Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father

Aedis’ hand that was resting on my cheek twitched strangely.

It felt as if he would change his mind at any moment and set his nails up and scratch it.

I stared at Aedis.

He smiled and removed his hand.

…… What is this feeling? Why did I get goosebumps?

I asked, rubbing my uninjured cheek.

“Did you come straight from the castle? How is Monica?”

When I mentioned Monica, Aedis’ face showed a momentary bewilderment.

“Is that important?”

“…….”

“You are hurt too.”

“…… I’m fine.”

Aedis denied me.

“You couldn’t be okay because I was poisoned.”

If it was the Aedis I knew, of course it would have been uttered out of concern for me. However, no sincerity was conveyed in it at all.

“Do you know what poison it is?”

“I know it very well. Because it is the poison my older brother also took.”

“…….”

I just stared at him silently. He smiled widely.

“I’m glad you got treatment.”

Even though his voice was as warm as cocoa, my mood subsided even more.

“What about Eleonora?”

Aedis tilted his head.

“Who is that?”

“The one with his face covered like this.”

Even with brief explanations, he readily understood and answered.

“He is in a place with a lot of eyes to see.”

“…….”

It was a very insincere explanation.

I gently called out his name.

“Aedis.”

“Yes.”

“…….”

Aedis didn’t call me by my nickname. Not even once since I woke up. That’s why the more I spoke with Aedis, the more strangely uncomfortable I felt.

Was it my delusion? Did Aedis feel a little unfamiliar after a long time?

There were a mountain of things to ask Aedis. I wondered if Raven was safe and if Tolyman was properly taken care of. But could he give me a proper answer? Like the reaction of hearing Monica’s name for the first time?

“Why did you stop?”

Aedis asked in a funny voice.

I avoided looking into the blue eyes. In order to find the cause of this unpleasant feeling, I must first calm myself.

When I pulled my legs from the duvet, the hem of my dress was revealed, which was less tight than the dress for going out.

Hey, it’s not the dress I was wearing before I went to sleep.

I didn’t know who it was, but they seemed to have changed me with fairly clumsy hands. The unknotted ribbons were dangling.

I looked at Aedis unknowingly, and he explained.

“I didn’t do it.”

“…….”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t touch the wife’s finger while she slept.”

Again it was weird. Why am I so creeped out when Aedis calls me his wife? It looks like I’m getting goosebumps instead…….

I felt like I was talking to a man who looked and sounded like my husband, Aedis Kallakis.

I couldn’t take it and stood up.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to see what the wound looks like.”

I turned around and left the room. There was no sign of any other presence except Aedis. The wolf wasn’t there.

Besides, my body was stiff as if I had slept for a full day or two.

I stretched out and looked around wherever my eyes met. Then I found Shaula’s greatsword lying on the floor. I frowned automatically.

What happened while I was sleeping?

Aedis didn’t say that Shaula was here. He didn’t tell me what the current atmosphere of Cyclamen Castle was or what Monica’s condition was.

Of course, it could have been because I looked serious. But Aedis didn’t look as troubled as I felt.

…… It didn’t look like that at all.

“Ymm.”

Raven Monica found in the castle was a fake. Then, is the husband waiting for me over there in that room the real one?

After a light stretch, I went into the bathroom. The bathroom embodied by Eleonora’s powers had only what was really necessary. And the water…… It was cold as ice.

It’ll be helpful for waking up.

I washed my face with cold water and stood in front of the mirror. My shoulders were still covered with Eleonora’s webbing. It didn’t seem like a good idea to tear it apart to check the wounded area.

Also, the fact that Eleonora’s web was still on my shoulder meant that there was a high probability that the man was not the real Aedis. If it was the real Aedis, he would have healed it somehow.

It was hard for me to say this myself, but my husband cared about his wife quite a bit.

I went back to my room and sat on the lap of the man who was only Aedis in appearance. His eyes widened, but I pretended not to notice.

“Aedis.”

“Yes.”

The man who looked like my husband, but somehow suspicious, answered in a gentle voice. But the man didn’t even hold me.

Oh, this seating comfort is absolutely terrific.

I looked at the man with a strange face and asked.

“Kiss me.”

“…….”

“You don’t want to do it today?”

When I asked if kissing between the couple was not normal, the man denied it.

“No way.”

The man bowed his head with a face showing his questioning how far he should adjust.

He was really about to kiss my lips.

I got you.

I pushed the approaching man’s face with my palm.

I didn’t forget to jump from his lap at the same time.

The man was also really reluctant to kiss me, so he was pushed aside.

“Who are you?”

“Who am I?”

Do you want me to point it out?

“My husband doesn’t kiss me.”

Why, why am I so sad all of a sudden…….

I was holding back my tears, but the man smiled sadly.

“Did you notice because of that reason? I thought I was going to get caught somewhere else.”

“…….”

The man with Aedis’ face asked with a regretful look.

“By the way, Sister-in-law, what’s your nickname?”

“…….”

As if it was just a game, the man revealed his true identity with a fresh attitude.

That guy’s sister-in-law…….

“What? Aren’t you going to answer me? I will be upset.”

“…….”

“If I’m upset, Sister-in-law’s friends won’t be safe.”

He threatened with a smile as bright as an angel in Aedis’ form.

“…… Eve.”

Reluctantly speaking, I narrowed my eyes.

“I don’t like it. Shall I make a new one for you?”

Apart from being disgusted by the ‘sister-in-law,’ my blood ran cold.

Why is this man here? What about Eleonora? Shaula?

…… The real Aedis.

Caught by the urge to cover the stabbed shoulder, I said as calmly as possible.

“If you don’t want me to hide it, why don’t you show your appearance too? Then I’ll listen to your nonsense for a few more seconds.”

Then the man removed his disguise.

Soon his silvery hair gleamed. His red eyes were shining like jewels that adorned the dense facial features.

The man’s eyes lit up as he changed into an angelic look that overshadowed his dirty inner feelings.

“Even an accidental meeting has meaning if you know about it. Could it be that we are bound to be? Will you marry me again?”

It was nonsense beyond imagination, so I didn’t even have the heart to answer. However, looking at what he was doing by chance, it seemed that he did not come all the way here after chasing me.

“Sister-in-law, are you wearing the ring? I would appreciate it if you hand it over to me.”

I stopped trying to distance myself from him. The man’s eyes were fixed on the ring that Aedis had given me.

“By the way, this is a threat. Of course, I will not stop you if you are cowardly and ignorant and want to run away alone, ah.”

I took the ring off and threw it on the man’s head.

“That’s too much.”

The man put on his gloves, and picked up the ring. He went to the trouble to explain his actions.

“I think my younger brother gave it to you, right? I thought it would sting if I touched it with my bare hands.”

It was an unusual sting. The pain in my shoulder had never been this stinging.

I took a breath and controlled my confused feelings.

Why did this man come all the way here? Eleonora? if not…….

“Hey, my younger brother has improved a lot. I’m sure it’s going to be hard to brainwash no matter what I do.”

While I was deducing, I felt sorry for the man who was examining the ring eagerly. He said Aedis was his younger brother, but it was like treating a toy. Aedis wasn’t the only one. To him, me and everyone else would be the same. No one was considered equal.

“What did you do to Monica?”

The man raised his eyebrows and asked for an excuse.

“Wait a minute, Sister-in-law. I can’t remember people’s names.”

He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, and then he called out.

“Now I remember.”

“…….”

He grinned.

“Are you worried about her? Then giving me the ring was a wise choice. If I went back, it would have been the same thing over and over again anyway.”

“…….”

“Your face doesn’t look so good. I want to get along with Sister-in-law.”

“F***.”

“…….”

“Did I just say it out loud?”

The man nodded his head. Then, with a wounded face, he said graciously.

“I could let her go. On the condition that Sister-in-law will be arrested for her sake.”

“Are you planning to brainwash me?”

“If you refuse, I will make her jump right now. Actually, I’m not used to being rejected because I’m soft-hearted.”

His voice mixed with laughter was as soft as the grain of a curtain blowing in the shallow wind.

Wow, all I could say was that he was a crazy bastard.