I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

Ariel still enjoyed playing with Edgar even after she turned ten years old.

If there was anything that is particular, Edgar did very little to rouse Ariel's interest.

It was always Ariel who clings to him.

He was always in the same place at the same time, and all Ariel had to do was find that place with something that would interest hi

Ariel would always find something fun to play with, as for Edgar he was always at the same place all the time, so all Ariel had to do was to find him and grab him along.

There is a saying that a thirsty man would dig a well for water, this is exactly the saying for the two of them.

Edgar was just the same age as Ariel, but he had a kind of mature, old and boring air around him.

He likes to spend his time all alone and he would never get bored just because he has no one to talk to.

He doesn't like fooling around much but he also doesn't avoid people either, he was just a good fit for Ariel who's a bubbly personality.

That's why the relationship between the two sailed well.

“Ed! Let's go to the mountain today!”

"Mountain? suddenly?"

“Yes!”

Ariel recently learned for the first time that something called raspberries grows in the mountains.

But it was difficult for her to see them around since the area she lived in is cold and hard to find raspberries, and by coincidence, there was also no raspberry included in the tributes given to her family.

That piqued Ariel's interest.

“Why do you want to go to the mountains?”

“Sheffy said raspberries might grow here.”

"Raspberry? Oh, well, maybe.”

Ardenum, where Edgar lived, was a place where the four seasons changed quite distinctly for a northern region.

So there were many people who profited from selling seasonal fruits that were difficult to grow in other northern regions, and at this rate, it seemed that raspberries could exist here.

But he still has a question for her.

“But there must be places that sell them, so do we have to go all the way to the mountain?”

“Wouldn’t it be more fun to see it in person?”

“Well, that makes sense.”

Fun is the most important factor for childrens.

Considering her family status, she indeed doesn't have to go far and could have just asked the servants to buy the raspberries and she could get it right away.

But what is the fun in it?

That was the point Ariel was trying to make.

Ariel- “Then you have decided?”

Ed- "Yes. The problem is the guards.”

There were always shadow guards hiding in who knows where to protect Ariel, they were always present for emergence anytime , anywhere.

They rarely show themselves up, but they always keep an eye on the two when they are playing, while they themselves blend in the surroundings.

There would be no more problem for them to head to the mountain if the guards were not present.

But Ariel's expression was very confident.

The way her nose was raised to the sky tells that she seems to have already taken care of that in advance.

Is she this sharp? Edgar tilted his head lightly.

"It's okay! There are no guards today.”

Ed – “… No?”

Ed – ‘Why?'

Edgar opened his mouth wide in shock as if he had been hit on the back of his head with a blunt weapon.

Of course, as long as the guards were also human, they could be taking a vacation or a leave for personal reasons.

But even so, it is impossible that there is no one present to replace as the shadowguard of the only heir of the Grand Duke!

All in all, Helena would not be so careless as to not care about such a thing.

"When I behaved and performed well the other day, my mother said she would grant me whatever I asked for, so I asked for it!"

“… To not let the guards follow you for a day?”

"Yes!"

No wonder. Helena would never decide to do such a dump thing unless she has gone insane.

And so the culprit was right in front of Edgar's eyes.

“Did Madame Helena allow that?”

“I’m telling you because she had already allowed it.”

"Ah."

That's right too.

Edgar shook his head and let out a small sigh as he relented and decided to go along with her wish.

Of course, it was true that the place where they could come and go was limited because there were guards.

There was also a time when they were being stopped when they attempted to go to the mountain the other day.

But even so, he never thought that she would ask for the guards to be absent.

It would have been better if she had handled this matter in another way.

"Instead of asking the guards to not follow us, isn't it better to just ask them to not limit where we go?"

Ariel – “… uh?"

Ed – “Yeah.”

Ariel – "So in this case, I should have told them to not limit us, instead of leaving the guards behind?"

Ariel – "…Hmm?"

"That's right."

Guard isn't the problem in the first place.

The problem was that the guards limited the place where they could go.

In fact, he felt that the guards were the main problem in the eyes of Ariel, and there was a high possibility that many other children would also think it this way since Edgar himself also didn't pay much attention to it.

In reality, they could have just told the guards to not mind where they go, then there will be no problems even if the guards tag along.

Although she seems to be intelligent, she is still young so her ways of thinking were still that of a child.

"Eh, Ed is a genius"

"You're a fool, you idiot.”

"Cee, how can I be a fool!”

To be exact, she is not a fool. She's just a childish princess who frequently goes back and forth between a fool and a genius.

Anyway, the most important factor has been solved, so all they need is to get ready to go to the mountain.

Ariel, who was next to him, calmed down, and Edgar headed straight into the mansion.

He hoped that they wouldn't encounter any dangers this time.

He was already beginning to get worried.

‘I would prefer to stay cozy in the mansion.’

It was the first thought that came into Edgar's head as he was leading Ariel up the mountain.

He's trying to find a raspberry. But he doesn't even know what it looks like in the first place.

He doesn't even know where they used to grow because he did not have any proper knowledge about that.

"Ed! Can I eat this mushroom?"”

"Hey, don't touch it!"

In addition, this young princess couldn't stay still for a moment and often tried to touch everything she saw on the mountain with amazement in her eyes.

Earlier, her pocket was bulging, so he questioned it and a poisonous mushroom popped out of it.

‘I'm glad it's the type of mushroom I know.’

Of course, if it was a mushroom he didn't know, even if he did, he would have thrown it right away nonetheless.

Unless there was solid information, it was dangerous to touch plants seen in the mountains recklessly.

"Ed, what tree is that?"

"That one? It looks like a chestnut tree."

He couldn't see it clearly since it is a little bit faraway, but it seems to be a chestnut tree judging from the appearance and the straight shape of the flower.

Ariel burst into excitement and headed down the chestnut tree.

Coincidentally, there was a chestnut that had not ripened yet and fell down.

"Is this it? It looks weird.”

The chestnuts that Ariel had seen so far were cute and round-shaped brown fruits.

However, the one in her hand was like a hedgehog covering its entire body with thorns, which was so different from the fruit she knew.

"Maybe what you have seen previously is the fruit inside. Don't touch it recklessly."

"I'm curious……..”

"You'll get hurt."

Edgar, who has seen her crying her eyes balls out from just a small scratch on her hand, quickly snatched it from her.

On the other hand, why is she still curious about the appearance of the fruit inside, especially something that is covered in thorns?

Ariel pokes at the chestnut with a branch she picked up from who knows where.

Edgar, who was watching this, smiled bitterly and put down his bag on the ground, as he could not help it.

"Hehe, are you going to help me break it to see what's inside?"

Ariel immediately approached and clung to him when he was sulking alone, and guessed something.

" You're quick-witted in a useless area."

Still, the charm of this girl doesn't let him hate her.

"Just this once.”

"Ed is a fool. You always say only this time, everyday."

A fool, a fool.

Ariel watched him closely while muttering all the time.

Soon, Edgar opened the bag and took out a pair of gloves.

It's not that thick, so it's uncomfortable to use when doing rough work, but it's suitable to use in this kind of situation.

He had just brought it in case of emergency, but he never thought he would have to put it to use. It seems that it is necessary to make ample preparations before setting out.

“Now, it looks like this.”

“Is that what Ed said? But there are two.”

Contrary to Ariel's thoughts, the chestnuts split on both sides were seeking a cozy sleep in the cradle.

Edgar then proceeded to peel off the outer skin and revealed the true shape of the chestnut.

Then Ariel, smiling brightly, stared at him, not at the chestnut..

“Why are you looking at me? Look at the chestnut.”

“Hee hee, Ed looks like a wizard.”

"Wizard? I can't even use magic, how can I be?”

He shook his hand and stood up from his seat as if he was not worth the word wizard, and Ariel, who had rushed to the side like a shotgun, continued her words with her hands behind her back.

"But Ed always helps me when I'm in trouble."

" It's natural to help you since I am your friend, even if I am not a wizard."

He didn't expect himself to say such words but this was the only way to appease the little girl right now.

But his explanation wasn't wrong either.

“Then how about putting the two together and becoming a friend wizard?”

“What is that?”

Ariel tries her best to relate him to a wizard, even going to the extent of creating new words that don't even exist.

Edgar indifferently turned around at her words and said nonchalantly "Don't talk nonsense" and then took a step forward.

‘Chit, Ed is an idiot.'

She praised him, but he ignored her.

She was very happy when Edgar praised her, but is he not?

For some reason, she felt depressed.

"What?"

Ariel, who was chasing after him, tilted her head when she saw Edgar scratching his cheek.

She strode closer and turned sideways in order to check his expression.

‘You’re a liar.’

He was smiling secretly, he actually felt happy inwardly but pretended to not care about it.

She had the urge to make fun of him right away, but then she decided to let him go this once.

“So, friend wizard, quickly find some raspberries.”

“How can it be found easily?”

Edgar, who responded as if he had no choice, didn't know how to stop her.

Even if he says that, he will still find it again like a magician.

Because her friend, the wizard has always been like that.

Ariel's steps, filled with anticipation, were lighter than before.

Is it the raspberries that she expects or the friend who is happy to find raspberries with her?

The answer to that question would be somewhat difficult for a 10-year-old to come up with.