.

At least that’s what she initially thought.

* * * * * * * *

– Choo, chop, chop, chop.

Do you know the tastiest way to enjoy banana milk and yogurt?

– Jjongjjong.

That would be using a narrow, white, short straw.
An ingestion method that could almost be considered a national rule.

A shy smile formed on Wiki’s lips as she tightly grasped the banana milk with both hands.

A radiant smile appeared on Si-heon’s lips as well.

“Is it tasty?”

– Nod, nod.

Not letting the straw leave her mouth, Wiki vigorously nodded her head.

Sitting in her father’s arms somewhat reluctantly, she drank the banana milk. Wiki swayed her head from side to side, seemingly in a good mood from the fragrant scent of the freshly washed body wash.

“Don’t eat too much, since you need to go to bed early today.”
“Okay, Dad.”

Happiness shone in Lee Si-heon’s eyes, followed by a tinge of bitterness.

– Pat.

His hand gently stroking her head. That familiar feeling.

As soon as Wiki removed her mouth from the straw, she looked up at her dad.

‘…Thinking of my sister.’

Now able to recognize the origin of that emotion, Wiki’s cheeks puffed up in annoyance.

“Bad Dad.”
“Uh, why? What did Dad do wrong?”

Siheon was flustered by Wiki, who stuck out her tongue, and tried to soothe her, but his feelings were already hurt.

Daughters and sons tend to love their fathers and mothers deeply during their youngest years. The psychology experienced by daughters aged 3 to 5 is related to the Oedipus complex theory. The phenomenon of antagonizing the mother and seeking to connect with the father is more common than one might expect.

A child’s unique obsession and psychology were also apparent in Wiki.

Could it be that she believes she deserves all the praise and love? Lately, even her own mother, Hyunja, has been feeling Wiki’s negative emotions.

Adults may assume that being intelligent would make her more discerning, but that’s not always the case.

On the contrary, due to her cleverness, Wiki was capable of using her intellect to fulfill any impulse.

After giving her father a peck on the cheek, Wiki embraced him.

“Sleepy?”

Lee Siheon, who placed the banana milk that was in Wiki’s hand on the bedside table, lay down on the bed.

There was another older sister beside her, but Wiki paid little attention.

Procrastinating, Wiki bit down on her father’s forearm and chewed gently.

“What’s the matter, my daughter?”

She liked the tender tone of being called ‘our daughter,’ so Wiki decided to release Lee Si-heon and contentedly fell asleep in his arms.

– Kuul.

However, not long after, Lee Si-heon, who had fallen asleep, murmured.

“Shiba…”

Awakened, Wiki slowly lifted her eyelids.

“…Tsk.”

What must she do to receive undivided affection? Monopolizing is a child’s prerogative.

Alba noticed this and tried to subtly distance Wiki and Si-heon. But the more she did so, the deeper their affection grew.

Wiki recalled the name she had researched.

‘Sister Shiba.’

Tears welled up in Wiki’s eyes as she buried her face in her father’s chest.

The expansive embrace of her father was warm and comforting.

Clever and intelligent as she may be, Wiki was still just a young child. The dark-haired little girl longed to play and be carefree with her father forever.