Side Story 5

* * *

After being dressed by Charlotte, who was making a fuss, Reibella went down to the dining room where Cassius and Royan were already seated.

It was a clean and stylish family image, distinctly different from their early morning appearance.

Reibella approached her family with a fresh smile.

“Dad, Royan, when did you arrive? I’m not late, am I?”

“No. Come sit down.”

“I just got here too. Rel, over here. Come sit next to me.”

As her father naturally guided her to the seat opposite Royan, Royan subtly pointed to the spot beside him, trying to lure her over.

Reibella, enjoying the subtle tension between the two, went to her father’s side. Then she said to Royan.

“Sitting like this lets me see my brother’s face better. Meals taste better when I can see my handsome brother’s face while eating!”

“……W-well, I guess.”

What an easy man to please.

As she settled into her seat, the servants immediately brought out the meal. For Reibella, warm herbal tea, croissants, and a salad garnished with fruit and yogurt. For Royan and Cassius, thick steaks were served.

“You’re going on a long journey, will that be enough? Should I share some of my meat with you?”

At Royan’s serious expression of concern, Cassius also chimed in.

“From now on, make sure to eat hearty breakfasts. When you’re managing a territory, it’s easy to get tired and exhausted.”

“Hearing you both talk like this makes me think I should exercise in the morning and eat meat too.”

When Reibella raised her hand, the servants brought out additional meat cut into bite-sized pieces. Only after she picked up a piece and chewed it did the two men look at her with satisfaction.

Their reactions seemed particularly noticeable today.

“I heard you’re planning to stay at Reliccarve Castle.”

In the middle of the meal, Cassius asked casually.

Reibella nodded.

“Yes, there’s a clean room in the annex, so I plan to stay there.”

“If you’re staying in the annex, we’ll need to build temporary walls around it first. The knights will have to use temporary barracks, but inside the building, I’ll be there……”

……Huh?

“……Dad?”

You just casually mentioned something extremely important in such a nonchalant voice?

As Reibella looked at him, Cassius continued.

“Didn’t I tell you? I’ve been by Royan’s side for the past 10 years, so now it’s time to spend time with my daughter as well.”

“I know Dad doesn’t talk nonsense, but……”

……This suddenly?

“Father!”

Royan, seemingly bewildered, called out to Cassius in an uncharacteristically loud voice.

Reibella was about to hurriedly explain their previous conversation, worried that he might be upset.

“Then I’ll go to Reliccarve too!”

Even Royan blurted out something absurd.

“Wait a minute. What are you all saying?”

“If Father is going, I must go too. How could I live apart from you, Rel?”

……You’ve been living just fine for the past 10 years, Royan.

“Royan, don’t you have work to do in your territory? You should also be preparing to succeed the position of duke soon.”

“With Father being so robust, how could I succeed the position? I’d rather learn territory management from you while protecting you, Rel.”

“That’s not a bad approach, but I’ve already decided to go after discussing it with Rel. It can’t be undone.”

“That’s absurd.”

Reibella couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the sight of Cassius cleverly deceiving and Royan feeling frustrated in front of the father-daughter pact.

But Royan, who had been taking the situation seriously, suddenly brightened up as if he had found a good solution.

“I’ll have to ask the Grand Duke to let me use the gate. I’ll commute to Reliccarve every day where Father and Rel are.”

“……What?”

Royan grinned at the bewildered Reibella.

“Don’t you remember? Rel, you asked me. You asked me to become your family. I’m just keeping that promise.”

‘If I call you brother consistently from now on, will you become my brother?’

‘I hate that.’

‘What? Why!’

‘Royan, you’re not as good at studying as I am.’

‘……I’ll do better from now on.’

‘Become my family, Brother Royan.’

He was making unreasonable demands while reminding her of the words she had asked of him on the day they first became a complete family.

Finding his behavior both ridiculous and cute, Reibella couldn’t help but laugh.

At the same time, worry washed over her.

……Will life in Reliccarve be alright like this?

* * *

“……Are you really sure it’s okay if I don’t go with you?”

Cassius spoke with a worried voice toward Reibella, as if looking at a child he had left by the water.

Deliberately ignoring his gaze that urged her to give permission for him to follow right away, Reibella nodded firmly.

“It’s fine!”

“……What about me?”

Reibella gave a sidelong glance to Royan, who was subtly asking if it was okay for him to go.

“Tsk. No.”

“That’s harsh, my sister.”

“It’s not like I don’t want to be with you both. But you both have things to do.”

She too wanted to always be with her family, but each family member had their own responsibilities.

Currently, Royan was tasked with caring for the territory thrown into chaos by the volcanic eruption and restoring it to normal daily life. She knew he had been working day and night, busy in the territory all the time.

The same was true for Cassius.

He was helping Calyx identify the tyrant emperor’s collaborators, filling their vacant positions with new talent, and establishing systems to lead the country. It was, above all, an important task that couldn’t be entrusted to others.

She couldn’t keep such important people confined in a collapsed castle just for her sake.

So she had promised last night.

“First, eat meals regularly. Second, go to bed on time. Third, take a walk at least once a day. Fourth……”

Reibella bravely recited the ten promises she had made with Cassius and Royan.

“And finally, tenth, send a note at least once a day, even if it’s just one line, to let them know how I’m doing.”

After emphasizing the final tenth item, she continued.

“I’ll contact you regularly so you won’t worry. So please don’t worry too much.”

“If our daughter says so, then I must accept.”

Cassius, who had finally given up on following her, reluctantly agreed and added.

“But if you truly need me……”

……I thought he had given up, but he hadn’t!

“Dad, I really have to go. Royan, Dad, please turn around now. I’m getting into the carriage.”

Reibella hugged Cassius tightly and turned him around. Then she hugged Royan, who had his arms spread open, and turned him around as well.

Then, with the help of her knight guard, Ilius, she boarded the carriage.

Sitting in her seat and looking out the window, she saw Royan and Cassius already looking at her. Seeing their affectionate gazes and expressions of great regret, she too felt a surge of regret.

Unable to resist, she opened the window, and Cassius approached. He stroked Reibella’s hair.

“If you ever need me, be sure to contact me.”

“Yes.”

“Never forget that there will always be a place for you in Vicheravali.”

When Reibella nodded, Cassius stroked her hair once more with a gentle gaze and tapped the carriage.

Then the carriage wheels slowly began to roll.

Gradually, bit by bit, the distance between her and her loved ones increased.

“Make sure to contact me, Rel! You must!”

She waved her hand, promising she would, to Royan who was shouting loudly and trying to follow the carriage.

With that, the figures of her family cruelly disappeared from sight all too quickly. Even the large and beautiful mansion gradually receded into the distance, appearing only faintly.

At the same time, a chill came over her. The inside of the carriage was no different from before, but the air touching her skin felt cool in proportion to the emptiness in her heart.

Reibella sighed at the loneliness she felt after a long time.

“……I shouldn’t have said anything to Dad and Brother.”

To feel this lonely even though they had just parted…

But they had parted bravely. From now on, she would have to get used to this loneliness as well.

Perhaps sensing her loneliness, Leon, who had been sleeping in the carriage before her, wriggled over and snuggled against her.

Holding Leon made her feel like the sudden loneliness was gradually subsiding. Thanks to that, her mind cleared.

What was certain was that, as Cassius said, she could always return and be together with them again.

It was just a temporary separation for a new beginning.

‘I’ll write a letter as soon as I arrive.’

Filled with affection for her family.

* * *

But things in life don’t always go as planned.

With a thump, thump sound, documents began to pile up layer upon layer on the old desk.

The endlessly accumulating documents looked like high-rising castle walls at a glance, and there were concerns about whether the desk legs might collapse under the weight.

“……What is all this?”