The day after the doctors and the midwife, who had set off from the capital, arrived, Edith began to go into labor.
Edith gritted her teeth as she felt like something was flowing, and the pain was too much to ignore.
“Vi-Vivian… call the doctor…”
Edith tried to calm her anxious mind. The doctors who had just arrived from the capital yesterday were competent, and everyone to rely on, including Walter, was in the manor.
『 Mother…』
Edith gathered herself by remembering the sweetest doctor she’d ever known.
“M-m’lady!”
Vivian, watching her clench the sofa’s armrest tightly and endure the pain, quickly jumped to her feet.
“Damn, why all of a sudden…”
Soon after hearing the news, Walter also rushed out of his office and loitered around the vicinity of the birthing room.
The manor in the Lexion Territory quickly became chaotic, and the maids who served Edith clasped both hands and prayed for her safety.
“Waaaah―!”
Fortunately, it wasn’t long before a loud baby’s cry could be heard.
“Congratulations. It’s a young master who resembles the Little Duke.”
The chief doctor, who had worked at Lexion for a long time, spoke with a voice filled with emotion.
Walter, who had been pacing nervously in the corridor since Edith’s labor began, seemed like his tension melted away at those words.
“What about Edith?”
“The Lady is also safe. She is very fond of the baby’s golden eyes.”
“Golden eyes…”
“Golden eyes are a symbol of Lexion. Now that everything is in order, you can enter the birthing room, if you don’t mind—.”
The doctor slightly extended the end of his sentence. He was aware that among the conservative nobility, some insisted that the birthing room was a women’s space and that outsiders should not enter.
“I would like to go in if it’s okay.”
However, as Walter heard Edith’s groans, he felt as if his blood was drying up, and he desperately wanted to check on her condition and the baby’s as soon as possible.
“Then, I’ll guide you in.”
The doctor suppressed a contented smile and guided Walter inside.
『 He’s even more considerate than the esteemed Duke.』
Although the labor started a few days earlier than expected, the Little Duke had ordered the necessary preparations to be made in advance, so there was no danger.
Thanks to Edith’s unwavering strength, the childbirth went much smoother than anticipated.
『 It would have been nice if Lady Leah could have seen them.』
The doctor opened the door to the birthing room, recalling the moment he had wrapped newborn Leah in a soft cloth.
Walter, feeling a different sensation in his heart compared to the affection he felt for her, walked into the room with a pounding heart.
“Walter.”
An indescribable feeling filled his heart when he saw Edith half-lying on the bed, cradling their baby.
He couldn’t quite tell if it was relief because she was smiling softly after her screams of pain, or satisfaction because she was calling him while holding their baby, but one thing was certain.
The exhilaration Walter was feeling now came from Edith, their child, his family.
Edith felt exactly the same way as she watched Walter gently stroke their baby as if he was afraid to crush him.
“Thank you for your hard work, Edith.”
His lips touched her forehead. As the curtain that was blocking the sunlight of a sunny spring day slowly lifted, the splendor of this moment became even clearer.
“It’s our son, Adrian. Hello, Adrian.”
Edith gently touched the still rosy cheek of the baby and realized that this moment will be forever framed in her memory. From Walter stroking her sweaty hair, the face of his son who looks half like him, even a speck of dust floating in the sunlight. Everything.
“Adrian is healthy, Walter. The mages confirmed it.”
“It’s thanks to your hard work.”
“I think your magic helped the baby a lot. I’m so glad…”
Edith was relieved and leaned into his strong arms. As Walter whispered words of love in a comforting and gentle voice, the faces of her mother, father, and Mrs. Leah came to mind.
Though it was nothing more than a creation of her own imagination, they all were smiling. It was a welcoming smile for their newly born family member.
『 It’s Adrian.』
Edith muttered to herself and smiled languidly.
Exhausted yet filled with an overwhelming sense of happiness, it was a spring day she didn’t want to fall asleep on.
──────────✿◦•
Ever since Adrian was born, the manor has been filled with a festive atmosphere. Although they had to speak in hushed tones to avoid waking the baby, even those quiet conversations were infused with joy.
“I heard that the Little Duke is giving rewards to all the staff who came with him to the territory.”
“I also heard that the Little Duke shed tears after hearing the news that the young master was born safely, but I don’t know if it’s true…”
“Anyway, it seems that the Lady wants to return to the capital as soon as possible.”
Although the stay was only for a short period of half a year, the scenery of Lexion Territory was enough to mesmerize anyone.
Cassius quickened his pace while listening to the voices of the servants joking about wanting to stay here.
“Where is the Little Duke?”
“He’s currently in the glass greenhouse with the Lady and the baby.”
“…”
Cassius didn’t want to interrupt Walter’s happy time with his baby, who was only ten days old. However, at this moment, there was no other choice.
He walked towards the manor’s greenhouse. Edith, who noticed him, greeted him lightly.
“What’s the matter, Cassius?”
“I need to speak to the Little Duke for a moment. Wow, our young master already looks half like M’lady and half like the Little Duke.”
“He seems to have a feisty and sensitive side, contrary to how he looks. Walter was exactly like that when he was young.”
Walter’s expression was slightly distorted, but Cassius nodded as if to acknowledge that he knew.
“The Little Duke was like a kitten when he was first captured at the Viscount’s manor. How sensitive and fussy he was…”
Upon his understanding, Edith burst out laughing.
“That’s quite a description, like a little kitten.”
With glaring eyes, Walter rose from his seat.
“I’ll be back in a moment, Edith.”
Adrian squirmed his small body as if responding to his affectionate voice.
Cassius gazed at the lovely appearance and guided Walter towards the office.
Walter noticed the playfulness in his expression fade as they moved away from the glass greenhouse.
“What happened?”
“I have two things to tell you. One is that I have the results of your health examination from the other day, and the doctors are waiting for you in the office.”
“What is the other one?”
“Baron Humphrey has secretly sent a letter, as we had agreed in case of emergency, and it seems that Gilbert has come to see the mine for himself.”
“Annoying bastard.”
Walter’s face contorted with displeasure. He already harbored no good feelings toward Gilbert, who attempted to kill him using Baron Humphrey by trying to crush him with huge rocks, but now that he had a newborn child, his nerves became extremely sensitive.
Fortunately, the baby had been born healthy, and Lexion wasn’t so defenseless as to be attacked by surprise.
Through several months of research, they learned what they could do with the magicites.
“It’s a good thing they’ve been so annoying. Why don’t we give them a gift using the magicites they like so much?”
Walter spoke in a relaxed voice.
──────────✿◦•
“Baron Humphrey, I’m in a lot of trouble because of your territory. Gerturk’s finances are unstable because so many resources have been poured into processing the magicites.”
“I am always grateful for your generosity.”
Gilbert smiled greedily as he watched Baron Humphrey bend over. Gilbert received no recognition at all from his family, but here he was treated with all kinds of flattery. He shrugged his shoulders, feeling some annoyance.
『 What a fool. He doesn’t even realize that everything he has is being taken away from him.』
In fact, after hearing Cassius’ explanation, Baron Humphrey realized that he had been played for a fool all this time. But Gilbert did not even know about the new situation.
『 Well. I suppose the only way for an incompetent bumpkin noble to get into politics is to join us.』
Baron Humphrey poured himself a drink while casually speaking.
“Mr. Gilbert. By the way, I heard strange rumors recently… Well, it seems the sound of a baby crying was heard at Lexion Manor.”
“Baby crying?”
“Yes. Lexion has always been a neighboring territory, so we hear various rumors, but this time, the rumor came from the maids of the manor.”
Baron Humphrey spoke naturally. As he recalled the sharp gaze of the Little Duke of Lexion, his performance effortlessly became smoother.
『 This sneaky bastard tried to bring me down too when the rocks fell, but he failed, and now he’s shamelessly coming to look for me.』
Moreover, having learned the truth that the Gerturks had tried to exploit everything from Humphrey through Lexion, the Baron did not have the slightest desire to align himself with Gilbert anymore.
⋙“Baron, if the crime of hiding such magicites is exposed, it’s a death sentence.”⋘
⋙“…”⋘
⋙“Rather than facing a dog’s death, how about we send you to the temple, where you can save your life, and put the blame on the Gerturks?”⋘
The Baron was not a fool and didn’t believe that Lexion would cover up his crimes.
Therefore, he wanted some kind of revenge, even a small one, against Gerturk, who had tried to use him by making him have sweet dreams.
“The Little Duke of Lexion has a son. He has an heir.”
“What did you say? A son?”
Come to think of it… The Little Duke did not take Edith with him to the Rov-berry Fair or any other outdoor events.
『 Did she come to the territory intending to give birth in secret from the beginning?』
Gilbert’s expression crumpled at the news that Lexion would once again have an heir.
Baron Humphrey spoke carefully to him, who was showing signs of nervousness at losing his position.
“From what I heard, they are said to be returning to the capital in a hurry in a few days. Looking at the expected route, there is terrain that is perfect for rolling down rocks, just like before.”
“…!”
After hearing his words, Gilbert immediately called in the mages he had brought along with his subordinates.
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
