Side Story 2 – Chapter 4

 

* * *

 

“The problem is clear,” Jeremiah declared in the afternoon, arriving at Edmund’s side with various medicinal herbs. He had somehow heard about the situation.

Despite being busy leading the mages as Tower Master and handling all sorts of incidents within the Tower, he had made time for his sick nephew.

“Edmund Baldwin.”

The child sat on the carpet, diligently stacking large and small donut-shaped wooden blocks onto a pillar.

He was only eleven months old, but his growth was astonishingly rapid day by day.

The child who had once only lain down, crying and feeding, had soon started to move his arms and legs, roll over, sit up on his own, and was now even trying to grab things and stand up.

This remarkable progress fascinated not only Melody and Claude but also the inquisitive Jeremiah.

Though, at the moment, Edmund was completely engrossed in stacking the colorful blocks in front of him.

His concentration was so intense that drool was dripping from his slightly parted lips.

“Based on the childcare log my brother kept yesterday, I see that he skipped his nap for the first time.”

Jeremiah swiftly pulled out a sterilized test tube and collected a drop of Edmund’s drool before it could fall onto the carpet.

As he sealed it and tucked it away, Melody wiped the child’s chin with a butterfly-patterned handkerchief.

She didn’t seem surprised by Jeremiah’s collecting act (?) in the slightest.

“He’s still at the age where he needs naps. Are you listening, Edmund?”

“Boo.”

“No, you must sleep.”

“Ah.”

“Good. I expect you to do so.”

Jeremiah responded as if he were addressing an adult, despite the words sounding like mere babbling. Then he picked up a green donut block that had rolled away and placed it next to Edmund.

However, the child seemed to have lost interest in the blocks.

Edmund’s attention shifted to Jeremiah’s long robe sleeve, which he reached out and tugged with all his might.

“Ed.”

As Melody quickly scooped up Edmund to pull him back, Jeremiah raised a hand to stop her.

“Leave him be. He needs to learn how to nurture his curiosity.”

“But…”

A worried expression crossed Melody’s face.

Even if it was curiosity, she was concerned about letting the child practically disappear into his uncle’s vast sleeve.

“Please tell my brother to make sure Edmund takes his naps. It may be challenging to put him down for a nap, but he still needs it at this age.”

“Yes, Claude has been reflecting on that as well.”

“That’s a relief. Fortunately, Edmund seems to be…”

Jeremiah paused, creating a light magic inside his sleeve.

As tiny specks of light danced and fluttered out of his sleeve, Edmund immediately raised his head to follow them.

The light circled around the air before approaching Edmund.

The child reached out with his tiny fingers, wanting to grab the light.

“There don’t seem to be any other ailments. As the doctor has already visited, you’re probably aware.”

“Still, you wanted to check yourself, didn’t you?”

“Yes, there’s no harm in double-checking. And if I may…”

Without waiting for a response, Jeremiah placed a hand on Melody’s forehead.

Melody wanted to ask him to at least wait for her reply, but she held back.

This was necessary for Loretta’s safety as well.

“You should nap with Edmund.”

“What?”

“You, I mean.”

Melody stared at him blankly, confused by his words as he lowered his hand.

Fortunately, Edmund was still preoccupied with the light. It seemed his drool was about to make a reappearance.

“As I’ve mentioned before…”

Jeremiah pulled out the test tube he had used earlier and held it under Edmund’s chin.

A drop of drool landed in the tube with a plop.

“Childbirth is the ultimate magic, a life-risking process where a human produces another human. Sufficient rest is essential afterwards.”

He capped the tube and tucked it away, then took the handkerchief from Melody’s hand and personally wiped his nephew’s mouth.

“Now that the announcement has been made, I can’t expect you to rest properly.”

“Announcement?”

“The exam, I mean.”

“Ah.”

It seemed that Jeremiah had seen that small article as well.

“Please don’t overexert yourself. And…”

He stood up and placed a huge bundle he had brought from the Magic Tower in front of Melody.

As he untied the ribbon securing it, a pile of dried medicinal herbs emerged.

“Wh-what is all this?”

He answered in a small voice, averting his gaze slightly, as if embarrassed.

“I just brought a few simple things.”

“…A few?”

“Ahem! Anyway, this helps clear the mind and improve concentration.”

“Ah… thank you.”

Melody accepted the herbs he offered.

“This will help with your stamina. As you know, studying requires stamina.”

“That’s true.”

Melody quickly accepted the herbs once more.

“This is a calming potion. Take it on the day of the exam, and you’ll be in your usual state.”

“That’s helpful.”

“And also…”

Only after handing over so many herbs that Melody couldn’t hold them all in her hands did Jeremiah finally seem satisfied, ending the herb presentation ceremony with a “This is all for now.”

“I’ll bring more essential herbs tomorrow.”

“…What? Are there more essential ones?”

“Yes.”

Melody was about to tell him that he didn’t need to bring more herbs. However.

“Bang!”

Edmund’s triumphant cry rang out as he slapped his hand against the light, making it burst.

“My goodness, what excellent aim!”

Jeremiah exclaimed joyfully, lifting his nephew high in the air to praise him.

“He truly is a genius! My nephew is undoubtedly a genius! This is a completely objective assessment, believe me! You must believe it!”

“I don’t think… that’s objective at all.”

Jeremiah barely registered Melody’s quiet words as he lifted Edmund high, making ‘whooshing’ sounds.

The child giggled with delight.

 

* * *

 

As Edmund’s nap time approached in the afternoon, Melody filled the bathtub and gave him a bath after some playtime in the water.

Emerging from the water, wrapped in a fluffy towel, the child crawled around on the bed for a while before falling fast asleep.

Entrusting Edmund to the nanny, she exited the room and saw Isaiah standing in the hallway, drawing a large circle above his head.

It was a universal sign understood by everyone in the mansion, meaning, ‘Is Master Edmund asleep?’

Melody drew a large circle above her head in response.

Isaiah gave a thumbs-up and hung a huge flag from the mansion window.

It was the ‘Master Edmund is on a journey to Dreamland’ flag.

As soon as this flag was raised, the Duke’s knights would cheer silently and enter their break time.

This rule was a testament to their loyalty, ensuring that nothing disturbed Master Edmund’s precious nap time.

It was absolutely not a scheme to squeeze in a bit of rest from their training.

After hoisting the flag, Isaiah gave a polite bow to Melody.

It was a display of proper etiquette toward his mistress.

However, knowing she might be offended if he only acted formally, he hopped onto the windowsill and waved cheerfully, greeting her as a friend.

After finishing his greetings, he jumped out of the second-floor window.

Melody had repeatedly asked him to use the stairs and doors, but he seemed to have no intention of listening to her request.

‘It’s dangerous.’

Of course, he was exceptionally agile and could climb walls with incredible skill, thanks to his flexible body.

Melody, just in case, rushed to the window where he had been standing and looked outside.

Isaiah, who had already landed safely, was grinning at her.

“Honestly.”

Knowing she disapproved of his actions, he quickly clasped his hands together and mimicked a pleading gesture.

“It’s not something you can resolve by begging me.”

Melody propped her chin on her hand and waved. It meant, ‘I’m fine, but I’m worried about you!’

Isaiah only chuckled in response, though.

“Ah, right.”

Melody remembered something and drew a square shape in the air with her extended fingertip.

Isaiah’s face instantly turned pale, and he began scurrying towards the knights’ quarters.

“You didn’t write your letter again, did you?”

It seemed he had planned to write a letter to his mother during Edmund’s nap time.

“You should write often. Isaiah, you haven’t changed a bit.”

Even though Melody regularly sent her updates, it wouldn’t be as comforting as a letter from her own son.

As she watched Isaiah disappear into the distance, Melody recalled her childhood.

Her biological mother had been a merchant who illegally traded slaves.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t Melody’s fault. One couldn’t choose their birth.

‘I thought I had completely overcome this part of myself…’

No, she had definitely overcome it.

She wouldn’t be swayed by anyone’s judgment of her.

‘But Claude and Edmund…’

The whispers that Claude would eventually tire of his lowly wife never truly disappeared from society.

Some even speculated that if he didn’t inherit the Duke’s title, it would be because Duke Baldwin himself cared about Melody’s background.