I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

Ariel, who had coldly dismissed the boy whose name she did not know, returned to her usual self as if nothing had happened.

Even Edgar felt a sense of alienation at that tremendous change of her attitude.

Because, the charisma and determination that comes from a mere 10-year-old kid was hardly able to be ignored.

‘She's not a Grand Duchess for nothing.'

For some reason he felt a little sorry for the boy.

Edgar could well guess why the boy came to talk to him, and he didn't mean to say that it was the right thing to do either.

There was a small doubt on one side that it might not have been a crime enough to be kicked out with a high level of contempt.

“… Hey, Ed!”

"uh?"

A sharp voice struck his ear disturbing his line of thoughts.

When Edgar hurriedly came to his senses, it was already a step too late.

Ariel, who had her cheeks puffed up, was glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

“Why aren't you answering when I was calling just now? I have been calling you several times.”

"Sorry. I must have thought of something else for a second.”

“See, I hate you!”

Ariel sternly crosses her arms and turns her head away.

Normally, he would have played a prank to tease her a little more, but this time Edgar decided to admit defeat obediently because he was the one at fault.

“Look at me just once. I did it because I thought it was so cool that you kicked that boy out earlier.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, it was really cool.”

It was not entirely wrong.

She was looking so cool to the point where he thought the scene was the best suited for the word girl crush, if he had remembered correctly.

Let's not say he has to exclaim with his mouth wide open because she looks cool, but sometimes, when flattering, exaggeration is necessary.

And, as if the effect of his flattery praises had worked its magic, Ariel let go of the air that had been put into her cheeks and made a shrug of her face.

‘Ah, here it is.'

This immature princess has a habit of pouting her lips and tucking her hair behind her ears whenever she has something to brag about or when her ego rises.

The elated smile drawn on her lips and the raised shoulders are a bonus.

It was one of her habits known only to Edgar, who had spent the past ten years with her.

Perhaps not even Helena knows this.

“Hey, if that’s the case, I can’t help it. Um, but was it really that cool?”

“… oops.”

‘Oh, I shouldn't be laughing.'

Edgar, who managed to overcome the laughter by biting his lip as the air tried to escape, shook his head.

Then, out of nowhere, he put on a determined expression and suddenly began to praise her actions.

" It was really cool! It was like a female knight from a fairy tale.”

“Is it really like that? Hee hee.”

He very well knew that she preferred to be praised like that rather than to be praised that she is like a princess.

It must be the influence from her family, that has been in charge of the rough foreigners for generations.

Even her father is a veteran of the war who has gone through countless frontlines. He can't help but feel a sense of admiration.

‘Come to think of it, she has said something along the line of not liking the princess.'

While reading a storybook together, the words Ariel casually threw out were still vivid in his head.

She must have said that she didn't like the princess because the princesses are often stuck in their castle and they was like an incompetent person who didn't do anything.

She is a Young Miss with unique tastes.

As he was talking with Ariel, who felt relieved, a woman approached the two of them with cautious steps.

A woman dressed as a maid with her light green hair that reached to her shoulders.

She was none other than Helena's personal maid, Sheffy.

“Young Miss, Young Master. The mistress is calling for you guys.”

"No. I want to play with Ed more.”

‘Hey, my opinion?’

Obviously, the maid called both of them at the same time, but somehow it was Ariel who was the only one expressing her opinion.

There's no way Helena called her out for trivial matters, and she must be in a hurry.

As if to prove his conjecture, Sheffy, who had been smiling embarrassingly at Ariel's tantrum, opened her mouth again.

“It won't take long. She said she wants to personally give the present she had prepared.”

“Ah, that was it. Then let's go quickly, Ed!"

"Yes."

Ariel, who quickly became excited, grabbed Edgar's hand tightly and followed after Sheffy.

In the end, Edgar, who was led by the hand of the princess without even uttering his opinion, was able to reach Helena before long.

“Sorry to disturb your play time, Ed. Still, I called you because I wanted to give you this gift myself.”

“No, ma'am. Rather, I should be grateful.”

He should be grateful for what she is going to give. How can the person receiving the gift questions the other because of his personal matters?

Edgar respectfully thanked her with his head half bowed.

“Huh, it would be nice if my daughter could talk just as well as you. Right, daughter?”

“Ma, what are you saying!”

Edgar was also in a position to strongly sympathize with Helena, but he decided to endure it because he did not know what kind of revenge he would have to face in the future if he acted now.

Helena, who was watching him, gave a glance to the man standing next to her.

In his hand was an object wrapped in clothing with no leakage of view over what's inside, but the shape of the object was similar to a sword.

‘Are you sure you're thinking of handing it over here?'

Edgar was startled and turned around to look at the guests.

Unsurprisingly, the eyes of a considerable number of people, who had overheard or spied on the conversation, were gathered together.

“Could it be that Madam Helena is going to give the little boy a sword?”

“Ah, that can’t be. Even if he's the princess's childhood friend, that's all."

A murmur erupted from everywhere.

Although they couldn't ask Helena directly, each person made their own guesses and guessed what Helena was about to do.

Although the fact that the Robeheim family and the Bilhark family were intertwined in a master-servant relationship was widely known externally, it was a different story when the mistress of the Robeheim family gave a sword to such a young child.

Even the said boy was whom the mistress had personally selected for her daughter to be friends with.

It will only be strange if there are no rumors after this incident.

“Is she planning to make him the future partner for her daughter? "

" Are you crazy? If you went somewhere and said that, your head would fly off right away?”

“But that… … .”

Aren't you too sure about the situation? A man who struggled to swallow the backstory shut his mouth.

Helena is an intelligent woman. There was no way she could not have noticed the air around her.

If she wanted to keep this incident a secret, and if she had just decided to give him a sword, she would have handed the sword to him secretly or privately somewhere else. Atleast, she could have borrowed Katria's hands for it.

Nevertheless, it was also a kind of buff that she decided to hand Edgar the sword in such a large gathering.

From now on, this man will be known as the man being acknowledged by the Robeheim family.

Dishonor to this man will also be a dishonor to the Robeheim family.

‘The way people look at this child will also change.'

Although her actions alone will not change the impression of the little boy, Edgar, at once.

This was just the first step Edgar needed.

The eldest son of a small aristocratic family, who can be easily plotted and schemed against even by a Baron family. To such a person, the mistress of the Robeheim family has personally granted him a sword.

At that moment, they will recognize the man as "Edgar," not just "the eldest son of a weak family".

It's not that easy to change the impression of a person just by breaking the boundary that traps the person.

All Helena wanted to do was create a little opportunity.

"Ed, come here."

"Yes, ma'am."

Helena received the sword from the servant and untied the cloth by herself.

What was revealed in it was neither rough nor fancy. If someone who doesn't know how to appraise a sword sees it, it's probably just an ordinary sword.

It was the same in Edgar's view.

"Doesn't it look like an ordinary sword?”

"To be honest… That's right."

"Haha, apparently it is. But I prepared it for you myself. Would you like to hear about it if you can?”

He expected to be handed the sword after a solemn vow or something, but unexpectedly, the sword quickly came into the hands of Edgar.

It was quite heavy, perhaps because it was a real sword. Maybe even swinging it would be an extraordinary task for a 10-year-old.

“!?”

Edgar, who was looking at the outer appearance of the sword with both hands, opened his eyes wide suddenly.

He sensed the throbbing in his body.

It was as if the blood vessels of the whole body were rising upside down and regaining new movements.

What is it? He almost dropped the sword because he had never experienced it before.

"Eh, Ed, what's wrong? Are you okay?

"Leave Ed alone, Ariel. It'll be alright soon.”

Edgar was about to collapse on one knee, when Ariel rushed over to check the condition.

But Helena, watching this, urged her to leave and stared at Edgar.

His heart pounded hard.

Edgar's heart, which was beating hard, began to calm down.

Is it because of this sword?

Edgar looked up unconsciously and looked into Helena's eyes.

When Helena noticed his eyes, she smiled and asked Sheffy to help him up.

"Sorry for the suddenness, Ed. Maybe your body is in the process of adapting to the child."

"Adaptation… May I ask what you mean?"

His speech, which had been polite and formal due to his lack of energy, was also somewhat relaxed.

However, Helena didn't point it out, thinking that this tone was more suitable for a ten-year-old child.

“I heard a story from Katria. They say you are incapable of using magic.”

“Yes, that's right.”

Helena frowned at his tone, which had quickly returned to normal, but decided to postpone the issue at the back of her mind and continued with her conversation.

“That sword can help you circulate the magic power in the body. It's a great sword in itself, but it's said that it allows children like you who are naturally incapable of chanting spells to be able to use magic."

" Me… Magic?”

He had never thought about it.

Since he was born that way in the first place, he thought of himself and magic as faraway as a distance between countries, and he didn't even pay attention to it in the first place.

But he didn't know that there was a solution like this.

“Ariel told me. She said you were very curious when you saw her using magic.”

“Yeah, that’s right, but… …"

"No need to feel envious anymore, and experiencing it yourself is the best way. Ariel also said that she's sad she can't talk to you about magic."

When Edgar looked up at Ariel, his eyes widening at the story he had first heard, she shyly jerked her head away.

He wondered if she was trying to show him so much magic because of this.

That way, they'll be able to share the same topic, at least when it comes to magic.

“If you practice daily with the sword, you will be able to use magic later even if the sword leaves from you later, so just keep working diligently.”

"I appreciate your gift, Mrs."

He had received an unexpected and valuable gift.

To be honest, he thought it would be good enough to be given a normal sword, but what the hell is this?

"uh? Ed is crying!”

What a shame.

At Ariel's cry, Edgar hurriedly wiped the tears with the sleeve of his dress.

It was nice that he could finally use magic, but more than anything else, his gratitude towards Helena for caring about every detail made him feel even more excited.

A smile spread across Katria and Helena's lips as they watched.

Edgar's tears, not anyone else's.

A rare sight that they had never seen before was unfolding before their eyes.

“What is it, Ed? I think it's the first time I've seen you cry.”

“I am so glad you are so happy. Happy birthday once again, Ed.”

Edgar, who was stroked by Helena, with tears in his eyes, felt like a real child for the first time in this world.

Although he was a little shy, he wasn't sad.