Side Story 5

*

“Mama!”

Thump! Thump!

The dissatisfied hands striking the bed look quite pouty.

Magnus, who was entering with baby food in one hand, paused for a moment before quickly approaching and snatching up the child’s small body.

“Daughter, it seems mommy is tired. She’s sleeping.”

“Uuu!!”

“Daddy will feed you.”

The child, with her lips jutted out, seemed to look back and forth between her father and mother before her eyes widened at the smell coming from the bowl in Magnus’s hand.

“Papaang!!”

“Oh my, now you call me papa.”

Her chubby cheeks are quite lovable.

He kissed the child’s cheek and carefully brought her along.

His wife seemed to have fallen asleep while briefly looking after the child.

The born child had a particularly strong attachment to her mother, so they couldn’t leave her with a wet nurse at night.

Since she would cry all night long, shaking the entire mansion, they had no choice but to keep her close, likely preventing them from getting proper sleep.

Although Magnus would help watch her at night, during the day when he went out for work, Serena had to look after her alone.

While a wet nurse was always present, the child always needed Serena in her sight.

‘…Somehow it seems she only inherited my strange traits.’

Things like his obsession with Serena, his fixation on Serena, and his attachment to Serena, that is.

Still, recently, as if she had grown accustomed to him too, she would often let him hold her when her mother looked tired.

“Were you hungry?”

“Awoo!”

“Yes, yes.”

Sitting at the table with the child on his lap, he scooped up some lukewarm baby food with a spoon and brought it to the child’s mouth. The child eagerly ate the food, making “ham! ham!” sounds.

Gently rubbing the child’s cheek, he let out a soft laugh.

“Is it delicious?”

“Uuuung!”

He wasn’t sure what she was saying, but seeing her shiver and wave her hands up and down, she seemed to be in a good mood.

Only after cleanly emptying the bowl of baby food, which was much smaller than his palm, did the child seem full, making a purring sound and slumping down.

“Heehiing!”

“What’s making you so happy?”

He held the child comfortably and patted her back. Suddenly feeling a gaze from behind, he slightly turned his head.

Their eyes met.

“…Oh.”

A slightly surprised voice flowed from between Magnus’s lips.

It was because Serena, lying slightly askew, was staring at him intently.

“When did you wake up? You could have said something.”

“No… I was just thinking how it’s both familiar and strange to see you taking care of the baby… I just had some thoughts.”

Serena said, blinking once.

Her eyes were still clouded with sleepiness and heavy with fatigue.

Magnus, holding the child, stood up from his seat and sat down heavily on the bed.

The bed swayed greatly.

“Why are you looking at us so fondly?”

“Sorry, I just felt good watching the two of you.”

Serena said, still a bit drowsy after letting out a long yawn.

Somehow managing to sit up, she reached out towards the child with a half-asleep face, but Magnus slightly moved back.

“No, if you’re tired, you can sleep more. I’ll take care of the baby.”

“Hmm? But I’m fine…”

“No. You didn’t sleep well last night, did you?”

“The baby doesn’t seem to like you much at night. Strange, isn’t she like you…”

Magnus paused at Serena’s words.

The memory of him not letting go every night flashed through his mind.

“That’s…”

Magnus opened and closed his mouth before sighing.

The child, who had just burped contentedly, was now nodding off. She’s truly a creature of instinct.

“Sometimes, you know, I can hardly believe that something so small and young will grow up to be like us.”

Magnus hesitated before nodding.

That was certainly true.

At first, the baby was barely the size of his palm, but now she had grown quite a bit and become noticeably heavier.

When she stared at him with eyes exactly like hers, it gave him a strange feeling.

“Was your childhood like this too?”

“What do you mean? We’ve known each other since childhood, haven’t we?”

“…I don’t think we knew each other from this early infancy stage though.”

Hearing Magnus spoke with a slightly disgruntled tone, Serena paused before slowly nodding.

“That’s true, but…”

Serena let out a small laugh.

“What does it matter? You’re here, and I’m here. That’s enough, isn’t it?”

At Serena’s words, Magnus’s lips curved into a slight smile.

“Anyway… Actually, I had this really big wish, you know?”

“A really big wish? What is it?”

Magnus furrowed his brow and asked, his eyes full of intensity.

He looked ready to fulfill any wish, whatever it might be, right then and there.

“To live life effortlessly.”

“…What?”

“Living life effortlessly. You know, a life where I can do what I want, not do what I don’t want, and still get by? Being rich without doing anything, having money that never runs out no matter how much you spend, like an inexhaustible source, and living happily among it all.”

“…That’s quite elaborate, but…”

Isn’t that already being fulfilled now?

Magnus tilted his head with a puzzled expression, then spoke with a deliberately stern face.

“Is there something I haven’t been able to provide for you? Any inconveniences in your current life?”

“No…”

Serena shook her head and flopped down on the bed, gesturing to Magnus.

“But looking at it now, it feels like my wish has come true.”

“…It has?”

“Yes. I have you, we have our child, we’re wealthy, we have honor, we don’t have to bow our heads to anyone. Even if we do nothing, everyone helps and does things for us.”

“You’re taking care of the baby though.”

“It’s our baby. There’s no problem with that since it’s our child. It’s not like I’m taking care of someone else’s child.”

Serena said with a chuckle, as if Magnus was saying something strange.

Magnus stared at Serena for a moment, then shrugged. She had always been like this. While pretending not to, she would unexpectedly accept responsibilities quite readily.

“You seem to become more lovable every time I look at you.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

At Magnus’s sudden remark, Serena blushed but waved her hand slightly.

“The baby’s sleeping, put her down and come here.”

“Hmm… I’m worried she might wake up.”

Magnus added, remembering how his daughter wouldn’t easily stop crying once she started.

“I’m lonely.”

At Serena’s words, Magnus carefully placed the child in the crib next to the bed with long, cautious strides.

Bending down, he lightly kissed Serena’s lips.

“How far are you willing to go?”

“How far do you want to go?”

Serena asked in return, stretching out her arms and wrapping them around his neck, looking at Magnus’s eyes burning with desire.

Magnus’s cheek twitched greatly at Serena’s not-quite provocation.

He looked down at Serena with wavering eyes and smirked.

“I want to devour you from head to toe… Will you allow it?”

Serena hesitated at Magnus’s words.

She blinked slowly and slightly averted her gaze. It was a bit overwhelming.

“Devouring might be a bit much… but I might allow you to lick me all over.”

Magnus paused at Serena’s words.

Something particular that aroused could be felt from their closely pressed bodies.

Gulp.

Just as Serena swallowed nervously and slowly closed her eyes…

“Huenh…”

“……”

“Waaaaaah!!”

The child burst into loud cries. The subtle atmosphere flowing between the two shattered with a crash.

“……”

“……”

The two looked at each other’s faces and then burst into laughter.

“Seems she got upset because we were playing without her.”

“Right.”

Serena got off the bed and pulled the child into her arms.

And as though she had never cried, the baby immediately stopped crying.

“I never thought I’d be competing with my own daughter for your attention.”

Magnus sighed and slightly rose from his seat.

“I’ll be right back from the bathroom.”

Serena burst into laughter as she watched Magnus’s retreating figure, walking away awkwardly.

“Don’t laugh.”

Magnus grumbled sullenly as he slipped inside.

The sound of water splashing could be heard.

“Don’t be too hard on Dad, Isla.”

“Awoo~!”

Serena kissed the cheek of the child who answered by waving her arms, then hugged her and sat on the bed.

Everything was peaceful.

And everything was perfect.

Serena smiled faintly as she took in the scene.

It was a perfect moment.