"Since we held a charity party yesterday, I was sure that good news would come out."
Selphius shuffled through the newspaper with a grumble. Selphius still didn't know what had happened at the charity party yesterday. It was because I had asked him not to say anything to Selphius. Selphius had always kept the events at the academy from us. He must not have wanted his shortcomings to be revealed like this. I carefully observed Selphius, who was muttering while flipping through the newspaper.
'Should I be the one to speak first?'
I needed to talk to Selphius about this issue, but I couldn't think of how to start. Last night, Terdeo and I had racked our brains trying to find a solution, but we came up with nothing. After all, it was our first time raising a child. While I was lost in thought, Terdeo came down.
"......"
I met Terdeo's eyes as he stopped in front of the dining room. He hesitated and then nodded toward Selphius, asking if we had talked about it. I weakly shook my head in response.
"Your Highness, what are you doing there?"
Selphius, who had thrown the newspaper into a corner, tilted his head when he saw Terdeo standing there.
"......Stretching."
"Huh."
Terdeo, who was acting so differently from his usual self, stretched and then straightened his neck before sitting down. Once everyone was seated, Selphius picked up his utensils as usual. The dining room was filled with an awkward silence. Selphius, who had been eating alone, noticed the silence and looked up.
"Aren't you two eating?"
"Huh?"
"Oh."
Terdeo and I, lost in thought, hadn't even picked up our utensils. I cautiously reached for the table.
"Huh? Oh, I should eat. I'm about to eat now."
"Hold on."
Terdeo quickly stopped me as I was about to pick up my utensils.
"Didn't you forget what the doctor said? He told you to be careful and not to overdo it."
Terdeo's gaze lingered on my wrist.
"This much is fine."
No, how heavy could the utensils be? Terdeo, who was usually so composed, picked up a piece of pastry with his fork and held it out to me.
"......?"
I alternated my gaze between the fork in front of my mouth and Terdeo's face. Could he really be...
"What are you doing? Not eating? Oh, is it too far?"
Terdeo, with his usual expressionless face, stood up and walked over to me with the fork. He leaned forward and held the fork near my mouth.
"Here."
"......!"
...Are you really trying to feed me? Are you crazy! My face turned bright red with shock. Unlike me, Terdeo's face remained as calm as usual.
"What are you doing? Not eating."
"Are you telling me to eat?"
"Yes."
Terdeo nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. When I still didn't eat, he tilted his head.
"Maybe you want to eat something else?"
Terdeo, who was calmly muttering, glanced at the food on the table, as if he was ready to give me everything until I ate.
"Why is His Highness acting like this?"
Selphius, who had been watching us, tilted his head in confusion. I sighed and subtly showed him my wrist.
"My wrist is now......"
Bang! As soon as he saw my wrist, Selphius's face contorted, and he jumped up, causing his chair to fall backward with a loud crash.
"Scared me. What's wrong, Selphius?"
"Your Majesty."
Selphius hurriedly came to my side with a sharp voice.
"Did you hurt your wrist?"
Selphius's gaze couldn't leave my swollen wrist, which was bruised and purple.
"Oh, this is......"
Before I could finish, Selphius turned his head and glared at Terdeo.
"What were you doing, Your Highness, to let Your Majesty's wrist get like this!"
"I was..."
"What happened at the charity party yesterday?"
Selphius, who had cut off Terdeo, was fidgeting while looking at my wrist. Seeing his anxious expression, I regretted mentioning it.
"...I was wrong."
"Of course, it's Your Highness's fault! Protecting the Duchess is your job! Negligence!"
I gently patted Selphius's shoulder with my other hand.
"Selphius, it's okay. I just fell and got hurt."
"You fell?"
Selphius's face turned pale.
"What were you doing, Your Highness, to let the Duchess fall! You should have caught her or fallen in her place!"
After finishing his rant, Selphius huffed and turned around, then shouted at the butler to prepare an ice pack for me.
"I'll apply the ice pack for you."
"It's okay, Selphius. Terdeo applied ice packs all night. The swelling has gone down a lot."
"Your Highness? ...That doesn't sound like something you would do."
Selphius gave Terdeo a doubtful look. But it was true. Terdeo had even brought new ice when the old one melted, and he seemed to have hardly slept all night, applying ice packs. He blamed himself for not staying by my side as he had promised, saying it was his fault that the accident happened.
"If this is better, it must have been worse yesterday."
Selphius, who had taken the ice pack from the butler, gently placed it on my wrist.
"Did you call the doctor?"
"Yes, of course. He said it was just a bit swollen."
"When did the doctor say that? I heard he said to avoid using your wrist because the bruise was severe?"
That guy is really something.
"Really? Was it that bad?"
"No. Terdeo is just exaggerating."
I reassured the shocked Selphius and secretly glanced at Terdeo. The tense and quiet atmosphere had eased a bit. Seizing the opportunity, Terdeo put down his fork and asked casually.
"Selphius, is everything okay? Any problems with your relationships at the academy?"
"Huh?"
How do you expect him to answer when you ask so bluntly? I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Selphius, who had been applying the ice pack diligently, was puzzled by the sudden question.
"Hmm."
Selphius fell into thought. Our gazes naturally shifted to his lips. After a moment, his red lips slowly opened.
"No, everything is fine."
Of course. He hadn't mentioned anything before, so he wouldn't suddenly say, "Actually..."
"...I see."
Terdeo, frowning, nodded. I see? I see? How are you going to ask more now! You can't even ask anymore. What are you going to do! I glared at Terdeo with all my might. Did he understand my silent curses? He slowly turned away from my gaze. As we were bickering, Selphius checked the time and muttered weakly.
"I'll finish the rest of the ice pack when I get back from the academy."
It was already time to go to the academy. Selphius turned to leave the dining room. I instinctively grabbed his hand.
"Duchess?"
"...You weren't feeling well yesterday. Are you okay today? If you're not fully recovered, it's okay to rest. Terdeo said your health comes first."
I felt a sudden worry. Selphius, with a troubled expression, looked down at his hand and then smiled softly.
"I'm fine."
I felt a lump in my throat at his words. How many times had I heard him say he was fine? Why had I never doubted it? Why hadn't I asked if he was really okay? I swallowed my anxiety and tried to sound calm.
"Then I'll take you there."
"The Duchess should apply the ice pack first. I can go to the academy on my own."
As I tried to stand up, Selphius quickly pulled his hand away.
"I'll be back!"
And before we could stop him, he ran out of the dining room.
"...He ran away."
I stared at the door Selphius had just left through, feeling helpless. Whenever I offered to take him, he always said he was fine and could go on his own. I had just accepted it. Now that I knew everything, I understood his actions.
'Every child's behavior has a reason.'
I felt a chill and bit my lower lip hard.
"It's a bad habit."
Terdeo, who was sitting next to me, reached out and touched my lower lip.
"I've never told you to hold back, so there's no need to bite your lip. Do whatever you want. That's why you married me, right?"
"Do whatever I want?"
"Yes. For example..."
Terdeo turned his head to look at the door Selphius had left through.
"If you want to pick up Selphius, go ahead. No one can stop your choice, because I'm here."
"......"
"And Selphius..."
Terdeo took a deep breath.
"Selphius will be fine."
"How do you know? We don't even know what he's been through."
"Because he has you, who worries about him like this. So he will be fine."
Terdeo looked at my bruised lower lip and said indifferently.
"The wound from yesterday hasn't healed yet. If you want to bite, bite my finger instead."
Terdeo, with his usual expressionless face, casually offered his finger to me.
"What if I really bite it?"
"I told you to bite, so what's the problem? If you bite, I'll bite back."
Does he think I can't bite? I looked at his finger near my lips and bit it hard. I expected him to be surprised, but Terdeo's expression didn't change at all. Our gazes met quietly. Terdeo raised his other hand and gently placed it on my head, stroking it.
"......?"
"Good job."
What is this situation? I felt strange getting praise from Terdeo for biting his finger. I cautiously let go of his finger and moved away. *** Encouraged by Terdeo's words, I boldly came to the front of Selphius's academy. I met several mothers waiting for their children, but fortunately, I didn't see Princess Dodelea. This time, I sat in the carriage and waited. Soon, the children poured out as the classes ended. The young nobles and noblewomen happily hugged their waiting parents and then returned home in their carriages.
'Selphius must have returned to the mansion alone, feeling lonely, every day after seeing this scene.'
Why didn't I think of coming earlier? My heart ached. Then, I saw Selphius walking out of the academy alone, looking particularly dejected.
'Selphius...'
He must have told me not to come to avoid showing me this side of him. He always wanted to show me a strong and good side.
'Maybe I shouldn't have come and hurt his pride?'
I hesitated to open the carriage door. It was just one step. But I couldn't move forward, fearing that my one step might hurt Selphius. Suddenly, I saw Selphius stop in his tracks. He stood still, watching the children running to their parents. His red eyes were filled with loneliness, envy, and sadness. Then, as if he was used to it, he lowered his head and continued walking. Bang! Seeing this, I forgot about Selphius's wounds and pride. I opened the carriage door and called out.
"Selphius!"
Selphius, who had been looking at the ground, suddenly looked up.