#25
Now that he knew the taste, Noah wanted to avoid this situation somehow.
He was holding candy in one hand while the other gripped a spoon, but that alone wasn’t enough to erase the terrible taste filling his mouth.
“Come now, young master.”
As the spoon gradually approached, Noah pressed his lips firmly together. He was already backed against the headboard with no escape route. Elisa, who kept smiling sweetly while trying to convince him that it was fine and different from the medicine he took in the morning, looked like a demon.
I’m sorry, Elisa.
A typical five-year-old might have been fooled by claims of different medicine, but not me.
How can it be different when the smell and color are exactly the same?
Is our relationship really this shallow? If I hate it this much, you could pretend to feed me and tell others you did. I think we’re close enough to share that kind of secret.
The medicine, which was probably the worst thing he’d ever tasted and likely would remain the most horrible taste he’d ever experience, seemed effective. When Aeongi woke him up, he knew he felt better than the previous night, but now after taking the medicine and falling asleep like he’d fainted, sleeping for half a day, he felt completely normal.
“I’m… not sick.”
Noah turned his head to the side to avoid the spoon and spoke softly.
“Of course. Our young master is so strong and brave. Let’s hurry and take this so you can go play in the playroom.”
That kind of coaxing and persuasion doesn’t work on me.
“Don’t wanna. Tastes bad.”
Seeing the spoon coming closer, Noah finally covered his mouth with both hands.
“That’s why I have this delicious candy here. I’ll prepare chocolate milk and colorful macarons—things you love—for your afternoon snack today.”
As Elisa sat on the edge of the bed, the tears Noah had been trying so hard to hold back finally rolled down his cheeks when he saw the look in her eyes. That look. He knew it too well.
There was no way he could avoid this situation, and he would have to accept her offer. He didn’t have sufficient excuses to avoid it.
Meanwhile, she had overflowing reasons why this mission had to succeed.
“Really… tastes bad…”
Realizing that prolonging the argument wouldn’t benefit him, Noah lowered his hands while speaking once more. It tastes bad, really bad.
“Oh my, our young master is so good. I’ll tell the Duke to buy you lots of toys you like.”
“Aeongi.”
As the argument between Elisa and Noah dragged on, Aeongi seemed tired of watching and climbed onto the bed, leaving his small ball by the fireplace.
“Aeongi!”
Noah shouted loudly the moment he saw Aeongi climb onto his legs and curiously sniff at the spoon Elisa was holding.
Startled by the shout, Aeongi jumped again, and Elisa flinched, but Noah had no time to care about that.
“Is that good for body?”
Let’s set the groundwork first.
“Of course. It cures illness and makes the body stronger.”
Elisa quickly answered, seeing the conversation finally progressing properly.
Noah grabbed Aeongi, who was still on his legs.
“Then. Aeongi eat!”
“Nya??”
“Pardon?”
Both Aeongi and Elisa questioned simultaneously, but what did that matter? He was only five years old now. A five-year-old could do anything. Wasn’t it an age where unreasonable behavior and words were all understood? He’s young, what would he know? It would be dismissed as childish talk.
“Aeongi eat too!”
Aeongi, who had never rebelled against him until now, squirmed in his hands, and Elisa’s pupils trembled. Meanwhile, a triumphant smile bloomed on Noah’s face.
The Noah who had been wearing a pitiful expression with tears welling up like a captured prince of a fallen nation was gone.
“But Aeongi isn’t sick.”
The relatively rational Elisa quickly responded, and Aeongi, who had been squirming, relaxed and let out a big sigh. Elisa gently tapped Aeongi’s head, who had approached out of curiosity only to become a hostage, and now moved in earnest.
She couldn’t keep arguing forever, and even if he cried and threw a tantrum now, she needed to hold him and feed him the medicine.
“…”
With both hands holding Aeongi, Noah lowered his eyes again at Elisa’s solemn expression and actions. Alright, I’ll take it. I’ll take it and make a deal with Lucas. For more freedom to go outside.
Though he had decided to gain something more beneficial than toys, he really couldn’t part his lips easily.
“Meow.”
At that moment, a delicate, small sound escaped from Aeongi’s mouth, who was tightly held by Noah. For a moment, the thick, sticky, dark brown medicine that had approached his nose seemed to sparkle. It might have been because of the tears in his eyes.
Anyway, Noah tightly shut his eyes and opened his mouth.
Ughhhhh…
I really hate this.
As the spoon entered his mouth, Noah firmly closed his lips, helping her feed him the medicine.
Huh?
What??
WHAT???
As the spoon left his mouth, the lollipop Elisa had been holding was placed in Noah’s hand.
After swallowing quickly to minimize tasting it and opening his eyes, Noah smacked his lips.
What is this?
Is this really different medicine?
Why is it so delicious? Even tastier than candy?
Rather feeling disappointed that he swallowed it too quickly and little remained in his mouth, Noah blinked his eyes.
Elisa, having wasted much time feeding him meals and medicine, was busy cleaning up.
Aeongi, whom he had been tightly holding while taking the medicine, had somehow slipped out of his grasp and was gone. Noah, alone on the bed, watched as Elisa cleared away the spoon.
And that evening.
Before going to sleep, Noah waited only for Elisa to come.
Sure enough, she appeared with the evening medicine.
Noah, with a very happy heart, took the medicine she offered without any argument.
“Waaaaaah!!”
As soon as he swallowed the medicine, Noah burst into tears. Where did that delicious medicine go? Why did they go back to the morning medicine?
Only Noah was wailing. The night in Austen remained peaceful.
* * *
Noah’s life was ordinary itself.
His day began when he opened his eyes to Elisa’s voice.
About three hours of lessons with a middle-aged female tutor, and the rest was all playtime.
And Aeongi was always with Noah for all his schedules.
During lessons, he would nap lazily on the cushion next to Noah, and although he occasionally disappeared during meal times, he always showed up for snack time.
Ah! He wasn’t often seen when nuts, walnut pie, apple pie, or other pies were served, but he would eat a little when cake or cookies were available. And when there were chocolate cookies, he would always grip a piece larger than his face with his front paws and eat it all, no matter how long it took.
Once, worried about him trying to eat too much for his size, Elisa told him to stop and tried to take it away, leading to the first time they witnessed Aeongi snarling.
And the biggest change came from the ring Raymond had sent.
As promised that it would fit any finger, it seemed to have size-adjustment magic cast on it because the ring truly fit all of Noah’s fingers. And after other family members confirmed that Aeongi could really grow larger and smaller, they tried it too, but the ring didn’t fit anyone except Noah.
With a very serious expression, Lucas—heaven knows what he was thinking—placed the ring not even around his pinky finger but barely on the tip and chanted “Grow” and “Shrink.”
And the enlarged Aeongi, lying down in front of him, stared blankly at Lucas with an expression that seemed to say “What nonsense are you doing?” and proved that it was useless with a slow yawn.
“Hurry. Hurry. Hurry.”
Noah whispered quietly as he stuffed cookies and other foods into his backpack. Then he absently received something Aeongi handed him, and seeing it was a chocolate cookie, he smiled broadly. He stroked Aeongi’s nose bridge with his hand, put the chocolate cookie in the bag, and neatly closed it.
“Ready?”
At Noah’s words, the small Aeongi nodded with a solemn expression. Then they left their bedroom, keeping their footsteps as quiet as possible.
It was now the dim dawn with the sun rising. The castle hadn’t fully awakened yet.
Only the kitchen preparing breakfast and a few people like the butler were busily moving about. If they dawdled even a little, they might run into employees coming and going.
Walking with their backs pressed against the wall, they carefully poked their heads out at each corner to quickly scan the surroundings.
Seven-year-old Noah’s second adventure had begun.
[To my Father and Mother—
Greetings,
I am your son, Noah Schwein.
The reason I have taken up this pen is because there is something I wish to tell both of you.
At the age of 7.
With grand dreams, I wish to depart alone to freely see the wider world.
With Aeongi, my eternal companion, I will briefly leave to feel the sky, earth, and wind, so please understand with an open heart.
Lest my mother worry, I have prepared ample snacks and dressed warmly.
No more, no less, exactly half a day.
I ask that you believe in me and wait briefly while I stand on my own for just half a day.
I will strive to become an even more excellent and wonderful child for both of you by receiving the energy of great nature.
Thank you.]
Loren, after reading the same content carefully for the third time, sighed and almost threw it onto the table. Then, not hiding her anxiety and displeasure, she folded her arms and glared at Lucas in front of her.
“Please explain, Duke.”
“Since that is Noah’s wish…”
“So you want me to believe that you just let Noah leave alone with Aeongi through the main gate since dawn?”
“Elite knights are following behind, and seeing that Noah wore all his necklace, bracelet, and ring, there’s not much to worry…”
“Lucas!”
For the first time, Loren’s voice drowned out Lucas’s. Unable to firmly assert his opinion to his wife who shouted at him, Lucas awkwardly raised his hand to scratch his forehead.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
