I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

What is the story of a star exactly?

Edgar wielded his wooden sword through the chill morning air in a perfect arc while lost in his own thoughts.

Since yesterday, curiosity has kept drilling into his brain cells nonstop, it would be have been great if he hadn't heard about it in the first place.

‘Should I go ask Mrs.Helena?'

He hurriedly shook the thought outta his head even though he clearly know that it was not a bad idea.

The sole reason Ariel couldn't tell him about the story was because of Helena's conditions, it seems like that is a secret that needs to be kept silent.

It will be almost impossible to hear the story from the said person who had put the conditions in the very first place.

‘If it were a story from a children's story book, wouldn't it be in the library?'

Among all the ideas that he could came up with after thinking over and over again, the idea of searching in the library sounds like a good idea.

Then again, wouldn't it be impossible to find the book, if the story is not from a literal story book but a random tale made up by Helena herself?

Swish. Swish.

The wooden sword cut through the wind and let out a sharp cutting sound.

Edgar let out a deep sigh and lay down as usual after swinging the sword two or three times more, as his training for today has come to an end.

The cold floor that had been exposed to the cold air for a long time greeted him, but it didn't matter because he was accustomed to it now.

“Ohh, I forgot to bring the sword.”

Yesterday, he had tried to use magic once with the sword Helena gave him, but he can't remember how the sword works, so it has been put off for later.

It's not urgent, so he plan to put it off until tomorrow. If possible, he wanted to get advice from Ariel as well.

After all, magic was no different from a complete stranger concept for Edgar.

The problem was, he ever wondered if Ariel would be good at teaching.

‘It seems that only she is only fast at learning and not good at teaching.'

He wondered if most geniuses(referring to Ariel) felt that way.

If you teach someone how to do it but then you can't do it yourself, and it's gonna be like, "Why can't I do this?"

Of course, it may just be his own judgement.

“You are awake early, Young Master. You are diligent.”

“Yes, Good morning Sheffy.”

They greeted each other warmly, but Edgar was still a bit awkward talking to Sheffy.

It was because he had already lived in this world for nearly ten years, but he still had the conscious mind that the other party was older than himself, and she should be treated with respect.

The relationship between them because of the different in statuses, was still very awkward, so he shift the topics.

“Is Ariel awake?”

Ariel's morning belongs to a slightly slower axis than Edgar's morning.

She tends to sleep quite deep untill the morning sun shone on her butts.

And she doesn't takes naps at all after that, but it is instead Edgar who liked to take little naps.

“Yeah, the young lady has been angry since morning, saying that she wasnt able to show young master magic last night. Didn't you see her?"

“I guess I went out as soon as I woke up.”

Come to think of it, something like that happened.

Yesterday, Ariel suddenly burst into tears, so he was in a hurry to show the stars, so he completely forgot about the magic sword.

Then wouldn't it be okay to use her sudden outburst as an excuse to learn magic today?

“As expected, when young miss is near you, she also seems to be affected by your diligence."

" Yahh? How is she normally?”

“Back at home, she get up much later than she do now. Because of that, the mistress often scolds her.”

When Edgar heard the story for the first time, he spat out a short exclamation.

But he doubt that Ariel's early awake has something to do with his presence.

After all, he's not some kind of human alarm clock.

As he tilted his head in confusion, faint laughter of Sheffy tickled his ears.

“Cough cough… Oh, sorry. Excuse me.”

"No. You can laugh if something funny happens.”

Or maybe the wind got into your lungs all of a sudden?

It was Edgar who was bothered by the fact that all eyes were on him, but decided to ignore it.

The first thing to do is to find Ariel.

She would be wandering around the inside of his mansion in search of himself, so playing around with her is also showing courtesy to his guests.

Even if his friend circle is only limited with that princess, it feels like he had already gave up on any diginity long time ago, but it's just a whim.

“Ah, Madam Helena.”

As Edgar headed towards her room, he saw a familiar figure in his eyes.

Helena, who was moving her steps with her wet black hair hanging down, stopped her steps at the sound of his voice and greeted him affectionately.

"You're up early, Ed. Is it because you are working hard on training?”

"Yes.There is still a long way to go.”

Seeing the wooden sword at his waist, Helena concluded that he just have been on sword training.

Her gaze at Edgar became even softer than usual.

“Don't push yourself too hard. Katria will also be worried.”

“Ok, please don’t worry.”

After the birthday party yesterday, Edgar became closer to Helena and decided to ease his words a little.

To be precise, it would be correct to describe it as ‘talk like a child’.

The way he used to talk to Helen before was definitely quite stiff, to the point where he himself felt a little awkward.

"Oh, ma'am, have you seen Ariel?”

"You mean Ariel? She's probably on the terrace."

"What? Terrace?"

What terrace? Did she go out to see the garden?

When Edgar blinked his eyes like a carp at the unexpected answer, Helena tapped him on the shoulder with an mysterious smile.

Then she slighy bent down and whispered in a hushed tone as if afraid of someone eavesdropping.

"Do you know where you can see from the terrace?”

"Isn't it just a garden?"

In the first place, the terrace was built to see the entire site, including the garden. It was such a natural answer.

Helena, laughed just like Sheffy did at his words and suddenly looked at the end of the hallway and whispered again.

"Anything else?"

"Oh… I don't know."

What is this? Riddles?

Edgar tilted his head when he couldn't come up with a proper answer.

Then Helena, who straighten her body, winked and gave him the last hint.

"When Ariel comes, ask her where she's been. Then you'll know.”

"Ok…"

Didn't you just say Ariel went to the terrace?

In any case, there was nothing to lose by listening to Helena, so, there was some doubts left, but Edgar decided to just listen to her.

Looking at the back of Helena, who was about to disappear after throwing him the last clue, Edgar called her urgently.

"Mmm, Mrs. Helena!"

"Huh? Do you have any thing left?”

"Yes, if you don't mind… Can you tell me what the is story of the star is?"

"Story of the Star? Did you hear it from Ariel?”

When Edgar nodded silently, Helena looked like, ‘What are you talking about, boy?'

At least it was a reproachful look that he hadn't ever seen on Helena Robeheim, whom he remembered.

That expression somewhat resembles the one Ariel had put on when she had confronted the stranger boy yesterday.

"Haha,I can't tell you that with my own mouth. It's a story that's been handed down from generation to generation in our family. I can only tell it to two people for the rest of my life."

"Only two people?”

"Yes."

Why only two? What kind of a great story could it be?

It is said that it is a story that has been handed down from generation to generation in the house, so became very curious to the story that sounded legendary.

"Do you mean the Robeheim family?"

"Uh-huh. I mean my original family."

"Then did Mrs. Helena also tell Ariel and someone else?"

"That's right.'

Who is that another person? If they're that precious, then the persom should be at least related or lovers.

He had a headache, thus Edgar decided not to think anymore.

Since Ariel used the expression ‘not yet', he might hear it someday.

"Thank you, ma'am. If I have a chance later, I will hear it from Ariel.”

"Oh, my."

“……?”

When their eyes met, Helena smiled with her mouth covered at Edgar's bold statement.

"I hope that day will come, Ed. I'm sure Ariel is looking forward to it too.”

"Yes."

Helena, disappeared after saying goodbye at the end of the conversation.

At the same time, he heard footsteps rushing toward the end of the hallway.

Tap, tap.

The light footsteps resemble rabbit's rather than human's.

Currently, there is only one person in this mansion who will make such footsteps.

There was a casual smile on Edgar's lips.

"Ariel, where have you been?”

"Huh? Well, there… To the dining hall for a momentarily."

"Dining hall?"

What dining hall? Wasn't she on the terrace?

A question mark appeared over Edgar's head as the statement that contradicted Helena's testimony.

He seems to be wiggling his hands as if there is something that is wrong.

Besides, a childhood friend with a bad appetite went to the dining hall for a walk without any reason?

In any ways, there was a hint of suspicion.

"Wasn't you on the terrace?"”

"Terrace, terrace? Why would I?"

"Why…"

Yo! There is not any law that states someone can't go to the terrace in the morning, is there any?

As Edgar stood blankly at the ridiculous answer, Ariel, who was watching, opened her mouth.

"What did you do this morning?”

"Me? I just did the training I always did."

"Huh… I see."

Why are you asking me about a routine that's not new?

It was a very exaggerated way of speaking and acting, whether he wanted to claim that he didn't know.

Edgar, who was questioning her, recalled a flower he saw in the garden during the training earlier and opened his mouth as a topic.

It was a flower that Ariel would like, so he should show her for atleast once.

"Come to think of it, did you see the flowers in the garden? It looked like the flower you liked."

“Ah, the one you squatted and watched?”

“… What?"

How the hell does she know if he was squatting or standing?

The unexpected answer paralyzed Edgar's thought circuit.

Before he could ask how she knew that, Ariel's body stiffened.

Realizing her own mistake belatedly, she kept her silence for about three seconds, then blushed.

There was a popping sound as the heat rising from her body escaped through her head.

“I-I’m going to bed now! Good night, Ed!”

"What? Hey, normally you don't even take a nap… wait?"

Why does she suddenly want to take a nap as if she hasn't slept well in her entire life?

Did she had bad dreams in the morning? But she woke up earlier than usual, so there the least chance of having nightmares.

‘She probably must have seen quite a few strange things on the terrace.'

‘Does she meet any dragons there?

No, if she had seen that, she would not have lived while he was training in the garden. (Dumb ass Edgar, garden could be seen on full view from the terrace and you were the one training in the garden.)

Edgar once again shook his head to shake out the trivial thoughts.

In the end, the story of the stars and the reason Ariel went to the terrace early in the morning remain a mystery.

It was a fruitless morning in which not a single problem was properly figured out.