The Revealed Gift
Perhaps it was the lingering effects of a full day spent battling fever. The next morning, Edgar awoke to the realization that his body felt heavier than usual. Most troubling of all, his head refused to turn properly, and something heavy seemed to weigh down his shoulders.
This isn’t good.
At this rate, he would have no choice but to skip his daily training. It had become such a natural part of his routine that even missing a single day left him oddly unsettled.
Thud.
“Agh!?”
No sooner had he dragged his heavy body out of bed and stepped out of his room than he came face-to-face with an unexpected visitor. Already aching all over, he now found himself sprawled on the floor. Just what I needed. For a moment he worried he might have injured his tailbone, but the pain faded quickly. The real question was who the culprit was.
“S-sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Quite the early visitor. A cascade of black hair entered his vision first, followed by a familiar voice that tickled his ears. Without even looking up, Edgar gave a wry smile and pushed himself to his feet.
“It’s fine. What brings you here so early?”
“Mother asked me to tell you breakfast is ready. She said if you’re still not feeling well, she’ll send a maid with it.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Edgar unconsciously check the time and realize it was already breakfast hour. He had woken later than usual. Yesterday’s exhaustion must have taken more out of him than he thought.
I’ll go eat.
Even if he wasn’t at his best, he could at least make it to the dining hall and feed himself. When he pressed a hand to his forehead, the fever seemed to have dropped considerably. Moving around might even help his recovery.
“Are you still not feeling well? Should I have them bring it here?”
Ariel peered at his complexion with a worried expression when he hesitated to answer. Edgar quickly shook his head. If he told her the truth, she might start sniffling again. She had always been a tender-hearted girl.
“No, let’s go together. I’m almost better.”
“Really? That’s a relief.”
Ariel’s face brightened at once. She strode ahead, taking the lead.
She really does love playing the leader.
More accurately, she preferred having others follow her rather than following anyone herself. Whether that was the result of the imperial education she had received at the Grand Duke’s household or simply her nature, he couldn’t say. In that regard, the two of them made a surprisingly good match. He, too, preferred following others over giving orders. And trailing after Ariel usually led to something entertaining.
“If you’re really better, what should we do today?”
“You’re already thinking about playing again?”
“Yeah. But staying inside the mansion is so boring.”
She had quite the nerve. It was absurd to see her cheerfully worrying about entertainment right after yesterday’s incident, yet at the same time it struck him as the pure innocence of a ten-year-old.
Will this be all right?
The problem was that his body wasn’t in any condition for running around. Ariel’s sprained ankle didn’t seem to hinder her walking much, but his own condition was different. Still, refusing on account of his health would only lead to the exact scene he could already picture.
“Let’s eat first and think about it.”
“Okay.”
He decided to buy himself some time by putting off his answer. The two of them soon arrived at the dining hall and stepped inside quietly. Aside from Edgar’s father, who had left the mansion on official business, two people were already seated at the table.
“I’m sorry for being late.”
“We were just about to serve the food. It’s all right—come sit down.”
Helene smiled kindly and gestured to a seat. The head of the table remained empty. Helene and Catria sat facing each other, and Edgar’s usual seat was, as always, beside his mother.
“Son, how are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.”
“Good. You worked hard yesterday. Lady Helene was praising you quite a bit……”
Catria patted Edgar’s head while gently warning him not to overdo it next time. Edgar nodded obediently and turned his attention to the plate being set before him.
Meat. Perfect.
Most people lost their appetite when they were unwell, but Edgar was the opposite. If anything, his hunger only grew stronger at times like this. A hearty meal was the fastest way to recover. In that sense, today’s breakfast menu was an excellent choice.
“Edgar, is there anything you’d like to receive?”
“Something I’d like to receive……?”
Helene posed the question casually while Edgar was busy slicing into his meat. Surely she wasn’t offering compensation out of guilt over yesterday’s events? The timing felt far too deliberate to be a coincidence. Still, he couldn’t jump to conclusions, so he decided to probe her intentions.
“If this is because of what happened yesterday, there’s no need.”
“Hm? Ah, it’s not only because of that. I’m sorry for making you misunderstand.”
“Pardon? Then why……?”
Why had she singled him out like this? Helene had brought gifts before, but those had always been exchanges between households. She had rarely given anything directly to Edgar himself. He had assumed his guess was correct, yet apparently it wasn’t. The mystery only deepened.
Helene chuckled softly at the sight of Edgar’s wide eyes, then glanced at Ariel. Her daughter sat fidgeting with both hands instead of eating, and the sight struck her as especially endearing today.
“Your birthday is coming up soon. I thought I’d give you a gift as thanks for yesterday as well.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Edgar remember that his birthday was just three days away.
I’d completely forgotten.
He usually paid attention to other people’s birthdays, but his own had never interested him much. If it was a birthday gift, he could accept it without issue. Refusing at this point would only be an insult to her.
“In that case…… I’d like a sword.”
“A sword?”
Both Helene and Catria’s eyes widened at the unexpected request. Surely a ten-year-old boy wouldn’t ask for a sword merely as decoration. Did he intend to use it himself?
“It wouldn’t be difficult, but I’d like to know your reason first.”
Even in the most prestigious martial families, a real sword was only granted to the eldest son after the age of thirteen. Training could begin earlier, but only with wooden swords. This wasn’t simply because a blade was dangerous for a child. A sword represented will. Only those with a firm resolve to wield it were deemed worthy of carrying one.
Does this boy possess that kind of resolve?
She had always thought him extraordinary. But granting a sword carried a different weight entirely. As the mistress of the proud House of Lobeheim, bestowing a sword upon someone was tantamount to vouching for his will and honor—not in her own name, but in the name of the entire house.
Edgar met Helene’s gaze without flinching. If anything, his eyes grew even more resolute, as though determined to prove his will. He had no grand ambitions. He wasn’t even suited for such things. But yesterday’s events had made one thing painfully clear: if he wished to stand beside this reckless young lady and protect her future, his current strength was far from enough.
“It isn’t because I need a sword. I simply want it as a symbol to strengthen my resolve.”
“Your resolve.”
Helene fell silent, studying Edgar’s eyes. He truly was a remarkable child. Any other boy his age would have launched into a long-winded explanation to convince her. She was not the sort of woman to be swayed by empty words. Yet this boy offered neither concrete ambitions nor details of his resolve. Strangely, his words almost sounded like an invitation to invest in him. Still, the fire of determination burning in his eyes was unmistakable.
“Very well. Will a sword suffice?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be sure to bring one the next time I visit. Look forward to it.”
Though it was a gift, it was also a form of permission. Edgar bowed his head deeply in gratitude. Catria, who had been watching the exchange, looked back and forth between them with a stunned expression.
Once their conversation ended, the meal continued without further incident. Edgar, who had finished his meat first, wiped his mouth with a napkin. A memory from yesterday suddenly flashed through his mind.
“Oh, right—Ariel, what was that gift you said you’d give me yesterday?”
“Ah, that’s……”
What could it be? Why was her reaction so lukewarm? Edgar glanced at Helene, wondering if she knew. When their eyes met, she raised a finger to her lips. It seemed she wanted him to hear it from Ariel herself. His curiosity only grew.
“Did you…… not notice anything strange yesterday?”
“Something strange?”
The only strange thing he could think of was how she had ignored his words and tried to reach the end of the mountain path. Surely that couldn’t be the answer. Still, he had nothing to lose by saying it. If she got angry, he could deal with it then.
“You mean how you wouldn’t listen to me and kept trying to go all the way up the mountain?”
“That’s right.”
Wait, that was actually it? Edgar’s eyes widened in disbelief. But what did that have to do with a gift? No matter how hard he thought, nothing came to mind.
“That mountain we went to yesterday……”
“What about the mountain?”
Surely she hadn’t tried to climb it just to pick some wild ginseng or something equally absurd. Setting aside whether ginseng even existed in this world.
“That’s the gift.”
“……What?”
“I mean…… that mountain is the gift!”
Apparently fed up with his slow reaction, Ariel reverted to her usual energetic self and shouted. Edgar could only stare at her blankly, still unable to process what he was hearing. In other words, what this spirited young lady was trying to say was……
“You’re giving me…… that mountain?”
“Yeah.”
He had thought he’d built up immunity to her antics by now, but apparently that had been nothing but arrogance. Feeling lightheaded, Edgar managed to take a sip of water. He had joked about her giving him the mansion, but a mountain? Was this really happening?
“Then…… was that why you tried to reach the summit yesterday?”
“I thought it would sound cooler if I said it was a gift from the top of the mountain……”
That’s our Grand Duchess for you. Her way of thinking was on an entirely different level from ordinary people.