I’m the Main Character’s Child - Chapter 50

What are you looking at?

I didn’t want to see anything red for a while now. I turned my back on Neinster, who was huffing and couldn’t beat his anger, and headed to the place where the dessert was with Ad.

“This is delicious!”

“Yes, thank you.”

Ad thanked me and accepted the cookies I handed to him. I’ve been feeling this since last time, but Ad had a naive side that was somehow different from his blunt tone of voice.

I remembered Ad, who just accepted everything when they played a prank on him. I couldn’t forget his answer when I asked why he didn’t fight back. 

“I’ve never played with a friend. What should I do at times like this?”

“Hoo.”

I covered my mouth for a while because he was asking with a really curious face.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Ad asked me with his eyes wide open in surprise. I relieved Ad by saying it was because I choked.

“The first prince…….”

“Look at that. You’re already on good terms with Princess Bardion.”

“Oh, my. Then maybe the crown prince’s seat…….”

I heard the murmur of the nobles nearby. It was questionable why they covered their mouth with a fan or hand if they were going to make such a loud noise in the first place.

“Well… First Prince. Oh, hello.”

At that time, a noble child who seemed to be the same age as Ad approached awkwardly and greeted him.

Looking back, I saw a couple looking sideways at this side.

Perhaps they are the child’s parents.

“Does it taste good? Is this it?’

The child’s lips were twitching, forcing himself to smile. He looked completely unwell that anyone could tell.

“I’m Hedwig Egin, the eldest son of Count Egin.”

As Ad looked at him without responding, the child hurriedly continued.

“Hey, isn’t it hard to practice swordsmanship?”

“Not at all.”

Ad ended the conversation at once. Parents rushed to the back of the child, who was at a loss at the cold response.

“Hello, Prince. Please forgive this child for not being eloquent. I guess it was because he was nervous.”

That was the starting point. The nobles began to move one by one when they saw a man named Count Egin come close.

“Oh, hello. Prince!”

“Oh, my. You’re already giving off the energy of a brave swordsman.”

“I am the Marquis of Nerkel……!”

A crowd gathered around me and Ad in an instant. They were all those who stood by from afar when Ad was being humiliated earlier. I felt like I was going to get sick of it.

“Emeliette.”

Cardin rescued me just before I was caught between the nobles and suffocated. Cardin, who came up like the miracle of Moses, pulled me out of the nobles and held me in his arms.

“We should be going home soon.”

Cardin left the banquet hall after giving a simple greeting to the emperor who was sitting absent-mindedly on the podium. At Cardin’s greeting, the emperor stammered and sent him off.

The emperor’s dignity seemed to be nothing.

“But Papa, what about Ad. Can we leave him there alone?”

Ad was left alone among the nobles, so I was worried.

“He won’t fall again, so don’t worry.”

Cardin said as he loaded himself into the carriage. Leaving behind the banquet hall, which shone more splendidly in the darkness, the carriage departed.

As I hung from the window, I looked into the distant Imperial Palace.  The noble society I faced for the first time was uglier than expected. 

***

The next morning.

Ad faithfully carried out Cardin’s words last night. He appeared through the duke’s main gate, not the secret passage he normally used. Servants and knights were seen from time to time around the training field. 

Everyone was pretending to be calm, but I guess they couldn’t help looking around.  Not a few eyes were directed to the corner of the training field. The two, who are actually receiving the attention, are focusing on training as usual.

It seemed like they were having a conversation from time to time, but I couldn’t hear it because it was so far away. I had just sat on a nearby lawn after running five laps around the training field. 

I was rummaging through the baskets that were always in place, but I couldn’t find any towels. Maybe the nanny forgot. I roughly wiped my sweat with my sleeves, moistened my throat with the water inside, and took a breath.

“It’s hard.”

As I sat with my eyes closed, a cool wind passed by my sweaty forehead.

“When can I hold a sword?”

Cardin still only told me to build up my stamina. I thought about asking him to let me hold the sword, but I had no choice but to fold in quickly. This is because seeing Cardin teaching swordsmanship was kind of scary.

It was resentful but true.

As a person who witnessed Ad learning swordsmanship right next to him, he was truly a fierce teacher.

The same was true when I complained to Elvin.

He smiled as if he were in trouble and comforted me, saying, “As the Duke said, you need to increase your physical strength to hold the wooden sword.”

He is in a state of obedience to Cardin, a magic swordsman, because he lacks confidence in his swordsmanship.

Like this.

I opened my eyes that I had closed softly as I felt a shadow falling beyond my closed eyes. It seems that the training was over and Ad stood sweating.

“Ad! Hello.”

“Hello.”

I searched the basket and handed him cool water. Now, Ad, who sat down next to me as if he was used to it, drank water and thanked me.

“Did anything happen yesterday?”

“… Hmm.”

Ad frowned gently and stopped drinking water. Ad, who was left alone at the banquet hall last night, is said to have been greeted by numerous nobles.

“It was annoying.”

Ad, who was drinking water again with a fed-up face, lamented as if he had thought of something.

“Neinster’s face yesterday was a little funny.”

“What a shame. I should’ve seen it!”

Seeing his expression of anger from afar and can’t even approach us looked funny. 

“The shoes were amazing. They were unbelievably treating me nicely.” said Ad, shrugging his shoulders.

The servants’ attitude towards him has changed completely since this morning, so he said, 

“I’ll pay you back later.”

Ad lowered his head and murmured softly. Even if he had extraordinary swordsmanship skills and an adult tone compared to his age, he was still only a child.

He had been living alone in the Imperial Palace until now, and it was heartbreaking to see him harassed rather than being protected.

“Don’t pay me back. What do you mean pay me back? It’s all because you’re good.”

I smiled brightly and slapped Ad on the shoulder. It meant to straighten out his drooping shoulders.

“You’ll be a very strong swordsman like Papa later on. This sister knows everything-.”

Ad smirked at my playful way of speaking.

“Am I the younger brother? But aren’t you too small?”

“I’ll grow up later.”

“I think you’ll be shorter than me even if you grow up”

As a kind elder, I easily let go of Ad’s teasing.

Now I feel good to see a bright smile like a child on his face. I reached out and patted Ad on the head.

Ad who had suffered, overcame his difficulties well. His blonde hair glistened here and there in the sun.

Tak~

At that time, my head turned to the sound of something falling behind my back.

“Liel…”

I made eye contact with Fay, who was looking at this side with a blank look with a towel dropped on the floor.

“Oh, Fay. When did you get here?”

I approached Fay, who looked a little dazed. Maybe he was surprised because he didn’t expect to see Ad at this time. Somehow, the child who had always turned into a cat when I was with Ad appeared today.

Are you done being shy?

I thought so when I saw Fay as a human being. Now that this has happened, I decided to officially introduce the two. I took Fay’s still dazed hand and took him to Ad. Fay was gently dragged by my hands.

“Ad, this is Fay. My friend.”

Fay is not yet an official wizard, so I decided to reveal it later.

“And Fay. Here, as you know, the first prince, say hello!”

It was Ad who greeted him first.

“Uh… Hi.”

Ad said, brushing the back of his head as if the situation was very awkward.

“Yes, hello…….”

Fay answered Ad’s greeting.

Silence.

Ad and Fay, who greeted each other, were awkwardly rolling their eyes around.

Oh, right, neither of them had any friends.

It was awkward because it would be their first time making friends with the gender and age.

“Ahm… feel free to call me Ad.”

It was Ad who broke the awkward atmosphere and opened his mouth first.

“I will.”

Fay nodded a little.

They were still awkward, but a happy smile spread around their mouths.

“That’s how everyone gets close.”

cute little ones

I stood in the middle and laughed watching their cute social scene. Ad and Fay’s expression turned subtly toward me.

Without me, the two would be so awkward. 

I changed the subject and talked to Fay.

“But Pay, what’s that towel?”

“Oh.”

I asked, pointing to the towel Fay had brought. Fay picked up the towel and lightly brushed it.

“I met your nanny on the way. She forgot about the towel.”