Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father

Translator and Editor: Effe and Lili

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Chapter 72

“I remember my previous life. The one I had before I was born here as Maevia. It was a completely different world there, and I wasn’t even a noble.”

“….”

“I didn’t want to tell you about it like this. I wanted it to happen in a normal, peaceful atmosphere…Whoop.”

I said too much.

A hot lump of blood came up my throat and I frowned.

Aedis jumped up with a surprised look on his face.

I took a deep breath and tried to push down the lump. After a moment, I looked up at Aedis, who was approaching my face.

“Why are you so close all of a sudden?”

“…I got a cramp in my leg.”

Aedis replied in a nonchalant tone as if he wasn’t concerned about my condition at all.

Right, so you’re the strongest in the world, but you got a cramp just because you crossed your legs. And you were able to get to me in 1 second in such a condition too.

I got up slowly and started to walk. I was as slow as a tortoise, but if I leaned against the wall, I could do it.

Aedis watched me walk around with a disgruntled look on his face.

“And where exactly are you going with your body in this condition?”

It was like I had already forgotten about talking to him about my previous life.

For now, I won’t tell him anything else about it.

“Restroom. I’m in a hurry.”

Without waiting for an answer, I went in and closed the door.

Immediately, I choked and a lump of blood came up.

These side effects are really long-lasting…

I rinsed my mouth, quickly washed up, and then went back out.

…Uh I just heard the sound of someone coming near the door and then hurriedly running back and sitting on the chair, but this time, I’ll pretend I didn’t know.

“Hooo.”

I sighed.

Aedis, who had followed me after knowing that I was about to throw up, now sat in front of me. He proudly pretended he hadn’t done anything, but suddenly twitched.

Look, if you really want a divorce, you shouldn’t act like this.

If you continue acting so considerate of me like this, what am I supposed to do?

Still, it was a long story, so I just mumbled to myself.

“I’m hungry…..”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Aedis swiftly uncovered a bowl, as if he had been waiting for me to say I was hungry, and pointed with his index finger to the thin soup inside of it.

Anyone could see that the painstakingly crafted soup was fresh and steaming hot.

“Because there were no more steaks left for my wife.”

No, I can’t eat steak with my body like this anyway….Thank you so much for the soup…

At least it’s nice and hot.

At this point, my husband, who was struggling to play the villain, was pitiful.

I picked up a spoon.

And then put it back down.

“Ah.”

“…..”

“I don’t have any strength in my hands.”

“…..”

“I’ll just sleep.”

That meant that he should suffer as much as I have suffered.

Not surprisingly, Aedis reacted immediately.

“Wait a minute.”

Aedis came closer and there was a strong sense of him being wary of me as he did.

…Are you worried?

He held the spoon carefully, his gaze fixed on me.

“I’ll feed you, so open up.”

“Truce?”

Blow-Blow-Blow-Blow.

I kept hearing that sound.

I guess I was teasing him too much.

Aedis spoke with a tired look on his face.

“This is driving me crazy. I meant your mouth. Mouth.”

“So you’re using formal speech again?”

“I can’t help it.”

He scooped out a spoonful of soup.

And I had no intention of taking that lightly.

“Blow me foo-foo.”

“…..”

“No? Then you won’t get a divorce.”

“…I’m blowing now.”

Aedis would cool the soup and then I would eat it.

As I ate it, I noticed that it tasted similar to the one I ate when I was sick in the Capital but different.

“It’s delicious. But I’m guessing Sarah didn’t make it?”

“It was made by the Chief Maid.”

“The Northerners wouldn’t have put so many vegetables in it.”

“She’s from the Capital.”

“That’s strange. She told me she’s lived in the North her entire life.”

“She must have some ancestors from the Capital.”

“Then she’s not from the Capital…”

Aedis diligently put the soup in my mouth to tell me to stop talking.

When my stomach was somewhat full, he began to speak.

“That dream…Let’s get a divorce.”

Are you a parrot?

Aedis was extremely reluctant to let me know anything about his past.

He almost seems to be emotionally unstable.

I lied to reassure him.

“I was just about to tell you that I don’t really remember what I saw.”

Aedis, whom I saw in my dreams as a young boy, had silver hair and red eyes.

Like Gilbert and Regen.

…And maybe like the biological father of the two brothers.

-I’m glad you don’t have any brothers or sisters.

I recalled what he had said before and my eyes sank heavily.

Aedis has lived for over 500 years, so his brother is probably no ordinary person.

And he was already Gilbert and Regen’s biological father.

And Aedis didn’t want me to meet him.

I tried to change the mood in fear that Aedis, who can’t stand the topic of our conversation, will run away to a place I can’t find.

“Aedis, I’m bored. Please make an acrostic poem with my name. If you don’t, I won’t get a divorce.”

I briefly explained the rules of acrostic poems and Aedis started immediately after.

“Eve.”

“Yes.”

“Estrangement…”

“Alright stop right there.”

I chose the wrong topic. I never thought I would have such a serious problem with my name.

I opted for the safer option.

“Aedis, brush my hair like you used to. If you don’t, we won’t get a divorce.”

“Aedis, read me a book. If you don’t, we won’t get a divorce.”

“Aedis, if you don’t do it anyway, I won’t get a divorce.”

Aedis, who had been obedient to my words for a long time, tilted his head at some point.

“…Something feels strange.”

“What?”

“I feel like I’m being deceived.”

“Ugh, you’re mistaken. I want to get out of the room, so will you pick me up? It’s frustrating.”

“You’re moving anyway….”

“I hate going to the terrace now.”

Aedis seemed to wake up as he remembered how he had threatened me on the terrace.

What divorce, you will be stuck with my words like this forever.

So Aedis carried me and I just admired the empty hallway. Perhaps Aedis had stopped them because none of the maids were around.

My body trembled slightly. Even in the middle of winter, I have never felt the cold in Cyclamen Castle since the temperature is controlled properly. I guess I’m in really bad condition.

But as Aedis’s back relaxed, I heard laughter from downstairs.

It’s noisy at this hour?

Aedis, who knew what my question was even though I hadn’t said anything, explained.

“A guest is here. Whether she will remain as a guest until the end remains to be seen.”

I perked up my ears.

Amid the woman’s loud laughter, I could occasionally hear Procyon calling her “sister”.

Hearing that title, it became clear that she wasn’t from a noble family.

Even so, if Procyon was calling her sister, there was only one person who I could guess that it was.

“Is it Shaula? I heard she got kicked out, did you bring her back?”

“Actually, I have something to tell you about that.”

As I continued to tremble, Aedis headed straight back to the bedroom and spoke softly.

“The former Knight Commander was in the quarry. When I arrived, the barrier was broken.”

I blinked my eyes.

“Did you send a familiar to the quarry?”

“Well, I’m a little nervous.”

I questioned him even though I already knew the answer.

“About me? Or Shaula?”

“You’re asking something really obvious. Do you think I’d be interested in anyone other than you?”

Aedis said that he had sent the familiar to that distant quarry because of me.

He was still thinking of me. It would be a lie if I said that my heart wasn’t resolved.

So why did he bring up the topic of divorce and then in the next moment say that he would always be as good to me as he had been before?

Aedis dropped me on the bed. Sleepiness was pouring over me.

“Don’t try to open your eyes, just sleep.”

My hand swirled through the air in search of Aedis.

It was quite funny to see me struggling with my blurred vision, so Aedis gladly reached out his hand and held me.

“You have to stay by my side until I get up. Otherwise, we won’t get a divorce.”

“Do you have any intention of getting one?”

Aedis asked in a playful tone as he laid me down to sleep.

Of course not.

I mumbled and soon fell into the darkness.

* * *

My body felt heavy. My joints also felt creaky.

Aedis went somewhere as soon as I opened my eyes and called Sarah in instead.

Sarah told me that Aedis had continued to nurse me and she said she hadn’t done anything but change my clothes.

It was Aedis who had helped me when I had thrown up and was feeling so distraught.

It had to have been a very ugly sight, but he never said anything about it.

Sarah also told me one more thing: the unidentified flower grown from the seeds that Aedis had chewed and spit was a famous poisonous weed.

Of course, it only becomes poisonous if it sprouts and grows normally.

The flower changes composition when it absorbs saliva from a living person’s teeth as they chew the seeds.

However, as soon as it touches the tip of the tongue, people are instantly killed by the poison in the seed, so only the theory is known and no one has been able to verify it.

But Aedis has proved that the rumor is true and alleviated my condition.

It was an unbelievable show of sincerity to care for a wife who he had already lost his love for.

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