[Side Story 15] I'm Always Here

A world made of cheese stars, a world made only of fragrance, a desert full of sand that changes color with every step, and a world where toys come to life.

The worlds that appeared in the books Arbyone had read and the worlds she had imagined sometime, but not read about, passed by one after another, delighting her. Every world was filled with interesting stories in every corner, and just when she thought she had played enough, another thing to play with would appear.

She couldn't even count how long she had played. Arbyone ran, flew, and rolled around to her heart's content. And by her side was her brother, Owen.

It's fun! It's fun, Wenny! Right?

Yes, sister.

This was the first time Arbyone had gone to so many places with her brother. And this was the first time she had seen her brother smile so much.

Arbyone, who had been playing by stepping on soft cushions that played music with every step, suddenly sat down, exhausted. Then, she tilted her head.

But, I feel like someone's been watching us since a while ago, don't you?

It was strange. This was her dream, and according to Owen, Kieran was the only one who had brought Owen here. But who else was here? Was it another dream character?

She had had enough of adventuring with dream characters. Arbyone, taking advantage of the fact that there were no adults to scold her, quickly rolled around on the floor. The surroundings were a giant bed, so vast that she couldn't see the end.

Wenny, even if I wake up from my dream later, will you play with me again?

Owen smiled shyly at the question that came after much deliberation.

Yes, sister.

You have to grow up quickly, okay? Then we can play chess and race together.

Yes, sister. Let's play a lot together.

As the two of them looked at each other and smiled affectionately, they felt a gaze coming from somewhere again. Arbyone raised her head from the bed and looked at the ceiling.

And she met a pair of turquoise eyes looking back at her.

Aaah!

Arbyone screamed in surprise. At first, the turquoise eyes were floating alone, but when Arbyone looked at them, a toy soldier's face appeared around them. Beneath the face, a body grew instantly, and arms and legs were formed.

What is that!

The toy soldier floating in the air was only twice the size of a real toy soldier. It flinched at Arbyone's scream and glanced at her nervously.

Wait, turquoise eyes? Owen frowned.

May?

Our little Maeve? Arbyone jumped out of bed. The dream was convenient, keeping her balanced so she wouldn't fall even from a soft bed.

May? Is that you? Really?

The toy soldier glided through the air towards the siblings. He nodded and then began to perform a stiff dance.

The awkward dance, with him bending and straightening his legs and swaying his arms, was the one Maeve sometimes showed when she was in a good mood. Arbyone giggled.

How did you get in here!

The toy soldier didn't answer. It seemed like he couldn't speak well, just like Maeve. Arbyone was happy and grabbed the toy soldier's hand.

You came! Let's play together!

The toy soldier nodded again.

Perhaps because Arbyone was in the mood to play again, the surroundings changed to a place more suitable for adventure from the bed. It was a pitch-black universe filled with glowing stars, with silver ships floating around.

Swords were placed in the hands of the three children. To fight the sky pirates who would be on the ship, the three children bravely charged forward, shouting.

***

"Well, this little one has a talent I never expected."

Kieran suddenly sighed as she sipped her tea.

About an hour had passed since Arbyone had taken a nap. After Kieran brought Owen, who was still asleep, and laid him next to Arbyone, Neris, Cledwyn, Kieran, and Erval had tea together.

Neris insisted that she couldn't let go of her daughter's hand because she had a promise with Arbyone, and Kieran respected the promise. Thus, the four of them comfortably chatted within the soundproof magic barrier that Kieran had created, with a tea table set up next to the bed.

"What little one? You're not going to say something unexpected happened again, are you?"

Cledwyn, still angry that something unexpected had happened to Arbyone, asked defensively. Kieran laughed nonchalantly and shook her head.

"It's unexpected, but it's not something you should be angry about, Palos's child. It's just your youngest."

"Why our May?"

"It seems she has the talent of a great mage. She barged into her sister's dream."

Well, she was born to parents with gem hearts, so even if she didn't bloom a gem heart herself, she would have more magic than others. Kieran said cheerfully, as if she was pleased with herself, and pulled a teapot out of thin air.

The dancing teapot poured a silver liquid into dancing teacups. Neris and Cledwyn, familiar with the liquid, quietly received and drank their tea. Erval's green eyebrows rose slightly.

"Even if she's talented, how can a human interfere with a dragon's magic?"

"Well, isn't the dream itself little Elandria's? It was my magic that let little Palos in. It's elf power, so I got some help from you. It seems the youngest little one was envious of her sister and brother playing together."

"Will there be any traces left this time, or will anything happen to May?"

"Have you been living a life of deception, Palos's child? No problem. By the time little Elandria has played enough, little Palos will have used up all the extra power she has, and then they will all wake up from the dream and return to normal."

They'll all be a little excited for a while. Kieran added after a moment of thought. This time, Neris looked suspicious. Didn't Kieran say Arbyone would be fine?

"The 'while' you mentioned, is that a while from the perspective of a great dragon?"

"No. I helped you, even took care of your child so he could grow up well, and you doubt me? How audacious."

Kieran was a little annoyed, but it was truly just a little. Cledwyn finally relaxed and snorted.

"We released you from the seal."

"You'll say that until you die, Palos's child."

But Cledwyn wasn't wrong. Kieran eventually laughed and glanced at the children.

"In a dragon's life, those children growing up and aging is the blink of an eye. …I don't know how many times I'll see them, but they're cute now."

Everyone present knew that she would come again.

***

Arbyone slowly opened her eyes after enjoying her adventures in her dream.

"Ha-a-am."

She stretched lazily and sat up. The window was still bright. She was still holding the hand she had been holding her mother's.

Well, it was a little childish to tell her not to let go of her hand, wasn't it? I'm a big sister now.

Arbyone thought to herself and let go of her mother's hand. She wasn't so anxious anymore. Her mother kissed her forehead and smiled kindly.

"Did you sleep well, my love?"

"Yes! Mom, I had a good dream."

"Really? What was it about?"

"Um, um… I don't know. It was just a good dream."

Right after waking up, she vaguely remembered what it was about, but as she tried to articulate it, it dissipated like fog. But it was okay. At least she was sure it was a really fun dream.

Thinking that far, she felt embarrassed by her behavior over the past two days. Arbyone couldn't understand why she had been so clingy to her mother. Of course, she loved her mother, so she liked being close to her, but… to act so childish in front of her siblings!

How could any of her siblings acknowledge her as the leader?

Neris watched her daughter, who was lost in thought, rolling her eyes. When she realized that her daughter had completely recovered her usual self, she chuckled.

"It's good that you had a good dream."

"Hmm…"

At that moment, someone next to Arbyone mumbled in their sleep. Startled, Arbyone looked to her side and realized that her brother, Owen, was sleeping there. She wasn't surprised, though she didn't know why.

Somehow, her brother felt closer than before she went to sleep. Arbyone hugged Owen from above.

"You're cute."

"My brother is cute?"

"Yes. Wenny is good."

It seemed like it was time for him to wake up. As Owen's mother and sister had this conversation, he opened his eyes sleepily. Owen's small mouth yawned, "Aa-am."

"Did you sleep well, Wenny?"

Arbyone watched with a generous heart as her mother kissed Owen's forehead. Actually, if she didn't have a brother, all of her mother's kisses would have been hers. But sharing her mother's kisses with her siblings was better than monopolizing them.

Her heart was so big, Arbyone felt like kissing Owen's forehead too. Owen giggled when his sister hugged him and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Sister."

"Oh!"

Arbyone's eyes widened.

"Wenny said it right!"

It was still closer to "Nooneem," but it was much closer to the correct pronunciation than "Nuni." Owen giggled again.

It was strange. Arbyone had never seen Owen smile like that. Yet, it felt familiar, as if she had seen it many times before.

Neris looked at the two children lovingly and asked,

"The other children are playing in the garden now, but it's time to wash up and have tea. Shall we change clothes, wash our faces, and go have tea since we took a nap?"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

The two children sang in unison, one after the other. Soon, their nannies came in and helped them get ready.

After putting on their pretty clothes and combing their hair, the children happily left the room. Neris couldn't follow them because she had some official duties to take care of, which she hadn't been able to do because Arbyone had been clinging to her. After seeing the children off and left alone, she sat down and relaxed for a moment.

Soon, she heard a knock on the door.

There was only one person in the entire continent who would announce their presence in such a way to the Empress of Amitelia. Neris smiled and looked towards the door. As expected, her husband was standing there.

"Are you well, Your Majesty?"

Cledwyn bowed exaggeratedly, asking in a tone he used only when he felt like it. Neris stretched out her arms, signaling him to come here without any further ado.

He was obedient. Neris chuckled as she was soon enveloped in her husband's arms and lifted up.

"Suddenly? I have a meeting later."

"But not now, Your Majesty. It's not until an hour later, is it?"

An hour… he gestured towards the bed playfully. Neris looked up at him with suspicion.

"Are you feeling well?"

"I'm always well."

"I'm exhausted."

"Then you can just lie still."

Neris laughed in disbelief as her back touched the bed. Her lips were soon swallowed by his hot breath.

They enjoyed a short time alone, leaving just enough time for her to comb her hair and tidy up her clothes for the meeting. Before getting up, Neris buried her face in Cledwyn's chest and said languidly,

"My heart really sank this time."

"It did."

"This incident, well, maybe it was a hardship we should have expected. But we'll keep encountering surprising problems as we raise our children, right?"

"Maybe this was the easiest problem to solve."

"That's realistic. This time, we could solve it with dragon magic and Wenny's power, but there will definitely be problems where we can't get any help with those methods."

"That's right. At least Wenny was sensible, but now he's going to use up all his elf power and become like a normal child."

According to the records I've read, all the great mages in history caused trouble as they grew up. They say they couldn't control their overflowing magic or something.

"Well, that's a truly dreadful prospect."

Cledwyn stroked his wife's waist, as if he was seriously considering the situation or not. Neris closed her eyes, thinking she wanted to fall asleep like this.

After a while, Cledwyn quietly asked,

"Are you happy, though?"

"Happy?"

Neris opened her eyes.

The quiet bedroom. The warm sunlight. Laughter could be heard from outside. The banquet hall of this house was probably being thoroughly destroyed by the hands of little ones with wide eyes.

But wasn't this the moment she had always wanted?

Therefore, she could say with certainty,

"I'm happy."

The couple looked into each other's eyes and laughed together.

The Price of All You Have Side Story Complete.