Chapter 4: Ominous Child

Emily was waiting for her husband with her nursing baby.

She was sitting on a chair by the window in the afternoon, feeling drowsy and sluggish from sleep deprivation caused by the nightly nursing routine. Her son, Lucius, who was now over three months old, was growing healthily. Beside her chair was a baby crib where Lucius was sleeping soundly. Emily stroked his head with her white fingers while his long brown hair dripped in front of her. Her emerald green eyes were filled with a warm gaze towards her son.

Last week, Matilda, a maid who had younger siblings, told Emily that Lucius was not a crying baby. Although he slept normally, he would often remain still and quiet when awake, without much fuss. Occasionally, he would make a pained expression, but he rarely cried.

“Lucius, are you really okay? Mommy is worried about you,” Emily gently stroked his forehead, but he didn’t react as he was sound asleep.

As she tried to stroke him again, the door slowly opened. A maid in her late teens called out to her softly from outside without entering the room.

“Madam, would you like some tea?”

Emily nodded after checking on Lucius’s sleeping face. She rearranged the blanket and stood up quietly without making any noise.

As she left the room, she closed the door carefully, paying attention not to make any noise.

“Thank you, Matilda. I was just getting sleepy and wanted some tea.”

“You shouldn’t push yourself too hard. My mother always said that endurance and patience are the most important things in child-rearing.”

The two of them went downstairs and headed to the dining room on the first floor. Matilda had already prepared tea and snacks on the table.

The two of them took their seats facing each other.

It was not common for a mistress and a maid to have tea together at the same table.

But they were poor country aristocrats.

Matilda, their only maid and a collaborator in raising the children, was someone Emily relied on very much, and they had built a relationship like a family.

“Lucius-sama’s reactions are still too weak, aren’t they? Sometimes he cries, but they’re no match for my sisters. Is it because of that thing?”

“I don’t know. I hope it’s not because of anything.”

Emily remembered the 【Rite of Bestowal】 ceremony.

The nobles had the privilege of being born into the ruling class, but they also had responsibilities.

In this country, it was the duty of all children born into noble families to undergo the  【Rite of Bestowal】, in which they were artificially imbued with magical power around one month after birth.

It was said to be accompanied by unbearable pain, even for adults, as magical power was forcibly poured into the body.

Moreover, this was a dangerous ritual in which infants who could not withstand the magic they received would die.

In fact, Emily’s first child died during the ceremony.

In despair, she was extremely worried when she had her second child, Lucius, who was to undergo the ceremony.

“At that time, I really didn’t know what would happen…”

Just thinking about it, Emily felt a chill run down her back.

“Lucius-sama’s heart stopped during the ceremony. At that time, I also screamed unintentionally,” Matilda said.

“I did too, Matilda. Just in case, I had borrowed a magic relic, the Corpse Stone, but I never thought I’d actually have to use it…”

“But, Madam, the Corpse Stone is a miracle stone that can even bring the dead back to life. There are also rumors that using it can make people’s personalities or sanity change like someone else…”

“Emily closed her eyes to think deeply.

Behind her eyelids, she saw the face of her first child who died young and the face of Lucius sleeping on the second floor.

“Matilda, for me, just knowing that Lucius is alive is enough. Even if there is some impact, I don’t want anything more than him being alive.”

Matilda seemed to realize her own mistake and inadvertently covered her mouth, stuttering, “I’m sorry for saying something rude. It seems like I always speak my worries out loud…”

Emily wasn’t angry. In fact, she found it preferable that Matilda couldn’t hide her true thoughts.

“It’s okay. It’s just that…”

“Just what?”

“There are certainly some concerns. I feel like Lucius’ magical power is getting stronger day by day.”

“Does that include you, madam? I’ve been thinking the same thing.”

Emily took a sip of tea with a dry mouth.

“I really hope there’s nothing to worry about.”

While holding anxiety about her child, Emily sincerely prayed that her occasional smile would continue in the future.

When silence dominated the room, the sound of the door opening echoed through the house.

It sounded like it came from the entrance.

Matilda, the maid, quickly stood up and hurried to the entrance.

However, it was a small house.

The room where the two were having tea was right next to the entrance hall.

Matilda, who headed towards the entrance, let out a surprised voice.

“Master!”

“Huh?”

Emily stood up in surprise and quickly headed towards the entrance hall. There stood a muscular young man with short red hair, wearing a coat made of leather and cloth, who had been eagerly awaiting the return of her husband.

“Robel! What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming home for a while,” she said.

Despite appearing somewhat tired after his long journey, Robel was beaming with a smile.

“I came back as soon as possible to see your faces, Emily. How are you feeling?”

Emily couldn’t help but smile as well.

“I’m completely fine now.”

Robel handed over his coat and luggage to Matilda before Emily got straight to the point.

“What about Lord Strauss?”

“I agreed to give up about a quarter of our territory. That greedy old man would have taken months to negotiate otherwise. But seriously, a quarter…,” he said, shaking his head.

“But that’s a lot!” Emily exclaimed.

“Well, we had to pay for the magic stones we borrowed from him somehow. We’re a poor family and can only afford to give up land. Besides, he was kind enough to spare the Silverwood Forest where there are no villagers.”

“But that forest has been protected for generations…”

Robel approached Emily and wrapped his arm around her waist while stretching out his other arm theatrically.

“Hey now! What are you complaining about? This is the same Emily who begged us to stop the ritual when we had to use the magic stones on Lucius, and was screaming to quit the nobility.”

“At that time, I was too worried about our two children being taken away,” Emily explained.

Robel took Emily’s hand with a mischievous smile.

“Well, our beloved son in exchange for the land. Where is he now?”

“He’s sleeping upstairs.”

“Let’s go see him right now!”

Robel took Emily’s hand and rushed up the stairs to their son’s bedroom. As they approached the crib, Lucius stirred and opened his eyes, perhaps awakened by the sound of their footsteps.

“Robel, you woke him up,” Emily chided.

But Robel didn’t hear her and was too absorbed in gently picking up Lucius with both hands, as if handling a delicate ice sculpture.

“Lucius, it’s Daddy! Did you miss me?”

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