I made a big decision and entrusted the child to Edric. I felt that if I didn’t do this, the distance between him and Alec would not narrow.

Melly headed to the nursery with a tense face, biting her lip.

The door was slightly open, allowing Melly to peek inside the nursery.

The room was quiet.

A milk bottle with some breast milk left was on the table… and the child was asleep on Edric’s shoulder.

Judging by the comfortable breathing, it was clear that the baby had burped well.

‘Looks like Dad did a pretty good job.’

Melly let out a sigh of relief and continued to watch the father and son.

After a while, Edric laid the child down in the bed.

Although he used to easily lift three sacks of tea leaves at once, he now struggled to put down Alec, who weighed no more than a puppy, as if he were much heavier.

Then he pulled down the child’s rolled-up top and covered him with a thin blanket up to his chest. He was about to place a millet pillow on the chest like Melly or Oz would do, but seeming to worry it might be too heavy, he removed more than half of the millet before finally placing it with reassurance.

Melly had a hard time holding back her laughter at his clumsy actions.

He reached out to touch the sleeping child’s cheek but withdrew his hand, afraid of waking him, and just gazed for a long time.

The child reflected in his eyes was no longer a stranger or an object of observation.

He was his own flesh and blood that he needed to care for and love, another version of himself.

He would realize, watching the countless trials and errors and immaturity the child goes through until he can move his body at will, hear, speak, think, and control his thoughts and actions.

That he himself was once such an immature and mistake-prone being.

Melly carefully approached him.

Edric finally lifted his gaze to look at her and put a finger to his lips.

“The child is sleeping.”

He was afraid of waking Alec.

“Children sleep better with some noise rather than complete silence.”

Melly spoke quietly, but Edric still made no sound.

Out of respect for him, Melly communicated only with lip movements.

“How was it?”

“It wasn’t easy.”

Edric’s bangs fluttered with his sigh.

“I’m not sure if the child was uncomfortable.”

“If he was uncomfortable, he wouldn’t have fallen asleep like this. Alec is a picky child.”

Those words seemed to comfort Edric’s heart.

A relaxed smile spread across his face.

The two chatted about various things with the child’s bed between them, and at times silently gazed at each other.

Their eyes were filled with a deeper affection.

And it grew a little deeper, wider, and more subtle with each moment.

From that day on, Edric often took care of Alec himself.

He became so skilled and quick at picking up the child and resting him on his shoulder that it was hard to believe there was ever a time when he trembled while holding him.

He was also good at helping with digestion after Melly finished breastfeeding. Alec now preferred his father’s arms to those of Melly, Oz, or Louisa.

His fingers were the best toy for the child.

Alec would follow his father’s slowly moving fingers with bright eyes and giggle. Then one day, for some reason, he suddenly grabbed them and put them in his mouth. After that day, Edric washed his hands even more thoroughly before coming to see the child.

Sometimes he would sing to the child until he fell asleep, and sometimes he would fall asleep together in the armchair with the child lying on his chest.

His paternal love for the child took on a more complete form with each passing day.

But he was also the father of another child.

“Your Excellency, Young Lady Jade is here.”

When Wilson announced in advance, he quickly moved away from Alec and sat in the armchair, opening a book.

“Mom, Dad, I’m here. What’s Alec doing?”

He then answered Jade’s question as she poked her head in.

“Well, Dad wasn’t really watching, so I’m not sure. Would you like to check for me?”

At that moment, he was the very image of a father indifferent to childcare.

‘How can he be like that?’

Jade couldn’t understand at all.

This small and cute baby was wiggling its arms and legs and squirming, yet how could Dad show no interest in Alec?

People often judged Dad as cold and merciless, but Jade didn’t believe those words.

‘Our Dad treats me so well.’

He played with her every day, and listened to even the most trivial stories for hours without getting bored. He was also so good at playing physically with her, like ball games, swordsmanship, horseback riding, and so on.

She had asked all her friends, but her dad was the only one who played so well with his child.

And what about Mom?

Didn’t he always have a doctor on standby at home so that Mom, who was carrying her sibling, could be examined immediately if she showed even the slightest sign of poor health?

‘So it’s nonsense to say that Dad is a cold and merciless person.’

Jade was certain of this. Until Alec was born.

But after Alec was born, Jade thought that maybe what people said might be true.

Dad was strangely indifferent only to Alec among our family members.

Even now, while Alec is smiling brightly at Dad like that, why doesn’t Dad smile back at Alec even once?

Is it because he’s not a girl?

Jade had heard many stories from friends about feeling a sense of loss after a sibling was born.

So she was a bit scared too.

Afraid that all of her parents’ love, which had been solely directed at her, would shift entirely to her sibling. She was actually nervous that her parents might come to love the cute and adorable newborn baby more than their grown-up daughter.

But that didn’t happen to her.

Mom loved both Jade and Alec. But Dad… Dad only loved Jade.

Dad seemed to pay no attention to Alec at all.

Suddenly, Jade felt very sorry for Alec.

‘Alec. Don’t worry.’

Jade looked at the blue eyes, just like her own, still smiling brightly, with her own eyes welling up, and said inwardly.

‘Big brother will love you enough for Dad’s share too.’

She would definitely do so.

Jade engraved this promise in her heart with a determined look in her eyes.

Another couple of months passed.

On a morning when the warm spring sunshine made the dew from the night before shine like jewels, Edric had to attend an early morning palace meeting to wrap up the issue of establishing the Imperial History Museum.

He said today would be the busiest day, but tomorrow he would have more free time.

“Once this is over, I’m thinking of taking some time off. I was wondering if we should go on a trip somewhere with you and the kids, what do you think?”

“I’d like that.”

Melly said as she adjusted his collar.

“How about Astor Island? It’s known for its beautiful sea color and fresh seafood.”

“That doesn’t sound bad.”

“Or the Glois coastal region would be nice too. They say the sunset you see there is magnificent.”

He kept talking about travel plans. Well, he must want to clear his head after being busy and tired from taking care of the child all this time.

Melly smiled and replied.

“Let’s go wherever you want to go. I’m fine with anywhere.”

“I want to go where you want to go.”

“Then let’s go where Jade wants to go. Alec can’t speak yet.”

Edric smiled at Melly’s words.

“What are you going to do today?”

“I think I’ll rest a bit, then take the kids out in the afternoon. The weather is so nice.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Edric thought for a moment and then continued.

“I’ll come home early today.”

“Today? Don’t you usually have dinner after the meeting?”

That was the custom.

“I’m not planning to attend.”

Edric said.

His face looked somewhat dark.

Melly was about to ask what was wrong but decided against it. She thought she would find out soon anyway. His statement about skipping dinner and coming home early was evidence of that.

“Alright. I’ll wait for you. Let’s have dinner together.”

Melly said with a cheerful smile.

“I’m off then.”

He got into the car as Wilson opened the door for him.

Melly waved her hand. The window slid down into the frame. And beyond it, Edric responded to her greeting with a comfortable smile.

His smile gradually faded and disappeared completely, but by then he had already moved away from her.

He looked at the side mirror with a bitter gaze.

Melly, getting smaller and smaller, was still waving.

‘Will I be able to receive such a send-off tomorrow too?’

He couldn’t tell. No, he knew.

‘Of course not.’

Because he was planning to tell her today.

The confession he had been putting off and putting off, sometimes because the situation wasn’t right, sometimes because he lacked courage. The terrible thing his mother had done to her.

He will speak and apologize as it is, without reducing or beautifying it. He will also apologize for not telling her sooner, and ask for forgiveness.

He couldn’t postpone it any longer.

Edric closed the window.

The black-coated window rose to the top of the frame, making the shadow cast on his face appear even darker.

The afternoon sunlight slanting in made the sand grain patterns on the marble floor sparkle golden.

The lattice frames dividing the glass windows were antique, and the sculptures decorating various parts of the space were delicate and splendid.

The classical melody flowing from behind the wall curtains was not a mechanical sound, and the tea fragrance in the air was deep and subtle.

Café Lumière.

Even as countless practical and modern cafés were springing up, this place maintained its image as the absolute preserve of nobles pursuing extreme elegance and splendor.

There was only one customer in the shop, a woman sitting at a mahogany table by the window.

With her dignified and stylish appearance, she matched well with this shop.

A moment later, just as the musicians behind the veil began playing the first bars of the second movement of Nocturne, another customer entered.

“Welcome.”

A uniformed female attendant guided the customer to a seat with a disciplined attitude.

She stopped in front of the woman at the mahogany table and announced.

“She has arrived, madam.”

The woman looked up.

“You’ve come?”

“Yes, Mother.”

Melly greeted her respectfully.