Idir carried Momo high into the sky, flying farther and farther away from the Barbarian City.

As the distance stretched, fear began to creep into the child’s heart.

He twisted his small body desperately in Idir’s grip. "Bad snake—where are you taking me? Why are we going so far?"

His voice trembled.

Why was he being taken farther and farther away?

Idir glanced at him, his voice low and steady. "I’m taking you away. You can’t stay by Nina’s side."

At those words, Momo struggled even harder. "I don’t want to! I don’t want to leave Mother! Let me go—I want to go back!"

He bit down at Idir’s hand, furious and panicked. "Let go of me! I want to go back!"

He didn’t want to leave her. He didn’t want to go anywhere with this terrible snake.

Idir’s brows drew together tightly. "Stop struggling. You can’t stay with your mother; you have to come with me."

If the child stayed, he would bring misfortune to Nina. If the curse awakened in him one day... he might even hurt her.

Idir couldn’t allow that. It was better for the child to stay with him. He would find a way to suppress the curse. He would raise him properly.

Momo shook his head fiercely, anger burning through his fear. "Why can’t I stay with Mother? I don’t want to go with you—I’m going back!"

He didn’t believe a word. He just wanted to be with her.

"It’s because you’re like me," Idir said, his tone grave. "You carry the curse. And that curse brings misfortune to those around us. If you stay by her side... you’ll harm her."

Momo froze.

Then immediately shook his head, shouting back, "You’re lying! I don’t have any curse! I won’t hurt Mother!"

He was her good child. He would never hurt her. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Think about it," Idir pressed. "Since you were born... hasn’t she faced danger again and again?"

Momo fell silent.

...She had. She had been hurt before.

Idir exhaled quietly. "Those dangers may very well be because of the curse. When mine flared up, I lost control... I nearly hurt her."

A trace of guilt slipped into his voice. "And you... you’ve inherited it too. One day, yours may awaken as well."

Beastmen like him... Should never have had children. And yet, that one night had changed everything. Unexpectedly—impossibly—Nina had borne his child.

And still... he was grateful.

Grateful for that night.

Grateful for having met her.

Grateful for the fleeting happiness he had been given.

It was enough.

His gaze lowered to Momo, a flicker of pain passing through his eyes.

But this child... Might walk the same path he had.

How could he not care?

Momo’s eyes filled with tears. "You’re lying... I don’t have any stupid curse... I won’t hurt Mother..."

But doubt had already taken root.

Had those dangers really been because of him? Would he bring her more misfortune?

Fear twisted in his chest.

He shook his head again, refusing to accept it.

No—this bad snake had to be lying.

He wasn’t leaving.

Seeing his distress, Idir’s chest tightened.

"If there were another way... I wouldn’t leave her either," he said quietly. "But if we stay, we’ll only harm her. If I find a way to suppress the curse, I’ll bring you back to see her."

His voice was heavy.

If anyone didn’t want to leave, it was him.

His pain was far greater.

But Momo only struggled harder. "I don’t believe you! Let me go—I want to go back to Mother!"

Idir tightened his hold, ignoring the child’s resistance. "One day, you’ll understand. But today... we have to leave."

The boy depended too deeply on Nina. If they stayed longer, leaving would only hurt more.

Better leave now, before the bond grew even deeper.

Better than the day he might truly harm her... and regret it forever.

Tears streamed down Momo’s face. "I don’t want to go... I want Mother... I want to stay..."

Idir said nothing more. He simply accelerated, flying faster into the distance.

Nina would find out soon enough.

Would she come after them? Would she find them?

He had to leave quickly.

He didn’t know that the locator could track position; he thought it was only for communication.

Behind him, Nina was already closing in.

Following the signal, she flew straight toward them, rapidly narrowing the distance.

At last, she saw him.

Odian carried her as they sped forward, while Aviel surged ahead, intercepting Idir’s path.

"Idir, let Momo go!" Aviel shouted, fury blazing in his eyes.

That damned snake—how dare he take the child from Nina?

Idir hadn’t expected them to catch up so quickly. A flicker of panic crossed his face.

For a moment, he didn’t know whether to keep fleeing.

Then he looked back... And saw Nina.

He stopped.

She was here.

And that meant... he could no longer leave. Because he could never go against her.

Nina rushed forward, her heart tightening at the sight of Momo’s tear-streaked face.

Anger flared in her chest.

"Give him to me—now!" Nina frowned, anger still simmering beneath her worry.

What had gotten into Idir? Why would he suddenly take Momo away and scare him to tears?

Aviel cast Idir a sharp glance.

This time, the serpent was in real trouble. Not only had he taken the child, but he’d also made him cry. Nina would never let that pass.

"Nina..."

Idir’s voice was low, laced with guilt. Carefully, almost hesitantly, he extended Momo toward her. "I’m sorry."

The moment his grip loosened, Momo darted free and flung himself into Nina’s arms, sobbing.

"Mother, you’re finally here! The bad snake tried to take me away... I was so scared..."

Nina held him close at once, soothing him. "It’s alright. Mother’s here. No one can take you away."

"Mhm..." Momo clung to her, still sniffling. "I want to stay with you forever. I don’t want to leave you."

Nina stroked his back gently. "You won’t. You’ll always stay with me."

Slowly, the child’s sobs quieted.

Only then did Nina lift her gaze to Idir, her expression turning stern. "Why did you take him?"

Idir avoided her eyes, unease tightening his chest. "I... it’s because of the curse."

"The curse?"

Nina recalled what Odian had said about the snake tribe’s curse and about Idir losing control.

But what did that have to do with Momo?

"You have a curse. What does that have to do with taking him away?" she pressed.

Idirs voice lowered. "I didn’t want him to harm you."

Nina frowned. "What do you mean?"

He glanced at the child in her arms. "The Snake curse is inherited. Momo carries it too. And aside from losing control when it erupts... it also brings misfortune to those nearby. We... are inauspicious."

Nina’s brows drew together sharply. "Where did you hear that nonsense? How could you be ’inauspicious’?"

"It’s not something I heard randomly," Idir said quietly. "Our clan suffered disasters because of me and my father. The shaman and the others all said so. The shaman is the Beast God’s messenger—his words can’t be false."

He lowered his head slightly. "I was afraid that one day we would bring you harm. That if the curse erupted, we might hurt you. That’s why... I wanted to take Momo away. To find a way to suppress it."

Nina hadn’t expected that.

All of this... was because of that?

"Idir," she said firmly, "if you want to leave, that’s your choice. But you cannot take Momo. He’s my child. Without my permission, no one takes him. And neither you nor he is ’inauspicious.’"

"But even the shaman said—"

"Then that shaman is talking nonsense," Nina cut in, her tone sharp with disdain. "Momo has been with me all this time, and nothing has happened. And before, people said the same thing about me. Do you think I’m inauspicious?"

"...Of course not," Idir said quickly.

How could she be?

For the first time, doubt flickered in him. Perhaps... the shaman’s words weren’t absolute truth after all.

"Nina..." he hesitated. "You really don’t mind that Momo carries the curse?"

Deep down, he had feared this. Feared that if she knew, she would reject the child. He knew too well what it meant to be rejected by one’s own mother.

"I do mind," Nina said calmly. "But not in the way you think. I’ll help him remove it. I won’t let the curse harm him."

Her voice was steady, resolute.

Idir’s eyes trembled slightly.

Nina...

Perhaps she truly was the best mother in the world.

A fragile hope stirred in his chest. "You... have a way to remove it?"

If she could... Then did that mean that he could stay, too?

Nina nodded. "The Beast God told me about it. It’s just not possible yet—we need to wait a little longer. When the time comes, I can help you too."

Once she obtained divine power, she would be able to lift it.

Idir’s eyes lit up.

She really had a way!

The thought of taking Momo away vanished completely.

And in its place... A quiet, desperate desire to stay.

No one knew how painful it had been for him to decide to leave her.

"Nina... thank you," he said softly, sincerity filling his voice.

Nina gave a small snort. "You don’t need to thank me yet."

Then her expression hardened again. "But we still need to settle the matter of you taking Momo."

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Who gave you permission to take my child without telling me?"

Idir’s heart skipped. Panic crept in.

"Nina, I’m sorry—I was wrong. I won’t do it again. I promise."

This is bad...

He had truly angered her this time.