She was not the master of Mangye.
She was my mother.
At Noyaâs words, saying that it was my motherâs request, I had to pause and think.
What did he mean? It wasnât just wordplayâNoyaâs expression was serious.
I had to focus for a moment to grasp the meaning of those words.
ââ¦My mother made the request. But she is not the master of Mangyeâ¦â
What exactly was that supposed to mean?
Noya had been a general. He had ultimately betrayed them.
If those words were also trueâ¦
âDoes that mean he became a general at my motherâs request? Or that he betrayed them at her request?â
The ambiguity of the words made it difficult to fully understand,
but I didnât dwell on it for long before arriving at an answer.
Regardless of the specifics, those words could only mean one thing.
"So you're saying that the current master and my mother are different people?"
It meant that Noya did not equate the current master with my mother.
As if to confirm my words, Noya gave a slight nod.
"As I told you before, the mother you once knew is no longer the same person."
"I understand."
Back then, I had only heard it.
But now, I knew for certain.
There was no way I wouldn't, after facing her directly.
She was not the mother I knew.
Her appearance, her scent, her voiceâ
They were all hers.
Yet she was not my mother.
Then, what should I call her?
Right.
âMaster.â