I Became a Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

〈 Episode 12 〉 Another Gift

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After coldly dismissing the boy whose name she didn’t even know, Ariel returned to her usual self as if nothing had happened.

Her remarkable shift in demeanor was so stark that even Edgar couldn’t help but feel a sense of dissonance.

It was hard to believe that such charisma and decisiveness could come from a mere ten-year-old.

‘She really isn’t just any grand duchess.’

For some reason, Edgar felt a pang of guilt toward the boy.

He could guess why the boy had approached them and didn’t think it was necessarily the right move, but still.

Had the boy really done something deserving of such scorn and humiliation? A small doubt lingered in his mind.

“…Ed!”

“Huh?”

A sharp voice cut through his thoughts, snapping him back to the present.

By the time Edgar realized it, it was already too late.

Ariel stood before him, cheeks puffed out like a balloon, her hands firmly planted on her hips, glaring daggers at him.

“Why didn’t you answer when I called? I called you so many times!”

“Sorry, sorry. I guess I got lost in thought for a moment.”

“Hmph, I hate you!”

Ariel crossed her arms and dramatically turned her head away, feigning indignation.

Normally, Edgar might have teased her a little more just for fun, but this time, he knew he was at fault, so he decided to back down gracefully.

“Come on, forgive me for this once. I was just thinking about how cool you looked kicking that boy out earlier.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah, you were amazing.”

It wasn’t a lie.

In fact, it felt like the perfect embodiment of the word girl crush. Though, if he was being honest, he hadn’t stood there in awe with his mouth wide open or anything. Still, a little exaggeration never hurts when trying to butter someone up.

And it seemed to work. Ariel deflated her puffed-up cheeks, her expression shifting to one of pride.

‘Ah, here it is.’

This childish grand duchess had a habit of pouting her lips and tucking her hair behind her ears whenever she felt the urge to show off or when her confidence surged.

The smug smile creeping across her lips and her shoulders lifting slightly were all part of the package.

It was a quirk only Edgar, who had spent the past eight years by her side, would know. Even Madam Helene probably wasn’t aware of it.

“Hmph, well, if that’s the case, I suppose I can let it slide. But… you really thought it was that cool?”

“…Pfft.”

Oh no, he couldn’t laugh.

Biting his lip to suppress the chuckle threatening to escape, Edgar nodded earnestly.

Then, as if struck by sudden inspiration, he adopted a serious expression and began to heap praise on her earlier actions.

“Of course. You were so cool, like a knight straight out of a fairy tale.”

“R-really? Heehee.”

Her grin widened, her earlier annoyance completely forgotten.

She preferred being called a knight rather than a princess, something Edgar already knew well.

It was likely due to her family’s history of defending against foreign invaders. Her father, after all, was a seasoned war hero who had fought on countless battlefields. It would be impossible for her not to admire him.

‘Come to think of it, she did mention something like that once.’

The memory of Ariel’s casual remark while they read a fairy tale together was still vivid in his mind. She had said something about disliking princesses because they just stayed locked up in castles, doing nothing and being useless.

Truly, the young grand duchess had a unique perspective.

As they joked around, now that Ariel was back in high spirits, a woman approached them cautiously.

She had shoulder-length light green hair and wore a maid’s uniform, the unmistakable figure of Sheffi, Helene’s personal maid.

“Young Lady, Young Master, the mistress is asking for you.”

“No! I want to keep playing with Ed!”

‘Uh, what about my opinion?’

Sheffi had clearly called for both of them, yet Ariel was the only one voicing her thoughts.

Helene wouldn’t summon them without a reason, so it was probably something important. This was confirmed when Sheffi, smiling awkwardly at Ariel’s protest, spoke again.

“It won’t take long. The mistress wishes to personally deliver a prepared gift.”

“Oh, that’s what it was! Then let’s go quickly, Ed!”

“Alright.”

Ariel’s mood brightened instantly, and she grabbed Edgar’s hand firmly, leading him as they followed Sheffi.

Dragged along without even voicing an opinion, Edgar soon found himself standing before Helene.

“I’m sorry to summon you like this, Edgar. But I wanted to personally hand you this gift.”

“No need to apologize, ma’am. If anything, I should be thanking you.”

Expressing gratitude for a gift was customary, who was he to question the intentions behind it?

With his head slightly bowed, Edgar politely voiced his thanks.

“Heh, if only my daughter could speak as well as you do. Don’t you agree, dear?”

“Wh-what do you mean by that!”

Edgar silently agreed with Helene but wisely kept any sign of it from showing. He had no intention of finding out what sort of revenge the young duchess might concoct later if she caught wind of his agreement.

Helene, watching his restraint with an amused look, gave a subtle nod to a man standing nearby.

In the man’s hands was a sword wrapped in cloth, its shape concealed entirely.

‘Surely she’s not going to hand it over here and now?’

Edgar’s eyes widened in alarm as he glanced around, noting how many guests were already casting curious glances their way.

Unsurprisingly, murmurs of speculation rippled through the gathered crowd.

“Could it be that Lady Helene is gifting that boy a sword?”

“No way. Even if he is the young lady’s playmate, that’s all he is.”

The whispers grew louder, though no one dared to directly address Helene. Instead, they quietly exchanged their guesses about what was happening.

While the relationship between the Löwehein and Bilhark families as liege and vassal was well known, for Helene, the mistress of Löwehein, to personally present a sword to such a young boy was a completely different matter.

Especially since the recipient was a boy whom Helene herself had fostered a bond with through her daughter.

It was a situation ripe for rumors and speculation.

“Do you think she’s considering him as her daughter’s future match?”

“Are you insane? Say that aloud, and you’ll lose your head before nightfall.”

“But still, this….”

The air was undeniably charged with meaning, and a man who had been on the verge of speaking swallowed his words instead.

Helene was a sharp and perceptive woman. There was no way she hadn’t noticed the atmosphere or the undercurrents of speculation among the guests.

If she had simply intended to gift the sword without making a statement, she would have done so in private. She might have handed it over discreetly through Katria or at another quiet opportunity.

Yet, she chose to present the sword to Edgar here, in front of so many witnesses. It was a deliberate declaration.

This man is recognized by the mistress of the Löwehein family.

To dishonor him would be to dishonor the Löwehein family itself.

‘The way people perceive this boy will change.’

Of course, a single gesture couldn’t instantly alter everyone’s opinions about Edgar. But this was the first step toward reshaping their perception.

Edgar was the eldest son of a minor baronial family, one that ranked near the bottom even among the lower nobility. For the mistress of Löwehein to personally present him with a sword, it was an event no one could ignore.

In that moment, the boy was no longer just ‘the son of a weak noble house’ but Edgar, someone worth paying attention to.

Breaking the mold that confined someone’s identity was the key to shifting how others evaluated them.

All Helene sought to do was create that initial crack.

“Edgar, come here.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Helene received the sword from her attendant and carefully removed the cloth covering it.

What emerged was neither overly ornate nor plain. If someone untrained in swords were to look at it, they might dismiss it as an ordinary blade.

And to Edgar, it seemed the same.

“It looks like a simple sword, doesn’t it?”

“To be honest… yes, it does.”

“Ha ha, it would seem so at first glance. But I prepared it specifically for you. Would you like to try holding it?”

Her tone was warm and encouraging, and Edgar stepped forward, hesitating slightly, before reaching out to take the blade.

Edgar had expected some sort of solemn ceremony before receiving the sword, but instead, it was quickly placed in his hands.

The sword was indeed heavy, as one would expect from a real blade. For an average ten-year-old, even lifting it might have been a challenge, let alone swinging it.

“!?”

As he gripped the sword with both hands and examined its exterior, Edgar’s eyes widened at an unexpected sensation.

A sharp pang.

It felt as though the blood vessels throughout his body were surging backward, awakening in an entirely new way.

What is this?

The unfamiliar sensation nearly made him drop the sword.

“E-Ed, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Leave Edgar be, Ariel. He’ll be fine soon.”

As Edgar dropped to one knee, trembling, Ariel rushed over in a panic to check on him. But Helene, watching calmly, gestured for her to step back while keeping her gaze fixed on Edgar.

*Thump. Thump.*

Edgar’s heart, which had been pounding violently, gradually began to steady.

Could this be because of the sword?

He instinctively raised his head and met Helene’s eyes. She, noticing the questioning look in his gaze, smiled softly and motioned for Sheffy to help him to his feet.

“I apologize for the suddenness, Edgar. This is likely your body adjusting to the sword.”

“Adjusting…? May I ask what you mean by that?”

Overwhelmed by the situation, Edgar’s usual formal tone had slipped, leaving his words more casual than before.

Helene, however, found this speech more fitting for a ten-year-old and decided not to correct him.

“I heard from Katria, She mentioned that you are unable to use magic.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Hearing him revert to his formal tone so quickly made Helene frown slightly, but she set that matter aside for later and continued.

“This sword circulates the magic within its wielder’s body. While it is an excellent blade on its own, it’s also designed to allow those like you, those unable to chant spells, to use magic.”

“I can… use magic?”

The thought had never crossed his mind. Born without the ability, Edgar had always considered magic to be something unattainable, far removed from his life. He hadn’t even bothered to think about it.

But to think a solution like this existed.

“Ariel told me you were fascinated when you saw her using magic.”

“Well… yes, that’s true, but…”

“Instead of merely admiring it, wouldn’t it be better to try it yourself? Ariel also mentioned that she felt sad not being able to share conversations about magic with you.”

Hearing this for the first time, Edgar blinked and turned to look at Ariel, who quickly turned her head away in embarrassment.

So that’s why she was so eager to show me her magic.

He realized that, by showing him magic, she could at least share that moment of fascination and create a common experience between them.

“With continued practice, you’ll eventually be able to use magic even without the sword. So keep working hard.”

“Th-thank you very much, ma’am.”

He had received a gift beyond anything he could have imagined.

Honestly, he would have been thrilled with any ordinary sword, but this, this was something extraordinary.

“Look! Ed’s crying!” 

Damn it, how embarrassing.

Flustered, Edgar quickly wiped his tears with his sleeve.

It wasn’t just the prospect of using magic that moved him. More than anything, it was the thoughtfulness and care Helene had shown, considering even the smallest details for his sake, that overwhelmed him.

Watching this, both Katria and Helene smiled warmly.

Edgar’s tears, what a rare sight.

Had anyone even seen such a thing before? The spectacle of him crying unfolded before them like a rare gem.

“What’s this, Edgar? I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you cry.” 

“I’m glad you’re so happy. Once again, happy birthday, Edgar.”

As Helene stroked his hair gently, Edgar felt, for the first time since coming into this world, like a genuine child.

It was a little embarrassing, but not a bad feeling at all.

***