Side Story 3

It was around the sixth week of the new life settling in my womb that I first learned about my pregnancy.

 

“Congratulations. A little baby has taken root in your womb.”

 

“Pardon?!”

 

Unlike the doctor, who looked as ecstatic as if he had just gained a grandchild of his own, my face couldn’t help but twist into a bizarre expression. It was because this was genuinely, utterly impossible.

 

And for good reason—Ruslan and I belonged to entirely different species. Even if my heart was connected to his, I was strictly a human, and he was not.

 

“Is it possible the diagnosis is wrong?”

 

“That cannot be. This is, without a doubt, a pregnancy. If it isn’t, I will throw my long medical career right into the fireplace.”

 

‘He really shouldn’t throw around words like that so carelessly. What if his career actually ends up as kindling?’

 

In the midst of that situation, it was Leona who drove the final wedge into the fact of my pregnancy.

 

“A soul has taken root in your womb. Congratulations.”

 

“Wait, seriously? You’re not joking?”

 

“What would I gain by joking about something like this? It doesn’t benefit me at all.”

 

Well, that was true, but…

 

“No, before that, is this even possible? I mean, I’m…”

 

“You are wondering how a child could be conceived when My Lady is a human and the Duke is a transcendent being on par with a dragon, right?”

 

Leona hit the nail right on the head. Smiling brightly, she began to untangle my doubts one by one.

 

“Normally, just as you said, a child could never be born between the Duke and a human. His inner nature is completely different; it’s only his outer appearance that resembles a human. However, My Lady drank the Ambrosia, transcending a human fleshly body, and since you currently share a heart with the Duke, your physical body must have been reconfigured into a state similar to his. I suspect that is what made this possible.”

 

To put it simply, because Ruslan and I shared a heart, I had become an existence similar to him. And that was why pregnancy had become possible.

 

I had only done it because I didn’t want Ruslan to be lonely anymore, but I never imagined it would produce a result like this.

 

“Anyway, congratulations. Now this quiet ducal castle will be filled with the sound of a child’s laughter.”

 

Leona offered her congratulations with heartfelt sincerity. However, there was still one lingering question.

 

“But Leona, how did you know I drank the Ambrosia?”

 

That was a story known to absolutely no one except Ruslan and God. It wasn’t that I was intentionally hiding it, but it wasn’t something to brag about to the whole neighborhood either. Furthermore, if it became known that I was the first human to survive drinking Ambrosia, annoying flies from all over the continent would flock to bother me. So, I hadn’t uttered even the first syllable of the word ‘Ambrosia’ to anyone.

 

“I told you before that I was chosen by God. His voice can always be heard through my ears.”

 

“So, you’re saying God went around blabbing about it to everyone.”

 

“……”

 

“I didn’t think he was that kind of person, but he certainly has a loose tongue.”

 

Stung by the accurate remark, Leona found herself utterly unable to offer a rebuttal.

 

 

***

 

 

The sudden news of the pregnancy still didn’t feel real. Inside this belly… Ruslan and my child were growing?

 

Since it was the early stages of pregnancy, it was still flat, but since the doctor and Leona were so certain, it must truly be a pregnancy.

 

Ruslan and my child. My family.

 

As I stared once more at the words ‘My Family’ scribbled in the corner of the book I was reading, my heart fluttered as if floating on a cloud.

 

Both Beatrice and I had families in the past, but they were worse than strangers. They were people who had always treated me like an invisible person and never acknowledged any effort I made. People who didn’t even deserve to be called family.

 

Memories from the Arosha Viscounty began to creep up from my recollections of my past life. It didn’t feel good.

 

“Ah, these kinds of thoughts aren’t good for the baby. Good thoughts, only good thoughts.”

 

Stroking my belly, I tried my best to fill my head with pleasant thoughts. Imagining a scene where this child inside me, Ruslan, and I walked together through the ducal castle gardens. A family that was truly, genuinely my own.

 

A silly grin spread across my face without me even realizing it.

 

‘Ah, now is not the time for this. I need to hurry up and tell Ruslan this news.’

 

I wanted him to hear it directly from my mouth rather than through someone else. So, I marched straight into his office.

 

“Ruslan!”

 

However, the office was empty, with only documents sitting lonely on top of the desk.

 

Where did he go? Usually, he was always in his office at this time.

 

I wondered if he had gone out to patrol the estate, but I hadn’t heard or received any reports that he had left. And if he were going out, he would have told me first.

 

Ruslan was definitely somewhere inside the castle. I roamed all over the estate, searching for places where he might be.

 

The greenhouse, the gardens, the knight’s training grounds, the library, the kitchen, the master bedroom. I even checked the gardener’s cottage, which was a special place just for the two of us, but Ruslan’s silver hair was nowhere to be found.

 

“Gosh. Just where on earth are you?!”

 

After wandering all over the place, I blindly flung open a wooden door right in front of me without thinking. Surprisingly, Ruslan was there.

 

“Ruslaaaaaaaaagh!!!!”

 

Completely stark naked, that is. Though it was a view of his back.

 

Of course, Ruslan didn’t have a bizarre hobby of stripping off his clothes in random places for no reason. In my desperation to find him, I had walked into the bathroom without thinking, and Ruslan had simply been washing himself.

 

Too shocked, I turned around the very moment I saw his back, but the image remained vivid in my mind. His damp, moist skin as if he had just stepped out of the bath, and his sleek, agile back with neatly defined muscles completely devoid of any scars.

 

Even though I saw his body every day, it always felt fresh and heart-fluttering whenever I looked at it. My face was burning up, and just as I was cupping my cheeks with both hands, I heard his voice.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

Perhaps because he had just stepped out of the bathtub, his voice sounded a notch more languid than usual. Along with the visual feast, even my ears were being purified.

 

‘No, no, pull yourself together. I have something I absolutely must tell Ruslan right now.’

 

“I really needed to tell you something, Rus…”

 

The moment I turned around to get straight to the point, I came face-to-face with Ruslan, and the words in my head completely flew away.

 

As if he had been in the tub just moments ago, moisture clung to Ruslan’s hair. His silver locks shimmered brilliantly as they caught the light, and a drop of water falling from his hair slowly rolled down from his collarbone toward his chest.

 

‘Baby in my belly! Take a good look! I don’t know what your gender is, but if you’re a girl, you must meet a man like your dad, and if you’re a boy, you have to become a man like your dad. Just like this man right in front of your eyes!’

 

“Bice? Are you okay?”

 

There was something I absolutely had to tell Ruslan. With my own lips, directly. But…

 

‘Did I really have to say it right this second?’

 

“Oh my. There’s a stain on my dress?”

 

A tiny, dark smudge was on the bottom hem of my skirt. It was so small that you’d have to look closely to notice it, but originally, a duchess’s dress must always be immaculate, and even the slightest blemish was unacceptable.

 

Who said that, you ask? I just decided that right now.

 

“My clothes got dirty, so I think I should wash up.”

 

“Now that I think about it, I don’t think I washed properly either.”

 

Catching onto my intention immediately, Ruslan closed the bathroom door with a trace of amusement playing on his face.

 

 

***

 

 

“Agoo, my aching body.”

 

Having just come out after washing up, I rolled around on the bed with a languid body, my brow furrowing involuntarily at the aching sensation spreading through my limbs.

 

Even if it was an impulsive action driven by how moved my heart had been by Ruslan’s appearance coming out of the bath, the price was far too steep. My shoulders and neck, in particular, were covered in teeth marks and red spots, looking as if I had been bitten by a wild beast.

 

‘Is it really okay to be like this during the early stages of pregnancy?’

 

Even though the baby was still in my womb, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with letting them know that their parents get along well. The problem was that instead of just getting along well, it had been incredibly passionate.

 

‘I need to hurry up and tell your dad about you guys.’

 

Stroking my belly, I tried to predict what kind of reaction Ruslan would have when I delivered the news. Though he had never brought up the topic of children to me even once, wouldn’t he be happy? No one dislikes the fruit of love created with the person they cherish.

 

While I was indulging in all sorts of imaginations on the bed, Ruslan walked in, now fully dressed. The moment I saw his face, I felt no desire to delay any longer.

 

“Ruslan. I have something to say. Come sit here for a moment.”

 

When I tapped the spot beside me to call him over, Ruslan sat down next to me without a word.

 

“I’ve actually been looking all over for you since earlier to tell you this.”

 

‘Whew.’

 

Taking a breath, I stared straight into his eyes.

 

“I’m pregnant. They say there’s a child of yours and mine in my womb.”

 

The moment I uttered the words I had been longing to say, Ruslan’s expression was completely different from what I had imagined. To put it simply, it was quite a sight to behold. It was a face I had never seen him make, from my past life up until now.

 

It was a face mixed with incredibly chaotic emotions. His dark eyes kept wandering, unable to look at me properly, and he looked like a person who couldn’t find his bearings on what to say first.

 

‘Did I deliver the main point too directly? Should I have talked about other things first before telling him, so the shock would be less?’

 

While I was staring at his unfamiliar state, the first words that finally came out of Ruslan’s mouth after a long silence were…

 

“…By any chance, have you felt physically exhausted lately?”

 

“Huh?”

 

‘Had I been sick without realizing it?’

 

“Did you ever experience a sudden feeling of strength draining from your body? Or perhaps a sensation that your lifespan was being chipped away? Or maybe a feeling that your life force was leaking out like water from a bottomless pot?”

 

Along with asking if my body was okay, Ruslan began to pour out frantic questions about my physical condition. Since my heart was connected to his, I could feel it clearly. The emotion he was experiencing right now was anxiety.

 

It didn’t seem like he was just confused by the situation. He was anxious, as if I might vanish right from this spot.

 

‘Why is he suddenly this anxious?’

 

I couldn’t fathom the reason, but soothing him came first.

 

“Wait. Hold on a second and calm down, Ruslan. I’m fine. I don’t feel sick or exhausted anywhere. You know that better than anyone.”

 

Through the heart connected to mine, he could know my condition even better than I did.

 

I opened my arms, pulled him into a firm embrace, and patted his back. It was a bit difficult for my small frame to hold his large body, making it look more like I was clinging to him, but Ruslan seemed to calm down a little just from that.

 

“Why are you suddenly like this? Could it be… you don’t want a child?”

 

Come to think of it, Ruslan had never brought up the topic of children to me, from my past life until now. At first, I thought it was just because a child could never be conceived between him and me, so he had no expectations or lingering regrets about it. But if that wasn’t it, and he actually didn’t want a child…

 

“No. It’s because you are more precious.”

 

Startled by the somewhat strange answer, I snapped my head up and met Ruslan’s gaze. Anxiety still lingered in his eyes.

 

“It’s true that I don’t want a child. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to have a child with you; it’s because I don’t want to lose you. As you know, I am not a human, so just the fact that a normal human is carrying my child could cause her life force to be drained away. I don’t want anything like that. A creature that grew by feeding on your life…”

 

“Hey, Ruslan.”

 

I took hold of Ruslan’s hands, which were right in front of me. Though faint, his hands were trembling.

 

“I am never going to leave you behind and pass away first again. This is a promise I extracted from God, so it’s certain.”

 

“……”

 

“Even if I happen to leave this world even a single second earlier, I will grab the Grim Reaper by the hair and drag myself back.”

 

“…I was thinking of grabbing God by the collar.”

 

A laugh burst out of me at his joke made in such a serious situation. However, Ruslan’s face remained entirely grave.

 

“Ah, you weren’t joking.”

 

“……”

 

“Anyway, what I mean is that I won’t die just from carrying your child. Because I’m not a normal human, right? I survived even after drinking Ambrosia, and thanks to that, I was able to connect my heart with yours. If so, I will surely be able to give birth to your child safely.”

 

It wasn’t a verified fact. However, I had conviction. A conviction that I would safely give birth to the child I shared with Ruslan.

 

Holding Ruslan’s still-anxious face with both hands, I showered kisses all over his face. After I had spent a good while soothing and coaxing him like that, Ruslan, who had been quietly yielding his face to me, finally spoke.

 

“To repeat what I said earlier, I have no need for a child born from consuming your life.”

 

“……”

 

“But if it’s a child that doesn’t harm your life… if it’s simply a child of yours and mine.”

 

Suddenly, my body floated up into the air. Ruslan slipped one arm behind my knees to support me, while using his other arm to pull me into a tight embrace.

 

“I want it too. A beautiful child who resembles you.”

 

“I think a child who resembles you would be even more beautiful.”

 

From a viewpoint that had risen a span higher, my eyes met Ruslan’s. Letting out a soft laugh, I pressed my lips against his.

 

 

***

 

 

Around the time before the news of the pregnancy had spread throughout the northern region, an unexpected guest arrived at the ducal castle.

 

“Hey. You still alive!”

 

A handsome man with blue hair and a beautiful woman with black hair—they were Lainen and Ifrita, the dragons residing in the Nyun-ki Mountain Range.

 

“There’s a main gate, so why are you coming in through here?!”

 

Oddly enough, the guests entered through the drawing-room window instead of the front gate. If the spirits serving the castle hadn’t recognized them and reported to me, they wouldn’t have been able to complain even if they were mistaken for thieves.

 

“I heard you’re pregnant?”

 

Without answering my question, Lainen cut right to the chase.

 

‘Has the news already spread all the way to the Nyun-ki Mountain Range?’

 

While I was staring at him with a slightly bewildered look, Lainen graciously revealed the source of the rumor himself.

 

“God mentioned it. He said a child was conceived between Ruslan and you. It was fascinating to see Him looking so excited, which is quite unlike Him, so I came to see if it was true.”

 

‘As expected, the God of this world definitely has a loose tongue. Going around spreading rumors absolutely everywhere like this. In a week, even the priests across the whole country will know.’

 

“What God said was true. The child has settled in very stably. Congratulations.”

 

At Lainen’s sudden congratulations, I could only blink my eyes in response. I never expected to receive congratulations from Lainen, who didn’t care for humans.

 

“Why that face? Are you moved by my congratulations?”

 

“It’s not that, it’s just that she probably didn’t expect you to congratulate her. You hate humans.”

 

Ifrita accurately read my thoughts. Lainen scratched his head, uttering an “Ah, was it because of that?”

 

“You’re not a human anymore. To be precise, you’ve become an existence that is neither human nor anything else, but since you’ve become similar to Ruslan anyway, you’re no longer human. So I have no reason to dislike you.”

 

It seemed that whatever it was, as long as it wasn’t human, it was all fine with Lainen.

 

‘Not a human…’

 

I carefully brought up a doubt that had been swirling in my mind to him.

 

“If that’s the case, is the child in my womb not human either?”

 

The answer to that came from Ifrita instead.

 

“That’s not it. Even if you have ceased to be human, your fundamental composition is human, so the child will be born as a human. Instead, they will be healthier and have a longer lifespan than ordinary humans.”

 

I felt a bit of regret at her answer, but on the other hand, I thought it was a relief. Whether they wanted to or not, the child would have no choice but to live alongside humans. If they weren’t human, they would have to experience the pain of living through a different flow of time, watching the people they love pass away while they keep on living. Just like Ruslan did.

 

“Where is Ruslan? I should go take a look at that guy’s mug too.”

 

Lainen vanished from the drawing room in the blink of an eye. In the space where he had disappeared like the wind, only Ifrita and I were left behind.

 

“I apologize. Lainen is only three thousand years old, so he only considers his own thoughts important.”

 

‘When you look at it this way, he really is young.’

 

Just how old was Ifrita, who referred to a dragon that had lived through enough time for a kingdom to change five times as ‘young’?

 

Staring at Ifrita, whose age could not be guessed by her appearance alone, I carefully spoke to her.

 

“Ifrita. There is something I’ve been wanting to ask you. What you said to me before.”

 

“Do you mean my words about whether you crossed through time and space to find your destiny?”

 

“Yes. By any chance, did you say that knowing that I had crossed over from another world?”

 

“That’s right. I could tell the moment I first saw you. Your physical body belongs to this world, but your soul is an existence that crossed over from another world. That’s why it was rather intriguing. It was the first time I’ve seen things from different worlds harmonizing well together without colliding. Just like you.”

 

Things from different worlds. Beatrice’s body and my soul. Contrary to my assumption that this was simply a world inside a novel and that I had merely possessed a body—a common trope—this was a truly existing world, and Beatrice was not just a mere extra, but a living, breathing human who had her own story.

 

“Then, does Beatrice… I mean, the original owner of this body, still remain inside me?”

 

“No. From the moment she chose death herself, she accepted her demise and departed without any lingering regrets. She is truly a noble soul. Accepting death after dying by one’s own hand is no easy feat.”

 

“Then, does Ruslan know about this fact too?”

 

This was a doubt that had persisted from the moment I witnessed the end of Beatrice, the original owner of this body, and remembered my past life up until now.

 

‘Could all of these things I remember—the past memories with Ruslan and the recollections of my previous life—actually belong to the original Beatrice, things she should have enjoyed? Could the lover Ruslan missed so desperately actually be the original Beatrice, and I am merely an interloper? And Ruslan, without knowing that, is just loving me…’

 

“He knows.”

 

Ifrita’s firm voice instantly severed the tangled doubts inside my head.

 

“That noble existence likely knew from the very beginning. That’s why he loved you from the moment you approached him. Because your soul is indeed the very human he loved for the first and last time, and my dear friend.”

 

“Am I… truly the reincarnation of that lover?”

 

At the revelation, a single tear rolled down from my wide-open eyes before I could stop it. The doubt I had harbored against myself dissolved away completely at the fact that the memories of my past life were not Beatrice’s, but truly the memories of my own soul.

 

“In the first place, if you were someone else, Ruslan wouldn’t have given you a second glance. You know his personality.”

 

A laugh burst out of me at Ifrita’s words, which accurately pierced the core of the matter. Though it was a strange sight—crying while smiling—Ifrita patted my shoulder as if she understood everything.

 

How long had we been like that?

 

Suddenly, it flashed through my mind that Lainen had gone out to find Ruslan.

 

“Ah, right! Ruslan!”

 

 

***

 

 

“Hey, Lord Duke! What are you doing hiding in your room?!”

 

Lainen flung open the office door with a bang without even knocking. Around him floated the spirits, flustered by the guest—who wasn’t acting much like a guest—moving about as he pleased without the master’s permission, but he paid them no heed.

 

“…What’s the matter?”

 

Unlike usual, Ruslan wasn’t sitting at his desk but was practically leaning back against the sofa. His complexion looked paler and more gaunt than usual.

 

“This great one came to congratulate you! To think you’ve created a second generation before Ifrita and I have even had one, I’ve lived long enough to see everything. But why do you look like you’re at death’s door?”

 

Only after pouring out everything he wanted to say did Lainen finally notice Ruslan’s complexion and step closer to examine him. Ruslan knitted his brows and waved his hand.

 

“Don’t come close. Even your scent is offensive.”

 

“What?! Are you saying I smell? Is this a new way of picking a fight?”

 

“Lord Lainen, hold on a moment!”

 

Rushing out of the drawing room in a hurry, I was able to catch hold of Lainen’s clothes before he could get any closer to Ruslan. Pulling him by his sleeve, I moved him to the spot furthest away from the opposite sofa. Lainen looked displeased, but he didn’t slap my hand away or anything.

 

“It’s best not to go near Ruslan right now.”

 

“Why? Is he pregnant too?”

 

“……”

 

“…Seriously?”

 

“No, it’s not that… Ruslan is currently suffering from severe morning sickness.”

 

I explained the situation one by one to Lainen, who was alternating glances between Ruslan and me with a face that asked what kind of nonsense this was.

 

For a few days after sharing the pregnancy news with Ruslan, we were truly happy. Since it was still the early stages of pregnancy and the shape of the soul hadn’t fully formed yet, we didn’t know if it was a girl or a boy, but whichever it was, let’s raise them beautifully and preciously.

 

We had been spending our daily lives sharing small conversations about the future, saying that since I wanted to raise them with lots of love and Ruslan wanted to raise them to be polite, we could take charge of love and education respectively. Then came a certain day.

 

That day was just like any other. It was when I was having a meal with Ruslan at a restaurant in the Ishelbach city center after a long time.

 

“…It’s fishy.”

 

Ruslan stopped after eating a few pieces of steak from his plate and put his fork straight down.

 

“Huh? Fishy? I don’t taste anything like that at all?”

 

The steaks Ruslan and I were eating were the exact same dish. The steak, which perfectly brought out the flavor of the gravy sauce, was far from fishy; the juices practically burst in my mouth.

 

‘Could there be something wrong with the meat on Ruslan’s plate?’

 

I picked up a piece of meat sliced on his plate with my fork and tasted it, but it was no different from the one on my plate.

 

Meanwhile, the restaurant owner fell into deep shock and rushed into the kitchen the moment Ruslan turned away the food, claiming it was fishy. The staff and the head chef unknowingly broke out into a cold sweat at the sudden entrance of the owner.

 

“The Duke says the steak is fishy! Just how did you prepare the food?!”

 

To say it was fishy meant either something went wrong during the processing of the ingredients or the quality of the ingredients was poor. To serve food that tasted fishy the moment it was eaten to a high noble, when even serving the finest quality food wouldn’t be enough!

 

If this fact became known, it was a major incident that wouldn’t just tarnish the restaurant’s reputation but might even force the establishment to close its doors.

 

“Hurry! Go make it again right now using the absolute best quality ingredients! Hurry!”

 

The head chef felt wronged by the owner’s yelling. However, looking at the restaurant owner’s face, which was as pale as a sheet of paper, he couldn’t say anything and silently endured the badgering while cooking the dish again.

 

The restaurant owner scolded the ingredient manager until tears nearly came to his eyes, and he even brought out secret ingredients hidden in the deepest part of the food pantry, or even borrowed from other shops to procure better ingredients.

 

The steak remade through such efforts was excellent in aroma, taste, and presentation. Fearing that the serving staff might make a mistake, the restaurant owner came out to serve the table where Ruslan was sitting himself.

 

With perfect etiquette, he poured water into the empty glass and set the plate down. He was certain that he had managed to salvage the situation to some extent with this.

 

However, Ruslan, who picked up the water glass, knitted his brows.

 

“Even the water smells fishy.”

 

The restaurant owner sincerely wanted to cry that day.

 

 

***

 

 

Starting from that moment, Ruslan’s morning sickness gradually grew worse. At first, he could at least eat the food prepared by the ghost chef of the ducal castle. Even if it was only a little, it was better than when he couldn’t eat at all, claiming it was fishy.

 

However, as time went on, the morning sickness became even more severe, and now even the food from the ghost chef, who was said to be from the imperial kitchen, was of no use, and he couldn’t even drink water properly, saying it smelled fishy.

 

Right now, the only things he could consume were a few pieces of fruit, and…

 

“Heh. I’ve never seen a case like this before.”

 

“They say that while the mother usually suffers from morning sickness, there are rare instances where the father experiences morning sickness on behalf of the mother.”

 

Ruslan pulled me close as I sat beside him and buried his face in my shoulder. His complexion looked a notch more relaxed than before.

 

“Even so, to have morning sickness to the point where every scent other than yours triggers a rejection response, isn’t that being a bit too extra?”

 

I had nothing to say to Lainen’s remark. Because it truly was being extra.

 

“Looking at this, dragons are much better off. We only need to incubate the egg. By the way, are you okay?”

 

“I’m completely fine.”

 

It was true. Perhaps because Ruslan was experiencing the morning sickness instead, I, the one who was actually pregnant, ate incredibly well without being picky about anything. It was to the point where I felt sorry for Ruslan, who was gradually looking more haggard from not being able to properly eat a single meal.

 

“At any rate, it makes me curious to see what kind of kid they’ll be.”

 

I entirely agreed with Lainen’s words.

 

 

 

***

 

 

Even after Lainen and Ifrita left, we remained sitting right there on the sofa in the office. Because of Ruslan’s condition, it was hard for me to get up and see them out, and perhaps because they were beings who didn’t care about such formalities in the first place, they left through the window when they departed as well.

 

“Those people… no, those dragons, at this point, do you think they genuinely don’t know what a window is used for?”

 

“Just as humans don’t pay much attention to the structure of a house built by insects, it is likely the same for them. They probably use the window because it is the most efficient and fastest way to come and go.”

 

True, what meaning could the intended use of an object made by humans hold for transcendent beings? Pulling the head of Ruslan—whose color had returned a little—firmly into my embrace, I gently stroked his hair.

 

“Just what kind of child is this to torment their dad like this?”

 

Ruslan leaned his body completely into my embrace and closed his eyes at the touch of my hand stroking his hair. He looked just like a cat getting its favorite spot scratched.

 

“Still, I don’t mind this.”

 

“The morning sickness?”

 

“Yes. If I imagined you going through this painful and difficult thing, it would have hurt my heart even more. I would much rather be the one suffering a little instead.”

 

“Words can become reality, Ruslan. What if you end up experiencing the pain of childbirth too?”

 

“That wouldn’t be bad either. Rather than you being in pain.”

 

‘Oh my, this man truly doesn’t have a single word that isn’t sweet!’

 

“I think I need to correct my statement about raising the child with nothing but love. When it’s time to scold them, I will be strict. Especially if they talk back to their dad, I will scold them until tears pop out!”

 

‘Their dad is going through all this misery, and they dare talk back to him? Even if they get their butt smacked until it’s red, they won’t have a leg to stand on.’

 

As time passed, Ruslan’s morning sickness gradually faded, and the child in my womb grew rapidly until the due date finally drew near.

 

Staring at my stomach, which was twice the size of a normal pregnant woman’s, Ruslan stayed glued to my side every single day with a look that seemed on the verge of tears.

 

“As expected, a child who makes you suffer like this is…”

 

“What are you saying! The baby can hear you!”

 

Though I smacked Ruslan’s back and acted as if it were nothing, I was also a little anxious. It was partly because of the surrounding concerns that it might be a difficult labor. However, when the actual day of delivery arrived, the children were born incredibly quickly and smoothly. In times like these, they were dutiful children.

 

The babies were fraternal twins. The boy had the same sky-blue hair as me with black eyes that resembled his dad, while the girl had silver hair and emerald-green eyes.

 

The children’s names were Eloise and Ezekiel, and though they were born as fraternal twins with different genders and different hair colors, they shared one thing in common. They were so exceptionally beautiful that it wouldn’t hurt even if you put them in your eyes.*

 

[*T/N: Korean idiom meaning you love someone so much that no action of theirs could ever upset or anger you.]

 

 

***

 

 

A quiet night when even the fairy of sleep seemed to have fallen slumbering.

 

A full moon was illuminating Ishelbach. At that very moment when the Ghost Castle standing tall in the middle of Ishelbach was also in a deep sleep.

 

“Waaaaaaah—!”

 

At the loud crying echoing through the castle, the crows that had been sleeping perched on the castle walls flapped their wings and flew away.

 

My eyes flew open at the sound of the children’s crying echoing throughout the entire castle. However, even before I could get up, Ruslan was already awake and heading out of the room.

 

“Go back to sleep. I’ll go take care of it.”

 

Whether Ruslan possessed an innate ability to detect the children’s crying or not, whenever I opened my eyes because I heard them, he had always risen first and was on his way. It was always like that.

 

Not only that, if it seemed like the children were hungry, he would prepare beforehand and feed them himself, and if the children fought, he would rush over out of nowhere to mediate.

 

Perhaps because of this, I barely had to lift a finger when it came to childcare. Thanks to that, the children also followed their dad much better than me, their mother. That didn’t mean the children didn’t like me, though. The times I interfered with childcare were mostly when I was playing with them. Because of that, I was practically like a friend-like mother to the children.

 

 

***

 

 

Eloise and Ezekiel were twins, but their personalities were as different as their hair and eye colors. Eloise preferred going outside and playing rather than staying inside the castle, and while her dexterity for handiwork like needlework or embroidery was disastrous, she was skilled at handling weapons and showed more interest in subjects like military science and governance.

 

On the other hand, Ezekiel had followed his older sister to play outside when he was little, but as he grew older year by year, he became more interested in reading books in the library or discovering new theories rather than being outside.

 

Their inclinations were different, but precisely because of that, Ezekiel and Eloise were able to get along even better. Since their interests didn’t overlap at all, there was no reason for them to clash. Once, I happened to see the children having a conversation like this.

 

“I’m going to be the next Duke!”

 

“Then I’ll help you from the side, sister. Instead, when you become the Duke, make the library even bigger.”

 

A smile spread across my face involuntarily at the sight of Eloise speaking valiantly and Ezekiel speaking calmly beside her.

 

Originally, women could not hold titles in the Empire, but currently, Isabella, who used to be the Imperial Princess, had become the Emperor. After becoming Emperor, Isabella restructured the personnel and changed the law so that women could also receive titles. Although it hadn’t been long since it was created and lacked practical efficacy, a precedent could simply be made.

 

Even if the opposition from stubborn nobles was fierce, it would all be over once Ruslan officially announced Eloise as his successor.

 

Ruslan intended to grant whatever his children wanted to do, and since he was the continent’s ultimate martial power and a Duke of the Empire, no one would oppose him to the bitter end.

 

However, life never flows exactly as expected.

 

It was one day. It happened when Ruslan was discussing castle wall repairs with the ghost knights. From far down the hallway, sky-blue hair shimmered as it ran closer to where Ruslan was. It was Ezekiel.

 

“Ah, Father.”

 

Even though he was only ten years old, perhaps because he had recently read a book titled <300 Select Rules of Noble Etiquette> in the library, Ezekiel tried hard to call Ruslan ‘Father’ instead of ‘Dad.’

 

Having run from quite a distance, Ezekiel’s fair face was flushed bright red. In the child’s arms, a magazine with the flashy title <Ranking of Cool Men Loved by Women> was tightly held.

 

“What is the matter, Ezel?”

 

Ruslan half-knelt to match Ezekiel’s eye level. It was an action filled with gentleness.

 

“That… by any chance, do women like handsome men?”

 

To the child speaking with sparkling eyes, Ruslan said resolutely: “No. They like men whose faces shine with light. Your mother said she liked my face because it shined with light.”

 

At the unexpected answer, Ezekiel fell into deep shock.

 

‘A… a face must shine with light? Do I need to apply luminescent dye to my face or something?’

 

“My word, Your Grace. If you speak like that, you will throw the Young Master into confusion. Young Master, your choice of discussion partner is incorrect. Since His Grace only looks at Madame, he has no interest in what kind of men other women like.”

 

The point made by the muscular ghost knight, who looked like he must have been a veteran of a hundred battles when he was alive, was entirely accurate.

 

“Then what are your thoughts, Sir? Do women like handsome men?”

 

“They do, right? Although a person’s inner nature is the most important, the first thing that catches one’s eye when seeing someone for the first time is inevitably their appearance. Even if one isn’t exceptionally handsome, just being neat and tidy naturally makes the other person feel more favorable. However, if one’s appearance is outstanding, they can win favor even if they wear rags. Though it varies from person to person.”

 

“Then, Sir. Do you think Her Imperial Majesty also likes handsome men?”

 

“Her Imperial… Majesty? By that, you mean Emperor Isabella, correct?”

 

“Yes… yes. Her Imperial Majesty stroked my head during Mother’s birthday banquet this time and told me I would become a handsome man when I grow up.”

 

As he said that, Ezekiel’s face turned completely red, looking as if it were on fire. Ezekiel recalled the moment he first saw Isabella at Beatrice’s birthday banquet held at the ducal castle.

 

“Her Imperial Majesty has arrived!”

 

At the gatekeeper’s words, the gazes of everyone in the hall directed toward the door all at once. It was the same for Ezekiel.

 

When the doors opened and he saw Isabella for the first time, Ezekiel thought a goddess had descended.

 

Possessing brilliant blonde hair and jewel-like golden eyes, Isabella looked like a goddess shining brightly even inside the dark Nocturne Hall. Her appearance, where even a single gesture held elegance and a relaxed smile played on her lips, looked like it had come out of a masterpiece painting. Having lived for ten years, someone that beautiful and noble was a first in Ezekiel’s life.

 

“I greet the Sun of the Empire.”

 

Beside him, his mother, Beatrice, lifted her skirt slightly and offered a polite greeting toward Isabella.

 

“Raise your head, Duchess. It is my friend’s birthday, so of course I should visit.”

 

Isabella stepped closer to Beatrice and whispered: “But even though I said it because it’s a formal setting, this is giving me goosebumps.”

 

“Me too.”

 

The two women leaned their faces together and giggled.

 

“Is this child the Young Master of the ducal house?”

 

Ezekiel, who had just been staring blankly at Isabella’s face, suddenly snapped out of it and hastily offered his greeting.

 

“I, I greet the Sun of the Empire.”

 

“You are very polite and courteous despite being young. You will become a handsome man when you grow up.”

 

Isabella smiled brightly while stroking Ezekiel’s head. It was merely an action done without much thought because her friend’s son was cute, but a golden bell rang out with a ding inside Ezekiel’s head. It was the beginning of his first love.

 

Time returned to the present.

 

“That’s why I looked up what I need to do to become a handsome man, and ‘handsome man’ also refers to a man with good looks.”

 

If Beatrice had been present at this spot, she would have corrected Ezekiel’s misconception, saying that isn’t necessarily true. However, the only people present here were his father, Ruslan, and the ghost knights. And they were not sufficient candidates for romance counseling.

 

“Young Master, being ‘handsome’ isn’t just about looks. In my youth, rugged men like me were more popular than pretty boys! Just like me!”

 

When one ghost knight flexed his thick arm muscles, the other knights also agreed and showed off their biceps.

 

“And there are likely plenty of handsome men around Her Imperial Majesty. Because men who aim for the position of Prince Consort using their looks are everywhere.”

 

At the mention that there would be many men around Her Imperial Majesty, Ezekiel felt a dark, unpleasant sensation stirring inside him. He would realize it later, but this was the first jealousy of Ezekiel’s life.

 

“Therefore, Young Master, you must differentiate yourself from them. You need another charm—that is, to continue your training, learn martial arts, become a handsome man with a good build, and become Her Imperial Majesty’s knight. Isn’t becoming a knight directly under Her Imperial Majesty the closest way to get near Her?”

 

“There is no need to go that far.”

 

Ruslan scooped Ezekiel up into the air.

 

“You are the son of me, the Duke. Therefore, you possess the right to stay in the Imperial Palace for whatever reason. You just need to stay there and catch the Emperor’s eye.”

 

It was an answer uncharacteristic of Ruslan, who usually seemed to favor direct methods. Ezekiel fell into shock once more. Staying at the Imperial Palace and looking at Her Imperial Majesty every day was a concept he hadn’t even thought of.

 

At most, Ezekiel had only imagined entering the Academy and then becoming an Imperial Library archivist to see Her Imperial Majesty.

 

“But if you go right now, Beatrice and Eloise will be sad. So let’s go one year from now.”

 

“Bu… but what if another man appears by Her Imperial Majesty’s side in the meantime?”

 

“That won’t happen. Word has it that the current Emperor is so fed up with the pouring marriage proposals that she is using them as kindling for her fireplace.”

 

Just as Ruslan said, Isabella, the current Emperor of the Empire, was so sick of the marriage proposals pouring in and the men aiming for the Prince Consort position that she had temporarily suspended her public activities and was secluded inside the palace.

 

“And the knights’ words also hold truth. You must train your body to some extent and hone your martial arts to protect the person you love and strike down the small fry that approach.”

 

Spark flew in the black eyes staring at Ruslan. A child who preferred staying inside the library rather than honing martial arts was showing a glimpse of willpower to volunteer for training for the sake of the woman he liked.

 

‘As expected, the blood doesn’t lie.’

 

The appearance of not hesitating to do anything for the person he loved overlapped with his past self. A curve formed on Ruslan’s lips as he looked at his son.

 

The direction of life for Ezekiel, who had intended to become a scholar buried inside books, had changed. It was a moment when the compass of life spun furiously until the needle flew off.

 

 

***

 

 

There are things that come to mind when one thinks of Ishelbach in the north. The most developed city in the north, a city whose popularity spiked rapidly due to hot spring vacations. However, the first thing that comes to mind is the Ghost Castle.

 

A ducal castle where the servants all ran away because of the ghosts wandering inside, and where local residents wouldn’t even set foot because a few thoughtless young people had entered out of curiosity only to run away out of their wits.

 

In that gloomy place where even taking a step felt reluctant, two women were currently hatching a plot.

 

“The reason I called Leona separately is because I have a favor to ask.”

 

I took a sip of the black tea placed on the table and stared at the person sitting opposite me.

 

“I’m thinking of performing a ritual for the repose of souls.”

 

Leona was wearing a surprised expression, looking as if she hadn’t expected such words to come out of my mouth. However, she soon returned to her usual face.

 

“Duchess, you once declared that the ghosts here are also people within your territory, and that anyone who harms them will be considered an enemy of the ducal house. May I ask if there is a reason you suddenly changed your mind?”

 

Right. I had said that to Leona before. Letting out a sigh, I set my teacup down.

 

“It’s because the ghosts have begun to affect the children’s lives.”

 

At first, it was just to the extent that the spirits were visible to the children’s eyes. It was natural. Inside the ducal castle, even ordinary people can see ghosts. However, perhaps because the children had strongly inherited Ruslan’s blood, they became able to see ghosts outside as well at some point.

 

If it were simply because of this, I wouldn’t have thought of performing a soul repose ritual. One day, Eloise had come back after fighting with another child while playing outside.

 

The image remained vivid in my memory—the face of the child, which was completely disheveled and beaten up here and there, compared to Eloise’s relatively unscathed face.

 

When I sat the two children down and asked for the reason behind what happened:

 

“She called me a crazy bitch who sees ghosts first!”

 

“No, I didn’t! I called her a liar pretending to see ghosts!”

 

“It’s the same thing! But what did you say? Did you not get beaten up enough?!”

 

By the time I pulled Eloise away as she tried to pounce on the child again, the parents of the child—who had been dragged to the ducal castle after brawling with the Duke’s daughter—appeared with deathly pale faces, fell to their knees trembling, and begged.

 

“Please… please, it is our fault. We will scold him severely so that he never does it again, so please show mercy…”

 

Though it was a fight between children, this was strictly a society with a caste system; this side was a Duke, and that side was a Baron. Furthermore, she was the daughter whom the Northern Duke doted on terribly, so how could they not be terrified?

 

I soothed them by saying it was merely a fight between children and that I wouldn’t make an issue of it, and sent them back. I thought the incident would end with this.

 

However, using the reason that Eloise and Ezekiel lived in the Ghost Castle, children picked fights with them on a small or large scale, and it became a daily routine for both of them to beat those children into a bloody pulp until they blubbered.

 

Ezekiel, in particular, was a child who used to stay only in the library, but for whatever whim, he practically lived at the sparring grounds with Ruslan, and now he even researched how to beat people effectively and in ways that wouldn’t show on the outside.

 

Now, along with the notorious reputation of the ducal castle, an strange rumor was added that the children of the ducal house would command ghosts even at a young age and become thugs who would pacify the world with their fists. It gave me a throbbing headache.

 

“It’s better than the children coming home beaten up, but still, children need to live in harmony with people. They need to learn various things, such as how to meet good people and how to distinguish and reject strange people. However, if only people with prejudices or malice approach the children because they see ghosts before they can even learn such things, the children will develop a distrust of humans before they even get a chance to mingle with people.”

 

One cannot simply beat people up whenever they pick a fight forever. As children of the ducal house, Eloise and Ezekiel must learn how to handle people and how to look after the estate residents. To do that, they have no choice but to meet many people first.

 

“More than anything, I felt that the time has come. We can’t keep the ghosts here tied down forever. They also need to go where they belong now.”

 

Whatever the case, the final destination for ghosts was the underworld. The spirits weren’t working here simply because they had heavy backsides.

 

They were working at the ducal castle because of a promise with Ruslan that he would send them to the underworld someday in exchange for their labor. Otherwise, why would they perform unpaid labor here? They are ghosts, so they can’t even receive wages.

 

“But what is the reason you are asking me? I think it would be faster to solve it by talking to the Duke instead of me.”

 

“Because you are a shaman and a guide.”

 

At the word ‘guide,’ Leona’s hand paused.

 

“Ruslan also said he can send souls to the underworld, but he said he cannot send a large quantity of souls contained within the castle all at once.”

 

“Ah, certainly, the Duke’s power is focused more on destroying souls rather than guiding them.”

 

“But I know that since you are a guide, it is possible for you to send many souls to the underworld at once. Even in numerous ancient texts, it is written that a shaman called a guide possesses the power to lead many souls to the underworld.”

 

To put it like this: if Ruslan’s power was focused more on physically destroying and erasing souls rather than guiding them to the underworld, Leona had a stronger power to guide souls to the underworld. Perhaps even more so than Ruslan.

 

“Furthermore, you said you are a shaman who communicates with God. If so, sending the souls here to the underworld wouldn’t be an impossibility.”

 

“Your words are correct, Duchess. But if I do that, what do I get out of it?”

 

“I will grant you anything, within the limits of what I can do.”

 

In truth, it was a statement made because I didn’t clearly know what Leona wanted. She wasn’t a personality who normally enjoyed luxury, and she didn’t have many strong likes or dislikes about what was good or bad.

 

If I had to pick something she liked, she liked working, but I couldn’t exactly tell her that I would let her be buried in work for the rest of her life, could I?

 

Stroking her chin with an amused expression, Leona narrowed her eyes halfway.

 

“I heard that a lord has not yet been decided for the Svants territory not far from here, so it is currently attached to Ishelbach.”

 

At the word ‘Svants,’ the soul of the Countess who had left with a bright smile in my dream came to mind. The first evil spirit I had encountered. And the catalyst that made me no longer afraid of ghosts.

 

“Give me the title of Countess and grant that land to me. I will become the lord of that place.”

 

It was an unexpected proposal. In truth, Svants was close to Ishelbach, but it was a small city with no distinct features. It wasn’t a fertile granary region, its terrain wasn’t suitable for trade, nor did it possess natural resources. In short, it was a piece of land with no value worth coveting.

 

“You look curious as to why I am specifically asking for a piece of land that has barely any value.”

 

‘I’ve thought this before, but thoughts really do seem to show clearly on my face.’

 

“Actually, I received a letter from my father recently. It was filled with long, useless contents, but to summarize, it said to stop roaming around outside now, quietly receive bridal lessons at home, pick an appropriate man, and get married.”

 

Though Leona smiled as she said that, I could feel that she was considerably angered.

 

“I like entering the Academy, and I like working here. It’s rewarding. But to my father, the work I do just looks like a brief moment of playing house. Knowing that none of my efforts are acknowledged makes me feel quite unpleasant. So I thought: if that’s how it’s going to be, I might as well establish some merit and become a lord. If I hold a title, my father will shut his mouth too. Just as I was thinking that, the Duchess made a request to me.”

 

It was truly exquisite timing. If that was what Leona wanted, I could grant it as much as she wished. Ishelbach was managing the Svants land out of necessity anyway, and that land needed a lord regardless.

 

Leona and I shared what we wanted from each other. The matter proceeded at lightning speed.

 

“Then let’s set a date and perform the soul repose ritual on that day. Let’s see. This day is the best day to open the path to the underworld. But out of all places, the location where the gates of heaven will open on this day happens to be the main plaza. It will attract too many people’s eyes, which isn’t good, so let’s pick another day…”

 

“No. Let’s do it on that day.”

 

Facing Leona, who was looking at me with a questioning gaze, I smiled gently and picked up my teacup.

 

“Since we’re doing it anyway, let’s make the stage large and gather onlookers. If possible, so that all the people of Ishelbach can see. Let’s show it to the people officially: ‘All the ghosts of the Ghost Castle have returned to heaven.'”

 

“Is that so the estate residents will no longer fear the ducal castle?”

 

“There’s that, and I also intend to hire and recruit new people. If word spreads that ghosts no longer appear, we’ll be able to hire people who want to work at the castle.”

 

“By the way, Duchess, how did you know that I am a shaman with that level of power? Did the Duke tell you?”

 

“Ah, God told me?”

 

“……”

 

“He appeared in my dream one day and told me. If I want to send the souls all at once, to do it through you instead of Ruslan. That it would be more efficient.”

 

“……”

 

“As I’ve said before, God truly has a loose tongue and sticks His nose into everything, doesn’t He?”

 

It was the first time Leona regretted communicating with God.

 

 

***

 

 

Time passed, and the date Leona had mentioned arrived.

 

The preparation for the soul repose ritual was virtually nothing special. It consisted entirely of Leona wearing a different ceremonial robe than usual and praying in the main plaza, where a large crystal mirror had been installed.

 

To draw people’s attention, we adorned Leona more flashily and placed flower decorations around her, but there was no performance like setting up a chaotic table and dancing like a modern shamanic ritual.

 

After a few minutes passed with Leona murmuring and praying in an unintelligible language, a hole opened up right in the middle of the sky, and light poured down from it. It looked similar to the cluster of light I had seen before when the children of Enea opened the path to the underworld.

 

Watching that, the spirits of the ducal castle entered into the light one by one, as if drawn by it.

 

When a spirit whose head had been half-missing entered the light, she transformed into a perfectly intact appearance with shimmering black hair. The appearance inside the light was visible even to ordinary people’s eyes, as I could hear the surrounding onlookers letting out exclamations of awe.

 

Right before she ascended to heaven, she turned her body toward the spot where Ruslan and I were standing and bowed her head.

 

“Thank you, Duchess.”

 

It was the same for the soul whose stomach had a gaping hole right through the middle.

 

“I thought it was a relief that the Duchess came to the ducal castle. It has been delightful all this time.”

 

“Now I am able to go with a light heart. I will miss you.”

 

The numerous spirits all disappeared into the other world along the path of heaven. Now, only one last soul remained.

 

“I thought Felix would stay continuously…”

 

Unlike the other spirits, he was said to have contracted directly with Ruslan. Since he had come to the living world because he wished to, I naturally thought he would remain.

 

“Good grief. I am also weary of tidying up after others now. I wish to rest peacefully too. Although the Duke is still unreliable.”

 

Felix smiled brightly as he looked at Ruslan and me before entering the light.

 

“Since the Madame is here, I can depart with peace of mind. And shouldn’t the living live among the things of the living? I have left plenty of my knowledge and data in writing, so I trust you will take care of the rest on your own.”

 

Felix walked into the light without hesitation.

 

“Well then, until we meet again somewhere.”

 

Offering a polite bow just like when we first met, Felix disappeared into the light in an instant.

 

As all the souls ascended to heaven, the path of light slowly closed. Lifting my head to watch it, I prayed in my heart.

 

‘Goodbye. May peace be with you. Please live a better life in a comfortable place.’

 

<END OF STORY>