#Side Story <Flower Outing> 1
It was a cloudy day with morning dew and fog. The sight of a man with dew on his cheek shook her heart. I wanted to touch it. I wanted to reach out to her and sweep away those gloomy eyes.
Swamp-like eyes filled with emotion looked at Sehyeon. The emptiness was fully revealed within. Perhaps because of the humid surrounding scenery, the tip of his nose seemed to smell the humid air.
All Sehyun could do was to keep their gazes touching so much that her heart trembled.
The early morning fog slowly disappeared as the sun began to rise. It was around that time that he opened his mouth.
[I look forward to meeting you.]
The image of the empire, hidden in fog, was revealed behind him. Sehyun saw the smile on his lips. The gently curved eyes gave me an unfamiliar feeling. Without knowing what it meant, Sehyun blankly put those words in his mind.
The ‘Secret Love Affair’ ended quickly due to the busy noise of the retainers welcoming the morning. Without any lingering regret, he turned his back on Sehyeon.
However, unlike other days, it was a slow walk. I stopped walking occasionally looking down at the empire. Like a person who never falls off his feet.
During the 11th secret meeting, Ruhak was sweeter than other days and was especially quiet. Still, it felt like that smile washed away the awkwardness that had been vaguely lingering around. The sunlight shining on the bridge of his nose was dazzling.
The profile of Ruhak at dawn took my breath away. It felt like something was stuck in his chest. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t even take my eyes off him. Really, if the day comes when we can meet each other like he said-
I wanted to hug you with all my heart.
***
Sehyeon realized the wet embrace and flinched with her closed eyes. In an instant, I was pulled out of the dream as if someone had pushed me out. When I opened my heavy eyelids, I saw the faint sunlight shining through the curtains. As I was trying to move his body, I suddenly heard a crunching sound inside my arms.
“ah… .”
Sehyun opened her arms and looked down into her arms. There were two animals in Sehyeon’s arms, sleeping with their bodies touching, as if they were in their mother’s arms. It was Bill Will and Muk-i.
The sound came from Muk-i’s mouth. Sehyun’s clothes are stuffed into that small mouth. Se-hyeon gently pulled the clothes away from Muk-i’s mouth. Mook’s brow furrowed as if he didn’t like it.
Muk-i had a habit of looking into Se-hyeon’s memories and knowledge while he was sleeping. That seemed to be Muk’s way of learning about the world. Maybe that’s why Muk-i, who read Se-hyeon’s memories, seemed to think of himself as a baby.
At some point, when he was deeply asleep, Muk would wash Se-hyeon’s clothes as if he were looking for a baby bottle. Thanks to this, waking up with wet arms has become a daily routine these days.
Muk-i’s small mouth kept moving, wondering what he was dreaming about. Mook pushed her snout here and there towards her wet embrace as if searching for her milk.
It was the moment when Muk-i, who was moving his head vigorously, opened his mouth and was about to bite Se-hyeon’s clothes. Suddenly, someone’s hand came up and pushed Muk’s snout away. Muk, who was pushed behind her, whined like a puppy and started sucking on Billwill’s fur.
Only then did Sehyun realize the warmth pressing against his back. When I turned my head, two eyes of different colors met my gaze.
“When did you come in? “I heard you can’t come in because you’re busy?”
“It’s been a while.”
It was a low voice, as if he had just woken up. The hand that pushed Muk away did not return and instead hovered over Sehyun’s damp clothes. The fingertips moving tiredly circled around the breast and pushed up the areola. Sehyun’s shoulders rolled inward.
“I think I told you to leave the cub outside.”
“They’re still kids. Get out of the way. “What are you doing this morning?”
Sehyun pushed Ruhak away with her elbow and stood up, moving her sore wings. And he got goosebumps and brushed off his stiff wings. Only then did Billwill realize that his fur was wet, and he brushed off her body and opened her eyes. Billwill seemed to be annoyed and pushed Muk-i away with her hind foot.
“Will, I didn’t think Muk kicked me like that.”
[I hate getting my fur dirty. I hate taking a bath even more because of him.]
After being kicked by his back foot, Muk-i started flailing his hands and feet, then sneezed and suddenly opened his eyes. It was a day no different from any other morning. In a landscape that seemed to have been drawn, Se-hyeon welcomed Muk-i with a smile.
“Muk, did you sleep well?”
【Mu, jelly… well… I slept. Se, Sehyun… ?】
Muk-i looked at Se-hyeon’s damp clothes and said as if he noticed. Sehyeon pulled Muk into his arms and patted her back. Muk-i, who is accustomed to being noticed, seemed to see himself in Se-hyeon’s memories when he was ‘Beusbrihel’. I also knew how people viewed me.
So, Se-hyeon was trying hard to boost Muk-i’s self-esteem these days.
“First of all, shall we take a shower? “Then we can go out after eating, right?”
Billwill and Muk-i blinked and then nodded at the same time. Sehyun was the only one washing up anyway. All Bilwill and Muk-i did was wash the cat’s face or quietly watch from the side.
“Nell, shall we take a shower together after a long time?”
Se-hyeon asked with a smile at Ruhak, who was quietly looking down at Bill Will and Muk-i. His long hand reached out and grabbed Sehyun’s chin, pulling her up. A faint ray of light seeped through the curtains, staining Ruhak’s cheeks white.
“Sure.”
The sound of breath that fell on the bridge of the nose soon moved to Sehyun’s lips. It was a kiss so warm it made my heart flutter. He was also the greeting that signaled the start of the day.
***
“Rod, are you taking the kids for a walk?”
“Uh, uh! Mook fell, Lord!”
“Lord, did you have a good night? “It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?”
Greetings poured in for Sehyeon from all over. In the fountain square of the central castle, vassals busy with premature work came and went here and there. Everyone was carrying a basket or box in their arms.
They were employees who worked in the central city. Sehyun accepted their unhesitating greetings with a smile. Muk-i and Billwill followed behind Se-hyeon in a single file.
Unlike Muk-i, who only looked at Se-hyeon’s back and moved around, Billwill jumped up and down and admired the surrounding scenery. It was a walk she was taking every day after breakfast.
Sehyeon walked around the square and sat down on the bench in front of the fountain. The drizzle drizzled down my cheeks along with the cool breeze.
When I raised my head, I saw long clouds in the vast sky. The sight of large and small mountain peaks faintly reflected in the distance opened my heart.
“Rod, my wings are getting wet.”
Suddenly, a thin cloak was wrapped over Sehyeon’s shoulders and wings. Zenon, who was assigned as an escort, took off what I was wearing and wrapped it around Sehyeon. At some point, it was the coat worn by all legendary vassals.
Even now that the world has become peaceful, 12 elite retainers, including Euncheong, assist Sehyeon, worried that something might go wrong with him. Because of that, all the retainers were also infected by this behavior and did not let down their guard from afar when they saw Sehyeon.
Therefore, the central government has never loosened its discipline. The biggest reason is probably Ruhak.
【Se, Sehyeon… Uh, resting… going to be?】
“huh. “Let’s rest for a bit.”
【huh.】
Muk-i, who was at Se-hyeon’s feet, blinked and answered. Muk-i quietly looked at Billwill, who was running around with his body curled up. Even after 5 years, nothing has changed.
Five years have already passed since the dawn of time. Agatha was summoned to this land again, and a new cavalry empire was established in the form of a small village.
At first, neighboring countries who heard the news of Agatha’s return expressed concern and caution rather than joy. It was because of Tyra’s incredibly strong buff skill. However, that power just for Agatha was a one-time skill.
The strength that was shown on the day of creation no longer remained in Tyra. It is a skill that no longer exists. Only after this fact became known did neighboring countries gradually erase their borders.
Even though imperial warfare had disappeared, checks on power still continued in each empire. Still, compared to before, it was a peaceful world. Compared to the time when I was anxious and the future was dark.
After being lost in thought for a moment, Se-hyeon realized a hand was pulling on her clothes and lowered her gaze to look at Muk-i. Muk-i was trying to climb up to me with her fern-like hands.
“Muk, can you hug me?”
【huh… I want to go up.】
Se-hyeon picked up Muk-i, who was trying to climb up on her clothes, and held her in her arms. Muk immediately curled his tail and curled up in Sehyeon’s arms. Billwill was still jumping around, smelling the grass, wondering what was so good about it.
It was when I was looking at that scene with joy. A cracking sound was heard out of nowhere in the air. Behind the explosion-like sound was the sound of an engine heating up. It was the sound of an airship’s engine. When I looked up, I saw an airship popping out of the alliance portal in the sky as if colored.
A faint heat lingered on the hull like a haze. Se-hyeon, looking at the pattern drawn on the outside of the airship, realized that it was an airship from the Monster Empire. It was Lee Jae-young. For some reason, Jaeyoung Lee had shown up with an airship without any news.
