Chapter 62

Alro seemed to be gradually getting used to the mansion.

Alro was given a room at the back of the first floor where some of the servants slept. It had been a guest room until now, but Alro had been modest, so they decided to hire him as a servant.

In terms of position, he would be Marivel's attendant.

However, since he didn't have much experience as an attendant, he was learning various things from Tan.

Meanwhile, the transfer of Lennon to the facility was completed without Alro meeting him, and the negotiations with the Zieg family were also finished.

Cynthia visited the royal castle with Marivel and Sofia.

As soon as they arrived, Marivel went to visit the former king at the annex, so Sofia and Cynthia met Iena and Alex.

"——Really, the academy is quite a problem."

Iena frowned seriously.

Many of the academy's teachers had been replaced, and Iena, who had been extremely busy, had finally calmed down a bit. She had played a significant role in the royal family-led reform of the academy.

"Supremacy of magic was also prevalent in our time... but I don't think we were ever belittled."

"Lias said the same thing."

Cynthia said this while offering Alex the clay she had brought as a gift. It was the popular wheat clay made in the kitchen for the Pencillia children.

Since the war, the emphasis on magic has increased.

"It's unacceptable for educators to stifle the potential of children."

This was a typical Iena statement. Iena had taught students alongside her research.

"——I need to be more involved in the management of the academy."

"......Please don't overwork yourself."

Iena tended to work too hard, pouring her full effort into both parenting and work, which was a bit worrying.

Ortimiti had been complaining about how to get her to rest.

"Alex, this is how you do it."

Sofia, acting like a big sister, was teaching Alex how to use the clay.

"Look, a kitty!"

"Kitty... tan..."

"If you do this... a bird!"

"Bird... cha..."

His chubby cheeks wobbled as he spoke, and he drooled a lot from trying so hard.

"Voice..."

"This is... hmm, what is it?"

"Maybe a horse?"

The two seemed to have a similar wavelength, and their conversation was relatively smooth.

"What is it?"

"Maybe a horse?"

Seeing Sofia tilt her head, Alex tilted his head in sync and then both of them laughed.

Cynthia couldn't help but cover her mouth.

"Oh no... I can't stand it."

"Sofia coming here is a blessing because she doesn't say 'no' like usual."

"Usually, she says 'no'?"

"......I had seen Sofia when she was two, so I thought I had an idea of what to expect... but being told 'no' all day is more destructive than I imagined."

"That's true. She also throws tantrums and tries to negotiate."

Now, it's a cute memory. But at the time, it was hard to think of it that way.

"My husband and I have different approaches."

"She's a smart child."

"When she's with me, she immediately asks for a hug, but with my husband, she plays alone. ——Or rather, she's very well-behaved when she's with my husband..."

Iena sighed deeply.

Oh dear. She might be quite exhausted.

"——Is my approach wrong? Is that why she's so spoiled—"

"Wait, wait."

Cynthia hurriedly interrupted.

"Your Highness. To call a two-year-old spoiled... A well-behaved two-year-old is more frightening."

"——That's true. I guess that's right."

"You're considerate, Alex."

She laughed.

"Considerate...? At two?"

"Or rather, you're taking full advantage of Iena, aren't you?"

"......Yes, is that how boys are? He's very clingy."

Iena's serious face made Cynthia laugh again.

Is she trying to analyze it? She seems to have a researcher's temperament.

"That clinginess... No, that's part of it. For Alex, you are a safe mother who forgives everything. He feels completely secure."

"Safe..."

"Eidan was the same. He used me as a safe base. When he went to play, if there was a loud noise, he would run back to me first. I was sick and lying down at the time... but he relied on me so much. It was so cute and made me so happy."

"Oh, that's true for Alex too. I'm the center, and his activity range is like a circle around me."

"Exactly. ——You are the ideal mother for Alex, someone he feels safe with and who responds to him."

Iena looked like she was swallowing something.

"Being able to be spoiled by you and not by Titi is a form of trust. Alex trusts you wholeheartedly. He believes you will forgive him no matter what and will never abandon your love for him. I think that's what he needs most right now."

Iena finally covered her face.

Cynthia gently placed her hand on her shoulder.

"——Despite your busy schedule, you still make time for Alex and face him properly. That's wonderful."

"......S-stop it..."

Iena squeezed out a voice mixed with snot.

"Why, why do you say such things... These are the words I wanted to hear..."

Of course.

Words that made you happy, you remember. Painful words too.

I know how reassuring it is to be told that your child is growing well. I wanted to convey that to Iena too.

"Hehe, your tear glands are so loose after childbirth."

"Are you calling it postpartum? It's been two years already."

Cynthia found the crying Iena somehow cute.

"——Is it tea time?"

Alex looked up with a face that seemed like he was about to cry.

"Is Iena-sama crying?"

"No! I'm not crying."

Her quick switch was worthy of a queen.

Her tears stopped instantly, and she was already smiling.

Sofia hugged the anxious Alex.

"There, there, it's okay. Mother is not sad. She's happy, happy."

"......What, ki?"

The way Sofia comforted him was exactly like Cynthia.

Iena pressed her chest as if in distress.

"......No, my sister, can I call an artist? How adorable!!"

"Really. They look like siblings."

With their golden hair and similar features.

The two mothers couldn't help but smile at the cuteness of the hugging children.

After playing for a while, everyone visited the annex.

The former king was watering plants with Marivel in the greenhouse.

"Father."

When she called out, her father stopped and smiled a little.

He had started to smile naturally recently.

"Cynthia. You came."

"Did Marivel not cause any trouble?"

"As always, she was a very good girl."

Marivel seemed satisfied with this answer and resumed watering with a smile.

Father sat on a bench, patting his back. Cynthia sat next to him. Iena sat on a bench a little away so the children could see well.

The children started playing with the soil, accompanied by the castle's maids.

"Are you well?"

"Yes, very. How about you, Father?"

"I'm fine today. The weather is good too."

He seemed to feel down on rainy days. Still, compared to before, he was much calmer.

"What are you growing now?"

"I planted daffodils. Marivel said she likes them."

"Wow. Thank you."

The children's high voices echoed in the greenhouse.

"——I heard about the academy."

Father's eyes drooped sadly, and his wrinkles had deepened.

"Did Marivel suffer? My rule was full of bad things..."

Indeed, after the war, the academy had taken the wrong path with its emphasis on magic, but that was a result of the post-war aftermath.

Father had a habit of blaming himself for everything.

"What are you saying?"

Cynthia lightly pushed Father's shoulder with hers.

"Can't you hear? These happy laughter?"

At this, Father raised his head.

"These are the smiles of children built on the peace you created."

Marivel watered the soil, and Sofia and Alex started making mud pies.

"Marie, water this way."

"Big sister, right!"

"There's too much water, it won't hold together."

"Stop complaining. Mud pies are made by balancing wet soil and the white soil over there."

"Can you do it, big sister?"

"No way. I'll get dirty."

"You can't do it?"

"Can't, no?"

Looking up at the two, Marivel made a displeased face.

Usually, Marivel was dominant, but when Sofia had Alex on her side, it was hard for her to argue as usual.

"Hey, cha. Cha!"

Alex extended his muddy hands towards Marivel.

"——Eek, stop! It's dirty!"

"Alex, look, big sister is happy."

"I'm not happy! No way!"

Marivel's high-pitched scream made Alex happy, and he started chasing her. Marivel ran away in earnest, and Sofia watched, laughing.

"——Ah, it's blinding."

Father squinted as he watched the children.

His eyes seemed to have a slight tear.

Cynthia pretended not to notice and leaned a little on Father's shoulder.

Chapter 2 ends here.

You might think, "It's not resolved yet," right? Yes...

This chapter left a slightly bitter taste.

It's not something that can be resolved easily, I think.

Even after being treated badly, it's hard to break away.

Sometimes, working too hard makes it hard to see the right answer.

There are many different forms of parent-child relationships.

——I don't have any particular message or feeling I want to convey through this.

I just hope you enjoyed it. That's all.

Thank you for reading. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I appreciated your feedback. Thank you very much.

I still have stories I want to write, but I would like to take a break for now.

I would be happy if you could continue to follow the growth of the children and Cynthia and Lias.

Thank you very much.