Rather Than The Son, I'll Take The Father

“Even if I had a younger brother, I am still Mother’s child, so that’s enough.”

It seemed that Regen was only thinking of acting up with me until he heard that.

I let go of Regen’s cheek and shyly pulled up the blanket to cover him.

It was the moment when all the parenting books I read and underlined with Aedis became overshadowed.

Maybe Regen originally hated being treated as a child…… No, it’s a bit unfair, isn’t it?

I’ve only been to five of the ‘100 places I want to go to play alone with Regen.’

We couldn’t have a late-night snack together, and we never stayed up all night playing.

I’m also making matching pajamas to wear with Regen with the help of a designer…….

“…… Mother, are you sick?”

“No.”

I answered bluntly.

For some reason, it seemed that the position had changed in an instant.

“You don’t have to worry too much about me. I’m not at all anxious now. I know better than anyone that Mother loves me.”

Regen reassured me courageously. I was so moved that I had tears in my eyes.

“Thank you, Regen. But since it’s been a while, how about sleeping with me for a while? At least for 15 days, no, even a few days…….”

“I’m fine. In fact, I sleep well alone.”

Regen said with a relieved face as he had opened up his heart.

That, alright…….

“Besides, there is also Mother’s portrait. Now I don’t think I’ll be scared even if I have nightmares.”

I shouldn’t have given that to him earlier.

I glared at my portrait adorning one side of Regen’s room with narrow eyes. I, in my early teens, had a confident smile.

Well, having a portrait of Aedis as a child next to it would be icing on the cake.

But knowing what Aedis’ childhood was like, it was hard to regret not having anything to remember of his past.

Regen asked, perhaps he had similar thoughts.

“Father must have been young just as I was, right?”

“Of course.”

“Father never talks about the past.”

I had a face that I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. To tell Aedis’ past, I had to explain Kadan Tine’s existence as well. I’ll probably want to postpone that conversation for as long as possible.

Aedis did not want Regen to blame himself for the sins that man had committed in his lifetime.

“Will you wait a little longer? Aedis will tell you first if Regen wants to hear it.”

“Can’t Mother tell me? I will keep it a secret.”

I smiled and patted Regen’s head.

“Aedis will be disappointed if he finds out later.”

Then, Regen gave up meekly even as his cheeks puffed out.

“Then I’ll wait. I have already taken Mother to myself and caused Father a lot of trouble.”

“…….”

In actuality, Aedis also bothered me a lot in other ways, so I only said it was okay. He doesn’t have a child in mind, so he’s thorough in contraception while being very active.

“Mother, was Father childish like me when he was young?”

“…… well.”

It was fortunate that Regen couldn’t see my expression because I was looking at the portrait.

“I wonder if there were more happy days or more sad days for Father at that time.”

I thought of a boy trapped in a cage of beasts.

…… it will never be forgotten.

“Me too……, I’m also curious.”

I pulled Regen and held him in my arms.

“It’s time to sleep, Regen.”

“Good night, Mother.”

Regen yawned with his small mouth and closed his eyes. I also told the chick who was pecking hard on the carpet while we chatted.

“You too, stop playing and come here to sleep.”

“Ppiiii?”

The chick tilted its head. I gestured again, and this time it darted to the wall where the portrait hung.

“…… not there. Come to bed.”

After turning into a chick, did its intelligence also become a chick? But the portrait was hung on the wall, the chick had to fly quite high to reach it.

Perhaps it was a nuisance to take such trouble, the chick knocked on the wall with its wings instead of flying up.

Of course, nothing happened.

I tried to interpret the chick’s behavior as taking out its anger on the wall where the portrait was hung.

“What do you want to say? I’m so pretty in the portrait?”

“Ppippippi!”

“No? Is the real thing better?”

“…….”

The chick’s black bean eyes cooled. It was frustrating but fortunate that I couldn’t communicate with it.

Somehow, it seemed like it was as talkative as Paimon.

“If it’s not important, talk later. I will sleep with Regen.”

“Ppi…….”

The chick looked at me once, then at the portrait, then at me again, then trudged away.

* * *

I felt the hard floor as I turned over.

“Uum…….”

Did I roll out of bed? Why is it so hot again?

I instinctively groped the side.

Regen, who held my hand and fell asleep, was gone.

I lifted my eyelids slightly and saw the wooden floor.

Wooden floor?!

I opened my eyes completely.

What. Have I been kidnapped? But it can’t be.

In Cyclamen Castle, there should be my husband, who was the strongest in the world, but there was also Shaula and Paimon. No one would have let me be kidnapped.

I slowly looked around.

It was an ordinary room that looked like someone actually lived in it. Living as a noble, my eyes were very high-standard, so it felt simple.

The midday sun was neither insufficient nor excessive. Besides, the air was warm enough to feel hot. I knew at least one thing for sure.

This was definitely not the North.

I got up and checked the condition. It didn’t feel like I had taken medicine and fallen asleep for a long time. I didn’t even feel bad.

That would mean that the kidnapper had taken me very far in the north in an instant.

“Should I be glad that Regen wasn’t kidnapped as well…….”

“Ppiii.”

“…….”

Just then, a bright yellow chick squeaked at my feet.

“Ppii ppiii.”

…… It made sense if this chick did it.

For a moment I glared at the kidnapper, who was smaller than the palm of my hand, then continued to look around the room.

Who was the owner of this room that the chick brought me here?

The furniture was all of a very classical design. However, it was not as luxurious as in Cyclamen Castle.

Even the edges were worn.

“…….”

I narrowed my brows and brushed the furniture with my hand.

It was shaped as if only the corners were rounded off on purpose, as if there was a baby who was not good at walking.

…… baby?

I continued my search for another clue.

As expected, there was a baby bed that was so small that Regen would be cramped inside.

“Ppiiii.”

Maybe. The reason it brought me here.

I approached the bed as if possessed.

I caught a glimpse of round toes like marbles. A real, living, breathing baby was sleeping in it.

“…….”

It, it would have been less embarrassing if I had been kidnapped by a complete stranger rather than the chick.

Even though I sponsored an orphanage, I couldn’t get close to the children. Regen was also afraid of me at first, but then he gathered a lot of courage and opened up his heart.

But it’s not a child, it’s a baby. What if it cries as soon as it sees me?

I was even afraid of the foreseeable future.

“Ppiiiii?”

The chick tilted its head as it saw me nervous.

“…… I’ll take a quick look. Please don’t cry.”

I mumbled without even knowing who I was talking to, and looked into the bed.

The baby’s silver hair, which grew fluffy, swayed gently.

The baby was so small that it still seemed unable to turn over on its own.

That silver hair can’t be a coincidence, and the chick’s kidnapping can’t be a coincidence either.

But Kadan is dead. The base in the desert was also destroyed by Shaula. Therefore, this baby would not be Kadan’s child and Regen’s real brother.

Then…….

“Aedis’ hidden child…… There is no possibility of that.”

The fact that Aedis was originally silver haired came to mind, but it wasn’t even worth considering.

I’m the first and the last.

I already noticed the baby’s sharp nose.

If it’s not a Kadan-related baby, and it’s not Aedis’ hidden child, then who is this baby? Very cute and very pretty though.

“Is it my future child?”

“…….”

“I don’t see a corner that resembles me.”

“Ppi, ppiiii.”

It looked like the chick was sweating cold, but it must be my mistake.

At that time, the baby who had fallen asleep without a care suddenly opened its eyes with a twinkle.

It had ruby-red eyes.

However, if looked at closely, it had beautiful and subtle purple stars.

“…… ung?”

No way.

No. Way?

—I had a family.

—…….

―It was an ordinary family that you can see anywhere. I wasn’t of any noble status or anything like that.

My heartbeat quickened.

I thought it was nonsense, but there was an existence right next to me that could make that nonsense a reality.

I forced my stiff lips to move.

“It’s not, mine?”

“Ppiik ppiik.”

The cries were getting louder and louder.

“…… you?”

“Pyaak pyaak!”

Even though the subject was omitted, the chick dutifully understood me.