Side Story 2
“And then?”
Kina, who had been quietly listening to Seriniel’s story, asked cautiously.
“So what did he say?”
“He said he didn’t know…”
[Well, I don’t know.]
“And that he never thought about it…”
[I’ve never had such thoughts.]
“Anyway, that’s how it went.”
Kina and Vain exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes darting about.
‘But it doesn’t seem like he would dislike the idea…’
Was there a reason for him to say that, or was there a communication breakdown?
Either way, both of them thought the same thing.
“My lady, you need to talk to him again. No, you absolutely must.”
Kina continued with a serious expression.
“Though I don’t think it will happen, but just in case, if by any chance… Master doesn’t want the baby…”
“Then the Master will lose not only his wise and kind wife but also a chatterbox maid and a swindling butler.”
Vain spoke firmly.
“Ugh…”
Seriniel let out a series of heavy sighs.
Despite the situation, Seriniel had no intention of hiding her pregnancy from Lexion. The news of having Lexion’s child was incredibly joyful for Seriniel. After all, she had always wanted to build a family.
…But just in case, if Lexion didn’t want the child…
‘No, don’t think like that. What good would it do?’
Seriniel squeezed her eyes shut and kept scolding herself, absentmindedly touching her still-flat belly.
Lexion returned a few hours later.
***
Lexion was looking at Seriniel, who was sitting on the bed, with a face full of worry.
Something was off about Seriniel today. She seemed anxious, lost in her thoughts.
And the most peculiar thing was…
[I told you to wait. I didn’t want you to get examined alone.]
So, what did the doctor say?
At Lexion’s words, Seriniel replied,
[Well, there isn’t anything seriously wrong…]
[Isn’t, but?]
[I need some time to think. So please, just wait a bit.]
If there wasn’t anything seriously wrong, why did she need time to think?
Anxiety was growing within Lexion, driving him to the brink of madness, but with both Kina and Vain keeping their mouths shut, there was no way for Lexion to find out what was going on.
Of course, Lexion wasn’t the type to badger Seriniel incessantly with questions about what had happened. He quietly waited for Seriniel to speak first.
“…Lexion.”
Seriniel finally spoke up as the sun set and the moon rose.
“Could you come and sit here?”
When Seriniel patted the spot beside her, Lexion urgently sat down without a word, looking at her with anxious eyes.
“…”
Seriniel gazed at him quietly, contemplating how to begin and how to convey her feelings. This was her first time dealing with something like this, after all.
That was why she had asked for a bit more time.
After thinking it through, Seriniel reached a conclusion.
She decided to be honest about everything.
…And she resolved to accept whatever response she received.
“Lexion, do you remember the vows we read at our wedding?”
“I remember all of it, not missing a single word.”
“At that time… you said to me that you were grateful to me for giving you life.”
[I’m always grateful to you for giving me life.]
Recalling Lexion’s words, Seriniel continued,
“What if…”
“…”
“What if we end up living a life that’s different from what we have now?”
Lexion’s face instantly showed signs of anxiety.
He had married Seriniel and officially became her husband. He never doubted their love. He was confident that he would continue to love her until his death, and even after, and that he would protect her forever.
However, deep within Lexion’s heart, there was still a lingering fear.
It was the fear of losing Seriniel.
So when Seriniel spoke those words, Lexion couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
The phrase “a life different from what we have now” sounded to him like Seriniel was saying she would leave him.
Of course, that wasn’t what Seriniel meant, but nevertheless, it affected him that way.
“Seriniel, I…”
Lexion’s lips quivered as he spoke in a breaking voice. “I don’t want any life other than the one with you.”
“…”
“I don’t need anything else, not power, not honor, not even something more.”
Seriniel understood what Lexion meant, she felt the same way. However, if they had a child, their lives would change dramatically. After a moment’s hesitation, Seriniel spoke cautiously again.
“I understand what you’re saying, Lexion. But I might now have something even more important to consider.”
Lexion was at a loss for words, staring at Seriniel with a pale, stricken face as if he might die on the spot.
Someone else? Another man?
“I don’t know how you feel, but that’s how I feel.”
Lexion thought he could hear the sound of his heart crashing to the floor.
“Of course, it’s sudden, and I understand that you’re shocked, but I want us to think the same way.”
How could they think the same way? Convinced now that Seriniel was planning to leave him, Lexion desperately grabbed her small, pale hand and, with a fading voice, spoke.
“I can’t… absolutely can’t… even if you blame me… I can’t let you go.”
At Lexion’s words, Seriniel showed a sad expression. Perhaps it was inevitable, even if they shared the same space and breathed the same air, there was no guarantee that their thoughts would always align.
Seriniel weakly played with Lexion’s large hand, then slowly brought it to her still-flat belly.
“But Lexion, it might turn out to be a much better future than you think.”
And at that moment, they both asked each other simultaneously,
“Are you really… going to leave me?”
“I’m pregnant.”
What?
Their black and emerald eyes stared at each other in bewilderment.
“What are you saying?”
“What do you mean?”
“Wait, hold on.”
With a confused expression, Seriniel continued.
“I know you weren’t thinking about having a child yet. You mentioned it before. And…”
“What?”
“Life will be completely different from how it’s been. It will be even more beautiful compared to when it was just the two of us. But, even so…”
Seriniel trailed off, her shoulders slumping.
“Wait, hold on.”
Lexion, still looking stunned, stammered,
“What do you mean?”
“Huh?”
“A child, a baby?”
“I told you. I now have someone more important to consider.”
“…”
“So, our lives will change from what they’ve been…”
Lexion didn’t respond.
Seriniel narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at him. Lexion had a look on his face as if he had been hit over the head with a heavy rock.
“I… I… I…”
Finally, after a significant pause, Lexion spoke with a broken voice.
“I didn’t realize that’s what you meant. And… why did you think I wouldn’t want a child?”
“Because… you said that at the orphanage. When I mentioned that a child with a kind and warm father like you would be very happy, you said you didn’t know… and that you’d never thought about it.”
“That…”
Lexion struggled to brush back his disheveled hair as he began to speak.
“That’s not what I meant. It’s just… I don’t know what a normal, happy family is…”
“…”
“You would be such a wonderful mother, but I feel so inadequate…”
To be honest, it wasn’t that he didn’t want a child. It was just that…
“I was worried that you would have even more to worry about because of my shortcomings…”
That was the reason.
“Seriniel, why would I ever not want a child? That’s a huge misunderstanding.”
Lexion’s voice trembled as he spoke.
“I didn’t realize… how much you must have struggled with this alone…”
“Hold on.”
Seriniel, who had been quietly listening to Lexion, looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression.
“Then how did you interpret everything I just said?”
“…What?”
“What did you understand from what I said that made you think it couldn’t be done, that it wasn’t possible, that I would leave you?”
