Into the Rose Garden Novel - Chapter 27.3 - Side story 2 : My Noble Resistance Against Taichi, the Rude, Illegal Occupier - By Lennox Elhime Bendiwind

Before bed, as he lay with me in my bed reading a book, I argued with him about every little thing.
“Why did the golden lion cry here?”
“He must have been sad because he lost a friend.”
“Why would losing a friend make him sad?”
“…Perhaps because he can no longer meet them.”
“Why can’t he meet them?”
“Well… losing means a state where you can no longer meet each other. You lost them because you can’t meet them. And it’s very sad not to be able to meet someone you want to meet.”
The Demon King’s expression as he said that seemed a little darker than usual. My heart sank, and I was anxious, wondering if my intention had been discovered. He was silent for a moment, then soon smiled kindly and began to read the next sentence. But the sentence didn’t register, and I blurted out a question.
“Father, do you have anyone you’ve lost and are sad about?”
He, who had just been reading the fairy tale book in a cheerful voice, suddenly fell silent and looked down at me, lying beside him. His usual arrogant expression was replaced by one that seemed somewhat sorrowful, and my heart inexplicably sank. Was it the wrong question? Surely, I wouldn’t lose the Demon King’s favor because of this, would I? Will he hate me?
“…No, I don’t.”
He soon smiled. The sadness quickly faded, but my startled heart didn’t calm down. To surprise someone like that. At least tell me why!
“But how do you know it’s sad?”
“Well. I don’t know if I read it somewhere or heard it, but I know the story of an Alpha who lost his loved one due to his own fault and spent long days in pain and regret. I think I can somewhat understand how he felt.”
“That’s a terrible thing. Losing someone you love because of your own fault.”
“Yes, it’s a very terrible thing.”
His usually confident expression turned sad again.
Soon, I regretted asking that question. His hardened expression didn’t completely relax, and the voice reading the book kept losing strength. He paused too long at commas. When I waited for the next paragraph and looked up, calling “Father?”, he smiled apologetically and closed the book.
“Let’s stop here for today. I’ll read more next time.”
Normally, I would have begged him not to stop, but I decided to bear it. Doesn’t even the Demon King have the right to be sad sometimes? When one is sad, one needs someone by their side. And for the Demon King, that person was clearly Mother. Normally, I would never forgive him, but just for today, I decided to let it slide. That way, he would go to do terrible things to Mother, and wouldn’t I then catch the evidence? Guilt lingered for exploiting his sadness, but the responsibility of protecting the Earldom was far greater. Forgive me, Demon King. I will be cruel today.
In the bed next to me was Eurea, who had already fallen asleep after listening to a thin picture book story before me. After pulling Eurea’s blanket back up, he said, “Good night,” and took the lamp, opening the door.
“Oh, and don’t wander around tonight, go to bed early. We’re all going out tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
Something bothered me, and I sensed something suspicious, so I deliberately pretended to be asleep and waited for time to pass. I would definitely catch evidence today. With firm belief, I decided to just keep my eyes closed until late into the night.
“Brother! Wake up! We’re supposed to go on a picnic today, if you don’t get up now, we’ll leave you behind!”
Kicked by the witch who jumped onto my bed, I let out a choked cry and woke up. My stomped belly hurt so much that tears welled up.
“Hey! Eurea Elhaim! Come here!”
Angry, I immediately jumped out of bed and went to catch the witch. Wearing her long nightgown, she ran to Mother’s room, yelling, “Daddy! Mommy! Brother is bothering me!”
Oh, right. Mother!
I had to catch Eurea, and unfortunately, I had fallen asleep and failed to protect Mother, so I also needed to know if she was safe all night. Both of us burst into Mother’s room almost simultaneously. And as we frantically ran to the bed, Father, who had raised his head, put a long finger to his lips and said, “Shh.”
Mother was still asleep in Father’s arms. Other than his closed eyes being a little red, there were no particular injuries. But there was something strange. Both of them seemed to not be wearing pajamas, revealing bare shoulders. Of course, only their shoulders were slightly exposed, and the rest was covered by the sheets, so I couldn’t see everything, but I knew from their pajamas lying on the bedside.
“I’m sorry, but could you both come back in a little while? It’s still early, and Mother is sleeping.”
“Yes, Daddy. Sorry for bursting in. Let’s go, Brother.”
Eurea grabbed my stiff wrist and dragged me out the door. As I looked back several times, he pulled Mother closer and stroked his back, which was wrapped in the sheets. He seemed to be whispering something, and his gaze at Mother looked softer than ever.
***
A picnic was always something to look forward to. We used to go often, but since Jester was born, we rarely did. There were times when Eurea and I played at the Wolflake estate, but this was the first time my mother and biological father were going together.
“Is Suu coming too?”
“Of course, he is. Silas and Atlas will all come too.”
Mother said that to Eurea, who was so excited that she barely ate her breakfast. At that moment, Eurea and I both sighed deeply.
“Why are you sighing?”
He, who was gently blowing on and feeding Jester mashed potatoes mixed with milk, looked up and asked. Before I could open my mouth, Eurea spoke first.
“Those twins are too mischievous.”
“They like you, that’s why.”
“I don’t like it. I’d rather go with Raphiel’s family.”
At Eurea’s words, Mother, who had been quietly drinking tea, changed her expression slightly. I nudged Eurea’s side. Only then did Eurea meet Mother’s eyes and pretend to be happy.
“It’s okay because Suu is coming! Big Brother Suu is kind and cute. I like him because he’s not like our brother! Oh, I’m excited. Right, Brother?”
Leaving aside the fact that it was obvious, I wanted to argue about “not like our brother,” but thinking of Mother, I quickly replied, pretending to be excited.
“Of course, I want to see Suu too. And the twins are annoying and bothersome, but they’re cute. It feels like something’s going to pop out of their eyes. I hope we meet soon.”
Both of us fussed, quickly spreading jam and butter on the grilled bread. I handed it to Eurea first, and Eurea, in a very loud voice, said, “Thank you, Brother! My brother is the best!” then quickly put it in her mouth and chewed.
“Do you miss Raphiel?”
When Mother asked in a gentle voice, both of us shook our heads in horror.
“No. I want to see Suu, Cy, and Atty much, much more. I barely remember Lay’s face anymore. Right?”
“Of course. Father, you don’t remember Lay either, do you?”
I quickly pulled him into the conversation. I desperately needed help now. But he cowardly said, “Hmm? I…” and looked at Mother’s expression, then added, “Shall we all meet next time? We didn’t make plans in advance today, so we can’t help it.”
Oh, this unobservant man. And you call yourself my mother’s husband? Mother gets depressed all day just by meeting Raphiel! The reason is completely unknown, though.
The last time you met him, the day after, you didn’t come home for two whole days, using a business trip as an excuse, and when you finally returned, Mother welcomed you enthusiastically, so you wouldn’t know, but! We were just mouthing words, looking at each other like goldfish in a bowl. Even old Hugo and old Martha! And now you want to meet again!
‘How are you going to take responsibility?’
I glared fiercely at the culprit. Eurea, realizing her mistake, sent a reply, ‘I’ll handle it.’
The incarnation of a giant moose wandering through the cold northern cedar forests, who had no idea how he had achieved enough merit to receive a title with such poor observation skills, or simply “Forest Moose,” completely failed to read the atmosphere and instead laughed, teasing Mother a little.
“Raphiel has always liked everyone, without discrimination. Both big Raphiel and little Raphiel.”
“Pretty and cute.”
“I don’t think that’s all there is to it.”
As the Moose curved his lips into a smile, Mother narrowed his brows and blurted out.
“Hmph. That’s about you.”
“Don’t forget you made today’s plans.”
“Isn’t it because you kept suggesting we all go on a picnic? It’s fine if it’s just family.”
“If it’s just family, we wouldn’t have any time alone. You’re suggesting we go together for that reason, too, there’s no special intention.”
“That might just be an excuse.”
“You seem to be lacking in yesterday’s confirmation. Shall we meet separately later?”
As he stared intently, Mother blushed slightly and muttered, “What are you saying in front of the children? You pervert.”
What? Yesterday’s confirmation? If Mother is calling him a pervert, something must have happened. Foolish me. Why did I fall asleep? Moreover, I was disgusted by that wicked man’s intention to torment Mother even on a picnic with everyone. I would absolutely not leave Mother’s side today.
I diligently ate my given bread, juice, and eggs. After drinking all the milk, I glared at the Demon King with renewed fighting spirit. He, with his doppelganger of a child on his lap, slowly fed him baby food and said,
“Lennox, instead of making such a fuss with your eyes and urging us to go quickly, I think it would be better for you to go and get ready for the picnic. Jester and Eurea haven’t finished eating.”
“Brother, ask Grandma Martha to find my hat. I don’t know where it is.”
“Lennox, Jester’s shoes too, please.”
I, who unexpectedly ended up running errands for Mother, bravely left the dining table. As I walked briskly to find Martha, a thought suddenly struck me that something wasn’t right, and I felt belated regret. Darn it. I should have stayed by Mother’s side!
Truly a terrifying Demon King. To eliminate me like this.
The picnic spot was a villa not far away. Of course, we weren’t playing at the villa itself, but actually going to a small forest nearby with picnic baskets and mats. We arrived at the villa with Martha, who always helped Mother, and soon after, another carriage arrived. Eurea, seeing it from the window, immediately ran outside.
“Suu!”
“Eurea.”
As soon as the carriage door opened, Suu jumped out. Although clearly a boy, Suu had black hair down to his waist and wore two red ribbons to hold his abundant, wavy hair in place. Not only that, he wore a bright silver dress that reached his knees, lace socks, and strapped shoes that girls wore. He looked like a girl from every angle. No matter that he was an Omega, he was a girl!
When I first met Suu as a child, I, not knowing any better, thought he was a girl. As an Alpha boy, I diligently played ball and climbed trees, trying to escape the eyes of the guardians, especially Eurea. At that time, Suu, who was an Omega but a few months older and slightly taller than me, would follow me around, bothering me to play together.
It was fine to play with Suu inside the house, but it was troublesome if he fell and got scratched while running around in the garden. To be precise, I was worried about Suu’s father, not Suu himself. It was more comfortable to play alone than to get scolded for nothing, so I tried to run away, but he kept following me, wearing a skirt and exposing his bare knees.
“Don’t follow me, you don’t even have a wiener!”
I think I yelled something like that. The surprising thing happened afterward.
As if feeling wronged, Suu immediately lifted his skirt right there and pulled down his shorts, saying, “I have one too,” and actually showed it to me. I was so surprised that I dropped the ball I was holding. After showing it himself, Suu ran away, crying and not even pulling up his shorts, and of all people, Suu’s father saw it.
I can’t go into detail, but that day, I learned the true identity of Suu’s father, Marquis Linus Wolflake. And that as the price for my life, I would have to live as his minion forever. And that I could never defy Suu again.
Sigh, my life is a small boat in a storm.
Suu, who had a good relationship with Eurea, greeted each other happily and then came over holding hands. And when they greeted me, the booming voice he had used to call Eurea earlier was gone, replaced by a barely audible whisper, and he couldn’t even properly raise his head.
“H-hello. Lennox.”
“Hello. Suu.”
We greeted each other normally. Suu was bothersome, but I didn’t dislike him personally.
Behind Suu, two other figures appeared. Annoying little kids, one blonde and one dark-haired. Silas and Atlas. They used to be baby-faced, but after a long time, they seemed to have grown quite tall. They looked like typical boys, and their personalities were unusually boisterous, but they weren’t bad. It was just a little creepy to have four gleaming gray eyes, unlike Suu’s bright blue ones, simultaneously staring at me.
“Brother Lennox!”
“Big brother!”
They quickly ran to me, shouting excitedly. My eardrums felt like they were going to burst. So did the arms they simultaneously grabbed. But I endured. These were useful tools to defeat the witch Eurea. Moreover, if I hung out with these twins, Suu wouldn’t bother me. Since I’m an Alpha, even if I get a few scratches and injuries, ‘Lord’ won’t get angry. It’s good for Omegas to play with Omegas and Alphas to play with Alphas.
“Hello, Lennox. You’re having a hard time.”
“Hello, Uncle Raphiel.”
“You two, don’t bother your brother too much. Behave yourselves.”
“Yes, Mom.”
He warned the twins and then went inside. I used to call him “Mister,” but after Uncle Raphiel teared up and said, “Am I that old?”, I chose “Uncle” after much deliberation for a title that wasn’t age-sensitive. When I called him “Marquise,” he said he disliked it because it felt too distant. Why are adults so sensitive about titles? I felt like I should research this someday.
Soon, he appeared. The one who had given the twins their gleaming silver eyes, my other rival, and sometimes an ally I could join hands with, Marquis Linus Wolflake.
“Seeing you in one piece, you must not have done anything foolish.”
“Thank you for your concern, Marquis Linus Wolflake.”
“I wasn’t concerned.”
“My thanks weren’t sincere, so you don’t have to look so serious.”
“You hateful brat.”
“Thank you. Oh, that’s sincere.”
I glared back at him without backing down. Of all things, my enemies were all tall, so my neck hurt just looking up at them. He looked down at me with truly eerie silver eyes, qualitatively different from the twins’, then extended his hand, and I gladly accepted the handshake.
“Since there are no special orders today, I guarantee your life as long as you don’t lay a hand on Suu.”
“I would rather Lord take responsibility for Suu not pouncing on me. I don’t want to take responsibility for an Omega at this age.”
His hand, which I held, tightened. It hurt, but I kept smiling until the end.
“What’s wrong with my son? You darn brat.”
“I’m not interested in him.”
“He’s so pretty and cute, why aren’t you interested?”
“I like blondes. And I don’t like boys wearing skirts.”
“You insolent brat. True beauty is black hair. Black hair is the best. And skirts are cuter.”
“Surely you’re not talking about yourself, are you? Don’t make your son wear skirts or ribbons just because you think they’re cute! Besides, Lord, you married a blonde too.”
As we both engaged in a fiery staring contest, Uncle Raphiel and Mother came out from over there and called us.
“What are you doing over there? Oh, it’s strange, isn’t it? They’re subtly getting along.”
“It’s because Lennox has some strange quirks.”
Hearing their words, I scowled, pulled my hand away, and Lord immediately shook his hand, turned away with a cold expression, and left.