Chapter 50

※This is a story after Chapter 1.

Noah had fallen ill.

During the training in magic and swordsmanship, he had overused his magical power. Despite being strictly warned not to overexert himself, he had apparently disobeyed Claudia’s instructions.

At dinner, when she noticed he was unusually absent-minded, she found he had a high fever upon touching him. Even after being laid down on the bed, he tried to get up whenever he had the chance.

“...Princess, I’m fine, really.”

“No, you’re not. What are you saying?”

Claudia, who was sitting beside him, gently pushed Noah back onto the bed, pressing her hand against his forehead. The fact that the usually six-year-old Claudia could easily push down the nine-year-old Noah wasn’t just because he was weak.

Noah, pressing the back of his hand to his eyes, said with a somewhat regretful voice:

“...Why are you in your adult form, Princess...”

As Noah pointed out, Claudia was currently in the form of a sixteen-year-old adult. However, the reason was quite simple.

“I can’t take care of you properly in my original small form.”

“I don’t need it. I can manage on my own. Besides, I don’t even need to be lying down like this...”

“That’s why I’m staying by your side, so you don’t say you’re ‘fine’ and get up. Understand?”

Upon hearing this, Noah fell silent, looking embarrassed. Claudia narrowed her eyes and gently scolded him, as if soothing a troublesome servant.

“Your condition is due to overusing your magical power, so it can’t be healed by magic. You should have felt extremely sleepy before you reached this point of exhaustion. If you had slept then, you wouldn’t have gotten this sick.”

“...”

Claudia gently brushed Noah’s damp bangs away from his forehead with her long fingers.

“What a naughty boy, Noah.”

“...”

She scolded him softly, as if speaking to a young child.

“Haha, so as punishment, I’ll make sure you rest, even if you don’t want to, to prevent you from overexerting yourself again.”

Claudia’s voice, now in her adult form, was clear and gentle. When she spoke slowly, it took on a sweet tone, like she was soothing a child.

Perhaps because of this, Noah’s expression became even more complex.

“...I do feel remorse.”

“Oh, really?”

To make him more comfortable, she used magic to create a cool breeze. Touching his forehead with her cold fingers, she heard Noah exhale softly.

“My eagerness to grow stronger made me lose sight of myself. I didn’t realize the difference between effort and overexertion. It was a mistake to create a setback for myself by falling ill. It’s utterly foolish...”

After speaking so much, he seemed to become uncomfortable. He coughed slightly and turned over, facing away. Claudia gently stroked his head.

“If you’re aware of that, there’s nothing more I need to say.”

However, she hadn’t intended to scold him with words from the beginning. Just the fact that Claudia was taking care of him was a situation Noah had wanted to avoid, and it was enough to make him suffer.

“I’m looking forward to your growth too, but only if you stay healthy.”

“...”

After saying this, Claudia thought for a moment.

(Maybe it would be better if someone else took care of him. Should I call Karlheinz...?)

At that moment, a small voice reached her ears.

“...I don’t want to be alone without you.”

“...”

Surprised by the unexpected words, Claudia’s eyes widened.

“Your power is great, and no one in this world can match it. You are far ahead of me, and I understand the vast gap between us. ...But that’s why...”

Noah, still facing away, gripped the sheets tightly.

“...I don’t want to give up from the start, thinking I can’t catch up.”

“...Noah”

His words were more like a soliloquy than a statement to Claudia.

“If there were even one person who could match you... If that person were me... Maybe you wouldn’t have to make the choice to sacrifice yourself again.”

Noah was probably thinking of the decision ‘Ardelheit’ made five hundred years ago. Or perhaps it was about the recent incident when Claudia faced her half-sister’s curse and tried to fight alone.

Claudia smiled wryly and continued to gently stroke Noah’s head.

“Didn’t we make a promise back then? That I wouldn’t bear the burden alone. That I would let you suffer and be hurt alongside me.”

“...If I remain young and weak, you will undoubtedly hesitate to let me share your burden.”

“!”

Noah, who had been facing away, grabbed Claudia’s hand tightly. Looking up at her, he met her eyes with his obsidian gaze.

“No matter how difficult it is, I will definitely be by your side one day. I won’t let you bear anything alone.”

“...”

“Because I will... definitely catch up to you, Princess...”

After these words, a soft snore could be heard. Looking down at Noah, who had closed his eyes, Claudia smiled softly.

“To resist the sleepiness from magical exhaustion to this extent at nine years old... You’re always so promising.”

She helped him lie on his back and pulled the blanket up to his neck. Claudia cast a spell to adjust the fire in the fireplace in Noah’s room.

Looking at the sleeping Noah, she thought:

(No one has ever tried to catch up to me before. ...And no one has ever said they would live with me or promised to stay by my side, except for you.)

Claudia smiled and gently touched Noah’s head. Instead of a lullaby, she said the opposite of what she had said earlier:

“...You’re a good boy, Noah.”

“Mm...”

Claudia wished for Noah’s happiness and growth. And Noah himself believed that his happiness could only be found by Claudia’s side.

Despite this, she watched him grow steadily, singing a quiet lullaby.