Side Story 4. Tea Time

The spring garden was beautiful.

Fresh light green leaves fluttered all around, and between them stood intricate ivory-colored statues. As befitting the splendid Imperial Palace garden, this place was incredibly abundant.

Walking through scenery so different from the North, Claude was captivated by the view.

She was a woman as beautiful as a red camellia. But perhaps she seemed more suited to the abundant Elmon than the harsh Hilton.

Seraphina Marseus…

The lengthened name awkwardly lingered in his mouth.

Well, that woman would have done well anywhere, changing colors like a chameleon.

He was just thinking this way because his heart ached. He had to consider that she was never his to begin with in order to suppress these chaotically tangled emotions.

“There are so many flowers.”

Claude stopped abruptly in front of a flowerbed blooming with various colors of flowers.

Suddenly, he remembered Leah.

<Wow, brother!>

<How is it? Even you, as a girl, like flowers.>

<It’s because there are no flowers here, while the South is full of them!>

<Do you like it?>

<Of course.>

She was a child who was so happy even with just one camellia, I wonder how she would have felt if she came here.

Claude felt regret, like a tide, rushing into his heart… a little… no, very late.

Maybe I should have gotten along better with that b*stard Johann…

Even if he couldn’t leave the North often because he had to protect Hilton territory since he was young, Leah wasn’t in that situation. He should have sent that young and pretty child to the Imperial Palace often with various excuses so she could see the southern flowers frequently.

What use was it now?

Claude sighed with remorse and looked up at the sky. It was a day when the cloudless blue sky somehow felt spiteful.

“Leah, are you doing well?”

The image of his sister who had gone to God’s side was still frozen at ten years old. Claude was sixteen at the time.

It’s already been 19 years…

“D*mn it. Life is depressing.”

Even that b*stard Johann got married, but around him there were only shady guys again. Claude suddenly felt gloomy, wondering if he was going to end his life fighting undead with those guys.

He had never thought of himself as someone who got lonely.

It seemed to be because Seraphina had gone into another man’s arms. Even though it was spring, his side felt strangely cold.

Marriage after just a couple of months.

Only a couple of months have passed since fighting that giant bone lizard!

Claude couldn’t believe it.

Even as he watched Seraphina make her marriage vows at Sarnade Hall, even as he saw her receive the Empress’s crown with an unfittingly noble appearance, even as he couldn’t take his eyes off her as she got into the carriage with Johann’s escort to tour Elmon…

He couldn’t believe it.

Did she really get married?

Even though he had watched it all with his own two eyes, his mind kept rejecting it, whether because he didn’t want to accept it.

But regardless of Claude’s state, what had happened had happened.

“Your Grace Denhague!”

Now he’s even experiencing auditory hallucinations.

Claude closed his eyes tightly, feeling dizzy at his own symptoms. Then he shook his head vigorously, trying to shake off Seraphina’s shadow.

“Your Grace…? What’s wrong?”

Why does it sound even clearer?

She had been holed up in the bedroom for ten days, enjoying her sweet honeymoon with that damned Johann. There was no way he could hear her voice.

“Are you not feeling well?”

He shook his head even more vigorously, trying to escape somehow.

Seraphina is now the Empress. She’s another b*stard’s woman! Get a grip, you b*stard Claude!

“He seems to have gone mad.”

“He doesn’t look normal to Marseus’s eyes either.”

“……!”

Claude stopped shaking his head at the voices of those shady guys that definitely couldn’t be hallucinations. If he heard Mihail and Johann’s voices, that meant…

Wait.

Johann?

Has this b*stard finally come out?

The moment he turned his head, Claude’s eyes widened. Seraphina was right in front of him.

Was it the effect of the dress?

The expensive lavender fabric seemed to have jewels attached here and there, sparkling like snow reflecting sunlight. With that, standing there holding a white wand, she looked just like…

“The Snow Queen.”

Like the pretty queen from folklore stories.

Just a moment ago, Claude thought Seraphina was a woman suited for Elmon, but now looking at her, she couldn’t be more suited for Hilton.

Ah…

This is maddening.

Why is she another man’s woman?

“Those are eyes I truly want to pluck out.”

At that savage voice coming from a few steps away, Claude slightly shifted his gaze. Johann was making a fierce expression as if he would really pluck out Claude’s eyeballs.

Seraphina intervened in shock.

“What kind of horrible thing are you saying?”

“But Sera.”

As he said this, Johann wrapped his arm around Seraphina’s waist. As though he was warning not to covet his person, Johann’s blue gaze sharply turned towards Claude.

“I can’t leave you in a wolf’s gaze, can I?”

Claude swallowed dryly.

Honestly, he felt caught.

So he had nothing to say.

Claude slowly ran a hand over his face and exhaled a complicated breath.

Having somewhat gathered his gaze, he looked at Seraphina and said,

“You’re pretty.”

Those words that came out represented his still unsettled feelings.

“Ahem.”

Johann let out an uncomfortable cough. He felt uneasy as it seemed like flirting, but it was also just stating an objective fact, so it was ambiguous what to say.

As a subtle current flowed between the two men for a moment, Seraphina glanced coyly at Johann.

“It’s really funny.”

hearing her playfully dismissive words, a look of confusion appeared on Johann’s face.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a wolf too.”

Ah, you mean that.

Understanding her words, a deep smile bloomed on Johann’s lips.

“You should only have one wolf allowed to you, and that’s me.”

“Oh, is that so? Hehe.”

Seraphina laughed, her cheeks turning slightly red in embarrassment.

The expressions of the two onlookers twisted as they watched the newlyweds instantly fall into their own world.

“I won’t stand by if you make Purifier Seraphina cry.”

Claude warned fiercely.

“Come to Sahar anytime if you can’t stand the sight of your husband.”

Mihail added his piece.

Johann let out a laugh of disbelief as he looked at Claude and Mihail, their eyes blazing blue as if threatening that they wouldn’t let it slide if he didn’t treat her right.

As if he wouldn’t treat her well enough on his own.

“It’s unpleasant, why don’t you two mind your own business?”

* * *

They really can’t live without each other.

Ten days of being together should have been enough.

Because of Johann sticking right next to me and following me around, I felt good but also started to want to enjoy some freedom.

You know, people need a certain degree of space.

Spending time together but also having their own time. That’s the kind of healthy distance that’s needed.

It seemed the emotional distance between Johann and me was quite… very large.

As if he had originally planned to send only Mihail back and hole up in the bedroom with me again, Johann kept making dissatisfied expressions the entire time I was going to the garden to find Claude.

I thought I heard him muttering something quietly. What was it? Something about why I cared about another man coming or going.

Anyway, I pretended not to hear.

He really has no affection.

He came from far away to congratulate us on our marriage, so couldn’t we at least see his face and greet him? It’s not just anyone, but Claude who we shared life and death with.

But Johann seemed to think differently from me.

He was contentious about every little thing.

“If he’s the Lord of Hilton, shouldn’t he go back to Hilton now?”

“I’ll take care of my territory’s business myself, so mind your own business.”

“Then make me mind my own business.”

Johann growled, glaring fiercely.

Because of that, I experienced the amazing effect of feeling the gentle breeze like a sharp wind.

Ah. Was it such a big mistake to suggest having a cup of tea on the terrace? Or was I stupid for expecting a peaceful tea time just once, even knowing the relationship between the heroes?

Slurp.

I decided to quietly drink my tea.

“This kind of peaceful time isn’t bad either.”

Just then, Mihail spoke leisurely from beside me.

Hmm.

While I was restless because of the tension between Johann and Claude, Mihail looked truly comfortable. His blue-green eyes turned towards the blue sky and then swept over the spring garden full of new life.

He seemed to be in a good mood somehow.

As if he might be humming inwardly.

“What are you thinking about?”

I asked impulsively.

Mihail turned his head and looked at me quietly. Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“I was imagining Miss Sera’s life in this humble Imperial Palace.”

He speaks so beautifully. I filtered his words on my own.

So he means he imagined my future living well in the Imperial Palace, right?

“What kind of image is it?”

“Well…”

At my question, Mihail looked at me with deepened eyes as if chewing over his imagination, then parted his lips after a beat.

“When you eat something delicious, your cheeks will turn rosy, but now you’ll try not to show it, thinking of a noble lady’s dignity. It’s cute.”

“Sir Andantino, even Marseus knows better than to call Sera cute at this point.”

At that moment, Johann interrupted, pausing his bickering with Claude. But Mihail didn’t stop.

“You’ll walk gracefully in your dress and look up at the sky once in a while. Then when you face the red sunset, I thought you might remember me.”

“What nonsense is that now?”

This time Claude growled.

Mihail was still like an impregnable fortress. Without flinching, he continued.

“When the desert comes to mind, you might take out the compass I gave you.”

“Ah. I actually brought it with me.”

How did he know to bring it up?

Feeling pleased, I took it out of my pocket without much thought.

At that moment, Mihail’s expression crumpled. Like the dented rim of the compass.