Chapter 82
Her heart wouldn’t settle; it kept pounding with excitement.
She knew well that obtaining permission for adoption wouldn’t be easy, and if it were denied, she had planned to find another way. But she never expected to be granted authority directly by the Emperor. Of course, since it was against the law, she couldn’t officially draw up the adoption papers, but it didn’t matter—an imperial edict granting her authority would be sent to the marquis’s house. The Emperor’s decree would carry even greater weight than adoption documents, and it would surely serve as undeniable proof that she and Aria were officially mother and daughter.
Charlotte stepped into the palace’s fountain garden, opened for the spring. Thanks to the spring flowers in full bloom around Nostrie, the surroundings looked like a scene from a watercolor painting. Charlotte sat on a fountain carved from ivory, holding Aria tightly in her arms, and looked down at her. Aria was unusually calm, still as she had been when the Emperor recognized their mother-daughter relationship—and she remained so now.
“Aria.”
Instead of replying, Aria lifted her head and looked at Charlotte.
“Aria, did you hear what His Majesty said? From now on, it’s okay to call me ‘Mom’ outside. From today, I’ll introduce you as my daughter to everyone.”
Charlotte spoke as calmly as she could, but her heart pounded so hard that it didn’t settle easily. The difference between before and after being recognized as parent and child was enormous. Even just saying the words ‘Mom’ and ‘Daughter’ involved subtle changes in tone and tongue movement. The emotions that followed were filled with sheer delight.
But Aria… she was calmer than Charlotte expected. She had thought Aria would jump up and down in excitement—perhaps she hadn’t realized she was officially recognized by the Emperor. Maybe she didn’t understand because His Majesty had used difficult words. Considering how intelligent and perceptive she was for her age, Charlotte assumed Aria fully understood when their relationship was recognized, but apparently, she hadn’t.
“Aria?”
Moreover, Charlotte had been so thrilled about the Emperor granting authority that she hadn’t noticed Aria’s expression had become rather sulky. Her cheeks looked like a rabbit soaked in rain. When Charlotte cupped Aria’s cheeks, tears instantly welled up in Aria’s eyes. Startled, Charlotte patted her shoulders.
“Aria, what’s wrong, hmm?”
“What about the High Priest…?”
“The High Priest?”
“In the Argent Empire, besides the Emperor, there’s the High Priest too. Someone far stronger than the knights or even the dark magician… someone closest to the gods…”
Charlotte blinked repeatedly. This was a matter related to law, so it was naturally the Emperor’s approval that was required. Yet Aria seemed to think that because the High Priest hadn’t said anything, the adoption hadn’t been approved. But Aria, you just didn’t see it—the High Priest couldn’t take his eyes off you the entire time. He had looked at her with such loving eyes.
‘At first, he seemed surprised, but over time, he looked at Aria with affection, even support.’
Even if the High Priest’s consent had been required, it wouldn’t have been difficult. The High Priest loved children, and he had said the goddess of Revelian expected one to care for the weak and unfortunate. Surely, he would have granted it even more willingly than the Emperor.
Charlotte kissed Aria’s cheek.
“Aria, the High Priest cares for and loves children like you. That’s why, even if he didn’t say anything, he surely recognized the bond between you and your mother.”
“Really?”
“Of course. And today, when I petitioned His Majesty, it was a legal matter. Matters like this go through the royal court rather than the temple. Even if the High Priest had agreed, if His Majesty hadn’t approved it, you couldn’t be my daughter.”
“!”
Aria’s eyes widened. In her mind, it seemed the High Priest had held more authority than the Emperor.
“But Aria, you heard, right? His Majesty granted authority.”
“I heard… I… heard the… authority… from Mom…”
“Yes, authority. If someone says, ‘You aren’t mother and daughter because it’s not on the legal papers!’ you can simply say the Emperor’s name: ‘The Sun of the Argent Empire, His Majesty Dylan Argent, has recognized my relationship with my mother! So I am my mother’s daughter!’ No one will be able to say anything bad to you.”
Aria’s eyes, as clear and blue as the sky and as glassy as crystal, began to sparkle. Finally realizing she was recognized as a daughter, she couldn’t keep still, bouncing up and down. Clenching her fists, she trembled with excitement, as if she might dash around any moment. With her face radiant like sunlight, she flung herself into Charlotte’s arms and laughed.
“I’m Mom’s daughter! His Majesty recognized it!”
“From now on, you’re Aria Blanche. Your mother’s precious daughter.”
“Aria Blanche…!”
Aria’s cheeks were flushed a soft pink. Now, not only in Nostrie but anywhere, she could be loved and recognized.
She could call Aria her daughter aloud, without worrying who was watching. She could buy gifts for Aria without mentioning Anna’s name, something she couldn’t do simply because they weren’t biologically related. The freedom to do all these things was indescribably joyous.
Aria, her face full of smiles, felt light as if walking on clouds, even just holding Charlotte’s hand. When their eyes met, she laughed as if someone had tickled her. On the way back to the marquis’s residence, she suddenly stopped and clung to Charlotte’s skirts.
“Mom, mom. Can we go see the knights? You said we could look at the training ground earlier. I want to see them.”
“Huh?”
Of course, Sir Molly had asked them to come to the training ground. She remembered the way he emphasized it several times, as if something bad would happen if they didn’t go. And… the thought that they might see Theodore also made her heart flutter. After being separated from a long-time friend for five years, she might meet Theodore again. She nodded, recalling the last time she had seen him.
“Shall we? The joint meeting ended sooner than expected, so let’s go. Should I carry you?”
“I want to hold hands and walk!”
“Alright, alright.”
The paladin training ground wasn’t far. Although affiliated with the temple, paladins undertook important or secret missions that couldn’t be left to ordinary knights, so their training grounds and quarters were usually located between the palace and the temple. Charlotte had been there several times with her father, so finding it was easy.
Back then, she had held her father’s hand; now, she held her daughter’s. It felt strangely emotional. Did her father feel the same happiness when seeing her?
Near the main gate of the training ground, Sir Molly and several other paladins were standing. Even from afar, commotion could be heard inside.
“Knights!”
“Huh?”
Hearing Aria’s clear voice, Sir Molly turned, and so did Charlotte and Aria. Mark seemed surprised they had come.
“Has the joint meeting already ended?”
“Yes. Did you want us to come later?”
“No, of course not. We’ve been waiting.”
Behind Mark, several paladins were staring wide-eyed. She thought the gaze was familiar, but looking closer… it wasn’t. It wasn’t the gaze of seeing a cursed young lady, but of being surprised to see someone familiar. Then Aria suddenly ran toward the training ground.
“Aria?”
Passing Mark, Aria dodged four paladins as if avoiding obstacles and ran straight into the training area. Despite her small frame, she moved astonishingly fast—but there was no time to admire her speed. The training ground was dangerous, with various weapons set up, and it was a restricted area. Charlotte immediately ran after her. Mark and the others followed suit.
Aria, unaware of the danger, ran as fast as ever, reaching the center of the training ground. The circular arena, vast like a meadow, was lined with marble pillars at regular intervals, with racks holding sharpened swords. As soon as Theodore appeared in Aria’s bright blue eyes, she hopped through the pillars and ran toward the center.
“So even now, you’d bring your sister’s lady-in-waiting… before Miss Blanche arrives…”
“No, we don’t even know if she’ll come. Everyone calm down…”
The knights were holding an emergency meeting, unaware Aria was running toward them. Some suggested bringing the lady-in-waiting to encourage Theodore’s chivalry; others argued that since Charlotte hadn’t confirmed her visit, it would be better to send a letter and arrange a ‘training ground visit date.’
“Knights!”
“Ugh!”
“Eh? Where did she come from?”
The serious atmosphere broke when Aria burst through the knights and clung to Theodore’s legs. The white, rabbit-like girl startled everyone, causing them to step back. Theodore froze as he saw the girl hanging on him.
“What’s this tiny kid?”
“How did she get in here?”
“Wow, she looks like a cloud.”
“Wait, this kid…”
Only Sieberon stayed relatively calm.
When Mark tried to lift Theodore’s legs for the formation, Sieberon saw it, and at that time, Aria was in Charlotte’s arms. But he wasn’t sure if this white rabbit-like girl was the same child, because she was so tiny he couldn’t see her face clearly.
“What do we do? She’s so small! Even for a child, this is too tiny.”
The paladins were all large men, and even those a bit taller looked small beside them. Seeing such a tiny girl, they stepped back to avoid stepping on her and observed Aria smiling brightly at Theodore.
“Commander, do you know this child?”
“No, I don’t.”
Though Theodore claimed he didn’t know her, he picked her up naturally. Aria, now elevated, didn’t fear and seemed to soar in the air joyfully.
“She follows the commander so well. Could she be a hidden child?”
“She’s too bold to hide anything from the commander. Quiet, please.”
Then, a soft, clear voice rang across the training ground, embedding itself in Theodore’s ears:
“Aria!”
“Mom!”
Mom? Everyone turned their heads, and Aria looked at the woman she called Mom. Everyone recognized her immediately.
For five years, Theodore had longed for her, speaking often of her pure white hair and night-sky blue eyes… Charlotte Blanche. The gazes that had been on Charlotte shifted mechanically toward Theodore. Yet he, already holding Aria, moved toward Charlotte as if in a trance.
Even the wind seemed to hold its breath, watching their reunion. In a few slow steps, Theodore reached Charlotte, his throat moving noticeably, his blue eyes rippling like a stone thrown into a lake. Charlotte smiled and spoke first.
“Theodore, have you been well all this time?”
