March 11, 2021
"So, when are you going to tell me your second wish?"
"Are you rushing me?"
"You keep putting it off, so yeah."
Even as Cabelenus grumbled, he wordlessly switched his plate with Mikael’s. The steak on the plate had already been cut into neat, bite-sized pieces.
"Don’t worry. This time, I’ve thought it through perfectly."
"Glad to hear it."
"Geez, Uncle. Do you want to hear it that badly?"
"Yeah."
"......."
"What?"
Unlike Mikael, who scowled in disbelief, Cabelenus remained completely nonchalant. Mikael bit his fork, mumbling under his breath, before shooting him a sideways glance.
"...Aren’t you embarrassed?"
"Are you embarrassed? Is that why you won’t say it?"
"...I’m not answering that."
Pouting, Mikael stabbed a piece of meat with his fork. The perfectly grilled steak had been cut so neatly that it was almost excessive.
"So? What’s your wish?"
"Oh, that?"
Mikael glanced at Alicia before turning back to Cabelenus.
"Let’s paint together."
"Paint?"
"Yeah."
"...After the cookie disaster, I didn’t think anything else could surprise me, but I guess I was wrong."
Cabelenus had expected an unusual request, but he hadn’t anticipated painting. He sighed, already picturing himself staring blankly at a canvas, utterly lost.
"Do you not like drawing?"
"I’ve never drawn before."
"That’s perfect."
Mikael beamed, his eyes sparkling. The cookie-baking attempt had been a failure, but this time, he had the perfect opportunity to mess with Cabelenus.
"...Is teasing me really that fun for you?"
"Isn’t that exactly what you did to me?"
"......."
"It’s a wish! You have to grant it!"
"...Can’t I swap it for something else?"
Cabelenus’s voice had noticeably lost its edge. But Mikael, eyes burning with determination as if he had been entrusted with a grand mission, showed no signs of backing down.
"Fine. Just don’t expect me to be any good at it."
"You don’t have to be."
"Because that way, you can make fun of me?"
"Yep."
Mikael nodded without a hint of hesitation.
"You could at least try to deny it."
"Uncle, lying is bad."
"......."
Alicia’s not like this at all. Cabelenus frowned and rubbed his temple. If Mikael hadn’t taken after his mother, then the only possibility left was... himself.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"...I’m wondering if I should correct your way of speaking."
"Yeah, I think you should."
Mikael nodded, not missing the chance to jab at him. Cabelenus tilted his head slightly.
"And what exactly don’t you like about it?"
"For starters, the way you speak to Mom. She always speaks politely to you, but you don’t do the same."
"Hmm, that’s a fair point."
Cabelenus nodded as if giving the matter serious thought before turning to Alicia. Caught off guard by their sudden attention, she blinked in confusion.
"Would you prefer to lower your speech to match mine? Or should I raise mine to match yours?"
"Huh? That’s..."
Alicia’s lips parted, but no words came out. Watching her flustered expression, Cabelenus smirked.
Her flushed cheeks reminded him of the past.
"We let it slide before, but isn’t it about time we settled this properly, my dear wife?"
At the casually added word, Alicia’s face turned even redder. Cabelenus, amused, leaned forward slightly, resisting the temptation to touch her warm, apple-red cheeks.
"She’s my mom."
Of course, that moment was immediately interrupted by a disgruntled voice. Cabelenus raised an eyebrow at Mikael, who was glaring at him, lips jutted out like a bird’s beak.
"She’s your mom, but she can also be my wife."
"But you’re not married to her!"
"Not yet. But once everything is settled, we’ll obviously—"
Cabelenus spoke with certainty, but his voice gradually trailed off. Across from him, Alicia was wearing an awkward, troubled expression.
"...You weren’t planning to marry me?"
There was an undeniable tremor in his voice. He had assumed it was a given. They loved each other. They had a child together. Though now wasn’t the right time, he had intended to marry her the moment everything was resolved.
"It’s not that..."
"No. Don’t answer. I think I already know what I did wrong."
Cabelenus quickly raised a hand to stop her from speaking. After everything they had been through, he had learned to think a little faster.
"My mistake was assuming marriage was a given, right?"
"What?"
"I apologize. Forget what I just said."
He spoke so fast he barely took a breath. To him, marriage had always been a formality—a union between noble houses, a political arrangement to solidify alliances. But that was his view. Alicia might see it differently.
If she held marriage as something sacred, then assuming it was a foregone conclusion could have been a mistake.
After careful consideration, this was the conclusion he came to.
"I’ll propose properly. It’ll be a proposal so grand that everyone will be envious—no, something so perfect that no one would even dare try to imitate it."
"What?"
"If there’s a particular proposal you’d like, just let me know—"
"No! That’s not what I meant!"
Alicia quickly waved her hands, flustered.
Cabelenus finally exhaled and looked at her expectantly.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
"Then what is it?"
"It’s just..."
Alicia fidgeted with her fingertips. It wasn’t about the proposal itself—she wouldn’t have minded any kind, even a clumsy one. If it was Cabelenus asking, she would have been happy. But now wasn’t the right time.
She wasn’t sure if he would still propose once he knew the full truth.
"...Or is it that you just don’t want to marry me?"
Misinterpreting her silence, Cabelenus’s brows furrowed slightly.
"It’s not that—it’s just... a bit sudden."
"Sudden?"
"I didn’t know you were thinking about things like that."
"......."
Her uncertain smile only made his unease worse. Cabelenus stared at her for a long moment before straightening his posture.
"This is my mistake. I should have made things clearer between us before now."
"It’s not your fault. The timing just isn’t right."
"No."
"...What?"
Alicia’s eyes widened slightly at his sudden use of formal speech.
"If putting it off because of bad timing led to this, then there’s no reason to delay any further."
"......."
"Since I’ve decided to put in the effort, I’ll do my very best."
Whatever it takes.
His expression softened slightly, but his golden eyes gleamed sharply. It was clear—Cabelenus had fixated on something entirely unexpected.
***
Gajev loitered in front of the door, glancing at his watch. Normally, Cabelenus would have come out by now, yet his door remained shut.
After some hesitation, Gajev finally knocked.
Knock, knock—
"Your Grace, may I come in?"
"Enter."
The reply came immediately, no different from usual. Gajev tilted his head slightly before cautiously pushing the door open—only to grimace on reflex.
"...Was there an attack?"
"Of course not."
"Then why is your room...?"
Gajev trailed off as he scanned the disaster before him. The room was a mess, as if it had been ransacked. Clothes were strewn all over the floor, and at the center of the chaos stood Cabelenus—wearing only his trousers.
"I was having trouble deciding what to wear. Good timing."
"...Excuse me?"
Before Gajev could even process the situation, Cabelenus held up two shirts.
"Which of these is better?"
Gajev opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water.
"White looks cleaner, I suppose?"
"......."
"A-Ah, yes. White would look cleaner."
Realizing that questioning his superior was unwise, Gajev pointed to the right shirt. Only then did Cabelenus nod in satisfaction and slip it on. But his contentment didn’t last long.
"No, it’s terrible."
Frowning, he impatiently undid the buttons and stood in front of Gajev again. This time, Gajev’s expression twisted even further.
His superior’s well-sculpted body, honed through years of war, looked like it had been carved by an artist’s hand. But as a fellow man, it wasn’t exactly a sight he wanted to be staring at.
"May I ask what exactly is happening right now?"
"Isn’t it obvious? I’m choosing an outfit."
"...An outfit?"
Gajev’s face grew more perplexed. Cabelenus had never cared much about dressing up. As long as his clothes were appropriate and not uncomfortable, he simply wore whatever the attendants prepared.
Seeing him agonizing over his outfit like this was completely out of character.
"If I recall correctly, you were supposed to spend the morning with Lady Alicia and the young master...."
"Which of these looks better?"
Once again, Cabelenus shoved a shirt toward him, cutting him off. Gajev swallowed his words. His commander looked more serious than ever.
As a loyal aide, his role wasn’t to question, but to provide the best answer.
"The one you’re wearing now suits you better."
"Really?"
Without hesitation, Cabelenus tossed aside the rejected shirt and grabbed another from the attendant’s hands.
"How about this one?"
"Your Grace, you look good in anything."
"Looking good isn’t enough. It has to be perfect."
Cabelenus’s gaze sharpened.
"If you tell me the purpose of this outfit selection, I can be of greater assistance."
"Seduction."
"...Pardon?"
Gajev had promised himself not to be surprised anymore, but that resolve crumbled instantly.
He blinked several times, wondering if he had misheard. But judging by the attendant’s pale face, he definitely had not.
"Alicia had no intention of marrying me."
"That can’t be true."
"It is."
No matter what he wore, it didn’t feel right.
Frustrated, Cabelenus tossed the shirt aside and grabbed another.
"Perhaps she simply hasn’t had time to think about it? It hasn’t been long since you two ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) reunited."
"More likely, I haven’t given her enough certainty."
Or maybe...
Maybe he lacked the charm of a worthy husband.
Cabelenus’s lips curled slightly in irritation.
Once, he had thought of marriage as nothing more than a formality—a political arrangement, a contract between noble houses.
But that belief was long gone.
Now, Cabelenus wanted to marry her. Desperately.
