“What is that?” Aydin asked.
Everyone turned toward whatever had caught his attention.
Outside the moving carriage stood a shop. In front of it, a petite figure was on display—dressed in skimpy clothes, blushing deeply, her posture timid, standing squirming her legs inconveniently and uneasy beneath the gazes of passersby. Her neck collared, a leash fastening it to a pole, like an animal restrained in public.
Frowns creased the faces of everyone in the carriage except the three children. No one spoke.
“Why is that girl tied up like that?” Aydin asked. “Why would anyone do such a thing to her?”
“No, Aydin,” Victoria said carefully. “That is not a girl. That is a femboy.”
“What is a femboy?” Aydin asked, hearing the word for the first time.
“That…” Victoria hesitated, at a loss for words.
Before she could continue, Vane cut in sharply. “Stop talking about those disgusting things on this joyous occasion.”
The edge of anger and revulsion in his voice startled everyone into silence.
No one dared to speak, afraid of provoking the marquess further.
Sensing the tension, Adia jabbed Vane lightly with her elbow.
Startled, the marquess realized he had frightened them. He took a breath and composed himself. “I apologize. Let us end this discussion. Hopefully, we will never have anything to do with them.”
He glanced at Aydin with a complicated expression.
Aydin did not understand what his father was thinking, but he smoothly changed the subject. “I understand, Father. Then can you tell me what wonderful things there are to see in the capital?”
“Oh, there are many,” Vane said, his tone easing. He began describing the capital’s famous sights and attractions.
“Can we visit them after the ceremony?” the girls asked eagerly.
“Hahaha, of course,” he replied.
The girls joined the conversation with enthusiasm, pestering their father to take them to this place and that. The marquess readily agreed, launching into further explanations.
Aydin listened quietly. Still, a thought lingered in his mind, ‘
I should ask others about those sissies another time.’
As the carriage returned to its earlier jovial atmosphere, Adia watched Aydin, noticing his distant expression.
‘This child is far too perceptive for his age,
she thought with a silent sigh.
‘Compared to him, Victor’s emotions are an open book.
‘With just two casual questions, he redirected the mood and even made the marquess feel grateful.
‘If not for the curse, and the distance the marquess intentionally keeps, Aydin would already be his favorite. He might even have been named successor.
‘It may not be long before that happens.
‘Neither he nor Victoria seems interested in competing for the title. If not…’
Lost in her thoughts, Adia suddenly realized Aydin was watching her.
He gave her a faint smile.
Startled, she returned it, and he turned his attention back to the marquess’s rambling conversation.
But Adia felt shaken.
‘Since when was he watching me?’
She did not know how long he had been observing her—or why.
She didn't know if he was aware of her thoughts.
She wanted to believe the smile was one of gratitude, for stopping the marquess earlier. Yet his keen intelligence left her uncertain.
Without realizing it, a chill ran through her heart.
For the first time, she felt a trace of fear.
Soon, the carriage entered the marquess’s villa.
“Welcome home, my lord.”
As they stepped down from the carriage, the marquess and his family were greeted with ceremony—rows of soldiers standing at attention outside, followed by maids and butlers waiting inside the grand hall.
At the center stood the head steward, the man entrusted with managing the villa and the marquess’s affairs in the capital.
“Welcome home, my lord,” the steward said with a respectful bow.
“Hm.” The marquess nodded in satisfaction.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, everyone moved further into the villa.
“Are the arrangements ready?” the marquess asked.
“Yes, my lord,” the steward replied. “The temple has been informed and has accepted. We only need to notify them of the time of your visit.”
“It was a long journey,” the marquess said. “We will rest today and tomorrow. Arrange the ceremony for the day after.”
“Understood, my lord.”
“I have also prepared the reports on various matters and placed them on your desk.”
“Hm. I will review them tomorrow.”
While issuing further instructions, the marquess and his family are led to their respective rooms.
Some time later, lunch was served. Exhausted from the journey, everyone soon retired to rest.
The Next Day.
The marquess sat in his office, reviewing reports and handling various affairs, while the rest of the household began preparing for the upcoming ceremony.
They practiced the ritual procedures once more, tried on ceremonial attire, and reviewed countless arrangements.
By afternoon, Marquess Vane returned to his chambers and found Victoria sitting alone. She held one of the girls’ gowns in her hands, inspecting the embroidery, yet her gaze was unfocused, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.
“Where is everyone?” the marquess asked.
His unexpected voice startled Victoria, pulling her back to her senses.
“My lord,” she said with a smile. “There seem to be new embroidery designs for ceremonial robes in the capital. The maids are helping the girls try them on.”
She paused before continuing, “Sister Adia and Victor have retired to their rooms.”
“And Aydin?” Vane asked.
“He returned to his room as well,” Victoria replied lightly. “He’s probably buried in one of the books from this villa. My head hurts just looking at those thick volumes. I truly don’t know how he enjoys reading so much.”
“Hahaha,” Vane laughed. “Reading is good. I only wish Victor would do the same. Compared to Aydin, he feels like a disappointment at times.”
Victoria stiffened slightly.
“I hear Victor has even begun acting like a womanizer at the academy,” Vane continued, shaking his head. “That may be common among young men, but I hope he keeps himself in check— at the very least stays away from those disgusting things.”
“Victor has his own merits, my lord,” Victoria said gently.
“I never said he didn’t. In fact, most aristocratic children are like him. It’s just that Aydin is… exceptional. I find myself comparing them without realizing it.”
Victoria sighed. “Please don’t repeat this to Victor or Sister Adia. They may feel hurt.”
“I know.” Vane said softly.
“But it’s difficult not to compare,” Vane continued. “He is too excellent—not only in knowledge, but in many other ways.”
He shook his head with a rueful smile. “Recently, whenever we play chess, I haven’t won even once. Everyone finds it hard to win. Yet he finds it hard to lose. That brat has even started sacrificing his own pieces to save me some face. Naive child—does he think others can’t tell?”
“Hahaha,” Victoria giggled, watching her husband complain and scold, yet his face was full of pride.
Seeing her mood lift, Vane asked casually, “So, what were you brooding over?”
“Nothing, my lord.”
“…Is it about Aydin?”
Victoria nodded, smiling self-deprecatingly.
“It’s the distress of every mother who bears a son in this world,” she said—and tears slipped from her eyes.
“Even if he isn’t our own blood. He is unmistakably my child now.”
Vane’s expression softened. He stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace.
“It’s all right, Don’t cry.” He said quietly.
After a while, Victoria calmed down.
Copyright © [January] [2026] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
“I’m sorry, I—”
“It’s fine,” Vane interrupted gently. “Actually… we may not need to worry about Aydin as much as you think.”
“S-sniff… Why?” she asked.
“I didn’t want to mention this earlier,” he said. “But, previously all the noble families shared the same concern. By royal order, a survey was conducted to see whether the curse could be predicted.”
“And?” Victoria asked anxiously.
“It was discovered that most boys affected by the curse show certain traits from early childhood.”
He looked at her steadily. “Now think about Aydin. What kind of child is he?”
“He has an immense thirst for knowledge. Exceptional intelligence. A sharp mind. Almost a photographic memory. A fearless heart, logical and critical thinking.”
Vane’s voice grew firmer. “There are almost no flaws in him. If anything, he is too mature for his age.”
“Despite all that, he is not arrogant. He cares deeply for those around him and loves his family. His emotions are sincere, never selfish.”
“And more than anything,” Vane continued, “he is difficult to read. He always thinks far ahead—hundreds, even thousands of steps beyond others.”
He smiled faintly. “He is handsome like his father, and even knows to save face for his father."
Victoria laughed through her lingering tears.
Vane smiled, then his expression hardened.
“If I were to face such an enemy, I may never sleep peacefully,” he said. “Once he awakens his mana without any complications, it may even be revealed that he is blessed by one of the gods. He will become the pride of my Gildedvain house.”
“My lord… what you mean is…” Victoria asked, hope rising in her voice, though she already sensed his conclusion.
“Even if they were reborn a thousand times, all these traits are not something one could ever find in those sissies,” Vane said firmly. “That is why I believe Aydin will be fine.”
Visible relief washed over Victoria’s face.
“However,” Vane continued, his tone sobering, “there is still no absolute proof. No one can be completely certain.”
He looked at her seriously. “It has been ordered that this discovery remains secret. Even now, very few individuals know of this. You must not speak of it to anyone. And do not allow unnecessary expectations to grow. Do you understand?”
Victoria nodded rapidly, wiping the tears from her face. “I understand, my lord. I will not speak of it to anyone.”
Then she smiled. “My lord… there
is
one flaw in Aydin.”
“What is it?” Vane asked immediately, already thinking of how to correct it and make his son even more perfect.
Victoria giggled, feigning annoyance as she complained. “He spoils his sisters far too much—just like their handsome father. Look at them now. Those girls are almost never apart from him.”
It took Vane a moment to grasp her meaning.
“Hahaha! Well, well,” he laughed. “Now
that
is a serious flaw we must correct.”
“What should we do?” Victoria asked playfully.
Vane pondered for a moment.
“Yes… this may be a good solution,” he said slowly. “It might be best to marry them to Aydin.”
Victoria’s eyes widened in shock. “M-my lord?”
“In the future, all we need to consider is whether Regina and Hilde are willing,” Vane said calmly. “From the way things stand, I doubt there will be any issue.”
“We may never find husbands as good as Aydin.”
“Hmph,” Vane snorted. “And where would Aydin find wives as fine as my daughters within this kingdom? Perhaps only the princess herself could match them.”
“If we do it this way,” he added smugly, “we won’t need to hand our treasures over to outsiders.”
Victoria chuckled softly. “Yes, my lord. It would be the perfect punishment—for spoiling his sisters, he will have to care for them for the rest of his life.”
The husband and wife shared a glance.
Seeing the mischievous glint in each other’s eyes, they both burst into laughter.
Aydin who was sitting in his room suddenly shivered as he felt a chill run down his spine.
‘What was that?’
Copyright © [January] [2026] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
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