IYWHM SS 2

Side Story 2

 

Prince? It took Kisa a moment to understand the meaning of those words.

 

A few seconds later, she had to cover her mouth with her hand to suppress the laughter that was about to burst out. It seemed Mana was in a similar situation, as she could hear the sound of her sucking in breath beside her.

 

Whether the two of them were exchanging glances or not, Daisy approached Seyard as if enchanted.

 

“Ex-excuse me, are you a prince? Did you come to visit sister’s house…?”

 

Looking at Mana, who was even shaking her shoulders, Kisa bit her lips tightly.

 

Just because she was a child didn’t mean she had no pride. For Daisy’s sake, who was quite sensitive, she absolutely couldn’t show any sign of laughter.

 

Fortunately, it wasn’t just Kisa’s thought alone, as Seyard knelt down instead of laughing off the child’s innocent question.

 

After meeting Daisy’s eye level, he answered with a regretful tone.

 

“I’m sorry to disappoint the young lady’s expectations unintentionally, but I am not a prince. The princes are in the palace.”

 

“Then… then…?”

 

This time it was someone else’s turn to answer that question.

 

“Let me introduce you, Daisy. This person is Seyard. My husband.”

 

When Kisa approached with big steps and stood beside Seyard, Daisy’s eyes widened round.

 

“Sister’s husband?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Then is this person the Duke?”

 

“Yes, the Duke.”

 

The child’s mouth fell wide open as if she couldn’t believe it.

 

“But he doesn’t have a beard and he’s not an old man!”

 

“Hey! Where did you learn to point like that! How rude!”

 

Mana hurriedly ran over and bowed her head toward Seyard.

 

“I’m sorry, Your Grace. I didn’t teach her properly, so she doesn’t know anything yet.”

 

“Not at all. Rather, I’d like to say it’s a pleasure to meet you like this, Mrs. Oland.”

 

“Oh my, you even remember my name.”

 

“Of course. If you’re my wife’s benefactor, then you’re my benefactor as well. Please make yourself comfortable during your stay.”

 

“Oh, you don’t need to call me something grand like a benefactor. Anyway, thank you for welcoming us like this. Thanks to providing us with first-class accommodations, we were very comfortable even on the ship…”

 

Leaving the two people exchanging greetings behind, Kisa whispered in Daisy’s ear.

 

“Why, did you think all dukes were bearded old men?”

 

“The dukes in picture books were like that…”

 

“Well, most nobles with titles are like that, but there are people like Seyard too.”

 

“…Thank goodness.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

At those words, Daisy smiled broadly and spoke in a clearer voice than before.

 

“I’m really glad. That sister’s husband isn’t that kind of old man. I was actually a bit worried.”

 

“What were you worried about?”

 

“Sister is sister, but it would be weird if she married an old man. If it were me, I would have cried and cried, you know? But it’s so fortunate that he’s not an old man but someone like a prince like that.”

 

“…”

 

Kisa looked into the child’s innocent face for a moment and whispered softly.

 

“Thank you. Daisy is really kind.”

 

She never dreamed that this small child would harbor such caring worries.

 

That was a worry that even Count Vansfelt and Kisa’s blood relatives had never shown her.

 

Count Vansfelt was even the type of person who would willingly send his own daughter to marry an old man on his deathbed if it benefited the family.

 

Kisa recalled the last face of her father she had encountered.

 

On the day of the hastily arranged second wedding after returning from Octava, he attended the ceremony and gazed at his daughter with a cold face that seemed full of inner dissatisfaction.

 

‘He looked like he had a lot to say. If we had been alone, he probably wouldn’t have left me alone.’

 

However, whether Seyard had intervened or not, there was no opportunity for him to meet with Kisa alone after that.

 

The Count, who was conscious of people’s eyes, had nothing to say to his daughter in front of others, including Seyard, except for ceremonial advice.

 

Thanks to that, she wasn’t scolded for running away on her own, so perhaps she should consider it fortunate.

 

While staying in Yomos, she did receive several letters with her father’s or younger brother’s names on them, but she could just not read them.

 

Kisa threw their letters into the fireplace fire without hesitation. When she left her homeland all alone, she had left her family there too.

 

On that day when the earth-shaking earthquake occurred, what she grasped was Seyard’s hand, not theirs.

 

‘Besides, I have these two people. People who are more like real family than my actual family.’

 

Kisa patted Daisy’s head a couple of times and then looked back at Mana, who was still in conversation with Seyard.

 

“At this rate, all the food will get cold. How about we continue our remaining conversation while eating?”

 

Mana responded to Kisa’s suggestion as if she had been waiting for it.

 

“Right! It would be wrong to let the food you specially prepared get cold.”

 

While leading the two people to the dining room, Kisa suddenly made eye contact with Seyard.

 

The handsome man whom the child had mistaken for a prince earlier was looking at her with one hand in his pocket.

 

To confess one thing, she knew. That the matter he needed to discuss with Gilliam never actually existed from the beginning.

 

By her guess, Seyard simply needed an excuse to step away from the scene for a while.

 

Because if he had been there, Kisa and the mother-daughter pair Mana wouldn’t have been able to openly enjoy their reunion.

 

‘Especially Mana would have been flustered and nervous like before, even if I said I was fine.’

 

Most commoners rarely get to see even a baron, let alone a duke, in their lifetime.

 

Seyard had changed. That was the conclusion Kisa had reached after staying close to him for the past year and a half.

 

A more thoughtful disposition than the formal consideration he had shown in the past sometimes permeated his words and actions.

 

‘That person has changed. But why haven’t I…’

 

The next moment, Kisa awoke from her thoughts at the soft touch of someone taking her hand.

 

“Sister Bella?”

 

Daisy was looking up at her with a puzzled expression as she had stopped walking.

 

“It’s nothing. Come on, let’s hurry.”

 

Kisa looked away from Seyard and walked alongside Daisy toward the dining room.

 

“But isn’t there a baby here?”

 

That was a question Daisy suddenly threw out while they were all having tea together after finishing their meal.

 

The child, who had been concentrating only on the food during the meal because she was very hungry, showed her somewhat belated curiosity.

 

“In the letter from the winter before last, it said a baby was born?”

 

Kisa answered while setting down her steaming teacup on the table.

 

“That’s right, there was. And if you’re asking about the baby, it’s at the castle.”

 

“The castle? The castle where the lord lives?”

 

“Yes, this prince also has a wonderful castle in the territory where he serves as lord. We usually live there, and when we have business in the capital, we stay at this mansion temporarily.”

 

Perhaps the title of prince wasn’t entirely pleasant, as Seyard’s picture-perfect face crumpled for a moment.

 

However, since he returned to his original self in the blink of an eye, Kisa clicked her tongue inwardly. She had hoped to finally see the flustered expression she could only see in Octava, but it didn’t seem to be the day for it.

 

Seyard explained to Daisy with a composed attitude about their decision to refrain from long-distance travel since the baby was still young.

 

“I was curious about Sister Bella’s baby…”

 

“You can see it later.”

 

“Later? Will there be another chance to see it?”

 

“Of course. Daisy and Mana could come here again, or I could bring the baby to where you two live.”

 

There was someone who reacted faster than Daisy to that story.

 

“Bella is coming to our village?”

 

It was Mana, who had made several verbal mistakes during lunch and finally decided to speak as before at Kisa’s suggestion.

 

Kisa slowly nodded while recalling the quiet village where she had once lived.

 

“Yes, but is there some problem?”

 

“Well, how should I put it. The village is a bit, you know? It would be uncomfortable to stay there for long…”

 

“Oh, Mana. Did you forget? I lived there for several months.”

 

“Well, that’s true, but still, the situation is quite different from then and now.”

 

Kisa pondered for a moment, rubbing her chin.

 

“Hmm, now that I think about it, my existence would probably be a nuisance to you two and the other villagers in various ways. Everyone would be uncomfortable.”

 

“Huh? No! That’s not what I meant! I was just worried that Bella might not be comfortable…”

 

Mana, who had been rambling somewhat, declared as if giving up.

 

“Fine! You can come! After being welcomed like this, if Bella wants to come, I should gladly invite her!”

 

“If you’re just forcing yourself—”

 

“Forcing myself, what! Don’t worry about such things and come!”

 

At Mana’s firm declaration of intent, Kisa couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from rising.

 

She felt indescribably happy, as if her place still remained faintly in that longed-for house that still often appeared in her dreams.

 

“…”

 

“Seyard.”

 

So she called the name of the man who was quietly sipping tea beside her with an enthusiastic voice.

 

“What time of year are you usually most free during the year?”

 

“Well, the situation is a little different each year. But why do you suddenly ask that?”

 

“Why else? If I’m going to visit Mana’s house, I need to roughly understand your schedule too.”

 

At that moment, Kisa witnessed a different light flickering in the red eyes she faced.

 

“What’s wrong? Do you… not want to go to that village? I’m not necessarily saying we should stay there.”

 

“I don’t dislike it.”

 

Seyard shook his head and then continued after a moment of silence.

 

“I’m just happy.”

 

“What? What are you happy about?”

 

“There’s just something.”

 

With that brief answer, he only tilted his teacup.

 

Just when Kisa was contemplating whether to probe further, Daisy, who had been chattering while looking at her mother, suddenly changed the subject.

 

“But sister, have you met Mr. Gale?”

 

A chilly atmosphere suddenly circled around the table.