Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father

Aedis sighed and stood up. The book he was reading before I came in was unopened.

At first glance, it was written about how to make dessert.

Slowly closing the distance between us, Aedis opened his mouth.

“I hope you don’t plan on staying all night.”

This was what he was going to say to Paimon.

The cold tone was so harsh that I wondered if this was the person who used to speak respectfully to me.

[“Hiccup!”]

Paimon’s front paws grabbed the hem of my skirt.

I didn’t know anything else, but I felt sorry for the dragon-shaped spirit who knew for sure that my husband was scary, so I gave a word of help.

“He’s so anxious, wouldn’t it be okay if we sleep together for a day or so?”

Even though Paimon was locked up while looking into Aedis’s other treasure trove…… it was so anxious.

So I had to sacrifice the key that Aedis gave me and take it out…… Well, I’m worried.

For the sake of my spirit, I must have omitted the rest of the words appropriately, but Aedis’s expression only became worse than before.

In an ice-like atmosphere, Paimon quickly began to retreat.

But it took less than five steps before it stumbled.

[“Uwaak!”]

Suddenly, Paimon made a strange noise and transformed into the first Grand Duke. The dragon was nowhere to be seen, and a large man, who was believed to be in his early 40s, was lying in the room.

“……Paimon?”

[“I didn’t do it! That Demon King forcibly transformed me!”]

Paimon, who looked like he could break even a rock with his bare hands, clinged to me.

Of course, it wasn’t a pretty sight to see.

“Hey, let’s talk from a further distance. Will you let go of my legs too?”

[“Eve?!”]

I can’t help it even if you show me a face filled with betrayal……

There was a very big difference between a small dragon hanging on my feet and a middle-aged man with muscles all over my feet.

First of all, Aedis’s face was unusual, right before he became the Demon King Paimon spoke of.

Paimon, faintly noticing the reason why I was reluctant, gave a grunt as if to try something.

I know you’re struggling, but it would be good for you to let go of my legs……

Paimon, who had been wrestling with something invisible alone for a few seconds, screamed.

[“Ahh! I can’t go back to normal!]

I stared at my husband, who was certain to be the culprit that caused Paimon to face all its troubles.

Aedis said while holding Paimon’s back with one hand.

“I have no intention of sharing a room with anyone other than my wife.”

Whether it be a human or a spirit, he was more determined than ever.

Paimon, who was being dragged along by Aedis’s grasp, called my name anxiously.

[“Eve! help me!”]

Ugh, really.

“Aedis, wait a minute.”

I called Aedis.

The husband stopped acting even though he clearly showed his displeasure.

Inside, it was Paimon, but from the outside, the bandit boss or pirate captain looked up at me with tears in his eyes.

[“As expected, Eve, I believed that you would save me.”]

“I also don’t want to sleep with Paimon.”

[“Eve?!”]

……I’m sorry, Paimon. But that appearance has a huge ripple effect.

“Still, it’s a spirit that I made a contract with, so please don’t drive him too far away.”

After a brief quarrel, Paimon finally agreed to spend the day with me and use an empty room on the same floor at night.

Even though the empty room was just around the corner, neither my husband nor the spirit seemed satisfied.

Aedis hated it because he had to share the same floor as Paimon even for a limited time, and Paimon hated it because he had to share a different room on the same floor as me, even for a limited time at night.

Oh, by the way, it seems that my husband is more dissatisfied. It must have been because he knew that Paimon would be sticking to me like glutinous rice cake by day.

In any case, Aedis returned Paimon to its original form.

[“Then I will go…… I’m really going.”]

The dragon stretched its wings and said.

I dismissed the maids and opened the door so that Paimon could go out comfortably.

“Yes, goodbye. Sleep well.”

[“It’s not going to go well! And I’m not going to sleep! Hhing!”]

He’s upset.

As soon as Paimon went away, I asked what I had been curious about.

“Aedis, did the first Grand Duke really look like the transformed Paimon? So what happened to the portrait?”

As soon as Paimon disappeared from view, Aedis, who stopped being the demon king, answered.

“The portrait of the first Grand Duke that remains at Cyclamen Castle was made to commemorate his coming of age ceremony. Paimon reproduced his appearance from a long time later.”

……So, does that mean that both of them are the real First Grand Duke?

I alternately thought of the first Grand Duke in the portrait, who was elegant and intelligent, and the muscular man with a harsh impression that Paimon had transformed into.

No, how could he change like that?!

“He must have been under a lot of stress while sealing the spirits in the bell tower.”

Without realizing it, I stuttered. It was when I was very curious about what kind of life process the first Grand Duke went through from his coming-of-age ceremony until he reached middle age, but I did not want to know at all.

Seeing my reaction, Aedis laughed softly. Again, he sat on the sofa and picked up the comb as usual.

“Eve, I wanted to tell you earlier, but you know your hair is really messed up, right?”

Hmm, what?

The cloak I had been wearing was thrown away on the way home, but my messy hair wasn’t tidy.

Come here. I rushed to Aedis’s beckoning, and sat down.

His movements to comb and untangle my tangled hair was as delicate as Sarah’s.

“But Aedis, are you really not angry?”

“Is there anything I should be angry about with my wife?”

Do I have to reflect on it, I thought.

“You arbitrarily removed Gilbert’s aura.”

“But?”

“I don’t know where to get angry. Should I regret that I wasn’t able to cut Gilbert’s limbs? But Gilbert would have been more pleased with his limbs cut.”

The voice, which was not prominent, continued with calm brushing.

“Even the father will be interested when he finds out that Gilbert’s aura is gone. If it was an ordinary body that couldn’t manifest an aura, he would be fussing all over the place. The problem is that his interest is likely to shift to Wife.”

Paimon’s ability to burn auras was special, even to me, who didn’t know much about spirits.

It’s just that Paimon doesn’t give me a chance to make him feel that special.

Magical power is consumed every time you use magic, and over time, it replenishes in your body, either through training or naturally.

Aura was similar. It was an energy that changed from time to time as if it were alive.

Therefore, it was known that it was close to impossible to completely and cleanly remove magical powers and auras.

I found out that this was possible only after I heard from Aedis that Paimon resisted the first Grand Duke’s magical power.

“I wish I could give you a present before that.”

Aedis stopped combing after making my hair softer than silk.

I turned to face Aedis.

“A gift?”

Are you talking about a birthday present?

一Your Grace, do you have anything you would like to have?

Suddenly, the image of Regen, who was worried about my birthday, which was still a month away, came to mind.

Sarah was also crying because she failed to surprise me.

Naturally, I was wondering if I should pretend I didn’t know, but Aedis asked for an opinion with a calm face.

“The jewel is almost finished. Do you have any favorite jewelry?”

Ah, he was talking about magic tools.

If so, I answered with interest.

“Um, a ring? A couple one specifically?”

He blinked as if he heard an option he had never considered.

“A ring?”

What is it? You’re cute, but that reaction is a bit unsettling, isn’t it?

I explained further to the husband, who was slow to react, as if something was broken.

“Yes, a ring. I think it would be nice if it was the right size to fit on this finger here.”

When I emphasized the fourth finger, Aedis’s eyes fluttered.

It was a slight tremor, but it was recognizable because of the close distance between us.

“Aedis…… You didn’t mean to make me couple bracelets with the Lord, did you?”

Aedis was just startled. I clearly saw it.

“I like the Lord very much, but I want to have the first couple jewelry with my husband…… Is this too much of a request?”

Before my gaze attack could reach, Aedis turned his head. He really blatantly avoided it!

“You don’t even have to do that.”

Excuse me?

“My wife wanted Regen to be a little less hurt, so she pretended to be a villain. That’s enough. You don’t have to do me a favor either.”

Wait?

Apparently, Aedis misunderstood something.

I shoved my face closer to Aedis, who kept refusing to look at me.

Then Aedis was forced to look at me.

I don’t know what happened to the atmosphere after he expelled Paimon. These days, Aedis seems to be a little more aware of me. Maybe it was from when I asked for a kiss?

“Hey, Aedis? Do you think that I only like my adopted sons and not my husband?”

“……That’s.”

“That’s?”

“I know you trust me.”

After sitting on the edge of the sofa, there was no more room to retreat, so Aedis rolled his eyes to the side.

It was an act that put more weight on the speculation that Aedis was more conscious of me.

“It’s not just about trust.”

“You really don’t know? What do I think of you? How do I feel when I see you?” I asked in a soft voice.