Thump. Thump.
Edgar’s heart raced violently.
Even if he were mature enough to articulate himself, there was no one to speak on his behalf in this situation.
“What should I do?”
Of course, considering this involved toddlers who only babbled, Helene could afford to be understanding.
But that was merely a hypothetical situation.
Once an incident occurred, he couldn’t let his guard down without certainty about what would happen next.
“I might just burst a blood vessel.”
Despite being a two-year-old baby, his body couldn’t handle the tightness of his mental strain, and it was alarming to feel his heart pounding so fiercely.
Meanwhile, noticing Ariel’s cries, Helene approached and asked the two maids standing next to her what had happened.
Run, Katria’s personal maid, was too anxious to respond and merely fidgeted, looking for the right words.
In this situation, speaking up about what she had seen might well result in harsh words directed at Edgar for taking her side.
Perhaps sensing the awkwardness of the moment, Shefi, Helene’s maid, smiled gently and spoke as if it were of no consequence.
“It’s nothing serious, my lady. Young Edgar simply made a mistake while trying to help the young lady.”
“He helped her?”
How much help could a mere two-year-old offer his equally aged friend, really?
As Helene blinked in confusion, inquiring about the meaning behind those words, a soft smile crossed Shefi’s lips.
“Young Edgar gifted the lady a pendant, but she tried to put it in her mouth. Thankfully, he quickly took it from her.”
“…A two-year-old did that?”
“Yes, indeed.”
It was hard to believe, yet undeniably true.
Attempting to confirm this, Helene locked eyes with Shefi, who remained steadfast without a flicker of doubt.
Having spent more time with her than anyone other than her husband, Helene quickly realized the truth in her words.
“That’s quite remarkable. Even at just two years old, did she have an instinct to protect my daughter?”
Bending slightly, Helene calmly met Edgar’s gaze.
Though technically two years old, in reality, this baby hadn’t even completed her two years since birth.
So how could she have behaved that way?
Even though a stranger had come up close to study her, this child didn’t flinch or show fear; she simply met his gaze bravely.
Meanwhile, Katria could do nothing but watch this scene unfold anxiously from the back.
At least, one could be relieved of the fact that her son hadn’t done anything too grave.
Still, the uneasiness lingered, knowing he had upset the only daughter of the Grand Duke.
“Katria.”
“Y-Yes, my lady.”
Steeling her voice, Katria replied, with Helene’s next words following soon after.
“Does young Edgar have a path laid out for him?”
A path? What kind of path?
Katria’s eyes widened in astonishment.
Two years old—sure, being the eldest son meant he would eventually carry on the family legacy, but he hadn’t drafted any concrete plans yet.
“He’s still very young… So I haven’t discussed it with my husband yet.”
“I see.”
Hearing that, Helene fell into thought.
Everyone knew that the Billhark Family had served the Robeheim Family for generations.
If three, five, or ten years down the line, Edgar would become either Ariel’s servant or attendant, it was the way history dictated.
‘Is that the right thing to do?’
Helene knew she couldn’t bear any more children.
She couldn’t escape the fate passed down through generations.
Her only daughter would, inevitably, be appointed as the next head of this iron-fisted family ruling the northern territories, and finding a genuine friend within that role would be quite the challenge.
Friends would merely be noble acquaintances, trading favors again and again.
Some might say that was the duty of one who bore the blood of a Grand Duke.
Even her husband might argue similarly if brought into the conversation.
But that wasn’t the future she desired as a mother.
‘At least one close friend would be nice.’
Friendship is a relationship that family, subordinates, or even lovers cannot replace.
There are things one couldn’t share with family, yet might feel comfortable discussing with a friend, and tasks one couldn’t delegate to helpers, but could ask a friend for assistance.
Helene hoped at least that her daughter would have someone like that in her life.
That might be the last gift she could offer to the child who would shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the Robeheim Family.
“Katria.”
“Yes, my lady?”
“I have a request. Would you be willing to hear me out?”
“Please, anything you wish to say.”
She would follow the command even if told to draw a blade across her belly right there.
There were rules to uphold as a subservient family, beyond mere displays of power between the Robeheim and Billhark houses.
“Edgar, I want this child beside our own.”
“You mean as a maid…?”
It was hardly a difficult request. In fact, one might say it was aligning with the current trend.
As for maids or attendants of the Grand Duke, they were typically well-rounded individuals with various attributes. It wasn’t unusual to bring in children from other noble houses for such roles.
In lower noble circles, nurturing connections with high-ranking houses could lead to advantageous ties, making it a favorable situation.
Yet, what came out of Helene’s mouth was entirely unexpected for Katria.
“No, not a maid. I want him to be a friend to this child.”
“Friend? You mean…?”
Friend? Katria felt her ears must have deceived her.
Of course, when children were young, maintaining their innocence sometimes led families to allow friendships to form among the children regardless of status.
But even that had its limits.
A child from a baron family getting a chance to be friends with someone from the Grand Duke’s family?
“M-My lady… I appreciate your good will towards our child, but he’s lacking to be a friend of the young lady…”
While aware of the shame in putting down her own offspring, she had no choice at this moment.
If Helene had merely suggested she raise him as a servant, she would have immediately accepted. But a friendship was a gap too wide to accept.
Eventually, as they grew older, the truth would be revealed, and the potential shock for Edgar would be something she could not ignore as a mother.
“It’s alright, Katria. I’m not hoping for anything from this child.”
Helene gazed into the eyes of the small boy who still hadn’t looked away from her.
He wasn’t showcasing the temperament of a brave warrior, nor the makings of a great scholar.
It was simply a hunch that this child might be a friend, regardless of how her daughter turned out.
“Edgar, I’m counting on you to take care of our child. Even if he inherits his father’s stoic nature and lacks social awareness… please, just keep an eye on her.”
Here was a Grand Duke’s wife humbly making such a request of a mere two-year-old.
Katria tried to interject, but watching from the side, Shefi gently shook her head, signaling for her to allow it.
“Ta-da!”
“Ah, thank you.”
As Edgar cheerfully raised the pendant in his tiny hand in response to Helene’s plea, a relieved smile spread across her face at last.
While not something to boast about, she was confident in her ability to judge character. This perceptiveness had surely played a crucial part in her journey, despite her frail body and lacking talents.
Edgar, who had boldly responded, now stared intently at Ariel sitting across from him.
With dark hair and red eyes.
Though just two years old, her features hinted at the makings of stunning beauty in the future.
‘To think a girl like this might die young…’
The only thing he knew about Ariel Robeheim was that single fact.
Why she died, who was involved in her death, whether she had committed any wrongdoing, or whether she was wrongly accused—he was clueless about all.
He reached out a hand, touching Ariel’s cheek.
Warmth flowed through his tiny fingers, and in response, puzzled, Ariel tilted her head adorably to the side.
‘This might not be so bad.’
At the very least, if this girl wasn’t meant to disappear like dust, watching over someone in this new life might be alright.
Not to brag, but he considered himself somewhat childlike, so entertaining an infant was something he could handle.
‘Actually, I might end up having more fun than her.’
In any case, Edgar was excited about it.
As the future head of the Billhark Family, he had made a positive impression toward the Robeheim Family he would need to serve.
Moreover, he had even become friends with the only daughter of the Grand Duke, which felt like a happy ending in itself.
“Oh dear, she’s fallen asleep.”
Perhaps it was because she had been overly tense for someone so small.
While holding Ariel’s cheek and softly playing with it, Edgar fell asleep right there.
Just a moment ago, he seemed like such a reliable little man, but after all, a child was still just a child.
With a smile, Helene picked up Edgar and handed him over to his mother, Katria.
All she could hope for was that he became her daughter’s good friend.
As a mother, that was her sole wish.