* * *
“Rineh, my sister!”
Launelian lifted Aristine and spun her around in circles.
“Oh, I missed you to death.”
“Didn’t you see me when I came back yesterday?”
“It’s been exactly 11 hours and 47 minutes since I last saw you. Do you know how long that is?”
“Seriously, Big Brother.”
Aristine chuckled, and Launelian gently set her down.
“And I missed my little baby number two.”
“You can’t see the baby yet though.”
“But I can feel them.”
Launelian placed his hand on Aristine’s belly.
It was still too early to feel any fetal movement. But Launelian could feel the wave of authority imprinted on the child.
“I’m sure they’ll be so lovely, just my little sister.”
Launelian smiled.
“Don’t worry about state affairs. Just focus on taking care of yourself. Khan and I will take care of everything.”
“Thank you.”
Right as Aristine said those words,
“Impewial mother, impewial father!”
Actsion’s clear voice rang out.
Launelian lifted the toddling Actsion into the air with telekinesis.
“Kyaaaa!”
Actsion giggled with joy.
“Oh, come here. Did my dear prince have a good nap?”
“Yes, Impewial mother! Sion coughs to pay refects(respect) to Impewial Mother!” [1]
Aristine pulled her adorable son into a hug and kissed his cheek.
“I missed you.”
“Sion missed Impewial mother too. But I held back because Sion is a dig(big) prince now.”
“What about me? You didn’t miss me?” Tarkan asked.
Actsion rolled his eyes playfully.
“A wittle?”
“Just a little?”
“A wittle.”
“Oh no. I’m so shocked. Just a little? But Daddy missed Sion so so so much.”
When Tarkan pretended to be sad, Actsion burst into laughter.
“Joking! Sion missed Impewial father so so so much!”
Actsion threw himself into Tarkan’s arms and Tarkan started laughing too.
“You really take after you mother to be messing with me like this.”
“Hehe.”
Sion flashed his little teeth and stretched his hand towards Aristine’s belly.
“So Sion’s wittle sibling is here.”
“…What?”
“They’re pwecious(precious). A baby Sion must protect. Right?”
“Sion…”
“Uncle and Impewial mother always say they’re pwecious.”
“…They are.”
Aristine nodded.
When she was young, everyone around her spat on her and mistreated her. Even her own father.
It was only her brother from the same mother, Launelian, who had shown care for her.
Even when he was exiled to the cold North for trying to protect her, Launelian never gave up.
He conquered the North and returned with the sole intention of regaining his little sister’s freedom.
“They are pwecious to Sion too.”
Launelian smiled. “You’re right. Siblings are very precious beings. So precious that I wouldn’t mind trading my life for theirs at all.”
“Elder brother…”
“After all, they are my only family.”
Launelian lightly kissed Aristine’s forehead.
“The deposed king was never my family. Neither was that woman, whom I happen to share the deposed king’s blood with.”
“…”
“And my only family created another family for me.”
Launelian gently stroked Actsion’s cheek.
“And now, there is a new addition.”
“Sion’s little silbling?”
“Yes.”
Aristine lovingly gazed down at her son, who was leaning his face against her belly.
‘…Wait.’
How did Actsion know he had a younger sibling when she hadn’t even said anything yet?
‘This has to be—.’
Before Aristine could finish her thought, Actsion suddenly turned his head.
His violet eyes locked onto Hamill.
Hamill smiled awkwardly, not knowing how to react because he hadn’t seen his nephew’s face in so long.
He didn’t really get a chance to interact with the child yesterday because Yenikarina had been crying so much.
“Lu!”
“…?!”
“It’s Lu!”
Actsion pointed at Hamill with his chubby finger.
“Impewial Mother said you’re Lu.”
“…You’re right, Prince. I am Lu.”
“Impewial mother’s friend.”
“That is correct too. We are very close friends.”
“You proteted Sion and Impewial Mother!”
“…”
A fog fell over Hamill’s face.
A memory from so long ago, yet still very vivid, came flooding back to his mind.
《Sion, it’s your uncle. He is the one who protected Sion and Mommy. Thanks to him, our little Sion could be born safely.》
《Bah!》
It was the day he met Aristine for the last time before he left.
Hamill met his nephew for the first time that day.
When he saved Aristine and even after she was saved, his nephew was never on his mind.
Aristine’s safety was the only thing he considered.
But that day.
When that small creature that couldn’t even speak grabbed Hamill’s finger.
When those soft, warm and tiny fingers grabbed his index finger, yet were unable to even wrap around it.
When those large, blinking eyes looked up at him and smiled dazzlingly…
“…Protecting you, my Prince, was the best thing I ever did in my life.”
Hamill smiled. He had realized that fact a little too late.
“And, and you’re Sion’s uncle!”
Hamill’s breath caught in his chest.
“Uncle!”
When he saw the child plump arms stretched out towards him, Hamill hesitantly rose to his feet.
The moment he placed his hands under the child’s arms, Actsion immediately wrapped his arms around Hamill’s neck.
A carefree, affectionate gesture.
‘Ah…’
Hamill carefully held the child.
‘My nephew.’
He was heavier than he expected and also warmer than he expected. The weight and warmth filled his heart, and he knew that they would never leave.
“Sion.”
Hamill uttered his nephew’s name for the first time.
* * *
Actsion left the room, dripping with disappointment.
Because it was time for his studies.
《If you really don’t want to, you can stay with Mommy a little longer today.》
《No ! Sion is a prince! And I’m going to be an older brother! I must study head(hard)!》
《But if it’s just one day…》
《You cannot have such attitude! Compwacy(Complacency) will lead to laziness! I cannot!》
《Oh no, I’m sorry…》
It was another day of Aristine apologizing to her son.
After Actsion left, Aristine and Tarkan left the receiving room and returned to their room.
The two exchanged glances.
“It’s exactly what we thought, isn’t it?”
“Definitely.”
Tarkan nodded at Aristine’s words.
‘The Monarch’s Sight…!’
Actsion had awakened the Monarch’s Sight.
“I knew he was born with strong authority, but I never thought he’d awaken them so early.”
Aristine muttered with worry written all over her face.
The power that resided within the Silvanian Imperial family was a power that grew stronger in times of crisis.
It grew even stronger when one’s life was in danger.
Isn’t that why Alpheus the deposed set fire to Aristine’s room as a child?
Because he hoped to awaken a strong ability in her, the earlier the better.
Even Launelian’s telekinesis was not very strong when he first manifested that power. All he could do was move small objects.
But after overcoming several life-and-death encounters in the North, it became as strong as it was now.
“…Sion shouldn’t have faced any danger growing up. So why has he already…Is there something happening that we don’t know about…”
Aristine shut her mouth, unable to say more.
After the union between Irugo and Silvanus, Aristine and Tarkan became incredibly busy. They took care of Actsion as much as they could but there was a chance that they had missed something.
Just imagining what might have happened to their child made their hearts shudder with fear.
“Everything will be fine.” Tarkan said, trying to reassure her.
“Khan.”
“If there is anything, I will make sure it disappears from the face of the world.”
“…”
“I will protect you and our child, you know that.”
Aristine peered into his eyes.
“You trust me, right?”
“…Mn.”
Aristine nodded.
And then—.
“Ehem…!
They heard a cough and turned around to find Launelian standing there.
“About Actsion’s issue, I know what is going on.”
Translator’s Corner:
[1] Sion ‘coughs’ to pay respects: I do not know what baby Sion actually meant to say here. Unfortunately, I am not a baby talk expert, so I left it as is.
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I’m guessing Sion awakened when his uncle Lu saved Rineh. Given his talk with Lu, it seems like he remembers everything since he was born. But wow, this is so sweet.
Thanks, Ruby!