By Zephyria As Michael wished, new fairies came between the two of us.
Reni, who had smiled brightly during Michael’s time, saying this much would be enough to have five children, couldn’t even swallow water properly as soon as she became pregnant with Asdel. She felt like she would die just by smelling stew or bread, and she couldn’t chew salad more than twice, saying it was too bitter. I held Reni’s hands as she cried, saying the fruit was too sour and the cream too rich to even smell.
What a beautiful child must be born to torment their mother like this.
I couldn’t bear to watch Reni grow thinner day by day. For a month, I put everything else aside, even work, and chased after her, trying to get her to eat anything. Since she said citrus scents were okay, I peeled the ripest oranges completely, cut the pulp, which was only as big as my pinky finger, into pieces as small as my fingernail, and put them in her mouth.
“⋯Oh?”
“How is it? A little better?”
“Yes, yes. It’s delicious⋯. What is it? Maybe because I only ate a little?”
“This much?”
“Yes. Give me more.”
Her lips, paler and drier than before, brushed against my fingertips. My heart ached with joy watching her nibble and accept it. She’s alive. It’s working. I couldn’t miss this brief opportunity and frantically peeled oranges without rest. Perhaps feeling greedy, Reni peeled an orange herself and put it in her mouth, her brow furrowing tightly.
“Why. Can’t you eat more?”
“No⋯. The taste is different from what you gave me.”
“Really? Why?”
Her delicate, slender fingers accepted the orange I put into her mouth without complaint. It tasted no different from what I had tasted before giving it to her, but knowing she had a far keener palate than I did, I didn’t question it.
After she had devoured two oranges, she asked for something else, so I had various fruits brought in. Strangely, Reni would only eat what I fed her with my own hands. Even the salads she loved so much before her pregnancy, she couldn’t eat if the sauce was already mixed in; she would only eat leaves I tore with my fingers and fed her.
Her morning sickness hadn’t subsided, but it was better than before. Now, I could look forward to meal times and spend my days. Michael, seeing this, decided to eat separately for a while and left, making our time even more lovey-dovey.
But when Reni was pregnant with Michael and Asdel, she ate plenty of bread, vegetables, and meat. I wondered if it was okay for her to eat only fruits and vegetables like this every day.
If it was about my touch, what if I baked bread myself? With that thought, I pestered the cook and learned how to bake bread and boil stew. However, when I brought what I made to the table, Reni invariably gagged.
Not wanting her to feel guilty when she was already unwell, I couldn’t bring myself to tell her I had made them myself and instead said,
“Then, shall I try baking bread next?”
“⋯Willy?”
“Yes, me. I’ll do it myself, from the dough. You can just sit next to me and watch me bake, and then take a bite of the freshly baked, warm bread. If the smell is too much, you can step out for a moment.”
“⋯.”
“Why, do you still think you won’t be able to eat it?”
“No⋯. Because I feel sorry.”
“Who should be feeling sorry right now? Let’s try it first, okay?”
“⋯Yes. Okay.”
Her face, which broke into a shy smile, was as radiantly beautiful as before she fell ill. Unable to contain my joy, I kissed her fruit-scented lips several times. Then Reni whispered shyly,
“Our third child seems to be a very loving one. They only want to eat what Daddy gives them.”
“I suppose so. But it’s alright. I’ll make sure both Reni and the baby eat well.”
“⋯Yes.”
Thanks to practicing multiple times, I no longer needed the cook’s help.
I brought a plush chair to a corner of the kitchen and had Reni sit down. Reni, watching me knead the dough, tilted her head in wonder, but I simply brushed it off, saying I learned it as a hobby.
The freshly baked loaf of bread had a warm, sweet aroma. Without even waiting for it to cool on the rack, I tore off an end of the hot bread. Reni, who had been swallowing her saliva without moving away while the bread baked, readily accepted the bread I cooled with a gentle blow.
Afraid her appetite might vanish instantly, I stayed glued to her side without asking if it was delicious. The cooks, watching me, chuckled softly and stepped back. After devouring half of the thick bread in one go, she suddenly started to cry.
“⋯Why, why? Do you not want to eat anymore? Shall we go out? Shall we go upstairs?”
“No⋯. It’s too, too delicious⋯.”
“Ah. Water, shall I get you water? Hmm?”
“⋯Grape juice⋯.”
“Yes, juice it is.”
It was then. Behind the maids rushing to find juice, a familiar head peeked out. Michael, who now ran faster than anyone else in this mansion, had sweat beading on his forehead, indicating he had run quite hard. Worry was etched all over his young face.
“Michael? What are you doing here. I thought you were watching Hael.”
“I was surprised to hear Mother could finally eat proper food. Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes. You should try some too, it’s very delicious.”
As Reni reached for the bread, I quickly tore off a handful and placed it in Michael’s hand, startled lest her delicate fingertips get burned. Unaware of the effort I had put into baking it, Michael chewed the bread with a slightly displeased look. He was probably going to scold me for giving it to him by hand instead of with cutlery.
Watching this, Reni giggled again and put on a mischievous voice.
“Next time, bake me a cake too. With lots of chocolate in it.”
Chocolate was Michael’s favorite food. Looking down at my child’s eyes already sparkling, I couldn’t be happier. Tearing off another piece of bread and putting it in Reni’s mouth, I replied softly,
“Yes. Next time, I’ll make it big enough for the three of us, including Michael.”
Michael wasn’t like this.
Michael and Asdel cried incessantly unless someone held them. Michael, especially, was more clingy than Asdel; even with me, Reni, and all the servants and maids holding and comforting him, Michael preferred Michael’s embrace.
Seeing Michael dote on his older brother more than his parents, Reni was greatly shocked and said she wanted to take care of Asdel herself. Having already experienced Michael, I knew well how to hold a baby, bathe them, and change their diapers, so I joined in childcare.
So, these days, our routines were mostly similar. If Asdel fussed, Reni would hold and comfort him. If Asdel cried or struggled, I would hold and soothe him. On the other hand, Michael was always carried or had Michael on his back.
It was so cute and amusing to see a baby carrying a baby. Watching Michael, who carried the baby on his back, wrapped snugly in a blanket as if he had learned it from somewhere, always made me laugh.
It was fortunate that Michael, even at a young age, was strong and had good balance. Even watching Michael spin around the Greenhouse seven times with Michael on his back, everyone, including the surrounding servants and maids, didn’t worry about the children falling.
As we were basking in this happiness, Reni, who was comforting Asdel in her arms, suddenly let out a sigh.
“Michael seems to like Michael more than his mother.”
“It might be because Mika named him. He insisted that his younger sibling’s name must be derived from his own name.”
“⋯It’s not that⋯.”
“Not that?”
“Maybe it’s because I was unwell right after Michael was born and couldn’t hold him properly.”
“That’s impossible.”
I answered immediately, but inwardly, I thought it was quite plausible.
During pregnancy, artifacts are not used much to prevent any unforeseen events, but it was different postpartum. Reni, having shed her pain with a healing artifact, immediately made her long-delayed desires known, and I never refused her.
I hadn’t expected a third child so soon.
However, unable to bear Reni’s worried face, I quickly changed the subject.
“Michael begged so much for a sibling, so perhaps Michael knows that and that’s why he’s like this. Look, he’s even taken off his sword training because he’s afraid the baby might get hurt.”
“⋯.”
“Are you worried?”
“No. Even so, Mika is still a child⋯.”
“I subtly asked, and he said he likes it because it’s warm, better than increasing the weight of the sandbags. He’ll be fine. He’s a child who says if he doesn’t like something.”
“⋯That’s true.”
“Don’t worry too much⋯. Now, give Adel over here.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I think it’s time to change his diaper.”
“Ah. Uh-huh. Here.”
“Rest for a bit. I’ll be right back.”
“Yes. Oh, right. In a week, Father will be stopping by briefly to see the children.”
“He’s probably on his way to the Imperial Conference, isn’t he?”
“Yes. He wants to stay for about three days, not too long. Shall we invite Father too?”
“That would be nice.”
I was gradually getting used to hosting the members of the Valentia family, who would drop by under the guise of the Imperial Conference to see their grandchildren. My father, who had no friends like me, considered becoming in-laws with the former Duke of Valentia his lifelong pride and would visit the Viscount’s residence whenever he came.
And so, every day was busy. The children grew up so fast. Once Michael no longer cried when he wasn’t held, Michael began his delayed extreme training. Michael took care of Asdel, just as he had been doted on by Michael.
Michael showed immense talent, even among the Knights, from the time his limbs began to grow. Seiren unhesitatingly recommended Michael for early admission to the Academy, and Michael entered the Academy with ease.
Having entered early, Michael was hailed as a prodigy and genius everywhere. Could there be any other days that felt so peaceful and beautiful?
However, one summer day in the year Michael turned fifteen and came of age.
A peculiar letter arrived from my eldest son, whom I had raised well and sent to the Academy.