I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 272

Recently, Serina found herself grappling with a question that she simply couldn’t resolve on her own.

It was a concern far too profound for an eleven-year-old girl to bear.

At first, she pondered who she could ask to receive a proper answer, but thankfully, the answer soon came to her.

“Daddy!”

Bursting into the study with the door flung open, Serina wore a bright smile on her face.

Seeing her dad was the joy of her day.

“Well? What brings you here, my dear?”

“Serina, you should knock before entering.”

Edgar’s soft reply was followed by Ariel’s admonishment.

Truth be told, Ariel hadn’t expected Edgar to be in the study, so she’d neglected to announce herself and inadvertently provided grounds for a scolding.

Nonetheless, she recognized her lack of etiquette, and Serina gracefully bent at the waist to admit her fault.

“Ah, I’m sorry, Mommy…”

“Apologies are enough. But what’s going on?”

Quoting her husband’s earlier question, Ariel tilted her head in curiosity.

After all, it was unusual for Serina to barge in so late in the day.

Typically, she would visit after returning from the Academy, or she refrained from dropping in to avoid interrupting her parents.

In other words, for her to come to the study unannounced likely indicated she had something significant to discuss.

“I have a question to ask.”

“Really? That’s unusual.”

Ariel’s follow-up response further expressed her bewilderment.

While Evan would immediately blurt out his questions, Serina was quite the opposite.

She would rummage through books to understand things on her own and only come crawling back to Edgar or Ariel when she was truly stuck.

Plus, blessed with Ariel’s sharp intellect, there weren’t many perplexing issues that could torment her for long.

Most of her questions typically resolved themselves before she even had to ask the two of them.

So for her to come to her parents engaged in important affairs to seek answers was quite the surprise.

Ariel felt her curiosity bubbling up as she slowly approached her daughter.

“Shuri, please prepare some tea. And a snack for Serina.”

“Yes. Just a moment.”

As Shuri, who was standing by, took her leave, Ariel continued her conversation while ensuring refreshments were on the way.

Once she finished the paperwork she was attending to, Edgar also got up and approached the two.

“What does our daughter want to know?”

“She’s not saying yet. She seems to want to ask you alone.”

Now used to the term “you” replacing “thou,” Ariel opened her mouth in a somewhat mischievous tone.

It was as though she were saying, “Are you only going to tell Daddy, even though Mommy’s here?”

Serina, who had been calmly swinging her legs, suddenly sat straight up in surprise.

She had only called out “Daddy” because she thought Edgar would be the only one here; she truly intended to ask them both.

“No, I’m not! I was going to ask both you and Mommy!”

“Really?”

“Oh, does that mean it’s that profound of a question?”

Edgar took a seat beside Serina, smiling as if he found it amusing.

Now sandwiched between the two, Serina looked back and forth, blinking her big eyes.

“Mommy.”

“Yes?”

She had presumed her daughter would speak to her husband first, but unexpectedly, Serina’s gaze turned toward her, causing Ariel’s eyes to widen.

“How did you and Daddy fall in love?”

“L-love?”

“Yes, love.”

Ariel’s poker face shattered at the sudden question.

Thinking she might have misheard, she asked again, but the answer she received was steadfast.

“Well, um…”

As Ariel scrambled for words, Edgar was barely containing his laughter.

Lately, Ariel had grown accustomed to his antics, making it tough for him to catch her off guard, but thanks to Serina’s innocence, he was treated to this rare spectacle.

So what was his duty in this moment?

To poke fun at his wife, who was bashfully caught in the crossfire.

“What are you doing? Respond to our daughter sincerely; she’s asking seriously.”

“D-Dear! You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

“What am I doing?”

Edgar shrugged in genuine confusion, but after more than thirty years of being together, Ariel knew better than to be fooled.

Yet, what good was that knowledge?

There was no immediate way to counterattack.

What mattered was answering the lovely daughter looking up at her with innocent eyes devoid of any mischief.

“Ugh…”

In the end, instead of jumping up from her seat, she swallowed her frustration and sought the words to respond to Serina.

“How should I put it? Um, it’s a tough question. Is there a specific answer you’re seeking?”

“No. Not really. Just…”

“Just?”

This time, both Robeheim parents tilted their heads in unison.

“I became curious about love by watching Evan and big brother Allen.”

“Ah…”

“Well, kids might be curious about that.”

Ariel let out a low exclamation, and Edgar nodded in understanding.

Everyone knew about Evan fawning over Claire despite his young age, having maintained this affection for over three years now.

And it recently spread like wildfire that Allen confessed his feelings to Sonia.

With such scenes happening around her, it’s no wonder that young Serina’s curiosity was piqued.

Until now, the only person she had admired and loved was her dad, Edgar. She hadn’t even had a romantic interest in peers her age yet.

Familial love towards her dad, mom, and younger brother, versus love towards the opposite gender.

Perhaps she hadn’t yet grasped that difference, Edgar carefully theorized.

“Well, I guess… It would be hard for Mommy to pinpoint one specific reason she fell in love with Daddy.”

“Why?”

“You might not understand yet, but having a heart doesn’t mean you know everything about it.”

Ariel gently patted her daughter’s head as she continued.

“However, if I had to mention a reason… maybe it’s because he was always by my side.”

“You mentioned that you and Daddy were friends first, right?”

“That’s right. At first, we held hands freely and hugged each other. It was possible only because we didn’t know what love was back then.”

What a perplexing answer for Serina.

As she remembered her father saying such actions were reserved for those who loved and cared for each other, it muddied the waters for her.

But to say you could act those ways because you didn’t know love yet?

In her understanding, that was a paradox.

Why was it possible because they didn’t know love?

Maybe within that gap lay the answer to the questions she held.

The intuition of a young girl spoke quietly.

With her chin propped up and lips protruding in thought, Serina lost herself in contemplation.

Watching her, Edgar wore a soft smile and gently tapped his wife on the arm.

“Ariel.”

“What?”

“Isn’t there something you ought to tell our daughter in moments like this?”

“Tell her? What do you mean?”

Ariel blinked, not grasping the hidden meaning in Edgar’s words.

It almost sounded as though he knew the advice she should give Serina right now.

“You know, the story you told me about.”

“The story I told you…? Ah.”

Ariel wore a puzzled expression, overwhelmed by the sheer number of tales she had shared with him.

However, she soon recognized the context, her mouth hanging open.

That’s right.

As she reflected, she’d often wondered when she might share that story with these siblings since the day they were born.

Time had passed so quickly, it seemed to have slipped through her fingers and faded from memory.

“Haha, so that was it.”

“Just in time, the moon and stars are shining brightly outside. Why not go for a little walk?”

“What about you?”

“Sometimes, there are stories only a mother and daughter can share.”

Lifting his teacup, Edgar smiled warmly.

Ariel nodded slightly and gently grabbed Serina’s hand.

“Serina.”

“Yes, Mommy?”

“Shall we go for a little walk outside?”

“Now?”

Serina tilted her head, realizing the hour was quite late.

“Yes, let’s grab our coats and step out for just a moment.”

“Okay! I’ll be right back after getting my coat!”

Not exactly displeased, Serina quickly jumped up and dashed to her room.

“By the way, wasn’t that something meant to be passed down to just two people in a lifetime?”

“Twins are basically one, so it should be fine, right?”

“That’s a solid answer.”

As Ariel nonchalantly shrugged, Edgar agreed, clapping his hands in acknowledgement.

It was indeed the first time two children were born from the bloodline she had inherited, so it could be considered an exception.

Evan and Serina were extraordinary in their own right.

“When will Serina find her answer?”

“Who knows? You and I have reached the stage where we just have to wait.”

“Weren’t you always impatient about waiting?”

“True. I never expected this day to come.”

Chuckling, Ariel stood up.

She had always despised waiting, not just for being late to appointments, but also for realizing her feelings for one particular man.

Holding a desire for him to come closer while simultaneously wishing to step forward herself.

However, this time, she felt that maybe this wait could be a delightful one.

An eleven-year-old girl on the brink of adulthood—someone to whom she wanted to share the tales passed down from her mother.

What would it feel like when that day truly arrived?

“Mommy! I brought my coat!”

“Really? Then shall we go?”

As Serina returned to the study proudly displaying her thick coat, Ariel exchanged a meaningful glance with her husband before setting off.

Watching the mother-daughter duo retreat, Edgar wordlessly sipped his tea.