Side Story : 01
Nox Betelgeuse was in an extremely foul mood.
He sat on the sofa across from Miss Bibiwood, half-lying as if reclining, and glared at her while she hummed a tune absentmindedly.
“Would you mind sitting up straight?” he asked.
“Do I have to? I can lie down, so why sit?”
Stella replied indifferently, not even glancing in Nox’s direction.
He slowly closed his eyes and opened them again, as if trying to contain his anger.
Calm down. You must stay calm.
If he lost his temper, that ill-mannered young lady might storm into the bedroom and wake Dayna, who had just fallen asleep.
“Hmm… Dayna’s sleeping longer than usual today,” he muttered.
“That’s because you…!”
Nox barely managed to restrain the surge of irritation threatening to burst from him.
His beloved wife, Dayna, married just three months ago, hadn’t had time to enjoy the joys of newlywed life. Instead, she had been endlessly busy setting up and managing the Bibiwood family’s new fabric business.
Though he had verbally promised to leave everything to Miss Bibiwood, it wasn’t as simple as it sounded.
Dayna had been sticking close to Stella, guiding her step by step and assisting with everything as if it were her own responsibility.
“If last night you had completed the market research you promised Miss Bibiwood, Dayna wouldn’t still be asleep now,” Nox remarked.
“But I was busy signing a contract for the new store building,” Stella replied.
“And Dayna went with you to take care of it, didn’t she?”
“Finding staff for the store was also difficult. I had to interview everyone and pick the right people.”
“And when you were dissatisfied with all of them, it was Dayna who finally chose, right?”
“And….”
Stella narrowed her eyes and glared at Nox.
“…Don’t speak recklessly if you don’t know the full story,” she said sharply.
“I’m only saying this because it seems you, Miss Bibiwood, are quick to blame Dayna for sleeping in without understanding the circumstances,” he replied.
“Hah!”
Both of them simultaneously turned their heads away from each other.
Truly, they were opposites in every way—except for one thing: their love and care for Dayna.
Sighing, Nox turned his gaze away from Miss Bibiwood, slowly rising from the sofa.
“Perhaps it’s better to come again another time. I’ll tell Dayna that you came by,” he said.
“I’ll just go to Dayna’s room. That’s fine, isn’t it?”
“….”
Nox clenched his jaw and remained silent.
Stella shrugged and smiled faintly, seemingly unbothered.
“Why not? Dayna told me to come anytime. She even said I could wake her if needed. Besides, we’ve shared a bed many times at the Wizbury Mansion,” she said.
Nox looked down at Miss Bibiwood with an exhausted and irritated expression.
She hadn’t changed at all.
Dayna had said Stella had matured after that trip to find her, but from Nox’s perspective, she hadn’t.
She was still her self-centered, impulsive, utterly unreasonable little treasure, thinking only of herself and caring nothing for others—at least according to Dayna’s words.
“She can’t. She’s only just fallen asleep,” he said firmly.
“I’ll be quiet and won’t wake her. I’ll just rest a bit beside her,” Stella said.
“That’s my room too,” Nox countered.
“Exactly, that’s why I’m asking for permission,” she replied.
“I just said no.”
Stella’s face darkened in anger at his refusal. She glared at him as if she might scream and charge, then tossed the fabric she was holding onto the sofa across the room and turned around.
“Then I’ll just take a quick nap here. Let me know if Dayna wakes up.”
“This is the sitting room, not a place to sleep.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll just wait, drink tea, and pass the time. Is that okay?”
Arguing further seemed pointless.
Nox quietly stared at the red-haired back of the girl, then left the sitting room without saying another word. He figured it was better to see Dayna in the bedroom and calm his nerves than waste time with her.
But before he could even ascend the stairs to the bedroom, he ran into Dayna, rubbing her eyes as she came down to the lobby.
“Dayna?”
Startled, Nox hurried over. He stood before her, tilting his head.
“You’re awake already?” he asked.
“Mmm… I just woke up somehow,” Dayna said with a small sigh, covering her mouth.
Despite the sleepy look still lingering on her face, she was already awake.
Nox felt a surge of frustration, thinking this must be Miss Bibiwood’s cunning plan.
“By the way, has Miss Stella arrived? She said she’d come today,” Dayna asked, turning toward the sitting room.
Before she could move, Nox quickly blocked her path.
“First, you need to eat something,” he said.
“I had a little before sleeping. I’m not hungry,” she replied.
“Then at least have some tea. You’ve only just woken up,” he insisted.
“I’m really fine…”
Nox knew better.
After the wedding, the only time they had been together was a short two-week honeymoon, enjoying their happiness. After that, both had been so busy with their respective responsibilities that proper time together was rare.
Today, luckily, a major royal meeting had been canceled, leaving the afternoon free until evening, and Nox wanted to spend that time fully with his wife—not dealing with Miss Bibiwood.
“Come this way. I prepared some tea I think Dayna will like,” he said.
“Really? Then let’s go for a bit,” Dayna said with a bright smile.
Her smile eased the tension and frustration Nox had been carrying because of Miss Bibiwood. Holding Dayna’s hand tightly, he led her to the dining room.
Then, suddenly—
“Dayna!!”
A thunderous voice came from behind.
Startled, Nox froze as Stella came rushing past him and clung to Dayna.
“Miss, you’re here?”
“I told you to call me ‘sister,’ not ‘miss’! You said you were sleeping, and you’re already up?”
“I just woke up. I wanted some tea too,” Dayna said.
“Really?”
Stella released her hold on Dayna, glancing at Nox, then smiled, her green eyes flashing sharply.
“Can I join you?”
It was a mischievous question, pretending to be innocent but really meant to annoy Nox.
Nox silently cursed in his mind, glaring coldly at Miss Bibiwood.
“No…” he began.
“Of course! Is that okay, Duke… no, darling?”
But when Dayna spoke, Nox’s irritation melted away.
“Of course. It’s a very fragrant tea; I’m sure Miss Bibiwood will like it too,” she said.
In the end, he lost Dayna entirely to them again that day.
Nox remained alone in the quiet bedroom, gazing at the dimming sky outside.
She had promised it would be just a short visit, but Dayna didn’t return until late at night.
He tilted his head, did a short stretch, changed into comfortable clothes, and lay down on the wide bed.
Lately, it seemed there were more days when he waited for Dayna than days when she waited for him.
He knew exactly how much time and effort it took to start a new business, and how deeply Dayna cared for and felt responsible for the Bibiwood fabric business.
‘So I can’t just bring her along whenever I want.’
With that thought, he stared up at the wide ceiling, missing Dayna as she stayed away, and eventually dozed off without realizing it.
