Side Story ~ 8
The family sat under a large tree, eating the lunch Kina had packed for them, and then returned to the villa. Elsie was very busy even after coming back from bathing with Lexion. It was because of the bookshelves filled with books.
“Look, Sereniel. This is a collection of poems. It’s a bit different from fairy tales. You might not understand what it means right now, but when you grow older, you’ll be able to. I brought it in anticipation of that day.”
The fairy tale books that Sereniel’s father had prepared went to Elsie. Elsie enjoyed the fairy tale about the female emperor that Sereniel loved, and Lexion also found it quite interesting. Elsie regretted forgetting to bring that book, but when Lexion started reading another fairy tale from the villa, she quickly fell silent.
Sereniel sat in a comfortable chair and read the poetry book. She imagined that one day, Elsie would also sit in this chair and read this book of poems.
After reading, they had a late-night snack. Lexion made the food, and surprisingly, he was quite good at cooking. He naturally learned how to cook while living on battlefields from a young age.
Elsie, saying, “Do it for us at home too,” was told by Lexion that he already planned to and encouraged her to go brag to Kina and Vain.
After filling their stomachs, Elsie went to the secret place on the living room floor and very carefully placed something she had prepared there: pink petals that had blown in the wind in front of the villa. The couple watched her with soft smiles.
Perhaps because she had been playing all day, Elsie fell asleep earlier than expected. Lexion laid her on the large bed, carefully covering her with a thick blanket to prevent her from catching a cold from the cool spring breeze.
And before they knew it, the night had deepened.
“Shall we go for a night walk, Sereniel?”
At Lexion’s suggestion, Sereniel smiled and nodded. She put the poetry book she was reading on the table, held his hand tightly, and left the villa.
Their walk was just a slow stroll around the villa, under the moonlight, with the scent of flowers filling the breeze, but even that was romantic enough for Sereniel.
“The Count’s estate is nice, but somehow, it seems like we like the villa more.”
“Elsie will love anywhere she goes. She’s naturally bright and cheerful.”
“Shall we visit the Count’s estate again this weekend? It seems like she was a bit disappointed that she couldn’t fully explore the attic last time.”
“Sure, but we have to promise to return to the Duke’s estate.”
The Verdellete Count’s estate had become an empty mansion but was always maintained well enough to visit anytime.
The whole family enjoyed visiting the Count’s estate. Lexion felt the same. The problem was that he was worried Sereniel and Elsie might prefer staying at the Count’s estate over the Rosenvester estate.
So, whenever they went to the Count’s estate, Lexion would adorably complain. He’d say things like, although the Count’s estate is nice, the Duke’s estate gets more sunlight, or the Duke’s garden is much bigger and can have more flowers. Those words were really childish, but Sereniel didn’t dislike them.
“Of course.”
Sereniel said to Lexion with a smile.
“And what Elsie loves the most is all of us sitting together in the yellow armchairs and chatting, right? With Kina and Vain too.”
Last year, for Elsie’s birthday, Paul had given her a child’s armchair, the same as the ones Lexion and Sereniel had matched together before.
Since then, Sereniel had ordered two more identical armchairs. They were for Kina and Vain.
No one knew how fun and happy it was for the whole family to talk together.
“Traveling here and there is nice, but nothing beats our home.”
Our home…
At Sereniel’s words, Lexion had a blank look for a moment. Then, after a not-so-short while, he slowly opened his mouth.
“It’s so obvious, but sometimes it feels so amazing.”
“What does?”
“Just… the fact that I now have a place I can call our home.”
“…”
“I love that so much.”
He had a home to return to and a family. To others, these were taken-for-granted things, but Lexion had never fully experienced them.
That was until he met Sereniel.
“Of course, Kina and Vain will tirelessly nag me, but… I even love that.”
“Really?”
“Yes, because you enjoy watching them nag me, and I enjoy it too.”
Sereniel laughed.
“You know, Sereniel? These days… I feel really glad I was born.”
Surprised by Lexion’s unexpected words, Sereniel quietly looked up at him.
“I’m so happy and content.”
“…”
“Every single day, every moment. After such a busy day, when I lie in bed with you, I feel excited wondering what tomorrow will bring.”
In the past, he couldn’t have even imagined such a thing. Did everyone else live like this? But Lexion thought that no matter how many people there were in the world, he must be the happiest of them all.
“Especially after we visited that swamp last time… I feel more at ease.”
Lexion looked at Sereniel with affectionate eyes and said, “It’s all thanks to you.”
…A few years ago, Sereniel had entrusted Elsie to Kina and Vain and left the mansion with Lexion.
The place she took Lexion was that swamp, where once Royden had callously thrown Lexion’s mother.
Sereniel knew well how devastated he must have been, unable to retrieve his mother’s body. And how much guilt he must have carried even after everything ended.
Perhaps that’s why, until then, Lexion hadn’t visited the swamp on his mother’s memorial day. He would just sit in the room his mother used, with a completely different, dark expression.
So Sereniel waited a long time. Until the lotus seeds she and Kina had planted sprouted and bloomed.
When they finally visited the swamp again after such a long time, it was filled with lotuses.
Sereniel told Lexion, who was staring blankly at the swamp:
[Mother is resting peacefully, watching the beautiful flowers and smelling their sweet scent.]
…So come here every year from now on.
Hearing those words, Lexion sat down in front of the swamp and cried a little.
And after that, he started visiting his mother with his wife and daughter on her memorial day, with a much brighter face than before.
“Thank you, Sereniel.”
If it weren’t for this woman, I would have lived my whole life stuck in despair.
So Lexion was always, forever grateful to Sereniel.
“I know.”
Sereniel smiled brightly and kissed Lexion’s cheek. Then, as if she remembered something she had forgotten, she looked at Lexion with sparkling eyes.
“Remember, the High Priest once told me to ask you to make a promise that seemed completely impossible.”
“An impossible promise?”
“Yes, like asking you to get me the stars or the moon from the sky.”
“Why did he say that?”
“He was curious because he thought you’d somehow manage to get those stars or the moon if I wished for them.”
“If you want them, I’ll get them for you.”
Indeed, Sereniel laughed because Lexion looked like he’d actually manage to do it, just as Johan had said.
“Why are you laughing? I’m serious.”
“But that seems too dangerous, so how about we make a different promise?”
“What kind of promise?”
“To love me for the rest of your life.”
“…”
“Just like now, unchangingly.”
Lexion was silent for a moment. Instead, he stopped in his tracks and gazed intently at Sereniel.
“You said it should be a promise that seems impossible.”
“…”
“If I promise something that seems obviously possible, Johan might be disappointed.”
To anyone else, it might sound like a boastful statement, but the person saying it had a very serious expression.
In any case, Lexion was still the same. The fact that he could say such things so naturally, and the fact that he genuinely meant them… those sorts of things.
And just as Lexion remained unchanged, Sereniel still loved him just as he was.
Sereniel looked at Lexion with a smile, then spread her arms, looking up at him, she said, “Hug me, Lexion.”
“…”
“Tightly.”
“I was going to do that anyway.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, his warm, broad chest enveloped her tightly.
Feeling the familiar scent and tender warmth, Sereniel hugged him back.
Then, lifting her head slightly, she looked up at Lexion and softly spoke.
“Lexion Rosenvester.”
“…”
“Are you happy?”
Lexion was silent for a moment, with an expression filled with many emotions, he looked down at Sereniel…
“Very.”
He answered, gently stroking her cheek with his large hand.
“So much that it brings tears to my eyes.”
Instead of answering, Sereniel smiled, her cheeks turning a rosy hue.
Could she be happier than this? Could her heart feel fuller than this?
Thinking such thoughts, Lexion felt deeply grateful for his life.
“I love you, Lexion.”
Standing on her tiptoes, Sereniel kissed his lips as she spoke.
“Much more than yesterday. But…”
“Less than tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
…Me too.
Hearing his low voice softly whisper in her ear, Sereniel buried her face back into Lexion’s chest.
Despite all the things that had happened, Sereniel was now certain.
If anyone asked her if she was happy, she could always say yes.
And now, she felt she didn’t need to make any more wishes. Her life as it was felt so fulfilling and joyful.
In the future, throughout her life with him… there would be no regrets, no wishes left to be made.
That was enough. That was everything.
With that, everything was endlessly peaceful.
“I love you, Sereniel.”
With his always gentle voice, Lexion’s large, warm hands hugged Sereniel’s slender body tightly.
Sereniel lifted her head again and looked at Lexion, who was gazing at her.
And the two of them smiled brightly at each other.
A happy day that would continue for a long, long time was peacefully coming to an end.
