A Barbaric Proposal Side Story 28

※The Rabbit Hole and the Frog※

[Liene] "Do you two really have to do this?"

[Shellan] "Yes."

[Dief] "There is no other way."

His voice sounded muffled as he buried his face in the folds of Liene’s skirt.

The reason Liene couldn't bring herself to scold them was the same as before: the children, who had suddenly burst into her bedroom, were once again brimming with tears.

She found it difficult to understand why they were so sorrowful. To Liene, this was a matter she had processed and moved past long time ago; yet, they seemed determined to wail and fret over it indefinitely.

Still, she understood that they felt hurt. Because of that, she couldn't take Black’s side.

[Liene] "Hmm... saying there is 'no other way' seems a bit unfair to your father, don't you think?"

[Shellan] "It’s not unfair at all."

She nodded her head vigorously.

[Shellan] "We are just that disappointed and hurt. I don't want to see his face for the time being."

[Dief] "Yes. I don't want to see him either."

'Oh, dear.'

How on earth had things come to this?

Liene opened her arms toward them.

Shellan, who had been sitting at the edge of the bed, and Dief, who had been hiding in her skirts, both crawled toward her and snuggled into her embrace. Liene kissed each of their foreheads in turn.

[Liene] "There is something you both need to know."

[Shellan] "You're going to take his side, aren't you? I don't want to hear it."

[Dief] "Yes. Please don't take his side."

[Liene] "But I feel as though I must. If I don't take his side, he will be all alone."

[Shellan] "That’s because he did something wrong."

[Liene] "He didn't do the right thing, certainly. But Shellan, people make mistakes and do the wrong thing sometimes as they live. That’s only natural."

Shellan pouted.

[Shellan] "But it was such a huge mistake. He did something wrong to you, Mother."

[Liene] "That isn't quite right."

[Shellan] "Why not?"

[Liene] "Because it was before he ever met me."

[Shellan] "That’s... just an excuse."

They seemed to have no intention of forgiving him so easily.

Liene offered a bittersweet smile. She hadn't wanted to tell them these things yet, but it could no longer be delayed. Children always grow up far too quickly.

Liene tightened her embrace around them.

[Liene] "You remember the story I told you last year? About why Father, who was a prince of the Gainers Royal Family, came to live under the name of Tiwakan?"

[Shellan] "Mmm, yes."

[Dief] "But that can't be an excuse. A lover is a different matter entirely."

[Shellan] "I think so too."

She looked at them with warmth.

The twins had yet to learn the meaning of loneliness. Perhaps, because they had each other, they might find it difficult to understand even when they were much older. Just as they didn't know loneliness, they didn't know the feeling of deficiency or desperate longing.

She was grateful for that. They would have to learn those emotions one day, but as their mother, she hoped that day was still a lifetime away.

[Liene] "At that time, he didn't think he would ever return to Nauk."

[Dief] "Umm... why?"

[Liene] "Because he believed there was no place for him in Nauk."

Thankfully, they understood those words. Instead of questioning further, their expressions turned a bit somber.

[Liene] "It was around that time that he met her."

A time when he believed he had no home to return to. A time when he was desperately searching for any place that felt like the home he had lost.

[Liene] "When someone searches for something too intensely, sometimes they can get lost. That’s what happened to him."

Dief shook his head briefly.

[Dief] "That’s strange. If you work hard, you should be able to do things well."

This time, it was Shellan who shook her head.

[Shellan] "Dief. I’ve told you twice in my life already that there are more things in this world that cannot be achieved through effort alone. Once during the Festival of Discarded Shoes last winter, and once three years ago in the spring when you asked how to put on a shirt by yourself when the buttons were on the back."

[Dief] "Ah...? Oh, I think I remember that. But what does that have to do with getting lost?"

[Shellan] "It does. Think back to your fourth birthday. You lost the yellow frog I gave you as a gift. You searched for it for four hours. After that, you cried for two hours."

[Dief] "Aha. Right. That did happen. I never did find that frog."

[Shellan] "Exactly. You wandered through the garden crying and eventually crawled into a rabbit hole, then fell asleep. That is the perfect example of losing your way because you were looking for something too hard."

[Dief] "I understand now. So, she was Father’s rabbit hole."

[Shellan] "As a metaphor for an unpleasant accident created by need and coincidence, despite not being intentional, that seems like a perfectly appropriate word. I’ll give you credit for that, Dief."

[Dief] "I’m not quite sure what you mean, but thanks, Shellan."

[Shellan] "Don't mention it."

Liene was relieved they understood it that way.

[Liene] "You're right, Shellan. So, could you please forgive him now? He still feels undeniably sorry for what happened."

Shellan wrinkled her nose back and forth before burying herself back into Liene's embrace like a spoiled child.

[Shellan] "I’ll do it tomorrow morning. But not right now."

[Liene] "Why? Do you still need more time?"

[Shellan] "No. I can forgive him for that, but I can't forgive his other mistake yet."

[Liene] "And what would that be?"

In truth, while the "past lover" issue was what they had used to wail and exaggerate the problem, the thing that truly made Shellan angry was something else. It was the fact that their parents had tried to go on a trip alone, leaving them behind. Not only that, but Father had dumped the burdensome guests onto her.

Grind.

Shellan gritted her teeth slightly.

He could have kicked them out any time he liked. That part still made her incredibly angry. As he had demonstrated today, Father could have sent those annoying guests from Alito away at any time, yet he had pushed that task onto her.

And why? Simply so he could go on a trip with Mother alone.

[Shellan] "I don't want to talk about it now. I’ll tell you when my anger has cooled."

Liene stroked Shellan’s hair, hiding her embarrassment with a small smile.

[Liene] "Alright. Be sure to tell me when you're not angry anymore."

[Shellan] "I will."

Finally, the anger vanished from Shellan’s face. She hugged Liene tightly with both arms, a beaming smile returning.

[Shellan] "I want to sleep here tonight. Is that alright?"

Dief scrambled to claim the spot on the other side.

[Dief] "Me too, Mother! Let us sleep here."

Liene wondered why they were behaving like this today.

[Liene] "That would be difficult. Where would Father sleep then?"

[Shellan] "We can just tell him to sleep in my room."

[Dief] "He has my room too!"

Liene let out a soft, incredulous laugh. They were being so adorable today that she felt the urge to give them a playful pinch.

[Liene] "Your beds are too small for Father."

[Shellan] "They aren't. Not really."

[Dief] "Even if it's small, it’s fine for one night."

Shellan replied with a prim expression.

[Shellan] "Compared to his mistake, sleeping in a bed slightly smaller than usual is a very light punishment. Don't you agree, Dief?"

[Dief] "I agree with you, Shellan."

At times like these, the fact that they were twins was felt through Liene’s skin.

[Liene] "I understand that you feel that way. But I don't think he will agree. Shouldn't we discuss it with him?"

[Shellan] "That’s unfair. First, Father will never agree, so a discussion is impossible from the start. Second, it is now our bedtime."

Indeed, the children's bedtime had already passed.

[Dief] "Oh, you're right. No wonder I feel sleepy."

He rubbed his forehead against Liene’s sleeve.

[Dief] "I think I’m going to fall asleep soon. Moth-er..."

[Liene] "Dief. You can't sleep yet. I haven't permitted you to sleep in this room."

[Dief] "Yes, but...?"

As he spoke, drowsiness seeped into his voice, which grew gradually softer. Liene tried to gently shake him awake, only to hear the sound of a sharp intake of breath from Shellan on the other side.

[Shellan] "Haaa-ah."

[Liene] "......Shellan. Don't pretend to be asleep. I won't be fooled."

It was obvious Shellan was faking it. Liene used her finger to flick the tips of her eyelashes. Her eyes began to twitch as she tried to endure the ticklish sensation.

[Liene] "Shellan. I said stop it."

[Shellan] "Hee... no, I’m pretending... zzz..."

[Liene] "Shellan."

Liene’s voice grew stern. But at that moment, the sound of the already-sleeping Dief’s rhythmic snoring began to spread through the room.

[Liene] "Ha... I should have known."

Dief was the type to fall asleep quickly. While Shellan had developed the somewhat poor habit of staying up late to read books since she was little, Dief fell into a deep slumber the moment he lay down.

Realizing he was truly asleep, Shellan tightly closed her eyes in earnest.

[Liene] "Honestly, who do they take after to be like this?"

Liene’s lips twitched with amusement. The stubbornness her otherwise good children showed—the kind she couldn't break on her own—was surely inherited from Black.

[Liene] "I certainly wasn't like that."

She clicked her tongue so the children wouldn't hear and eventually pulled the duvet over them. Despite everything, she was soft-hearted when it came to her children.

[Liene] "It’s all because they look so much like him."

She kissed Shellan’s hair—which was a carbon copy of Black’s—and then kissed Dief’s forehead. Their appearance was the biggest reason why she repeatedly gave in to them.

I suppose I’ll have to sleep like this tonight.

Liene offered a wry smile and carefully lay her body down as well.

Outside the window, the bright and warm summer moonlight poured in. She should have closed the curtains if she wanted to sleep, but it was already too late. She didn't want to bother the staff by calling them for such a small thing.

It seems a deep sleep is out of the question tonight.

Contrary to her internal monologue, a smile spread across her face as she looked at the children sleeping soundly beside her. With a happy heart, Liene closed her eyes.

However, the night had no intention of ending just yet.

Shh.

At the moment when the rhythmic breathing of the children was about to summon a dream like a lullaby, she felt a shadow outside the window, momentarily blocking the moonlight.

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