Chapter 81
Kaiden recalled Aiden storming out of the drawing room.
“I wish my daughter could live a bit more freely.”
It had been a long time since his younger brother had opened up about his feelings.
Thinking about how he must have suffered silently by his clumsy older brother’s side, he felt sorry.
He had just wanted to protect him.
Unbeknownst to him, cracks were forming.
What would happen if Aiden found out that following his wife, his daughter was also ill.
Kaiden was worried that his younger brother might collapse helplessly.
“I should go to Aiden first.”
He couldn’t stay still, remembering how he had been unnecessarily harsh.
As Kaiden stood up abruptly, Reina cheered him on.
“Come back after resolving it well.”
* * *
Upon returning to the lab, Aiden immediately ruffled his own hair messily.
“You must have heard everything, right?”
From the way she awkwardly turned her head, it was clear she had heard everything.
Aiden knew well that he was emotional.
Unlike his brother, he often ruined things by dwelling on small matters.
“Wouldn’t it be better to just have a child?”
“Ha, you idiot.”
Actually, it wasn’t something to get angry at his brother about.
It was something he had discussed with his brother from the beginning.
Now, by changing his words, he had put his brother in a difficult position.
He felt uncomfortable, as if he had added more burden to his brother who was already fighting on the front lines for the north.
At that moment, Kaiden’s voice was heard from in front of the lab.
“Aiden.”
“…….”
“You’re there, right?”
A cautious voice, unlike usual.
Aiden froze, not expecting him to make a gesture of reconciliation so quickly.
After an awkward silence, Aiden quietly opened the lab door.
“…….”
“…….”
For a while, the brothers sat in silence. As the teacups cooled, Kaiden and Aiden spoke at the same time.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, brother.”
The two who uttered the same words cleared their throats awkwardly.
At times like this, it really felt like they were brothers born from the same womb.
Feeling the atmosphere soften considerably, Kaiden said.
“I didn’t know you and Dalia were feeling that much pressure. I’m sorry for making you worry alone.”
“…….”
“Dalia is still young. She probably doesn’t know what the position of the next duke means. So, let’s let Dalia choose when she becomes an adult. If she still doesn’t want this position then, I won’t force it anymore.”
“……Really?”
Aiden asked in surprise. He didn’t expect him to bend his stubbornness so easily.
“From the beginning, wanting to give that position to my nephew was also my greed. As you said, I was avoiding my duty.”
“Brother, that’s…….”
Aiden regretted the harsh words he had spat out. He had said them knowing they would hurt his brother.
“Aiden, give me a little time. I won’t avoid it anymore.”
Kaiden had been making various excuses and not fully conveying his feelings to Reina.
Since Aiden knew that well.
He could feel what his brother had resolved.
“Now you’re acting like yourself, brother.”
“I didn’t know I would fall for someone this much either.”
“When you come back, will she really become my sister-in-law?”
As Aiden said playfully, Kaiden rubbed his face dryly.
The large man was hanging his head, tense.
Aiden patted his broad back firmly and said cheerfully.
“Good luck.”
* * *
A while later, as feared, an accident occurred.
During aura training, Dalia’s aura attacked Aiden.
Fortunately, he defended in time so there was no major damage, but Dalia was too shocked.
After that day, Dalia didn’t come out of her room.
Naturally, aura training was suspended, and Aiden spent more time in the lab than before.
Time passed like that, and the day to leave for the capital approached quickly.
Reina visited her room to see Dalia one last time.
Seeing the door still firmly locked, Reina said softly.
“Dalia, it’s me.”
“…….”
“I want to see your face before leaving for the capital. Can you open the door?”
At her voice, the door that had been silent all along slowly opened.
Following that, Dalia with swollen eyes buried herself in Reina’s arms.
“Reinaaa.”
She had heard that she was eating her meals properly, but in a few days, her face had become half its size.
“Let me see your face.”
Reina examined Dahlia’s body here and there.
Fortunately, her aura was stable, but she seemed emotionally very unstable.
“Dad almost got hurt because of me.”
“It’s okay, Dalia. They said such things happen often during aura training.”
“But what if I hurt someone again?”
Dalia seemed afraid of her own power.
Knowing well how exhausting it is to possess overwhelming power.
Reina hugged Dalia affectionately.
“Then, your uncle and dad will help. Dallia, you have the strongest family in the world.”
After comforting her for a while, Dallia gradually calmed down.
With that, Reina subtly brought up the topic.
“Dallia, don’t you miss dad?”
“I miss him.”
“Shall we go see dad?”
“……Yeah.”
Reina held Dalia’s hand and headed to the lab.
Even on the way, she kept hesitating, seeming sorry to her dad.
Dallia knocked on the lab door.
“Dad.”
…….
“Dad, it’s me, Dallia! I know you’re in there!”
When no sound came from inside, Dallia knocked several times.
Shortly after, there was a noisy sound from inside, and then Aiden flung the door open.
“Dallia!”
He looked like he had stayed up several nights.
Reina looked at the hollow-eyed Aiden with worry.
“Are you okay? Have you slept at all?”
“I’m fine.”
“Fine my foot! Dad’s face has become ugly!”
Dallia kneaded Aiden’s hollow face like clay.
It was a completely different attitude from her hesitation until coming here.
Aiden grinned widely.
“Dad is fine! More than that, you said you didn’t want to show your face to dad? Is it okay now?”
Dallia nodded and, embarrassed, quickly burrowed into his arms.
He lovingly watched her cute whining and then got to the point.
“I was just about to go see you, sister-in-law.”
“Me?”
“Come in first.”
“Dad, can I come in too?”
“Of course. But don’t touch anything?”
“Yeah!”
Dallia answered energetically and went inside.
While Dallia played with toys on one side, Aiden brought tea.
After taking a few sips of tea, Aiden said seriously.
“There was something I wanted to ask you to confirm before you leave.”
“Confirm?”
As Reina made a puzzled expression, Aiden held out something.
“This is…….”
“It’s the item you requested.”
“I didn’t expect you to make it this quickly. Even when I requested it, you said it was a difficult process and would take time…….”
Reina also didn’t know the method to make that magic tool itself.
Because it was a design that existed only in Aiden’s mind before the regression.
So, she was surprised that it was completed in such a short time.
Aiden smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.
“I pushed myself a bit.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve been living in the lab because of this?”
“Once I knew where it would be used, my mind became urgent.”
From his eyes, it seemed he had already guessed why Reina requested it.
“Sister-in-law, it’s an impertinent request, but could you check once more if it’s safe to use? Of course, you’ve probably already checked everything, but I’m asking once more.”
