In moments like this, Lowell realized anew how solid a person Felix was—excluding matters involving Lowell himself.
Though, ironically, it was Lowell who had made him strong enough to be that way.
“There will be someone he knows there, and they can exchange letters every day, so you don’t need to worry so much.”
Lowell had no choice but to nod in defeat.
‘If it weren’t for me, Felix wouldn’t have investigated this or tried so hard to persuade me. He loves the kids, but he’s fundamentally the type to raise them tough.’
While it was a bit absurd that Felix still treated him like glass, Lowell decided to take it as a positive sign that the children were all healthy and strong.
“Alright. But let’s ask Edwin for his opinion first.”
“Understood.”
“I think it would be good to talk about it at dinner.”
Felix couldn’t resist this time and pressed his lips to Lowell’s forehead.
Lowell, whose worries had finally begun to melt, let out a soft laugh.
Edwin didn’t appear until dinner was served.
In Lowell’s eyes, he was still a little boy, but Edwin had grown rapidly and was already becoming a young lad.
“Your Highness Felix, Your Highness Lowell. It is a beautiful evening, the moonlight is lovely.”
Seeing him offer a formal greeting fit for high society, Lowell suddenly felt a strange sense of distance from his son.
He must have been growing a little every day, but it felt as if he had shot up all at once.
Feeling an odd sense of sorrow at the child growing so quickly, Lowell gestured for him to come over.
“Did your training go well?”
“Yes!”
Lowell praised Edwin for his hard work.
One thing that hadn’t changed was the way Edwin’s face lit up with happiness at those simple words.
With a face that looked exactly like Felix’s, Edwin constantly showed expressions Felix rarely made, which kept Lowell captivated.
“Angela, Luke, hello.”
Edwin sat down and greeted the two across from him.
Luke waved his hand lazily with a dazed expression.
“Hello, Edwin.”
Angela struggled with the pronunciation of Edwin’s name, but she was far ahead of Luke, who simply called him “Ed.”
“What did you play today, Angela?”
“Went to greenhouse, and saw cats. Your Highness Lowell read a book.”
Angela reported the day’s events without missing a detail. She looked so solemn that one might think she was reporting a daily log to a superior.
Lowell took a sip of water, thinking there was no “old soul” quite like her.
“That sounds fun!”
But when Edwin clapped his hands in delight, the stiff atmosphere instantly softened.
One might expect Edwin to be jealous that his siblings spent more time with their parents, but he showed no such sign.
Once, Lowell had offered to read him a bedtime story, fearing he might feel left out.
However, Edwin had replied quite seriously, “I can read the words myself now, so why should I?”
At the time, Lowell had asked, “But wouldn’t it be better to read together?” and he had agreed.
But regardless of being an affectionate child, Edwin was clearly quite independent.
“Let’s everyone eat plenty.”
Lowell put a piece of bread into Angela’s mouth. Angela, who had a small appetite, at least accepted food quietly when it came from Lowell.
Luke, who ate well whether someone fed him or not, was busy chewing whatever Felix put on his plate, which made things easier.
“Lowell, you eat too.”
Felix was always anxious that Lowell wasn’t eating enough. Even though it happened every day, Lowell was almost used to it by now.
‘I’m not a child, yet he does this every time.’
Lowell pointedly put a piece of meat in his mouth so Felix could see.
Ignoring the gaze Felix still hadn’t taken off him, Lowell wiped his mouth and turned to Edwin.
“Edwin, is learning magic fun?”
Edwin, who had been busy clearing his plate, met Lowell’s eyes.
The boy swallowed his food and nodded vigorously.
“Yes!”
“Do you want to learn more? You don’t really want to learn the sword, do you?”
“Um… for me, I hate the sword.”
Edwin, who used to just go along with everything, was now clearly expressing his likes and dislikes.
Lowell’s eyes widened; he knew Edwin didn’t favor swordsmanship, but this was the first time he had heard him say he “hated” it so bluntly.
He stole a glance at Felix, who seemed to have already known.
“Why?”
“Um, I don’t like attacking people.”
Swordsmanship was not necessarily a skill learned solely to harm others.
It had diverse applications: to protect oneself, to repel monsters, or to defend someone in need.
One didn’t need to look far for an example; Felix himself had refined his swordsmanship alongside his magic.
Furthermore, even magic could become a far more dangerous weapon than a sword if directed toward a person.
“I see. I understand.”
However, since training often involved person-to-person combat, it was understandable that a child might feel that way.
Lowell pondered for a long moment before taking a sip of water.
Felix, bathed in the crimson moonlight, appeared unphased, but Lowell decided to say one more thing.
“Edwin. A sword does not exist solely to hurt people. What matters is the heart behind it and how it is used. That is how Grand Duke Felix has protected Nix all this time.”
Felix, who had been sipping his wine, looked at Lowell with a tender gaze.
He knew better than anyone why Lowell was saying those words.
‘He’s worried about me.’
Felix often thought that while Lowell claimed to be the one constantly worrying, the reality might be the opposite.
In this land of Nix, Lowell was the only one who truly fretted over whether Felix’s heart was aching or if he might get hurt.
“Yes! The way His Highness uses a sword is wonderful.”
Edwin, not fully grasping Lowell’s deeper intent, simply showered Felix with praise.
Seeing that gentle side of him, Lowell decided to ease his worries. Edwin didn’t find his studies difficult, and his personality was such that he was unlikely to be disliked wherever he went.
‘Yes. It’s better to send him to the Academy so he can do what he wants. No matter what he chooses, I can’t keep him tucked away in Nix forever.’
“He is, isn’t he?”
And so, it was decided: once Felix’s birthday banquet at the end of the year concluded, they would begin preparing for Edwin’s departure to the Academy.
On the day of the banquet, the Grand Ducal Castle was a whirlwind of activity.
Even though the guest list had been kept small for a modest celebration, Lowell felt particularly restless.
It seemed the mental exhaustion of managing both the banquet preparations and Edwin’s upcoming enrollment at the same time was taking its toll.
‘But birthdays are important.’
Lowell’s insistence on holding a banquet, regardless of its size, wasn’t born from grand ambition.
He simply wanted to see Felix—who had once had his very existence denied—surrounded by people and receiving their congratulations.
‘Felix probably doesn’t even care about such things anymore. It’s all just my own greed.’
As if to confirm that thought, Felix was busy discussing business with those around him.
A new group of nomads had recently appeared near the border, and they were currently deep in discussion regarding that matter.
Since combat-related issues weren’t under Lowell’s jurisdiction, it was difficult for him to intervene.
“If you’ll excuse me for a moment.”
The person Lowell had been talking to departed as soon as a seat next to Felix opened up, claiming they had something to discuss.
A shallow ripple formed on the surface of the wine in Lowell’s glass.
Staring at the pattern, he took a light sip to moisten his throat and surveyed the room.
The crowd was a mix of familiar faces he saw often and newcomers who had just debuted in society.
In the past, he would have looked to see if anyone was wary of Felix or if there were relationships with a subtle, underlying tension.
This time, however, his gaze drifted elsewhere.
“It has been a long time since we last met.”
“I heard you caught a cold recently.”
He was looking toward the area where Edwin and other children his age were gathered.
Their clumsy yet polite way of speaking was both adorable and fascinating. Lowell watched the group and thought deeply.
‘Some of those children will go to knight school, and some will go to the Academy.’
The academies would be in various locations—the capital, nearby provinces, and beyond.
Perhaps because packing had felt like performing a duty, he hadn’t experienced a great surge of emotion until now.
But seeing the scene before him, the impending farewell suddenly felt real.
‘He’ll do well.’
Lowell took another mechanical sip of wine, his eyes still fixed on the children.
Noticing this, Felix brought his conversation to an appropriate close and immediately moved to Lowell’s side.
Lowell, still staring fixedly, didn’t even notice him approach.
“Lowell, it will be alright.”
“Ah, Felix.”
Only when Felix wrapped an arm around his shoulder did Lowell notice his presence and offer a thin smile.
“You’re right. It will be.”
Lowell nodded with a slightly awkward laugh.
“I suppose I just needed some time to adjust as well.”
“It won’t take long.”
Meeting the trust reflected in Felix’s dark eyes, Lowell nodded.
He couldn’t help the thought of wishing Edwin were just a little bit older, but this, too, was part of adapting to this world.
‘I have to adjust to the child’s growth as well.’
Lowell calmly accepted the truth.
