Side Story 1.1

“What is the meaning of this visit so early in the morning, Your Highness?!”

“W-what was that? What was that noise? Hilda, you heard that, too, right?”

“Yes…! I think it was His Grace, the Grand Duke…”

“I trust that you have not come to see my daughter so early in the morning! You are not officially engaged, are you? It would be quite inappropriate!”

Hilda and I stared at each other, our faces as white as a sheet. My father’s voice was so loud it echoed up the stairs and even pierced through the closed door.

All I could hear was my father’s booming voice, as if he were yelling right next to me. I couldn’t hear Jeras’s voice at all.

I wonder what he said. Or did he not say anything?

I wasn’t hoping for a witty reply. This was Jeras. It would be a miracle if he didn’t say anything stupid.

I kicked off my blankets and got out of bed in a hurry. I had to stop him before his sharp tongue made my father even angrier.

“Hilda, any clothes will do! Please, hurry!”

“Yes, Your Grace! Don’t you worry!”

With Hilda’s help, I got dressed at lightning speed and rushed out of my room. Before I could even get halfway down the stairs, my father’s voice echoed in my ears again.

“I have not! Officially given my answer, have I?!”

I had never heard my father so angry before. I was so scared my body started trembling. What did Jeras say to make him so furious?

Outside the drawing-room door, Alberto looked completely lost. It was a fight between a Grand Duke and a Prince; there was no way he could step in and mediate.

When he saw me, Alberto’s eyes lit up as if he had seen a god. I nodded in response to his desperate gaze and pushed the drawing-room door open.

“Dad!”

“Oh, Eloe! My daughter! How have you been?”

My father, who had been standing in the middle of the drawing room with an expression that looked like he wanted to devour Jeras whole, broke into a wide grin the moment he saw me. It would be easier to flip a palm than to change his expression that quickly!

My father hugged me tightly, leaving me bewildered by the sudden change.

His broad embrace felt different from Jeras’s. It was so comforting that I felt like I could fall back asleep, even though I had just woken up.

Ah, no. This isn’t the time for that!

“Dad, why did you come here so suddenly without telling me? Is something wrong?”

“The way you’re speaking, it sounds as if I can only come here if something is wrong. That makes your father very sad and hurt, you know.”

My father’s shoulders slumped as he pouted. 

‘Ugh, he’s right.’ 

What if he thought I was scolding him for coming? If I left him alone, he might even start crying.

I hesitated for a moment, then hugged him back with both arms.

“I was just surprised. I was sleeping, and then I heard your voice…”

“Oh, you were sleeping, and your father woke you up? I’m sorry, my daughter. If you’re sleepy, go back to your room and get some more sleep. Shall I sing you a lullaby? I could show off my skills for the first time in a while. Ha ha ha.”

“…I’m all grown up now. Are you really sure nothing is wrong?”

“Of course, of course. I just came to see my beautiful daughter. I was so worried about you being here in the capital all alone. And I heard a rumor that some strange guy was after you, so I came to see what was going on.”

‘Please tell me that “strange guy” isn’t Jeras, who is standing right behind you with his eyes blazing red?’

I met Jeras’s eyes over my father’s shoulder. He was standing with his arms crossed and his weight on one leg, wearing a smile that I couldn’t decipher.

He seemed to find this whole situation amusing, but also slightly annoyed. He was so unpredictable that I couldn’t tell anything from his expression alone.

‘Even though he treated him like a son, he’s a Crown Prince now, so “strange guy” is a little… Well, neither of them is the type to care about such things, so it should be fine.’

“Eloe, go to the dining room first. Your father has to talk to His Highness about something. I’ll be quick, so we can have breakfast together.”

“May I join you for breakfast, Father? I skipped breakfast, and I am starving.”

“…Father?”

My father’s murmured voice was chilling. He released me and slowly turned toward Jeras.

Jeras, who had quickly straightened his posture, gave him a refreshing smile.

“You are Eloe’s father, so I believe it would be more appropriate to call you Father than Grand Duke…”

“Are you being serious, Your Highness?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked if you are serious about marrying Eloe.”

“I may not be serious about other things, but when it comes to Eloe, I am always serious.”

His earnest reply made the lighthearted atmosphere vanish in an instant. An unexpected confession that made my face flush.

I fanned my face with my hands and glanced at my father. He was silent for a long time, as if thinking about something.

After a moment, my father spoke to Jeras in a heavy voice.

“Understood. Then, follow me.”

***

The place we arrived at was an indoor training hall. In the corner was a well-maintained weapon rack, and a light that was almost like natural sunlight hung from the high ceiling.

‘There was an indoor training hall here.’

I had been living here for a while, but this was my first time here.

My father had tried to send me back multiple times on the way here. But I had clung to him even more stubbornly.

I had no idea what he was going to do with Jeras once he sent me away. They were not some neighborhood kids; they weren’t going to get into a fistfight, but still…

“I heard from Sion, but I will ask you again. Is it true that Your Highness officially proposed to Eloe, and she accepted?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Don’t call me Father!”

My father’s enraged voice shook the training hall. Wow, it really echoes to the bone when you hear it up close.

I was so startled that I moved as close to the door as possible.

It was just the three of us in the training hall, and the walls were thick, so no sound from the outside could be heard. That’s why my father’s voice sounded even louder.

“I always respect Eloe’s wishes and put her first. However, I cannot let this pass. Your Highness has already proposed to Eloe once, have you not? And in a very lighthearted way, at that. I also remember very clearly that you were harshly rejected on the spot.”

I couldn’t believe he was bringing that up. Even Jeras seemed a little taken aback; his shoulders flinched slightly. My father, seizing the momentum, pressed on.

“Anyone can talk a good game. So when I judge a person, I look at their actions, not their words. Your Highness says you are serious, but your past actions are highly suspicious. Therefore! I absolutely cannot accept your proposal.”

“W-wait a minute, Dad! Listen to me. When Jeras proposed to me back then…”

“Eloe, you stay quiet. This is something His Highness and I have to resolve.”

“That’s right, princess. Just watch from there. This is a man-to-man talk.”

Jeras winked at me.

‘Are you kidding me?!’ This is not a man-to-man talk! I’m the one who’s going to marry you, not my father! Why are you talking without me, the person who’s most affected by this?!

I glared at him with my face full of indignation, but Jeras just shrugged.

“Don’t get distracted, Your Highness!”

“My apologies. Please, continue.”

“Just like every father in this world, I want my daughter to be happy. Especially Eloe; she is very precious to us. She is a child whom it would not hurt to put in my eye.* I will not just stand by and watch her marry a man who is not trustworthy.”

[*T/N: A Korean idiom about a person or thing that is so cherished and beloved that nothing they do could cause you pain or discomfort.]

“What can I do to earn your trust, Grand Duke?”

“Pick up your sword.”

“…I must have misheard you.”

“Dad!”

A wooden sword had appeared in my father’s hand as he spoke solemnly. It seemed to be the type of sword used for sparring to avoid injury.

‘Wait, when did he get that…? And how is this different from a fistfight?!’

As I ran toward the two of them in horror, my father gestured for me to stop, blocking me from coming any closer. An immense aura was coming from him.

“If Your Highness can land one successful attack on me, I will accept your proposal.”

“Please reconsider. I do not wish to point my sword at the Grand Duke.”

“Don’t speak so weakly! If you thought you could marry my daughter with that much resolve, you are mistaken. I will not retreat a single step. You will never marry Eloe unless you can get past this Robellus Van Kilmaria!”

I was speechless.

After a moving speech, my father held his sword and took a stance. Jeras looked at my father with a bewildered expression, then let out a deep sigh. He went to the nearest weapon rack and picked up a wooden sword…

“Eloe! Watch closely! His Highness is about to swing his sword at his old father! How could such a thing happen in this world?!”

…Excuse me? Wait, what?

“Why did you accept his proposal so easily when he’s so heartless?!”

“Grand Duke, I am sorry. I did not mean… Gah!”

“You! You must have tricked my innocent Eloe! You! You! You old thief!”

The moment Jeras dropped his wooden sword in shock, my father, quick as lightning, ran up to him and began beating him mercilessly with his wooden sword. The poor, defenseless Jeras was busy receiving the beating with his body.

“Ugh! Urgh…! It hurts! It really hurts! Father!”

“Don’t call me Father! I never had a son who was a thief like you!”

The more desperate Jeras’s screams became, the more strength my father put into his arms. I watched the scene, which was like a sitcom, and didn’t know whether to cry or laugh.

***

 

“Welcome! We grill fresh ingredients brought in every day for our customers. Just pick what you want from the front!”

“What’s the most delicious thing today?”

“All of our ingredients are delicious because we bring them in every day! But if I had to recommend something… the shrimp are especially plump today and are a very good choice.”

“Thank you! I’ll have shrimp then. What about you? Pick what you want to eat.”

“I’m not in the mood to eat.”

“Why? Are you sick?”

“…Are you really asking me that?”

Jeras narrowed his eyes and glared at me. It was a face I had never seen before, but his expression was unmistakably his.

I tilted my head, pretending to know nothing, and stroked Jeras’s hair.

We were sightseeing in the market, disguised with a single-use artifact I had created. After defeating Agtatius, we had become heroes of the Empire, and a lot of people started to recognize us.

Well… that was the first reason, but the more important second reason was my father.

The day my father came to the capital unannounced and beat Jeras with a wooden sword, he began watching us like a hawk to make sure we didn’t meet.

His eyes were so sharp and scary that I think even a ghost would scream and run away if it met him.

He had a reason. He said that since people were already paying attention to us, he would prefer if we didn’t meet alone until we were officially engaged.

He also said that if we were to hang around together without being engaged, it would get people talking, and even as he spoke to me in a gentle voice, his whole body was blocking the front door.

When I tried to distract him and leave the mansion, he grabbed the doorknob tightly.

“From now on, you will tell your father your destination whenever you go out. Understood?”

If he was this aggressive with me, I can only imagine what he was like with Jeras.

In fact, it became a daily routine for Jeras to come to my house every morning and share a persistent form of physical affection with my father and his wooden sword.

Whenever Jeras raised his wooden sword, my father would yell at the top of his lungs, “You have no respect for your elders!” so Jeras just took the beating without fighting back.

I would wake up every morning to the sound of Jeras’s screams as my alarm. Poor Jeras. I felt sorry for the guy who would complain about how much it hurt, but I was also touched. He came to my house every day, even though he knew he was going to get beaten up.

“It’s a good thing you didn’t get beaten up today. I don’t know why he went out so early.”

“He might just beat me twice as much tomorrow to make up for today.”

I couldn’t confidently deny it.

“Hmm… let’s worry about tomorrow, tomorrow! Pick what you want to eat now. It’s on me.”

“What I want to eat, you say.”

Jeras’s eyes scanned the ingredients neatly arranged in the display before settling on me. I had already picked what I wanted, put it in my basket, and was just watching him, so our eyes met.

Jeras’s lips slowly parted. I could feel his gaze linger on my face, specifically my lips.

“You look delicious.”

“Ah, Mister, over here! I’ve made my choice! Can you split the skewer into two and grill them for us! Please make them delicious!”

“Oh my, you scared me! I’m not hard of hearing, customer! You can speak more slowly! Ha ha ha.”

“You’re a liar. You told me to pick what I wanted to eat.”

“Just be quiet! I told you to pick what you wanted to eat, not to… not to…!”

“What did I choose?”

‘Hmm? Tell me.’ Jeras smirked, full of confidence.

That, that shameless and sly man! Does he think I don’t know what he’s thinking? I didn’t say anything and just stepped on his foot.

“Ugh, that hurts!”

“I stepped on you so it would hurt, so it’s supposed to hurt.”

“You’re so slow about everything else, but you’re so shy about this.”

“…I’m not shy; I’m just being polite.”

“Ah, I see.”

Jeras answered in a very nonchalant and indifferent tone. I raised my foot, thinking about stepping on him again, when a perfectly grilled skewer was handed to me. It smelled so delicious and savory.

I nudged Jeras with my elbow. He took a skewer in each hand, and I paid for them and left the stall.

“I prefer meat, though.”

“Who told you to say something like that? I told you to pick what you wanted.”

“I’m so frustrated. Even if I had chosen what I really wanted to eat, you wouldn’t have let me.”

“…Let’s hear what it is that you want so badly it’s making you this frustrated.”

“You, princ…!”

“Stop it! Stop! That’s enough!”

“Tsk.”

‘What’s with the “Tsk”?! What is he going to eat? He’s not a cannibal!’

Jeras clicked his tongue and took a big bite of his skewer. I also began to eat the skewer he handed me.

The sweet and salty sauce, mixed with the smoky flavor, made for a stimulating taste. Mmm, street food really is the best. I immediately felt a wave of happiness wash over me.

“Be careful. Don’t get too focused on eating.”

Jeras grabbed my hand and pulled me closer. I had almost bumped into someone who was walking in front of us. I was about to thank him, but Jeras sighed first.

“Princess, do you only focus on one thing at a time?”

“Yeah, I guess… isn’t everyone like that?”

“Then am I less important than this junk food?”

‘Why did the conversation turn to that…?’

I looked at him, dumbfounded, but Jeras’s expression was genuinely serious. Did he really mean that? I was so flustered I didn’t know what to say.

But Jeras seemed to take my silence as a ‘yes’ and furrowed his brow.

“No wonder you never try to help me when I get beaten up by the Grand Duke every day.”

“Wait, hold on. You were the one who told me not to interfere, weren’t you? Something about a man-to-man talk.”

“I take that back. You have to do something, princess. At this rate, we won’t even get engaged, let alone married.”

Jeras was complaining for the first time. He changes his mind so easily. There’s another man here who flips his attitude as easily as he flips a hand. Those two would get along surprisingly well.

But Jeras had a point. My father wasn’t just being a mean old man; he was genuinely and physically rejecting Jeras.

I leaned my head on Jeras’s shoulder and walked slowly, lost in thought, but I couldn’t come up with anything.

This was not something I could solve by stepping in. In fact, it might even have a reverse effect, as I had learned from my previous experiences.

“I want to help, but if I get involved, my dad will just get even angrier, you know how he is.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“Try to think of a way to convince him calmly. You’re a smart Prince, no, a smart Crown Prince who graduated at the top of the academy, aren’t you?”

“I’m not in the mood for jokes. I just want to get to you and…”

“To what?”

Jeras, who had been pouting and grumbling, suddenly went silent. He angrily and violently tore into the remaining skewer, as if he were taking out his frustration on it.

Why did he stop talking? I was so curious. Instead of asking, I poked Jeras’s arm. Jeras turned his head and looked down at me. I subtly showed him my left hand with the ring on and smiled.

“It’s okay if it takes a little longer. I’ll wait. I’m a very generous person.”

“…Haa. You don’t know what I’m going through.”

Jeras ran a hand through his hair, took off his glove, and reached out to me. His long fingers stroked my cheek and lips. His fingers were incredibly warm, which didn’t fit with the gentleness of his touch.

I froze on the spot. An uncontrollable heat and a tingling sensation spread from where his fingers had touched.

“I’ll let this slide today, but not next time.”

Jeras licked his fingers, which had just touched my lips. His red tongue appeared and disappeared, and my heart pounded so hard I thought it would burst, as if he were licking my lips and not his fingers.

I quickly turned my head away. I couldn’t stand the strange tingly sensation that was spreading from the tips of my fingers to the tips of my toes.