Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father-Novel

“…….”

Aedis was at a loss for words, but I gave my honest impressions nevertheless.

“This is the first time you treated me so coldly. My heart is beating, achoo!”

Oh, it’s really cold here. Could it be the North 500 years ago?

I felt the warmth draining away, so I rubbed my arm. Then, all of a sudden, pajamas caught my eye. Everyone could tell that I was wearing pajamas, and that the cloth was thin. Cyclamen Castle is in the north, but the temperature is very well controlled.

I lightly stuck out my tongue and asked Aedis.

“Aedis, take off your coat.”

“Why should I?”

“Because I’m cold?”

Aedis tilted his head.

“Are you a beggar?”

“No.”

I immediately denied it and pulled my clothes to straighten the crumpled part.

At that moment, my collarbone was exposed, and Aedis furrowed his eyebrows at the petal marks that seemed to have been carved by pressing down on the skin.

You engraved it.

Aedis said nothing and took off his coat.

“How did you get here dressed like that?”

“Where is this?”

“…….”

Aedis’ patience was reaching its limit.

I said quickly, not wanting to be killed by my husband’s past self.

“I’m asking because I really don’t know.”

“…… The land of the demons.”

So, is it beyond the Crystal Gate?

However, I didn’t know if there was a crystal gate at this time or not. I’ll have to ask after clearing up my doubts.

I put on Aedis’ coat and buttoned it up. Aedis, of course, didn’t wait.

“Aedis? Where are you going?”

“To a place where you are not.”

Excuse me?

“Wait! There’s still things I want to say to you…….”

Aedis didn’t even listen.

Don’t be that cold-hearted!

I put the sprawling chick in my pocket and ran after Aedis. I hoped he didn’t use movement magic.

Fortunately, Aedis stopped after a few steps. He turned his head sharply and looked at me.

“Are you going to follow me?”

“Yes.”

“With those feet?”

My feet were already covered in scars because the floor of the cave was uneven.

“Are you worried?”

“…….”

“I am not a suspicious person. Just tell me how old you are, and I’ll tell you everything.”

Aedis looked at me with eyes full of disbelief and replied.

“Nineteen.”

Crazy. Crazy! Cute!

“We’re already married, but let’s get married again.”

It must have sounded completely insane. Aedis seemed to regret his answer. His expression, his gestures, everything touched me vividly. But Aedis had never said that he had met a woman who looked like me in the past.

I’m very, very clingy right now. There’s no way he would have forgotten about it.

… … It would make sense if he accidentally forgot.

Sensing the presence of the sleeping chick in my pocket, I laughed softly.

“Aedis, we may soon forget, but we are a couple. No, we will become a couple. Mmmmm, roughly 500 years from now? I was born then.”

“…… what?”

I stood on my toes and pressed my face to Aedis.

“How is it? Do you like your future wife?”

“I don’t know what kind of confidence you have to ask, but of course…….”

“Of course?”

“…….”

“Why did you stop talking?”

Aedis furrowed his eyebrows.

“I’m trying to speak as purely as possible, so don’t come near me. Don’t even touch me.”

You have many demands.

Still, his true nature didn’t go anywhere, and the stern face, like the Aedis I knew, was friendly. You must think I’m crazy, but you don’t even try to take my coat.

I looked tearful on purpose.

“But…… My feet hurt so much…….”

“…….”

“Okay. I’ll cancel the plan to sneak up on you.”

Aedis let out a deep sigh and held me in his arms.

Um, that’s awkward.

“Wait.”

I figured it out and got into position. Aedis now looked full of energy.

“Even if everything you said is true, it may not be me, so don’t you think it’s scary?”

“Yes. So can I touch your face? I think your cheeks will be very soft.”

“…… you.”

“Huh?”

“…….”

Aedis hesitated. I laughed when I noticed what Aedis was about to ask.

“Just call me Eve.”

“You mean you don’t want to tell me your real name?”

Why would you draw conclusions like that?

I tilted my head to one side.

“Are you curious about my real name?”

“Not at all.”

My husband at this time was not being honest.

“Actually, I was cursed with being able to tell my real name only when I received a kiss on the cheek…….”

“Is the beast in your pocket yours?”

My words were cut off, so I answered dumbly.

“It’s ambiguous.”

The chick listens to me, but even listens to what I don’t say. It was not like a faithful follower who only followed the ‘orders’ it had been given.

“You didn’t come here on your own, did you?”

I was wearing pajamas and no shoes, so Aedis quickly guessed.

Won’t he think so?

It would be absurd to hear that I came from a distant future.

I answered while observing Aedis’ reaction.

“Still, I’m glad I met such a cute husband.”

“Don’t even add unnecessary worry.”

“…….”

The demand has increased.

“It’s just a bunch of abilities. Absorb it, put it under full control, or deal with it, or the nuisance won’t end this time.”

Aedis gave a rather stern warning. Again, there was no doubt.

“Do you believe me?”

“I can’t believe you.”

Nineteen-year-old Aedis, who was disingenuous, sat me carefully on a flat rock even as he spoke negatively.

“Then why are you so nice to me?”

Aedis didn’t answer right away.

He paused for a very long time before opening his mouth.

“…… I don’t want to believe it either.”

“…….”

“From you, that…….”

Suddenly, Aedis’ face turned red.

“What, what is it?”

“The, the smell…….”

Smell…… ?

I sniffed on my arm. I had applied balm after taking a bath last night, so I could only smell the faint scent.

I didn’t know what Aedis smelled, but it was impossible to catch it with my own sense of smell.

“Is that why you told me not to come near you? Because I smell?”

I’m really hurt this time

“It’s not like that, my magical power is too much for you……. Oh, there is such a thing anyway.”

What do you mean?

“I will ask again. Do you believe me?”

“…… for now.”

Because of the smell?

I stared at Aedis blankly.

What is that scent, to trust me without going through the verification process? I said that I was not your enemy, but your wife.

At this point, the odor was an excuse, and I began to suspect that my husband was trusting people too much.

Looking back, Aedis hadn’t been hard on me even before hearing the situation. It’s good that my husband was friendly, but if he just blindly trusted anyone, I couldn’t help but worry.

Besides, he is nineteen now, is he? He was still very young.

I was nineteen a few months ago, but I’m still young!

“Aedis, even if someone buys you something delicious, don’t follow them.”

I hoped that Aedis would not forget this request. The world is very rough.

It would be embarrassing if someone noticed the kind heart hidden behind Aedis’ villainous face and tried to scam him.

“Why are you saying that?”

“You trust me so easily. I haven’t proven anything yet.”

In my previous life, I thought I would be good at voice phishing.

“Do you want me to be suspicious?”

Aedis bent over toward me, asking a question as if he had heard something strange. It seemed that he was thinking of treating my feet. But Aedis’ hand stopped just before it touched my feet.

“What’s the matter?”

“…… I have never treated anyone.”

A few seconds passed, and Aedis sighed and withdrew his hand. It was a contrast to my husband 500 years later, who was good at everything.

“It would be better for you to go back to where you lived and receive treatment. I cannot take a risk against you.”

It was so nice to hear the low tone that was full of regret. And, of course, he thought of me as a precious thing that left him bewildered.

“Why can’t you take a risk against me?”

“You are my…….”

Aedis shut his mouth in the middle again. I narrowed my eyes.

Like a 19-year-old with many secrets. I’m looking at him now because he’s cute, but I’ll have to find out.

With a firm resolve in my heart, I returned to the original subject.

“Well, I can get treatment later. It’s not too painful. I want to see your face a little more than that.”

“…….”

It was pure sincerity, but Aedis’ brow hardened. If he hadn’t told me to not touch him, I would have pressed him hard.

“Your expression is not good. Are you very worried? But if you really look at my face, it doesn’t hurt at all.”

Despite repeated sweet whispers, Aedis did not relax his expression. Rather, he had a serious face as if he had taken on all the troubles of the world.

What is he thinking, my nineteen-year-old husband? Don’t say he would be divulging his secrets already.

I waited quietly while Aedis sorted out his thoughts. Soon, his mouth twisted.

“You…….”

“Huh?”

“Did you marry me because of my face?”

“Ppfftt!”

No, why did you come to that conclusion? And why are you so serious?

“Sorry, sorry for laughing……. Because you’re so cute…… puh…….”

Aedis looked at me sadly as I laughed so much that I couldn’t breathe.

“Are you not denying it?”

“Hang on……I’m still laughing.”

Seeing the tears forming in the corners of my eyes, Aedis wrinkled his expression.

“Are you crying or laughing, just do one.”