Into the Rose Garden Novel - Chapter 27.8 - Side story 2 : My Noble Resistance Against Taichi, the Rude, Illegal Occupier - By Lennox Elhime Bendiwind

The crowd, which had grown considerably since we first arrived at the museum, all looked at the entrance and whispered. And cutting through them as if pushed by an invisible force, he arrived.
Oh, my genetic provider, and one of the kingdom’s leading powers, and at the same time, the spouse of the beauty whom that short-sighted, amateur painter was reaching out to, Kloff Bendyke, strode towards us with his long legs. His entire body was enveloped in a storm of fire and ice swirling simultaneously.
As if burning sulfur was lit in his eyes, his blazing gaze first turned towards us. A chill ran down my spine. Without a word of accusation, I unconsciously raised my hand and pointed towards Mother and that fellow. The Demon King’s gaze fixed on them.
“Kloff?”
Mother, who noticed him after a time delay, opened his eyes wide in surprise. Bulti, oblivious, stood by Mother’s side.
Even I, standing behind, could feel the immense anger the Demon King was radiating, let alone those standing face to face with him. Bulti had turned as white as the white he used most often.
“What a coincidence, Aeroc. To meet you here.”
The Demon King’s voice was so chilling that I suddenly felt scared. Perhaps I had exaggerated the letter too much. I even felt a little regret. Bulti’s face, as well as his neck, had turned white, and his fingertips were trembling slightly. Despite being an Alpha, he seemed truly weak, just like his frail appearance. But my hands were also trembling, so I decided to forgive him.
“I thought you’d be working by now. Do you have time to come to the art museum like this?”
Indeed, Count Teiwind. While everyone else avoided him, only Mother could react so calmly. Contrary to my imagination that he would immediately beat Bulti down, the Demon King calmly closed the distance and approached Mother. In the meantime, Bulti began to subtly widen the distance. Where are you trying to run? I was scared, but I quickly approached, pretending to be innocent, and spoke. The Demon King said that insolent weeds should be crushed at once.
“Mr. Bulti, are you done talking with the Count? Is he really going to be a model?”
“Huh? W-what kind of model?”
At that, the Demon King’s eyes fixed on me. Bulti flinched as if burned.
“I’m very curious what kind of model. Ah, my introduction is late. I am Kloff Bendyke. Just a humble civil servant.”
Bulti, who dared not defy the outstretched hand, shook it and barely managed to introduce himself as a painter.
“You are Bulti, famous for your landscapes? I bought all of the spring and winter pieces from your Four Seasons series. I understand the autumn one is scheduled to come out now.”
“Ah, surely not. That Minister of Finance, Viscount Bendyke?”
Cracks slowly appeared on Bulti’s face, which had hardened like an old oil painting. Indeed, the Demon King’s reputation was not to be trifled with. I covered my escaping laughter with my hand.
“Autumn is already out there. I’ve reserved it, so it will be delivered to the mansion after the exhibition ends.”
When Mother said that, the Demon King quietly nodded. Then he said to Bulti, “I’d like to hear the artist’s own explanation of Autumn.” Bulti, who had approached Mother so easily, maintained the maximum safe distance and nodded.
Where had his earlier relaxed and insolent demeanor gone? Bulti stood stiffly like a frozen ice doll, talking about autumn in a trembling voice. The Demon King listened with an interested “Hmm,” then naturally wrapped his arm around Mother’s waist. Mother frowned and tried to shake his hand off, but the Demon King was not one to back down here. He didn’t care if others saw or not, pulling Mother right next to him and listening to Bulti’s story as if he knew nothing.
“As you said, it seems the Four Seasons truly have meaning when collected together.”
“Summer and autumn are mine, so don’t covet them.”
“They’re hanging in the study we share anyway.”
The Demon King pulled Mother and headed towards another painting. Mother, who had already seen everything, seemed a little less interested, but when the Demon King said he could buy it if he liked it, his eyes immediately sparkled.
“What’s gotten into you?”
“It’s a birthday gift.”
At his words, Mother slightly narrowed his eyes and curled up the corners of his lips.
“Remember, you didn’t set a limit on the number.”
“That’s… fine.”
The Demon King, having been counter-attacked, frowned slightly but didn’t argue further. In fact, he had seemed very calm since earlier. Was it because they were outside? Or did he consider it insignificant? At any rate, that fellow Bulti seemed to have been erased from Mother’s mind, so I decided not to worry about him anymore.
While the Demon King took Mother to view the museum, the frozen Bulti still hadn’t thawed, staring blankly at their retreating figures. Just in case he hadn’t understood properly, I decided to go and confirm.
“You said earlier that our Father doesn’t have a wife, right? He doesn’t have a wife, but he has a lover. And do you see my face? Doesn’t it resemble someone?”
“Th… that…”
Bulti seemed shocked and couldn’t speak. He really seemed to have no idea.
“Even if someone is an Alpha, if they’re that charming, you should have suspected something else. For a painter, your observation and imagination are lacking. Is it because you only paint landscapes? Anyway, give up on painting Mother as a model. And I recommend you don’t go out alone from now on. Viscount Bendyke holds grudges longer than you’d think.”
He should have understood by now. I smiled brightly, patted him, and then walked towards my parents in the distance. Admiring the Demon King’s shamelessness, who freely displayed his personal affection even in a crowded art museum, I squeezed in between them.
“Lennox?”
“Father. Let’s go home. I’m hungry.”
I spoke clearly to Mother, ignoring the Demon King.
In the carriage on the way home, the Demon King and Mother showed no particular signs.
“But how did you know to come? Was it really a coincidence?”
“I heard that Autumn was reserved, so I came in a hurry.”
It was a shameless lie. Mother frowned and looked at the Demon King once, then at me, but I, like an innocent child who knew nothing, just said, “Oh, I want to eat the strawberry roll quickly.”
When we returned home, Martha and Hugo were a little surprised. They had no idea the Demon King was coming with us. They quickly dispersed under the gaze of the house’s de facto ruler.
The evening passed without any problems, as usual. Eurea and I shared the cake we bought from the pastry shop, and the Demon King held the youngest one to sleep. Seeing the Demon King tell us to go to bed earlier than usual, I was just happy about being able to skip spelling homework and didn’t suspect anything.
“Good night.”
“Sleep well. Don’t wander around at night.”
The Demon King saw us siblings to bed and then left the room. I saw Mother, who seemed a little nervous, waiting for the Demon King beyond the closing door in the distance, but drowsiness quickly overtook me, and I forgot.
All day, Mother rested in his room. Was he unwell? Should I not have called the Demon King? Worried, I went to Martha.
“To provoke an imprinted Alpha, no matter how lonely you are. Sometimes I admire Lord Aeroc’s courage. He’ll have to rest all day because his back hurts.”
It takes courage to provoke an imprinted Alpha and his back hurts? A question mark appeared in my mind. Martha equivocated, “It’s adult talk, so don’t think too deeply about it. You’ll understand when you grow up.”
“But what’s an imprinted Alpha? Is it strong?”
“It means looking only at one person, like your father.”
My heart began to pound. Was the Demon King an imprinted Alpha, which allowed him to exert an unapproachable power? If so, height was no longer the issue. I absolutely had to know.
“Hmm… It is strong, but…”
Martha, who had just been stirring cake batter, looked at the distant ceiling and tilted her head.
“But?”
Was I finally going to learn the Demon King’s true identity? Had Mother fallen under some wicked spell? Tension filled the air. My pounding heart felt like it would leap out of my mouth. I gripped the table tightly with both hands, waiting for her next words. Martha, who had put down the whisk she was stirring with, bent down and whispered into Lennox’s ear.
“He’s under a wicked spell. If you break his spell, everyone will meet a terrible end.”
“Gasp!”
I was startled. Martha said, “Hohoho, imprinted Alphas are scary. So go quickly and do your vocabulary homework. Otherwise, you’ll be scolded,” and vigorously stirred the batter again. Goosebumps ran down my arms. Homework wasn’t the problem. A spell! I have to write it in my journal quickly!
Imprinted, huh. What kind of wicked spell was it that only tormented Mother like that? Urgent investigation was needed. Mother was lying down, and Eurea had gone out to play in the garden since morning and was nowhere to be seen. Jester was being looked after by Martha. The Demon King, who had gone to the royal palace, was expected to return soon. This was the perfect opportunity.
I ran to the study. Since it was a wicked spell, he must have hidden it somewhere inconspicuous. I would definitely find the wicked Demon King’s spellbook.
Clenching my fists, I stood by the bookshelf. As expected, the most likely candidates were the law books the Demon King had used since university. His secret must be hidden somewhere in there. I had to find it quickly.
The Demon King’s bookshelf was very large and tall. No fool would hide a secret within reach, so the old book at the very top was suspicious. I brought the study ladder and placed it in front of the shelf. Even standing at the highest point, I couldn’t reach it. I stood on my tiptoes. Still, it was about a hand’s span short. Had I not had enough milk yet?!
“I need to stack more.”
I quickly got down from the ladder. I took out several thick law books and laid them on the floor. I placed the study ladder on top of them and climbed up. The ladder swayed.
“Whoa!”
I grabbed the bookshelf with both hands and clung to it. I caught my breath for a moment. Fortunately, I managed to balance myself. You’re doing well, Lennox Teiwind!
I cautiously stretched out my arm. The book at the very top was very old and thick. It was hard to pull out with one hand. But as the eldest Alpha carrying the burden of the Count’s family, I couldn’t lose to just one book. I gritted my teeth and pulled out the book. I quickly scanned it, and it was a normal law book. I couldn’t find it right away. I’ll put it back. Putting it back was harder than taking it out. Sweat trickled down my face.
“He definitely cast a spell on the book.”
I pulled out the second book. It was a bust. The third was also a bust.
“Huff, huff.”
There were twelve books left in total. But no matter how I thought about it, my remaining stamina was only enough for about two books. The books were too heavy, and the pitiful young master of the Count’s family was still too young. The spellbook must surely contain a spell for growing quickly. If I had grown as fast as the Demon King, it wouldn’t be this hard. How unfair, growing alone.
More busts followed.
It was almost time for the Demon King to return. It would be better to try again later. Just one more book. There was a particularly old and well-worn book on the edge. The gold leaf had peeled off completely, so the title wasn’t properly visible. The string binding the book protruded from its frayed corners. I’ll just look at that one. I gripped its thick, hardbound cover, which was heavier than any other book, and tried to pull it out. But it was so old that the contents seemed to have separated from the cover, and it didn’t come out properly. This!
I put strength into my fingers and pulled little by little. My feet, with my heels raised high, strained. The ladder felt like it was tilting slightly. I firmly gripped the bookshelf with my other hand. Just a little more to reach. After several attempts, the book finally began to come out. Indeed! Just a little more!
That’s when it happened. The heavily tilted ladder swayed violently.
“Whoa!”
Scared, I clung to the bookshelf.
Thump.
The heavy bookshelf tilted back slightly, making a weighty sound. It should have stopped there, but with the recoil, the bookshelf began to fall forward. A chill ran down my spine.
Crash.
Several books fell to the floor. My worry grew, slowly covered by a shadow. I’m really going to get scolded, if I don’t die right here. I’m sorry, Mom… and… I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Lennox!”
Thump.
A loud sound. I thought I would fall from the ladder and be crushed by the bookshelf. But it didn’t hurt as much as I expected. When I opened my eyes, books were everywhere. The fallen ladder was visible above them. But I wasn’t on the floor. Two feet wearing shoes dangled. I saw an arm across my chest. When I lifted my head, I saw another arm supporting the falling bookshelf.
“Oof.”
The Demon King easily pushed the bookshelf back into place. The bookshelf, having spilled all its books, simply settled back into its position. When the shadow disappeared, it suddenly became dazzling. Tears welled up. My lips trembled. The Demon King, having righted the bookshelf, lowered his gaze to me.
“Are you hurt?”
A large hand stroked my head. Suddenly, I was overcome with sorrow. And so, despite being the eldest Alpha of the Count’s family, I ended up crying like a baby.
“Waaah.”
Like a baby monkey I had seen in a picture book, I tightly hugged his large body with both arms. I was all grown up, so I had long since given up hugs to my younger siblings.
I had left my siblings and played alone in the study, using the ladder without permission. I would definitely be scolded. No one would need a crybaby, troublemaking eldest Alpha.
But surprisingly, instead of scolding me, the Demon King picked me up with an “oof.”
“My son, you’ve suddenly become a baby.”
When I looked up in surprise, he chuckled. It was clearly a sneer, but I wasn’t angry. Only tears streamed down my face.
“I told you not to use the study ladder because it’s dangerous.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m glad you’re not hurt.”
The Demon King’s forehead gently touched my head. He always smelled of books and ink. And the scent of a large adult. My startled heart slowly calmed down.
“The study ladder is off-limits.”
“Okay.”
Feeling unnecessarily sorrowful, I nodded like a baby instead of answering properly. A low laugh was heard. I tightly wrapped my arms around his thick neck and leaned my forehead on his broad shoulder. I sniffled and my shoulders heaved.
The Demon King went to a nearby sofa and sat down. As I continued to sob in his arms, he gently comforted me.
“Were you very scared? It’s okay now.”
He took out a handkerchief and wiped my nose. I could have stopped crying, but I just wanted to cry more. I deliberately squeezed out my drying tears and acted childish. He laughed.
“You’re strangely interested in my study. Will you tell me what you’re curious about?”
I was flustered by the sudden question. Snot streamed down my face. When I sniffled, he wiped my nose with the handkerchief again.
“If you keep secretly rummaging through it, there must be something you want to know secretly. You’re very curious, just like me. You’re persistent too. I think you won’t stop until you find the answer. But it’s problematic if you do dangerous things like today again. I hope you’ll tell me now. I’ll teach you to the best of my ability.”
His low voice was incredibly gentle. And so, foolishly, I ended up revealing a secret that should never have been revealed.
“Are you under a bad spell? You’re not hiding a wicked wizard’s spellbook or anything, are you?”
“Huh? A spell? What are you suddenly talking about? Those are all just law books.”
“You’re not under some kind of curse, are you?”
Tears kept welling up for no reason. In my blurred vision, I saw a very surprised expression. I was scared.
“Who said you’re cursed?”
“Old Marthaaa, boo-hoo, Father’s an imprinted Alphaaa~ and he makes Mother sick, boo-hoo.”
“Ah, dear.”
The sad smile the Demon King gave made my heart sink. I wished he would say it wasn’t true. That it was just a joke. That he wasn’t under some strange spell. That even though I called him the Demon King, he wasn’t really like that at all.
He always said he had to protect Mother and my siblings, but it was a lie! Bad! I hate you!
“Waaah, say it’s not true.”
I punched the Demon King’s shoulder repeatedly. His not stopping me hurt even more.
“Quickly say it’s not true. Waaah.”
“Shhh. It’s okay.”
Amidst his comforting, gentle voice, a low laugh was heard. He never said it wasn’t true until the end. Was he really the Demon King? Was I born with the Demon King’s blood? Two large hands cupped my cheeks. Wiping away my streaming tears, the Demon King smiled.
“I never knew our Lennox was such a crybaby. I thought you were very much like me, but it turns out you’re purely your mother’s son.”
“No! I’m like the Demon King!”
“Demon King? Hahaha.”
He laughed loudly, and I was flustered. The Demon King ruffled and stroked my hair with his hand.
“The Demon King is cooler than a demon with a cane. I like it.”
My crying stopped. I couldn’t figure out how to react to his nonchalant affirmation. After enjoying himself for a long time, he kissed my forehead, who had stopped crying and was sniffling.
“Lennox, listen carefully. Your father is imprinted on your mother.”
My eyes widened. Tears streamed down again. Then the Demon King, still gently, wiped away my tears.
“Some people say imprinting is romantic, but it’s not. How to say it, yes. As Martha said, it’s a terrible curse. Anyway, it’s not a good thing. Your personality changes, and you commit bad deeds without hesitation.”
My lips trembled. I didn’t want to see the Demon King make a sad smile. He always had a confident and wicked expression. Why was he sad?
“When you imprint, you see nothing but that person. I didn’t realize what that meant before. I thought it was a good thing to just be with Aeroc. But after you were born, I realized it wasn’t. I love you very much. You, Eurea, Jester. I love you all so much that just seeing you makes me happy. But…”
“But?”
The Demon King paused for a moment.
“I can’t live without Aeroc. Do you understand what that means?”
I stared at him silently. Suddenly, I remembered him, who hadn’t looked back at us on that terrifying night when Mother was sick.
“Even if I’m here? Even if Eurea and Jester are here?”
“Even if you’re here. Even if Eurea and Jester are here.”
My face burned. My tears began to dry. The Demon King brushed my hair back. My wet cheek stung as his palm brushed it.
“That’s what imprinting is. No matter how much you love your child, it’s useless if your partner isn’t there. Father, well, he was afflicted by an evil curse. There was nothing he could do. It’s no one’s fault. It just happened that way.”
He held my stiff, rigid body tightly. His patting hand felt heavy. My heart pounded with fear. I don’t want to hear anything. Just tell me this is a dream.
“If anything happens, please look after your siblings.”
“B-but I’m still young!”
“You’ve grown up. Enough for your father to trust you.”
I stared blankly at his bright smile.
“I wish you could remain my baby forever, but.”
The Demon King sighed briefly and rested his chin on the top of my head. The heavy weight made me feel like I would be crushed.
“As you know, Aeroc is weak. I worry a lot.”
I shook my head. Mom is healthy, and the Demon King will always be in this house.
“So, Lennox, stop playing now.”
“……”
“You must grow up quickly, defeat the Demon King, and save your siblings. Of course, you must also find someone you love.”
Actually, I wanted to scream that I hated it.
Actually, I hate the Demon King not being here.
Actually, I like him so, so, so much.
Actually, Lennox is the Demon King’s son.
“I will protect you until then.”
Not “until then.” I’ll be the Demon King’s, Dad’s son forever from now on. I’m sorry I called you the Demon King. So don’t say things like that.
My lips trembled, and no sound came out.
“I love you, my son.”
Lies!
Lies…
Mother sternly scolded me when she found out I had not only used the library ladder without permission but also tried to knock over a bookshelf.
“From now on, you are forbidden from entering the library.”
“That’s harsh. Lennox is all grown up now. He needs to read books.”
“But you almost got hurt. If you hadn’t arrived in time. Haa. Just thinking about it is awful.”
“He’s safe, isn’t he? Lennox must have learned his lesson by now, right?”
The Demon King took my side. But I didn’t want to meet his gaze.
“You’re too lenient with Lennox.”
“Kids grow up by causing trouble.”
“I wasn’t like that.”
“You’re special. I almost burned down the house once.”
At his words, Mother frowned.
“Lennox, don’t burn down the mansion.”
“Yes.”
“Come on, let’s stop and go eat. I’m hungry. Eurea is waiting.”
Leading a still-angry Mother away, the Demon King secretly winked. I should have acted cheerful and unaffected after seeing that. But stupidly, I turned away.
In a mansion boasting a beautiful rose garden live a Count and his lovely children, and an evil Demon King. I, Lennox Elim Teiwind, to protect the Count’s family from the Demon King’s evil clutches… the Demon King is actually an idiot. He is afflicted by an evil curse. I confirmed with many people that there is no way to break it. Even Lord, who has a bad relationship with the Demon King, felt sympathy regarding the imprinting. Moreover, the imprinted Demon King, naively deceived, told me how to defeat him.
To become an adult.
I decided to study spelling. Because I had decided to go to the National Capital University to become a great adult. There, I had to understand the Demon King’s actions and research him. It might take a long time to defeat the Demon King. But I will not give up.
Unfortunately, the diary will be suspended for a while. I’ve also decided to stop calling him the Demon King. I can’t keep acting like a childish brat forever.
Until then. Goodbye.
P.S. I really, really, really hate imprinting! I don’t need something like that! I will never! Never! Never! Never! Never! Do something like that!
<Side Story 2 End>