Special Side Story – Episode 4

Kindergarten.

It was a relatively new institution that had recently become popular among the Empire’s upper class.

Traditionally, nobles hired private tutors to educate their children at home.

But in kindergartens, children of the same age were taught together in group settings.

Most noble children would eventually attend the Imperial Academy, and this was considered a way to give them a preview of school life.

There were rumors that the teachers were carefully selected, the facilities were excellent, and it was a great environment for making friends and building a network.

Most importantly—

“All the other kids are going.”

Suddenly, Dante’s eyes widened dramatically.

Then, speaking in a dead-serious tone, he added,

“So how could our Jeremy be the only one not going?”

Hearing that, Elze looked at him with a deeply weary expression.

Of course, there’s that saying—even a hedgehog finds its own child adorable.

But still…

‘Isn’t this a bit too much?’

Elze reminded herself of something she often overlooked:

Dante wasn’t just a doting husband. He was also a fiercely overprotective father.

“Is this really for Jeremy’s education? Or is it…”

Elze narrowed her eyes.

“…that you just can’t stand the idea of our Jeremy being left out of something other kids are doing?”

“Both,” Dante replied shamelessly.

“If other kids are doing it, our Jeremy absolutely has to do it too.”

Elze was at a loss for words.

Dante shrugged lightly.

“But I do genuinely think it could help his development.”

“You mean, for his education?”

“Yeah. Not in terms of academics or anything like that.”

After a brief pause, Dante spoke in a quiet, subdued voice.

“As you know… I’ve never really had anyone I could call a friend.”

The closest he had was Liam, but even Liam couldn’t truly be considered an equal friend.

Their relationship was ultimately one of master and aide.

Dante gave a faint, bitter smile.

“So… I want Jeremy to have a lot of friends.”

“Dante…”

“I might not be able to make friends for him, but I want to at least give him the opportunity.”

His smile deepened slightly.

“People to share your heart with—the more, the better, right?”

So that’s what it was.

Elze bit down softly on her lower lip.

Dante wanted to give Jeremy everything he himself had been denied as a child.

She understood that feeling—

And for some reason, it made her feel just a little sad.

“Mmm…”

Meanwhile, Jeremy stirred and frowned slightly at the whispered conversation.

Though they had lowered their voices, it seemed it was still a little too loud.

Oops.

Startled, Elze reached out and gently patted Jeremy’s side.

“There, there, our Jeremy.”

After squirming a bit, Jeremy soon drifted back into deep sleep.

At the same time, Dante whispered to Elze in a lowered voice,

“Should we step out now?”

He seemed worried about disturbing the boy’s sleep.

Elze nodded and carefully stood up.

They tiptoed out of the room, making sure not to make a sound, and closed the door behind them.

Then, suddenly, Elze wrapped her arms around Dante.

“…Sweetheart?”

Dante looked down at her in surprise.

With her face buried in his chest, Elze mumbled softly,

“But… I’m here with you.”

“Hm?”

And in that moment, Dante understood why Elze was acting this way.

It was probably because of what he had said earlier—about wanting Jeremy to have friends.

“Oh, you.”

Dante let out a quiet chuckle.

“It’s okay. I don’t care about not having friends.”

“What? But…”

“Like you said, you’re here with me, aren’t you?”

Elze was momentarily speechless.

Dante continued in a gentle voice,

“You’re all I need.”

“….”

“So…”

Suddenly, Dante swept Elze up into his arms.

Even then, she wasn’t startled.

She simply looked up at him with wide, calm eyes and met his gaze.

As he looked into her clear eyes staring back at him—

‘Goddamn.’

Dante felt like his heart might burst from how full it was.

How could this woman be so… incredibly lovable?

Just looking at her was enough to drive him mad.

“I’m serious.”

Dante murmured in a deep, steady voice.

“I’m fine.”

As long as Elze stayed by his side.

He swallowed the rest of that thought and leaned in.

He pressed a short kiss to her lips.

A light peck, like a bird gently landing.

Watching Elze accept the kiss as if it were the most natural thing in the world—

It made Dante feel like he finally understood what happiness meant.

It made him think he could spend a lifetime with just the two of them, and it would be enough.

“But from now on,”

he said, pulling back slightly with a lazy smile in his eyes,

“I’d like to have you all to myself for a while.”

At that, Elze let out a small laugh.

“Honestly, you’re impossible.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck.

Under the soft glow of the dimmed light, her amber eyes shimmered like jewels, laced with a mysterious glow.

A whisper, sweet like honey, brushed against Dante’s ear.

“You already do.”

In that moment,

Dante’s reason snapped.

“You know you just seduced me, right?”

Elze burst out in laughter and gave an eager nod.

“Of course.”

After that, Elze’s memories became hazy.

When she came to her senses again, she was lying stretched out on the vast bed.

And filling her entire field of vision—

Was only Dante.

His dark violet eyes stared down at her,

A gaze so intense, it looked like he might devour her from head to toe.

And then—

Ah.

Dante bent down and covered the base of her neck with his mouth.

His lips grazed the spot where her neck met her shoulder, then moved persistently to the hollow of her collarbone.

The overwhelming heat of his touch made Elze’s body tense instinctively.

Pleasure welled up from deep inside her, curling her toes in reaction.

“Hh….”

A faint moan escaped from between her parted lips.

The air heated in an instant.

It was the beginning of a long night.

* * *

A few days later.

Herbert Kindergarten—the Empire’s first and only kindergarten—was bustling with people from early in the morning.

A school information session was being held.

Since the institution primarily catered to noble children and the concept of a kindergarten was still unfamiliar in the Empire,

a formal session had been arranged to explain how it worked.

“Wait, isn’t that…?”

“Aren’t they the Marquis and Marchioness of Offenheir?!”

People whispered in hushed, stifled voices.

It was rare for nobles to attend such briefings in person.

Usually, they sent representatives to gather information on their behalf.

But for this session, the Marquis and Marchioness of Offenheir themselves had shown up.

‘I told him he didn’t have to come…’

Elze deliberately avoided making eye contact with the curious stares around her.

The situation was roughly this:

Since Jeremy might attend the school personally, Elze wanted to hear the explanations directly.

But then Dante had insisted on tagging along—almost immediately.

And to make matters worse…

“So, how exactly do you plan to manage the children… uh?”

Dante, about to speak in his usual blunt tone, caught himself as he glanced at Elze beside him and quickly tried to rephrase.

Though even that only resulted in a strangely formal and awkward version of polite speech.

The staff member across from him began to sweat as if caught in a downpour.

“Ah, well, that is…”

But that wasn’t even the end of Dante’s unusual behavior…