Side Story 3

* * *

It was the morning after the wedding, but the atmosphere was tense. The reason was the silent battle between Ruediger and Luca as they sat around the breakfast table.

Laura paced nervously, completely at a loss.

Yeah. I get it. I really do. She must’ve tried to stop him, but he probably just barged right in anyway.

I waved at Laura as if to say it was fine and told her to step outside. If she stayed any longer, she’d only worry herself sick.

I let out a sigh.

Well, Luca’s sudden appearance had certainly ruined the sweet mood of the first morning of our newlywed life, but it wasn’t all bad.

Ruediger clearly didn’t agree.

He glared daggers at Luca and muttered in a dangerous tone.

“Normally, it’s customary not to visit newlyweds for three days after the wedding.”

“That’s just a formality.”

Luca shot back immediately, staring straight at him. The cold gazes of the two men collided, sparks practically flying.

“Don’t you think customs exist for a reason? I had plans for this morning.”

“What kind of plans?”

“I was going to have a bathtub prepared with rose petals once Judith woke up, wash her gently from her toes up, help her relieve her fatigue, and then continue what we couldn’t finish yesterday…”

“Pfft!”

I spat out my tea before I could stop myself.

Since when did he plan all that? And why was he explaining it in detail right now?

“W what are you saying in front of a child!”

“Luca has regressed. He already knows everything.”

“No, even so, a child is still a child!”

I yelled in disbelief. There are things you can say and things you absolutely can’t.

Besides, people adapt to how they’re treated. If Luca kept being treated like an adult, he’d keep acting like one.

Luca needed chances to make mistakes and try new things.

That’s why I firmly believed he shouldn’t be treated like a grown up.

Just like that, the topic abruptly shifted to how Luca should be treated.

Luca, who had been watching Ruediger and me bicker with a flat expression, suddenly spoke up.

“Anyway, that plan doesn’t sound like something Aunt agreed to.”

“…”

That part was true. Honestly, if I went along with Ruediger’s plan, or rather his wish, I didn’t think my body would survive.

Still, that didn’t mean it was Luca’s place to interfere.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering whose side I should take.

But the situation was clear. First I’d scold Luca, and then I’d deal with Ruediger later when we were alone.

Unaware of my thoughts, Luca continued smugly.

“Uncle really needs to read the room. If you keep doing whatever you want, you’ll end up getting kicked out by Aunt.”

The moment Luca finished speaking, Ruediger’s face went stiff in shock. The word kicked out clearly hit him hard.

Meanwhile, Luca’s lips twitched upward in obvious satisfaction.

‘This kid is getting worse.’

I flicked Luca on the forehead without hesitation.

“…!”

Luca stared at me blankly. His blue eyes shook violently, as if refusing to accept reality.

Then he grabbed his head with both hands and asked in disbelief.

“You hit me? You really hit me?”

“Of course I did. How dare you butt into adults’ business!”

“But!”

“But nothing!”

I deliberately raised my voice, then slammed my palm on the table a few times as I scolded him sternly.

“What kind of nephew comes barging in on his aunt on her first morning as a newlywed!”

“I have common sense too. I didn’t interrupt last night!”

The end of Luca’s voice wavered, sounding almost teary.

As if that would fool me.

It was obvious he was pretending to be weak.

“That won’t work even if you fake cry!”

“…Tch.”

Sure enough, Luca immediately pouted. Not only did he seem clueless about why he was being scolded, he even raised his voice instead.

“You’re so ungrateful. I came early to warn you that the former king is coming.”

The former king is coming?

Caught completely off guard, I shouted.

“…You should’ve said that first!”

“Hmph!”

The moment Luca turned his head away in a huff, the former king’s booming voice rang out from beyond the door.

“Judith! Why haven’t you come to greet me yet! I knew it. That Winterwald beast of a man…”

“Oh my goodness…”

I squeezed my eyes shut, overwhelmed by the bleak future already forming in my head. Without a moment to enjoy the calm of the first day of marriage, the second round had begun.

* * *

The day we finally left for Lilanibel arrived.

The former king looked reluctant to let usистр go, regret practically dripping from his face. Still, since there had been a promise, he had no choice.

Honestly, I wanted to get to Lilanibel as soon as possible. Truly. Desperately.

The former king visited so often that it was hard for Ruediger and me to even be alone together, let alone enjoy any kind of romantic mood.

Because of that, Ruediger’s patience had nearly hit rock bottom.

His presence had grown so ominous that it felt like he might do something irreversible at any moment.

It hadn’t been that long since we married. I couldn’t exactly send my husband to prison for assaulting royalty and live the rest of my life as a widow in all but name.

Thinking back on the past few days, I shook my head.

Still, it was a relief we managed to escape safely. Letting out a sigh of relief, I stepped out of the palace lobby.

The former king didn’t come to see us off. He claimed that if he did, he’d end up lying down and refusing to let us go, so he put himself under voluntary confinement.

‘He’s more self aware than I expected…’

That made it even clearer that his usual stubbornness came from simply not feeling the need to restrain himself.

I glanced briefly toward where the former king’s chambers were. The sunlight reflected off the windows so I couldn’t see inside, but somehow it felt like he was standing there.

Winter wasn’t over yet, and the air was cold. I wrapped myself tightly in thick fur.

Unlike me, Ruediger, being from the north, didn’t seem bothered by the cold at all and wore only a wool coat.

Still, he faithfully wore the scarf I made for him, which was oddly endearing. The ivory hand knitted scarf around his neck looked strangely out of place on him.

While most of the luggage was being loaded onto the carriage, Luca emerged from the palace, fully prepared.

Dressed in a white cashmere coat with the ivory scarf I had knitted, he looked like a little snow fairy.

As Luca casually checked the carriage, his gaze suddenly fixed on Ruediger. More precisely, on Ruediger’s scarf.

The moment he realized that his scarf and Ruediger’s were a matching pair, Luca recoiled in horror.

“What is that!”

“What do you think. It’s a scarf.”

“You think I don’t know that!”

At my indifferent reply, Luca jumped up and down in outrage.

‘Why is he reacting so strongly… Is this the first time he’s seeing the scarf I made for Ruediger?’

I searched my memory. Come to think of it, this really was the first time the two of them had worn their scarves at the same time.

Still, what was the problem. They could wear scarves together.

While I tilted my head in confusion, Luca frowned and complained.

“If you were going to knit something, you should’ve made one for Aunt too. Why do only Uncle and I have them.”

“They look cute side by side.”

“It makes us look like a super close uncle and nephew!”

“You are close.”

“Ugh!”

Luca scratched his neck as if he had goosebumps. Still, he didn’t throw the scarf away, which was interesting.

I shrugged and said.

“I was planning to make one for myself too.”

Originally, Ruediger’s scarf was meant to be mine. After giving it to him as a gift, I planned to knit a new one for myself.

“But back then… it felt awkward. It was like I was making matching couple scarves with Ruediger, so I got embarrassed.”

“Are you embarrassed to wear a matching scarf with me?”

Ruediger, who had been listening quietly, suddenly cut in.

Honestly, he makes it hard to say anything.

“I meant back then, not now. I hadn’t even been confessed to yet.”

That was when my one sided feelings for him were still growing strong.

No matter how bold I was, I wasn’t shameless enough to secretly make couple scarves and giggle to myself in that situation.

But my explanation didn’t seem to convince either of them. Ruediger looked confused, and Luca got even angrier.

“Then make one for Aunt too. I don’t want Uncle and me being a matching pair!”

“So it’s fine if the three of us match?”

“I don’t care!”

Luca snapped and ran toward the carriage. The ears peeking out between his shiny curly blond hair were bright red.

Seriously. Two is bad, three is fine. I really don’t get it.

I laughed quietly at Luca’s incomprehensible standards.

And with that, we left Blueyen.

Our destination was Lilanibel, our new home where we would build countless memories together.