* * *
Gio set down his drink and smiled.
“That I should continue being a kind and dependable friend to you and young master Ronen.”
“A kind friend?”
“Yes, but isn’t it ridiculous for me to call myself Ronen’s friend? At most, I’d be a servant following orders.”
Gio, who had lived under the rigid hierarchy of Count Herins’ estate, found the relatively egalitarian atmosphere of the northern castle both strange and fascinating.
Ed sipped warm water and laughed.
“When you worked at Count Herins’ estate, everything was said in such roundabout ways that you’d worry there was a hidden meaning behind every word. They’d even blame their own mistakes on others.”
“Exactly! Like when the count would demand, ‘Gio! Get rid of that flowerpot immediately!’ and then the next day, he’d ask, ‘Where’s that flowerpot I had yesterday?”
Gio shuddered, swallowing the memory.
“At first, I thought it was my fault, but it was just his whims.”
“But Gio, I’ve never experienced anything like that here. People in the northern castle take responsibility for their words and don’t shift their work onto others.”
Gio listened intently.
“So when the Grand Duke says something, take it at face value. Don’t worry about hidden meanings or ulterior motives.”
“…….”
“I promise you, life here will be far better than it was at Count Herins’ estate.”
Gio let out a small whistle.
“You’ve grown into a fine adult, Ed. Got it, senior Ed! I’ll take your advice to heart and dedicate myself to the north!”
Ed chuckled at Geo’s enthusiasm.
“When you meet Erin and Sena during your break, make sure to say hello.”
“Oh, by the way, I heard you’re the butler of the northern castle now?”
“Ah…”
Ed looked away, embarrassed, and Gio let out a long whistle.
“Then I better stay on your good side. I’m counting on you, Mr. Butler!”
Since Gio arrived at the northern castle, Ronen and Ed had been enjoying themselves immensely.
Whenever they had free time, the three of them would piece together small puzzles or build with blocks.
This morning, Ronen and Gio had visited Ed’s room.
Ed, who was feeling better than usual, spent time with them.
As they played happily, Ronen left reluctantly when it was time for his studies, while Gio stayed behind to chat with Ed.
“By the way, Ed, how was it when you first came to the North?”
“When I first came to the North?”
“Yeah, I still feel strange sometimes when I wake up and see the snow piled high by the window or when I encounter unfamiliar food. It feels like I’ve been dropped into another world.”
‘Now that I think about it, I felt that way too.’
Ed reminisced about his first arrival at the northern castle last year.
Even though it was spring, the snow remained unmelted, and the heavy clothes he had to wear to wrap himself up were fascinating.
Still, the drastic change in environment hadn’t felt uncomfortable or difficult, thanks to the Grand Duke’s care.
‘He was so attentive, even to the point of following me around asking if I had nothing to do.’
Feeling a sense of familiarity and warmth toward the North, which now felt like home, Ed smiled faintly.
At that moment, a knock on the door made him look up. Tens entered, carrying arms full of felt fabric and other materials.
“Ed, I brought the supplies you asked for.”
“I was planning to go get them later, but you came first. Thank you, especially since you must be busy.”
“Not at all. What are you planning to make with these?”
Ed had been thinking about making a gift for Tobagi.
What would be a good choice?
After some thought, he decided to make a toy by hand.
“I heard that many babies are born around this time in the North, so I thought I’d take a break and make some felt dolls as baby toys.”
He used a pre-prepared excuse since the news of a pregnancy hadn’t been shared yet.
“The table here is a bit small, so why don’t we work in the drawing room?”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
“Alright. Ronen said he’d like to help too, so let’s wait for him to come down before starting.”
“I’ll go fetch Ronen.”
Gio promptly dashed off, and Ed went down to the drawing room with Tens.
While Tens set the chairs and materials on the table, Ed sifted through the colorful felt fabrics, pondering which colors a child might like.
“Ed!”
Ronen, who had just arrived in the drawing room, waved enthusiastically and sat close beside Ed.
Tens, observing this, began explaining.
“There’s plenty of material, so use as much as you like. If you need anything else, just let me know, and Jaynon will figure out how to get it.”
“What? Me?”
As Jaynon passed by the drawing room, Tens’s comment made him pause.
“Jaynon! Do you think I can make a dragon? If I finish one, I want to show it to you!”
“Yes, I’m really looking forward to it, young master.”
“Then I’ll make a snake,” Ed chimed in, grinning. “One big enough to bite Jaynon’s ankle.”
“Hey, I don’t care what you’re making. Just keep quiet and get to it.”
The toy-making session was rowdy and took more time than expected.
Ed thought a simple animal doll might be the safest choice and decided on a fox, a creature he was familiar with.
Surely, it wouldn’t be too difficult to make.
However, he quickly realized he was wrong.
He got stuck at the design stage and wasn’t sure how to proceed.
“…”
He hadn’t anticipated how hard this would be.
Driven by enthusiasm to make a gift for a child, Ed had jumped in without thinking it through.
Scratching his head in frustration, he heard Tens chuckle beside him.
“What are you trying to make?”
“A fox.”
“How big?”
“About this size?”
Tens easily understood Ed’s vague gestures, sketched the outline on felt, and guided Ed in cutting it.
He even helped with sewing.
‘Will this actually look like a fox?’
Even with Tens’s help, Ed had his doubts.
But as he stuffed cotton into the gradually forming felt shape, his eyes widened.
“Wow, Tens, look at this. It’s actually coming together!”
“Of course! Nothing’s impossible when I’m involved.”
“Wow.”
“Ed, don’t be too impressed just yet. I’ll make a snake as big as this table if I have to.”
Beside them, Ronen, who had been watching Ed, began crafting his own smaller fox, mimicking Ed’s creation.
With Gio and Tens’s help, various toy shapes were quickly brought to life.
Holding up two completed toys, Ronen declared, “This is Roa, and this is Roa’s friend!”
He then began a playful race between the two foxes on the table, drawing laughter from Ed.
Amid the fun, Ed suddenly realized how much time had passed.
“Making even a simple toy takes quite a while, doesn’t it?”
“It’s fine. If you need help, I’ll stay for days to assist you. Jaynon will keep the supplies coming.”
“Me?”
As Jaynon entered the drawing room again, he overheard and shook his head in exasperation.
Then he turned to Ed.
“Ed, His Grace is asking for you.”
“For me?”
“Yes, but it’s not urgent. You can take your time and go to his office.”
Ed was reluctant to leave the warm atmosphere but knew things were different when the Grand Duke summoned him.
As he stood up, Ronen handed him the two foxes.
“Don’t worry, Ed! I’ll make more friends for Roa while you’re gone.”
Ed smiled at Ronen’s enthusiasm. “I’ll look forward to it, young master.”
“Yep, so don’t worry and go see my brother.”
Leaving the drawing room, Ed mused on something Jaynon had said.
‘Why did he insist I take this particular path?’
As he rounded a corner toward the stairs, someone lightly grasped his wrist.
“Huh?”
Feeling the familiar warmth, Ed looked up and found himself face-to-face with the Grand Duke.
“What’s got you so deep in thought?”
Surprised to see him there, Ed’s lips curled into a soft smile.
“I was thinking about what Jaynon said.”
* * *
Omg
😍😍