Side Story ~ 4
The labor began in the early dawn.
Lexion immediately summoned the doctors to the Rosenvester house, and Seriniel mustered all her strength. Though Seriniel was the one giving birth, it was Lexion who seemed to have lost his mind, looking like a madman, he held Seriniel’s hand tightly and never left her side.
But that was only for the first couple of hours after the labor started.
Lexion was kicked out along with Vain.
“…”
Leaning against the door, Lexion’s face was pale. He kept touching the annoying door with his large hand, endlessly. To a stranger, it might look like he was waiting for a family member he hadn’t seen in decades.
“You could’ve toned it down a bit,” muttered Vain beside him with a cracking voice. “If you hadn’t caused such a fuss, I wouldn’t have been kicked out too.”
If Kina and the doctors inside assisting with the birth had heard this, they would have scoffed.
When Seriniel groaned in pain, Lexion’s eyes turned wild. He wanted to bear the pain for her, but unfortunately, there was nothing he could do, that made it even more frustrating.
Lexion wasn’t the only one acting crazy, Vain was the same.
It was inevitable. To Vain, Seriniel was someone he had to serve with all his heart, and she was like a daughter to him as well.
So they acted like madmen in perfect sync, something they had never shown before.
Kina, unable to bear it any longer, kicked them out, saying they were too distracting and to please just wait outside.
It had already been hours since Lexion and Vain were expelled. In the chaos, dawn had broken, and the corridor in front of the bedroom was now bathed in bright sunlight.
“…”
Unlike the dazzling sunlight, Lexion’s face was filled with shadows.
During this time, his heart felt like it was burning up. Despite having wandered battlefields countless times, today was the first time he felt like he was going to go insane.
He wanted to break down the door and rush in, but before being kicked out, Seriniel had told him:
[I’m okay. I’m really okay… so please don’t worry too much.]
Hearing such words, he couldn’t cause a bigger fuss.
“Sigh…”
Lexion’s tightly clenched fist trembled. It was the first time in his life he had to endure like this.
“Damn it…”
All he could do was curse. It was understandable; Lexion was feeling a myriad of emotions.
He was happy about the child, even if he felt inadequate, he was determined to try his best.
He knew childbirth was tough. That’s why he had done everything he could for Seriniel long before her belly started to grow.
But he hadn’t expected it to be this painful for her…
Honestly, he felt like punching himself. He was the reason Seriniel was going through this agony.
“Why… why isn’t there any sound…”
Vain, who was just as pale, muttered softly. His mind was racing in those brief moments. Was something wrong? Had she lost her strength? Had she fainted? Could Seriniel be…?
Could she be dying…?
Lexion’s dark eyes were about to go wild again.
Then, the sound of a baby crying was heard.
From beyond the still-closed door.
“…”
Lexion and Vain reflexively looked at each other. Then, almost simultaneously, unable to bear it any longer, Lexion practically broke down the door and stormed into the bedroom.
“Seri, Serini…”
“I told you to wait outside.”
Kina, drenched in sweat, shook her head as she murmured.
And in Kina’s arms was something small, squirming…
“So, so beautiful, right?” Kina said, looking down at the squirming, crying baby. “How incredibly lovely…”
“…”
“Like an angel.”
“Lexion…”
Above Kina’s voice, Seriniel’s weak voice was heard.
Lexion hurriedly went to Seriniel’s side, with trembling hands, he caressed her cheek.
“I’m okay.”
“Seriniel…”
“The baby…”
Seriniel smiled weakly.
“Hold her first.”
“…”
“You’re the father.”
Before he knew it, Kina had approached Lexion’s side.
“Go on, sir… hold your daughter.”
“…”
“And introduce yourself, quickly now.”
Lexion slowly reached out his hands.
Then, he awkwardly held the very tiny baby in his arms.
“…”
Lexion’s dark eyes were filled with the small baby. She resembled both him and Seriniel. Her black hair, like soft dawn, and her emerald eyes, peeking through her squinted eyelids, were a blend of them both.
“She can’t see yet. She can’t, but…”
Kina murmured with wide eyes.
“She’s stopped crying.”
“…”
“She must know it’s her dad.”
Lexion couldn’t say a word. Instead, he just looked at the baby, tears welling up in his eyes. And instinctively, he realized that this tiny baby would become his entire world.
“Hello…”
Lexion murmured in a low voice, swallowing his tears.
“It’s nice to meet you…”
I’ll love you so much, together with your mom.
With a voice filled with emotion, Lexion spoke to the baby, while Seriniel watched them with warm eyes.
“…”
Watching the family, Vain struggled to hold back tears, sniffing quietly. Kina, seeing Vain like this for the first time, couldn’t help but widen her eyes.
“Kina, you… you’re much calmer than I thought.”
When their eyes met, Vain, feeling embarrassed, changed the subject. Kina sighed and spoke.
“Of course, I was scared. I was terrified. But… well, I hate to say it, but with you two acting so crazily, someone had to keep it together.”
Lexion, who was holding the baby, and Vain, who was standing there, flinched slightly, and looking at them Seriniel chuckled.
“…I overheard some doctors saying they were so scared that they don’t want to be called for the next baby. What are you going to do about that?”
But Lexion thought it was an unnecessary worry, more than anything, he didn’t want to see Seriniel in such pain again. Though he’d have to discuss it with her to know her thoughts.
“Seriniel…”
Lexion, holding the baby, slowly approached Seriniel, looking down at her, he began to speak.
“You were right.”
“…”
“She’s really… really lovely.”
“Because she looks like you?”
“No, because she looks like us.”
At Lexion’s words, Seriniel smiled tenderly, and she looked at the baby in her father’s arms with eyes full of love.
Thus, on a very sunny and pleasantly bright day, the only daughter of the Rosenvester family, Elsie Rosenvester, was born, to live long and happily with a very kind and warm father, and a very gentle and loving mother.
***
The seasons passed busily.
Summer went, autumn came, and then winter arrived.
In the meantime, the Rosenvester household was very busy, thanks to their adorable daughter.
Despite having wandered battlefields endlessly, if someone asked Lexion what the hardest thing in his life was, he would immediately have an answer. It wasn’t being stabbed by a sword, being hit by an arrow, or losing consciousness with his intestines hanging out. It was raising a child.
Lexion took on most of the childcare, even after Seriniel recovered, it remained the same.
[Just by carrying and giving birth to her, you’ve done your part.]
Lexion was very firm but for him, it was natural, having seen Seriniel suffer and in pain, how could he ask her to take on this hard task again?
Of course, Seriniel tried to dissuade him, saying it would be difficult alone, but it was to no avail.
[There’s the chatty maid and the swindler butler, and from what I’ve experienced, raising a child should be done by a man.]
[Why is that?]
[Because it’s incredibly hard.]
…Anyway.
Their daughter’s name was Elsie. It was made by combining one character each from Seriniel’s and Lexion’s names.
Honestly, Lexion had worries, having never experienced a normal family, he was afraid he couldn’t fulfill his role as a father.
But that was an unnecessary worry.
Like all babies, Elsie cried whenever she had the chance. She required a lot of attention, just like Seriniel, because of that, Lexion had to spend almost all day with Elsie, even reducing his sleep.
Yet, he never felt angry, annoyed, or irritated. He just felt a tender sadness, wondering why this small, cute baby cried so sorrowfully.
Today was no different.
Though it was late at night, Lexion stayed awake, holding Elsie.
“…Elsie.”
Standing by the window, Lexion looked down at Elsie, wiggling her fingers, and called her name softly.
