Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father

Why did you wrap it nicely with the word goodbye? It’s just useless death

“Disciple.”

“Yes.”

“If the disciple was me, and you’re not sure, would I die?”

“Are you crazy? Even if you live a long life without disease, it will not be enough.”

“I’ll give you back the same words.”

I wanted to say goodbye to Eleonora, but I had no desire to say goodbye to my husband. We haven’t even had a hot kiss yet.

Not knowing when Kadan would return, I shook my head eagerly.

“Is there any other way? Come to think of it, Kadan was wary of Paimon. A spirit who made a contract with me.”

Monica had asked to get Paimon out before stabbing me. That must have been Kadan’s intention.

Eleonora thought for a moment and shook her head.

“I’ve heard rumors about the contract too, but even if King Paimon can draw out all of his original power, it won’t help much now. Current Master has too little magical power to even matter.”

I don’t want to die though.

“Besides, he’s a bit of a crazy bastard. Doesn’t even think about any means that are likely to fail.”

“I don’t think that’s what the person who said to me, who would struggle in pain and died, should say.”

Eleonora quickly avoided my gaze. I asked, grabbing my shoulder.

“The method that the Disciple said could be successful. Assuming everything is going well, can we not only defeat Kadan, but also completely eliminate him so that he can never come back to life again?”

I tried not to show any pain, but I couldn’t help but waver a little at the end of my voice. Eleonora looked into my eyes.

“Of course it should be possible, but honestly, isn’t the cost too high? After all, it’ll be a problem if your outside appearance turns ugly. Humans wouldn’t let you go. Just wait for the Lord.”

“Can you trust Aedis?”

Kadan was furious and had been trying to defeat Aedis.

“Honestly, if that guy dies, it’s a problem. There will be no one left to stop the Lord.”

Huh?

“Why do you have to stop Aedis?”

“Because he’s dangerous. He’s scary.”

My husband is not a time bomb.

“Think about it. There are two brothers, and one was strong enough to be considered a god, so will the other be normal?”

“Um, how much do you know about Aedis, Disciple?”

“I know I was once human.”

“He is still…… human.”

“No, Master.”

Eleonora, lightly clicked his tongue and took the pack of herbs from his bag and began to display them. Each time the pain intensified, I swallowed my breath and my breathing became steep.

“No, what do you mean…….”

“Stop talking.”

I was dripping with cold sweat. As I stared blankly, Eleonora scratched his head.

“I’m sorry, Master. I’m not very good with words. The Lord may be a good person to Master. 500 years ago, he killed his own brother and the beasts at will.”

I grabbed my shoulders and explained.

“It wasn’t Aedis’ doing.”

“I heard that you were also there with the Lord at that time…… Oh no. Nevermind!”

Eleonora took care of the wounds quickly. However, even after the treatment was over, Eleonora’s face did not brighten.

“Master, just drink the rest of the blood.”

“…… Is that alright?”

“Even if you keep it anyway, you don’t know when it will be taken away from you, so it’ll just be a worry? For now, this is the best.”

“What if the poison spreads faster due to the improved physical abilities?”

“There is nowhere else to spread.”

“…….”

Oh, is it that bad?

Eleonora urged.

“Go on.”

“I see.”

I had heard the result of the hopeless diagnosis and opened the jewelry box with the thought of not collapsing in front of Kadan.

It was after I took the beast’s blood that my complexion improved. I was thinking of looking for my husband, whose whereabouts were still unknown, but Kadan returned.

Kadan held out a hideous fish with human-like teeth.

“What do you think? Does it look delicious?”

“Looks like I’m going to have a stomach ache.”

Even the cats that live in Cyclamen Castle would likely decline, saying that it is a bit too much.

“I’ll try it first.”

Kadan smiled brightly and put the fish back into the bucket.

“Did Sister-in-law get treatment while I was away? Oh, but I am going to tear that child apart as soon as Sister-in-law’s treatment is over.”

I glanced at Eleonora in front of Kadan. The ring was also taken away, so it is difficult for me to find Aedis myself. I think it would be difficult for Eleonora to find him. But Kadan might be different as he has something he desires.

A smile spread across my lips.

“That’s right, Disciple. Can you wait until Aedis comes?”

Eleonora looked into Kadan’s eyes and spoke frankly.

“Help me.”

“Good.”

“What? What are you talking about without me?”

I called out Kadan’s name, who looked at me blankly.

“Kadan.”

“Master?!”

Eleonora was astonished. Kadan’s eyes widened.

“Are you calling my name now?”

“Yes.”

The bucket fell to the floor. Kadan wrapped his palms around my face.

“Call me again.”

Why did you touch my face?

I said, pushing Kadan away with one finger.

“Kadan Tine, right?”

“…….”

Oh my. He was so dumbfounded, he didn’t even care what my finger had done so astonishingly. I smiled softly.

“I will try not to hide it because I think you are a better person than I thought. Eleonora’s teacher is dead. That’s why I came here.”

“…….”

“Are your doubts cleared?”

Kadan hardened as I divulged the secret that could have ensured my safety over the next few days without delay. But his thoughts must be running very busily.

Did I quit acting too soon?

Still, it was time to start a new act.

“Special advice, Kadan, you are underestimating your brother. Aedis already knows.”

“…… what?”

Kadan’s eyelashes trembled. I gladly explained it to him in his agitation.

“Aedis married me, in fact, to prevent you from gaining immortality. It was a well-planned strategy.”

“…….”

Of course it was a lie.

“Well, Aedis is weaker than you. So he’s holding me there, too. If you have any doubts about what I’m saying, go ahead and ask. It’s a famous story that we got married by arrangement. Besides, I have someone else I love.”

“…….”

I sprinkled plausible seasoning on the one truth that we were married by arrangement.

“Remember what I said when you disguised yourself as Aedis? Aedis said he wouldn’t kiss me.”

Kadan focused on my voice. It’s okay not to believe everything. I don’t even expect him to fall for it anyway. What I wanted was something else.

“I’m telling you everything because I think you can set me free. If you help me, I will make sure you never die and never grow old.”

Kadan asked skeptically.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Meet Aedis and convince him. It’s okay to use force.”

Now, can you find my husband?

“…… Master, I said I wanted you to live, but I didn’t ask you to change sides. Were you like this?”

Eleonora couldn’t keep his mouth shut the whole time and finally criticized me.

Then, even if I didn’t ask, Kadan’s eyes narrowed as he had planned to use force on Aedis.

Eleonora was unintentionally empowering my acting.

– Disciple, are you good at acting?

– What is that?

– …… Perhaps, there is something about Disciple that has no talent at all.

I swallowed a sigh of relief as I recalled the conversation we had just before Kadan arrived. I’m sorry that I accidentally deceived him with Kadan, but I believe that he will let it slide when the situation is in place.

Kadan had been engrossed in looking at me intently then opened his mouth.

“Well…… I was also curious about my brother’s whereabouts.”

Soon, the angelic face showed a gentle but eerie smile.

“I’ll believe you once, Sister-in-law.”

“Thank you.”

“But who is the person Sister-in-law loves?”

I spoke without hesitation as if such a person really existed.

“That person is weak.”

“Hmm.”

“That’s why I have to stay by his side.”

This was both a lie and a truth. He was weak when he was human. Sometimes I have to stay by his side.

“Sister-in-law, you know lying is bad, right?”

“You will be really in trouble if you don’t treat me properly even though I have said this. Aren’t you still thinking that your brainwashing worked?”

The red iris flashed. I just smiled brightly.

* * *

While Kadan looked for Aedis instead of me, I filled my stomach, bathed, slept, and was treated by Eleonora.

Even though Eleonora didn’t know I was acting, he treated me wholeheartedly.

Even two days later, when I was almost fully recuperated, Kadan came by.

“Sister-in-law! I found him!”

“Really?”

“Let’s go quickly, okay?”

As Kadan tried to drag me away, Eleonora furrowed his forehead.

“With me—”

“Impossible, child.”

Kadan grabbed my wrist and left Eleonora behind.

…… is it night?

I was led out by my hand, and the surroundings were dark. Besides, it was raining lightly.

I looked around slowly.

In the dark red sky, I could not even recognize what kind of place it was, and I could only see the ruined ground. It was like seeing a hell that was swept away by an unquenchable fire.

“Sister-in-law, I will warn you one last time…… Sister-in-law?”

I ignored Kadan’s call and moved on. The man I loved stood like a god who ruled the underworld on the ground where the passing wind made a screaming sound.

He is my husband!

I immediately erased Kadan’s existence from my mind and ran.

“Aedis, what were you doing here? You don’t know how I…….”

He reached out his hand without a word.

Then he hugged me so tightly that it took my breath away.

What, what?

“Uh…… Thank you for the warm welcome. By the way, I couldn’t come this far by myself because my ring was taken away, so I sold a bit of you.”

“Good job.”

Hey, I haven’t even told you how I sold you yet.