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Chapter 13
Right now… she’s saying that she only gave it to Dain and not to him…?
Well, of course, it was Sigmund who had taught her letters for an hour.
Still, Dain received the cream puff, and Sigmund didn’t—so it was natural for him to feel a little left out.
Understanding this, Maybel put down the cream puff she had bitten and offered one to Sigmund.
There were two of them.
Sigmund raised one eyebrow.
“Are you giving me both?”
“Yes!”
Maybel nodded enthusiastically.
“So, please… take it and don’t be upset!”
At her words, Sigmund couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Well, I can’t even make a joke, huh.”
He said it was a joke and took only one.
Maybel blinked and looked up at him.
“That’s fine, one is enough. You can have that one.”
Sigmund, saying this, put the mini cream puff, made just for Maybel, into his mouth.
“Next, we’ll take a break, so once you finish your snack, you can go play.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You got a perfect score.”
Although she had taken breaks in between, sitting still for a long time is hard for a child.
Besides, this was Maybel’s first time studying, so he didn’t want her to overdo it.
Using the child’s snack time, Sigmund picked up his own papers.
His usually playful red eyes became serious and focused.
Meanwhile, Maybel had moved to the sofa and kept staring at Sigmund while nibbling her cream puff.
“Miss, shall we drink some milk too?”
“Yes~.”
Drinking the fragrant milk, a white mark appeared around Maybel’s mouth.
At the sight of her adorable face, Dain, who was “attacked” by her cuteness, was struck again, while Sigmund finally spoke.
“Why are you staring so intently?”
“Uh, how did you know?”
She had clearly been keeping her head down!
Even now, he really seemed like he had eyes on his head.
While Maybel stammered in surprise, a more composed Dain gently wiped the milk from her mouth with a soft handkerchief.
“I could tell because you were staring at me like you’d drill right through my head.”
“Ah, I wasn’t…!”
“Really? Then that’s a relief.”
Sigmund chuckled.
“If you’re curious, you can come closer and look.”
“But… I’m afraid I’ll get in the way…”
“Not at all.”
Then maybe she could just take a quick look…!
Unable to resist her curiosity, Maybel put down the cup, and Dain carefully lifted her down from the sofa.
Tiptoeing closer to the desk, Sigmund handed her the papers he had been reviewing.
Thanks to memorizing the vowels and consonants, the letters that used to look like squiggles now made some sense.
Of course, she didn’t know the words yet.
“These are the materials for your presentation on the Horn Spirit Summoning Ceremony.”
Sigmund explained to her.
“This time I can’t take you with me, but next time, we’ll go together.”
“Really?”
“To do that, you’ll have to eat well and grow big. You can’t hide behind the podium.”
He teased as usual, but Maybel didn’t react.
She couldn’t.
Her heart was already pounding at the thought of next time.
Feeling the excitement in her chest, Maybel turned around.
“Where are you going?”
Tip-tap, she ran to the desk and exclaimed:
“Please, lift me up!”
“To study? I said you can go play after finishing.”
“I’m going to review!”
For next time!
Thinking that, Maybel’s face shone brightly.
“Well, that’s impressive…!”
Dain was so moved that he covered his mouth with both hands, tears glimmering in his eyes.
Sigmund, who hadn’t meant to encourage her, just exhaled with a small laugh.
How could anyone refuse a child with sparkling eyes begging to be lifted up?
After placing Maybel on the chair, Sigmund returned to his papers, using the soft sounds of Maybel and Dain’s voices as background white noise.
Soon, tip-tap, tip-tap.
Maybel had fallen asleep, resting her head on the desk.
“Honestly, she should go sleep comfortably in her room.”
“I thought so too, but she insisted, so I couldn’t move her,” said Dain.
Sigmund quietly removed the heavy pen from her reddened hand.
The unexpected visitor was none other than Lundwell.
“I have something to deliver…”
Startled by Dain’s silent fury, Lundwell lowered his voice.
Among the quietly flustered adults, they could hear the child’s gentle breathing.
On tiptoe, Lundwell smiled warmly.
“She fell asleep while studying, didn’t she?”
How admirable.
Watching Maybel sleep quietly, Lundwell seemed lost in memories.
“She reminds me exactly of the young Grand Duke.”
“Hm?”
“The Grand Duke used to fall asleep like this while studying as a child. Her face now is just like his then, as if cast from the same mold.”
Remarkable.
Unlike other servants, Lundwell didn’t think Maybel was Sigmund’s illegitimate child.
They were completely unrelated, yet she reflected Sigmund’s childhood so clearly.
“Anyone would think they were father and daughter.”
“Even when we told the servants otherwise, they didn’t believe it. You two are just too alike.”
Lundwell and Dain whispered, chuckling softly.
Sigmund gently stroked his chin, watching the peacefully sleeping girl.
“Really? Do I look that cute?”
At the brazen question, Dain and Lundwell quickly clarified:
“Oh, no, we didn’t mean the Grand Duke is cute.”
“Yes, not now, certainly.”
Such misunderstandings are better avoided.
The prompt and direct answers left Sigmund feeling… oddly uncertain.
A few days later, in the morning.
Sigmund and Dain were heading to the Hermetic State.
It was to attend the presentation of the “Horn Spirit Summoning Ceremony” that Maybel had discovered.
Meanwhile, Maybel, who had been reviewing diligently while Sigmund organized his papers, had now progressed to learning words.
By evening, her fingers often went numb, requiring Ella to massage them carefully.
“Well, I’ll be off.”
“Yes! Please go safely! I’ll study hard while you’re gone!”
“No, Maybel.”
Sigmund shook his head as if correcting her.
“You’ve worked hard, so just rest well.”
“B-but…”
“Eat well, sleep well, rest well. That’s how you’ll grow strong.”
In just a few days, Maybel had changed remarkably.
The scruffy, thin child brought in earlier was gone.
With Ella and the maids caring for her skin and hair, and three meals plus the snacks Jacques provided, her cheeks had grown plump.
“Ready to answer?”
“Yes!”
Just as Maybel answered, Sigmund smiled and prepared to board the carriage.
“Grand Duke, do I really have to come along too?”
Dain slouched, looking dejected.
“This Dain! How could you be apart from the young lady for several days!”
“….”
“Not seeing the young lady’s cute face for days! Just thinking about it makes me suffer!”
Dain truly seemed unable to bear it, crying out like a tragic character.
Sigmund sighed, shaking his head.
“Maybel, say goodbye to him too.”
“Safe travels, Uncle Dain!”
“Now that’s done, let’s go.”
“Ahhh, young lady!”
Sigmund, boarding the carriage first, was about to close the door as if leaving anyone behind would be unforgivable. Dain quickly followed.
“Young lady! I’ll return with good news!”
Maybel waved her small hand, watching them go as the carriage departed toward the drawbridge.
