The West Wind's Destination - Side Story 2
Aseph was at a loss for words, his face flushed.
The couple had gone on a trip for about a month after leaving Homun in someone’s care. Upon their return, Aseph was beaming with joy as he resumed his duties, while Bea seemed genuinely exhausted, spending days just sleeping.
“…Alright, you don’t have to tell me.”
Ruslan was getting tired of playing along.
Just as he was wondering how to escape this situation, someone knocked on the office door.
Homun, now the young master of Vilkanos, entered and greeted formally. Aseph, who had been brooding until a moment ago, sprang up to hug the child and kiss his cheek, asking,
“How was your lesson? Was it worth attending this time?”
“Yes.”
Normally, one might ask if it was not too difficult, but such a question suited the young master. Ruslan had nothing left to teach the child, who was learning too quickly, graduating one teacher after another.
Aseph inquired about the child’s current interests and then, almost as an afterthought, asked,
“…How has Mother been lately?”
It was a question that omitted a lot.
Homun sighed lightly and without much hesitation responded:
“You don’t need to worry.”
“There’s no way… I’ve been concerned she seems listless lately. Could it be spring fever?”
Homun’s eyes were quite narrowed as he looked at Aseph. With that expression alone, Ruslan realized that the young master had already grasped Aseph’s concerns.
“Wouldn’t it be better to ask her directly?”
“Should I? Yes, you’re right. That’s the best course of action.”
After setting Homun down, Aseph straightened his clothes, preparing to leave the office.
“Mother is currently in the garden.”
“Oh, is she?”
Before leaving the office, Aseph habitually reached for the vase prepared next to the door.
Having been troubled over a single flower, was Aseph planning to meet Bea with another flower in hand? Ruslan pointed this out.
“You said Her Highness sighed upon receiving a flower. And yet, you’re bringing another?”
At Ruslan’s comment, Aseph hesitated to put the flower down when Homun spoke up.
“Just take it.”
“S-Should I? I should, right? Better than going empty-handed…”
Aseph, who doesn’t bow his head even to the empire’s mages and doesn’t hide his temper when commanding his vassals, only seemed clumsy when it came to Bea. It appeared that his flustered behavior around Bea was something he would never outgrow.
❖
“Sleeping in such a place again…”
Bea was found sleeping face down on a table prepared in the garden, seemingly having dozed off in the spring sun’s embrace. Previously, servants had woken her up several times to escort her to her bedroom, but after Bea refused, they just covered her with a blanket.
Normally, one might enjoy tea and snacks in such a garden, but because Bea’s preference wasn’t quite so, only a plate of half-eaten jerky could be seen on the table.
“Bea, it’s quite cold. Let’s get you inside so you can sleep more.”
Aseph hurried over, whispering in Bea’s ear and pressing his lips to her forehead. As Bea sleepily opened her eyes, he kissed her eyelids too, making quite a fuss.
‘I came at the wrong time…’
Ruslan, who had been answering Homun’s questions about his lessons and had inadvertently followed Aseph to the garden. He soon felt an unwarranted headache upon witnessing this scene.
“Bea, I love you.”
And furthermore, hearing his superior whisper sweet nothings was enough to make him want to flee.
Aseph kneeled in front of Bea, presenting the flower he had just brought. He pressed his lips to the back of Bea’s hand holding the flower and whispered tenderly.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“Nothing.”
“But you haven’t told me anything.”
“I don’t need anything.”
Before Aseph could say more, Bea looked intently at the flower and then sighed.
“Actually, I wanted to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“Tell me what you want me to do here.”
Aseph tilted his head in confusion.
“You don’t need to do anything. Just being with you is enough for me.”
“I feel the same…”
Aseph looked as if he had been struck by something, but then he smiled brightly—as dazzling as blossoming flowers.
“So it is. Bea, you felt the same as I did.”
And Ruslan, having overheard the entire conversation, had only one thought.
‘Ah, really. Motherfu…’
It was then he made eye contact with Homun.
Unlike Aseph and Ruslan, who had been overly concerned, the child watched the scene unperturbed, his expression unchanged. Feeling Ruslan’s gaze, Homun hugged his shoulders as if tickled. Though the child was always expressionless, Ruslan felt he could guess what he was thinking.
Indeed. Both Bea and Homun seemed expressionless, but upon closer inspection, their feelings were visible.
“As I said, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“…Yes, yes.”
Really, they were something else.
“Shall we leave then?”
“Yes, young master.”
As Ruslan and Homun grumbled their way out of the garden, the couple remained in their own world, oblivious to everything else.
