I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 240

The next day.

When news spread that Ariel was pregnant with twins, the castle was swiftly abuzz as the two had predicted.

“Twins…! Is that true?”

“Yes, Mother. It’s true.”

“Oh dear…!”

Helene, who double-checked just in case, promptly fainted where she stood. Thankfully, Yulken caught her just in time, preventing any serious incidents.

“I-I’m sorry, dear. I must have momentarily lost my mind from all the excitement.”

“My feelings are the same, so don’t worry about it. But still, it’s hard to believe.”

“Indeed.”

Although worried they might be jumping the gun, everyone breathed a sigh of relief knowing the source of the information was Minette.

Who is Minette, you ask?

She’s currently the chief mage of the Robeheim Family and one of the most esteemed mages in the empire.

Moreover, with the truth that Albrecht and Mephisto are the same person coming to light, it naturally led to questions about her survival. Back then, she was even discussed as a strong candidate to become the next Mage Tower Master.

With someone of her caliber backing this claim, it’s definitely trustworthy.

No, it would be downright foolish not to believe it.

“I had already heard from my in-laws, but… I can only imagine how stressful it’s been; congratulations.”

“Just make sure to get through the tough parts. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back.”

“Yes. Father, Mother.”

Listening to Edgar’s parents convey their well wishes, Ariel tried to compose herself amidst the overwhelming joy. She couldn’t possibly cry on such a happy day.

“Ed, you’re going to have to take on a bit more work for now. Watching you manage your duties with that heavy body of yours makes me anxious.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking, Mother.”

Even though Edgar had been trying to keep her from coming to the office since her pregnancy, Ariel still found herself stopping by frequently, just like yesterday. Apparently, she felt uneasy if she didn’t work, believing it would be bad for the baby.

But now, facing the final stretch, she intended to prohibit her visits for a while. Besides, there were not just one but two lives growing inside her, which was double the burden.

It might seem a bit one-dimensional, but that’s just how the analogy works.

“I told you, the office feels more comfortable.”

“Then you can come to the office, but don’t touch the pen.”

“I’d hate that even more.”

Unlike the other advisors, Edgar worked in the same office as Ariel. So if she came in and did nothing, it would only distract him as he worked.

She didn’t want to be a bother.

“Well, maybe it’s not too much for you. But think about the kids and take a step back.”

“For the kids?”

Ariel, who had been resolutely refusing, suddenly widened her eyes in surprise at that unexpected point.

She realized it; she might be fine, but the kids might feel the strain if she blindly continued working, completely unaware of what was going on inside her.

If she ended up overworking herself without realizing the burden it placed on the little ones, it could lead to the worst outcome.

“If that’s the case… I understand.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’m a mom now too. Maybe I’ve only been thinking about myself until now.”

It seemed having kids was changing her mindset considerably.

Seeing Ariel easily change her stance, Edgar pinched her cheek, finding her adorably innocent despite her previously somewhat prickly and sulky demeanor. She was slowly becoming softer, which only made her more lovable.

“In that case, I’ll cut back on work too. Let’s try to spend more time together.”

“What about your duties?”

It hadn’t been long since he was told to take it easy by Katria, and out of nowhere, he was suggesting stepping back from work.

With her eyes wide open like a rabbit, Ariel asked, and Edgar chuckled as he patted her head.

“Sometimes it’s fine to leave things to the subordinates. After all, it’s not long until the due date.”

“…You’re a terrible boss.”

“For the sake of my wife, isn’t it okay to be a slightly terrible boss?”

“Just say it properly, will you?”

His words, as always, were as lively as his gestures.

Ariel, a bit peeved, pouted while snuggling into him. The reason she always tried to visit the office wasn’t just business—it was mostly because she wanted to see Edgar.

As long as he was there, there was no real need to go there. For Ariel, that was quite the advantageous situation.

“I’d love to throw a banquet to celebrate, but that might be pushing it, so I’ll hold back.”

“That’s a good call, dear. The kids must come first.”

From a distance, Yulken and Helene watched the couple with quiet voices exchanging words.

The joy of the moment was more than enough.

There was no need to share it with anyone or announce it to the public; simply cherishing it in their hearts was sufficient.

After all, those precious little ones didn’t seem willing to let their smiles fade anytime soon.

“Truly a joyful day.”

That’s all that mattered.

* * * * * * *

By afternoon, Edgar found himself being pulled in various directions.

Of course, as the second most powerful figure of the Grand Duke family, not everyone could just call on him, but knowing it was for congratulations, he purposely made the rounds to greet everyone.

“Congratulations. Twins, that’s quite unexpected news.”

“Thank you, Kelrag.”

Grasping the hand he offered, Edgar beamed.

He was currently visiting Minette’s laboratory and workshop.

Unless there was something specific going on, Kelrag usually made a point to stop by Robeheim Castle.

And the reason for that was well known.

“Isn’t it about time to drop the formalities? Your wife started speaking casually from the get-go with me.”

“It’s hard to shake habits, you know. Please bear with me.”

“Right, changing habits isn’t easy. I understand.”

Kelrag, who added that he wasn’t pushing him to change, also grinned.

While they were deep in conversation, Minette approached with a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Edgar preferred coffee over tea, so if he found himself here, he always made sure to have some.

“Sorry for the trouble, Minette.”

“There’s no real trouble. I must treat someone who avenged my enemy with the utmost respect.”

Ever since Edgar personally took down Albrecht, Minette had been exceedingly friendly toward him.

Not that it was a rational sentiment, but more a combination of gratitude and admiration for accomplishing what her ex-lover had failed to do.

* * *

After lightly blowing on his coffee to cool it slightly, Edgar took a sip, ready to ask a few questions with Kelrag, the chief of the Carvita Tribe, sitting there.

“By the way, how are things with the Carvita Tribe?”

“Going smoothly. For now, they’ve managed to blend into the villages and live their lives. Since they’re skilled laborers, they seem to be more amicable than expected.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Edgar’s lips curled into a smile at the favorable news as he took another gulp of coffee.

Even though they had agreed to a peace treaty and decided to coexist, that didn’t mean it would happen overnight. They were currently scattered across small cities and towns in the north, living alongside the locals.

There had been some initial clashes, but over time, those seemed to be decreasing.

“It’s probably because they’re a rough crowd, but it’s nice to see them gradually blending in.”

“That’s probably why you’ve stayed for so long. Minette mentioned you were lonely, so why not visit more often?”

“Cough! Cough!”

You wouldn’t expect someone to be caught off guard even if a grand spell was cast right in front of them.

Edgar’s bombshell of a remark caused Minette to spray her coffee everywhere, coughing as she did.

Still, the fact that she managed to turn her head quickly to avoid soaking the nearby table deserves some credit. Perhaps that’s just how sharp a sage of the Mage Tower is.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Kelrag, equally flustered, turned red and averted his gaze, much to Edgar’s delight, as he found himself grinning mischievously.

“Aw, come on! We’re all friends here.”

“Ahem. I think I’ll take my leave now. I’ve got comrades waiting outside, so I must hurry.”

“Oh, trying to make a quick getaway, huh? I can see through you.”

Since he figured it would be too hard to tease Kelrag, Edgar immediately shifted his focus to Minette.

He leaned in, whispering as he noticed her shoulders shaking with laughter.

“Minette, don’t you want to spend some more time with an old friend who made the trip? It seems a bit cold-hearted to dismiss them so quickly.”

“Uh, well, we’ve been in touch through letters anyway, so it wouldn’t be anything new to talk about.”

Kelrag chimed in from beside them, but Edgar’s focus remained solely on one person.

To catch the enemy, you had to fire your shot.

“Even if you’re not lovers, friends can share a conversation, right? Wouldn’t you agree?”

“That’s… true.”

“You mentioned you were a bit free today? Why not take the opportunity to catch up with an old friend?”

Edgar’s playful banter was now at full swing. Two helpless victims were fully at his mercy.

Having teased others before, he found handling two potential ‘targets’ as easy as tracing a line. His verbal prowess was second to none, and Minette could feel herself getting drawn in more and more.

“Yeah, I guess. Since they’ve come all this way, we could at least grab a meal together…”

“A meal… you say?”

When Kelrag, who hadn’t expected Minette to fall for it so easily, looked astonished, her expression shifted to one of disappointment.

“Are you really that busy? I mean, you did mention you had your entourage with you…”

“Oh, no, that’s not it. There’s plenty of time. Speaking of which, regarding the meal, I don’t really know a good place.”

“I’ll treat you. I’ve been cooking for so long, I can confidently say my skills are up to par.”

Kelrag’s eyes lit up at the prospect of Minette’s homemade meal.

“Then, let’s just have that.”

“Thank you!”

As Minette beamed with gratitude, Kelrag quickly turned away, trying to hide his joy.

Meanwhile, Edgar, who had been watching closely, couldn’t suppress his warm smile.

It felt like he had just scooped a handful of sugar into his mouth.

The romance between two people in their mid-thirties was so quaint. This was turning out to be quite pleasant after all.

“Well, I should take my leave now. I hope to get some good news soon for congratulations as well.”

“Oh, hurry along now. You must be busy.”

“I will, I will.”

Kelrag, who didn’t want to be teased any further, waved his hand dismissively and left in a hurry, while Edgar stood up, leaving the workshop.

‘Looks like I have something to tease Ariel about now.’

He could use a good story to make her laugh today.

Edgar felt his lips twitch in anticipation as he hurriedly made his way back.