I Became a Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

〈Episode 6〉 The Young Lady Is Curious

***

Exploring the mountain wasn’t particularly dangerous.

Having visited it once before, even if only briefly, Edgar was now more familiar with the trails, which made things easier this time.

‘The ground being slippery is the real problem.’

It had rained heavily two days prior, and some areas of the ground still hadn’t dried.

While snow was more common than rain in the northern regions, Ardenum, where Edgar lived, was an exception.

Located at the southernmost edge of the northern territories, Ardenum had a relatively mild climate.

Additionally, its proximity to the sea meant frequent rain showers rather than snow.

‘The trees block out the sunlight, so it’s no wonder the ground hasn’t dried.’

In this dense forest, sunlight likely couldn’t penetrate enough to dry the wet earth.

On flat terrain, damp ground might have been soft and manageable, but on a mountain trail, it became a slippery hazard due to the wet grass.

“Ariel, watch your step.”

“Don’t worry. Do you really think I’d trip again?”

“……”

Edgar had plenty to say in response but held his tongue.

Despite being only ten years old or perhaps precisely because of it, Ariel often overestimated her abilities.

Watching her, Edgar always felt a sense of unease, like a parent fretting over a child playing near water.

Glancing back at the path they had taken, he realized they had ventured deeper into the mountain than he’d thought.

Going any further could be dangerous.

Knowing that wild boars and other animals inhabited the area, he wanted to avoid any potentially risky situations.

‘Besides, it’ll be hard to find our way back if we go too far.’

There wasn’t a clear path for people to follow; instead, they were pushing through branches and vegetation, forging their way through the dense undergrowth.

If they went too deep, they might not be able to find their way back down.

Getting lost on the hill behind the village was hardly the kind of joke Edgar wanted to turn into reality. Deciding it was best to redirect Ariel’s attention and bring their trek to a halt, he spoke up.

“By the way, Ariel, how did you use that magic earlier?”

“Huh? Magic?”

Edgar casually perched himself on a nearby flat rock as he asked the question.

In such situations, when one person stopped, the natural tendency was for the other to stop as well.

True to form, Ariel paused her bustling steps and turned to respond.

“I’ve heard even adults rarely master magic. So how did you learn it?”

“Oh, I’m not entirely sure, but there’s something called the ‘Magic of Dominion’ in our family.”

‘I thought so.’

Edgar recalled briefly reading about it in a book.

It was the symbol that defined the Löweheim family and the reason they could reign over the northern territories.

The Löweheim bloodline was said to be born with immense magical power.

The term ‘Magic of Dominion’ originated from a legend where the first head of the Löweheim family used this power to subjugate the northern tribes, bringing them under their control.

‘That legend might be exaggerated, but the power in their bloodline is undeniable.’

Even just from the aura she’d released earlier, it was clear how immense Ariel’s magical power was.

Given her young age, it was natural that fluctuations in her emotions caused some of that power to leak out.

Edgar could only hope he wouldn’t end up as a victim of that magic.

“This power is unique. People in my family can control magic like it’s part of their body from a very young age. Amazing, right?”

“Yeah, that’s amazing.”

This time, his response wasn’t just flattery to appease the young lady but genuine admiration.

Magic was a concept utterly distant from Edgar’s world.

Not only had he been born with a low amount of magical energy, but his body also had a rare condition that prevented magic from circulating properly.

In essence, it was like having blood in your body but being unable to circulate it—a condition so rare and unfortunate that even in this world, it was almost unheard of. As a result, Edgar was completely incapable of using magic.

This was why he decided to focus on strengthening his physical abilities, to compensate for what he lacked.

Perhaps because of this, Edgar couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy toward Ariel, who had been born with the talent he lacked.

‘What a pathetic thought.’

Feeling jealous of a ten-year-old? How ridiculous.

Besides, with great power came great responsibility.

As the eldest daughter of the Löweheim family, Ariel’s title would one day weigh heavily on her small shoulders.

Whether he would still be by her side when that day came was uncertain. But if he wanted to be someone who could stand with her, envy wouldn’t help, he needed ambition.

Lost in his thoughts, Edgar didn’t notice Ariel watching him until her worried red eyes brought him back to reality.

“Edgar, what’s wrong? Your face looks weird.”

“You mean my expression looks weird. The way you said it makes it sound strange.”

Not that he considered himself particularly good-looking.

After all, he’d been born into this world with almost the same face he’d had as Choi Sun-woo in his previous life.

While he’d never thought of himself as unattractive, compared to the dazzlingly beautiful people of this romance-fantasy world, he might as well have been an ordinary squid.

‘How depressing.’

In contrast, Ariel, even at just ten years old, already possessed the budding beauty of a flower before it blooms.

Seeing such a face regularly, how could Edgar’s self-esteem about his own looks not take a hit?

“Th-that’s not what I meant, you idiot! I asked because you looked so serious.”

“I know, I was joking. It’s nothing, so don’t worry.”

“If you say so, but……”

Still unconvinced, Ariel kept scrutinizing Edgar’s expression, her concern lingering.

While her worry was appreciated, her piercing gaze was hard to ignore. How many people could remain unaffected when those bright red eyes, as vivid as if glowing in the night, were fixed on them?

‘She’s sharp, as always.’

Despite her usual habit of snapping at him or playing pranks, the young and mischievous lady could be surprisingly perceptive at times.

Especially when it came to reading people’s expressions or sensing the atmosphere, Ariel was remarkably adept. So much so that even Edgar occasionally found himself caught off guard by her insight.

Perhaps it was a trait inherited from the Löweheim bloodline, which had long survived the cutthroat battles for power among nobles.

“Don’t worry unnecessarily. Let’s just sit and rest for a bit. My legs hurt.”

“Your legs hurt? You should’ve said something earlier…”

‘They don’t actually hurt.’

Even so, seeing the stubborn young lady with such an expression was a rare sight, so Edgar decided to keep quiet.

There was no point in venturing further into the forest, it would only get more dangerous.

The best plan was to chat for a while, kill some time, and then quietly head back to the estate.

“Don’t you think Lady Helene is probably looking for us by now?”

“No, we’re fine. Not yet.”

What on earth gave her such confidence?

Last time, Lady Helene had shown leniency, but if they got caught again, it wouldn’t be so easy to escape punishment.

And Edgar knew his mother, Katria, wouldn’t let him off lightly either. He could already picture himself being scolded mercilessly.

Just imagining the worst-case scenario made him let out a deep sigh.

“It’s too dangerous to go any further. Let’s stop here.”

“Why? Is there something scary in there?”

“Rumor has it there are wild boars and even wolves. A place like that isn’t safe for kids like us.”

Edgar deliberately exaggerated the rumors, figuring it was the only way to make the obstinate young lady agree to stop.

But it seemed Ariel’s curiosity and determination were far greater than he had anticipated.

“Wild boars and wolves!? I want to see them!”

“…What?”

The previously subdued crimson eyes now sparkled with excitement.

Did I pick the wrong option?

Unfortunately, this world didn’t come with a save-and-load feature, nor was there a way to take back spoken words.

‘I’m doomed.’

Edgar cursed his inability to predict his childhood friend’s reaction.

‘Honestly, this is so unfair.’

If there were a god watching this scene, wouldn’t it be fair to rewind time by five seconds?

That’s how sincerely he felt.

***

“M-Madam! We have a problem!”

“What’s the matter, Sheffi?”

Helene, who had come to visit the Bilhark family with her daughter after some time, was enjoying a pleasant conversation with Katria, her longtime friend.

Her eyebrow twitched at the sight of her maid bursting in without knocking.

It wasn’t because her good mood had been interrupted, Helene wasn’t so temperamental.

It was because Sheffi, who rarely lost her composure, was now sweating profusely and clearly distressed.

“T-The young lady has disappeared! And Master Edgar too……!”

“What!?”

It wasn’t Helene who reacted strongly to Sheffi’s words but Katria.

She couldn’t help but recall the last time Helene and Ariel visited, when a similar incident had occurred.

Back then, Helene had dismissed it as a natural occurrence when children were left to play, sparing everyone from being reprimanded.

But if such an incident were to happen twice, the situation would become much more serious.

“…Have you searched the entire estate?”

“Y-Yes… We’ve combed through both the interior and the surrounding areas where they might be, but we couldn’t find them anywhere…”

“I see. Calm down, Sheffi. Katria, it seems my troublesome daughter is causing both you and your son a lot of grief.”

“Oh, no, Madam. How could this possibly be the young lady’s fault?”

Even if it were actually Ariel’s fault, there was no way such a thing could be uttered aloud in this situation.

Katria bowed her head deeply, blaming herself for failing to keep a better watch over her child.

Helene, watching her with a sympathetic expression, reached out and gently patted her shoulder.

“For now, let’s focus on finding the children. Sheffi, deploy all the guards to search the surrounding area immediately. The chances are high that they’ve gone to the mountain like last time, so prioritize searching that vicinity.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Sheffi hurriedly exited the drawing room, her footsteps quick and purposeful.

Helene, who had kept her composure while giving orders, finally sank into her chair as though collapsing.

While she was worried about her missing daughter, she was equally concerned about what would happen when Ariel returned. A child who disobeyed once would likely do so a second time, and a third wouldn’t be far behind.

‘I warned her so many times.’

Though people praised her daughter as a prodigious genius, in Helene’s eyes, Ariel was little more than a headstrong and reckless girl who thought she knew everything.

If she had gone to the mountain again, Edgar had surely tried to stop her, such was his nature.

Yet the fact that Ariel had ignored his warnings and repeated the same actions only confirmed to Helene that it was time for some stern discipline.

“Madam, please don’t worry. I’m certain the guards will find them quickly.”

“Yes, thank you, Katria.”

Sigh.

A deep exhale filled the drawing room, heavy with her tension.

That stubborn daughter of hers was likely blissfully unaware of how serious things were, happily running around and playing somewhere.

The once peaceful atmosphere was now shrouded in dark clouds.

***