It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when it all started.
But I know the trigger.
It was around the time when Judah and Eliya’s children began to grow in number.
The couple occasionally received help from those around them.
Maria, who was close to Eliya.
The king’s guard, who was close to Judah, and Gallahaid.
Both Maria and Gallahaid enjoyed being around children.
They found joy in taking care of the kids.
Thanks to this, they naturally started to see each other more often.
Seeing each other frequently makes one accustomed, and with familiarity comes friendship.
Even without delving into private topics, it happens.
Just being in each other’s presence is enough.
Especially since they had the common interest of loving children, an inner intimacy was bound to form.
Then one day came.
It was the day Maria was with Amor.
And Gallahaid was with Spei.
For a moment, Amor and Spei were sitting on the garden floor, playing with the spotted puppies.
It was the first time that Maria and Gallahaid were left alone together.
It was extremely awkward.
It was their first time being alone, although they had known each other for quite a while.
Eliya’s maid.
And the leader of the knights at Eliya’s Mansion.
It had always been a rather formal and professional relationship.
They thought they would never have personal ties, yet here they were.
The one to break the ice first was Maria.
“You seem to really like children.”
Gallahaid tried to muster the most gentlemanly smile he could.
“They are the hope of the future. Just seeing them warms my heart. And thinking that these little ones will grow into proper adults someday is quite amazing.”
“That’s so true.”
“It seems like the Empress Dowager loves and treasures children as well.”
“That’s right.”
Maria looked at Amor and Spei, who were sitting on the dirt and looking adorable.
Just by looking, a smile naturally appeared on her face.
They were rapidly getting dirty, just like cute puppies.
“It’s hard to explain, but I just like them. Just seeing them makes me happy. It might be their untainted innocence… but I just wish for these small, kind, and adorable children to grow up happily. If that happens, it makes me feel good too. It’s quite strange.”
Though their reasons were different, they both shared a love for children.
Slowly but surely, the two began to grow closer.
Starting from playing with the kids, they eventually began to meet up separately by making promises.
Unbeknownst to themselves, the feelings they had left behind in their youth began to blossom.
However, there were two problems.
Both were married.
Even if their partners were not in this world anymore.
And Gallahaid was a knight of Balak.
Getting involved with Maria, who was Balak’s concubine, was rather tricky.
On top of that, both of them were conservative.
Even approaching one another felt difficult.
But time is always the best remedy.
A long enough time was enough to break down their conservatism.
*
“Gallahaid and I getting remarried? You both can do as you wish.”
“How did you know?”
“How could I not know?”
Though Eliya said this, it’s not like she was special to know.
Judah knew, and so did the guards.
Mostly everyone who often saw Maria and Gallahaid was aware.
Years ago, while Judah and she were in love but unable to express it, she heard that everyone around them knew except for the two of them.
Eliya thought back to that time as she watched Maria and Gallahaid.
While the signs were evident to everyone, those two really thought no one around them could tell.
It was so amusing and delightful to witness.
“Honestly, I’m sure I’m not the only one who knows. I’m certain Judah knows as well.”
“Oh, I see…”
“I was pretending not to know to avoid making our mom and Gallahaid uncomfortable, but now I don’t think it’s necessary.”
Maria spoke hesitantly.
“Is that really okay…?”
With their conservative mindsets, it was only natural for them to hesitate.
Eliya spoke nonchalantly.
Her calm and carefree demeanor gave reassurance and comfort to the listener.
“There’s no reason it shouldn’t be. Even if there is a reason, it’s not more important than your mom’s feelings.”
“…….”
“Judah once said, it’s better to regret doing something than to regret not doing it. Though the best choice is one you don’t regret, that also depends on the actions.”
Extreme examples, like killing someone, aren’t worth discussing at all.
The regrets being referred to here are quite normal and common.
“So, act as your heart desires, Mom. I’m okay with it.”
Maria’s marriage to Balak was entirely different from the one Eliya had undergone.
It wasn’t a marriage born from getting to know each other, liking each other, and loving each other; it was more like a whirlwind, swept away by flowing water, into marriage and pregnancy.
Eliya wished that Maria could have a heart-fluttering experience like hers.
To love someone.
To be loved in return, feeling silly joy in the heart.
Such an experience was too precious to keep to oneself.
‘Gallahaid, who has been watching from the side, doesn’t seem like a bad person either.’
So, she could support them without hesitation.
It would be a waste to miss out on such experiences over the burden of an unwanted marriage.
“What do you think about Gallahaid?”
“Though I’m cautious, I think he likes me too.”
“Then that’s that. What’s more important is that he’s Gallahaid now, not Gawain.”
The knight Gawain of Balak was dead.
That middle-aged man had been reborn as Gallahaid through Judah.
“If you’re worried about publicly getting married, you can always go for a secret union. Mom, do as you please. There are many ways to do it if you look. Or else, I can openly support you. Who would oppose my words?”
Maria looked at Eliya.
She had become a mother of four children.
Still, in Eliya’s eyes, she was just as lovable as that small infant, having grown into a wonderful adult capable of giving reliable advice.
All of Maria’s internal worries melted away.
“Thank you, Eliya. When did you grow up so much?”
Maria gently hugged Eliya and rubbed her back.
Eliya smiled warmly.
She had grown up long ago, but she didn’t mind hearing such words from her mother.
*
The preschool division has two special points compared to other divisions.
One is nap time.
After a simple activity following meals, everyone takes a nap together.
And the second.
There’s a class where parents can observe.
In this regularly held class, parents and children participate together.
Activities like games or art that can be done together are the main subjects.
Attendance isn’t mandatory, but attendance is encouraged if possible.
Sharing what the child learns with parents positively impacts attachment.
This was something Eliya had decided and instructed.
And as the Empress, Eliya, and the noble Judah never missed attending the parent observation classes.
Before class began.
Judah briefly stopped by the Academy staff restroom.
On his way back, he bumped into someone.
“Huh? Oh, who do we have here? The great Minister Judah, I presume.”
From the first time they met until now, this man’s attitude remained cheeky.
Even though he’s gotten older and wrinkles have formed beneath his eyes, his mock-serious smile was still the same.
‘I did say before to speak comfortably… but that’s impressive.’
He was one of the knights from the previous escort knight training school and became Judah’s eyes and ears under Balak.
It was Shylock.
Now he worked in the Academy’s security and safety department.
“I heard you got a job at the Academy, but running into you like this is rare. It’s hard to see your face.”
“It needs to have some size, you know.”
“But why the honorifics?”
“There needs to be some awareness in a place where people can see us, right?”
Seeing that he hadn’t changed at all, Judah chuckled.
“Is the work manageable?”
“The pay is good, it’s safe, not tiring, and not dangerous. It’s beyond manageable, it’s like a slice of heaven. I wonder which great person thought of this facility? The kids love it too.”
A rare gentle smile appeared on his face.
Though he was cheeky and carefree, he genuinely liked kids.
He was dedicated to his family, so he willingly complied with Judah’s deal as a child that bordered on a threat.
‘… A bit embarrassing in the past.’
Back then, Judah had no other options.
He had to do whatever it took to survive.
“It’s good to hear you’re doing well.”
“Yeah, doing well. Thanks to you, my family is also fully recovered. My younger sibling recently wants to come here as a teacher…”
“Shylock—!”
Someone shouted from a distance.
It was loud enough but adjusted so as not to disturb the Academy’s class.
With loud footsteps approaching, they poured out words as if they had a lot bottled up.
“How many minutes do you intend to be away after saying you were going to the restroom?! I keep telling you that patrols should be done in pairs…! Huh? Minister Judah?”
The person brimming with words was Hermis.
A former escort knight appointed by Eliya and an information guild connection.
Now, he had followed a similar path as Shylock.
He had worked in the royal knights and had now become a security staff member at the Academy.
“It’s been a while! I’m glad to see you’re doing well!”
“You seem to be doing well too. …By the way, you were on patrol and doing your job?”
Since Shylock was chatting nonchalantly, Judah thought it was break time.
“Yes, it is. However, this guy consistently slacks off…”
“Hmm… I’ll bring up employee training and performance reviews with His Majesty.”
“Minister, I have committed a grave sin.”
“In that case, let’s discuss your execution… Just kidding. Don’t make such a gloomy face.”
Of course, employee training and performance reviews were no joke.
Shylock suddenly reflected on himself, thinking he should work diligently from now on.
“I must have taken too much of your time. You should get back to work.”
“Yes! Minister Judah, it was nice meeting you!”
Hermis saluted in a disciplined manner just like when they first met before taking Shylock away.
Judah quickly turned his steps back towards Eliya.
*
“You’re a bit late, aren’t you?”
Eliya said when he returned.
“Ah, I met someone on the way. Has class started?”
“No, not yet. We still have plenty of time. But, hmm…”
Eliya stepped close to him.
He slipped his foot between Judah’s legs, pressing his face into his embrace and sniffing him.
The way he sniffed him reminded Eliya of a cat.
“You smell like a woman.”
“…I met Shylock. And Hermis showed up in between. That’s really all.”
Eliya shrugged as if she understood.
Then she rubbed her head against various parts of Judah’s body.
She was marking him like a cat marking its territory.
Even years later, Eliya still did this to Judah.
Especially when going out or coming back, she would never miss the chance to rub her head against him.
It was to ensure he never forgot he belonged to her.
Judah only found his wife, who had remained unchanged for years, to be lovable.
“You’re cute.”
He had now grown accustomed to such compliments.
“I know.”
“So, back in the days after drinking, when you asked whether you were cute… ugh!”
As he was about to dig up a dark history, Eliya covered his lips.
“Shush.”
“If you do that one more time…”
Peck.
“Is it okay now?”
“Hmm. It’s school, so I should be satisfied.”
Eliya laughed as if it were absurd.
Soon after, the homeroom teacher called the parents.
Only then did Judah and Eliya realize they had been kissing in front of everyone.
“…….”
The two entered the classroom as if nothing had happened, following the guidance.
“Mom and Dad! Daddy!”
Donum was the first to spot them and shouted.
Their youngest daughter, Donum, sitting in a small chair, waved her hands.
Beside her, Spei tried his best to show less excitement.
These days, he didn’t jump around like a child as he wanted to appear more mature.
Yet his face was full of joyful smiles.
Judah and Eliya smiled warmly at the twins.
Once all the parents were in, the homeroom teacher spoke.
“Today, we will draw pictures together with the parents. Understand?”
“Yes-!”
“What we will draw today is your parents’ faces! Everyone can draw well, right?”
A confident reply bounced back.
Afterward, the children stood up to bring their parents over.
The first to get up was Donum, running faster than anyone to Judah and Eliya.
“Mom! Dad! Let’s go!”
Donum loved her academy life.
What she liked the most were the classes with her parents.
Although she didn’t say it, Spei felt the same way.
Spei, slower than Donum, hurried to catch up and grabbed their hands.
“Okay, let’s go.”
Judah and Eliya smiled as they followed their children’s lead.
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