I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

Maybe because he was suffering from fever all night.

Edgar woke up the next morning to realize that his body was slightly heavier than usual.

Most importantly, his head was not feeling well at all and his shoulder felt as if he was carrying a heavy weight load.

‘It's not good.’

And he has no choice but to rest from his daily training because of not feeling well.

It felt like the daily training has become apart of his life, so skipping a day of training still left him feeling uncomfortable.

A rustle sounded.

"Oh my god!"

Edgar was knocked backward heavily by an uninvited guest he encountered as soon as he left the room.

What the hell!, His whole body was aching badly and the fall only made the matter worse.

He was worries that his tail bone might be hurt, but fortunately the pain was only for a moment. But still, who's the culprit?!

“Oh my, I’m so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you.".

Ed: ‘You've been hot on your heels earlier.'

The raven dark hair came into his view first and then belatedly came the familiar voice that tickled near his ears.

Edgar stood up from the floor with a wry smile on his face without even looking at her face.

" It's okay. But what are you doing here early in the morning?”

" My mom told me to call you for breakfast. If you're still not up yet, she told me that she'll have the maids bring it to your room."

" Ahh." It is already time for breakfast, Edgar subconsciously checked the time.

Waking up later than usual, it seems that his body was indeed tired out from yesterday's event.

‘Let's go eat.'

Even though he was not fully recovered yet, he was atleast able to walk to the dining table and eat breakfast himself.

When he touched his forehead, his fever seemed to have gone down considerably, and moving around might help him recover.

“Are you still not feeling well? Shall I ask the maid to bring the breakfast upstair?”

When he pause to have her an answer, Ariel asked with a worried expression while examining his complexion intently.

Edgar shook his head hurriedly.

If he just blatantly told the truth, she might end up crying again. She was really a soft hearted girl.

“No, let’s go together. I am almost all better.”

"Okay? Thank god."

Ariel took the lead and strode forward with a bright face almost immediately after hearing his confirmation.

‘She really is bossy. ‘

To be exact, Ariel liked to be followed by others rather than be the one following.

He's not sure if it's because of the teachings from the house of Grand Duke, or if it's just by her nature.

In this sense, the two were a compatible friends. He also preferred to be the follower rather than lead others.

There was also another fact that if you follow Ariel's leads, you can always find something fun to play with.

"If you're all better, what should we do today?"”

"Are you going to have fun today?"

"Yes, I'm so bored in the mansion."

He don't know if he should praise her for having a big appetite. (Meanings she still wants to have another fun after fooling around yesterday already.)

It was hilarious to see the little girl brightly worrying about what she should play after going through what happened yesterday, he wondered if it's because of the innocence of a 10-year-old.

‘Will it be all right?'

The problem is that his physical condition is not suitable for running around today.

Ariel didn't seem to have much trouble walking, even though she sprained her ankle yesterday, but he isn't.

However, if I refused the little girl's offer, saying I'm not well yet, the next situation is pretty well predictable.

"Let's eat first and think about it later."

"Ok"

For now, decided to buy sometime first before giving his answer.

Soon after, the two arrived at the dining table and quietly went inside.

A total of four people sat at the table, except for Edgar's father, who left the mansion for a while due to official duties.

Edgar: "I'm sorry I'm late."

"I'm just about to serve food. It's all right, so please sit down." Helena smiled kindly and pointed a seat.

The upper seat was empty, and Helen and Katria were sitting opposite each other, and Edgar's designated seat was also next to his mother.

"How are you feeling, son?”

"It's okay, please don't worry.”

"Yeah, you must have had a hard time. Your friend has been praising you so much…….”

Katria pats Edgar's head after giving him a pledge not to overdo it next time.

Edgar nodded his head gently and observed the plate that is placed in front of him.

"It's meat! It's good."

People say that if you're not feeling well, you won'tt have an appetite, but Edgar was the opposite.

Instead, his appetite increase at time like this and he had to fill his growling stomach quickly.

So, today's menu is a very good option for him.

"Edgar, is there anything you want?”

"What I want to…You mean?”

Helena secretly asked Edgar, who was cutting and eating the steak in front of her.

Is she trying to gave me a compensation because she felt sorry for what happened to me yesterday?

The question was too timely to be mistaken for it's intentions.

But it is impossible for him to point it out balantly, so Edgar decided to take a peek at what is her intentions first

"If it's because of what happened yesterday, it's okay."

"Huh? Oh, it's not just because of that. I'm sorry to make you misunderstand."

"Huh? Then why…….”

Did she just suddenly wanted to gift him something, that's why she asked.

There were times when Helena brought over presents, but they were all at family gatherings and she rarely brought presents for Edgar particularly.

That's why he thought his guess was correct, but since it wasn't the question in his mind only deepens.

Helena, who had laughed at Edgar, opened her eyes wide and glanced at Ariel.

The image of her daughter wiggling her hands without even eating properly looked cute today.

"It's your birthday soon. I wanted to give you a present as well as a return gift for yesterday.” (return here means his return alive to home.)

"Ah!"

Edgar then realized that his own birthday was coming up in three days.

‘I totally forgot about it.'

He tends to care about other people's birthdays, but he didn't know if it was because of him not wanting to celebrate his birthday or he just doesn't care.

Since it's a birthday present, he should thank her.

Rather, if he were to refuse this, it will be an insult to the other party

"Then… I'd like to receive a sword."”

"A sword?"

Both Robeheim mother and daughter's eyes were round at the unexpected answer.

Why would a fairly 10-year-old kid want a sword, is it to keep it as an ornament? Just don't tell me it's for him to use, right?

"It's not difficult, but I want to ask you. Why do you want it first?"

Even in a fairly famous aristocratic family, a real sword was given to the eldest son only after he turns 13 years old.

One can learn martial arts and train before that, but he can only practice with a wooden sword until then.

This was not simply because it was dangerous for a child to use.

A sword is a will. It was believed that those who possessed the sword must have a strong will to wield it.

‘Does this child really have that much will?’

She always has an intuition that this child is about unusual.

However, gifting a sword had a completely different meaning.

As the proud mistress of the Robeheim family, giving someone a sword is tantamount to proving their will and honor.

It means that she would be gifting a sword not as the woman named Helena but as the mistress carrying the honor of the Robeheim family.

Edgar did not avoid Helene's penetrating gaze.

Rather, he faced her with his firm eyes, as if to prove his will.

It doesn't mean much. Because he can't even perform a set of sword practice in the first place.

But yesterday's event prove Helena that if Edgar wants to protect the little immature princess from her side, than his current strength isn't enough.

"I don't need a sword. I just want to receive it as a symbol of my determination.”

"You have made up your mind."

Helena looked into Edgar's eyes with silence at the end of the sentence.

He's a very strange child. Any other child of his age would have tried to persuade what they want with a lengthy reasons.

She wasn't kind of a woman to fall for such nonsense.

But what about this boy?

He does not reveal any specific aspirations or tell her what his determination is.

Somehow, Helen's words sounded as if she wants him to tell such nonsense.

Nevertheless, she could clearly see the light burning fiercely in his two pupils

"Ok, are you sure you want a sword?”

"Yes."

"I'll make sure to bring you the sword next time I stop by. Look forward to it."

It was a gift, but it was also a kind of permission.

Edgar bowed his head and thanked politely, and Katria, who was watching, alternately looked at the two, dumbfounded.

After the conversation between the two ended, the casual meal continued.

Edgar, who finished the meat before anyone else, wiped his mouth with a napkin.

Meanwhile, he exclaimed, "Ah!" as some of yesterday's memory passed through his head.

"Come to think of it, Ariel, what was the present you were going to give me yesterday?"

"Oh, that's….”

What is it? What kind of gift is it that could make her so hesitant to answer?

As Edgar glanced at the side, wondering if Helena knew, she put her index finger near her mouth when their eyes met.

‘I think it means to listen to it directly from her own mouth.'

Edgar's curiosity was amplified by this

"Is there anything strange yesterday…ah.. Didn't you feel it?"

"Something strange?"

Something strange is, she didn't listen to him at all.

‘Don't tell me that's the answer!'

In the end, he decided to ask her in detail since he's not losing money if he asks. If he gives her the wrong answer and she gets angry then it's a matter to think about.

"You tried to go to the end of the mountain yesterday without listening to me?"”

"That's right."

What, it was real?

Edgar's eyes were wide open at the unexpected answer.

What does that have to do with gifts? He couldn't think of anything appropriate even if he pondered deeply.

"The mountain we went to yesterday…"….”

"What's wrong with that?"

‘I believed that you didn't mean to pick wild ginseng there or anything, right?'

Regardless of whether there are wild ginsengs in this world in the first place.

"That's the gift."

"..What?"

"Mr.Edgar, I mean…! That mountain is the gift!"

Ariel, who had been passive since yesterday, returned to her usual self after a long time and shouted out loud, as if to vent her frustrations.

Edgar looked at her with his eyes wide open, perhaps still unable to realize the reality.

So what the princess wants to say now is…….

"You're going to give me that mountain?"

"Yes."

In the meantime, he thought he was already immune to a lot of things while dealing with this child, but this incident seems to have trumple his pride.

Edgar took a big sip of water with a expression as if his soul has flew away.

He thought she would give him a mansion as a joke, but it turns out to be a mountain. It really is not a joke but a real mountain.

"Then, don't tell me that you tried to climb the mountain yesterday……?”

"I thought it would be cool to gift it to you at the top of the mountain…"….”

As expected of the future Grand Duchess. Her way of thinking is definitely different from an average person.

But what does that have to do with gifts? No matter how hard I thought about it, nothing came to mind.