# Side Story 2
Ministers sitting in a row at the long table. Their shoulders were smaller than usual. No matter how many times they attended, meetings with Kadilen made their bodies stiffen and cold sweat flow. The king’s voice continued calmly and plainly, but not a single person could sit comfortably. Before Kadilen, who discussed important national affairs in a gentle yet powerful voice, the ministers were uncharacteristically intimidated.
It hadn’t always been this way. When the king, who had been bedridden after Arzel’s rebellion was concluded, attended a meeting for the first time, they anticipated that everything would change from that day onward. Appearing with an unfamiliar disheveled look, Kadilen handled the heavy silence as if it were his own and looked into the eyes of each noble one by one. The king’s anger, revealed without a single raised voice or intense movement, took everyone’s breath away. While waiting for Kadilen, who silently embedded criticism with a chilling face, to open his mouth, the nobles dared not even think freely for fear of being caught. Even those who had thought him a courteous and compliant king compared to Zendal were busy hiding their fear-filled eyes that day.
Kadilen’s method of punishing traitors was different from Zendal’s, which had been unnecessarily ostentatious. Everyone was amazed by the handling of affairs that proceeded coldly efficiently and swiftly. And no one was unaware that this was Kadilen’s quiet warning. It was from that day forward that he, famous for being merciful to his people and unhesitatingly looking after the lower places, began conducting icy meetings. To the nobles who were very tense and cautious before him, Kadilen offered formal greetings without particular words.
‘So what. The way he changes at night…’
The court attendant, waiting at the doorway, thought while watching the meeting hall full of cold air. Those people would never know how absurd and innocent a man Kadilen was, who had seized royal authority in one breath and was unfolding his intentions one by one. Although he might be amazingly impressive in martial arts or politics, in love he was no different from a five-year-old child. Especially when it came to Ludin. As the frequency of his desperate pleading and struggling had increased recently, the court attendant began to think more highly of Ludin instead.
‘He’s no ordinary person…’
It was like that just yesterday. Unable to resist Kadilen’s nagging, the attendant had sought help from Sezan, who was famous as a devoted husband, and thought all problems would be solved. He expected that their relationship would progress much more smoothly than before as Kadilen, who remembered every single word of Sezan’s, began to practice his advice. He thought that the sight of Kadilen courting in such a mess, having never loved or cherished anyone before, would at least be seen less often. However, before even a few days had passed, Kadilen sighed deeply in front of the court attendant. Worried as his complexion didn’t look good, the attendant approached, and Kadilen asked in a locked voice:
“Is Lord Sezan a trustworthy person?”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
“It seems he has told me falsehoods.”
The court attendant thought that couldn’t be the case, but seeing the serious face of Kadilen as he spoke, he went along with it moderately.
“What happened this time?”
“Ludin… doesn’t show much reaction.”
His face darkened even more. The court attendant realized what the king was saying. Following Sezan’s advice, he had prepared an ambitious gift considering Ludin’s interests and put all his efforts into specific compliments and sweet smiles, but it seemed none of it had worked properly. Having a rough idea of what the situation was, the court attendant cautiously asked:
“Perhaps you misread the situation like last time?”
But Kadilen gave him a cold sidelong glance.
“Do you think I’m that unskilled?”
The court attendant couldn’t bring himself to answer yes and only grumbled quietly to himself. From what he had observed, the king was not only unskilled but a born clumsy person. Setting aside the delicate emotions between lovers, he didn’t even seem to know what to do. The court attendant thought that Ludin and Kadilen were constantly swinging swords and shooting arrows in training to prepare for a possible war. When he suggested they go outside the palace for some relaxation, he was a bit perplexed to hear that Kadilen had taken Ludin out for solid outdoor training, but thought they would share love when needed. However, upon learning that they had never even gone on an ordinary outing without weapons, he couldn’t help but laugh incredulously. Kadilen would widen his eyes at the court attendant’s dumbfounded reaction.
‘Then what should I do?’
Asking such absurd questions…
“It’s not just that there’s no reaction; it seems he doesn’t like me at all anymore. Even though I got him several quality books since he enjoys reading, he just went straight to his room…”
The court attendant emerged from his recollection of those absurd days at Kadilen’s powerless words. And he carefully examined the king’s entire body. With his appearance that could sway any heart, regardless of gender, and his relatively thoughtful personality, there was no way Ludin could break away from him so quickly. Above all, the court attendant hadn’t forgotten the gaze Ludin directed at Kadilen. No matter how awkward Kadilen’s manners were, or how thoughtlessly he focused only on martial arts at times, Ludin consistently looked at him with shining eyes. He had thought that at least hundreds of years would have to pass for that gaze to fade.
“That can’t be possible.”
“…”
“Perhaps something has happened recently. There are times when a warm word can hold more power than gifts.”
“…Is that so?”
Hope bloomed on Kadilen’s face, only to quickly turn into worry. Just the assumption that something might have happened to Ludin made his solid center lose its place and shake. The court attendant hurriedly moved his steps following Kadilen, who had abruptly risen from his seat. Though it was obvious where his steps were heading, the attendant felt worried along with him. Wondering what the king, who couldn’t sit still at even the slightest indifference from Ludin as if he had lost his country, would say when he found him.
* * *
At that time, Ludin was making final checks. Next to him, Wimu was standing with a slightly dazed expression, dressed in colorful clothes that didn’t suit him. He couldn’t help but burst into laughter watching Ludin who was gauging the position of rainbow decorations here and there. His face automatically softened at the sight of Ludin decorating the room with such a serious expression, finding him cute and lovable.
Wimu knew the effort Ludin had been putting in. When he first heard about having a birthday party, he couldn’t grasp the unfamiliar and awkward words. He had just gone along with it because it had been a while since he had seen Ludin, who had been staying in the palace all the time, show such enthusiasm.
It all began on the day Ludin happened to learn which month Kadilen was born. Wimu was a bit surprised to see Ludin’s eyes sparkle at the casual mention. And from that day on, Ludin began to prepare step by step. While arranging carefully selected gifts and a small performance, he even kept some distance from Kadilen for a perfect surprise. Sometimes when he hurriedly closed the door lest Kadilen see the unfinished state of the room, he seemed to glimpse Kadilen’s hurt face, but Ludin’s mind was completely focused on that one day. The very day Kadilen came into existence in this world.
He couldn’t just let that day, which was deeply meaningful to him too, pass by casually.
“Your Highness?”
But what Ludin didn’t know was that his lover was far more obsessed with him than he thought. To the point where he couldn’t endure even a moment of neglect or slight insensitivity.
When Ludin peeked his head through the narrow doorway, Kadilen forgot all his resolve to ask quietly and hurriedly flung the door open. As he carefully yet hastily embraced Ludin, Wimu, standing behind them, awkwardly hid the gifts Ludin had put down with a flustered face. For the secret party to be exposed like this was frustrating and futile, considering the long preparation period.
“Are you sick or not feeling well?”
“Pardon?”
“Or perhaps I have done something wrong?”
“No! Not at all, Your Highness.”
Ludin struggled to break free from Kadilen’s arms at the abrupt questions. His face was darker than expected, causing concern to rise in Ludin’s eyes as well.
“I was just trying to celebrate your birthday…”
The sentence that began like an excuse diminished without reaching its conclusion.
“Birthday?”
Only then looking around, Kadilen discovered Wimu smiling awkwardly, the gift pouch he was uncomfortably hiding, and the room full of splendid decorations. Following Kadilen’s slowly moving gaze, Ludin smiled embarrassedly and pulled Kadilen’s arm.
“Yes. To me, celebrating a birthday…”
Ludin reached out to Kadilen, who was standing with a dumbfounded face.
“Means thank you for being born into this world.”
His small hands covered Kadilen’s eyes, then were removed again. In that brief moment, Kadilen’s view revealed Ludin and Wimu all dressed up, holding the gifts they had prepared. Ludin smiled brightly and said:
“It also means I’m happy that you can exist like this. Congratulations, Kadilen.”
Silence flowed for a while. Ludin swallowed hard, looking at Kadilen who was frozen like ice on the spot. He thought his sincerity would have been conveyed even though the celebration had gone much worse than expected, but was it not? While he quietly waited, unable to read the expression of Kadilen who remained still, Kadilen soon strode toward him. Capturing him in his arms again in an instant, Kadilen said in a low voice:
“Then for you, every day is a birthday.”
He was grateful for Ludin’s existence without missing a single day. He was sincerely grateful that all of his breaths, all of his time, could overlap with his own life. It was overwhelmingly thankful to have someone who would support his living like this, and someone who would celebrate the birth that had been abandoned on a cold pile of stones. But having no way to convey all these words, Kadilen just embraced Ludin and whispered. Loving his lover who was full of blessings as if newly born every moment.
“Congratulations, Ludin.”
Feeling Kadilen holding onto him as if he would never let go, Ludin finally blushed.
