Side Story 15

“Hmm…….”  

“Mei!”  

As Meia’s eyelids slowly opened, Theodore once again thanked the heavens.  

“Theo, I……”  

Meia gently stroked Theodore’s head as he held her hand tightly, tears streaming down his face.  

“Why are you crying?”  

“Because you collapsed……”  

“Were you that startled?”  

“Yes. And I have something to tell you.”  

Theodore smiled as he informed Meia of her pregnancy.  

“Theo.”  

“Yes, Mei.”  

“Theo, are you not happy about the baby?”  

The expression in Theodore’s eyes as he spoke about the baby held a hint of bitterness and worry, unlike his usual demeanor.  

“No! I’m happy. When I found out about the pregnancy, I was overjoyed. I even imagined whether it would be a boy or a girl, and what kind of person they would grow up to be. But then, I suddenly felt uneasy.”  

“What are you uneasy about?”  

“I remembered stories about how childbirth can risk one’s life. While I am delighted, I also feel anxious and worried. If both you and the baby are born healthy, what kind of father should I be? What kind of parent should I become? These mixed thoughts made me feel not just joy but also concern……”  

Meia hugged Theodore tightly.  

“Theo, my mother gave birth to me easily, and my younger brother, who was born late, was also delivered safely. I will have a safe delivery too. And why are you worrying alone? If you love the child with me, we will become parents who love the baby dearly……”  

“Mei……”  

Theodore embraced Meia tightly. Together, they celebrated the joy of their child, setting aside their worries.  

* * *

In the Sirius Empire, Versha, the second son of Viscount Sharden, possessed exceptional talent in swordsmanship. Viscount Sharden supported Versha to ensure his talent could fully blossom through rigorous training.  

<You must become a great knight and the sword that protects the Grand Duke Florence’s family.>  

<Understood, Father.>  

As the second son, Versha was not in line to inherit the viscountcy. He believed that becoming a knight and living independently would be a fine path. Thus, he devoted himself to honing his skills.  

While other families often fought over the position of the eldest son, Versha was different. He enjoyed continuing his training and indulging in good food afterward. He was always praised.  

With a kind mother, a caring father, and an upright elder brother, his life was abundant and satisfying.  

Viscount Sharden even went to great lengths to send Versha to study at the Gradi Kingdom’s Swordsmanship Academy. There, he won the academy’s swordsmanship competition.  

After graduation, he joined the Florence Knights. His family rejoiced greatly.  

Versha didn’t stop there. Through relentless effort, he rose to become the Captain of the First Knight Division under the Grand Duke Florence.  

For 26 years, he avoided alcohol, gambling, and women, dedicating his life solely to the sword. Versha was content with this life.  

Yes, he was certainly content. However, recently, a certain concern had begun to trouble him.  

“Captain! Miss Agnita is here!”  

At the mention of Agnita’s arrival, Versha instinctively turned his gaze in her direction.  

Thump-thump.  

Whenever he heard Agnita’s name, saw her, or even thought of her, his heart would pound and tingle in an unusual way.  

For a knight who had spent years wielding a sword in battle, having heart problems was unacceptable.  

Thinking he should visit Physician Worst soon, Versha turned his eyes away from Agnita. Yet, when she was no longer in sight, his chest felt strangely tight, and he let out a sigh.  

“Captain Versha!”  

Agnita approached him with a bright smile.  

Seeing her face, the corners of Versha’s lips lifted involuntarily, and his mood improved.  

“Is Juan not with you today?”  

“My brother’s running an errand.”  

“I see.”  

“Well then, I’ll just practice with the dummies……”  

Sometimes, Agnita trained with her brother Juan, and when he wasn’t around, she practiced against training dummies.  

Bowing lightly, Agnita turned her back to him, and Versha felt a slight tremor.  

Without even looking at him, she grabbed a wooden sword and focused entirely on striking the dummy. Versha found himself captivated by her.  

Thump-thump.  

He couldn’t bring himself to wield his sword. Instead, he decided to visit Physician Worst.  

“Captain Versha, it seems you have the same ‘illness’ as His Grace the Grand Duke. By the way, who is this lady that has captured the heart of someone as stoic as you?”  

The moment he heard those words, only one person came to mind. Agnita……  

“Am I feeling this way because I like her?”  

“Yes. These are the early symptoms of lovesickness.”  

“Ha……”  

“Fortunately, you’ve caught it early. If you were to realize it as late as His Grace, you’d be unable to function in daily life.”  

“What do you mean by that?”  

“You’d become so consumed by thoughts of her that you wouldn’t even be able to hold your sword.”  

The more he listened to Physician Worst, the more Versha began to understand why his heart had been aching and troubled.  

“I see. So, I’m lovesick.”  

Versha accepted the diagnosis calmly. He knew from observing Theodore that denying it would be useless.  

Thus began his bittersweet first love. And with it, a secret one-sided affection that no one else knew about……  

* * *

Even on the day of Lady Meia and Theodore’s engagement ceremony, Agnita continued swinging her wooden sword tirelessly.  

He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He didn’t want to. He wanted to see more of her. He wanted to spend more time with her.  

Versha now understood why Theodore always sought out Lady Meia. Quietly concealing his presence, he carefully approached Agnita from behind.  

It was at that moment that the dummy crumbled under Agnita’s relentless strikes with the wooden sword.  

“Hah. Hah.”  

Catching her breath, Agnita picked up her sword again and moved toward another dummy.  

Her passionate dedication to training made him fall for her even more.  

“Don’t you feel sorry for the dummies?”  

Agnita paused to catch her breath and turned around at the sound of his voice.  

“I can’t help it since my brother isn’t here. Captain Versha, don’t sneak up on me like that!”  

Her startled expression was so endearing that Versha couldn’t help but smile.  

“Did I scare you, Miss Agnita?”  

“No, I wasn’t scared.”  

“Alright, I understand. But judging by the state of the dummies today, it seems like something has been bothering you?”  

Agnita nodded and responded to Versha.  

“I was just taking out my frustration on the dummies because my brother isn’t here.”  

Versha chuckled softly.  

“Why are you laughing?”

“Juan would have ended up like the dummies if he lacked skill.”  

“Brother probably thinks of me as a dummy too.”  

“You two are such a close sibling pair. Still, it’s admirable that even on such a joyous day, you haven’t neglected your training.”  

“And you, Captain, coming here to train on such a joyous day, must be very diligent.”  

“Thank you for seeing it that way. Miss Agnita, are you planning to destroy all the dummies today?”  

Agnita, who had already destroyed about twenty dummies, glanced at the remaining ones ahead.  

“Since it’s a happy day, perhaps you should go inside and rest.”  

Agnita shook her head.  

“I’ll continue training.”  

“You’re already strong enough, Miss Agnita.”  

“I need to become even stronger. I have more people to protect now.”  

For the orphaned siblings who had no one to rely on, the world had been harsh. They had endured hunger, pain, hardship, and homelessness. Simply surviving each day had been terrifying.  

She had suffered from an unbearable illness, to the point where she thought death might be better. But she persevered because of Juan. If she were to die, Juan would truly be left all alone.  

“It was Lady Meia who took in two siblings with no one to rely on and saved me when I was sick.”  

After meeting Meia, she regained her health and found a place to call home. Having a roof over her head was a happiness she hadn’t realized before.  

Not going hungry for even a single day brought more joy than she could have imagined. Meia, who gave her such happiness and joy, was more than just a benefactor—she was someone as precious as her own life.  

“I’m glad that Lady Meia is with someone she truly loves, not in a political marriage.”  

And so, she needed to become stronger.  

“I can’t afford to laugh and play like others.”  

Versha felt a piercing resolve in Agnita’s words, as if it could cut through the air.  

“The more I see you, Miss Agnita, the more admirable you seem.”  

“Thank you for the compliment, Captain.”  

“If you’re thankful, have dinner with me.”  

At Versha’s gentle, low voice, which seemed to wrap around her ears, Agnita unconsciously looked up at him.  

“Dinner? With me?”  

“I’d like to have dinner with you, Miss Agnita.”  

Versha raised one corner of his lips as he spoke.  

“If you have dinner with me tonight, I’ll give you the chance to spar with me.”  

“Spar?”  

“Yes. I believe I’m strong enough to be a worthy opponent for you, Miss Agnita.”  

“If we spar and I win, won’t it hurt your pride as Captain?”  

“It’s fine if you win, Miss Agnita.”  

Versha smiled slightly and slowly approached her.  

“If you defeat me, you’ll become the Captain of the First Knight Division of Florence.”  

“And what about you, Captain, if I win?”  

“I’ll become the vice-captain.”  

Versha maintained his gaze on Agnita as he continued.  

“I’m not joking. If you win, Miss Agnita, will you take on the role of captain?”  

“That’s not funny. I’d rather stay by Lady Meia’s side than become captain.”  

Hearing Agnita’s predictable response, well-known for her devotion to Meia, Versha continued speaking.  

“You can be both the captain and her maid. What’s there to worry about?”  

“You speak as though you’re certain I’ll win.”  

Versha lowered his eyelids slightly, looking at Agnita.  

“I’ve already lost to you, Miss Agnita.”