Side Story 6
As his expression grew more and more frozen, his young daughter began poking at his cheek.
“Uuung, Papa, scary face.”
“……”
Izar awkwardly lifted the corners of his lips. Pretending to be fine while pushing down his jealousy was exhausting, but still bearable for now.
Just then, Freesia turned away from Riegel and came hurrying over in small steps. Her face behind the bridal-like veil gleamed as brightly as a freshly bloomed flower.
“Izar, did I keep you waiting long?”
“No. What were you talking about with His Highness the Prince?”
“Oh, it was about something I asked of him before. For the compensation to be delivered to Sir Dike…”
“…Van Dike?”
“Yes. There was something left unfinished.”
Freesia tilted her head with a look of guilt.
Before their sudden separation due to childbirth, Freesia had believed that someone destined to die couldn’t keep Van Dike occupied forever, and so she’d sent him the payment for the sale of the Griffias Plains as compensation for accompanying her on that journey.
She had thought that would be more than enough for him to live comfortably for the rest of his life.
‘But to think he would give it all to his younger brother.’
She hadn’t even considered the possibility that he might disappear after saying only, a knight who betrayed his master has no right to lift his head.
‘Even though I knew he was a stubborn man.’
It had been Freesia’s mistake, not truly grasping just how unyielding he was.
“He only just now agreed to accept my thanks. I’m really glad, before he settles down somewhere else.”
“……”
“And knowing that Thea’s doing well is a relief too…”
“……”
“Izar?”
A slender voice brushed against his ear as it called his name. In that moment, the veins nearly bulged on the back of the hand holding Nova.
‘Endure.’
Now, it didn’t matter if it was man or woman. Every person Freesia spoke of made him want to shove them far away.
He wanted to lock her away somewhere where only the two of them existed. To make her desire only him. To make her look only at him.
“Shall we head back now?”
When he interlaced his fingers with hers, Freesia smiled bashfully.
His woman was finally smiling without any pain.
‘This is right.’
At the very least, he couldn’t go back to the past or become like his father at worst.
So even if desire whispered endlessly in his ears, he would be careful from now on.
Until he could be certain he had enough self-restraint not to cross the line too far.
* * *
Because of her uncle’s coronation, Nova had traveled up to the capital and was having the most fun she’d ever had in her life.
She’d gone on a carriage ride with Papa, and now she saw Mama again after so long, and they were together every day. What could be more joyful?
But at the moment, she was puffing her cheeks and grumbling at one of the knights from the Arcturus territory.
All the etiquette she’d worked so hard to learn was no match for a child’s boredom.
“The palace is boring already. Sir Daphir, when are we going back to the duchy? Tomorrow?”
“Haha. You’ll be staying a while longer, Ducal Lady.”
“Eiiing.”
“You prefer the duchy over the palace?”
“Yup!”
She loved seeing Mama and Uncle again after so long. She also liked how her great-grandfather was so overjoyed at how cute she was.
But no matter how dazzling the palace might be, it wasn’t home.
To Nova, home was wherever Mama and Papa were.
More than anything, the duchy was better because she could throw herself into Papa’s arms and play to her heart’s content every day.
“Heeng… Nova wanna go back already…”
“That’s a relief, Ducal Lady.”
“Hmm? Why?”
“Since it may be a place you’ll govern one day, it’s good that you’re fond of it.”
“Hmm…?”
Nova tilted her head at the unexpected remark.
“Govun…? Nova gonna do that?”
“Indeed!”
Daphir Berenice, compared to the other rough and hot-tempered knights, had a cheerful personality. However, at least in this matter, he was not someone who sugarcoated things for children.
‘Normally, nobles of the same generation as their liege would have at least two or three children by now to secure an heir.’
But his lord and lady were a very special case in many ways, and Nova wasn’t simply the only child of House Arcturus.
And she carried the blood of the imperial family. It would even be possible to bring in a husband and have him carry on the family name.
In fact, when it came to lineage or status, the people of the duchy might prefer that option.
However…
Nova was completely stunned by Daphir’s cheerful response. She just blinked, wide-eyed.
That vast land. The hill where the sunset fell. The flocks of sheep like fluffy clouds. The countless people who woke early at dawn to work the land…
She was to “govern” all of that…?
Alone?
‘Uncle said he’d be even busier now because he has to govern the Empire too.’
A dreadful premonition washed over her, and Nova widened her eyes and interrogated the knight.
“D, Does Nova really have to do it? Is that how it’s supposed to be?”
“Well. Unless you have a younger sibling, then yes.”
“A younger sibling…!”
An unexpected answer led to yet another unexpected idea. A sibling?
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