Chapter 32
Now, not only could she hear the story, but she could also sense the situation. It was said that the flames had eyes.
Although not in a clear form, she could see the hallway.
“Leon, how’s Ronschka?”
“She seems angry. I tried talking to her, but I don’t think it’s helped.”
At those words, Adel let out a small sigh.
“It looks like she didn’t even finish her meal.”
“Shall I bring her some food?”
“Really? I’d appreciate that.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Leon replied with a smile.
“Thank you. But are you okay, Leon?”
“About what?”
“About my engagement with Lucas.”
“I’m happy! Both of you like each other, after all. Why would I be upset about two people who like each other getting engaged?”
“Leon, you’re so mature.”
Adel gently stroked Leon’s head. Watching that, Ronschka felt a pang of jealousy.
‘She’s my mom!’
Normally, she would have rushed over to separate them, but she couldn’t do that now. The thought weighed heavily on her chest.
Ronschka retracted the flames and glared at the door. But that solved nothing.
At that moment, there was a fourth knock. Leon must have brought the food.
“This time, I’ll refuse,” Ronschka thought, shouting sharply,
“Don’t come in!”
“Ronschka?”
“I’m not eating! Don’t open the door!”
Her outburst kept Leon from entering.
Time passed like this. Occasionally, there were knocks and soothing voices, but Ronschka didn’t move an inch.
After missing a few meals, her stomach growled. But she could still endure it.
Back when she moved from village to village, she often couldn’t eat properly. She was so hungry she would eat grass and roll around in pain.
Adel had always tried not to let Ronschka starve, but their meager earnings meant they often went hungry.
Compared to then, things were much better now. And the person who made all this possible was Lucas.
She knew. But how could she bear it when she was too angry? She stayed like a stubborn little rabbit, and eventually, Adel forcibly opened the door.
“Ronschka, you need to eat.”
Holding a bowl of soup, Adel tried to persuade her.
“Just eat this, okay?”
The rich, delicious smell made Ronschka’s mouth water. She was hungry and wanted to eat, but at the same time, she didn’t want to.
So she ignored her mother, pretending not to hear.
“Ronschka.”
Adel’s hand reached toward her.
“No!”
Ronschka instinctively pushed the hand away. The bowl of soup fell from Adel’s hands as a result.
Startled, Adel tried to catch it but missed.
Clang.
A sharp sound echoed as the soup bowl hit the floor.
‘I messed up.’
Ronschka felt a sudden fear. What if her mom got angry? What if she hated her? What if she stopped loving her?
She gripped the blanket even tighter.
‘What if mom goes back to how she used to be?’
Her eyes grew hot, and tears began to escape.
Adel glanced at the fallen soup bowl and then at Ronschka.
The child, wrapped up like a cocoon in a blanket, looked both adorable and pitiful.
She understood. Ronschka’s world was just beginning to expand, and the most important person to the child was her mother. So she couldn’t be completely surprised by this reaction.
“Ronschka.”
She reached out and hugged the bundled-up blanket. She could feel Ronschka trembling inside.
“It’s okay. Mom’s not angry.”
Hearing that, Ronschka asked,
“Really?”
“Yes, it was just an accident. Besides, Ronschka, I haven’t seen your cute little face in a while. Won’t you show me?”
Slowly, Ronschka unwrapped herself. Her hair was messy from resisting in the blanket, and her face was bright red.
She looked like a little red sea urchin. Adel suppressed a laugh, instead brushing back Ronschka’s messy hair.
Ronschka let her do it obediently.
“Do you not like Mom getting engaged?”
“Yes.”
“Why not?”
“…I feel like you’re being taken away.”
A simple, honest answer, befitting a child.
“I see.”
“Mom, do you like me most, or your master?”
“Of course, it’s you, Ronschka.”
“Then can’t you not get engaged?”
“Well… that’s a bit difficult.”
Considering why she wanted to get engaged in the first place, it wasn’t possible to comply with Ronschka’s request.
Adel smiled awkwardly. Ronschka bit her lips. When Adel tried to stop her, she started sniffling.
“I really, really hate it!”
She didn’t dislike her child’s spoiled behavior; in fact, she welcomed it, knowing Ronschka’s difficult past.
‘What should I do?’
Regardless of the pleasure, she still had to persuade her. But before she could say anything, a new person burst through the open door.
It was Lucas. Seeing him, Ronschka, who had been sniffling like a little lamb, immediately snapped her eyes wide.
“You spilled the soup.”
“It was an accident. Right, Ronschka?”
Ronschka said nothing, pressing her lips together.
“You shouldn’t be overprotected.”
Lucas called a maid to clean up the broken bowl, then called Ronschka over.
“Ronschka.”
Once again, she didn’t respond. A brief silence followed. Lucas looked troubled, as if he’d never faced a situation like this.
‘Even someone who seems perfect has weaknesses.’
Adel watched him curiously, wondering how he would handle it.
But before Lucas could speak, Ronschka preempted him. With a face full of determination, she challenged her master.
“Let’s duel!”
“Ronschka?”
A duel? Adel stared wide-eyed at her little son.
“Hold on, you should at least speak respectfully to your master.”
“I’m not speaking to my master right now!”
“Then who?”
“My enemy!”
Somehow, her thought process had led her here. Not completely surprising.
Ronschka had started learning letters and reading books alongside Adel, mostly storybooks filled with lessons.
“All the books I’ve read recently are adventure stories. Why, doesn’t the Demon King or the hero appear?”
“Ronschka, Lucas isn’t your enemy.”
Adel tried to suppress a laugh and persuade her, but Ronschka didn’t budge.
Lucas went a step further.
“Fine, let’s have a duel. What’s at stake?”
“My engagement!”
“What’s the format?”
Ronschka rolled her eyes. She hadn’t really thought that far.
“A duel isn’t about fighting?”
“That’s right. But it depends whether you fight with your mind or body.”
“Then body! I’ll fight with spirit magic.”
‘No, Ronschka…’
Adel tried to stop her. Lucas was one of the Empire’s finest swordsmen. Ronschka, just a little child, couldn’t possibly win.
“Ronschka, I respect your wishes, but this might be a bit difficult.”
Her words flowed with kindness, but Ronschka shook her head vigorously, unconvinced.
“No, I’ll win somehow!”
“Well, then maybe you should at least eat first. You’re not planning to beat me without a meal, are you?”
Lucas provoked Ronschka!
“Mom, I’m hungry.”
With fiery eyes, Ronschka demanded a meal. Adel couldn’t believe it. She refused before, and now she demanded food.
She wanted to reach out and pinch that cute little nose, watching her pout with a bright red face.
‘Resist.’
She didn’t want to crush Ronschka’s spirit now. That was a mother’s heart, she realized.
Just then, the maid brought fresh soup, soft white bread, and juice. Ronschka devoured it—twice.
“Did she say she’s dueling her master?”
Leon looked on with a puzzled expression.
“Yes.”
“Why on earth?”
Leon wondered how it had come to a duel, but Ronschka refused to answer, instead energetically running across the training ground.
“It’s going to be tough to win.”
Lucas had never shown his true strength in front of her.
He had once fought a bear, but Ronschka had been too distracted, and since entering the mansion, he had only been training her basic physical skills.
“Lucas is very strong.”
“I know. He’s an adult, so of course he is.”
“But how will you win?”
“Somehow!”
Ronschka replied cheerfully.
“Wouldn’t it be better to duel in some other way?”
Leon scratched his cheek thoughtfully, but Ronschka had already started her next lap.
“Hm… what was the problem?”
Leon couldn’t understand. He shrugged and picked up a water bottle for Ronschka as she ran energetically.
