By Zephyria 
I consistently visited the Martial arts training ground of the Duke Valentia Family in the morning or early hours, but during the day, I spent more time with the children to strengthen the bonds with my cousins.
Because of this, I spent most of my time exploring various parts of the Duke Valentia Family estate with my cousins.
The Duke Valentia Family mansion was closer to a castle than a mere residence. It was so vast that even with my own two feet, a single day wouldn’t be enough to tour the entire estate.
We explored several rooms filled with toys that Aizen and Hendel played with when they were young, and we also viewed portraits of figures from previous generations.
While strolling through the expansive library, I even found the complete translated edition of the 21 Dragons from history that Benjamin had mentioned before.
Asdel was so delighted that he refused to let go of the book, so we spent half the day in the library.
We sat on the greenhouse terrace, which bloomed with flowers even in winter, and counted the petals. We also floated paper boats on a waterway carved from white stone.
We played games like hide-and-seek with the children. I was caught trying to trick the seeker by sticking to the ceiling, and I was severely scolded for doing dangerous things in front of the children.
When we grew tired from walking endlessly, we spent time playing chess by the fireplace in the drawing-room.
I was excited, happy to hold the pieces after so long.
In my past life, before the Demonic Cult rose to power, I often played Janggi.
As I aged, the only games I could play without losing face were Go or Janggi. Go, which required looking several moves ahead, didn’t suit me.
I had said that building and defending a house didn’t fit a life spent wandering without a home, and the beggar who wailed about how miserable it was to be homeless was the best at Go.
Even Jegal, who had memorized every Janggi game record, was astonished.
Chess is more similar to Janggi than Go.
Having been reborn, I had occasionally played against my father from childhood, so I often won against young children. However, Hendel, the second daughter of the Valentia family, was more skilled.
After losing several games in a row, I felt awkward and embarrassed, naturally becoming engrossed in the match.
“⋯Check!”
“Check?”
“No, checkmate.”
“Ah, you’re right. I really didn’t see that coming this time.”
After losing five games consecutively, I finally managed to win the sixth.
However, Hendel, who had been showing such brilliant moves just moments before, couldn’t possibly have missed such an obvious move from a piece. I realized belatedly that she had gone easy on me.
I felt too embarrassed to mention it, seeing Michael jumping for joy that his brother had won. I coughed a few times, feeling awkward seeing Aizen and Hendel smiling subtly.
All days were peaceful.
❖ ❖ ❖
For a certain amount of time each day, I was occupied with painting portraits.
Sitting still for a long time is quite boring, so the entire family gathered in the grand hall and chatted about various things.
Since we had to be mindful of the painter’s ears, most of what we said was light, idle chatter.
My aunt said she suffered greatly from severe morning sickness when giving birth to both her children.
She would feel nauseous even drinking water, losing weight drastically, and only then finding fruits she could stomach.
When she was carrying Aizen, she craved grapes so much, and when carrying Hendel, apples were what she craved.
Seiren said that when she was carrying me for the first time, she experienced a ravenous morning sickness, craving meat and sweets she normally wouldn’t eat, and she was quite disciplined. I had heard this story before, so I just smiled briefly.
She ate without complaint when carrying Michael, but it was when she was carrying Asdel that she experienced morning sickness for the first time.
Upon hearing this, Asdel’s eyes widened, and he tugged at his mother’s hem.
“Mommy had a hard time because of me?”
“N-no, I was worried you might be sick. I’m so grateful you were born so healthy, my daughter.”
“Mhm.”
The painter’s assistant, who had been watching, scurried over and smoothed the folds of Seiren’s clothes back to their original state.
Everyone smiled fondly at Asdel’s small apology to the assistant, finding it adorable.
“Speaking of which, Michael was the most placid when he was born among the children, wasn’t he? He didn’t even cry.”
“Ah, that time.”
My maternal grandmother brought up the story of my birth.
My memories of being born were hazy. Perhaps it was because my vision was blurry, or perhaps my consciousness returned late, I couldn’t tell.
I only now learned that my maternal family had all visited Young Count Ernhardt’s Residence out of worry for me.
Healing Artifacts could mend torn flesh, but they couldn’t revive the dead.
My maternal grandmother shook her head gently, saying the entire family had worried a lot because I had no fetal movement from mid-pregnancy, and continued.
“The newborn baby didn’t open its eyes or mouth. Its hands were spread open, so I was so shocked. If your maternal uncle hadn’t told me you were breathing, I would have fainted.”
“That’s right. When Young Count Ernhardt shook the baby’s shoulder, she let out a sigh.”
“After one sigh, she immediately fell asleep, so everyone was so flustered.”
“She must have been exhausted from being born.”
“Our Aizen cried so loudly!”
These were stories I didn’t remember. I felt awkward and distant, so I closed my lips tightly.
Feeling like I should say something, I thought for a moment and then slowly opened my mouth.
“⋯I didn’t know you were there then.”
“Of course, you shouldn’t have! You would have been even more surprised if you remembered the day you were born.”
“That’s not what I meant⋯.”
“We were going to stay for about a week longer, but as soon as your mother recovered, she sent us away, saying she and her husband were enough. She said it wasn’t good to have many people in a house with a newborn. Even though she’s my daughter, how can she be so cold.”
I subtly glanced at my father’s face.
William, as if hearing this for the first time, opened his mouth slightly and then closed it.
It was a time when they were awkward and avoided each other. It was obvious that Seiren hadn’t told her family about her strained relationship with her husband.
I lightly laughed, watching my father’s face turn pale and my mother’s blush deepen. It was their problem to resolve.
Seiren quickly changed the subject.
“Still, it’s fortunate that she slept soundly. Michael, from a young age, always wanted to do things quickly. I thought she’d be sensitive due to her impatient nature, but that wasn’t the case.”
“⋯That’s right. From a very young age, she wanted to stand on her own two feet instead of crawling, so I couldn’t take my eyes off her for fear she’d fall.”
William added, without taking his eyes off Seiren’s face.
“But she never caused any accidents.”
“Even when sleeping, she slept soundly through the night without waking up.”
“I thought children were just bothersome to hold.”
“Michael was so much like that, that even when Michael cried, you didn’t hold her and just shook a toy next to her. We both didn’t know how to comfort them.”
“It’s true⋯.”
It was heartwarming to see the couple exchange words so affectionately.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who found it pleasant; everyone, adults and children alike, had a smile plastered on their faces.
When the couple, who had been bickering, quieted down, my aunt chimed in, urging my uncle to show such affection too.
I had inwardly assumed my uncle, with his cool demeanor, had a cold personality and was a martial artist, so I found it awkward to see him being urged by my aunt.
However, my uncle looked at his two children one by one and blurted out.
“I don’t remember those times well. I was too busy worrying about you.”
“Hmph.”
Before my aunt could reply, a surprised sound escaped my lips.
I hadn’t realized I had made the sound, but the whole family looked at me and burst into laughter. I quickly covered my embarrassed face.
The painter’s assistant, suppressing a laugh, scurried over to me and adjusted my posture.
“No, why are you so surprised?”
“This time, I was a bit surprised too. Father doesn’t usually say things like this in front of others…”
“He must be sharpening his sword to win against Uncle.”
“⋯.”
I glanced at my uncle. His handsome face showed no hint of embarrassment.
His words about how pathetic it was to have a loveless marriage resonated anew.
“⋯Uncle and Aunt, where did you meet?”
“We first met at a ball. Your uncle was very famous then. He was the eldest son of the Duke, handsome, tall… When the Duke Valentia’s Young Master was said to attend a ball, the entire social circle would buzz… I went out of curiosity, wanting to see just how handsome he was.”
“It wasn’t that much.”
“Ah, wait. But there were so many people then that I couldn’t tell who the Duke Valentia’s Young Master was. So I…”
My aunt laughed, explaining that she was jostled by the crowd and couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the Duke Valentia’s Young Master she had wanted to see. She went for a walk feeling disappointed, her heel caught on a flagstone, and she was struggling when my uncle helped her. The explanation continued at length.
At that time, she hadn’t even properly seen his face and had just shyly bowed and run away. Later, my uncle approached her first and gifted her a pair of shoes.
“As I received those shoes, I said, ‘You shouldn’t do this unless you want to marry me.'”
“⋯What did Uncle reply?”
“He said just one thing. ‘That’s why I came.'”
“⋯Ah.”
My uncle remained silent throughout my aunt’s story.
There was a reason he had confidently asserted they would surely fall in love, even after arbitrarily kidnapping someone and pairing them up. He believed in love at first sight.
My uncle’s gaze, looking down at my aunt who was chattering away, was warmer than the spring sun. My throat felt ticklish.
Unlike me, who listened with rapt attention, my two cousins chuckled and shook their heads. Hendel grumbled that they had heard the story so many times it was etched into their ears, and clicked her tongue.
“I should practice breaking my heels too.”
“No, I didn’t do it on purpose.”
We sat listening to various stories, far exceeding the allotted time, and then had a late dinner. All the trivial stories were so interesting that I had a good appetite.