When asked, he either made a very awkward expression or, at times, when he felt unbearable pain, tears would flow down, and he would grab his throat. There seemed to be something he couldn’t talk about. Loo roughly decided to understand it that way.

“… Did you have a guardian?”

With great difficulty, he nodded in response. At such times, his gray eyes became very gloomy. It seemed like something bad had happened to the guardian.

“I see.”

Loo tightly embraced the boy with a blanket.

“I’ll protect you here. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to send you home.”

The boy couldn’t answer, only cried. But even showing tears in front of Loo seemed to hurt his pride less and less. It was quite cute.

“Let’s go together.”
The boy, who had been well-fed and well-rested, grabbed Loo tightly when he swung the wooden sword proficiently and said, “You should come to our house too.”

“Me too?”

“Come with me. I can… I can take care of you.”

Ahaha. Loo absentmindedly stroked the boy’s hair that had suddenly started to grow.

“Yeah, I’ll look forward to it.”

“Really!”

“Who do you think I am lying?”

Loo, kicking out, deliberately held onto the boy trying to push her away and tousled his blond hair vigorously. The boy, who was no longer afraid of getting into the water, was now clean and fluffy.

“Just growing up well is commendable enough. Don’t feel obligated to repay me. Helping a child is only natural.”

The boy chuckled and said, “What are you talking about?”

Sometimes, he was quite arrogant and shameless. Like a precious young master who grew up in a good place. No, unexpectedly, considering how much he knew, he had undoubtedly grown up beautifully.

“We’re not that different in age.”

“This guy?”

When Genesis laughed harshly, the boy quickly stepped back three paces.

“Oh, just wait and see!”

Thin lines began to appear on his once pretty face.

“Someday I’ll… I’ll…!”

“What will you do?”

“I’ll take responsibility for Loo!”

Whether it was a big decision or just something he blurted out with determination, the boy, whose face turned red as he shouted, didn’t look back and started to run away. Where was there to run even if he ran away? Loo burst into laughter, amazed.

A commendable guy. He’s already making an effort to support this lady. Since he’s commendable, I should somehow get some meat for dinner tonight. Considering how he clings to my leg and groans every night lately, he must be incredibly big.

…Ah, was it from that time? Since then.

When I open my eyes, I see curtains and a high ceiling draped in the majestic color of the emperor. The crimson created by the setting sun was reaching the emperor’s bedroom.

The woman who magnificently occupied this place was the only benefactor and object of affection of the emperor. She swept her hair up and laughed as she got up.

So, I already liked her from that time. That’s why I called it first love.

“… Well, by the way, I’m really shameless.”

If Mom finds out, she’ll say that this girl is crazy, and Milene Genesis will hit her arms with the worst words she knows. To be swept away by a man and wake up in a man’s room. But she didn’t regret it because she liked it too much.

“Well, whatever, as long as you take responsibility.”

Loo is a knight with a strong sense of responsibility. She could take care of a man or two. Moreover, from such a young age, she took care of him by feeding and dressing him herself, so it could be considered a career.

She cleared away the blanket that Hayden had carefully covered, got down from the bed, and as soon as she put her feet on the floor, soft slippers touched her. It wasn’t the ones Hayden wore, but slippers specially placed for her.

“Ah, I slept well…”
Stretching, Loo rubbed her face and then got up. Standing up, she tried to move forward.

“…Huh?”

However, there was no strength in her legs. Loo pondered for a moment and then hesitated to sit back down. No, she tried to sit back down.

“Are you up?”

But faster than she could sit back on the bed, Hayden, who appeared even faster than that, caught Loo and lifted her.

“Hehe, Hayden. Something’s wrong with my leg. It feels like I’m tied by the curse again.”

Loo, who turned bluish, begged him to let her down for a moment and wriggled to inspect her leg.

“A curse? That’s ridiculous.”

Familiar lips touched Loo’s forehead as she thoroughly examined her body. The warmth and cool fragrance calmed her.

“Just a bit. I’m exhausted because I tortured myself severely.”

Loo raised her head suddenly. The graceful face was smiling.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Her lips murmured. It couldn’t be.

“Well… These muscles that aren’t usually used. Besides, today I did Ophelia.”

In a situation where enough strength was needed, Hayden, who effortlessly carried the knight and ate her up like a satisfied cat, laughed.

“I also carried you earlier. Don’t you remember?”

“I thought I’d feel better if I had a good night’s sleep…!”

“I’m not someone who lacks strength, Loo.”

Understandable. Due to the strength of lifting and squeezing, Loo eventually burst into tears. But Loo was also a knight. Moreover, she was a sage. Although she didn’t neglect daily physical training, this could happen.

“Did you go to the event?”

“I’ve been back for a while. I was only there for three minutes and then went to see Sia and Bella.”

I promised to come back modestly. Hayden, who kept that promise thoroughly, said confidently.

“Did the kids think it’s strange because I wasn’t there?”

“Unni said you were tired from taking care of the kids, so you were sleeping. Then, since it’s okay if we talk to Grandpa, we went to talk to him together…”

Hayden, who was answering, quickly made a tired expression. Parenting is a very difficult job.

“You didn’t ride horses until now, did you?”

“Yes. Icarus, tea time, riding horses, and practicing swordsmanship.”

So, in the end, Hayden did everything he used to do with his sister when he was with her. Dressing up roughly, mimicking her mother and sister for 40 minutes while sipping tea in a dress, changing clothes and riding horses for an hour and a half, and practicing swordsmanship for about an hour.

“Today is a day when I dedicate all my time to the Genesis sisters, so I came to see the eldest sister this time.”

As soon as Loo realized he was awake, Hayden teleported and smiled broadly.

“What does our sister need?”

Sitting on his thigh, Loo looked up at Hayden with deepening eyes. Unlike when she recoiled, repulsed when he touched her hair, she now received his touch obediently while smiling.

“Hayden.”

The gray eyes answered gently. Why, Loo? Whatever you want to say, say it.
“You.”

She reached her fingers through where there should have been blonde hair but was now black. In the touch that had become too familiar, he simply surrendered his whole body.

“Where did you get the power of a sage?”