Chapter 056
“Ah, a magician, huh? From now on, call me ‘Uncle Assistant.'”
“What’s an assistant?”
At the child’s innocent question, Joy scratched his head for a moment and then pointed at me to answer.
“You could say it’s someone who takes good care of the person over there.”
“Huh? That sister from before…!”
Following the direction Joy pointed, the children turned their heads in unison and spotted me behind them, their round eyes widening even more as they shouted.
“What’s this? Why am I called ‘Uncle’ and that person is called ‘Sister’?!”
“Well, that’s because you’re an uncle!”
Joy, dissatisfied with the biased titles, let out a series of exasperated breaths.
However, the children completely ignored Joy’s attitude and began to run toward me.
“Angel Sister!”
“You idiot! How can you call her ‘Sister’?!”
The boy trying to get my attention had his mouth covered by a girl of the same age, his eyes wide open in surprise.
Just as I was about to speak, puzzled by how the children seemed somewhat intimidated compared to the last time I saw them, they rolled their big eyes, as if they had made a pact, and suddenly knelt in front of me, raising their voices.
“We have committed a grave sin, madam!”
I stared at the children who were kneeling in front of me, momentarily at a loss for words.
Their chubby fingers were wriggling on the floor.
So taken aback that I couldn’t say anything, my mouth just moved, and somehow the children understood me and spoke again.
“P-please kill us. Waaah─.”
“Ugh…”
After saying it, when they actually thought they were going to die, the children began to burst into tears one by one.
“Hey, little ones. What grave sin did you commit?”
Joy, who had been watching this scene from the back, asked the children in a voice that was desperately trying to suppress laughter.
“I’m sorry for not recognizing you, Sister—no, Madam…”
“We were wrong.”
While I wasn’t looking, had someone told them my identity? The children corrected themselves, calling me ‘Madam.’
Realizing why the children were suddenly acting this way, I swallowed a chuckle and spoke to them.
“I didn’t tell you first, so how would you know? You’re not supposed to ask to be killed over something like that. Now, get up.”
“But…”
“Hurry.”
Only then did the children sniffle and sit up properly.
As I faced them, their faces had become a complete mess in that short time.
They had cried so sadly that their flushed faces were smeared with tears and snot, damp and wet.
“Ugh.”
Feeling both pity and amusement at their round faces, I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
I took out a handkerchief and wiped each child’s face in turn, asking, “I see you come here often. What were you playing?”
As I started to laugh, the children seemed to relax their guard and replied with bright smiles again.
“We were reading a book!”
In response to my question, a girl named Belle showed me the book she had been holding in her arms.
It was a fairy tale book containing stories of love between princesses and princes from neighboring countries, which was common to read when we were young.
“By the way, Madam, do you know what love is?”
“…Huh? Love?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, I was taken aback when a child approached me with sparkling eyes.
“Over here, over here! The princess and the prince got married because they loved each other.”
The pages of the book the child opened showed an illustration of the princess and the prince looking at each other with happy faces.
“When you love someone, do they really sparkle and look beautiful?”
“No. Mom said love is wanting to protect them so they don’t cry!”
“But my uncle says that just seeing someone makes you smile, and that’s love!”
The children’s gazes circled back to me.
Their eyes seemed to ask if everything they said was true, and I couldn’t help but let out an awkward smile.
‘If that’s what love is, then everything I’ve experienced in my life isn’t love.’
I had lived my life only looking at one person, but I couldn’t fit anything the children described into my life.
If I had to find an answer, love for me was more like endless patience and profound loneliness.
“Hmm, so love is…”
I glanced at Joy with a look that said I needed help.
However, Joy seemed to find this situation amusing and was avoiding my gaze while waiting for my answer along with the children.
Seeing the children’s eager, sparkling eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to speak the truth.
Just then, while I was stalling for time, I heard:
“Why are we training at Training Ground 2 today?”
“Right, you were sick last time and missed training, right? The Duke was demonstrating spear techniques yesterday and absolutely wrecked the training ground, so it’s still under repair.”
“Wow, is that the spear technique I’ve only heard rumors about?”
Knights in training uniforms were lining up and walking toward the area where the children were.
The knights chatting at the front spotted me in the corner and suddenly stopped in their tracks.
“Huh? Isn’t that Madam over there?”
“What are you talking about? Why would the madam be in such a remote corner… Oh.”
As the knight greeted me with a loud salute, dozens of gazes turned toward me simultaneously.
“Hello!”
Soon after, the other knights also confirmed my face and greeted me in the same manner.
“Wow…”
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
The children who were with me looked fascinated, their faces lit up with excitement as they exclaimed.
I raised my head and looked over the faces of the knights.
I recognized some familiar faces, while others were completely new to me.
“Nice to meet you. I take it you’re on your way to train?”
As I stood up to return their greetings, the knights opened their mouths with disciplined postures.
“Yes, that’s right! It’s basic for the Ballestein Knights to train every day, as befits our name…!”
Just as the knights were eager to speak, a familiar voice interrupted.
“What’s going on?”
It was a rougher tone than the usual low, refined voice I was accustomed to.
In an instant, the knights fell silent, their gazes converging in one direction.
“I told you to go straight to the training ground. Why are you slacking off here?”
I turned my head as well, and Evan, dressed in training clothes, emerged from among the knights with a frown.
Upon spotting me standing in front of the knights, he froze in place and stared at me.
Seeing his slightly widened eyes, he probably hadn’t expected to find me here at all.
“What are you doing here?”
Evan asked in the blunt tone I was familiar with.
“I ran into the children on my way back from the tower and was saying hello.”
I could see him scanning the children and Joy one by one after hearing my answer.
“I guess you’re on your way to train now?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Evan replied succinctly.
“You know, Duke…”
Just then, as I stood facing him, a youthful voice rang out from below.
I noticed Belle, who had been beside me just moments ago, now standing in front of Evan, looking up at him.
Upon seeing Belle, who barely reached his knees, one of Evan’s eyebrows raised in surprise.
Instead of shrinking back from the much larger man, whose cold demeanor radiated no warmth, Bell spoke to Evan with even brighter eyes than before.
“Duke! Do you love the Madam?”
“…What?”
“When you really love someone, do they sparkle and shine?”
I could see Evan’s brow gradually furrowing at Belle’s question.
Seeing Evan merely twitch his lips without answering, Belle tilted his head and asked again.
“Does that mean you don’t love the Madam Duke?”
“…”
Everyone around held their breath, waiting for Evan’s response to the child’s question.
midori
thanks! LOL the kids, peepoPles