21 - Not Your Son, But Your Father
Chapter 21
We teleported to an alleyway, and the buildings nearby, far from the central capital, were mostly shabby.
"Wow, you can use Teleportation magic too?"
Honestly, I was quite surprised. I knew Edith was as capable as he was handsome, but he never appeared in the novel.
"I learned it because I hate walking."
"Then, can you go to the North in an instant with Magic?"
"It was a special service for you since it's your first time, but long distances cost extra, ma'am."
It seemed possible. I was about to call him stingy when I heard a shout.
"You worthless, freeloading bastards!"
It was Callen's voice.
I wondered what he was so angry about; he was yelling at the soldiers kneeling in front of the main gate.
Birds of a feather flock together. He and Gilbert were soulmates.
"There's no money for you. You should have been like dogs, kneeling only to your master and pledging your loyalty."
I hid and watched Callen acting like someone else, then whispered to Edith.
"I think I'm a very kind, benevolent, and good boss who leads his subordinates on the right path. Don't you think so too, Lord Vega and Lord Procyon?"
The silence that followed was a bit long.
"...Well, I don't know."
It was the tone of someone who had to answer but didn't want to upset me by being honest, so they were just vaguely glossing over it.
"Ah, the dizziness has subsided a bit. Let me down."
Edith let me down.
I stepped lightly on the ground, and it seemed I stepped on some withered leaves. They made a rustling sound.
I didn't care much and continued to make rustling sounds as I walked out of the alley.
Callen turned around.
"Who's there!"
"The maid you kidnapped."
I answered with a refreshing smile, but Callen frowned as if he was disgusted.
"...Lady Maybia?"
I'm the one who should be disgusted right now, okay?
"I'm a maid. Your subordinates seem to see me properly."
Looking at them up close, their faces were all familiar. They were the ones who drove Sera into the landfill.
Callen openly showed his annoyance.
"What other scheme are you up to..."
You don't want to talk long either, right? Yeah, me neither.
Edith was watching, so I lightly loosened my hands and went straight to the point.
"I'm going to beat you to the brink of death from now on. But... I was originally going to spread rumors through people, you know? That Gilbert's loyal subordinate, Callen Turner, was beaten to a pulp for kidnapping and trying to kill a maid of the Morgana family. But there are too many witnesses, so there's no need for that?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Don't slander me. Take your nonsense elsewhere..."
The conversation ended there. I rotated my wrist and then punched him.
The physical retaliation ended swiftly. Callen passed out too quickly, which was rather anticlimactic.
Unlike Callen, who was beaten to the brink of death, I looked back at the soldiers with a fresh face, not even a drop of sweat. They all looked terrified.
I opened my mouth with a refreshing smile, as if I had just done some exercise.
"Do you know who I am?"
"A maid."
"A maid from front to back."
"Sera."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Forget the name."
"I don't remember anything!"
"Good. Then..."
While I was sorting out the situation, Edith suddenly appeared and pulled me away.
"Deal with it later, let's check your condition first."
Edith took me to the alley where we had just teleported.
Even in the shade, he meticulously observed me with his blue eyes that seemed to see through everything. He made me open my mouth and lifted my eyelids, which made me flustered.
"Are you playing doctor now? Just because we're married doesn't mean I've given you permission to look inside my eyelids."
Edith chuckled quietly, then suddenly became serious and warned me.
"Shh."
"What. You laughed."
Don't frame me, okay?
I narrowed my eyes, and Edith, who had finished his diagnosis, raised the corners of his mouth.
"Let's watch the fire from across the river."
Even though I had enhanced my physical abilities, I only understood what Edith meant much later.
Gilbert, who had successfully escaped the Grand Duke's mansion in the meantime, appeared.
...I'm glad my prediction was right, but does he really only have Callen as a friend? Is this the only place he can come?
"Why didn't you follow my orders?"
Gilbert didn't worry about the bloodied Callen; instead, he was busy questioning him. Callen couldn't even stand up and gnashed his teeth.
"Don't order me around!"
It was an internal division straight out of a textbook.
"I pushed you as much as I could. But what did you do? You were just chasing after Maybia Morgana, not caring about your career! You should have just killed that bitch!"
Oh, is that bitch referring to me?
I tilted my head, and a very low and deep voice landed in my ear.
"My lady."
"Yes, husband."
I answered obediently, and Edith gave me a sweet smile.
"I will escort you to the mansion, so please go to sleep first."
I readily agreed.
How could I refuse when my dear husband was about to get his hands dirty tonight?
* * *
Perhaps because I had a good night's sleep, I woke up early in the morning.
Sera told me that something funny had happened while I was enjoying my dreamland.
Gilbert, who had escaped triumphantly, went to see Callen. And they had an argument.
I knew that much because I had seen it myself.
After that, Gilbert turned into a docile sheep and returned to the Grand Duke's mansion, locking himself back in the room where he had been imprisoned. Moreover, he didn't retaliate against Edith's subordinates who had been watching him.
My husband's violence was great.
I wanted to tease Gilbert with Ginger Bibimbap, but I had a tight schedule today. Instead, I ordered Sera to deliver the meal and sent Vega and Procyon running as well.
Sera looked like she couldn't believe she had to give this precious ginger to such a guy, but she nodded. She seemed a little excited at the thought of messing with Gilbert.
Meanwhile, I met Vanessa, who had brought a pile of dresses and suits.
As Edith had requested in advance, we were going to meet my parents wearing matching outfits.
"I...I..."
However, even though she had managed to find her way to the Grand Duke's mansion, she didn't seem to have the courage to meet Edith.
Vanessa faced me with the determination that she would jump out of the window if she was asked to show the clothes directly to Edith.
"Just check my dress."
After all, Edith could cover anything with his superior beauty and physique. It wasn't just a biased view; it was an objective fact.
The problem was that no one dared to look at Edith, so no one recognized that he was handsome.
I seemed to be the only one who knew that his smile with lowered eyes was quite cute.
Only then did Vanessa breathe a sigh of relief.
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
Even though she declined to meet Edith, the clothes Vanessa brought were excellent.
I chose a refreshing, light green dress that looked like a green apple. Naturally, the outfit Edith would wear also had a color that suited summer as a point color.
Vanessa pinned a few pins on the dress that fit my body perfectly and then went back, showering me with compliments. It was a desperate struggle to avoid meeting Edith.
I had some time before the appointment with my parents, so I waited for Edith to come out wearing his clothes.
His legs are really long. It was a pleasure to see him, like a sculpture whose true value only I could recognize.
"Edith."
At my call, Edith, who was tying his tie, looked surprised.
"You left out the title."
"I'm going to call you by your name from now on. I was very impressed with what you did for me yesterday. Honestly, I was touched."
Callen, who was already on the verge of death, probably went to the afterlife for sure.
Edith folded his eyes and smiled languidly.
"I have no regrets if I have touched my wife. So, what's the reward?"
Hey?
"You said you have no regrets, but you want a reward?"
"Yes."
"What do you want?"
"Hair."
"Huh?"
"I will style it for you."
Edith raised both hands. He showed so much enthusiasm that I felt a little awkward for some reason.
"Don't treat it like you're handling raw meat."
Then he used a different word instead of styling.
"I'll groom you."
He wouldn't pluck my hair out, would he? He's my husband.
I calmed myself down and entrusted him with my hair. Edith combed my hair more familiarly than before.
Suddenly, the book he was reading came to mind, and I burst out laughing.
"Did <100 Things You Should Start Doing Today for a Happy Marriage> also tell you to play the role of a hairdresser?"
"This is just a hobby."
His pronunciation was muffled because he was holding a thin, long string in his mouth. He was absorbed in figuring out how to style my hair, whether I laughed at his pronunciation or not. I couldn't even jokingly call him lazy anymore.
Edith said as he loosely braided and secured my hair.
"Would my dear wife like to read it too? That book is surprisingly interesting."
"You must be happy because there are so many interesting things."
Edith smiled with his eyes.
"Aren't you impressed with my efforts for my wife?"
"Unfortunately, I've used up all my compliments for today. Try again next time."
Looking in the mirror, I saw my pink hair braided not badly.
Huh? What is this?
"The braid looks similar to the one Sera did for me?"
Edith feigned ignorance.
"I think something got in my ear; I can't hear what you're saying."
Is Sera secretly teaching Edith something behind my back? I'll have to find out later.
