Side Story 8
Elonia’s family gathered in the dining hall for breakfast. Philemon, seeing Elonia enter alone, asked,
“Elonia, where’s Lucius?”
“He wasn’t there. He must have left already.”
Philemon tilted her head, puzzled. That didn’t seem like him.
“Do you know why he left?”
“No. He didn’t even leave a message.”
Elonia pouted, sitting down and angrily cutting her meat. Just then,
“Good morning, everyone.”
Artius entered the dining hall. Elonia, ignoring him, mumbled a greeting.
“Morning, Dad.”
Philemon’s eyes narrowed. Come to think of it, Artius had left the room briefly last night.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Artius, about to sit down, hesitated under Philemon’s sharp gaze.
Philemon, getting straight to the point, asked,
“Artius, did you see Lucius last night?”
“…!”
Clang. Artius, startled, dropped his silverware, as if caught red-handed. Elonia, also pausing her meal, glared at him.
“Dad, did you see Lucius last night?”
“W-well…”
He didn’t deny it.
Elonia, feeling betrayed, shouted,
“Dad! How could you?!”
“Artius! Did you kick him out in the middle of the night?!”
Philemon was equally furious. Artius opened his mouth to explain, but the words wouldn’t come out. His hesitation only fueled Philemon’s anger.
“How could you do that?! Lucius was here because I allowed it! And you kicked him out? Do you know how happy Elonia was to have him here?”
“Th-that’s not it!”
“Is Lucius a stranger? He’s Elonia’s fiancé, our benefactor! How could you kick him out in the middle of the night?”
“It’s a misunderstanding!”
Quiet people were the scariest when they were angry, and Philemon, usually so gentle and patient, was now unleashing her pent-up frustration.
“If you didn’t like my decision, you should have told me! You sparred with Elonia with real swords, even though I told you not to!”
“N-no…”
“What if she got hurt?! Just because she can be healed doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt! And I told you to let her rest before her coming-of-age ceremony and engagement ceremony, and yet you made her work!”
Elonia’s conscience pricked at her mother’s words.
She glanced at Artius, who seemed too stunned to even try to drag her into this.
Artius, raising his hands in surrender, tried to calm Philemon down.
“Philia, please listen. I didn’t mean to disrespect you.”
“Then what was it?”
Philemon’s voice was sharp.
Artius couldn’t explain himself. He was also Elonia’s parent. Of course, he worried about her.
But he couldn’t win against Elonia’s stubbornness. He knew his place in the family hierarchy.
Philemon, frustrated by his silence, finally shouted, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and hurt,
“Fine, Artius, do whatever you want!”
“P-Philia, but…!”
Slam!
Artius tried to explain, but it was too late. Philemon had already left.
He looked at Elonia, hoping for support.
Elonia was also angry at him, but she hadn’t expected Philemon to be this furious. She was terrified.
“I’m done!”
A daughter always sided with her mother during a marital dispute.
Elonia quickly finished her meal and rushed out of the dining hall, hoping to appease Philemon.
Artius, left alone, was devastated.
“Why did I do that…?”
“Indeed, why did you do that?”
Aaron, appearing out of nowhere, added fuel to the fire. Artius, after a long moment of self-reproach, finally explained what had happened last night.
Meanwhile, Lucius, exhausted from lack of sleep, arrived at the temple. Valerian, seeing him, rushed over, his face filled with concern.
“Lucius, what happened to you?! You look terrible!”
“…High Priest Valerian.”
“Are you okay? You shouldn’t be working today! Lie down!”
Valerian fussed over him.
He was a truly compassionate High Priest, his concern extending to everyone equally. Lucius, touched by his kindness, shook his head, trying to downplay his exhaustion.
“I’m fine. I just slept in the carriage last night, so I’m a bit tired.”
“…Did I hear that correctly?”
Valerian frowned, his eyes narrowed in disbelief. Lucius shrugged.
“You did.”
Impossible. Valerian was stunned.
Lucius, who seemed like the type to only sleep in a proper bed, had slept in a carriage?
“Were you kicked out of your house?”
…He appreciated the concern, but that was a bit much. Lucius chuckled dryly and explained what had happened. Valerian, though relieved, was still worried.
“Her Highness must be furious.”
His concern had simply shifted from Lucius to Elonia.
Lucius smiled sadly.
“It couldn’t be helped.”
He had made his decision after much deliberation.
He remembered last night.
Lucius, after carrying the sleeping Elonia to her bed, had lingered for a moment, admiring her peaceful face.
‘…She’s adorable.’
She was impressive when awake, but adorable when asleep.
It still felt unreal. He was engaged to Elonia. And he could see her like this, up close.
‘Is this too much happiness for me?’
He smiled, his heart filled with warmth, watching her sleep. He wanted to stay longer, but his reason, his self-control, finally forced him to leave.
‘That was dangerous.’
Back in his room, he touched his still-burning cheeks, trying to calm his racing heart, then lay down in bed. Sleep was the best way to clear his mind.
‘I should go to sleep.’
He had forgotten to give Elonia the flowers because of Llewellyn.
He wanted to wake up before her and pick a flower from the garden for her.
She would be happy.
Just as he was drifting off to sleep, a sudden thought jolted him awake.
‘Wait, what if this was a test from Her Majesty?’
Philemon, having suffered in Heilan, was wary of Heilan men. And Lucius, despite his changed identity, was still a Heilan man.
‘It’s not right for me to sleep under the same roof as her, not when we’re not even married yet.’
He was glad he had realized it, even if it was late. He started packing his things, preparing to leave. But he hesitated. Elonia had been so happy when he agreed to stay. She would be disappointed if he was gone when she woke up.
‘What should I do?’
He was torn.
‘I hope Her Highness doesn’t misunderstand…’
Ah, he could leave a note. He picked up a pen, then hesitated again.
‘A note seems too impersonal.’
And he didn’t want the palace staff to see it. So he wrote a letter instead, a long and detailed explanation, sealed it with wax, and then pondered how to deliver it.
‘Slipping it under the door… seems too insincere.’
Just as he was pacing outside Elonia’s room,
“What are you doing here?”
“Y-Your Majesty.”
Artius was there, in the Crown Princess’s Palace. Lucius, startled, as if he had seen a ghost, quickly bowed his head.
“G-good evening. But why are you here…?”
“I came to check on Elonia… to make sure she wasn’t staying up all night… So, why are you here?”
Artius’s expression turned suspicious, then angry.
It was understandable. He hadn’t been informed about Lucius staying the night. Thanks to Philemon’s consideration.
What parent wouldn’t be furious to find a grown man lurking outside their daughter’s room, even if they were engaged?
“P-please, Your Majesty, I didn’t have any ulterior motives!”
Lucius quickly explained before Artius could draw his sword.
“…I was about to leave, but a note seemed too impersonal, so I wrote a letter, and I was wondering how to deliver it…”
Artius’s anger dissipated as he listened to Lucius’s frantic explanation. He was now simply baffled.
“If it’s just a letter, you could have asked a servant to deliver it.”
“…I didn’t want to cause any unnecessary rumors.”
Artius understood.
The palace was full of people. The staff in the Crown Princess’s Palace were trustworthy, but they weren’t engaged yet. And Elonia was still a minor. Someone could easily twist the situation.
Artius, though still suspicious, reluctantly held out his hand.
“…?”
Lucius looked up at him, puzzled. Artius sighed.
“I’ll give it to Elonia in the morning.”
“W-would you?”
Lucius was surprised. He hadn’t expected Artius to help him. Artius hadn’t expected to be involved in Lucius’s love life either. But he couldn’t let Lucius stay here all night.
“Yes. And I won’t read it, so don’t worry.”
“Then I’ll entrust it to you, Your Majesty.”
Lucius, his face beaming, handed Artius the letter. His innocent joy, his genuine gratitude over such a trivial matter, made Artius’s expression soften. He felt a surge of affection for this earnest young man and offered,
“I’ll have a knight escort you. Be safe.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.”
Lucius, relieved, left the Imperial Palace. Artius returned to his room with the letter. As soon as he entered the bedroom, Philemon, startled awake, asked sleepily,
“Artius, where were you…?”
“I went to my office briefly.”
“Work?”
“It’s taken care of. Go back to sleep, Philia.”
Artius placed the letter in his nightstand drawer and lay down beside Philemon.
He held her close, and she quickly drifted back to sleep. Artius, watching her peaceful face, a smile on his own, also fell asleep.
The next morning, Artius woke up first. Philemon was still asleep in his arms.
It was a sight he never tired of. He must have been staring too intently, because she soon woke up.
“Artius, you’re awake?”
“Yes, Philia. Good morning.”
He kissed her forehead gently. Philemon smiled and snuggled closer.
“That tickles, Artius.”
“Let me hold you for a little longer.”
“You’re so…”
Philemon chuckled, shaking her head.
…And then something happened that made Artius completely forget about Lucius’s letter.
It was Artius’s fault, after all.