No Need For Regrets

Side Story ~ 18

The night had deepened.

Lexion obediently followed Seriniel’s instructions, without a word of complaint, he washed up and quietly climbed into bed.

He didn’t seem as startled by her arm pillow as he had been yesterday. Although he was still somewhat stiff, clearly unaccustomed to it.

But lying in her arms, Lexion remained silent for a long time, wearing the same contemplative expression he had worn all day.
He seemed lost in thought.

“Duke,” Seriniel’s soft voice broke the silence of the bedroom.

Lexion slowly looked up, meeting Seriniel’s clear emerald eyes.

“Is there something on your mind today? You seem to be deep in thought. Tell me, whatever it is.”

“It’s not so much that something’s on my mind…”

“Rather?”

“…It’s just,” Lexion murmured softly, “Everyone seems so happy.”

Seriniel hesitated.

“Even the chatty maid and the fussy butler, Paul too, and especially… Johan.”

“…”

“Especially with Johan, it feels like only yesterday he was struggling, and now it’s hard to believe he’s living his own life.”

Not that he disliked it. He was actually very relieved and thought it was a wonderful thing. But still…

“I felt like I was the only one left out.”

“Duke…”

“Maybe it’s because I can’t remember recent events, but I don’t know, was I really living well, like they were?”

It couldn’t be helped.
He never thought he’d live a happy life.

Before meeting Seriniel, Lexion had been called by many names other than his own.
Parasite, Filthy bastard, Ungrateful wretch, Murderer… those kinds of names.
He lived enduring miserable treatment, covered in blood on the battlefield, with no hope or purpose.

Although he always returned victorious, no one recognized his efforts. He thought he would live his life without ever holding anything meaningful.

Unable even to freely speak the name of the woman he loved, forever.
So, everything before him now—Seriniel and everyone treating him kindly—felt like a dream.

“You’re not left out,” Seriniel said, patting Lexion’s back.

“The reason Kina, Vain, and I can laugh happily, the reason the High Priest can enjoy his life away from the battlefield, the reason Paul can greet us with a bright smile is all thanks to you.”

“…”

“The one who brought happiness to us is you, Duke.”

Lexion’s black eyes, filled with Seriniel’s image, trembled slightly.

“We all love Duke Lexion.”

So, you were never lonely or left out.
Lexion found it hard to respond to Seriniel’s words.

“And did you know?” Seriniel looked down at Lexion tenderly.

“I am becoming more like you.”

“Like me…?”

Why would she want to be like someone as lowly and insignificant as him, Lexion wondered, puzzled.

“Because I wanted to be.”

“…”

“I wanted to be as kind, as warm, and as strong as you, just like you always protected me.”

So, I wanted to do the same for you. If a situation ever arose where you needed my help, just like now…

And in truth, Lexion had many admirable qualities that were undeniable.

“I saw some children’s items at the mansion.”

Seriniel fell silent at the unexpected topic.

“Things like fairy tale books and little girl’s clothes…”

She listened quietly as Lexion spoke.

“Do I have a child?”

She had purposely avoided mentioning Elsie, thinking it might confuse him even more, given his memory loss.

“Yes.”

But now that he asked, she had to answer.

“Our daughter.”

“…”

“She’s quite cute, very adorable.”

“Then she must look like you.”

“Sorry?”

“If she looked like me… she wouldn’t be as lovely…”

Seriniel didn’t respond. Instead, she got up and opened the drawer of the bedside table, inside was a picture frame.

It was a family portrait of Lexion, Seriniel, and Elsie drawn not long ago. Seriniel had hidden it, thinking Lexion, who had lost his memories, might be confused by it.

Seriniel slowly handed the frame to Lexion.

“What do you think? Isn’t she so cute and adorable?”

“…”

“Just like us.”

The child in the frame had black hair just like his and emerald eyes just like Seriniel’s
.
“Yes,” Lexion answered in a cracked voice.
Seriniel was right. The child, who resembled both parents, was incredibly lovely, to the point where his heart felt like it might burst.

“Does my daughter… like me?”

“Of course. When she was younger, she used to say she’d marry her dad when she grew up, declaring loudly that no one in the world was as handsome, cool, and kind as her dad.”

“…”

“She boasted so much that wherever she went, people would ask, ‘Is the handsome, cool, and kind Duke Lexion here?'”

I see. So that’s how it was.
Lexion’s hand trembled slightly as he gently touched the smiling Elsie in the painting.

“Elsie is currently away from the mansion. But if she knows her dad wants to see her, she’ll come running back immediately.”

Lying back down, Seriniel hugged Lexion tightly as she continued.

“I’ll send someone to bring her first thing in the morning, so please get some rest now. You said you didn’t sleep at all last night.”

Worried that his health might suffer regardless of whether he regained his memories, Seriniel placed the portrait frame by Lexion’s pillow and patted his back.

“And what about me to you?” Lexion, lying in her arms, looked up at her and asked another question.

“Was I a good husband?”

“Calling you a good husband doesn’t quite do it justice.”

Tension flickered in Lexion’s eyes.

“You’re so much more than that.”

“What…?”

“You’re the kindest, most loving, and warm-hearted person. So, you should be called the best husband in the world, and even that wouldn’t be enough.”

Seriniel, looking at Lexion with gentle eyes, slowly leaned down and kissed him softly.

“You were like that in the past, you are now, and you always will be.”

“…”

“Weren’t you surprised? Seeing me suddenly aged.”

Considering Lexion had lost about ten years of memories, Seriniel was curious about how she appeared to his younger self.

“You’re very beautiful,” Lexion said, looking at her with eyes filled with countless emotions.

“Just as you’ve always been in every moment I remember… the most beautiful in the world.”

Seriniel smiled faintly.
Lexion quietly looked up at her and then, just as she had done earlier when she kissed him, carefully nestled into her small embrace.

The touch that patted his back was still warm with kindness, and her embrace, though much smaller than his, was so warm it nearly brought him to tears.

“Sleep, Duke. I’ll hold you like this.”

“Okay…”

Maybe because he had stayed up all night, he felt strangely sleepy. Lexion, cuddled in Seriniel’s arms, squirmed a bit and then slowly closed his eyes.

“You said this isn’t a dream, but…”

He mumbled, half-asleep.

“If it were a dream… I hope I never wake up.”

The happiness of this unimaginable life was so sweet that he feared he would never rise again if faced with cold reality.

“It’s not a dream.”

But Seriniel whispered kindly in his ear once more.

“So even if you wake up, nothing will change. You’ll still be in my arms, spending each day with me.”

If it really wasn’t a dream and all this was real as Seriniel said.

“Being born…”
Living a joyful life with you, whom I love to the point of death.

“I think it was worth it…”

And if this life, where falling asleep in your arms was natural…
It would be a life blessed by the gods.

Lexion, lost in drowsy thoughts, slowly fell into a deep sleep.

***

Morning had arrived.

Bright sunlight was dancing on her face. Seriniel slowly opened her eyes, still drowsy. She instinctively looked down at her embrace.

“Here.”

A low voice accompanied by a light chuckle greeted her.

When she looked up, Lexion was sitting beside her.

“Duke, when did you…”

Seriniel’s words were cut off.
Lexion had suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.

“I was happy to hear you call me ‘Duke’ after such a long time, but it felt a bit distant. I prefer how you used to call me.”

“Lexion…?”

“Hello, Seriniel.”

Lexion smiled broadly at Seriniel.