episode_0006

A rough carriage with a white bear symbolizing the north on the outside.

It wasn’t flashy for a noble’s ride, but it was large and sturdy. The rough-natured northerners would prefer such practical design over ornate decorations, whether noble or not.

Darin boarded the carriage escorted by Kael. The coachman confirmed the owner’s presence and immediately set off. Exhausted from listening to Emma’s complaints since morning, Darin chatted with Kael for a while before dozing off.

“Uh?”

“What’s up?”

“Something on your chest?”

“…What are you doing, Kael?”

How long had he been asleep? Half-awake, Darin opened his eyes to find Kael gently smoothing out the fabric near the girl’s protruding chest. It would be more accurate to say the fabric than the chest.

“Did your clothes get terribly rumpled?”

“Oh, did I talk in my sleep? Thanks, Kael.”

“Don’t mention it.”

So, he had corrected his mother’s untidy appearance. What else had he done? Darin briefly hesitated, reflecting on his own attitude.

“Feeling a bit less tired?”

“For now? I didn’t sleep deeply, probably because I was tense going outside after a long time.”

“Feel free to rest whenever you want. It’ll take a full day to arrive.”

“But I feel bad just sleeping while leaving you. Do you want to rest a bit, Kael?”

“I’m fine. I can go without sleep for three days and nights at some point.”

“You don’t know what kind of person I am, right? But this isn’t a battlefield, it’s your safe haven, isn’t it?”

She didn’t know the level of the hero party, but she knew they were a group of the strongest talents. Her son, who had been in charge of the vanguard here, must have had tremendous power.

Even before leaving on the expedition, she remembered that his power was extraordinary. She hoped her son could relax as much as he did in his mother’s arms, even if he surpassed his mother now.

“Your enemies are nowhere to be found here. You can lie down when you want to and eat when you want to.”

“If that’s what Mother says.”

Kael’s gaze naturally turned towards the girl’s thighs. I understand very well what that means.

“Mother, the seat is too hard.”

If someone else heard it, they would think it’s nonsense. Would a chair for nobles be hard? But to Darin, it’s a familiar tantrum. Just like always, he probably wants to lean on his mother’s legs.

“But Kael, isn’t it a bit much to want your mother’s lap pillow at your age?”

“What does my age have to do with it? It’s a fact that I’m your son, isn’t it?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

It’s unbearable every time he expresses affection so shamelessly like that. Who in the world loves their parents like that?

“I haven’t had a lap pillow since I became an adult.”

Has he missed his mother’s embrace after being away for so long? Darin thought that if the child who was soon to be married acted like that, it wouldn’t be good. But she reluctantly decided to allow him to embrace her.

“Just until you get married? People will wonder what’s wrong with me if they see this.”

Her son just smiled faintly without saying anything in response to his parent’s words. Lately, he has been responding more often with just his expression. Darin only felt that she didn’t know what her son was thinking.

“It’s not like the stockings are worn out or anything.”

She moved to the innermost part of the seat and then tapped her thigh. It meant “lie down here.” Kael seemed about to lean towards her white leg right away, but…

“Mother, could you lift your skirt?”

“…Huh?”

“When I was little, you let me lie on your bare skin, didn’t you?”

“…Ah.”

I understand what he means. When he was very young, they bathed together, so it wouldn’t be strange for a child to lean on their parent’s bare thigh. However, Darin did that when Kael was a preschooler.

And no matter how commoner-born he may be, it’s still not quite appropriate for a noblewoman to expose her bare skin in public.

“Kael, that doesn’t seem right.”

“Can’t we…?”

The tone was truly regretful. However, even if Darin said they were fine, she didn’t want to engage in behavior that might seem improper to others.

“If I were to lay you on my bare skin, I’d have to lift the dress up inside as well, right…?”

“This is a soundproof room, Mother. The servants wouldn’t even know what we’re doing.”

It’s like whispering a line when engaging in intimate acts in a secret room. Anyway, it was clear that there was a sense of reluctance, perhaps because it had been so long since she had exposed her skin near a child. Confusion clouded the lady’s face.

“Well, your mother is also a noblewoman…”

“Before being a noblewoman, isn’t she my mother?”

“…That’s true, but why are you so insistent today? You’re more persistent than usual.”

“It’s not for any significant reason. I remembered feeling calm when I sensed Mother’s body temperature after having a nightmare.”

…”

Bringing up old stories seems to have left the woman speechless. But really, isn’t this going too far? If the dress is lifted, underwear will be visible. Is allowing such a thing to a mature child the right thing to do?

“Come on.”

“Wait, just a moment. This is an act that isn’t proper for others to see…”

“Mother, let me say it again. The carriage won’t stop during the journey. There won’t be a sound either.”

“But still…”

“And is it really so important how others perceive it? I’ve lived knowing only you since I was young. Isn’t that the case for you too, Mother? We don’t need to worry about trivial matters when expressing affection for each other.”

“It’s important to consider how others will perceive it, even if it’s not visible.”

It’s the flawed thinking of those who view this sight as strange. Surely, Mother is upright. It doesn’t matter, does it?

Darine’s face showed a look of helplessness. Also, after hearing the child’s words, it seemed important to share affection, but it didn’t seem morally right. However, if the parents reject it after talking so much, how disappointed will the child be with me?

“I don’t want things to get awkward with Cael after meeting him for the first time in a long while.”

Since returning from the expedition, the child had shown strong resistance to “rejection.” Before, it had been limited to expressing resentment, but this time, it was like slamming the door and leaving. Could it be said that he truly expressed anger? Perhaps the aftermath of the war had made his temperament rough.

Darine did not want to face her child’s attitude once again. More than anything, she feared being hated by her children. Cael and Piel were beings she loved more than anyone else.

– Swish, swish.

A faint redness began to rise on her pale cheek. Her trembling hand delicately lifted the dress, a truly pitiful sight. At first, Darine slowly raised the fabric, but then, thinking that hesitating would be even more embarrassing, she quickly pulled up the dress.

“I should boast to Piel. My parents have really soft skin.”

It was the first thing Cael blurted out as he rested his head on his mother’s thigh. Although a slight shiver ran through her at the touch of his bare head, she pretended not to be affected.

“Why boast? After all, Piel is your younger brother, isn’t he?”

“Just… I just want to share this joy with someone.”

“Thanks for saying it nicely, but never tell Piel.”

“Hahaha…”

Was Cael just taking it lightly? His laughter echoed throughout the carriage. But he was truly serious.

“It’s the same with your father. If he finds out, he’ll definitely make a big deal out of it.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter now, does it?”

Darin stroked his son’s white hair slowly, wearing a puzzled expression. Does this kid really not know and is asking? Even the servants know that my husband is fastidious, and now it doesn’t matter? My husband will be back soon anyway.

“As you know, your father is quite peculiar, isn’t he?”

“Not just peculiar. Sometimes, every time I see my father…”

A portrait of his father formed in the man’s mind.

A beast that pounced on his mother whenever he had the chance upon returning.

A demon that ruthlessly pierced through the innermost thoughts of a young girl who hadn’t even reached puberty.

Kael hesitated for a moment before spitting out accusations against his father. It was because his mother looked at him with a pitiful expression. She knew that her son hated his father, but she didn’t like open accusations.

In the end, it was an inevitable fate of blood. You too will eventually accept your father, won’t you?

However, Kael received his mother’s pity as scorn.

As I said earlier, there is no longer any need to hesitate.