Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father
chapter-168

I tilted my head to one side.

“Do you know why I married you?”

This time Aedis showed some interest. I started a story I hadn’t told anyone before.

“You found someone.”

“Someone?”

“Yes. Someone who everyone pretended not to see even if everyone saw it. You were the only one who tried to save that person.”

I thought of Maevia in ⟨Esmeralda’s Crescent Moon⟩.

When she was imprisoned, the Grand Duke tried to get her out himself upon belatedly learning of her situation.

It was one of the few incidents in which he acted as a bystander in the novel.

As Maevia was horrified to see him, it was Regen who ended up facing Gilbert.

“The woman was weak in body and her heart was very tender. That man made it.”

Anyway, Gilbert is really a bastard. I wish he was struggling somewhere.

I quietly frowned at the thought of Gilbert.

Aedis asked.

“Did he bother you, too?”

“Yes.”

“…… I see.”

Aedis asked no more questions. I interpreted his silence to mean for me to continue talking, so I smiled quietly.

“Everyone who could have helped the woman turned her eyes. They probably didn’t want to offend that man. Because he became emperor and acted like a madman.”

“…….”

“But you didn’t care though. Even though she was really scared of you. Maybe even more than she was afraid of the man who imprisoned her.”

“…….”

“Well, so I thought you would be fine.”

“Fine?”

“For my first marriage.”

Aedis’ eyes narrowed.

“If you didn’t like me, would you have thought of marrying a second time?”

“I’ve been thinking about this and that. Including treason.”

It wasn’t a lie.

I was willing to try the ending where I pushed the imperial family, which was on the verge of collapse, with my own hands and became the emperor instead of Gilbert, if only there was a possibility.

However, I calculated that it would take ten years just to fix the accident caused by the imperial family, so I gave up.

I bit my lip and finally smiled.

Perhaps the story I told Aedis sounded like a common, trivial tragedy.

But nineteen-year-old Aedis seemed pretty serious about the fact that he was trying to help someone.

“I helped someone who thought I was a monster. I didn’t tear it to death.”

“I know you don’t tear anyone to death.”

“That…….”

I cut him off, guessing what Aedis was going to say.

“Of course, other people know, too.”

“It must be a pretense. Or just barely holding it in.”

The distrust was deeply rooted. Still, Aedis seemed a little relieved, but he quickly became depressed again.

“Even if everything you say is true, it is useless consolation. I won’t remember anyway.”

The stubborn sea-blue eyes mixed with starlight looked exactly the same as his age.

It was a good sign that nineteen-year-old Aedis was pouring out his heart, but I was bitter that it wasn’t a problem I could solve.

Almost 500 years. Even if it was just a moment for me, it was such a long farewell for Aedis.

“Should I stay with you now instead of going back?”

“…… what?”

Aedis’ eyes widened.

“Not going back and staying next to you like now, uhp.”

In the endless expanse of space, it was just the two of us and the sleeping chick, but Aedis covered my mouth so no one could hear.

“I don’t want you to say that.”

Then what do you want?

My mouth was closed, and I blinked.

Aedis said calmly, lowering the hand that had covered my mouth.

“I just meant that it was a shame, so don’t be swept away and say weird things. What if your family does crazy things again?”

“You worry about me…….”

Hey, even if you cover the mouth, don’t block the nose.

Aedis quickly let me go as I was red from gasping.

I coughed.

“I don’t want anything from you. All there is to do is wait anyway. No……. It’s misleading. It’s not like I’ll wait for you necessarily.”

“…….”

What is wrong with him?

Aedis’ face turned red.

“…… Ha, anyway, I thought it would be nice to have proof.”

Proof, I wanted to give it to you,too.

I put on a look of sincere regret.

“All I have are the pajamas and underwear that I had been wearing…….”

“I don’t need it!”

Aedis refused in disgust.

He would be embarrassed if he had women’s clothes that he couldn’t even remember, but he rejected me too much.

I tried to think of something that could be a token. It didn’t take long.

“Then the fish I caught by fishing…… I have the beast…….”

Aedis stepped on the fishing rod he had broken with his own hand, making it unrecognizable.

“I shouldn’t have brought you here.”

This unwanted behavior continued, so I narrowed my eyes.

“You’re overprotective, Aedis.”

“I’m not taking risks.”

“I am not that weak.”

“Prove it.”

As if the world’s most powerful person wanted to attack me, he flicked his hand.

No, that’s a bit.

It would be better to fight Gilbert without the chick’s help and without drinking the beast’s blood.

It was a fight which I had no chance of winning, so I turned the subject around.

“It’s okay if you protect me so that I don’t get hurt.”

I gave a soft eye smile. But Aedis just pressed my forehead with his index finger.

“It might work for me in the future, but right now it’s not effective.”

“You said you were going to wait for me?”

“…… Can you fix that habit of interpreting things as you like?”

Thinking of my shy 19-year-old husband, I gave in.

“Great. Is it okay if it’s just not fishing?”

“You can’t even swim.”

“…… Mind-reading magic is against the law.”

“There is no such magic.”

What is it, then how do you know?

I felt sullen.

The corners of Aedis’ mouth went up slightly.

Ah, he smiled.

It was close to laughing, but I decided to skip that part.

“How about just walking?”

Aedis suggested it plainly. I didn’t want to refuse because the scenery was as good as the picture.

But just walking side by side isn’t satisfying.

“Will you hold my hand?”

“…….”

Aedis hesitated.

“No?”

“If you get hurt…….”

What, it won’t hurt that much.

I thought it was lucky that Aedis didn’t mind being touched by me, but at the same time it was weird.

Could Aedis see me as something like fragile glass or porcelain?

“Aedis, have you ever held hands with someone else?”

“…… my parents, a few times.”

Aedis averted my gaze.

Yes. It must have been before being experimented on by Kadan.

If so, I wouldn’t be the only one who looked fragile. Maybe everyone looks the same.

What is it like to live in a world with crafts made of glass? I’m so glad I came from the future.

Knowing how happy Aedis would be in the future, I was confident that I could relax a little.

There are also a few handicrafts that are quite durable and last for a long time.

I reached out to Aedis.

“My hand won’t break. Did you grab my wrist well, too?”

Aedis sent me a sullen look.

“I grabbed it with the intention of threatening you.”

“…….”

You don’t have to be honest at times like this.

Aedis made a villainous face when I tried to pretend I didn’t hear.

“I still vividly remember your pulse.”

“…….”

I shouldn’t have asked if it sounded like an arrhythmia…….

“You still want to hold it?”

“Yes.”

Even before Aedis had finished speaking, I nodded at him and his expression returned.

Appropriately I got permission so I took Aedis’ hand.

“Now, bend your fingers too.”

“No.”

It was an unchanging iron wall, but I knew very well how to break the iron wall.

“Huh? You want to hear how you were on your first night?”

When I said that I would actively give him spoilers, Aedis frowned.

“You can do it.”

Then Aedis’ long fingers moved very slowly.

When his hand finally wrapped around mine, I gave him a big smile in appreciation.

“Good job. Shall we move on to the next step now?”

“The next step?”

A blatant wariness bloomed in Aedis’ eyes. At this rate would Aedis forcibly send me back?

My anxiety was short-lived. The warmth that came from Aedis holding hands made me happy.

He would hold me so well.

I persistently demanded.

“Pick me up.”

“…….”

“My feet hurt.”

Nineteen-year-old Aedis cast a cold gaze at me.

“There will be no pain now.”

“Yes, that’s a lie. You won’t fall for it?”

“…….”

Aedis’ expression softened as I shamelessly admitted to the lie.

But he didn’t say much, just released my hand and bent his back.

I clambered onto him quickly.

“…… Strange.”

Aedis’ remarks ended there.

I chuckled and laughed.

“Aedis, your ears are red.”

“…….”

“Aedis? You’re not going to throw me, are you?”

“…….”

I’m your wife, why are you thinking so long?

I guess he’s finally starting to see me as a bit more trustworthy than a glass craft. Should I take this as a good sign? He might really throw me, so should I mind my self-interest first?

After thinking about it, I rubbed my cheek against Aedis’ shoulder to my heart’s content.

Fortunately, Aedis continued to walk at a leisurely pace with me on his back.

There was a sky above my head, and there was a sky below my feet. The clear sea of ice reflected the clear blue sky. When I go back later, I’ll have to ask Aedis to come here again.

“Aedis, there is sky over the sea. It’s like standing upside down and walking through the sky.”

Then the cold response came back.

“I walked, and you were carried on my back.”

“Hey.”