#3
“I wanna go. I wanna go… I wanna go too…”
Noah took full advantage of a young child’s privileges. He clutched Loren’s voluminous skirt with one hand, tugging it while pouting his lips. Lucas, who said he had business in the capital, was rarely seen these days, so if Noah needed anything, he had to speak to Loren.
“Young master, shall we go eat some cookies?”
At Elisa’s words, Noah was about to take her outstretched hand as he thought about cookies, but quickly shook his head. He wasn’t usually such a simple person, but lately, just hearing the word “cookies” made him feel happy and agreeable to anything. He needed to get a grip on himself.
“Noah, should we go sightseeing in the village instead?”
As Loren lowered herself to meet his gaze and wiped the tears gathering in his eyes, Noah involuntarily broke into a “heh—” smile when their eyes met.
“Elisa, get him ready. Our Noah seems bored today, so let’s all go sightseeing in the village.”
Noah, momentarily distracted by the mention of village sightseeing and Loren’s beautiful face, gripped her skirt tightly again.
“No… No. Papa. Papa. I wanna go with Papa.”
Regaining his focus after being distracted by cookies and village sightseeing, Noah quickly looked around for Lucas. Having organized his priorities during his days here, Noah couldn’t miss this opportunity.
Of course he had to accompany Lucas to the Imperial Palace to meet the Emperor. He needed to make the Emperor’s acquaintance and take the chance to make connections all around.
After living for a few days as three-year-old Noah with his cute and adorable appearance, he realized what a powerful weapon it was. Lucas, who initially felt awkward even patting his head, now hugged him unprompted.
“Noah, Daddy’s not going to play. I’m going to work and meet the Emperor, so why don’t you come to the Imperial party next time?”
Despite Loren’s explanation, Noah wouldn’t budge. If this didn’t work, he’d have to resort to a three-year-old’s ultimate weapon.
Though he wanted to avoid it out of social propriety and consideration for others, Noah first let go of Loren’s skirt. Then he quickly turned around to confirm there were no dangerous elements behind him.
Sitting down on the floor, he clenched both fists and tensed his lower abdomen.
“I! Wanna! Go!!”
Ah, life is hard. Shouting with all his might made the blood rush to his head. If this didn’t work, he’d have to move to the next stage: lying down, crying, and refusing to budge.
“Noah, I told you not to trouble your mother.”
When the door opened and Lucas’s deep voice was heard, Noah quickly stood up. He ran as fast as he could and clung to Lucas’s pant leg.
Though he clung to Lucas’s calf with the firm conviction to accompany him, Lucas simply picked Noah up by the back of his clothes.
“Uwaaaaang…”
So this is what levitation feels like. The moment Lucas released his grip, Noah would face a vertical drop. Tears quickly welled up in his eyes.
He never had a fear of heights before, but at this rate, developing one seemed inevitable. The nearly 190cm tall Lucas had raised him to eye level, so it would be like falling from at least 2 meters high.
“Daddyyy…”
Now there was only one way to survive: beg Lucas and cling to him. I thought we had become close, but we’re not at that stage yet? Please don’t let go of your hand.
Knowing Lucas’s temperament, it wouldn’t be surprising if he just let go. Didn’t you see earlier? When I fell forward and got a bloody nose.
Extending his short arms toward Lucas, Noah called out to him pitifully.
“You’re scaring Noah.”
At Loren’s reproachful voice, Lucas adjusted his hold, and Noah hastily wrapped his arms around his neck. Noah let out a sigh of relief as Lucas securely supported his back and bottom with one arm.
Loren approached to smooth his hair and wipe his wet face, but Noah couldn’t loosen his grip on Lucas’s clothes.
“What’s going on?”
“Noah wants to go with you, Grand Duke. I mentioned that the Imperial Palace has many shiny things, and now he really wants to see them. Noah, come here.”
After briefly explaining the situation, Loren reached out to him, but Noah chose to bury his face in Lucas’s embrace rather than go to her.
He hadn’t completely won over his father yet, so he needed stronger and more reliable connections.
“Noah Schwein.”
Noah slightly raised his head to look up at Lucas when he called his name. Looking up made Noah’s already large eyes appear even bigger, and his lips parted slightly.
“Do you know where that place is and still want to go together?”
Lucas’s face, which had been showing a faint smile toward Loren just moments ago, now revealed no emotion. Noah couldn’t lose this battle of wills. He put force into his eyes and nodded with a solemn expression.
“The Empewor is thewe.”
“Lucas.”
As Noah was exchanging looks with Lucas, man to man, conveying his firm resolve, he was surprised to hear Loren call Lucas by his name instead of “Grand Duke” as usual, and quickly turned to look at her.
“Loren…”
Noah watched her gently stroke the arm that wasn’t holding him and slightly shake her head, subtly conveying her disagreement. Seeing this, he firmly tugged on Lucas’s clothes.
Father, don’t fall for Mother’s tricks.
We just agreed, man to man, through our eyes, that I could go with you—why are you wavering now?
Drawing Lucas’s gaze away from Loren, Noah reached out and held Lucas’s cheek.
“Daddy, I wuv you.”
This is the best I can do. I’m not like Loren who can offer kisses, body and soul. But I just confessed, didn’t I? Isn’t that enough to win over a father?
After uttering words he didn’t truly mean, Noah saw Lucas’s lips quiver slightly.
“Since it’s not a formal palace entry, I think it would be fine to take him along. Everyone is curious about Noah anyway.”
*Smooch*
There, a token of affection. Noah sealed the deal with a kiss on Lucas’s cheek as he told Loren he would take Noah with him.
Shortly after, Noah found himself in Lucas’s arms, gazing out at the world beyond the carriage. Every time a satisfied “Wow” escaped Noah’s lips, Lucas would stroke his head.
* * *
Exploring a new world was quite enjoyable.
Moreover, he wasn’t currently listening to a tutor explain Imperial etiquette or the people he would meet at the ball.
Omegas, who faced more social restrictions than Betas or Alphas, were supposed to stay quietly at home until their nineteenth birthday according to local custom. But young children were exceptions to everything.
In the consistently rattling, swaying carriage, Noah’s initial excitement soon gave way to his usual habit of frequent naps, and he fell into a deep sleep in Lucas’s embrace.
“……”
Sleep was the most uncontrollable thing in a child’s body. No matter how he tried to fight it, whenever his eyelids felt heavy, he inevitably succumbed to sleep.
And where am I now?
Noah, covered with a small blanket instead of a large duvet, woke up and stretched his arms high above his head. He was faithfully following the superstition that stretching after waking helps one grow taller.
As he recalled, adult Noah had been truly beautiful. So beautiful that he could be mistaken for a woman—small, delicate, and pretty.
While that was said to be an Omega trait and therefore unavoidable, Noah really disliked that aspect. Whether he had truly stayed indoors as instructed or not, his pale skin and lack of strength and stamina limited what he could do.
For Jihun, who had enjoyed outdoor sports before his transmigration, nothing could have been more difficult. Now at three years old, if he ate well, slept well, and exercised diligently, it might be hard to grow as tall as Lucas, but at least he could avoid having such a frail body.
Stretching thoroughly, Noah looked around. Since there was no bed in sight, this wasn’t someone’s bedroom, but seemed to be one of the many reception rooms in the Imperial Palace.
Still not fully awake and feeling drowsy, Noah yawned languidly, rubbed his eyes with his fists, and carefully climbed down from the large sofa he had been lying on.
Should I have brought Elisa along after all? Elisa was supposed to accompany them, but after Lucas said they would just briefly meet the Emperor, only father and son had gone on this cozy outing.
Emperor Alex and Lucas were the same age and also academy classmates. At the academy, all students received education on equal footing. If social hierarchies existed even within the academy, where nobles, royalty, and commoners studied together, many problems would arise, starting with how teachers guided their students.
It seemed that Lucas had left Noah sleeping here while he met with Emperor Alex. A typical child might cry, panic, or look for their father in an unfamiliar environment, but the corners of Noah’s mouth were elegantly turned upward.
What Noah needed to do now was find Crown Prince Matthew, who was somewhere in this palace. Who could be a better marriage prospect than the Crown Prince? He was an Alpha, and though not quite like Lucas, he had quite an attractive appearance from what Noah remembered.
In his previous life, Matthew had a fiancée when Noah met him at the Imperial ball, so Noah could only admire him from afar. But the current Matthew was just a seven-year-old child, four years older than Noah. If he diligently established connections starting now and repeatedly implanted the idea “you’re mine” in Matthew’s mind, the future might change.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
