Chapter 582: A name is a name is a name
"Oh, it’s higher than I thought when we started everything from the bottom," I commented halfway up the hill.
"As I thought--"
"Nope," I stuck my tongue out and hid my laugh behind Shwa when Natha pursed his lips.
He had been making all kinds of excuses, asking if my arms were tired, or that it would be safer for Shwa to be held by him. I ignored all of them though--not because I wanted to monopolize Shwa, but because I wanted him to be honest.
"I want to carry him too..." he muttered with a quiet, pitiful voice.
Finally. Was it so hard to admit that you were a doting father who wanted to be with your child? It wasn’t like he’d become less dignified because of it.
"Pfft--fine, you can have him until the upper gate."
He swiftly took Shwa from my arms as if worried I would change my mind--how cute. It was even cuter when he took my hand with his other hand, taking both of us in stride toward the Temple on the hill.
Well, thanks to that, I could walk without minding the road too much. It wasn’t my first time climbing this path, but the last time was during New Year worship, and it was completely different. At that time, the hill was snowy, and the leafless tree painted a solemn fence as we made our way to thank the Demon God.
But this time, the path was filled with scattering petals and flanked by lush blue shrubs with red and purple berries hanging out, inviting for a pluck. The trees were filled with green leaves and yellow flowers, sprouting out from the trunks and hanging from the branches like vibrant curtains. The green leaves would turn yellow, and the flowers would turn red as the season moved through the summer and autumn, making it as if the hill was being lit on fire.
But for now, we had non arsonist-inducing scenery for our little boy.