《Sleeping Beast》 Chapter 1 The six good witches who exist on the continent gathered together. This was by no means a common occurrence. The King of Athea was filled with gratitude towards the witches. In order to honor them, he held a grand banquet for six consecutive days, each day dedicated to a different witch. Throughout the six-day banquet, the witches ate and drank till their stomachs were full. The king also bestowed them with gold, silver, and treasures. The witches¡¯ purpose for coming to the Kingdom of Athea was to bless the newborn prince, so one by one, they each gave a gift of blessing to the prince. ¡°The first blessing to the next king of mankind, Prince Ruestevan, who will have the most beautiful appearance of all mankind.¡± ¡°The second blessing shall gift you the gift of knowledge. May you be the most intelligent and brilliant mind in mankind.¡± ¡°The third blessing shall gift you the gift of strength. May your body be as strong as the king of beasts.¡± ¡°The fourth blessing shall gift you the gift of sense. May your five senses be stronger than anyone else.¡± ¡°The fifth blessing shall gift you the gift of voice. May your voice be the more beautiful and pleasant compared to anyone else.¡± Now, it was the sixth witch¡¯s turn. The sixth witch¡¯s blessing was supposed to bless the newborn prince to be ¡®kinder and have a more righteous heart¡¯ than anyone else. However, her blessing was interrupted due to the appearance of an uninvited evil witch. Before the sixth witch came forward, the evil witch who appeared as quick as the wind, opened her mouth and spoke first. ¡°Since I am not invited, then I shall place a curse. The prince, who possesses the most beautiful appearance, the most intelligent mind, the strongest body, and outstanding senses, will be unable to feel love at the prices of those blessings. Since he is unable to love anyone, he will die as soon as he reaches adulthood without being truly loved by anyone. May the prince live a short and lonely life until he reaches the age of 20. Ahahaha. The evil witch, who had lived a lonely life chuckled loudly at the shocked expression on the king and queen¡¯s face before she disappeared. ¡°Oh¡­my poor baby.¡± ¡°What should I do?!¡± The frustration displayed by the king and queen caused the mood in the banquet hall to drop. There was suddenly a huge wave of commotion before a blanket of silence filled the hall. The sixth witch stepped forward. ¡°I haven¡¯t blessed the prince yet.¡± The sixth witch, whose hair was so gray that one could not accurately guess her age, raised her wand. ¡°The power of the evil witches is stronger than the six of us, so we cannot reverse the curse. However, we can alter the curse.¡± The rip of the wand touched the baby prince¡¯s round forehead. ¡°This is the sixth and last blessing. This is a blessing yet not a blessing. When the prince comes of age, he will lose all the magic within him. During that time, the blessings and the curse placed on him will become dormant. During that time, the price must rely entirely on his own strength to find the one he loves. Once he does, the curse placed on him will naturally disappear.¡± The king and queen said nothing as they embraced each other and wept. The grand banquet met a catastrophic ending, so the six witches returned home. Although the witches were bestowed with numerous treasures from the Kingdom of Athea, their expressions were very heavy. The news of the blessings and the curse placed on the newborn prince spread from person to person, spreading to every corner of the kingdom. There was no one who was not aware of this. However, just like other stories of the past, there was at least one person who doesn¡¯t know the stories that everyone else knew. *** The old woman in bed screamed, ¡°¡­eh, enough, ha¡­cough! Oh, stop it and go away! Stop bothering me! Cough! Cough!¡± She had a wrinkled face and because she was exhausted from screaming that she started to cough. The young man walked to her side and silently handed her a dry towel. The old woman snatched the towel and placed it in front of her mouth as she coughed nonstop. The young man gently patted the old woman¡¯s back affectionately. ¡°Your coughing will not subside if you don¡¯t relax and calm down.¡± ¡°H-he¡¯s just¡­why is he so stubborn¡­cough!¡± ¡°Stop talking about it. You¡¯re coughing because you¡¯re straining yourself.¡± The young man gathered the dirty towels and put them in a basin, all in one smooth motion. Then, he left the room with the basin. The young man returned shortly after and with fresh water in the basin and a clean towel. The young man meticulously wiped the dirt off the old woman¡¯s face and gently brush the smelly hair which hasn¡¯t been washed in a while, away from the old woman¡¯s face. A shadow fell over the old woman¡¯s face. ¡°I can¡¯t even die properly because of you.¡± ¡°Why do you want to die? You should live longer.¡± ¡°Oh, I should¡¯ve died sooner! How old am I this year?! Even for a witch that lives for 300 years, their body would not be healthy¡­cough,¡± the old woman screamed. The old woman is a witch who only has a few days left to live. She was tired of coughing, so she buried her face in the quilt. The truth was, she didn¡¯t want to accidentally spit any phlegm on the face of the clean young man again. Two years had already passed. The old witch could not overcome her old age, so she lay in bed. From then on, the young man took care of the witch silently. He fed, washed, and took great care of my old body. When my fever spiked, he put a bowl of cold water next to me and changed the towel on my forehead all night without sleep. After I lived for 300 years, I have seen many things and there were few things that I have not experienced. It was too late to cry over spilled milk. But now, the young man has become a thorn in her heart. The witch regretted it for the first time. The fact that she received the young man from his parents when he was a little baby. No, the fact that she had honestly told that truth to the young man. ¡°I should have at least given him a proper name.¡± The young man picked up the words that the witch uttered in between her coughs. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Rafi?¡± ¡°That¡¯s an abbreviation of your name. Your name is Rapunzel. Rapunzel.¡± At the old witch¡¯s response, the young man revealed out a slightly uncomfortable smile. It was true that the name given to me bothered me. Although it was alright since there weren¡¯t many people around who would address him by his name, it was clear to him that his given name was not a very good name. ¡°My parents willingly gave me away when I was only a baby, so I wouldn¡¯t expect them to put much thought into giving me a good name. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s alright.¡± The young man named Rapunzel shrugged his shoulders, causing his braided golden hair to sway slightly to the side. He had long hair for a man. It was so long that the witch once used his thick and study hair as a ladder. The witch has received baby Rapunzel from a young but poor couple who stole from the witch. The couple was glad that they could get away by simply giving away their child. Even the witch who had already lived nearly 300 years was tricked by humans. The witch had no doubt that the child with such sparkling green eyes and glistening blonde hair was a girl. But it was only after she brought the baby back did she find out that he was a boy. He was useless, after all, a boy could not succeed a witch. As a result, the baby who slowly grew into a young child was kept in a tower. The witch made sure to feed him so that the child would not starve. The witch knew nothing about parenting and thus missed out on much of Rafi¡¯s life. Perhaps due to the young man¡¯s mild and gentle nature, he grew up without any accidents. Now, he even takes care of her even though she didn¡¯t care much for him when he was young. The guilt in her heart grew heavier. I need you to do something for me before I die. Cough, the witch coughed and muttered to herself. There was nothing much I could do for a human being besides being a burden, humph. His skillfully braided blonde hair which was stretched down to his waist caught my eye. ¡°Cut it off.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± Rafi asked in surprise. ¡°Why are you suddenly saying that?¡± It was due to the witch¡¯s grudge that prevented him from cutting his hair. Since he wasn¡¯t a girl, I forced him to keep growing his hair, so he can braid it. Since he wasn¡¯t a girl, I wanted him to look like a girl. It¡¯s time to cut it off. No, I have to do this. The witch suddenly felt heavy darkness passing through her heart. It was a kind of hunch. Even though the witch was on the verge of death, she was still a scary being. I could cast any kind of curses and see through any secret. My magical power will soon disappear, so it is burning brightly for the last time before it withers away. ¡°Cut it. You have to cut it no matter what.¡± Rafi grabbed and shook his head. ¡°You liked seeing my hair grow out. I¡¯ll cut it next time.¡± ¡°I have a bad feeling about this. I can see something. A huge, disgusting black matter¡­ will attach itself on you.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with cutting my hair?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think I know that as well?¡± The witch cried out at the ungrateful Rafi. ¡°It¡¯s what I saw using my sight! Don¡¯t talk anymore and just cut it! Wait, I¡¯ll cut it for you. Go get a pair of scissors.¡± The witch lifted her thin body and tried to get out of the bed. Rafi grabbed the witch by her shoulder and stopped her. ¡°Let¡¯s do it when you get better.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t get any better! How can I get better when my body is over 300 years old?! Why aren¡¯t you getting a pair of scissors immediately? Do you want me to cut off your hands instead of your hair? Hmm?¡± Although the witch accidentally brought him back and lived together with him, the witch was unfriendly towards Rafi most of the time. Even though she regretted not taking better care of Rafi, she still couldn¡¯t control her habit. ¡°Why are you so stubborn? Does it feel good to act so stubborn in front of a dying old woman?¡± At this point, Rafi couldn¡¯t persuade the witch anymore. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll bring it.¡± Rafi opened the bedroom door and headed for the closet. He rummaged through the closet. Do they even have a pair of scissors? The dark closet was piled up with junk. It looked like a pile of garbage rather than a closet that stored things. What¡¯s wrong with my hair? I¡¯ve always let my hair grow out, so why did her attitude suddenly change? Right now, I just want to stay by your side. I was to comfort you and say nice things to you without blushing. Rafi knew that the witch would soon die. Rafi just wants the witch to be friendly towards him, even if it¡¯s only for a moment. I wish there would at least be a good memory that can warm my heart when I think of the witch in the future. After rummaging through the closet for a long time, Rafi returned to the witch with a pair of scissors. They never really had any use for the scissor, so he had casually stuffed it in the closet. It was only until now that he remembered the existence of the scissor. ¡°I have brought it. How much should I cut?¡± There was no answer. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rafi belated realized that the witch¡¯s coughing suddenly stopped while he was looking for the pair of scissors. This was the reason why he didn¡¯t hear the witch nagging at him to quit being lazy and to quickly find the scissor. This was the reason the temperature of the room has cooled down little by little. ¡°Right, what¡¯s so urgent¡­¡± Rafi put down the scissor and sat down on the edge of the bed. At that moment, the fair and pale hands that closed the stiff eyelids were shaking slightly. The witch is dead. Suddenly, Rafi was all alone. He still hasn¡¯t cut his hair yet. Chapter 2.1 ¡°It wasn¡¯t a tower.¡± The clumsy funeral ended. Rafi built a witch¡¯s tomb in the forest, a little farther away from the tower. He did so because he thought he shouldn¡¯t get too close to it. He remembered himself being helplessly trapped in the tower and stared at the tomb every single day. He hated it, so he purposely buried it in an invisible place. ¡°Because it¡¯s made with magic.¡± When he built the tomb, the tower disappeared. To be exact, it had turned into a small cabin. Halion, who had known the witch since he was young, sat on Rafi¡¯s palm and touched his legs to let him know the truth. Halion was a nearly 200 years old fairy. The average lifespan of a fairy was around that length, hence he was also a being that would one day pass. Rafi looked at the top of Halion¡¯s head, which had become a little more distraught compared to when he first saw it. He then raised his other hand and washed his face dry. He was afraid he¡¯d be caught looking sorry for it. ¡°So, this was originally a house.¡± ¡°The witch is often away from home. But it was the place she stayed the most often.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It wasn¡¯t a tower; it was a house. They lived together in the house. He didn¡¯t live very well, but he still had something that resembles a family. Rafi smiled half-heartedly. Laughter came out, but his heart seemed to be weighed down by something very heavy. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to cut your hair?¡± Halion asked. ¡°You said it was a will.¡± Similar to the top of his distraught head, Halion¡¯s wings seemed aged. It was drooping and no longer shiny. Instead of flying through the forest like other fairies, Halion was spending time smoking cigarettes by entering holes in trees. ¡°Is it a will? That was the last thing she said.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a will. Cut it. There must have been a reason. Witches on the verge of death are scary. No one knows what they can do.¡± Halion spoke like a witch. ¡°Tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cut it tomorrow.¡± It¡¯d be better if he did it while watching it. Rafi put off doing that. The will was still up to the living, not the dead. Building a tomb did not mean complete death. It took more time for the witch to become a completely dead person, even in Rafi¡¯s heart. ¡°Whatever.¡± Halion tapped the palm of Rafi next to his hip. ¡°Then take me home. I feel weird today, so I¡¯ll drink a glass of wheat and go to bed early.¡± Rafi knew that even if it was not a difference between a fairy and a human, each one¡¯s method of appeasing loss was different. ¡°I will. Drink a little and rest.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so young and nagging. You should change the day of cutting your hair. I¡¯ll see if you cut it well tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rafi, who took Halion home, walked slowly and returned to the cabin, no longer a tower. When he opened the creaking wooden door, the interior was the same as when it was a tower, so it was somehow unrealistic. Whoo. Rafi sank to the floor. On the floor, the scissors that had been dropped as soon as they realized the witch¡¯s death remained intact. Such was being alone. There were no more traces made by anyone other than yourself. Everything had a clear and distinct reason. There was nothing unexpected, hence nothing was surprising. Loneliness was completely boring. * * * ¡°I can¡¯t go¡­¡± Rafi failed to keep his will for another three days after. It rained for over three days. Today was the fourth day. It was not a rainy season, but it rained as if something was wrong. It was impossible to go to the forest. It was as if the entire house was submerged in water. The firewood ate so much moisture that it had a hard time lighting the stove. ¡°Tombs¡­ I hope they don¡¯t break down.¡± Rafi waited until this evening and decided to go into the forest if the rain didn¡¯t stop. It was equally dangerous to enter the forest late at night, but anyway, there was no difference at night or day in this weather. ¡°Should I just go now?¡± It was impossible to just sit idly by the fire. Rafi couldn¡¯t overcome his anxiety and eventually covered himself with a cape. He held a small lantern and a shovel in his hand. He even wore boots that came down to his knees and prepared hard. Whoosh! Whoosh! As soon as he opened the door, a water storm flew into his face. Rafi, who forcibly held on to the door that seemed to fly in the wind, headed to the forest as fast as possible. His thoughts melted away in the rain, such as the thoughts of cutting his hair. * * * Chapter 2.2 The forest was like a backyard to him. Rafi thought no one would know this forest better than him, and that did not differ from the truth. However, today¡¯s forest was strange, just like the suspicious rain that did not fit the season. Unlike usual, he couldn¡¯t find his way. Rafi couldn¡¯t erase the suspicion that he was going around the same place over and over again, so he eventually stopped walking. ¡°What happened?¡± Even if he continued to take a different path, he couldn¡¯t find the place he knew. It felt like he entered a completely different forest. He felt unfamiliar with the feeling of getting lost in a place he knew well. ¡°Should I go back?¡± Rafi sighed tiredly. The waterproof cape, which is used as a substitute for umbrellas, is useless and soaked. His toes were soaked cold inside the boots filled with water. It was too much to go further. Of course, it didn¡¯t seem easy to find the way back. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± Rafi lit the inside of the forest with a desperate light in the kerosene as if it would turn off at any moment. The faint light seemed like a reluctant greeting. ¡°If the tomb is destroyed, I¡¯ll make a new one after the rain stops. I don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Considering the witch¡¯s personality, she won¡¯t be able to stand it even for a moment, so he thought she would swear all kinds of swear words. But he couldn¡¯t help it. The rainy season in the forests was a completely different season where everything would stop. ¡°I think I just came from this way.¡± Rafi fumbled in the direction he came. The footprints had been swept away. He turned his body completely depending on his senses and set the direction, but suddenly there was a loud sound. To-do-du-duk! ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Rafi swallowed with tension. This was the sound of something moving. Seeing the vibration mixed in the rain, it was like an enormous beast. A bigger beast than him running through the forest. His hand gripped the shovel. Was there such an enormous beast in this forest?¡­ Grey bears lived much farther away. When that kind of question comes to his mind¡­ Oh my god! Something came out of the dark at a speed that the eyes could not keep up with. It rushed straight to Rafi. ¡°ARGH!¡± A scream burst out. There was no time to swing the shovel. Rafi collapsed as he was pushed by the beast. However, their tangled bodies rolled around the forest, which became a mess. ¡°Ugh¡­ What the heck is this¡­¡­!¡± Rafi struggled to escape from the beast weighing on his body in a state of astonishment. ¡°What¡­ Go away!¡± He happened to make eye contact. If there is a jewel under a curse, it will look like that eye. The brilliant blue eyes looked straight at Rafi until it gave him goosebumps. The back repeatedly contracted and relaxed. His skin was numb. ¡°Who¡­¡± ¡­was not an animal. It was a person. Boo! He stretched out his big hand and tore off Rafi¡¯s cape. Under the cape, the honey-like blonde hair was revealed. Thanks to the cape, his hair was not wet in the rain. He thought he was an animal, but when he saw Rafi¡¯s blonde hair, he looked surprised and blanked, and then flinched his lips. ¡°You¡¯re pretty.¡± He said it was pretty, but it was horrifying to hear. Rafi twisted his body reflexively. However, the hand that threw the cape quickly stretched out and grabbed the long hair that came down to the shoulders firmly. ¡°Ugh!¡± His scalp was pulled. While Rafi was groaning, his fingers clung tightly to his hair as if they were tangled together. ¡°It hurts!¡± Rafi screamed. Then there was a brief pause. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± With blue eyes, he copied Rafi¡¯s words. It was then that Rafi felt something strange. Contrary to the bright eyes, the expression was very blurry. He seemed to be in such a state of confusion and lost his mind. Rafi raised his hand and rubbed his eyes. When he wiped some mud off his eyes from falling and rolling around, he could see the condition of the opponent who attacked him clearly. ¡°¡­Crazy.¡± The opponent was naked. He didn¡¯t wear a single thread. Looking at his long arms, wriggling muscles, and wide right shoulders, he could see that he was quite tall. If he had more time, he could have seen the large body with beautiful proportions, enough to leave his mouth hanging open, but he was naked anyway. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you wandering in the forest without clothes? Why?¡± ¡°It hurts.¡± The question mark disappeared from the naked person. ¡°Yeah, it hurts.¡± ¡°It hurts.¡± ¡°Let go because it hurts.¡± ¡°It hurts¡­¡± The naked body turned its head. It wasn¡¯t until he collapsed Rafi realized it meant he was sick. The naked back that collapsed on Rafi¡¯s stomach after losing its mind was all turned upside down. At first glance, it looked like a trace of being burnt by fire. The reason he didn¡¯t see any blood was probably that this heavy rain had washed it away. ¡°Oh, my. How can I do this?¡± He felt like he was going to die because his back hurt. Rafi stretched out one arm and picked up the cape he tore and threw. He covered his back first. The naked body wriggled with its eyes closed. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going crazy.¡± Rafi muttered helplessly as he saw the naked body that had lost consciousness. What should I do with this? The naked fingers were still tightly attached to his hair. There was no way to remove this hand unless he pulled out the held hair. ¡°I can¡¯t leave him in the rain.¡± It meant that they had to go home with parts of their bodies tangled. I should have cut my hair earlier. Chapter 3.1 It stopped raining like a lie. After a long time, the kitchen was again filled with the smell of warm food. Rafi was boiling soup with dried mushrooms and goat¡¯s milk. The witch¡¯s recipe was very unlikely to fail, whether it was food or medicine. It was said that most of the food Rafi makes was very delicious. The soup with plenty of milk and cream was almost ready. Rafi chopped green onions and placed them in a small bowl. If he added a piece of baked bread, cut it into small pieces, and fried it later, it would be a good meal. ¡°Now that it¡¯s done, I¡¯ll turn off the lights¡­¡­¡­ Huh?¡± Rafi, who put down the spatula that was stirring the pot and turned around, and staggered in surprise. The naked body, who was supposed to lie in bed, suddenly came up to his side and stared at him. ¡°You¡¯re awake¡­¡­?¡± It was only after asking that Rafi thought the man might be younger than him. Is it because his skin is so clean? Rafi picked up an inconceivable excuse and swallowed it. I¡¯d believe he¡¯s a child just by looking at his skin. Of course, he was too big to be a child. The height, the bones, and the thing in the middle. He realized he carried that gigantic size from the forest yesterday and moved it home. He really thought he was going to die. The witch, who had just died, seemed to be in front of him like a vision. After suffering from death, he brought him home and put him down on the floor, and his fingers, which were tightly intertwined like a deception, were released. Rafi immediately gathered his wet hair and pulled it up, washed and wiped the naked body. He couldn¡¯t help but put him on the bed. It took a long time to wipe off only the dirty parts with a wet towel because he was too big. When Rafi was almost done, he was completely exhausted. Somehow Rafi laid him down on the bed, searched the closet, and applied the burn ointment that the witch had made on his back, and the night was over. After that, Rafi was so tired that he wrapped himself in blankets and fell asleep on the floor. That was yesterday. So, that unknown nude person slept for a whole day, and Rafi finally regained some energy. Of course, the naked person was still naked. There was no reason to dress him up. Rafi simply threw a blanket over him as he fell and slept. Now that he woke up, even the strands of the silver fluffy hair glittering under the bright morning sun caught his eye. Rafi turned his head and coughed awkwardly. ¡°Excuse me¡­ Do you want to put on your clothes first?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The naked body stood still, looking at Rafi as if it would poke his eyes, although his expression was still distant. Still, he couldn¡¯t feel anything like aggression, so Rafi turned his eyes first. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Rafi diligently searched the cupboard that served as his closet. His clothes didn¡¯t seem to fit at all. The loose pajama pants looked better. He wasn¡¯t going to dress him up. Let¡¯s put the effort into covering him up. Rafi turned around with pajamas. ¡°I think this is enough.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even when Rafi turned around and put out his pants, he only stood silently. ¡°Hey, um¡­I don¡¯t know what to call you. What¡¯s your name?¡± His tongue kept getting tangled up in the mood of talking to the stone statue. Rafi rolled his tongue in his mouth and looked at the naked body. He tried hard not to see the thing hanging thickly between his legs. I wonder if he can¡¯t hear me. ¡°You can wear it.¡± Rafi pretended to wear pajamas with both hands open. ¡°Wear it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The naked body opened his lips slowly and nodded once. He thought it was enough, so he was going to hand over the pants, but he came up and stood in front of Rafi and raised one foot. His eyes were automatically blinking. What¡¯s this? It was as if he was asking me to put on his pants. ¡­Was he from a noble family? Rafi concluded as such at first glance. Nobles or royalty don¡¯t dress with their own hands. After taking care of the business, the people would not only wipe their hips but also wear pants for them. Is that why he doesn¡¯t talk? I know he has a unique status. There was an ambiguous hostility, so Rafi scratched his cheek. But I¡¯m the one who saved him. I¡¯m not going to wait for him. ¡­He wasn¡¯t sure, but he couldn¡¯t keep looking at that thick object rattling in front of his eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡± Rafi bent down in front of his naked body and spread the pants wide. He put the pants in one leg that he was still holding upright. As if he was very familiar with receiving such attention, he lifted the other foot at the same speed as Rafi. Compared to the acceptance, the movement of putting pants on ended easily and briefly. The problem was when he was trying to tie the string around his waist. Like this. The naked, no, now half-naked person¡¯s hand pressed Rafi¡¯s head. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Even if he suspected he might be a nobleman, it was difficult to be polite anymore. Rafi¡¯s voice rose. ¡°You.¡± ¡°¡­I beg your pardon?¡± He felt like he was fumbling for the hair that was raised with his enormous hands tied in a circle, but it soon became loose. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Rafi wrinkled his nose. The half-naked person pulled up a handful of smooth flowing hair. ¡°Pretty.¡± ¡°¡­So, what about my hair?¡± ¡°It looks pretty.¡± He put strength in his hand that was holding Rafi¡¯s head. ¡°Ah!¡± Rafi was dragged up by the grip of the half-naked hand and raised his body vaguely. ¡°Let go. It hurts.¡± Rafi tried hitting the hand holding his hair, but he didn¡¯t budge. He only pulled his hair until Rafi approached him closely. ¡°Pretty. I like it.¡± The same words were repeated. He took the hair in his hand into his mouth. ¡°I want it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Rafi opened his mouth foolishly at the moment. The half-naked body put Rafi¡¯s hair in its mouth and was washing it as if it were going to eat it. Is my hair weird? The body certainly had passed adulthood. However, what he did was like a two-year-old. Chapter 4.1 Looking at Rafi¡¯s serious face, the man, who couldn¡¯t remember his name, nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have anyone to take care of you? Why were you alone in the forest when it was raining?¡± He frowned, attempting to recall the situation. His face still remained beautiful even as he made such an expression. Because of his serious expression, he looked his age, not five or six, making Rafi¡¯s heart momentarily flutter. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name? What about your family?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? Or you don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that either.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Haah. Rafi sighed, gathering his thoughts while looking at the forest beauty wearing his pajama pants. The pajamas were too loose for him and had to be tied tight to his lower body. He would have been a nobleman or an aristocrat, judging by his actions and appearance. Except for his back, there were no significant wounds on his body. His hands and nails were very clean, his skin soft like a baby¡¯s, and his dazzling silver hair well trimmed. It was evident that he had lived a comfortable and rich life. If so, he must have come to the forest and somehow had an unexpected accident due to the heavy rain. He would have wandered through the forest injured, moving away from his party. Rafi figured that would be the most reasonable conclusion. ¡°Someone will come for you.¡± If he was from a noble family and had been well cared for, someone would definitely come to find him. Rafi, whose face had hardened, smiled at him reassuringly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. You¡¯ll be able to go back home.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± Slowly, the man¡¯s stiff expression loosened. The sides of his mouth stretched as if mimicking Rafi. Rafi interpreted his expression as relief. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± He seemed relieved, like a child opening up his heart, and Rafi spoke without realizing it. It was only a few days after the witch¡¯s tomb was built. He had no time to be sad, having suddenly met a disturbance in the form of a child. He was glad he had something to do. * * * But there was much more to do than expected. ¡°Give me more. More¡­¡± Rafi looked at the hand brazenly holding out the bowl for more even after polishing off the soup, His hands, though shameless, were beautiful. With their white, long, and clean fingers,Rafi, who had never seen a nobleman since he was born, could only think that they belonged to a true noble. They were shameless and determined, yet elegant and alluring. Hours could pass just from watching the movements of his hands. ¡­Rafi, that¡¯s a little¡­ No. He needed to get a hold of himself. He had a lot to do. Rafi took his eyes off of his picturesque hands. ¡°You eat a lot.¡± Rafi stood up from his chair. He couldn¡¯t even say anything about being too hungry¨Csince the man was big, he would obviously need to eat more. ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯ll make something for you.¡± He didn¡¯t have any special ingredients, but he figured he could make pancakes with the flour he had along with the honey and butter he found in his cabinet. Even if the pancake was rough, it would be made edible with the honey and sugar. Seeing that the man could finish the roughly assembled soup made with the cottage¡¯s supplies, he seemed not to have a very picky taste, even if he was a noble. ¡°I¡¯ll make some pancakes. Can you eat it?¡± ¡°Pancakes¡­I don¡¯t know. What is it?¡± ¡°Oh. Of course¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯m sure I can eat it,¡± the man interrupted, nodding quickly before Rafi could suggest something else. He glanced over at Rafi¡¯s abandoned soup bowl, still half-full. Rafi smiled. He had been like that too, at that age. When he was taken in as a newborn baby, the witch had already become quite old. Rafi wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary, but he was still a boy. After learning to walk, he went around and caused accidents one by one. Back then, the witch burst into a rage whenever her knees hurt, complaining that her knees were worn out because of him. Even touching the food he was eating would subject him to scrutiny, and one day he heard the witch hold on to Harion and complain over a drink. He was so scared of her that he couldn¡¯t even eat or drink properly. That¡¯s how the witch was. Compared to the witch¡¯s complaints about knees and alcohol, gifting soup felt nice. ¡°You can eat more.¡± Rafi pushed his bowl of soup to him. He looked at the soup, glanced back at Rafi, and slowly lifted the bowl to his lips. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Ah, that¡¯s really¡­ His hands weren¡¯t the only problem. There was the matter of his tongue, uselessly distracting in its small movements. Was he crazy? He couldn¡¯t believe he was staring at a kid. Rafi quickly turned his view away and let his eyes sweep the room It¡¯s because he looks so pretty. Besides, he¡¯s still¡­ What am I even talking about? It¡¯s like I¡¯m blaming him. No matter how much he thought about it, it was much too late for his face to develop any further. His caregivers must have suffered a lot. Chapter 4.2 Rafi had turned 24 years old that year. Although he had lived alone with the witch in the forest tower, he was not ignorant or na?ve. He read quite a few books and regularly delivered mushroom pie to the inns in nearby villages, and had constant exchanges with other people. There had always been incidents at village inns where other people came and went. Rafi¡¯s heart often hurt after witnessing the worst parts of human nature over his shoulder. Even after he came of age, he did not waver in his decision to stay with the witch who bought him for a few creeping bellflowers. The forest that he had lived in for his whole life was more comfortable than the noisy human village. The fickle witch and the grumpy fairy were more open-minded than any human. ¡°You¡¯re still eating, so I¡¯ll make it in a little bit.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The answer was a beat too slow because he was already slurping up the soup with a spoon. It¡¯s kind of cute. Rafi smiled softly and stroked the boy¡¯s silver hair. The hair made a pleasant sound as it ruffled under his palm. ¡°You eat well. It¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The boy drinking the soup stared at the smiling Rafi. When Rafi smiled, he quickly swallowed what he was holding in his mouth and turned his lips up in response. His smiling face was prettier. * * * ¡°I told you not to do this!¡± Sadly, the delightful feeling did not last long. Rafi, who was pouring the pancake batter into a frying pan, was losing patience. For some reason, the large child standing behind his back kept trying to put his hands on the hot and undercooked batter. ¡°You¡¯re going to burn your hand! Do you want to get hurt again?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Then stop. Wait.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The child pulled a handful of Rafi¡¯s hair with a sullen expression. It hadn¡¯t been much time since Rafi gave him a warning, but the man had already forgotten and held it up to his mouth as if he was going to eat his long hair. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± Rafi was annoyed and pulled back his long hair. He was like a five-year-old kid rubbing his lower lip. To touch someone¡¯s hair and act so annoying¡­ It was a big deal, really. ¡°It¡¯s pretty. I hate it.¡± ¡°What do you hate? Are you saying that you don¡¯t want to eat pancakes?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°You.¡± * * * ¡°You don¡¯t like me?¡± Rafi repeated, dumbfounded. The child moved his head up and down very seriously. ¡°I hate it when you tell me not to do things.¡± Wow¡­ Look at the sudden improvement in sentence skills. The child seemed to have grown to about seven years old. Even so, he was still a child. ¡°I don¡¯t like you pulling my hair.¡± When Rafi spoke, his words short like a knife, the child¡¯s expression became serious. ¡°Why?¡± He¡¯s getting older. A seven-year-old. Oh, come to think of it, the witch once said that seven years old was originally that age. It was the time when she thought every day about whether or not to abandon Rafi, who couldn¡¯t even be a witch anyway. ¡°Because it hurts.¡± ¡±Is it okay if it does not hurt?¡± The child pulled his hair again, more gently than before. ¡°No, it¡¯s annoying.¡± While slapping away the child¡¯s hand, he heard a sound from the pancake batter. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s going to burn.¡± Rafi hurriedly turned the pancake over. It wasn¡¯t burnt, but the color came out a little darker. ¡­I should eat this. Rafi took a new plate out of the cupboard. Ever since the child had woken up, Rafi felt like he was stuck in the kitchen. He made soup twice, washed the dishes, took a break, and now he had to make pancakes. It¡¯s not normal to take care of a child. He felt the witch¡¯s hardships again. This child was only young mentally, but that didn¡¯t make things any easier. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± While turning to take out the plate, the child refused to tire and grabbed his hair again. ¡°You¡¯re really¨C!¡± Rafi snatched the child¡¯s forearm. His arms, which were long and sculpted, look slim from afar, but in reality they were so thick that they could not be held with only one of Rafi¡¯s hands. The prominent physique difference was confusing. The child suddenly felt like a grown-up, threatening adult. ¡°¡­Let go.¡± Rafi tried not to forget that his opponent was a child. Even if he was big, he didn¡¯t know how to use all his strength. When Rafi frowned and gave him a fierce stare, the child let go of his hair even though he was pouting furiously. ¡°If you do it one more time, I¡¯ll punish you. Go and sit still.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it because it¡¯s pretty.¡± It was a rebellion at the age of seven. ¡­It was a rebellion, but it was a little strange. How could he not like him because he was pretty? What the hell was he talking about? ¡°I said no. Do you want to starve?¡± His blue eyes widened as he shook his head roughly from side to side. ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Go and sit.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The child returned to the table and sat down. Until a few days ago, that was the seat where the witch sat. ¡°I hate it,¡± the child mumbled as he kept fidgeting, looking at Rafi to see if he could understand his words. ¡°But you¡¯re pretty.¡± Chapter 5.1 ¡°¡­¡± He was full of energy. And he¡­ No matter how young his mental age was, it was like living with a mirror. Wasn¡¯t his hair pretty? It was like the shining moonlight. Or was it his first time seeing a blonde? Creek. Rafi shook his head as he picked up the fragrant pancake and moved it to a plate. I should cut my hair tonight. * * * He fed the child, washed him, reapplied his ointment, fixed his clothes, and made them big, before finally laying down next to him. ¡°Go to sleep now.¡± The bed was full. Though it was not completely spacious, it was very comfortable when lying alone. However, with two people, it felt like they were in a cage for animals. The child was so tall that the tips of his toes were hanging off the bed. ¡­ But he¡¯s not a real beast. He went to the bathroom by himself. Let¡¯s think positively¨Cit¡¯s only for a short time anyway. He tried to comfort himself with those thoughts, but the child opened his mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep yet.¡± Under his silver hair, the child¡¯s blue eyes shone in the moonlight, reflecting their colors more clearly. Rafi clicked his tongue internally before raising his hand and closing the kid¡¯s bright eyes. Isn¡¯t the moonlight making him too beautiful? Even though he¡¯s already pretty. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to sleep, kid.¡± ¡°¡­ Kid?¡± His eyes were blinking under Rafi¡¯s palm, as if asking what he was talking about. ¡°Yeah, kid.¡± It was funny that he didn¡¯t know that he was a child even while acting like one. ¡°Go to sleep.¡± When he finally fell asleep, Rafi thought about cutting his hair. I won¡¯t throw away the cut hair. I¡¯ll just give it to the kid instead, since we don¡¯t have any toys in the house. Rafi would have to clean it since the child kept putting it in his mouth. Just thinking about it made him feel more annoyed, so Rafi smiled and removed his hands from the child¡¯s eyes. ¡°You.¡± The child stared, still fully awake, before suddenly stretching out his hands. He wanted to grab his hair, but instead he stretched out his index finger and poked Rafi¡¯s mouth. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Smile again.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± His tone did not sound like a seven-year-old¡¯s at all. When Rafi unconsciously wrinkled his forehead, the man childishly hassled him. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± When he was like this, he seemed even more like a child. But Rafi was confused and wondered what the child was doing. Sooner or later, people would come to find him, and then he would go back home. He¡¯s a kid, so he¡¯ll forget that he was sick quickly. His back will get better soon. Rafi hoped it wouldn¡¯t leave scars. It was a pity for him to naively think that scars would remain on his beautiful skin. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Rafi asked, but couldn¡¯t help smiling again. The child who went to bed calmly was cute. The word cute didn¡¯t suit his size, but his expression looking up was like an innocent child¡¯s. ¡°¡­ As expected, you¡¯re pretty. So you¡¯re my opponent,¡± he murmured softly. A low, deep voice that was not at all child-like entered Rafi¡¯s ears. At the unexpected words, Rafi craned his neck to look at him. Did he hear wrong¡­? He must have said something. ¡°In the forest.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The child started talking. ¡°When I first saw you, I wanted to kill you. I don¡¯t know what it is, but you¡¯re dangerous.¡± ¡°Wait. What?¡± His seven-year-old aura disappeared once more. ¡°But after tearing off your cape, something pretty came out.¡± ¡°What came out?¡± ¡°This.¡± He grabbed Rafi¡¯s hair with a gesture that didn¡¯t look childlike at all. ¡°You were pretty. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t kill you.¡± Despite the eerie words, the eyes that stared at Rafi were clear and naive. It was like a high-quality jewel lacking impurities.. ¡°You¡¯re prettier now. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t kill you. I¡¯m not going to try to kill you anymore.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know what to say. Rafi closed his mouth and looked at his innocent face. ¡°It¡¯s pretty and delicious. Good.¡± The child closed his eyes. ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯m sleepy.¡± Rafi wanted to slow down a little, but soon he heard a low breathing sound. ¡°¡­I¡¯m going crazy.¡± Rafi spoke inwardly to his sleeping face. Who exactly did he pick up? Suddenly he figured he couldn¡¯t send the boy back easily. It wasn¡¯t quite a thought, more like a hunch. * * * Two days had passed. For Rafi, it was the busiest two days in his life. He had to cook as soon as he woke up in the morning. He had to prepare three or four times his usual portions, since the child had to eat so much. Though he was fully grown, he was young mentally, so he had a large appetite. Time flew just by feeding and washing the child along with organizing three meals a day. In the meantime, the shamelessly immature child had been eating pancakes for two days, so he demanded for something else to eat, which stressed Rafi out. Chapter 5.2 ¡°Is this the one?¡± Halion asked him, spewing cigarette smoke towards the child¡¯s direction. Instead of being surprised or amazed at a fairy about the size of two fingers, the child just looked at him with an expressionless face, and Halion, who usually hated humans, snorted and said that his expression was unfortunate. ¡°Why did you pick this up?¡± Both seemed to be very difficult to get close to. Rafi smiled awkwardly between them. ¡°It rained a lot that day, and he got hurt. If I left him alone, he might have died.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have died. How can he die from the rain when his body is so strong?¡± ¡°He got seriously hurt. It¡¯s much better now.¡± ¡°If he was going to get better in a few days, he wouldn¡¯t have died in the first place.¡± ¡°How could I guarantee that?¡± That day, he had grown tired of taking care of the child, so he did the task that he had postponed, and went to visit the witch¡¯s grave. Fortunately, the tomb was not greatly destroyed. Rafi gathered up the scattered soil, patted it flat, and decorated it with flowers that had been broken off in the field. When he arrived at the grave, he realized that he had once again forgotten the scissors. It was all because of the child who strongly refused to stay at the house alone. Rafi ultimately decided to take him in a droopy barrel, but the child had no shoes and Rafi¡¯s shoes were too small to fit his feet. Eventually, he gave the child the witch¡¯s old fur slippers that she had only worn inside the house in winter. So, the child now looked rather pathetic. The shirt, which had been forcibly stretched out by adding cloth, was shabby, and the fur slippers on his bare feet were well out of the season. Regrettably, his face was still handsome. It was fortunate that this was a forest. Even if the child looked like a beggar, there was no one to look down at him. He had thought there would be no problems even if he ran into Halion on his way inside the forest and declared that they would pick up mushrooms to eat in the evening after he finished his business at the tomb. Because Halion, as a fairy, had no desire to interfere with the appearance of humans. But a problem arose. Halion had started nagging the child. Rafi looked at the child¡¯s expression, and he felt bad for him. Wouldn¡¯t it hurt his feelings to hear this out of the blue? If he knew he¡¯d run into Halion, he would have paid more attention to the child¡¯s appearance. He had originally been quite handsome, after all, and would have looked put-together if he dressed up properly. Rafi was a little upset that the child still had to hear Halion¡¯s harsh words. ¡°The forest is dark and big. This child was exactly what the witch was talking about.¡± ¡°Where would he go? His skin is so pale and his eyes are sparkling like that. He only looks like this now because he doesn¡¯t have clothes to wear at home¡­¡± Halion clicked his tongue. ¡°Who cares about clothes? That¡¯s what humans do.¡± ¡°Otherwise, there¡¯s no reason to be pessimistic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the way it is, the deceit. In human terms.¡± With those words, he looked back at the child with a new light. The child, his expression silent, did not look very good, but didn¡¯t seem deceitful. ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s a lot I don¡¯t know that I¡¯m not familiar with. He¡¯s still young compared to his physique.¡± Rafi used the word ¡°young¡± to imply that he appeared to have a developmental disability. ¡°He¡¯s young, but he¡¯s carrying things like that.¡± Halion pointed between the legs of the child with the tip of his chin. Rafi¡¯s ears, who had already seen what he was pointing to, turned slightly red. ¡°¡­¡­Regardless of that.¡± ¡°Are you siding with him just because he¡¯s also a human being?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Rafi smiled awkwardly again and reached out his palm to Halion. He had meant to stop taking him home. Halion would not have encountered him while wandering in the forest without work, and he would have left the house on purpose knowing that he was nearby. Halion shook his head and finally said something he didn¡¯t want to hear. ¡°Hey. Kick him out. There¡¯s nothing good about keeping things like that around for a long time.¡± ¡°Until he gets better. Are you coming home?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll go. What do you want me to do here alone?¡± It was time for Halion, who was sitting on a small branch, to move to Rafi¡¯s palm. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Suddenly, Rafi¡¯s shoulder tilted back. It was because the child pulled him from behind as if hugging him. ¡°Why are you doing this? It¡¯s dangerous!¡± Halion almost fell off the branch. The body of an old fairy was bound to be as fragile as a dry fallen leaf. There could have been a big accident. The child, who was biting his lips, slowly opened his mouth . ¡°Two times.¡± ¡°¡­.What are you saying?¡± ¡°You laughed. Twice. To that one.¡± Chapter 6.1 ¡°¡­ What?¡± The child tilted his head to the side. ¡°You¡¯re pretty, so you should smile more. But I don¡¯t want to see you laugh with him. What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± ¡°What are you¡­¡± Rafi opened his mouth thinking it was nonsense. It was small, so he couldn¡¯t see it well, but Halion¡¯s expression was similar. ¡°So¡­ Did you pull my hair because you didn¡¯t want to see me like that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You ¡­!¡± He wanted to shout at him, but he found himself speechless. It was for a simple reason¨Cit was because Rafi didn¡¯t know the child¡¯s name yet, and he couldn¡¯t call him a child or a kid in such a serious situation. The word ¡®child¡¯ usually has the power to soften the human mind, after all. ¡°What kind of nonsense are you talking about? Halion almost got hurt! Don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s Halion?¡± He pointed to Halion, who was patting down his chest in surprise with the other hand that wasn¡¯t gripping on to Rafi. ¡°He¡¯s a fairy and his name is Halion. Apologize right away. It¡¯s your fault.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What am I?¡± ¡°¡­¡± His way of thinking was thoroughly self-centered. It was difficult to find a way to be properly angry at a child when one barely had any parenting experience. ¡°Do you really have to ask that now? Do you think that¡¯s important now?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The boy thought for a moment before nodding his head once. ¡°When you get mad at someone else because of me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Then you have to have something to call me. Like you have for him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rafi still couldn¡¯t keep up with his ideas. What the hell did he do to Halion that made the kid upset? In the midst of reflecting on what had just passed, Halion¡¯s voice interrupted his thoughts.. ¡°Don¡¯t give him a name.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Once you make one for him, it¡¯s over. He¡¯ll hold on and drag you down for the rest of your life. You gotta kick him out before that.¡± ¡°Someone will pick him up. It hasn¡¯t been long since he got lost, so you might not know yet¡­.¡± ¡°Tsk. You¡¯re a human being, do you not understand human nature? How do you know whether he¡¯s lost or if he¡¯s been intentionally abandoned by the others?¡± ¡°Halion!¡± He had said it on purpose. Rafi¡¯s face turned pale. The only thing in this world that a child should have never heard was that his parents abandoned him. ¡°The kid is listening. That¡¯s a little¡­¡± ¡°Oh, what kind of kid is that? You can go if you don¡¯t want to listen¨CI¡¯ll go home on my own. I won¡¯t talk to you until you throw that boy away, just so you know.¡± Halion jerked away from Rafi¡¯s hand and sat down. For a moment, Rafi thought he was lighting a new cigarette, but round smoke blew from the cigar instead. Knowing that it was a signal to call a woodpecker bird that communicated with the fairies, Rafi sighed. ¡°Halion¡­¡± ¡°Just get out of here.¡± The cranky and stubborn fairy believed that what he once said should be kept until the day he dies. Because of that, even if he had known the witch for a long time, the time he spent in person with her was short. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll be going. Take care.¡± ¡°The bird is still in the middle of nowhere. That¡¯s why it hasn¡¯t arrived yet. Simply, I can¡¯t go out on my own.¡± Halion said something else instead of a goodbye. It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t said the same thing once or twice, but Rafi turned around in thought. His heart was heavy. ¡°Was I abandoned?¡± No, maybe the boy¡¯s voice felt heavier. Perhaps the walk with the fur slippers that were inappropriate for the season was more difficult than Rafi had imagined. The wiser people are, the less sensible they are. ¡°That¡­¡± Rafi thought about calling out the boy¡¯s name, but without a name to call, he had no choice but to speak ambiguously. ¡°You don¡¯t know that. Someone can come tomorrow at least. They may still be searching for you in the woods.¡± ¡°If they don¡¯t come.¡± Having lost his name and memory, he stopped walking and grabbed Rafi¡¯s hem. ¡°Then they really abandoned me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rafi swallowed dryly. His expression, though not much different from usual, was stinging like a thorn now. Even if he was big, he was still a child. Rafi knew exactly how the child felt when he learned that he was abandoned . Because he was like that, too. The witch did not take the newborn baby from a poor couple who had no money to buy a few bottles of rapunzel. It was the opposite. The parents who stole the rapunzel sold their child to the witch who came to pick them the next day. At first, the witch, who had little affection for the newborn baby, did not hide the story, and it was already late by the time she realized it would have been better to hide it. Rafi had become a child who relied more on cranky old witches than humans. ¡°Are you going to abandon me?¡± Perhaps I seemed to have grown a little bit more in the meantime. ¡°¡­No.¡± He suddenly understood a little bit more of the witch¡¯s heart, who screamed at him to stop growing after puberty. ¡°Someone will come. I¡¯ll wait with you until then.¡± Rafi grabbed the boy¡¯s hand clutching the hem of his shirt. Just as a parent with their child, he gently warmed the boy¡¯s hand with his own. ¡°If you keep doing this, it¡¯ll be uncomfortable, so let¡¯s give you a name.¡± ¡°If you give him a name, it¡¯s over.¡± The old fairy¡¯s words rose bluntly like cigarette smoke and disappeared. * * * Chapter 6.2 ¡°Then hurry up and give me a name.¡± As soon as they got home, the boy asked for a name. He seemed to have been thinking about it the whole time since he met Halion. Rafi couldn¡¯t refuse that. It was no different from the plea not to abandon him. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do that.¡± Rafi shook off Halion¡¯s words that giving a name meant the end, searched the closet, and found some fairy tale books he used to read when he was young. He figured it would be easier to choose a name from the books he usually read, so he left the boy aside and opened the book. ¡°Let¡¯s think carefully and find a good one.¡± This was also largely due to his own given name Rapunzel. Because of the insincerity behind the origin of his name, Rafi believed it was very important to name a person properly. ¡°I¡¯m only going to use this name until I know your real one¡­ Here¡¯s a story called Ludsil. What about this name? I think it suits you well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good.¡± Although he was young in age, he was surprisingly firm in his decisions. ¡°Hmm. Then Spinel. I like this name, too.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± It was difficult. Rafi scanned over the bookshelf. ¡°Stephan. Arad. Kirne. Hoen.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not good.¡± ¡°Danegel, Esseled, Swain, and Gregory?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At that rate, he might as well call out all the names in the fairy tale book. ¡°You don¡¯t have a name in mind, do you?¡± He didn¡¯t think so, but he asked just in case. ¡°What¡¯s your favorite name?¡±¡± ¡°Rafi.¡± It¡¯s like he¡¯s been waiting to say my name. ¡°That¡¯s my name. You have to come up with your own name.¡± ¡°Rafi is good.¡± What is he talking about? ¡°¡­ Do you want the name Rafi?¡± ¡°You asked me for my favorite name. It¡¯s Rafi.¡± Rafi sighed. The difficulties of parenting didn¡¯t seem necessarily limited to the physical realm¨Cthe mental fatigue was also considerable. ¡°I can¡¯t call you Rafi. That¡¯s my name.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other good name than that. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re good.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Rafi began to worry about whether he initiated the wrong efforts in the first place. Should he have asked for a name that is easy to call or a name that is easy to remember, instead of a good name? ¡°You say you like Rafi, but you¡¯ll hate it when you know what it means. So let¡¯s go with a different name.¡± Compared to the other names that he had been indifferent to, interest sparkled in the boy¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°What does it mean?¡± ¡°Rapunzel. Rafi for short.¡± ¡°Rapunzel?¡± ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t you know what Rapunzel is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a vegetable that you dig in the field. And in my case, it became a person¡¯s name.¡± It was his father who named him Rapunzel. The witch said she had been angry when the man begged her to at least take the child, since he had nothing else to offer. When she yelled at the man to name his child if he had been born, the man had roughly offered the name Rapunzel. It was a ridiculous name even when he thought about it. So he didn¡¯t want to name anyone that way, even if it was a name that didn¡¯t matter if he gave it to others. I think all the children who are abandoned will become ¡®Rafi¡¯. ¡°Rafi is good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you really want a vegetable name? Apart from that, it would be confusing if our name was the same.¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t have the same name, give me a similar one.¡± It was a good idea, but Rafi found himself speechless. In this world, there seemed to be a child with strange taste, who liked vegetable names. Well, too bad. He got the name Rapunzel first. Rafi smiled blandly, saying he didn¡¯t know what it was like to have a bad name. ¡°Then Romaine. It looks similar to Rapunzel. Let¡¯s shorten it to Romi.¡± They¡¯re both vegetables, and the way they were abbreviated was similar. It should be enough. ¡°Rafi, Romi. Similar, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Unlike the first round, where the boy was picky, the vegetable name was accepted at once. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. I don¡¯t know why¡­¡± Rafi, still smiling blandly, raised his hand and gently mussed the hair of the person who had just become an abandoned vegetable like him. . ¡°Okay, Romi. Now that you have a name, listen carefully. Let¡¯s wash up and sleep.¡± Silver hair with fine strands fell around his fingers smoothly. Jeweled eyes stared at Rafi through his fingers. ¡°Now that you named me, you won¡¯t abandon me, will you?¡± The sudden question poked at the weakest part of Rafi. A child who was brutally abandoned was completely different from a noble child that had someone waiting for them. ¡°¡­Well.¡± ¡°Well. Will you throw me away?¡± Rafi continued to talk, his hand still stroking the child¡¯s head. He didn¡¯t think he would live with a child who was bigger than him. However, there was no reason to kick out a person who had nowhere to go. If he was asked what kind of world he wanted to live in, Rafi would answer ¡°a world where no one is abandoned¡±. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it if you listen to me well. Don¡¯t ever pull my hair. Oh, and you have to apologize to Halion. You shouldn¡¯t do anything that puts others at risk twice.¡± ¡°You¡¯re touching my hair, too. I haven¡¯t told you not to do it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different. I¡¯m touching it, but you pull it. That hurts.¡± Romi¡¯s expression became serious when he realized that it hurt. ¡°Then I¡¯ll think about it too.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How to touch your head without hurting it.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Rafi laughed out loud. What was this stubbornness? But he was still learning. It might be worth teaching him. ¡°Okay. Think about it. I¡¯ll think about it, too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Outside the window, the moon continued to tilt. Only after putting Romi in bed did Rafi realize that he forgot to cut his hair today. Shall I cut it tomorrow?