MWC Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Unmet, Unseen

 

“Shh!”

Adelen gasped and raised a finger to her lips.

“Oh, ah. I’m sorry. Shh, shh…”

The butler, startled as well, glanced over at the baby.

Fortunately, the baby didn’t wake, perhaps because it had just fallen asleep.

Compared to a few nights ago, when the baby had woken up crying because the patting rhythm was off, this was significant progress.

“Phew… When I think about the heir, he really needs to meet someone soon and bring in a lady for Sigelion’s household. But the master has no intention—none at all.”

“For someone who seems ready to do anything for the family, why is he so reluctant only about that?”

“How could I possibly know the deep thoughts of the master…”

“But I imagine there must be many people who are interested in him…”

“Really?! Does it seem that way to you?!”

The butler’s eyes widened, and he leaned in at Adelen’s casual remark.

“Well, yes… I mean, he is handsome, after all… And in good shape… His family is prestigious… And his wealth…”

“Right?! But then… why hasn’t anyone come forward saying they like him?”

“…Ah.”

It was a moment when the long-hidden secret of the Sigelion family head’s love life was revealed.

Adelen fell into solemn silence.

Although there had been countless speculations about the master’s romantic situation, no one had ever considered that the simple reason might be that he just wasn’t popular.

“Still… Don’t nobles often have arranged marriages?”

While love marriages were becoming the trend these days, arranged marriages were not entirely out of practice among nobles who valued family status.

“It’s not a good match, not at all…”

“How mismatched could it possibly be?”

“The families either turn out to be crumbling old aristocrats in name only or commoners who just happen to have a lot of money. That’s the way it always is.”

“Wait, what? Don’t they usually try to arrange matches between people of similar status?”

At Adelen’s words, the butler let out a deep sigh, as if venting years of pent-up frustration.

“The Sigelion family is now a well-established noble house, but the aristocratic society, clinging to its old biases, still refuses to treat us as proper nobles. They say they don’t want to shake hands that smell of iron or some nonsense like that! Hah! Honestly!”

“Even things like that…?”

“Oh, Don’t Even Get Me Started.”

“When I meet other households’ butlers by chance, there are so many who act all high and mighty, thinking I must be a noble myself.”

“Ah, I see…”

This also happened with some maidservants. Sometimes, they mistook the mistress they served for someone important and acted haughty, only to mess up and get themselves dismissed.

“That’s why, even when marriage proposals come in… ugh. If only Madam hadn’t passed away so early.”

The butler sighed deeply, wiping away a tear.

Adelen, regretting bringing up the topic, could only bow her head silently, pressing her lips together.

“Anyway, once the war is fully over, our master can finally relax and engage in social events.”

The sudden mention of the war made Adelen’s heart sink.

The butler didn’t know. The war would only end when this baby’s uncle was captured.

And it would remain a lifelong secret that, for a brief moment of fear and pity, Adelen had nearly betrayed the nation.

“Still… he’s probably not going back to the battlefield anytime soon, right?”

“He’d better not… And ideally, things should end like this. Once our master sets his mind to something, he excels at everything. I bet if he really got involved in social circles, every woman would be scrambling to win his favor!”

“Ahaha… That would be nice. No, I’m sure it will happen!”

Adelen began to wonder who the master might end up with. Surely, it would be someone beautiful from a prestigious family. As for her personality… would she be strong? Or kind?

‘Wait a minute… If the master gets married, doesn’t that mean I’ll finally be free?’

The thought struck her like lightning.

Even if the baby stayed in the household until then, the mistress would prevent her from sharing a room with the master. That would naturally give Adelen a chance to escape this situation.

“…I really hope the master meets someone great and gets married soon.”

Adelen’s priorities had shifted.

Her own marriage could wait. What mattered now was for the master to marry—urgently, as soon as possible.

The baby had dropped from the heavens, so couldn’t a wife fall from the sky too?

Instead of a wife, what fell from the sky was a heavy downpour of rain.

“What a perfect day for an ambush,” Rakalt muttered as he stared out at the gloomy rain through the window.

The weather was so bad that all activities planned by the knights were canceled, and there were no summons from the palace either.

He had no choice but to stay locked in his room for the entire day.

“There have been no attacks in the past week. And we haven’t detected any suspicious individuals nearby.”

“What about news from General Kias?”

“Nothing yet. Apologies.”

Even though Rakalt had some free time, he couldn’t afford to relax.

He spun a pen between his fingers, reviewing the reports from his informants and the knights.

He had thought that everything would fall into place once they captured the crown prince, but things hadn’t gone as smoothly.

General Kias had disappeared after one brief encounter, and the enemy’s internal movements were quieter than expected.

“Hmmm…”

Rakalt let out a low hum, sinking into thought.

The knights stood motionless, as still as pillars, waiting silently.

Adelen, watching them for hours, felt a strange urge to become just as steady as a pillar.

“Awaauu!”

“Ugh—oh, baby! I-I’m so sorry…”

But with a baby in her arms, that was impossible.

Though it was only natural for babies to be noisy, in such an atmosphere, Adelen couldn’t help but apologize immediately.

The knights, though not as terrifying as the master, were still intimidating in their own right.

And when there were so many of them, reading the room became that much harder.

“Waaah! Waaah!”

The baby’s cries echoed loudly through the room.

However, the baby didn’t care about anyone’s feelings.

Nor was it concerned with Adelen’s situation.

“Baby, shh, let’s all be quiet, shh?”

“Waaaaah!”

This was the perfect moment for the young prince to show off his royal temperament.

If he wanted to cry, then cry he would.

His voice was so loud that it stopped a knight mid-sentence.

“…”

The knights all fell silent, glaring at Adelen and the baby.

Adelen felt like throwing in the towel and crying alongside the baby.

If they could at least go outside, Adelen could try showing the baby different things to catch his attention. But cooped up in a room, options were limited.

Seeing the same things every day bored the baby, and he quickly lost interest.

“Look, baby! Look here! What’s this? What is it?”

As a last resort, Adelen waved her skirt and began dancing in front of the baby.

Look, I’m doing my best here. Please, out of pity, pay attention!

“Uuuh… Uwaa…”

Thankfully, the baby responded to Adelen’s frantic dancing.

The knights stared in disbelief, but Adelen didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was stopping the baby’s crying.

“Phew…”

Adelen, finally calming the baby, wiped the sweat pouring down her face and sat down, exhausted.

The baby crawled toward her and stretched out its arms. It was a clear sign: Pick me up.

With a deep sigh, Adelen lifted the baby into her arms. Refusing to hold the baby would unleash another wave of crying, and that was a nightmare Adelen couldn’t afford to face.

“Ugh…”

Taking care of the baby drained not just energy but also strength.

The baby was growing bigger every day, and lifting him made Adelen’s arms feel like they were about to fall off.

Adelen winced at the dull ache in her arms.

At this rate, she wondered if she’d have any strength left to lift a spoon at mealtime.

Meanwhile, the baby, blissfully unaware, bounced joyfully in Adelen’s arms. It felt like her already-tired arms were being torn to shreds.

Adelen glanced enviously at the knights and the master, admiring their muscular arms.

If only I had arms like that…

Then, suddenly, Adelen’s eyes met the master’s.

“!”

Adelen quickly looked away.

It had become a habit by now—whenever she saw the master, her entire body tensed up.

But why is he looking at me?

Rakalt usually treated Adelen like some stray animal wandering around the room.

He never paid any attention to what Adelen did and rarely spoke to her. On the few occasions he did glance over, it was only when Adelen made too much noise or did something that stood out.

The frantic skirt-dance was over, so what could have caught his attention this time?

Adelen felt a flush of warmth creep up her cheeks. She tried to focus on the baby, bouncing him gently in her arms. But she could feel Rakalt’s gaze lingering on her. It made her acutely aware of the cramped room and her ragged appearance, the frayed edges of her skirt and the messy bun of her hair.

“Adelen,” Rakalt finally said, his voice breaking through the tension.

“Yes, Master?” she replied, trying to keep her tone steady and respectful.

“Is the baby okay? He seems restless.”

Adelen’s heart raced. “Yes, Master! Just a little bored, I think. I was trying to entertain him.” She gave a small laugh, though it felt shaky. “I danced a bit…”

The corner of Rakalt’s mouth twitched, almost a smile. “Dancing, huh?” His voice held an unusual softness that caught her off guard.

“Yes, Master,” Adelen said, feeling her cheeks heat even more. “It seems to help.”

For a moment, a silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words. The knights shifted, their expressions unreadable, but the air felt charged. Adelen dared to steal a glance at Rakalt, who was watching her with an intensity she didn’t quite understand.

“Very well,” he finally said, breaking the spell. “Just make sure the baby doesn’t disturb the others too much. I’ll see what I can do about entertaining him myself.”

Adelen blinked, surprised. “You, Master? You want to—?”

“Yes. I have my methods,” Rakalt replied, straightening his posture and heading toward her. “Let me take him for a moment.”

Adelen hesitated, her arms aching but not wanting to relinquish the baby. Yet she knew Rakalt could handle it; he was, after all, a master of many skills. With a resigned sigh, she carefully placed the baby into Rakalt’s arms.

The baby squirmed slightly, then looked up at Rakalt, seemingly unfazed by the shift. “There we go,” Rakalt said, adjusting the baby comfortably. “Now, let’s see if I can entertain you.”

Adelen watched in astonishment as Rakalt began to make silly faces at the baby, his stern demeanor softening. The baby giggled, delighting in the unusual display. Adelen couldn’t help but smile at the sight, a warmth blooming in her chest.

As the two of them engaged, the atmosphere shifted, and Adelen felt a strange relief wash over her. Maybe things would be okay after all. The rain continued to pour outside, but inside, a lightness began to take hold.

She realized that perhaps Rakalt wasn’t just the imposing figure she had always viewed him as. Beneath his serious exterior, there was a side that could connect with others, even a baby.

In that moment, Adelen felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe the future could hold more than just responsibilities and weariness. Maybe there was room for laughter, for warmth, and perhaps even a bit of joy in her life.

As Rakalt continued to amuse the baby, Adelen quietly moved to the side, allowing herself to take a breath. She wouldn’t let herself dwell on the uncertainties of the future just yet. For now, she could enjoy this unexpected moment of connection.