TVIOWHFW 85

I was surprised and looked at John.

“John?”

Many things flashed through John’s red eyes. He stretched out his long legs and approached confidently.

‘Should I recognize him right away, as Erich did?’

If I fail to realize that he’s a spirit, it could lead to a strange misunderstanding.

John approached the bed where I was lying, sat beside the headboard, and lightly touched my surprised cheek with his index finger.

“Have you been well?”

Contrary to my expectation that he would ask about the spirit baby, he first inquired about my well-being.

“Uh, yes.”

John’s gaze shifted to the sleeping baby. But it didn’t seem to be a negative look. Instead, it looked like he was seeing something nostalgic and warm.

While watching the baby, John looked back at me and smiled. His Adam’s apple fluttered momentarily.

“We have a baby now.”

I gently nodded, shaking the tiny hand of the baby I was clutching with my index finger.

“Yeah, the baby is pretty, isn’t it?”

“Very pretty.”

John nodded.

“Because it resembles your wife, I think it’s even better.”

“You say I resemble you? Just by looking at my hair color, I look more like John.”

“Look carefully. The chubby cheeks here, and the overall gentle lines, all resemble you.”

I tilted my head.

‘Even so, it looks more like John.’

It seems John has lost his objective perspective. At that moment, John grabbed my cheek and suddenly chuckled.

“See? Your expression is exactly the same.”

“Anyone would look the same if you pull their face.”

“No, no. With this lovely atmosphere, anyone can tell it’s your baby. That kind of aura can’t be imitated no matter what.”

It’s adorable.

‘Why does this word feel so different?’

A ticklish feeling made my lips lift unconsciously.

“Am I lovable?”

It’s been quite a while since John told me he loved me, but I still hadn’t fully adjusted to it.

“Even other people might think so, it worries me.”

John slipped his arm behind my neck and placed his large hand on the baby’s back in my arms. It was a relaxed gesture, as usual, but I saw his hand trembling.

“It’s so lovable like this.”

John whispered in a breathless tone.

“How could I have left you behind?”

He seemed to be overlaying the image of his past family onto the baby and me. So, I couldn’t say anything.

‘Thinking about it, family… must mean something entirely different to John.’

John had completely lost his family.

“By the way, John. What should we call the baby? The parents should give it a name, after all.”

-No! To make that reckless black mage give a spirit baby a name!

-Even if his aura is mixed in, there are limits. Names are so important to spirits—how can such a creature let him name it?

The trees raged in protest.

John, with a slightly furrowed brow, poked the soft cheek of the baby.

“Careful when naming spirits.”

“Did you recognize right away that it’s a spirit?”

“Of course. I can feel the spirit’s aura immediately.”

“But then…”

Honestly, I found it strange that John called the spirit baby his own right away.

‘If he knew it was a spirit, wouldn’t it seem odd that I’m acting like this?’

And the sudden appearance of the spirit only deepened my suspicions about me.

“Uhm…”

“This is why.”

Even while asleep, the spirit baby seemed to think John was its father, as it nuzzled its chubby cheeks into John’s embrace and acted cute.

“This baby is already yours and mine. What does it matter that it’s a spirit?”

“…”

“Of course, I can feel my aura from this baby, and it resembles you, so I can’t help it.”

John smiled lazily.

‘I’m worried.’

Despite the unbelievably beautiful scene, a strange tightening in my chest made me avoid John’s gaze and smile softly.

‘I’m so afraid all this will disappear.’

At that moment, I realized I now had so much more than I ever could have in my past self.

‘How could John endure this?’

Perhaps John’s childhood memories are the same as my current feelings. If they were completely gone, maybe he wouldn’t survive, but even after losing what he believed was his own, could he still live?

It’s an unnecessary thought.

‘If I were John…’

What choice would I have made?

~·~·*· . ·*· . ·*· . ·*·~·~

Erik looked at his noble master with a proud expression.

“Master, I am Baron Erik Bloneu.”

He had sworn loyalty to Estelle, but that didn’t change the fact that John was his master.

Estelle simply took precedence over John now.

“Any progress on the investigation into spirits?”

“Yes. Here are the records regarding spirits.”

John, skimming through the documents, narrowed his eyes.

“So, the reason why spirits were born remains unclear after all.”

“Yes. It seems spirits are beings that don’t quite fit with humans…”

“No. Rather, what’s more suspicious is that the process of their birth is well understood.”

Fortunately, John had some points that caught his attention.

‘The Blackash estate is infused with my dark magic aura.’

Beneath the estate, there was an altar used by John to make deals with demons, so the estate itself could be considered John’s territory.

‘That’s probably why the spirit resembles me.’

But not all questions are answered. The spirit was born in front of Estelle and resembles her.

‘It must be related to Estelle somehow.’

“Fairy.”

John looked at Erik.

“Did you find anything about fairies while investigating the spirits?”

“Fairies… you mean?”

Erik answered with a troubled look.

“There’s very little information about fairies, so they didn’t come up in the investigation of spirits. Shall I look into fairies in more detail?”

“Yes, do that.”

He would delay sacrificing a fairy as much as possible, but it’s better to be prepared for any method.

In urgent situations, there’s no room to choose methods.

“Leave no detail untouched.”

Unknowingly, John thought of Stella, who was in Estelle’s arms, with a lovely smile.

‘Father, mother, Lily.’

John recalled the names he had buried deep inside himself.

‘Let them curse and blame me. I…’

His gaze turned to the Eden Rose plucked from the garden bushes. The lush green of the Eden Rose shone dazzlingly in the sunlight.

~·~·*· . ·*· . ·*· . ·*·~·~

The spirit baby received intense attention.

From the moment it entered the estate, it naturally drew everyone’s gaze.

The people of the Blanchet family welcomed and loved the baby as if it was obvious. They even readily accepted the idea that it was a spirit.

‘Am I the strange one? Why does everyone accept it so easily?’

Except for John, who overlooked everything, I thought it was quite odd.

—It’s because it’s adorable!

As if the trees read my thoughts, they responded loudly.

—Look at how it smiles and hides in its mother’s arms when people come by. So cute!

—Cutness overcomes all logic and explanation, ruling the world. Bring that spirit baby into the forest quickly. Hurry!

Truly, the cuteness surpasses that of humans.

‘It looks just like me and John.’

The spirit baby, with its doll-like beauty, also had that soft, babyish tenderness, making it utterly adorable.

Since the spirit baby is only awake about an hour a day, everyone fiercely competed to get that time.

“Lady, has the baby woken up?”

Betty ran over with a rosy face.

“Not yet.”

“Oh my, even when sleeping, you look like an angel…”

“Don’t reject me again.”

“My lady, my painful scars…”

The spirit baby was startled by Betty’s enthusiastic approach and turned away. It seemed the adults’ excitement was unfamiliar to the baby.

“But this time, it’s different. I won’t get excited at all.”

“Betty?”

“Even though I look like this, I’m quite cold, you know. I haven’t shown my cold side in front of you, but I’m a ruthless person.”

“…”

“I’m serious!”

Clink.

“Lady, I brought something that might be useful for the spirit baby this time.”

The maids gathered outside the door looked at the baby with longing faces and kept gazing.

“Come closer and take a look. We’ll be living together from now on, after all.”

“Really… is it okay?”

“Of course. And, since I’m caring for the baby for the first time, I could use your help.”

The maids eagerly approached and announced their intentions.

“Don’t worry. Lady! I am the eldest daughter, with six younger siblings.”

“Our mother was a village midwife. I am also experienced in caring for babies.”

“I have quite a few younger siblings myself…!”

Including Betty, the maids gathered around me. But perhaps worried that getting too close might scare the baby, they kept their distance and watched.

The baby was sleeping peacefully, clutching my hand with tiny fingers and short arms, like a maple leaf.

“How can someone look like an angel even when sleeping?”

“How do you resemble both the master and the lady so perfectly? So adorable.”

“We’d been waiting for a child to be born between you two, but seeing this baby, who looks just like you, makes it feel like the child has already been born between you two.”

Whether sensing the kind glances directed at it or simply dreaming sweetly, the baby twitched its cheeks and gave a soft smile in its sleep. It seemed to be having a good dream. I gently stroked the baby’s head with care.

Suddenly, among the maids who had been watching, a muted gasp of delight escaped as they saw the baby smile.

“Look at that smile! So adorable. I want to touch those cheeks…”

“Lady, what is the gender of the spirit baby?”

“The baby is a spirit, so wouldn’t it have no gender?”

I quietly pondered the maids’ question.

‘Since it’s a spirit, gender is…’

-It’s a boy.

-Spirits also have genders, you know, dear.

I answered naturally, as if I already knew.

“It’s a boy.”

“Oh my. The adorable prince who came to the Blanchet estate.”

“No wonder, even as a baby, there’s a strange charisma about him.”

That’s probably the unique aura of spirits.

But I didn’t say anything about it and continued to gently stroke the baby’s back, tightly attached to me.

At that moment, the baby, who had been closing its eyes, suddenly opened them wide.

“Hooouum.”

As soon as it woke, the baby tilted its head as if searching for something. Every time it did, its chubby cheeks jiggled.

“Ugh… my heart can’t take this…”

Every time the baby’s gaze landed on me, the maids around gasped as if they would faint.

‘It looks like it’s searching for something.’

The baby, seeming anxious, burrowed back into my arms.

“Are you looking for something?”

“Caw.”

Is that a response?

“Yeah, yeah.”

I didn’t understand what it meant.

“Everyone, is everything done? Are you all gathered in my room?”

Patricia’s voice froze all the maids.

“Ma’am, maid boss.”

“Everyone, go back to your places. After finishing your tasks, I’ll check if everything is in order.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The maids hurriedly left. Patricia, watching their movements with a displeased look, approached with a letter in her hand.

“Lady, I apologize for disturbing your rest, but a letter arrived in the name of the Holy Sovereign.”

“The Holy Sovereign?”

“Yes. Please check it.”

The letter bore the seal of the Holy Sovereign on top, but inside was a letter from the saintess.

“I would like to invite Lady Blanchet to the shrine where I am staying. —Saint Stella.”

Betty cautiously spoke.

“Maybe she’s finally lost her mind while praying to the gods?”

“Betty Bloneu.”

Patricia called her sternly

“Be careful with your words. The spirit baby is here.”

Indeed, the saintess was an important person.

“No matter how unqualified, reckless, or immature she may be, how can you say such things aloud?”

“Ma’am, I-I didn’t mean to say it like that…”

I looked at the letter and asked Patricia,

“Is there any reason I should respond to her invitation?”

“No.”

Patricia answered neatly. I thought for a moment, then spoke.

“Then I’ll reply that I’ll visit the shrine soon.”

“Huh?”

“Better to go when I have no particular reason rather than when I do.”

~·~·*· . ·*· . ·*· . ·*·~·~

The shrine was suspicious about the news of Lady Blanchet’s visit.

“Are you sure the Lady of Blanchet is really coming today?”

“Yes.”

“I thought they would definitely refuse… Could it be that Lady Blanchet is mindful of the saintess’s reputation?”

“I’m not sure about that.”

The shrine waited for Lady Blanchet’s arrival.

“Is that carriage over there hers?”

It was a rather shabby carriage for the Lady of Blanchet. The door suddenly opened.

But the person coming out was not the Lady herself.

“Sorry, do you know who this guest is…?”

“Oh, we are the Viscount of Olbert. From the United Kingdom. We came because the Lady Blanchet said she was making arrangements for the saintess herself to clarify the misunderstanding.”

“Actually, isn’t this a visit to apologize to the Lady who was harmed by the recent incident?”

“Oh, that’s right.”

The priests’ eyes widened in surprise.

“…Huh?”

~·~·*· . ·**##^^##**· . ·*·~·~

Hey there, It’s Green Rose 😉

Since I human I might have make some mistakes while translating so please if you find them let me know here in the comments or in the Discord group so I can correct them and be careful in the future so they do not repeat.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

~~~Next Chapter~~~

Next chapter will be released Tomorrow.

See you then!!