Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father

I sat back on the edge of my seat. I was still on the verge of an angry explosion, but the beast started a long story as if he was not paying attention.

“Once upon a time, there were gods in this world. But long ago, they all abandoned their bodies and melted into the world, and even their names were forgotten. Even in the old stories handed down, there are no names of gods. It is only expressed in vague words like creation, destruction, and death.”

He told me to make a decision after listening to everything, but he was really going back a lot. What does that have to do with wanting Aedis dead?

Seeing how far he went, I asked for a scone. I didn’t want to hear it seriously because I was already offended. Whether the gods disappeared or not, religion still existed.

“Because the gods became part of the world rather than the rulers of the world, sometimes people or beasts who inherited the power of the gods were born. It’s okay to say that it was the last legacy left by the gods, or a blessing. There is a difference in degree, but that was the case with Kadan and the Master.”

These scones, I have no idea what they taste like.

I finally took a bite and put it down. Was it because it was a dream? Maybe it was because the organizer of the tea party wasn’t a human, but a monster.

“…… I am just an observer of it.”

So I wondered what to say, but I kept a firm expression.

What if I fell asleep here? I wondered what a dream within a dream felt like.

“I didn’t pay attention to Kadan at first. There are so many people who desperately need my help, and Kadan is an unusual case, but not one of the exceptions that needed to be dealt with immediately.”

What was Aedis doing? I hoped he was having a better time than I.

“I didn’t really care that Kadan had a brother. Thanks to that, I realized the danger only after it was too late.”

“…….”

“But it wouldn’t have changed anything even if I had noticed it earlier.”

My eyes were furrowed at the incomprehensible pessimistic tone.

“Why?”

“Because it’s not an area I can handle.”

“Because he was a child who was abused by his older brother?”

“The child who inherited the power of God the most. Kadan was the inhibitor.”

“…….”

“Since Kadan started taking action from a young age, it seems that the time when the Master realized his power was delayed.”

“…… Are you saying that Kadan was the one who did well now? Aedis is dangerous, so he delayed as much as possible before Aedis realized it?”

My teeth trembled. How could he say that to my face?

“I know that sounds awful. Even so, I don’t deny that I was relieved. Didn’t the Master refrain from reckless murder in return for suffering the pain of having his body broken?”

Kadan, whom he trusted, committed reckless murder in the present. Five hundred years ago, he slaughtered beasts.

“Even if Kadan hadn’t done that, Aedis wouldn’t have just killed anyone.”

“That’s something you don’t know. After you broaden your horizons, what Kadan did may seem insignificant compared to what the Master might do in the future.”

This piece of s–, no, wait. Turning the table over here will only delay me waking up from the dream. That beast was not making any sense.

When I didn’t refute it, the beast accepted it positively.

“Thank you for listening to my story.”

“Of course. I was shocked that I was listening.”

I just thought of him talking nonsense about a cute, cool, caring, anyway perfect husband.

Even if that beast won’t help, I will be by his side for the rest of his life, so I hope he feels better with that. Aedis was the one treated as a potential killer by the beast, but I was the one who got upset.

Will he still be by my side?

Would he still want more than kissing me?

If Raven didn’t pop up again, I wanted to kiss him until his lips were worn out.

I couldn’t put a lock on Aedis’ shadow…….

Oh, I didn’t know anything more than a kiss, but I didn’t want a child. Eh, even if there are no sleeping pills for me in that house, there might be contraceptive pills.

…… Had he ever been that active?

My eyelashes fluttered. It was a probable guess.

There was no need for a successor, so there was no rush, but we will definitely talk about this.

“Whoo.”

Recalling my husband’s face and taking a breath, I calmed down at least.

I was confident enough to convince Aedis. Aedis was worried that my child, who may be half a beast because of him, will hurt me because it would be as lively as Shaula.

It was a worry that would naturally disappear once I got stronger.

And actually

“Eve?”

“I would really like it if there was even one part that resembled me…… what? I am listening.”

“…….”

Suspicion crept into the beast’s face.

I kept my face emotionless.

“Thanks to that, I was looking back on Aedis’ love.”

When our eyes met directly, the beast was unable to ask me anymore.

Well, I had heard a lot about this. It was time to say goodbye.

“Now that I got a glimpse of your deep meaning. I still don’t know.”

“…….”

“It’s still hard to accept, but I really appreciate that Aedis continued to persuade me even though he knew I wouldn’t stay still, and that he chose me over Kadan.”

I put on a bittersweet smile. To meet my husband, I had to sell my husband first. It was a bit sad, but I tried hard.

“But no matter how much I think about it, dying is too scary. Besides, Eleonora said that the effect would be greatest only if I died in the most horrific way possible.”

Even though I tried hard to think other thoughts, I didn’t let the beast’s words slip away at all. So I understood why Aedis was the strongest person in the world. But that was it. I didn’t like Kadan, and the thought that it would be nice if this monster would stop appearing in my dreams hadn’t changed.

“It’s not really death, it’s just getting out of the body for a little while and paying the price.”

I hit the table with my fist.

“Still! I’m afraid to die! I am rich!”

Even though he was talking nonsense and I was showing signs of ending the conversation, the beast paused with a serious face.

Do you still have something to say? I didn’t think he had thought of summarizing it in three lines.

I gave up and drank the tea in one gulp.

“…… The price must be paid.”

“…….”

The beast glanced at me.

“But if you’re really scared…….”

This beast, he intended to hand over his power to me at all costs.

Yes, well, it was better for me to have it than for Kadan to become immortal. The promise I made with Aedis was that I wouldn’t die anyway.

I hurriedly urged.

“What if I’m scared?”

“Eve, can you live a good life?”

That word reminded me of my past. When handing over the blood to me, the beast asked the same question. I hated it at the time, but this time I just shrugged my shoulders as I wanted to get out of my dream.

“If you don’t have to die.”

If only I didn’t have to break the promise I made with Aedis.

“Instead, there will be restrictions.”

“What are the restrictions?”

“…… You can use the power I gave you only when you do good things.”

If it was to mess with Kadan and shake off this beast, I could have endured that much.

Wasn’t that rather too light a restriction?

“I see.”

Fearing that the beast would change his words, I quickly agreed. Then, the beast looked rather uneasy.

“It’s not as easy a restriction as it sounds.”

“Anyway, I don’t have to die, right?”

“You might regret that you have not died.”

I said I wanted to live a good life, but he was terribly ignoring me.

I was so absurd that I widened my mouth.

“I can live a good life.”

“Girl. No……, Eve.”

“Why are you looking like that?”

The beast wriggled his hand. Still wearing my childhood face, the beast sighed and finally changed his words.

“You’re very…… calm. I knew you were extraordinary, but aren’t you nervous?”

“What is there to be nervous about?”

Should I have been hesitant?

If Aedis told me to break up as soon as I woke up from my dream, it would be a big deal, so I looked around.

I’ll kiss him until his lips wear out.

Fortunately, the beast twisted the topic.

“It’s a slightly different story, but I want you to answer. With the power I gave you, it wouldn’t be impossible to be worshiped as a god, so what do you want to do?”

Oh, that was what he was talking about.

“I do not know. Mess with Kadan?”

“…….”

“Step on Kadan?”

“…….”

“It is good for the world that Kadan is gone, so isn’t it counted as a good deed?”

“…… Well.”

It didn’t seem like the answer he was hoping for.

“Should I fill the lake with gold or build a tower on a mountain?”

The beast laughed, as if it was a thin imagination like a sheet of paper falling fluttering.

“Girl, it is all good, but they seem to be a little less creative, so I can stop worrying about you exploiting them in weird ways.”

“Did you ever worry about that? Aren’t you just pretending to care now?”

“Of course I did.”

“…….”

The beast smiled.

“It’s goodbye. Maybe.”

Oh…… Maybe.

“Girl…… I used my last strength for you. I won’t be able to come into your dreams anymore. Please hurry and get up. I just opened a gap in the restraint while handing you my power.”

You said you already handed it over? Was it that simple?

There were a few unanswered questions, but I nodded roughly, intending to ask Aedis.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

“…….”

“Am I really leaving?”

“It was nice to meet you again.”

The dream ended leaving a speck of discomfort. I rubbed my eyes at the familiar ceiling.

Ugh, not much has changed yet.

I lightly lifted my upper body. If I had to look for a difference, my body and head were light compared to being conscious even in a dream.

I stretched out my arms and looked for my husband.

“Aedis.”

“Good morning.”

I smiled spontaneously at the voice I heard right away, when a large snake flicked its tongue under the bed. When our eyes met, he moved his head to the side. Jewel-like eyes so gentle that they didn’t match the body that seemed able to swallow an elephant in one bite.

“Who is this?”

“It’s a familiar.”

I knew that as soon as I saw it.

I held out my hand to Aedis, familiar with a pitiful gaze.

“You and Raven both suffered a lot because you had a ruthless owner.”

“…… Eve?”

Aedis took me in his arms as he furrowed his eyebrows. Pleasant warmth surrounded me.

I deliberately shouted in a bright voice.

“Oh, I solved that problem! He also kept his promise. Isn’t that great?”

Aedis laughed.

“I’m glad you solved it, but aren’t you selling me too much?”

Oh my.

“How did you know?”

“You were very excited.”

“…… Aedis, what do you think of me?”

“Yes, I think of you as a lovely and playful wife as usual.”

My husband seemed to be getting more and more impudent. His sugar-sweetened words inevitably eased my tension.

“Did anything happen while I was sleeping?”

“No big deal.”

“That’s fortunate. I was worried because the beast was talking about …….”

Then Aedis corrected it.

“This side has no big deal.”

“Excuse me?”

“The knights were attacked by Kadan.”

What?!

“How is it? Where…….”

…… Wait a minute.

Aedis had just called Kadan by name, right?