Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father
chapter-78-30041322

Chapter 78

But what jewelry would suit Aedis and I…

As I was thinking about jewelry that was popular in the social world, I suddenly saw that Aedis was still standing in the same spot.

“Huh? Aedis? Why are you still standing like that?”

I beckoned to Aedis.

“Come quickly. I’m sleepy.”

I don’t know why, but Aedis’s eyes fluttered violently.

That day, Aedis slept with his body as far away from me as possible while putting his arm on the pillow.

…Why are you pouting?

***

Maybe it was because I was tired, so while Aedis was making a few protests, I fell asleep quickly.

After a long time passed, I could vaguely feel Aedis’s hand caressing my cheek and brushing my hair.

“Eve.”

It’s nice for him to call me that way again. But is this a dream?

“How long will you stay with me?”

Well, for a long time?

I mumbled an answer, and I heard Aedis laugh.

“If you pay more attention, you’ll realise you sometimes say things that only hurt me in your sleep.”

“…”

“What would you do if your ‘long’ is different from my ‘long’?”

It’s different, it’s different. Yes, would it make a big difference?

I was drowsy.

It was hard to mumble, so I didn’t answer, and Aedis whispered in a voice as sweet as honey.

“If only you and I were left, the world would look a little more beautiful.”

……Not honey, but a muddy swamp.

***

Shaula, whom Aedis had thrown into the stable a few days ago, finally came to her senses.

Gilbert, who was thrown there too, woke up an hour later and reported to the butler.

As soon as Shaula woke up, she ate five servings of food, and Gilbert allegedly trashed the stable and went into the bathroom.

The butler, who delivered the news, looked fatigued.

From the distant look in his eyes, it seemed like he was revisiting the fact that it had been quiet for the past few days.

“It feels like a dream to have been at peace all this time……”

Finally, the old butler burst into tears.

“Even when Shaula was a knight commander, did she often bump into Gilbert?”

“All parts of the castle have been destroyed, so there hasn’t been a day off from construction, Your Grace.”

“Ohh…”

You’ve been through a lot, butler. I’ll fix the habit.

I also have something to repay.

The butler left after reporting that he was planning to fix the stable first.

While the two were unconscious, the stables were no more than an off-limits area for the employees.

It was because of Shaula rather than Gilbert.

More often referred to as the Wild Dog, she spreads her energy even in the midst of her coma, so the servants didn’t even go close to the stable.

Also, the ferocious greatsword that she wore on her back absorbed so much of the demonic beast’s blood and poison that it was comparable to a demonic sword.

An ordinary person would be in danger just by touching her sword, which was nothing less than a magic sword.

For that reason, Shaula, who carried a great sword anytime, anywhere, was the number one target to avoid for the employees.

Aedis explained why he had to bring Shaula.

“I wondered what it would be like for you to have an escort knight too.”

“…She’s my escort?”

I think it would be safer to give Regen a toy knife and leave him as my escort.

Aedis smiled as if my pessimistic thoughts were clearly visible.

“At least it will be much more useful than the temporary escorts, Procyon and Vega. If my wife tames her in person, she wouldn’t hesitate to give up her life.”

Now, Aedis was really treating Shaula like a dog.

“What is Shaula? Is she supposed to be a magical beast that has transformed into a human?”

“Not quite, but similar.”

“What is it? Please explain exactly.”

When I looked sullen, Aedis gave a smile that made his long eyebrows even more bewitching.

“I don’t know either.”

“Why don’t you know?”

“It’s not something important enough to care about. If she can properly escort my wife, it doesn’t matter if she has three or four more arms.”

No, that’s a little.

“I brought her because you seem to like dogs more than cats, so I will leave her treatment to you.”

Although I did like the wolf-like beast, Shaula and wolves are different!

Shaula and Gilbert Gunn had done so much damage to the palace that I was tempted to break their habits.

But that was a separate matter from making her my escort knight.

Besides, she already has a history of throwing me out on the street. Will there ever come a day when I can fully trust her?

First, I asked for confirmation.

“Can I really do what I want?”

“Just tell me when you want to kill her. I’ll take care of it.”

Hmm…

I cupped my chin.

“I’m not in an urgent need of an escort right now, so I’ll think about it slowly.”

I pulled out the feathers that Sarah had brought to my room.

“Would you mind taking a look at this again? Is it because I looked into your past? I got it because the sorcerer hired by Viscountess Ella said it would help a couple’s marriage?”

Aedis reacted as lukewarm as before.

“I smell nothing but cats.”

“Don’t do that, look at it with sincerity.”

But Aedis asked the wrong thing, as if he was stuck in the wrong part.

“Married couple?”

“Yes. A married couple. The couple I’m talking about here is you and me.”

“Well.”

Did he just raise his eyebrows? Huh?

I opened my eyes blankly.

“Aedis, you look really happy. Am I mistaken?”

“It’s an illusion. I’m not at all happy that the wife cares about that.”

If he had said it without a smile, it might have had a little bit of persuasive power.

Aedis reluctantly inspected the feathers. I think he stared at it for about a second.

“It’s a mix of crude abilities that can’t even make a significant impact.”

“Then, how did I come to see your past as a dream?”

“…”

“Shall we talk about another topic?”

“It’s okay. But……”

I stopped Aedis before it was too much.

“Isn’t that okay too? I’m sorry. I’m a little worried that I’ll have that dream again. I don’t want to know your secrets without your permission. Just like how you respect me.”

“…”

Aedis’s blue eyes stared intently at me.

It was as if he knew what I was trying to say.

I shook my head and brushed away my thoughts.

“It’s been quite a while since then, so it’s probably just a guess. We’re just talking about something else. For example, what we’re going to do with our time this afternoon.”

***

It’s been quite some time since the contract with the beast was broken, but I was still feeling nauseous.

No more vomiting or nose bleeding.

However, like a battery that has been used for a long time, even if you lie still and just breathe, your stamina will drop.

My body got tired so easily that I was annoyed, so I tried to eat the blood of the beast without Aedis knowing, but my conscience only worked at times like this.

It was just past noon, and I changed into a beige dress and let Aedis do my hair.

He challenged the half-tied style suggested by Sarah.

The result was successful. Even though the decoration was only a small pin to fix the hair, it gave off an elegant atmosphere.

I summoned Gilbert and Shaula while Aedis picked Regen up.

“You two. You troublemakers.”

“…”

“…”

Was it an inappropriate nickname for such monstrously superpowered talented people? Whatever.

I stared coldly at the two troublemakers, who looked upset.

“Thanks to you guys, the central garden is completely ruined. Repairs are expensive.”

Of course, considering the level of wealth of the Grand Duchy, it wasn’t even comparable to the price of chewing gum, but there was nothing wrong with exaggerating it.

Gilbert, who knew the level of wealth of the Grand Duchy just like me, put on an absurd expression on his face.

“I wasn’t the first to argue.”

“The cause is probably irrelevant.”

I deliberately met Gilbert’s gaze.

Silver hair, which had grown a little compared to when he was staying in the capital city, and his dark-colored eyes. They were constantly probing at something in my chest.

On the day we spent time in a small house built near the glass-crafted crystal gate, Aedis said that Gilbert was eagerly awaiting the reunion with his biological father.

It was said that his father treated him special.

He described Gilbert as a success, and Gilbert was proud of it.

He also said that Regen was a failure.

I didn’t quite understand the father’s behavior of dividing his children into successful and unsuccessful works.

However, it wasn’t absurd as to why Gilbert almost hated Aedis.

He harbored a great resentment towards Aedis for not seeing him as a success like his father did.

If Aedis did not eventually let him inherit the Grand Duchy, he was thinking of forcing himself to take it. Even now, he was still resorting to the same dirty tricks when the contents of the novel had already deviated from the original.