I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

Editor : Aizen

Ariel's unexpected remark caught Edgar off guard.

Fortunately, the Billhark couple, who had overheard the conversation, managed to maintain their composure.

To further address the situation, the couple retreated to the living room, leaving their servants to unpack their belongings.

As a heavy silence descended, Edgar involuntarily swallowed.

"So, My Lady Ariel, you and my son are lovers… Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes, Father."

"What a surprise…"

Lansel, with a troubled smile, shook his head while resting his hand on his forehead.

He was well aware that his son was an unsuitable match for Her Highness.

The only issue was that the news was too overwhelming for him to accept immediately.

When they were ten years younger, their relationship could be dismissed as childhood play, but the situation was much more complicated now that they were adults.

"Does Your Highness know about this?"

"Yes, not only my father but my mother as well."

"Is that so?"

When Ariel answered, Lancel reacted strangely and chuckled.

"It's complicated."

The relationship between the Billhark couple and Ariel had always been ambiguous.

While their families were bound by a master-servant relationship, Ariel and Edgar had become close friends thanks to Helene's favor.

However, as immature children, they could afford to overlook the difference in their social status. The Billhark couple viewed Ariel more as a "future master" they would serve rather than their son's childhood friend.

They assumed this would be the case until they reached around fifteen years old.

However, when Edgar left for the Robeheim family, their bond seemed unbroken, and now they claimed to be lovers.

The Billhark couple found themselves at a loss, not knowing how to react to this situation.

"I apologize, but the princess is involved with our son with marriage in mind… Is that true?"

"Of course. And from now on, please feel free to call me by my first name, Mother."

“…”

Katria, who struggled to get used to the title "Mother," managed to force a smile despite her stiffness.

Unlike her husband, who was completely caught off guard, she had a slight inkling that this might happen, even if the chances were slim.

Helen had mentioned to her that Ariel didn't have much contact with people outside their circle, and it was common for friendships to develop between men and women who spent much time together in such enclosed spaces.

The only surprising thing was that Ariel herself, rather than Edgar, had disclosed the news of their relationship.

In other words, it felt strange that Ariel proudly revealed the truth instead of Edgar.

"Did you bring me here just to tell me this?" [Ariel came along to Ardenum to tell this news]

"Yes, because you have to mark your territory."

"You truly are something."

Edgar laughed wearily and shook his head.

How possessive could one be?

He found it a bit odd since they had already planned to go to Ardenum, and his fighting spirit seemed unusually high.

Later, he could bring Ariel along and visit his younger sister if there was still time.

Why were you so headstrong and making such a fuss about following me?

"It seems like the dynamics have changed somehow."

Moreover, it made Edgar happy that Ariel took their relationship so seriously.

He had thought they would eventually have to face this together, but he had been hesitant to bring it up, so he had been postponing it.

"Mother, we can discuss this later. Please show me my younger sister. Your son is getting restless."

"Oh… yes, I completely forgot about that."

Katria, who had momentarily lost track of things due to Edgar's complaining, returned to life.

Firstly, Edgar and Ariel came here today not to reveal that they had become a couple but to see Edgar’s younger sister, who had just been born.

Katria, who realized this late, got up from her seat and personally led them to the room where the baby was sleeping.

Meanwhile, Lancel decided to step outside for a while to clear his confused mind.

The three of them left the living room together and entered the room where Edgar's younger brother peacefully slept.

They walked silently, careful not to make any noise that could disturb the baby. They cautiously entered the room and saw a little angel sleeping peacefully in the cradle.

"So adorable… Mother, what's the baby's name?"

"Her name is Sonia."

"Sonia… It's a name that suits her somehow."

Katria, feeling that it was alright to act awkwardly in this situation, was using a low voice as she spoke to Ariel.

On the other hand, Ariel took it in stride, gazing affectionately at the slumbering Sonia.

Unlike Edgar, Sonia proudly displayed her brown hair, most likely inheriting it from Katria's strong lineage.

Especially her cute chubby cheeks made Ariel yearn to touch and cuddle her with both hands.

"How does seeing your sister in person feel, son?"

"It feels a bit strange. I'm happy, but at the same time, I'm amazed at how small my little sister is."

Due to the age difference, she felt more like a daughter than a younger sister, but he cherished the bond between them nonetheless.

As the three of them lowered their voices and chatted about various things with Sonia in the middle, the baby, who had been sound asleep, suddenly opened her eyes.

"Oh? Are you awake?"

"Ah."

"You're not crying, are you?"

With the presence of two strangers, even Katria couldn't be certain that Sonia wouldn't start crying.

Sonia looked at both of them with bright eyes.

The three of them held their breath, watching her intently.

Eventually, a radiant smile graced Sonia's lips, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Kyaa… Coo!"

With a slightly exaggerated motion, Sonia vigorously waved her tiny hands and actively sought attention as if asking to be embraced.

Ariel cautiously approached while Katria bent down and cradled her daughter's petite body.

She couldn't resist the overflowing affection she had been holding back for so long.

"Mother, can I touch her?"

"Of course. She's such a well-behaved child who rarely cries."

Katria offered Ariel the baby she was holding as if showing her off.

Ariel carefully extended her pinky finger and gently poked Sonia's cheek.

Thump.

"Alright, did you catch it?"

Sonia's quick response left no room for doubt.

Her small hand had caught Ariel's little finger, widening her eyes in surprise.

Then, as if beckoning Edgar to witness this, she kicked her feet and beamed with joy.

It was hard to tell who was the older sibling at that moment.

"Come on, Ed. You should hold her too."

"I should? Do you think she would cry?"

"I wonder if my sister would even recognize me. Go on."

Despite his reluctance, Edgar was persuaded by his mother and cautiously held his sister in his arms.

Even though Sonia was wrapped in a blanket, he could feel her warm body through his own.

"Damn it…!

"Look at you; excited to meet your brother and run towards him."

"I know, right? It's really strange, isn't it?"

As soon as Sonia fell into Edgar's arms, she reached out her hand as far as she could and touched Edgar's face and shoulders.

Ariel was momentarily taken aback by this action, but the other two didn't seem to notice.

"She didn't even act this cute with her mother, so she must be really excited to meet her brother."

"I guess it wasn't like this originally."

"She's quite a prideful kid. She doesn't mind being touched, but she won't show affection first."

"Hahaha, is that so?"

Edgar was overjoyed that Sonia recognized him when they met for the first time.

As a way to repay her, he swayed her back and forth, giving her the feeling of being on a ride.

"Ariel, look at my little sister smiling. Isn't she adorable?"

"… Yes, she is."

He wanted to show this to Ariel, but when he turned to her, her response seemed a bit distant.

Under normal circumstances, Edgar would have noticed immediately, but he didn’t notice today because he was simply distracted.

He was too caught up in playing with his sister today.

"What happened to the person who said they would be indifferent even if they had a younger sister?"

"I didn't know I would react like this. It's because Sonia is so cute, well."

As Katria sighed, reminiscing about old memories, Edgar shyly smiled and gently pinched Sonia's cheek with his fingers.

Just having a younger sister made him feel a connection that wasn't there before.

Just looking at her, she looked gorgeous, and he wondered if this was what it would feel like to have a daughter.

"… Mother, can I take Ed away for a moment?"

Amidst Edgar's fascination with his sister's charm, Ariel calmly called out to him, grabbing him by the back of his sleeve.

At that moment, a cold sensation brushed against his back.

On the other hand, Katria didn't notice anything strange and simply shook her head, unconcerned.

"Alright then. Do you have something to tell me?"

"Yes, there was an important matter I wanted to discuss, but I forgot about it."

"In that case, Ed, give Sonia to me and come back in a little while."

"Yes, alright… I understand."

Edgar, who was led out of the room by Ariel's hand, had to follow silently, not knowing where they were headed.

They arrived at the guest room that Ariel used whenever she visited.

Ariel pushed him inside rather roughly, like a piece of luggage, and closed the door behind them.

"What's the matter? Did your mood suddenly turn sour?"

Despite her strange behavior, Edgar gently stroked her hair and asked about her well-being without questioning her actions.

At this moment, Ariel slightly shook her head, burying her face in his chest.

To be honest, she did feel a bit down, but she was embarrassed to admit the real reason.

"Tell me. What is it?"

"… It's because of Sonia."

"Sonia?"

Edgar tilted his head in surprise.

What did her mood have to do with Sonia?

Even though he knew Ariel better than anyone else, he couldn't understand why she would feel upset about Sonia.

"… Can I be honest?"

"Would you rather not?"

What would be the point of lying?

Edgar gently pushed aside her slightly disheveled bangs and pinched her cheeks with a little force, just as he did with Sonia.

It was an unspoken request for her to open up.

"Because I was too focused on Sonia, I felt like this."

"Are you saying you were jealous?"

"… Maybe."

Perhaps she was embarrassed to admit that she felt jealous of a newborn baby who was less than a year old, but she blushed and avoided his gaze.

On the other hand, Edgar, after hearing the reason for her sour mood, stared at Ariel with a blank expression for a while.

Then, he extended both hands and pulled her into his embrace, gently patting her back.

"What will our princess do with so much jealousy? When we have a daughter in the future, you won't be jealous of her, right?"

"I-I don't think so… maybe."

In the end, she couldn't make a firm promise even to herself.

Edgar smiled wryly at this, loosened his embrace, looked at her tenderly, and lightly kissed her forehead.

"Sonia will always be my younger sister. You are my lover. Besides, when we return to Hespania, it will be just the two of us, so bear with it until then."

Ariel's discontent hadn't completely disappeared, but she nodded as if she had no choice.

To Edgar, she seemed somewhat childlike, he held her cheeks and gently rubbed them with his hands as if kneading dough.

"Hmm…! Mhmm…!"

"It's because you're cute."

He knew she was cute, but he found her cute even when she was jealous.

He held onto Ariel for a while as if ensuring the bond between them was securely in place.