* * *
“Edwin, are you here?”
Lowell wandered through the castle looking for Edwin, who hadn’t shown up even though it was lunchtime.
‘It’s time for his swordsmanship training with Tia. Where did he go?’
They called it swordsmanship training, but in reality, Edwin had no interest in swords, let alone swinging a wooden one.
It had long since turned into mere playtime.
Even Felix, who insisted the boy must learn swordsmanship since he was the future Grand Duke of Nyx, couldn’t say a word after seeing Edwin laughing while doodling on the floor with his wooden sword.
“I thought he was into tying ropes to make swings lately…. Did he go outside?”
“If he had, Sir Tia would have reported it beforehand.”
Tony, standing beside Lowell, replied with a suspicious look.
Lowell nodded and took one more look around the training grounds before turning back.
“He must be nearby.”
Just as Lowell muttered this while leaving the training area, the sound of pitter-pattering footsteps tickled his ears pleasantly.
He didn’t even need to look to know who was running toward him.
“Papa!”
The boy sounded so excited that his call for Lowell sounded more like “Pappa!”
Lowell knelt and pulled the child into a hug.
Though Lowell’s physical strength had improved quite a bit, it was still a struggle to hold a well-developed child for long, so Edwin was satisfied with just that.
“It’s mealtime. Where were you?”
“I was inside here. But you know what? The kitties came to see me.”
“Gray came all the way here?”
As Lowell asked while brushing Edwin’s long hair back, the cats appeared as if on cue, rubbing against Edwin’s side.
Only Gray, who approached last with an elegant gait, greeted Lowell by bumping his head against him.
“Yes! So, so, I told them they weren’t allowed to be here.”
While Lowell stroked Gray’s head, he exchanged a nod with Tia, who was bowing politely a step behind them.
Seeing the child’s clothes completely messy with cat hair, it was clear Tia had been flustered, unable to stop the boy from playing with the cats for a long time.
“I see. Still, you should come on time for meals.”
“I’m sorry. But, I didn’t know it was mealtime. I didn’t know.”
When Lowell spoke with intentional sternness, Edwin used both his hands and feet to make a clumsy but clear excuse.
“I should have brought him myself. It was my mistake.”
When even Tia stepped in to make an excuse, Lowell gave in.
It was obvious that Tia hadn’t been able to bring herself to tell Edwin they had to leave while he was so engrossed with the cats, thinking, ‘Just a little more, let’s let him play just a little longer,’ until it was late.
‘Maybe it’s because there’s never been a child in the Grand Duke’s castle before, but everyone is so weak when it comes to Edwin.’
The people of the castle were completely smitten even if Edwin did nothing special.
Back when Edwin first started walking, the servants and knights alike would hover around him, anxious to do anything for him, which had made the nannies quite uneasy.
‘Still, he really is cute.’
Watching the child beaming, already distracted by the cats again, Lowell objectively admitted that he was also weak for Edwin.
“Your Highness! Your Highness is here!”
Edwin waved his hand, looking past Lowell’s shoulder.
Until last year, Edwin had called Felix “Father,” but recently he had suddenly started calling him “Your Highness.”
It seemed he was mimicking the knights.
Felix had been secretly disappointed at first, but now he seemed to have accepted the title.
“Lord Felix is here?”
“Yes! Your Highness is coming.”
When Lowell turned his head following Edwin’s lead, Felix was indeed striding toward them, just as the child said.
“You said you’d be right back, so why are you here?”
Unlike Lowell, Felix picked up the child with practiced ease while questioning them grumpily.
Edwin was still shouting, “Your Highness, Your Highness!” as he collapsed into Felix’s arms.
Lowell stood up, the corners of his mouth curling up as if he couldn’t help it.
‘Felix was organizing documents, so I just left him be, but he couldn’t stand it and followed me out. No wonder his expression was bad when I said I was going alone.’
He wasn’t at the level of throwing a fit anymore just because Lowell disappeared from sight for a moment, but he still became extremely sensitive whenever Lowell moved away from him.
Knowing this, Lowell usually stayed by Felix’s side as much as possible.
‘But what should I do if he still can’t stand being apart for even this short a time?’
Lowell worried inwardly but acted as if nothing was wrong.
“Let’s go have our meal.”
As Lowell straightened things up, Felix, who still had a dissatisfied look in his eyes, obediently followed his words.
He held the child with one arm and naturally wrapped his other arm around Lowell’s waist.
Lowell also habitually leaned his body toward Felix as they walked.
When they arrived at the dining room, the appetizer was served immediately, as if they had been waiting.
It was a dish of octopus placed on top of cabbage with apple sauce drizzled over it.
Out of habit, Felix started to pull Edwin onto his lap but paused at Lowell’s look.
Edwin was now old enough to eat well on his own, but in Felix’s eyes, he still felt like a baby.
“Go sit over there.”
Felix pointed to the opposite side in the kindest voice he could muster.
Edwin hesitated, glancing at the seat next to Lowell, but it was only for a brief moment.
“Okay.”
Answering as he sat down properly, the child picked up his fork with a serious expression, as if holding a trident.
Then, he managed to stab one piece of octopus and a tiny shred of lettuce, stuffing them neatly into his small mouth.
“Is it delicious?”
“Yes! Delish!”
When Lowell asked warmly, Edwin moved his jaw busily, swallowing all the food in his mouth before speaking.
Unlike when he was in the womb, Edwin preferred lightly seasoned food and vegetables, so he liked the appetizers the most.
‘In the end, I’m the only one who likes spicy food.’
Lowell looked at the child lovingly before glancing at Felix.
Because Edwin was the spitting image of Felix, except for the color of his eyes, Lowell could easily imagine Felix’s childhood just by looking at him.
“Lowell, you should eat too. Do you know you’ve lost some weight lately? I feel like your wrist might break if I grip it tight.”
Felix moved some of his octopus onto Lowell’s salad.
The servants bringing the tomato soup were now so used to the sight that they weren’t even surprised.
“Is that so? Then I should eat well.”
Lowell looked down at his arm while busily eating the food on his plate.
Aside from gaining a bit of muscle, he couldn’t see much of a difference.
However, knowing Felix was more sensitive to his condition than he was himself, he just accepted it.
“That’s right. Papa has to eat well.”
“Edwin, you eat a lot too.”
Edwin, who had inherited Felix’s sensitivity regarding Lowell’s health, worked hard to express his opinion.
Lowell moved his spoon and fork vigorously as if to show them.
* * *
Aww 🥰 a loving family is all you truly need