Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father

Although he declared a strike, that did not completely draw attention to what was going on at Cyclamen Castle. Toliman also said he would report through Aedis.

Raven sighed when he noticed that I was going to pass it off as a light event like Aedis.

“Trust. Me. Please.”

The still wet with tears eyes shone brightly. I cooled Raven’s hot cheek with both hands.

“Did Eleonora ask you to do that?”

Raven bowed his head.

“That’s not……. I don’t feel good.”

Don’t feel good. How should I interpret this?

While tilting my head, I took action for Raven.

“Alright. Then I’ll tell Shaula to keep an eye on Eleonora’s condition. If he doesn’t get better or gets worse, we’ll go back, too. Is that okay?”

“You are too generous.”

A complaint was then raised on my husband’s part.

“It’s not my familiar, it’s yours?”

I was just telling the truth, but Aedis’ and Raven’s faces wrinkled at the same time.

Raven gave a smile ‘only’ to me.

“As expected, there is only Eve…….”

Suddenly, Raven reverted to his raven form.

“Kyaak?!”

It couldn’t even flap its wings in the air and was taken aback as if it was not an intentional transformation, so I quickly took him into the palm of my hand. I didn’t forget to look at the culprit.

“Aedis?”

“The matter is over.”

Aedis snapped his fingers, and Raven disappeared altogether.

Well, it was not my familiar.

“What do you think of what Raven said? Does Raven have any precognitive powers?”

“If that were so, he would have protested before he was forced back.”

Even when I thought about it again, saying that he didn’t feel good was not persuasive at all.

I listened carefully because it was Raven, but if it were someone else, I wouldn’t have listened to the end.

Even Eleonora, the person involved, was quiet. If it was really serious, he would have contacted me anyway.

…… right?

“Mmm.”

Come to think of it, Eleonora was also quite afraid of Aedis. Did that beast gossip about my husband to Eleonora?

It was not a far-fetched thought, as he was so disappointed in my marriage partner that he tried to make me die.

“I think there is something bothering you, Eve.”

Gasp. I was startled.

Aedis pulled me gently.

“I want you to focus on me now. There is still unfinished business.”

“Unfinished business…… ?”

I thought he was going to place me on his lap, but Aedis turned me to face him and lightly bumped my forehead.

“Eve, what are you hiding?”

“Ahaha…….”

It was a very awkward laugh even to my ears.

I needed to quickly meet the beast and deal with it. Even if it could not be helped that the beast hated Aedis, it was too much to say that it was for me yet not listen to me at the same time.

I was always ready to explain what a great husband Aedis was to me.

“Alright.”

“…….”

Aedis smiled languidly as he pressed his forehead against mine.

“If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine.”

Just as I felt relieved to have bought a moment of time.

Without warning, our lips met.

It was a deeper kiss than the first. I could feel the heat and his hands caressing my head and neck.

He let me go only after I pushed him so hard that my heart hurt.

“…… You’re generous today.”

Did I say it right now? Did I get the pronunciation wrong?

Ah, my lips are still burning. Still, after trying to pretend to be moderately flustered, not too much, Aedis asked.

“Can I do more than this?”

I pondered for a moment. I still had work to do.

It was not my fault, but I felt like I would only add guilt no matter what I do with these uncomfortable feelings.

I gently pushed him away.

“I need to sleep.”

“…….”

Aedis lowered his eyes. His long eyelashes cast shadows on his face.

“Are there any sleeping pills here? Or will you knock me out by hitting me on the head?”

I said, burning with enthusiasm. Aedis was dumbfounded.

“It’s only been an hour since you woke up.”

“It’s a problem that can only be resolved by sleeping.”

“That problem seems to be the secret.”

“…….”

He was a quick-witted husband, so I expected him to guess at some point. But stopping at guessing and to convince me to spill it aloud were on a different level.

“You’ve been thinking about it.”

“I’m not thinking about it.”

“Is it because of me?”

“No.”

I tried to make the most shameless expression possible.

“Really not?”

The blue star-like eyes looked at me.

“Yes. It’s not.”

“Eve.”

“I will continue to say no. Because it really isn’t your fault.”

That was right, this was a problem caused by the beast. I went out boldly and confidently.

“Hmm.”

“…….”

“I have to believe it when the wife thinks it’s not my fault. I will not be sorry.”

“Yes, you have nothing to be sorry for.”

He squinted.

“I am not sorry; I will be grateful. Please forgive me for this, Wife.”

“…… Yes.”

I lay down on his lap.

“Aedis, promise me. You will stay right next to me quietly until I wake up.”

“I promise.”

“I can’t leave the wife sleeping alone and go somewhere else.”

Aedis brushed the hair in my forehead.

“It doesn’t matter as I want to always be by the wife’s side, but is that really enough?”

“It couldn’t be more perfect than this, right? Oh, please contact Shaula.”

Feeling Aedis’ hand, I closed my eyes tightly.

I must fall asleep! I’ll deal with it!

* * *

At that time, Procyon was outside the Cyclamen Castle.

Perhaps nothing was wrong with the raging cold wind as Procyon squatted down and glared at the ground with a sullen face.

It was a pretty timid rebellion.

An order came down to wait in the castle for a while, but he couldn’t stand it because he was frustrated.

A shadow fell on Procyon, who sighed deeply.

Azena comforted him in a soft voice.

“You’ve been patient, Sir.”

Procyon grumbled at the comment that seemed to come from someone who knew everything.

“It can’t be helped. Her Grace doesn’t want her punished.”

“It was not intentional.”

Procyon did not express his displeasure any further.

They said that when the maids heard the cries and entered the room, the daughter of the Elaine family tried to commit suicide.

The Grand Duchess, to whom Procyon had sworn allegiance, had disappeared.

However, the window was open and there was blood on the floor. The daughter of the Elaine family said that she had been brainwashed by someone, but instead of claiming innocence, she said that she would repay it with death.

“…… How is she?”

Procyon had a personality that could not be cold for very long, and when he finally asked in frustration, Azena burst into laughter.

“If you mean Monica, she is recovering. She will be conscious soon.”

Procyon jerked his head and looked up at Azena.

“Did you call each other by name?”

“I’m as sociable as Sir Procyon.”

“…….”

“Still, in the castle, we should show off our pride. Sir, too, as the elder…….”

Azena had been talking with a smile and turned his attention to a sudden sense of discomfort. Procyon also looked in the same direction almost simultaneously.

There was a man.

He melted into the landscape as if he had existed there from the beginning, and for a few seconds neither knight sensed any difference.

The transparent silver hair swayed in the wind. He looked like an angel.

It was overbearing, with no human presence, and it smelled dangerous like a flying beast.

It was creepy.

“First Lord……?”

“It’s someone else.”

Azena denied in his fearful voice.

The man also looked at them. Red eyes glistened with gentle madness.

Azena reflexively placed his hand on the sword, and the man let out a sullen grin.

“Please don’t attack me, will you? I won’t come in. Today, I just went out for reconnaissance.”

“…….”

“To see if the ban works properly.”

Procyon noticed Azena’s hands trembled. But instead of stepping back, Azena took a step forward and covered Procyon.

“Who are you?”

“Are you asking out of curiosity? Or to tell your master?”

Unlike Procyon, who was unsure, Azena had already grasped the situation.

He can never win. But if just to stall for time.

“Sir, go on…….”

“I am not going alone.”

As Procyon clenched his jaw and spoke, the man was already right in front of them. Azena pushed Procyon first even when he saw the hand reaching for his neck.

“Sir Procyon!”

Azena’s face turned white.

“Let’s part happily. Alright?”

Kadan slowly tightened his hands strangling Azena.

“Kuhk…….”

“I still have things to do with the sister-in-law. So I don’t want to be hated already.”

Kadan let go of Azena and carefully stomped his feet.

“That’s interesting. With this body, I can go ten steps ahead of the ban.”

A somewhat excited Kadan asked Azena, who was coughing up blood.

“Is this because the ban is weak, or is it because I am strong? Huh? What do you think could be the reason?”

“…….”

“Well, it’s good, but I’m proud of the latter because I seem to have improved, so let’s take the latter!”

Kadan smiled brightly. Only then did Procyon furrow his eyebrows.

“I don’t know who you are, but you attacked us right now, right? We can respond.”