ALL NOVEL Chapter 23
Chapter 23. The White Stork (4)
“I chased after the carriage right away…”
Lois and the twins had been hauled away unexpectedly that day, and Finn had pursued the carriage as well. But then…
“I was suddenly snatched up by a snowy owl!”
The snowy owl, a massive raptor and flying monster with an average height reaching nearly 2 meters, had inexplicably caught Finn and took her to its nest, where she was nearly fed to its chicks.
Lois, disbelieving, questioned her.
“Throughout your life until now, you never learned a single offensive technique? What were you doing?!”
“I, the Fairyfolk, only learn the sacred arts to assist the Hero and the dragons! Even that took up all our time!”
“It’s something to boast about indeed.”
“Anyway…”
Finn was skilled at escaping, though devoid of offensive techniques. Through sheer effort, she managed to escape the snowy owl’s nest, but by then she had completely lost track of the carriage.
“It was a long way from the snowy owl’s nest, and being careful not to be captured by another monster again, it just took a long time to get here.”
“You’ve had quite the ordeal. From now on, let’s try to learn even a few simple offensive techniques, okay?”
“Yes!”
After hearing Finn’s story, Lois shared with her the situation they were all currently in. Completing the tale, Lois asked Finn:
“So, what should we do?”
“Huh?”
Finn tilted her head in response to Lois’s question.
“Couldn’t we just leave?”
“It’s not that simple… There are complications.”
“Why?”
“They’ve been kind to us, plus there are emotions involved due to them losing a child, you know?”
“Hmm…”
Finn regarded Lois with a puzzled look. It was intriguing to witness Lois—usually so decisive and clear-cut—showing weakness to sentimentality.
‘Is it because he’s still a young dragon?’
This behavior might have been influenced by a personality from a past life, but Finn had no way of knowing that. And Finn couldn’t help but find this side of Lois endearing. In fact, Finn preferred it to the image of dragons as being cruel and ruthlessly logical.
With a sly smile, Finn offered a suggestion.
“Um, if you’re that troubled about it, Lois… why don’t you do this?”
“What is it?”
“Dragons have always valued their first bond, haven’t they?”
“That’s true.”
“And looking closely, the Duke and his lady are your first bond, aren’t they?”
“They are indeed.”
“Then why not leave behind a gift when we leave?”
“Ooh, a gift? What kind?”
Finally, a sensible reply that he wouldn’t get from the twins. Lois watched Finn’s lips with eager anticipation. At last, Finn spoke up.
“If they have no child, wouldn’t it suffice to create one for them?”
“…?!”
Lois stared at Finn, uncomprehending.
“To make a child?”
“Yes!”
“How would we do that?”
“Well, that I’m not so certain of…”
Finn scratched the back of her head awkwardly. As Lois sighed lightly, a sudden realization struck him.
“Wait!”
An epiphany struck him like a bolt of lightning from above.
‘That’s right! There’s no need to conceive a child on the spot, is there?’
The duchess, grieving over the loss of a child, might find comfort in simply believing she was going to have another one. That belief could carry her through after they had left, perhaps without as much worry.
He could also rid himself of his discomfort in the process. It didn’t seem that difficult of a task after all.
With a satisfied smile, Lois gave Finn a thumbs up.
“That’s an excellent idea, Finn.”
“You flatter me.”
Basking in the praise, Finn beamed with glee. Lois’s expression shifted subtly as he turned away from Finn.
“Ah, it’s unbelievable… It’s one thing to be a babysitter for the twins, but now I have to play the white stork, too? Feels like I’m getting old too quickly…”
The white stork, known in folklore for delivering babies. Even so, he acknowledged the need to become a ‘stork’ to depart with a clear conscience.
“Well, if we’re going to do good deeds, might as well enjoy it!”
Lois’s lips curled into a cheery smile.
* * *
Resolved to become the white stork, Lois methodically began planning. The first stage of his plan:
“First, I need to lift the Duchess’s spirits!”
The Duchess was currently emotionally reliant on Lois and the twins to an intense degree due to the recent loss of her son. Trapped in the shadow of her deceased child, she had given up on having another one. Without a starting point, there couldn’t be an outcome.
‘There also seems to be an awkward distance between the Duchess and the Duke.’
Lois didn’t know precisely how their son had died but sensed an odd tension between the Duke and his wife, presumably due to their son’s passing. A cherished child’s death had undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the Duke and Duchess, leading to discomfort between the couple.
Hence, Lois’s ultimate goal was to improve their relationship, starting with ameliorating the Duchess’s mood. And fortunately, he had the perfect accomplices for the task right by his side.
‘I trust you, twins!’
The twins, more vivacious and full of life than any other children, naturally prompted smiles from those around them. That’s why, inside the castle, they were more popular than Lois, who seemed aged beyond his years at times.
Lois made use of the twins’ popularity, having them frequently accompany the Duchess. Instead of waiting for her to come to them, they went to her—a proactive service, so to say!
Lois’s plan proceeded smoothly.
“Hehehe.”
Watching the children chattering joyfully in her own room, the Duchess smiled. The maids, too, rejoiced, seeing her overcome her sorrow.
And there was another reason Lois had tasked the twins with sticking close to the Duchess.
‘Anyone fond of children, upon seeing such lovely ones, would naturally think about wanting their own, right?’
Lois had never experienced marriage or children in his previous life, but he had picked up on this much at least.
‘Well, if not, no harm done.’
The secondary objective was a bonus. The main point was to lift the Duchess’s spirits. By doing so, they could hope to mend her relationship with the Duke and, perhaps, help her move beyond the shadow of their lost child.
As time passed and the results began to show, Lois started to prepare for the next phase of his plan.
“Heh heh heh.”
A sly grin spread across his face. His eyes sparkled, and he murmured to himself.
“All great history is penned at night, after all.”
Overhearing his murmur, the twins tilted their heads in curiosity and asked,
“Why write history at night?”
“Does it come out better then?”
At the twins’ inquiry, Lois waggled his index finger from side to side.
“That’s how it is. Kids wouldn’t understand.”
The dismissive remark left the twins puffing their chubby cheeks in frustration.
* * *
Having entrusted the Duchess to the twins, Lois began to shadow the Duke.
“Huh?”
The Duke looked down to see the white-haired child gazing up with amethyst eyes, full cheeks, and clear, innocent eyes. A small smile formed on his lips.
“Is there something you need?”
“Just because.”
“And your friends?”
“They are playing with the Duchess.”
The Duke was piqued by curiosity, seeing the child answer so plainly.
“Aren’t you afraid of me?”
“Why should I be?”
The Duke found himself at a loss for words in response to the child’s question. He had never encountered a child apart from his own son who dared approach him so amicably.
The Duke of the Eternal Winter.
That title, a byword for the Duke’s name, instilled a sense of awe in the children of his domains from a young age, just as their parents had done. And yet, this small child faced him unphased.
Feeling an unusual sort of warmth in this pure interaction, the Duke bent down and lifted Lois into his arms.
“Would you like to play with me?”
“I’d love to!”
Matching Lois’s bright smile, the Duke mirrored his grin and took him to his study.
The guards and servants following the Duke were taken aback by this. Their amazement bordered on reverence.
“When was the last time we saw the Duke smiling like this…”
Since his son’s death, the Duke had only ever smiled occasionally, usually only towards his wife. And now he was smiling at a young child. People welcomed this change, and as a result, Lois’s reputation rose.
Meanwhile, in the Duke’s study…
Scratching, scribbling sounds filled the air as the Duke attended to his responsibilities, suited to someone of his stature. He had a pile of tasks to handle each day.
After some time…
“Excellent! Observation complete!”
Lois slipped off the sofa and made his announcement.
“I’m leaving now!”
“Oh dear… I said I’d play with you, but I let you play alone.”
“No, it’s fine. I had a great time!”
Lois bowed politely and made a hasty exit from the study.
In the now empty study, the Duke gazed for a moment where Lois had been sitting before returning to his work, a curious smile on his lips.
As for Lois, who had left the Duke’s study…
“Hehehe.”
A very cunning smile was on his face.