Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father
Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father - Chapter 89

“I have never done any good deeds in my life, and I like money and jewelry, and I like to eat raw food, right? I’m also very picky. However, I am also a person with a blunt conscience to the point that I tell Lord that healthy food should be eaten evenly.”

“……”

“There are a lot of things I don’t like. I don’t like Lord Castor’s habit of eating without washing his hands after going to the bathroom. I only talk to the Grand Duchess in the Empire, saying that I don’t listen to people who are weaker than me, or insult them…… No, I don’t like them either.”

“……”

“And my husband, who refused to give me a kiss……, sigh. I was about to be sad again all of a sudden. I never knew I would become so obsessed with kisses.”

Regen blew his nose and started sniffing at me.

There was something like curiosity that could not be hidden in the reddened corners of his eyes.

Yes, well, it would be a good thing if Regen could calm down by destroying my image.

He pretended to be wary, but in the end, it was the usual Regen I knew, so I smiled.

“It’s a little different from the Grand Duchess that Lord knows, isn’t it? Now that you hate me, I… ”

“That’s not……”

Regen reflexively denied, and he shut his mouth halfway, as if he had made a mistake.

He was really lovely.

Therefore, I had to confess.

“I like the Lord.”

“……”

Regen’s shoulders trembled.

“Lord, did you ask me if I wanted anything? I said that it should have a form other than the heart of the Lord, but I don’t need anything else. I want to have the Lord’s heart.”

I got up and tapped the ice spear that was blocking me and Regen with my fingertips.

Although it was only lightly touched, it made a cracking sound and the spear broke.

Soon, it shattered and became beautiful ice crystals.

Regen opened his eyes wide.

“How……?”

“No matter how much Shaula ridiculed me, I am not weak enough to be protected by the Lord. Rather, the Lord needs my protection.”

The red eyes that flickered with light were chasing me without knowing.

I smiled.

“The Lord is still young. You don’t have to protect me, you can talk to me or have an accident. Of course you can’t get hurt.”

When the other ice spears were broken, Regen finally cried aloud.

“Heuk, huuhuup……”

“Lord? Come here.”

“That…… but……”

“You don’t think I can handle it? Really?”

“…”

“Even if I am the Lord’s mother?”

Well, I still have a long way to go as a mother.

Regen blinked his eyes several times.

Then, as if he had decided something, he wiped his tears with his sleeve.

I watched Regen approach me at a very slow pace.

I was going to wait with patience, but when I was three steps away, Regen’s face suddenly turned blue.

“……Y-your Grace? Shadow.”

“Huh? Shadow? What shadow…… Kyaaaak!”

Crazy! Crazy! What is that?!

A hand was sticking out from my shadow!

Swirling the air, I screamed and retreated.

Like Regen who had cried just before, I was at a loss as to what to do.

“Yo-your… Your Grace! T-the shadows are weird!”

“We must run away……! No, but the shadow is following me?!”

“That’s because it’s Your Grace’s shadow!”

Then the hand, which had moved in and out in the shadow, reached up to my elbow.

“Hiiikk!”

“L-lord?! Calm down! Lord! Regen!”

I shook Regen, who had fainted, and saw that the hand, which was wandering through the air, was properly touching the ground, and tilted my head.

The black sleeves, why…… does it seem familiar?

Oh, hang on?

“Is that Aedis?”

As if answering my question, the hands, arms, and then the shoulders and face came out. He came out of someone else’s shadow.

The picture-perfect man, fully aware of my heartbeat, apologized.

“Sorry. I was late for a shortcut because intervening outside would shock Regen. It took me a while because it was my first time trying it.”

“……”

“What about Regen?”

“You stunned him.”

“……”

Wait, why am I being kind to you?

Aedis wasn’t friendly at all when he turned down my request to kiss, so I don’t know why I’m answering him.

I hugged Regen.

As Regen lost his consciousness, the mist slowly cleared up.

That was enough for me to go back on my own.

But why did Regen go rampant?

In 〈Esmeralda’s Crescent Moon〉, Gilbert threatened his life.

Now, there was nothing like that.

There was no one who could threaten Regen’s life in the Cyclamen Castle.

It’s been a while since I released Paimon’s seal.

I was trying to guess why, but Aedis called my name.

“Eve.”

“Don’t call me.”

Hng.

Of course, I had no intention of letting go of my anger easily.

The heartbreak I suffered all night.

If you were going to talk to me, you should have came sooner.

When I entered the castle with Regen in my arms, Mrs. Theresa was the first to greet me.

There were a few people who fell or hit their heads because the fog obstructed their view, but fortunately, most ended up with minor bruises.

I laid Regen on the bed and glanced at him. Even though he fainted when he saw something terrifying, his complexion was not bad.

When he wakes up, he will be surprised if I tell him that the hand that he saw and passed out from was actually Aedis’s hand.

Still, I feel relieved. Because it wasn’t a ghost.

Theresa said she would watch over him, but for today, I refused because I wanted to be by Regen’s side. I drank the blood of the beast, so I didn’t have to worry about getting tired.

At first, I thought that it would be better if the main character in the novel, Regen Kallakis, had suffered a little less. Well, I suddenly fell in love, and he started to look lovely.

Now, I have to admit it for sure.

Although this child is no longer a character in the novels I have read, he has become very small and precious.

“Lord.”

I called out the little boy’s name.

“Regen.”

“Huh……”

The angel-like child who heard my call even in a dream spoke lightly.

“I don’t know if I’m qualified to be your mother, but I’ll try my best. Thank you so much for liking me.”

I lightly kissed Regen’s cheek and smiled.

“This is a kiss that I’ve never even given Aedis. I won’t do it to Aedis in the future.”

Was it too bad?

“You won’t do it……?”

How much time had passed? Even though my physical abilities were supplemented with the blood of a demonic beast, the tension was released and I could not stop the rush of sleepiness.

I sat, reclining in the chair in the most comfortable position and closed my eyes.

In my senses, it seems that it had only been a few minutes.

“Eve.”

Aedis’s voice, which seemed to scrape my heart sweetly, cut through the still air and pierced my ears.

I looked away without opening my eyes.

I was wondering what you were going to say.

“I-i”

“……”

“I’m not really used to it.”

“……”

“I didn’t know what to do, so I did it. It’s not that I avoided it because I hated it.”

I could barely resist the desire to open my eyes.

Then you should have told me about it right away.

I might have been a little grumpy though, but compared to the sad feelings I have now, the situation would have been better if you had told me.

I suddenly felt Aedis’s hand gripping mine.

It was a gentle and respectful touch, as if he was dealing with something precious that he had barely gained through his whole life.

Something warm and soft touched my palm and retreated.

Oh……

Did you just kiss me?

It was not at all the place I picked, but……！

I opened my eyes. Aedis was already leaving the room.

But there was something strange in his other hand, which didn’t hold my hand.

It was the body of some droopy little thing.

What?

Is it an insect?

I don’t know if it’s anything else, but it’s too big to be compared to an insect……

The door closed silently.

In the room, there were only me and Regen who were asleep.

What was in his hand was something shiny red. It looked like it was slightly larger than the palm of my hand.

……Did I just look at it wrongly? It was too momentary.

While I was contemplating whether to follow Aedis, Regen changed his posture and kicked the blanket.

“Oh, don’t kick your blanket.”

I covered Regen with the blanket properly and sat down on the chair. Even if my curiosity was piqued, now was the time to take care of Regen.

The palm that was kissed was still burning.

Anyway, it was nice because it was a kiss too. I was also willing to let my anger go.

The problem is…… at this rate, it will take one more year to try again for a kiss on the cheek.

I was afraid that it might be so. Oh no?

I hope not……?