What Remains in the Damaged Place - Side Story 2 (1)

A butterfly fluttered in through the open window, its delicate wings catching the light as it drifted into the main hallway.

As Valderion walked along the navy carpet, his gaze unconsciously followed the butterfly’s path. His eyes wandered lazily through the air until they fixed on something specific.

A red ribbon, tying back long silver hair that reached down to her waist.

His steps naturally came to a stop. His vision, previously focused on one detail, expanded to take in more. There, sitting with her legs folded beneath her, was Lirette, wearing a calm red dress that perfectly matched the ribbon he’d tied for her earlier that morning.

“How is it…”

“Pardon?”

“That she still looks like a girl.”

Moses, who had been following Valderion and giving his report, was momentarily confused by the interruption. He stopped, blinking, before realizing what his lord was looking at and nodded with understanding.

“Ah, indeed. The madam seems to grow younger by the day.”

It was true. The frail, delicate figure she once had was now hard to recall. She had filled out, her complexion glowing with life. It was clear that she had fully embraced this place as her home, adjusting step by step.

Moses glanced again at Lirette and then winced slightly.

“It seems like the two of you are dealing with some mischief again. The madam’s expression is… not quite her usual.”

Just as he pointed out, Lirette’s face wasn’t adorned with her usual bright smile that complemented the deep red dress. Instead, her expression was stern, her eyes sharply fixed ahead of her.

Ahead of her sat two little children, perched guiltily before her.

The situation was clear.

Next to them, a vase—perfectly intact earlier that morning—lay shattered on the floor.

“That’ll be all for now,” Valderion said, dismissing Moses and leaning against the wall, watching the scene unfold.

It was rare to see Lirette disciplining the children. She usually doted on them endlessly, so this was an unfamiliar sight.

The twins, with their round, chestnut-like heads, stood in contrast to each other. Evant, who looked like he was impatient to start running around again, and Roselean, on the verge of tears, his eyes shimmering with unshed droplets.

Despite being born from the same womb, the twins’ personalities couldn’t have been more different. Their contrasting temperaments always left their parents marveling.

Valderion leaned in to observe a bit more.

“Did Mama tell you it’s okay to play in the hallway?” Lirette’s voice was stern as she glanced between the two, her tone heavy with authority.

It felt like just yesterday that they had learned to walk, but now the twins were running around the house, causing all sorts of chaos. Ever since they gained the freedom of movement, the incidents had been constant. And with two of them, there was never a moment of peace.

Today was no exception.

“Look at this vase. If someone stepped on the pieces, they could get hurt. You could hurt yourselves, or the nanny you love so much, or even Mommy and Daddy.”

Lirette held onto each child with one arm, giving them a mix of warnings and gentle reprimands.

The twins reacted very differently.

Evant stood there, staring blankly, not seeming to care much about the lecture, while Roselean nodded frantically with every word her mother said, as if eager to show she understood.

It was clear that one wanted this scolding session to be over as soon as possible, while the other was desperate to be forgiven and cuddled.

“Do you understand what you did wrong?”

“Yes,” Roselean replied instantly.

“…”

“Evant?”

Unlike his sister, Evant remained defiant. He rocked from side to side, his body swaying as if he couldn’t stand still for even a moment. When Lirette tugged gently at his arm, he reluctantly nodded, clearly not interested in the conversation.

Does he even understand?

Lirette sighed, feeling the weight of parenthood settle in her chest. She opened her arms.

“Come here.”

As expected, Roselean was the first to leap into her arms, eager for comfort. Evant, seeing this, hesitated for a moment before a mischievous grin spread across his face, and he too ran into her embrace.

Lirette kissed both of their cheeks in turn. The warm, milky scent of the children seemed to melt away the last of her frustration.

“Hold me, Mama. Hold me,” Roselean murmured, her chubby arms wrapping around her neck. She fidgeted on her tiptoes, clearly wanting to be picked up.

It was a challenge to carry both twins at once. But Lirette couldn’t just pick up one and leave the other behind, so she tightened her grip on both of them and stood.

It was much harder now than when they were babies swaddled in blankets. The weight they’d gained made it a struggle, and though she managed to stand, she wobbled under their combined weight. The twins, unaware of the effort it took, giggled happily, each clinging to her with delight.

Suddenly, one arm felt much lighter.

Before she could utter a sound of surprise, a large, solid figure had already taken up her view. Valderion had lifted Roselean, who looked just as startled, her eyes wide like a rabbit’s.

“Rion,” Lirette murmured.

Valderion gently brushed his knuckles against Lirette’s cheek, who now often called him by the affectionate nickname. The stern expression she had earlier faded, replaced by a mix of surprise and delight that made his chest feel light and fluttery.

“When did you get here?”

“A little while ago,” he replied, softly patting Roselean’s back as she squirmed in his arms.

Recognizing the familiar scent and the deep voice, Roselean, who had been panting nervously, relaxed, realizing it was her father holding her. She rubbed her forehead against his chin, murmuring, “Daaaddy.”

“You should’ve said something when you arrived.”

“I couldn’t interrupt such an entertaining sight.”

Lirette playfully shot him a look of mock annoyance.

“Entertaining, huh? I need to call the servants. The floor’s a mess, and someone might get hurt if we leave it like this.”

Lirette, now perfectly accustomed to giving out instructions, called over a passing maid and skillfully relayed her orders. Valderion, while gently touching Roselean’s soft cheek, watched his wife.

His heart swelled with pride. Lirette, who had once been hesitant even to summon a maid after their marriage, had grown into a confident lady of the household. Watching her so naturally command the space made him realize how deeply rooted she had become in this place.

Once Lirette had finished giving her orders, she turned back to him.

“Have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Then let’s have a meal together in the greenhouse?”

“Sounds good.”

Just then, Evant, who had been quietly resting in her arms, started squirming. Lirette reluctantly set him down, then reached out her hand. Luckily, Evant grasped it without hesitation.

Together, they moved towards the glass greenhouse—Roselean still in her father’s arms, and Evant walking beside them.

“Camoo!”

The children excitedly ran toward Camon, the cat, who was curled up in a corner, flicking its tail lazily. After letting the twins play in the warm greenhouse, they finally managed to settle them down for a meal. It wasn’t until the children had their fill that Valderion and Lirette could start their own late lunch.

As they chatted casually about family matters, business, and the children, the plates quickly emptied.

Lirette briefly left the table when the butler called for her, leaving Valderion to relax back against the sofa. The faint scent of flowers filled the air, and through the transparent glass ceiling, he watched as the sky gradually darkened with dusk, bringing a sense of drowsiness. He idly tapped the tiny acacia flowers resting by his head when—

“Daddy!”

Something tugged hard at his pant leg, gripping his clothes tightly.

It was Roselean, her eyes brimming with tears, rushing toward him, clearly upset about something. Valderion smiled, once again reminded that time with the children left no room for rest. He scooped her up quickly, just as she was on the verge of tears.

As soon as she was nestled in his arms, Roselean buried her face into his shoulder, as if hiding from some terrible monster. The soft, flowery scent of Lirette’s hair lingered on her daughter’s silver locks.

“Hug me tighter, Daddy, tighter.”

“How could I hug you any tighter than this?”

He shifted her into a more secure position, holding her firmly as her long lashes quivered. A tear clung to the edge of her eye, trembling as if it might fall. Valderion, well aware of his daughter’s skittish nature, gently wiped the tear away with the back of his finger.

Behind them, Evant came running, holding a long flower in his small hand. Valderion realized why Roselean had been so scared—she had probably been spooked by her brother’s playful antics.

As Evant reached them, he pouted at seeing his sister hiding behind their father like a shield.

Valderion was reminded of the sigh Lirette had let out earlier. No doubt she had felt the same exasperation he was feeling now.

“Evant, you know Roselean doesn’t like these kinds of pranks.”

He ruffled Evant’s jet-black hair, so similar to his own, and the mischievous grin on the boy’s face quickly faded.

“Mommy! Mommy!”

Roselean, still clinging to her father’s shirt, blinked her doe-like eyes and reached her hand out toward her mother, who had just returned from speaking with the butler.

Lirette immediately grasped the situation upon seeing what had happened. Once she held Roselean in her arms, the little girl finally stopped crying. Valderion, meanwhile, pulled the still-standing Evant close and gently stroked his hair.

“How could they be so different?”

From the moment they were newborns, the differences between them had gradually become more apparent, and now, as they grew, those differences were undeniable. It was hard to believe that these twins had spent ten months together in the same womb.

Evant was bold, fearless, and always full of curiosity, never hesitating to pursue whatever he wanted. In contrast, Roselean was timid, scared of everything, and always sought to hide at the first sign of trouble.

A perfect example of this stark contrast happened just a few days ago.

Valderion’s cousin, Roziela, who was staying in Felini, had sent over some delicious tropical fruits from abroad.

“Say, ahhh,” Lirette had offered the fruit, peeled and served by a maid, spoon-feeding it to the children herself. While Evant eagerly leaned in to take bite after bite without any hesitation, Roselean stood back, watching cautiously. It wasn’t until she saw that Evant was happily eating that she finally, like a baby bird, gingerly opened her mouth to accept the food.

It was natural for each child to have their own personality, but their differences were like night and day, leaving Lirette and Valderion in awe at times. Yet, they couldn’t deny that raising such contrasting children made parenting even more enjoyable.

After finally managing to put the children to sleep after dinner, Lirette returned to her bedroom. Even though they had separate bedrooms, it was common for Valderion to casually show up and take up space in her room. So, she fully expected him to be there tonight.

“Strange, he’s not here?”

Surprised to find the room empty, she soon heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. He must have been bathing. Lirette, who had already bathed with the children, changed into a comfortable nightgown and climbed into bed.

Her tired body sank into the cushions as she stared at the soft, flickering light from the lamp. She was lost in thought when suddenly, her chin was lifted, and she felt lips pressing gently against hers, snapping her back to reality.

“What were you thinking about so deeply that you didn’t notice me coming in?”

Freshly bathed, he smelled like the same fragrance that lingered on her skin.

Lirette instinctively held onto his shoulders as he leaned over her. The issue that had been weighing on her mind all day spilled out in a sigh.

“The butler brought an invitation today.”

“An invitation?”

“Yes… Her Majesty the Empress is planning to host a tea party soon at the Imperial Garden.”

Managing invitations had long been transferred to Lirette, as it was part of her role as the lady of the house. The sender of today’s invitation was none other than Isabella, who had become Empress through her marriage to Emperor Rageil.

Lirette had maintained a close relationship with the emperor, partly due to her late father’s ties with the royal family, so it was natural that she had also grown close with the empress.

Shortly after their honeymoon, Lirette became pregnant with twins. Given that she had previously experienced a heartbreaking miscarriage, both she and Valderion had been extremely cautious throughout the pregnancy. They avoided unnecessary outings and prioritized her health. Thankfully, despite their worries, she gave birth safely. After enduring the physical toll of childbirth, she spent time regaining her strength and devoted herself to caring for the newborns. She poured her heart into raising the twins, who had since grown enough to run around on their own.

In the process, Lirette had essentially withdrawn from society, having cut off nearly all ties with the social world she once frequented. However, the empress seemed to recognize that it was becoming difficult for someone of Lirette’s standing to continue living in seclusion. The invitation was a subtle push to bring her back into the public eye.

After they married, Valderion had told her she didn’t need to participate in social gatherings if she didn’t want to. But Lirette knew it wasn’t that simple. Having once been part of that world, she understood how important those social circles were—not just for herself, but for the future of their children, who would one day navigate that same world.

It seemed that the empress, too, had anticipated this and had personally extended the invitation.

“If you want to go, go. If not, don’t.”