Side Story 17. My Family

I looked around the foggy space.

“What does this mean?”

Not knowing who I was asking, I just questioned the empty air.

Strangely, an answer came back. It didn’t return as a voice. There wasn’t even an echo in my head.

I just came to understand.

The meaning of this book.

Caught in a strange feeling, I slowly caressed the cover. And then slowly opened the first page.

It was still blank, but perhaps because my mind’s eye had opened, it was different from before. I could read something from the paper.

Whoosh!

An enormous amount of information poured in.

Sadness, joy, intensity, despair, hope……

Countless memories and emotions were transmitted through the paper.

I continued turning the blank pages. The stories of numerous people poured in like a waterfall. It was a mysterious experience. Stories that I couldn’t tell if I was reading or feeling entered my mind one after another.

At the same time, I realized.

Ah.

All this time, I thought I had been possessed in a book…

This isn’t the world inside a book.

It’s just that someone’s story was made into a book, but this world existed before it was written down.

So anyone could become the protagonist of the story that would fill these blank pages.

Realizing this fact, I became even more focused. I was sucked into the world of the book, losing track of time.

The stories of precious people.

Johann’s life that I didn’t know about, Claude’s life, Mihail’s memories, Cyril’s time……

Rustle. Rustle.

In the world quietly submerged in fog, only the sound of turning pages occasionally echoed and disappeared. Without even making a sound of breathing, I continued reading this mysterious book intently, unaware of the passing time.

* * *

Tired from arguing with ministers in meetings for hours since morning, Johann moved with large strides towards his sanctuary. He desperately longed for Felice Palace where his lovely wife and son were.

“It’s a bit late.”

It was slightly late for lunch.

However, since Seraphina often had late meals when she was focused on work, Johann pinned his hopes on that.

Just then, he saw Whitney running towards him from the opposite end of the corridor with an urgent expression. Although she was quite far away, Johann’s excellent eyesight could clearly see her pale complexion.

Is something wrong?

With an ominous feeling, Johann’s steps naturally slowed.

Whitney was Erhi’s wet nurse. His son, who was just over half a year old, had quite a regular lifestyle, taking after someone, and now was his nap time.

“Your Majesty!”

Whitney, who had spotted him, cried out restlessly.

“What’s the matter?”

“Well, I, it’s really strange. It doesn’t make sense……”

Seeing the maid rambling incoherently, Johann felt a chill run through his heart. However, not showing it outwardly, he spoke in a calm tone.

“It’s alright, tell me step by step.”

“So, that is…… Her Majesty the Empress has disappeared!”

“What?”

Johann’s brows furrowed.

He had told Whitney to speak calmly, but he himself couldn’t maintain his composure.

Seraphina suddenly disappeared?

“Explain properly.”

At the cold voice that fell on her head, Whitney tensed up.

The Emperor’s gentle demeanor only applied when Seraphina was by his side. In this situation, if she answered wrongly, he might turn into a fiercer beast than the Guardian of the North.

But Whitney felt wronged.

She had just gone to the next room, how could things turn out like this!

“Her Majesty the Empress came to see His Highness the Prince at lunchtime. She said she would hold him and walk for a while, so I was cleaning the Prince’s room, and……”

Whitney tightly gripped the hem of her skirt.

Honestly, she had taken a short break after cleaning the room. But it wasn’t for long. Above all, Seraphina wasn’t the type to abandon her child, was she?

“When it was time for his nap, I went to Her Majesty’s bedroom. But Her Majesty wasn’t there, and His Highness the Prince was lying alone on the bed.”

After quickly explaining the situation without even taking a breath, Whitney glanced at Johann’s expression. As expected, it wasn’t good.

“What about Erhi?”

“He’s sleeping in his room now.”

“And the Empress, she didn’t return to her office?”

“I just came back from there. She’s not in her office.”

After hearing that much, Johann gave a small nod and quickly brushed past Whitney.

Seraphina suddenly disappeared.

Not knowing what was what, he felt he needed to go to the scene directly first.

Johann went straight up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. Unlike his terrifyingly cold and calm face, his heart was about to go crazy with anxiety.

Haven’t we had this experience once before?

When she jumped into the d*mn bone dragon’s breath……

As his thoughts reached that point, he felt like his entire soul was being consumed by fear. In a state of near madness, Johann opened the door to Seraphina’s bedroom.

And as soon as he entered the room, he looked at one side of the wall. As if he had become an expert at spot-the-difference, Johann immediately found the one thing that had changed in the familiar scenery.

“……”

It’s gone.

The wand that should have been neatly hanging on the wall was missing.

The moment he realized this fact, it felt like the floor he was standing on was sinking endlessly. Johann felt like he was going crazy with the sensation of all the blood in his body drying up.

“D*mn it.”

A rough word that escaped control flowed out.

Where should I start looking?

That d*mn source.

Where is it? What was the problem? What the h*ll do I need to solve!

Johann looked around like a lost child, carelessly running one hand through his hair. His blue eyes, which had always been steadfast, were wavering aimlessly like a candle in the wind.

* * *

“Wow. It’s amazing.”

After reading to the last page, I closed the book with a thud.

What did I just read?

It was the story of Johann and Claude, and Mihail and Cyril. Their childhood stories that I didn’t know about.

“But is it okay to reveal such things like this?”

I felt guilty, as if I had stolen their secrets. The moment I had that thought, suddenly the contents I had read so carefully began to blur in my mind.

Huh?

Wait a minute.

I read all that, and now you’re taking it back?

This foggy space is really arbitrary.

As I was complaining inwardly, I realized that the fog was clearing. It really was doing whatever it wanted.

By the way, it seems I’ve spent quite a long time here.

I hope Erhi is alright? Johann isn’t worried, is he? I had no idea how much time had passed.

As the fog cleared, the wand became visible.

Thinking I needed to return to reality quickly, I became impatient. I put the book back in its place and hurriedly moved.

“Where are you going to lead me?”

The problem was solved.

Now I knew for certain that this world wasn’t just inside a book. Even the mustard seed-sized doubt deep in my heart had been removed…

My body was becoming transparent. Praying to God not to lead me too far from the Imperial Palace, I closed my eyes.

And not long after, the air surrounding my skin changed. Anxiously wondering where this d*mn wand had dropped me, I slowly lifted my eyelids.

At that moment…

Whoosh.

“……?!”

Someone hugged me fiercely. It was Johann.

His large hand cradled the back of my head, and his other arm was tightly wrapped around my shoulders as if to crush them. Even without saying anything, just holding me, I could feel in detail how much Johann had worried about me.

“……Were you very worried?”

“That d*mn wand……”

Ah.

I shouldn’t laugh.

I sympathized so much with Johann’s feelings that I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. But Johann didn’t seem to be in the mood to laugh at all.

“I was worried.”

He mumbled in a subdued voice.

I patted the back of this grown man to comfort him. Then I slowly separated our bodies. Only then did I notice where we were.

Whether God had answered my prayer or not, I had returned to the middle of the Imperial Palace. Specifically, it was Erhi’s room.

“What were you doing here?”

“I heard you were last with Erhi. So I thought I might find some clue……”

……Were you glaring at our sleeping son?

Looking at Johann trailing off, I could easily guess the situation. Somehow, a deflated sigh escaped me.

By the way, was he very worried?

Johann’s complexion didn’t look good.

“How long was I gone?”

“About an hour.”

“……Is that all?”

“Is that all? In that time, I thought my blood was drying up. An hour felt like a thousand years.”

Johann’s words were sincere. Of course, I understand. This isn’t the first time, so I could only imagine how worried he must have been.

But……

“I read through an extremely thick book.”

“What does that mean?”

I explained that I had visited that space I occasionally dreamed about. And even about reading a strange book there.

The strange thing was that I couldn’t remember at all what I had read in the blank book.

But one realization remained clear.

That this isn’t a world inside a book.

That the man in front of me isn’t just a mere character.

That the family we’ve created is real.

“This is forbidden from now on.”

At that moment, Johann took the wand from my hand. He was giving it a resentful look as if asking why it made people worry by being held.

I smiled apologetically.

“Erhi showed interest in it. I think he thought it was a toy.”

“I’ll have to stash it away where it can’t be seen.”

The precious relic is in danger.

Well. For the peace of our family, disposing of the wand is nothing.

I took in the sight of Erhi sleeping soundly, oblivious to everything, then looked at Johann.

It was real.

My family.

My love.

That fact gave me an overwhelming sense of happiness, and I hugged Johann tightly. His eyes, which had been glaring at the wand, softened.

Soon, Johann tilted his head and kissed me.

This kiss is real too.

The time we’ve spent together is real too.

The brilliant summer sun streamed in through the window bars. Even this warm light seemed to whisper to me that it was real.

It was a day so full that I felt grateful for everything.

T/N: there are more side stories! the other side stories focuses on each love interest’s past (up to 27 chapters i think). i haven’t finished working on those, actually, so those chapters will be posted laterrrrrr. thank you so much 💗