◈ 320. [Side Story] Hwayangyeonhwa (2)
After the tea time, it’s time to guide Lucas to the lodging.
Second Empress Dustia personally guided Lucas. Lucas’s room was on the first floor of the villa.
“You can use this room from now on.”
Lucas’ luggage had already been neatly arranged in Alberto’s room.
Lucas opened his mouth and entered the room. Rather, it seemed much better than the room the family used.
“Thank you for guiding me, Empress.”
“… Lucas.”
Dustia smiled warmly as she sat down in front of Lucas at eye level.
“I’ve heard all about the bad things that happened to you. Was it very difficult?”
“… .”
“I’m not saying to treat this place like home from now on… … . Still, I will do my best so that you can stay comfortably like your own home. I will help Ash and serenade.”
“… thank you Empress.”
Lucas bowed his head.
“I will try too.”
“okay. Let’s all try together.”
Dustia laughed lightly.
Somehow, that kind smile really reminds me of my mother’s.
Embarrassed, Lucas hurriedly backed away and accidentally knocked the candlestick on the desk.
“ah… ?!”
Before Lucas could grab the candlestick, the candle fell helplessly to the floor, and the carpet on the floor caught fire –
click.
– It didn’t spread.
Dustia stretched out her hand and snapped her fingers, and the candlestick soared back into the air as if time were flowing backwards, then quietly landed on the desk as if nothing had happened.
“uh… ?”
Surprised, Lucas looked at Dustia and saw glittering gray magic all around her.
As if a clockwork was winding, the spiraling mana was sucked back into her body.
“Collock Coke!”
Dustia, who performed an unknown miracle, coughed violently right after. After the cough finally stopped, Dustia winked at Lucas.
“Eh, if you get caught using magic, you get scolded… . It’s a secret to everyone else Lucas? got it?”
Dustia held out her little finger, and Lucas involuntarily held out her little finger.
Dustia’s long, slender ring finger and Lucas’ small ring finger were entangled and swayed up and down.
It was a promise to keep it a secret.
Dustia smiled and gently stroked Lucas’s golden hair, then waved and went outside.
“Good night, Lucas. If anything happens, call Alberto.”
“Yes yes… ! good night!”
Dustia looked at Lucas, who bowed politely as if he were cute, and shook his hand to close the door.
Lucas, who had been staring blankly at the closed door, stumbled and took short steps and sat down on the bed.
My mind was complicated. everything was awkward
The story of why I suddenly came here after losing my parents, the kindness given by strangers, the blankets and pillows on the bed chilled in the winter air… … .
And the mysterious magic that Dustia just witnessed.
Lucas sighed and turned his head to the side.
I found Ash clinging to me outside the window, breathing white air.
“… ?”
I rubbed my eyes wondering if I was seeing something wrong, but I didn’t. It was real Ash.
The eight-year-old prince clung to the window of Lucas’ room, shivering. Mouth like, ‘Open this, please’… … .
“?!”
Terrified, Lucas almost rolled on the floor and opened the window.
Ash wrapped himself around his small body and walked into the room and smiled, his cheeks flushed from the cold.
“Hi Lucas!”
“Oh hello… Your Highness the Prince.”
I had no idea what the situation was. Lucas asked in bewilderment.
“What are you doing here at this time… ?”
Then Ash smiled like a bad boy and said,
“Let’s play!”
it sounded like that
Lucas’s blue eyes widened curiously.
“yes?”
“me! It was my dream to hang out with friends at night! Even Serenade noona went home at night and was very bored by herself!”
Then, Young Cha Young Cha raised herself on the window sill and gestured outside.
“Follow me! I will guide you to my secret base!”
The prince’s small body disappeared outside. Embarrassed, Lucas hurriedly jumped out through the window.
It was not snowing, but it was cold outside.
Ash sprayed white breath, climbed the narrow stone wall of the villa, climbed the stairs on the outer wall, and eventually reached the top of the roof – finally entering the
attic right below the top of the villa through the window.
Panting, Lucas, who had barely followed, was exhausted, but Ash shouted triumphantly, pointing into the attic.
“This is my secret base!”
secret base… … It was just an ordinary attic to say the least.
Stuffed with storybooks and toy chessboards, blankets, lamps, and glass jars of pickled fruit.
As Lucas blinked and looked around, Ash raised his nose triumphantly and said.
“Specially, I’ll let you in here!”
“Thank you… ?”
“ah! The password is this! memorize it?”
Ash raised his small hand and tapped on the window.
Knock. smart. Knock.
“When you enter our secret base, you just need to type in this code. got it?”
“Yes yes… .”
I don’t even know if that can be called a password, but Lucas memorized it anyway. Knock once twice once… … .
Showing his teeth and laughing hee-hee, Ash picked up a blanket and put it over Lucas’ head, then pulled the blanket over himself.
After bringing a lamp and lighting it, the young prince asked, squatting down in front of it.
“good! Then what are you going to play with?”
So the two boys played all night.
They played chess with their clumsy skills, ate pickled fruits out of glass jars, and read fairy tales while licking their sugar-stained hands.
Deep into the night, a story about the opposite sex came out.
Lucas said he didn’t have it yet, and Ash said, ‘I don’t have one yet,’ and continued to talk about the serenade. When did that older sister start coming to this villa and play with her… … .
‘Aha, that’s it.’
When the story of the serenade came out, Ash twisted his body. The face with the remaining breast meat is loose.
Even an idiot could tell who the prince liked. Lucas chuckled.
The story goes on and on until it’s too late.
The night passed quickly and the morning dawned. Stretched out in their blankets, the two boys dozed off.
It was then.
jump!
The door to the attic opened wide, and Alberto, the chamberlain, stepped inside with a terrifying frown.
“Your Highness the Prince… . You are here again! Besides, he even dragged Lucas in… … !”
Ash yawned and woke up, whining.
“Alberto… You didn’t give me permission to enter here… … Huaam.”
“There is no place an old man cannot go in this palace, Your Highness!”
“Aww, don’t come in! This is a secret base!”
“As far as I know, it’s a secret and sleeping… Ugh. Wash up and go to your room before Mama notices!”
Alberto grabbed the two boys by the sides and forcibly carried them away.
Ash, who was yawning calmly while holding Alberto’s hand, looked to the side and said, as if he was used to this.
“Let’s play again, Lucas!”
Lucas, who was staring blankly at Ash, smiled vaguely.
“… Your Highness.”
Alberto put the two boys into their respective rooms.
Because they played all night, the two boys fell asleep all day. Looking at the two, Dustia shook her head while Serenade covered her mouth and laughed.
Every day went by like that.
Ash was a mischievous kid who joked around every day with a calm face, and Lucas always had to hang out with him.
There was no time for negative thoughts. Lucas quickly adapted to this villa and became a family, laughing together and scolding each other.
Time flies like that –
***
5 years later.
Knock. smart. Knock.
Lucas knocked in front of Ash’s room and opened the door without hesitation and went inside.
“I am here, Your Highness. Are you all ready?”
“Ughhhh… .”
Ash stood in front of the full-length mirror and made a strange noise.
Ash was dressed in a fancy black-and-white tailcoat.
The thirteen-year-old prince had grown immeasurably compared to five years ago, but he was still a small boy. The tailcoat was more cute than cool.
“Hey Lucas!”
Ash, who was grunting and touching his bow tie, squealed.
“Aren’t I weird?!”
“How many times have I told you, Your Highness… .”
Lucas, who stood behind him and watched them, let out a sigh.
“Of all the faces I’ve seen since coming here, today is the most beautiful… No, because you are handsome.”
Twelve-year-old Lucas was also wearing a suit today. The light brown suit was a little too big for the boy’s body, but for something hurriedly tailored, it was just fine.
The reason the two boys dressed up today was because today was Ash and Serenade’s engagement ceremony.
Ash looked at his height, even wearing insoles and heeled shoes, and then spat out in tears.
“Will Serenade noona like me like this?!”
“ha… .”
Lucas sighed unconsciously.
The fact that this young couple liked each other was noticed as soon as they came to this villa five years ago.
However, only the two of them didn’t know each other, so they couldn’t approach each other because they only noticed each other.
Viewed from the side, it was a matter of being crazy about the terrible quality of salting.
I had to take on the role of a messenger of love, delivering love letters between people… … .
‘The long time of persecution and humiliation is also over.’
After 5 years of shoveling! Finally, the two confirmed each other’s feelings! Parents of both families gave permission! Get engaged today!
‘What kind of engagement is it? Just get married right away.’
It was fortunate that he had taken a step forward, but the thought of this grand shovel going on until his wedding again made Lucas dizzy.
Even holding hands is embarrassing, but at what age are you going to advance? … In addition, you have to intuit the scene from the back as this slow-moving couple progresses step by step… … .
Just thinking about it already made me feel frustrated. Lucas raised his forehead and shook his head.
Just kiss me! Step on the progress too! Just make a living! Have lots of kids too! About five people!
‘omg! kid?’
As he imagined the children born between Ash and Serenade, Lucas shook his shoulders involuntarily.
‘It must be so cute.’
Since he is Ash’s escort, it must be his job to keep those babies right next to him.
No, I’m not giving my work to anyone. I don’t even need a nanny. He will formulate himself, feed the babies, and rock the cradle.
‘I should learn how to take care of a baby in advance before that day comes.’
Promising to ask the old maids in the palace to prepare for lessons, Lucas nodded.
Ash, standing on tiptoe, unaware of the escort knight’s sinister intentions, let out a sigh with a tear-stained face.
“I wish I was a little taller… .”
Currently, Ash is shorter than Serenade.
The reality that the girl he likes is taller than him doesn’t seem to be very pleasant to Ash.
Lucas thought that this was only now and soon Ash would grow up to be bigger than Serenade.
Right now, I wanted to tease her more than comfort her.
“Isn’t it that you’re not tall because you don’t sleep at night?”
“Why are you so tall after we played together!”
“Height is inherently genetic. And I practice swordsmanship every day… … .”
“Aww! Stop doing that and give me the key, man!”
Ash, who was screaming, said, “Ahh,” and took something out of the closet.
“Hey Lucas! receive.”
Lucas was puzzled and accepted it.
“This… ?”
“It’s a sword.”
It was an iron sword.
The length of the blade is about 50 cm. It was shorter than the wooden sword Lucas usually used. It was probably cast with the length adjusted so that it could be brought inside the imperial palace.
But thanks to that, it was still suitable for young Lucas to use.
Lucas opened his mouth slightly and examined the light of the blade. From the handle to the sheath of the blade, it was dazzlingly cool.
Ash shrugged and shrugged.
“Suddenly, I wondered if you should use a real sword instead of a wooden sword. It’s something I ordered from Alberto’s smithy with permission. How do you like it?”
“majesty… .”
Ash added to Lucas, who was impressed.
“It’s an engagement ceremony, and if you, my escort knight, loses your sword, I’ll be embarrassed too… … Do I have to say that wooden swords are a bit lacking in visuals? don’t you agree?”
“… Please give me back my inspiration. Ah-oh.”
Lucas groaned and kicked the longsword away from his belt. Although the length was short, the shape was decent.
“Okay my escort!”
Ash, who satisfactorily looked at Lucas’ appearance, patted his shoulder with a determined face.
“Take care of my bridesmaid today!”
“Yeah yeah. Will there be any?”
“good! Shall we go-!”
After the breath! Ash inhaled and triumphantly stepped out. Lucas followed closely behind him.
The servants and maids who were busily walking through the corridors to greet the engagement guests burst into applause and cheers when they saw Ash.
Ash was shy but walked confidently. Lucas held back a laugh and followed Ash.
And at the end of the hallway, let’s reach the banquet hall set up in the courtyard garden of the detached palace-
“Ah.”
In the midst of a lush summer garden.
A dazzlingly beautiful 15-year-old serenade was waiting.
The girl with azure hair was wearing a beige dress, a type of dress commonly referred to as the Mermaid line.
It was like a mermaid.
“ah… .”
Serenade met Ash’s eyes and lowered her eyes with her face blushing. Long eyelashes cast shadows over her large silver eyes.
“… .”
Ash froze in place with his mouth wide open, unable to walk any further.
‘I’m going to lose my jaw.’
After grabbing Ash’s chin and bringing it back to its original position, Lucas shook his head.
And then
‘Eh.’
slap!
I pushed Ash’s back.
“uh? uh huh Wow!”
Ash stumbled and was pushed into the middle of the garden.
It was the serenade that caught Ash, who was staggering and unable to keep his balance. The two of them stumbled together and then managed to stand upright.
Then they looked at each other
and burst into laughter as if they had made a promise.
Laughter spread among the guests who attended the engagement ceremony.
Second Empress Dustia, the Countess and Countess of Wintersilver, and all the nobles who were sitting in the high table laughed and clapped.
Only one was crying, and it was Alberto… .
Alberto’s hardened face was wet with tears, as if suppressing his emotions.
The ends of his mustache, which he was proud of, were damp and sunken. Even as he thought about it, Lucas’ nose tingled for some reason.
‘be happy. majesty.’
In the midst of applause and cheers, young boys and girls happily exchanged words with their foreheads together.
After watching that cute and overwhelming scene, Lucas looked around the audience without much thought.
and.
I saw Fernandez standing in the guest seat.
Seventeen-year-old Fernandez, whom I saw in five years, had grown considerably, but there was no way I could not recognize that dark red hair, eyes, and atmosphere.
“… !”
Lucas, his eyes wide open and his shoulders trembling, saw Fernandez raise his index finger and place it on his lips.
Shh-.
The dark red eyes behind Fernandez’s glasses let out a thin smile. Lucas gritted his teeth involuntarily.
A small band began to play music. The young couple awkwardly hugged each other and began to dance.
The engagement ceremony began in the warm, dazzling sunlight.
And Lucas had to follow Fernandez’s gesture and move into the thick shadows.
