SS ~ 19
“Hello, Seriniel.”
The eyes looking at me were filled with a very familiar kindness, completely different from yesterday.
“Are you okay?”
Seriniel asked as she touched Lexion’s cheek, and instead of answering, Lexion nodded.
“Ernest called him a quack, but it turns out the doctor was right.”
But Lexion thought it might take a little longer. The doctor had said, “In any case, his memory should return within a week.”
“It’s a relief. I’m glad you didn’t have to suffer more.”
“Suffer?”
Seriniel muttered, shaking her head.
“I actually liked it.”
“Why?”
“Because I could hold you during that time.”
“…….”
“No matter how much I love and cherish you, that’s something I could never do. It made me very sad. Especially after giving birth to Elsie.”
That was exactly how she felt. After giving birth to Elsie and becoming a mother, Seriniel often reflected on Lexion’s past more than before. Especially when she looked at Elsie, smiling brightly.
Because Lexion had no such peaceful childhood at all.
It always weighed on her mind. She thought of young Lexion, who must have survived alone without anyone. She wanted to hold him, to embrace him, even just once.
“…….”
Lexion quietly sat, looking down at Seriniel stroking his cheek.
Throughout his memory loss, Lexion remembered all the kind words and warm actions Seriniel had shown him, vividly, without missing a single one.
“I think I believed it was a life I could never live. The life I’m living now.”
Lexion slowly parted his lips.
“So I felt like I was isolated. I thought other people could be happy, but my happiness could never come true.”
“…….”
“That’s why I asked if it was a dream. Because if it wasn’t a dream, such a life would have no connection to me.”
“What about now?”
Seriniel asked, looking straight at Lexion.
“Have you kept thinking that way?”
Now that all your memories are back? What about when you were living with me? Had you been thinking that way secretly? She was worried.
“No, I just had no thoughts at all.”
“……What?”
“My daily life being happy and enjoyable became so natural.”
“…….”
“Plus, I had to laugh and talk with you, I had to exhaust my energy playing with Elsie. I had to listen to Kina’s nagging, pick fights with Vain for no reason. And sometimes I had trivial conversations with Johan or Paul.”
Lexion continued speaking.
“I was so busy, too busy to be anxious or worried.”
Come to think of it, it seemed he hadn’t had those kinds of worries for quite some time.
“It was an accident, but I think it was a good experience for me. I could once again appreciate how happy my life is and how much I should live with gratitude.”
Lexion no longer trembled with anxiety, nor did he struggle or feel pain.
“It’s all thanks to you.”
Always being there consistently, and sometimes offering a shoulder to lean on.
“If it weren’t for you, I’d still be living broken.”
It certainly would have been. He would have lived lonely and desolate, not knowing what happiness was, constantly moving from one battlefield to another.
“No, Lexion.”
But Seriniel shook her head.
“The reason you’re living a happy life is because you’re a person worthy of such a life.”
Before entangling with her, Lexion…
He had not lived an ordinary life. He had been treated as a parasite, a murderer.
He was someone who had never received proper love or care from anyone.
But despite that, he always extended his hand without hesitation to Seriniel and everyone else, offering many things.
Though clumsy, he always did so.
So, it couldn’t possibly be thanks to her.
Seriniel sincerely believed that.
“I didn’t need any tranquilizers at all.”
Lexion said, looking warmly at Seriniel.
“Just having you by my side, I couldn’t feel anxious enough to need medication. I was too distracted by the excitement.”
“I thought so too, because you love me so much, then and now. Right?”
Lexion laughed brightly at Seriniel’s response.
“Of course.”
Then he hugged her tightly.
“And I will continue to do so, forever.”
***
It hadn’t been even a few hours since the news that she could return home, and Elsie arrived at the mansion right away.
“Dad!”
Elsie, who had jumped off the carriage, ran urgently towards Lexion, who had come out to greet her. She looked like someone being chased.
“Don’t run like that. What if you get hurt, Els….”
Lexion’s words were cut off. It was because Elsie ran into his arms without hesitation.
“Dad….”
Elsie clung to Lexion’s waist, looking up at him with teary eyes.
“I’m sorry….”
“…….”
“I’m really sorry… Because of me, you got hurt… I didn’t mean for that to happen….”
Lexion didn’t say anything. He just extended his arms and lifted the crying Elsie into his embrace.
“You’re not hurt, right?”
He said, carefully examining Elsie’s face.
“If you’re not hurt, that’s enough.”
“…….”
“And there’s no need to feel so sorry. In such a situation, I naturally have to protect you.”
“Dad….”
“But you need to be careful from now on. If you fall down the stairs when you’re alone, I can’t protect you. Then you’ll get hurt, and Mom and I will be too upset to do anything.”
“Yes, I’ll be careful from now on. I promise.”
Lexion and Seriniel looked at Elsie, who extended her pinky, her face covered in tears and snot, with affectionate eyes.
“See?”
Ernest, who had been watching the tearful reunion, clicked his tongue and said.
“I told you your father is a crazy man, and he’d get better soon.”
“My dad’s not crazy.”
“If he wanted to be sicker, he could be. I was having such a great time with Elsie, but because of you, she came back in a day. It’s like toying with people.”
It was a remark that could easily sound spiteful.
But Lexion knew very well.
Behind those gruff words was Ernest’s genuine concern and care.
“It’s a talent to be so spry at that age.”
Ernest looked exasperated at Lexion’s snarky remark.
“Even young people get exhausted spending all day with Elsie. It looks like you’ll live another 50 years easily. Is longevity a trait of your branch?”
“What, what did you say?”
What a cheeky brat.
And he wasn’t just spry; he was quite old now. Though he wouldn’t admit it, taking care of Elsie had been quite tiring! Ernest’s face twitched.
He just wanted to return to the mansion quickly. Seeing that Lexion was fine and didn’t seem to need further worry, Ernest turned to climb back into the carriage.
“Come in and have a meal.”
But Lexion’s words following that stopped him.
“Our chatty maid worked very hard preparing it.”
“…….”
“Go if you don’t want to.”
“Let me ask just in case.”
Ernest, who had been listening quietly, suddenly turned to Seriniel.
“You didn’t make it this time, right? The cake, I mean.”
[What’s this? The fruit is piled on ridiculously. It’d be better to eat the fruit separately. The last one wasn’t like this. I guess the maid Kina has quit.]
[I made it.]
[No, never mind. You’re right. The more, the better. I just don’t get it because I’m old.]
Seriniel suddenly recalled the conversation she had with Ernest over a cake with an excessive amount of fruit.
“Oh… no. This time, Kina did everything. The doctor came by earlier to check, so I was with Lexion the whole time.”
“Eat what you’re given, complaining about food at your age is unbecoming.”
“Right, even Elsie doesn’t complain about her food.”
Ernest didn’t respond anymore.
Instead, as if he had never intended to leave, he turned and started walking towards the duke’s house.
“Has that old man finally gone senile?”
Lexion muttered, as if wondering what was going on, but Seriniel just laughed to herself.
