As three days passed, Hina's resentment towards her father, Carrion, the god of the five elements, only grew stronger. She avoided him like a contagious disease, unable to bear the thought of facing him after the events that had transpired.
One day, as Hina was passing through the castle hall, she encountered Carrion. His face lit up with a gentle smile as he greeted her, "Hina." But Hina's response was cold and distant. "Hmm, I do not acknowledge you as my father," she replied, her tone laced with bitterness.
Frustration welled up inside Hina as she grappled with conflicting emotions. She couldn't understand why the system hadn't alerted her to Carrion's true identity in the past. "Why did you not alert me before that he is my father?" she demanded of the system, her voice tinged with anger.
The system's response was apologetic. "My apologies. It was because Celistia instructed me not to identify Carrion. His energy signature was unfamiliar, and I labeled him as an enemy."
Hina's frustration boiled over as she realized the unnecessary battles and hardships she had endured as a result of the system's oversight. "You took me into unnecessary battles, and it even cost me my life! Thank goodness Celistia was able to revive me that day," she exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion.
The system could only offer a sincere apology in response. "I am truly sorry," it said, acknowledging its mistake.
But Hina's anger remained unabated. Even as the system urged her to address Celistia as her mother, she stubbornly refused. "I don't care!" she retorted, her words ringing out with defiance.
As the tension between father and daughter lingered in the air, Hina grappled with conflicting emotions. Though her heart longed for reconciliation, the wounds of the past ran deep, and forgiveness seemed like an impossible feat.
As Carrion knelt on the ground, his heart heavy with regret, he couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment in himself. He realized he had treated Hina too harshly, failing to consider her feelings and the impact of his actions.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind, cutting through his thoughts like a sharp blade. It was Celistia, his beloved wife, her words laced with both concern and reproach. "You stupid buffoon, why did you treat her like that? You've only caused trouble for Hina," she chided him, her voice ringing with authority.
Carrion winced at the reprimand, feeling a pang of guilt gnawing at his conscience. Celistia's words struck a chord within him, reminding him of the gravity of his mistake. "I thought Hina was a boy," he murmured softly, his voice filled with remorse.
But Celistia's response was swift and unforgiving. "Think again, Carrion. Does Hina look like a boy to you? When I gave birth to her, did she resemble a boy?" Her tone was gentle yet firm, leaving no room for argument.
Carrion hung his head in shame, realizing the extent of his oversight. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible. He knew he had made a grave error in judgment, one that had caused pain and suffering to his own daughter.
As he remained in that humbled posture, Carrion's senses were overwhelmed by a wave of emotions. The weight of his regret pressed down on him like a heavy burden, leaving him feeling suffocated and powerless.
The scent of flowers wafted through the air, mingling with the faint aroma of incense. The soft rustle of leaves in the breeze provided a soothing backdrop to the tumultuous storm raging within Carrion's heart.
In that moment of introspection, Carrion realized the depth of his love for Hina and the importance of making amends for his past mistakes. With a newfound determination, he vowed to do whatever it took to earn his daughter's forgiveness and rebuild their fractured relationship.
As Carrion made his way through the corridors of King Arthur's castle, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness tugging at his heart. The familiar sights and sounds of the grand halls, usually bustling with activity, now seemed to mock him with their emptiness.
The scent of polished wood and fragrant candles filled the air, mingling with the faint aroma of freshly cut flowers. But beneath the pleasant odors lingered a sense of melancholy, as if the very walls of the castle were mourning alongside Carrion.
With each door he approached, Carrion braced himself for the inevitable response. "Thank you for gracing us, my goddess," the servants and butlers would say, their voices tinged with reverence and awe. But behind their polite words, Carrion sensed a subtle undercurrent of pity, a reminder of his failure to protect his daughter.
As he continued his search, Carrion's footsteps echoed hollowly against the marble floors, the sound a somber accompaniment to his troubled thoughts. The familiar sights of the castle, once a source of comfort, now served only to deepen his sense of loss.
Outside the castle walls, Hina wandered aimlessly, seeking solace in the quiet beauty of the surrounding gardens. The gentle rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds provided a soothing backdrop to her troubled mind, offering a brief respite from the turmoil within.
But even amidst the tranquility of nature, Hina could not escape the weight of her father's absence. As she gazed up at the azure sky above, she couldn't help but wonder when Carrion would return, and if their fractured relationship could ever be repaired.
In the heart of the castle, Carrion's search continued, his footsteps faltering with each passing moment. Though he longed for guidance from the hero's party and King Arthur himself, his greatest desire was to find his daughter, to mend the rift between them and forge a path toward reconciliation.