Side Story Part 2
Thanks to that, I was learning one by one. That such small moments gathered together create happiness.
Our destination was Hyle’s private villa. I had spent a night there with him long ago… returning like this brought back special memories.
We had always visited with various reasons, but this time, coming just for relaxation made my heart feel even more at ease.
“Wow, it’s been so long. Maybe because nothing’s changed much from before, but it somehow feels like home.”
“The servants keep it clean every day. It’s a precious place for us.”
As we entered the villa, the clean and pleasant interior greeted us, just as he said.
At the same time, a sweet aroma wafting from the kitchen stimulated my senses.
“Hmm? This delicious smell… it seems familiar.”
“You seemed to enjoy it before.”
Hyle led me to the kitchen with a broad smile. As if prepared in advance, the table was filled with a stew loaded with meat and various other dishes.
These were the exact foods Hyle had made for me the morning after we spent the night here long ago.
“Did you really make all this yourself?”
“Yes. Is it alright? It’s been a while since I cooked, so I feel a bit rusty.”
“When did you… Weren’t you working in your study for days?”
I thought he’d been so busy he even skipped meals to work, so I couldn’t believe he’d prepared all this food himself.
And it’s even more delicious than before!
“It was worth the secret preparation. I made plenty, so please eat more.”
Hyle watched me eat with affection, bringing more food to my plate.
“Hyle, I appreciate it, but… I can’t possibly eat all this by myself…”
Even at a glance, there was enough for at least three or four more people.
I’m not some big eater—how am I supposed to finish all this…! And he’s not even eating himself!
“Hmm. It would be good for you to eat more.”
Hyle narrowed his eyes with a meaningful expression and spoke in a peculiar tone.
“…What do you mean?”
“Did I mention? The first floor remains the same, but I’ve completely redecorated the bedroom upstairs.”
Cough.
As I choked on the stew, Hyle skillfully patted my back to soothe me.
Why specifically redecorate just the bedroom… I won’t ask. I’m not curious at all, not even a bit.
After finishing the meal through various struggles, I was finally free from Hyle’s mischievous gaze.
To aid digestion, we changed into comfortable clothes and stepped outside to walk in the garden in front of the villa.
Perhaps due to the cool autumn weather, Hyle personally wrapped a thick shawl around my shoulders.
“By the way, Rosiel, House Laté sent a package. Did you know?”
“I heard Lynn mention it. I wasn’t particularly curious, so I didn’t open it.”
A few days ago, Lynn did tell me something had arrived from Laté. More specifically, from the Marquis of Laté…
After Mattio’s death, the priests from the temple thoroughly purified the darkness that had long enveloped the Laté mansion.
With even the black mist completely cleared away, the mansion had a pristine white appearance, strikingly different from its usual look. That was what Fergio saw when he returned to Laté after his field work.
“I thought as much.”
Hyle, looking as if he’d expected this, pulled something out from his pocket.
It was a small silver-framed picture containing… a childhood photo of me that even I had never seen before.
“That… Fergio sent this?”
Why would he suddenly send a picture of me as a child?
As I froze in confusion, Hyle gazed down at me with a tender smile and answered simply.
“Rosiel, you once said that Laté shouldn’t be judged by normal family standards. But it seems he’s different. He truly considers you his real family.”
Hearing Hyle’s quiet words, I couldn’t bring myself to deny it.
After all, it was true that Fergio still treated me as his sister despite the fact that I had killed our father, left home, and even gotten married on my own.
Moreover, even after the Laté mansion was purified by the priests, he didn’t blame me at all and quietly inherited the position of head of the family.
The current House Laté no longer carried its evil image. It was just an ordinary noble house, nothing more, nothing less.
Fergio, who used to be inefficient in business, seemed to have grown significantly over time—rumors said his ventures were now thriving.
“…Since leaving home, I’ve never thought of myself as a Laté.”
For more than three years until now, I hadn’t even passed by the Laté mansion. It wasn’t that I avoided meeting Fergio because I disliked him.
Regardless of the reasons, I had indeed caused the family’s downfall.
It was simply my minimal conscience toward Fergio, who had shouldered all the consequences.
“It might be good to meet him at least once. The Marquis of Laté seems to want it too… If you’d like, I’ll go with you.”
After speaking calmly, Hyle removed the photo from the frame and raised the corners of his lips, saying it was cute.
As if a photo of me in a bright yellow dress with a bored expression at such a young age could possibly be cute!
“That’s enough, give it here.”
“Why? It’s cute.”
When I reached out to snatch the photo, Hyle raised his arm high with a look that said he would never surrender it.
“What’s the point of keeping that? Besides, that photo was sent to me in the first place!”
“It’s mine.”
No matter how I stretched and reached, I couldn’t overcome Hyle’s height. Should I resort to the underhanded tactic of stepping on his foot…?
“Why is it yours? It’s my photo!”
“That’s exactly why it’s mine. Rosiel, you’re mine.”
Wow. How boldly he says such things!
“You’re getting more shameless by the day…”
“As I always say, I’m just becoming more like you.”
With a gentle implication that love makes people similar, he quickly hid the photo against his chest to keep it from me.
“It’s fine to become similar, but you’re only picking up my strange traits.”
“Rosiel, there’s nothing strange about you.”
“…Hyle, you’re the strange one.”
“I’ve always been that way.”
Look at that! Look at that! No matter what I say, that thick skin of his remains completely unaffected!
After playfully bickering for a while during our walk, I recalled something I hadn’t been able to tell Hyle.
I’d wanted to say it for a while, and since Hyle had secretly prepared today for me, I thought I should also summon my courage.
“Hyle, say yes to whatever I’m about to tell you.”
“Alright.”
Though Hyle agreed more readily than I expected, I didn’t quite trust it. How could he answer so quickly without knowing what I was going to say?
“…How can you agree so easily without knowing what I’m going to say?”
“Whatever it is, if it’s from you, I’m fine with it. Rosiel.”
His beautiful green eyes, smiling like a puppy’s, shone like emeralds.
Through his palm firmly holding mine, I could feel his deep trust.
Having made up my mind, I cautiously began.
“It’s almost Eizelle’s—I mean, the former head’s birthday. So… since we’re on vacation, I think it would be good to visit your family home.”
Eizelle Feros—the former head of House Feros, Hyle’s father, and a man at odds with Laté. Naturally, it would be difficult to say our relationship was good.
Though I phrased it as if asking for his opinion, I had already sent a letter to Eizelle stating our intention to visit. Of course, I had done this without Hyle’s knowledge.
Since Hyle tended to act rather coldly toward his father, I had been unnecessarily prevented from meeting his family.
Fortunately, Eizelle seemed to welcome me quite well despite my Laté origins. He wasn’t extremely warm, but that was something at least.
Hyle worried that his father might say something harsh to me.
Sure enough, Hyle’s expression immediately hardened. No, it crumpled. It was clearly a face of rejection to anyone looking.
“What does my father’s birthday have to do with us visiting the family home?”
“Well… even if he doesn’t show it, I’m sure he wants to see us. Or more precisely, he must want to see Heilo. After all, he often sends servants to collect Heilo’s photos.”
Despite my attempt to speak as gently as possible, Hyle’s expression remained icy.
