PROLOGUE
“What a joyous occasion! The time has come! It’s finally happened?!” Rasmus shouted excitedly, leaning in close upon hearing the news Linnea had shared with him.
“W-Well, um, yes. It seems like that’s the case.” Linnea nodded with a faint smile as she backed away from his rather intense presence. Although she was a bit intimidated at having him loom above her, she was still extremely happy to see his reaction.
“Sniff... Congratulations! I’m truly happy to hear it! No doubt your late father is rejoicing in Valhalla!” Rasmus wiped the tears from his eyes with his arm, voice trembling as he offered his felicitations.
Linnea felt a warmth in her heart as she gently stroked her stomach. It was an extremely wonderful feeling to know there was someone so happy to learn of this child’s conception. For it to be the man who had practically raised her made it all the more meaningful. There was no way Linnea wouldn’t be overwhelmed with joy.
“Thanks, Rasmus. For what it’s worth, I think you’re right. I’m sure my father would be pleased.”
“Of course. You’re bearing the child of Yggdrasil’s greatest hero!”
“Oh, um... Well... Honestly, that part’s not that important.”
“Why is that?”
“Even if there was a greater hero than Father... Not that anyone like that exists, but, even if hypothetically there was someone like that... Even then, I would only want to have Father’s children.”
“My! Such love! If only my wife would speak that lovingly of me!”
“Heh, then perhaps you need to show her some vulnerability from time to time.”
“Why would I do something so humiliating...?”
“You can only get your feelings across to others if you actually express them. If the person you love seems like they’re so strong that they’ve got no weaknesses, well, it’s hard to feel needed.”
“O-Oh, I see... Do you truly think that’s the case?”
Rasmus seemed skeptical even as he nodded to Linnea’s observation. It was probably a difficult concept for a man to understand. In particular, it was hard for a man like Rasmus, a talented individual who had been serving as an important member of the Horn Clan since his youth and had always been blessed with having numerous other talented people to support and train himself against.
“Father is a man who feels the pain of his subjects more deeply than anyone, who struggles, who agonizes over every decision, and yet doesn’t let those things break him, and instead pushes forward to do what must be done. Which is exactly why I love him so much and want to be as much solace to him as I can.” Linnea clutched her hand to her chest and gently quirked her lips into a smile. She felt her heart overflow with warmth just thinking about her beloved. Linnea basked in the swathe of wonderful feelings that requited love brought with it.
“It’s hard to believe that a legendary hero like His Majesty would have such struggles... It feels like His Majesty can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants.” Rasmus crossed his arms across his chest and tilted his head, brow furrowed in doubt. A chuckle spilled from Linnea’s lips.
Rasmus’s view was probably the way most people saw Yuuto, which was why no one understood the struggles he went through. No one could sympathize with them or share them. Linnea was proud of the fact that she was one of the few people who could help ease his isolation and lift even the slightest bit of weight off his shoulders. That was just one of the reasons why she loved him. She wanted him to be with her, and she wanted to stand by him.
When she eventually spoke, she decided to chide Rasmus instead.
“Now, now, Rasmus. You sure you’re not treating your wife the same way?”
“Eh? No, no, my wife’s not anything as skilled...”
“That’s not what I mean. You probably think she’s got nothing she struggles with.”
“Well, of course. I’ve done everything I can to make sure she doesn’t have to. I’ve long served as the Second of the Horn Clan and tried to give her everything she needs.”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about.” Linnea shrugged her shoulders, letting out an exaggerated sigh with a wry smile.
Rasmus had fallen into the trap of believing that a luxurious life meant no struggles. Women weren’t as materialistic as men often believed. They needed to feel loved, and they needed to feel needed, otherwise they wound up lonely and anguished even if they lived in the lap of luxury. It was those types of struggles that they wanted the person they loved to understand.
“I’m sure your wife has had her share of struggles, and no doubt she’s done quite a bit for you over the years. Make sure you show her your appreciation from time to time.”
“U-Uh... Certainly. That said, we’ve been together so long that I feel that doing something like that could be awkward... And she might find it suspicious if I suddenly started speaking to her like that...” Rasmus said, scratching at his cheek. He clearly wasn’t enthusiastic about the proposal.
Linnea chuckled with a tone of exasperation. “This is an order from your patriarch. Make sure you do it.”
She made certain to phrase it as an order. Rank had its privileges, and this was the right time for her to make use of them.
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