46 – Darkness of History
A day in Elphicia begins early in the morning.
When you open your eyes in the bedroom of the Duke and Duchess, you see Hartera with his white hair pressed against the pillow, eyes closed. In her heart, she wants to touch his face and hair, but it’s impossible. Hartera’s superhuman senses would react instantly even with a touch of a hair.
Therefore, Elphicia had only one choice. To simply open her eyes and gaze at him without any tossing and turning. That was all she could do.
“You sleep well…”
The time spent observing Hartera is contradictory. She was happy to be able to quietly watch him sleep like this, but at the same time, it was painful because she couldn’t get any closer.
A contract marriage.
The name of an absurd shackle.
Even so, if it weren’t for the formality of a contract marriage, Hartera would have driven me away harshly. Because you are thorough in your priestly duties and see women as nothing but stones.
If I am a contracted wife, I cannot approach you on my own. It would be difficult if I approached hastily and you escaped before I could hold on.
So you have to choose me. Only when I become so infatuated with you, wanting to tempt you as a wife who rejects you outwardly, can I gradually close the distance between us.
‘What if you also reminisced about our memories?’
Would you have felt embarrassed? If not, would you have attempted a surprisingly proactive approach? Even as a woman who loved you, it’s difficult to assert this.
Even now, if Harte were to approach indifferently, she would still lose her composure, but her husband in front of her wouldn’t know.
Nevertheless, the thought that it’s rather fortunate remains unchanged.
If your life was a calm surface, Elpisia Luminel was a stone creating ripples. I hope the memories, both anticipated and hurtful, because of me, are forgotten forever.
May you regain a life filled with happy memories.
Every morning, I pray for you.
‘…I guess I can forgive this level of prank in the embrace of prayer.’
Naturally, I close my eyes. Then, using the pretext of tossing and turning, we narrow the distance between us. With just a slight roll, Harte’s warmth vividly envelops my entire body, like embracing a soft pillow, and his palm subtly lifts my thigh. It was the perfect completion of sleep talking.
Flutter!
The sensation of gently touching the thigh is vividly conveyed. Perhaps Harte opened his eyes and realized the situation.
Even if I try to gently pull away, it’s impossible to move due to the locked arms.
However, you are not someone who wakes up your wife early in the morning just for your convenience.
In reality, he is desperately trying to turn away from the thigh softly murmuring in his grip. He probably doesn’t want to resort to uncomfortable measures, but there’s no choice.
‘I’m not your contractor; I should be your wife.’
So, please bear with it a little.
At least until the day you overtly want to tease me.
◇
Elpisia’s morning begins around the time when the sunlight penetrates the glass window.
Whenever that time comes, Elphesia tosses and turns like a ghost, only to return to the spot where she slept. Is it getting colder around the time darkness fades away? Lately, Elphesia unconsciously treats me as a heater and snuggles close.
It was quite awkward. Very awkward.
Not only does she show her face at beautiful angles as if aiming for it, but even her breathing rustles like an angel.
There’s no end to it.
The soft touch of her chest felt through the locked arms is bearable, but her plush, firm thighs severely tested my patience. I can’t help being a pervert; I dare harbor dark thoughts about Elphesia.
Elphesia, who should never be defiled, but once I committed the sin, her seductive figure easily invaded my unconscious mind.
“I am… irredeemable trash.”
Irredeemable trash, but I can’t admit it. Elphesia trusts me, so I must use the marital bedroom without complaints.
Every early morning, she remains oblivious to the fact that the contact area far surpasses the boundary.
It must remain a secret. Even if it’s to preserve her dignity.
But… but…
“… Elphesia.”
“Yes?”
“Today… is there some event or party?”
“No?”
“A gathering for parents, perhaps?”
“If there were, you would know.”
“Yeah… right.”
If there were an event Elphesia attended, as her husband, I would know. However, why does it seem like Elphesia is intentionally hiding events from me?
‘Elphesia… if even your everyday attire is suggestive… I…’
I simply cannot understand. Why does she persist in such a defenseless attitude?
‘The slit at the hem… bothers me…!’
It’s not like the last time when one leg stretched out straight. Instead, her thigh, with diamond-shaped gaps here and there, lets the fresh air in. Especially the open part with freckles makes it daring to look directly.
“Harte.”
“Huh, yeah?”
“Why are you fidgeting so much?”
“I-I didn’t steal anything…!”
Indeed. It was more about avoiding eye contact than stealing. Well, that was a fitting statement. Admitting it.
‘Not like she’s going out, why wear such clothes…’
Sometimes, I wish she would wear clothes more casually than anyone else. I even felt like giving her sweatpants as a gift.
‘Sweatpants… they don’t exist in this world, but sweatpants would be nice.’
Like leggings that would enhance Elphesia’s charm, or dolphin pants… these crazy things.
Thinking about it, these are the things that come to mind. Without realizing it, I felt the presence of Elphesia sitting somewhat next to the center of my consciousness. No matter how I turn the situation positively, the destination was always Elphesia.
At times like this, it’s best to completely avert my gaze from Elphesia.
Instead, it’s the best psychological therapy to encounter the innocence of the children I’ve forgotten.
“Daddy!”
So, I welcomed Tina running towards me with open arms.
“Our little one. Did you sleep well?”
“No, I didn’t sleep well…”
“Oh, what could be the matter?”
This was yet another sudden change. Tina, who always slept like a baby in a honey jar, was now tossing and turning.
“Well…”
Tina clenched her fist with a slightly shy expression.
“I couldn’t sleep because I was afraid my body might change again. What if I turn into a dragon…?”
“Well, that would be a warm welcome.”
“Dad…!!!”
“No, really…”
From Noble mtl dot com
At the moment, Tina was in desperate need of animal therapy. To suppress the vulgar desire for Elphesia, she needed peace of mind. If Tina were in her dragon state, she could guide me to the Mu-rung Do-won.
But of course, it wouldn’t be right for me as a father to involve Tina in my situation.
“Ahem, Tina.”
“Yes…?”
“I think it’s a natural phenomenon. Our daughter is half dragon and half human, so whichever side she becomes, it’s her true body.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, you know dragons can freely change their appearance with polymorph, right?”
“Yes. Last time, the dragon transformed into me.”
This was the story of when Tina was kidnapped by the Bloody Dragon. When the cornered Bloody Dragon changed into Tina’s exact appearance to confuse me.
“If Tina practices polymorph properly, her body won’t change. And even if it does, she’ll be able to quickly return on her own.”
“Oh…”
After a moment of admiration, Tina asked me.
“So, does that mean I can also transform into an adult?”
“Of course.”
“As an adult with a body like Mom’s?”
*Cough!*
“Dad?”
I was seized by intense fear. Tina having Elysia’s body. It’s not funny. Such a thing should never happen.
“… Tina.”
“Yes?”
“Even if it were possible, let’s not change into adults.”
“Why…?”
“All dads in this world dislike spoilers…”
It’s a lie. Spoiling the future appearance of a daughter is no concern at all.
But Tina with Elysia’s body is still too early.
Chasing away every woman captivated by those charming thighs would take a lifetime, even if it’s not enough. As a compromise, I’d rather it not be Elysia’s body. Just not Elysia’s body…
“Um… Okay, Dad, for now.”
“Good.”
It feels bitter to restrict Tina’s freedom on a whim. But if anything, half of this conscience should be carried by Elysia, as all of this is due to Elysia’s captivating allure.
… Of course, Elysia remains expressionless, not feeling a hint of remorse.
“What about that child?”
At that moment, Elysia spoke.
When Elysia refers to ‘that child,’ she usually means Glenn.
Elysia and Glenn. The awkward tension between the two persists. However, since the incident where the vampire wreaked havoc, Glenn has been approaching Elysia with tenderness.
After a long time, a positive change had come.
Following that, Tina inquired about Glenn’s well-being.
“Glenn just left a moment ago. It seems like he’s going to the temple to meet Echo again today.”
“Our little one seems quite sincere.”
“Yes, surprisingly proactive.”
Tina looked through Elysia, expressing agreement. Elysia, feeling uncomfortable under Tina’s gaze, averted her eyes.
Of course, that didn’t act as a shield preventing Tina’s next statement.
“Mom, you know.”
“What is it?”
“I took a history class this time.”
Not as dedicated as Urien or Glenn, Tina also invested time in her studies. It was merely filling in some general knowledge, with a home tutor providing shallow education.
Tina listed the facts based on what she learned in class.
“The country called Vaskhill, it’s gone, right?”
“Yes.”
Elysia replied succinctly. Upon hearing this, Tina, with a more cautious expression, asked again.
“Grandfather directly invaded there, right…?”
“Yes, my father took command as the general.”
“But… but… Glenn was the prince of that place, wasn’t he? Is that correct?”
If the home tutor knew Glenn’s true identity, they would have avoided talking about Vaskhill. However, due to the faithful teaching of the tutor who was unaware of the circumstances, Tina discovered the truth.
“…He was the last-born member of the royal family.”
As Elysia’s expression turned positive, Tina’s face darkened.
To think that Glenn, the disciple of the man who destroyed her country, had entered the picture. It was clear that she couldn’t help but feel that there was no such thing as a coincidence in fate.
Therefore, it was easy to predict the next question Tina would ask.
“Well, then… why did Glenn’s country have to be destroyed…?”