Chapter 203: Side story 15

***

In a plain where it was obviously empty, something similar to a glass greenhouse was made out of nowhere. It was a building that caught the eye with its shiny exterior much more than the glass greenhouse loved by nobles. Perhaps the inside was still under construction and the workers were busy, but…

As I walked over there with Abigail, I saw an unexpectedly familiar figure.

“Linon?”

“Ahhh! Grand Duchess!”

Linon looked at me and raised his voice in surprise. He looked behind me and Abigail, and he made a face that understood it all.

“Did you end up running away?”

“I just came out for a second.”

 “I thought you ran away.”

“As for running away, is Berg really that concerned about children?”

“No… His Highness is particular…especially to the Grand Duchess.”

Linon blurted out his words. As expected, there was no way this was the history of a great aristocratic family. Then it was just that the man was too particular. I frowned.

“What’s this?”

“Ugh, that’s…”

Linon hesitated.

“That… His Highness prepared it. As one of the birthday presents…”

“…birthday present?”

“It was prepared in secret, but the Grand Duchess found out like this, but it’s not my fault, is it? Please say no. Please.”

“No. But can I come in?”

“Grand Duchess!”

I went inside and blinked my eyes. From the outside, I thought it was not an ordinary glass greenhouse, but the center of the transparent ceiling was scattering light from various angles. It soon became clear that it was crystal, not glass.

“His Highness said the Grand Duchess goes to the silver tree every day as if it had applied honey, and you would catch a cold in winter. So he came up with this.”

“….”

“Since you have found out, I will guide you personally. I am a faithful chief aide who is forever loyal to my beloved Grand Duchess.”

Linon, who was eagerly explaining the bird’s-eye view, smirked, saying that there will be tables on this side, a pond will be built on the other side, and flowers and trees will be planted in the corner.

“By the way, seeing the Grand Duchess who managed to escape like this today, I can see that His Highness made a really good choice.”

“Hmmm.”

For a moment, Linon’s face hardened. I was also half-stiffened.

 “You seem to have made a good choice, Seria.”

***

“I’m glad I came out here.”

Alliot murmured as he looked up at the silver tree. He was serious.

If the dear Grand Duchess went further, somewhere else that he could not find immediately…he didn’t want to imagine much.

The entrance to the Crystal House was a spectacle.

A little while ago, it was crowded because it was busy with workers. Of course, he also sneaked out and closed the door very carefully, as if inserting a piece of sugar.

Among those quietly driven out was Abigail. Without any complaints, she was walking towards the center of the silver tree with her characteristic sullen expression.

It was when Alliot was looking there without thinking.

“Alliot.”

“Yes.”

Martha asked while looking at Alliot.

“Who did you get that sword from?”

“I got it from Sir Abigail Orrien.”

For a moment, Martha’s lips twitched. She looked at Abigail and Alliot alternately with knowing eyes. A face with clear intentions for anyone to see.

Thanks to that, Alliot couldn’t help but panic.

“Why….”

“Nothing.”

“Miss Martha?”

Martha held back her laughter and walked over to Abigail.

“Bibi.”

Abigail recalled the conversation she had with Seria in the carriage earlier.

She said, “You made Alliot a famous man, so you should be held accountable.”

“How so?”

Abigail, who asked so, slightly distorted her forehead.

“Do I have to?”

“No. No way. It’s a joke.”

Responsibility.

Naturally, it ended with the word marriage.

A while ago, in the carriage, Abigail suddenly remembered what Berg’s elder vassals were talking about at the reception.

Contrary to Linon’s expectation that Abigail would be flattered, the older vassals were also busy flirting with Abigail.

“Can’t anyone be an escort from generation to generation?”

“A great knight like Sir Abigail will be very strong and loyal even for the second generation.”

“Oh, oh, oh.”

In fact, Abigail had never thought of mixing the appearance of Lesche with Seria’s child.

There would be another little girl in the world with her shiny green hair and blue eyes. That was Abigail’s idea. Her interests were far more biased than others think.

She was born with that inclination, and she was also blunt because she was raised harshly as an assassin from a young age.

She had the life of an assassin that no one saves, who was treated like a piece of trash rolling on the floor.

She had no regrets even if her life ended on death row. Seria saved her life that no one regrets. Could Abigail have any other interests besides Seria?

At least not in this lifetime.

“Miss.”

Anyway, she just talked to Seria because she thought it was okay when she pictured being an escort knight for the next generation.

After a long time, Seria, who looked very excited, was busy laughing out loud when she heard the story.

Then Abigail brought up the story of Alliot, the famous man she had long forgotten. Seria continued speaking with a serious expression.

“But I’m fine if you’re with Linon.”

“Why are you talking about the chief aide?”

“If Bibi doesn’t like it, I won’t do it.”

“It’s fine. It’s good that you’re having fun.”

Abigail looked up at the gigantic silver for a moment.

What if she gets married…. What if she marries that chief aide?

It was common for married knights who formed a  family to be given a private residence. A portrait of the young lady would be hung in the center of the living room wall of the house, and every morning she would greet the portrait with the chief aide…

Abigail raised her eyebrows slightly. Not a bad idea.

Or what if she marries the knight commander Alliot?

Hanging the portrait of the young lady in the center of the living room wall of the house, she and the knight commander would salute the portrait every morning….

“Hmm..”

It was the same.

Both weren’t bad. But it was just ‘not too bad’, so Abigail neatly postponed her marriage plans.

The silvery leaves glistened in the sunlight.

***

“Seria.”

I stiffened and looked back slowly.

Lesche’s two eyes were perfectly fixed on me. Even in the midst of it, I could feel Linon slowly stepping backwards out of sight.

In the blink of an eye, Lesche was standing right in front of me. We stared at each other for a moment. No, to be precise, I was the only one staring with strength in my eyes, and Lesche was staring at me with an unknown look.

The reason I dared to stare at him was because it was inevitable. I was stunned by the momentary emotions I felt.

No, I screamed to him to stop following me and ran away secretly.

But as soon as I saw his face, I didn’t think of anything else. Could he hear my heart pounding?

My brain didn’t understand. It was to the extent of doubting that I had a multi-personality rather than a level of emotional ups and downs.

“Seria.”

Lesche contorted his eyebrows a little, then he asked.

“Is it so frustrating to be in bed?”

“I’m frustrated. You….”

My mouth froze for a moment as I prepared to yell if he would tell me to stay in bed. Come to think of it, Lesche was by my side the whole time. I couldn’t go out at all and so did he.

Thanks to this, I was momentarily at a loss for words.

“Anyway, it’s frustrating.”

I decided to focus on ‘It’s too severe for a human being’ because I didn’t have much to say.

“The doctor said to be careful in the early stages of pregnancy.”

“Even in the beginning, you’re too much.”

“Is it too much?”

“It’s really bad. And the doctor told me I was fine 30 times a day.”

Lesche didn’t answer, just stared at me with strange eyes.

“Seria.”

He let out a low sigh and ruffled his hair roughly. No matter what he said, I was getting ready to refuse right away.

“I can’t believe you’re saying it’s okay.”

I was speechless. Lesche had a puzzled expression on his face. 

“I couldn’t help it.”

“…”

“…but I didn’t know you would hate it so much.”

Uncharacteristically, Lesche, who had blurred the end of his words, gave a faint smile. I thought it was because I was just staring blankly.

“Seria.”

Lesche leaned over and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

“I’m sorry.”

“…no.”

Unable to even move in the arms of Lesche, I barely raised my hand and swept his face.

“What am I going to do if you apologize like that?”

“Well. The Grand Duchess, who doesn’t care about her husband’s heart?”

“…”

“It’s okay. It’s not like it’s the first time you’ve been mean to me.”

I clenched my fists. Lesche buried his face on the nape of my neck and burst out laughing. I was bewildered to see his broad shoulders trembling with laughter.

“I should not speak.”

Still, I didn’t want to go back. I just stretched out my arms and hugged Lesche’s waist. He paused for a moment, then kissed my neck and whispered.

“But don’t disappear so suddenly. I felt like I was going crazy.”

“…what are you saying? If I go, I will come out here. And…” 

I looked around.

“Thanks to you, I found this place.”

“Do you like this place?”

“Yes.”

I answered right away, but Lesche had a dissatisfied expression on his face.

 “I was going to show you when it’s finished, but now it’s a mess.” 

“Is it? It’s already pretty in my eyes.”

It wasn’t empty words. The exterior and interior walls were already finished. I vaguely thought that this was a greenhouse with a ceiling made of crystals, but Linon told me to think of it as just a private room. After making the greenhouse, it was so humid and hot that he thought it wouldn’t last long, so he repaired it again.

I couldn’t come in the middle of winter when the heavy snow piled up, but in other seasons, I could be here every day.

Wouldn’t it be nice to drink hot tea while the snowflakes fall and watch the silver trees all day long?

“Lesche.”

I smiled and asked.

“Perhaps you made the process slow so I wouldn’t come out, did you?”

“There is no reason for that.”

“…”

I didn’t know if he would agree with what I said as a joke. Immediately, my eyebrows rose.

“I said because I was worried about you.”

By making me feel restless? Lesche smiled and swept my eyebrows with his fingertips.

“Of course, that’s the biggest concern.”

“That’s okay. I don’t believe you.”

“Why. Are you mad again?”

“Aren’t you mad about this?”

Even though I replied coldly, Lesche only laughed. I was stunned….

“Seria. I asked the doctor earlier, and he said hugging is okay now.”

“Yes?”

I immediately panicked and looked around. There was no one in this crystal house. I thought there were people around the corner… but it was completely empty.

I was glad no one heard what he said.

“Why are you surprised?”

“No… isn’t it too fast? I think my stomach would be shaking too much.”

“Shaking? Ah.”

Lesche, who asked the question, chuckled. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close.

“It will be okay.”

‘Oh my gosh.’

I misunderstood. I avoided his gaze, but it was of no use because I was in Lesche’s arms already. The sound of his laughter rang in my ears. (*Lesche said it’s okay to hug, but Seria misunderstood that hug meant sex. That’s why she said her stomach would be shaking 🤣)

“What were you thinking?”

“I….”

“You have to be patient, Seria.”

“….”

In an instant, my ears went hot. I couldn’t stand it….Lesche didn’t seem to have any intention of ending his talk there. It was clear that if this promiscuous man said a few more words, my whole body, not just my ears, would be on fire.

So, I grabbed Lesche’s cheek with both hands and kissed him fiercely. Lesche’s eyes widened a little. It was an unexpected kiss. I learned from this man countless times, so I thought I would do well. I dug into Lesche’s mouth and explored the wetness.

My body responded in the blink of an eye.

As it was before, and as it was now. Lesche was never satisfied with my kiss. Very rarely, every time I kissed him first, he quickly grabbed the back of my head and kissed me like he was going to devour me. Each time, my body was also pressed down, and my breathing would run wildly.

As if he was worried about my stomach, Lesche couldn’t hug me tightly like he was about to explode like he used to. But when I was about to disengage the kiss, he held me tighter.

Even a small thing like that made my heart pound, so I hugged Lesche tightly. I was beyond happy to have met this man, the thoughts I had had many times filled my mind again.

***