#8
“My, is there anything our young master can’t do? It looks like you’ll finish stacking them all on that block today.”
“What the young master can’t do… is physical activity.”
“He even writes his own name without being taught, and speaks so well for his age. But it seems he’s a bit slower than his peers when it comes to using his body.”
Noah, who was carefully raising his hand to place a block, dropped the one he was holding upon hearing the words “physical activity.” He stared at the blocks that had come crashing down, his mouth drooping into an ‘S’ shape.
How would I know what a three-year-old is supposed to be like? It’s because you guys always carry me around, hold me, and won’t let me do anything, saying it’s dangerous if I even try.
“Oh dear. It’s okay, young master. We can just stack the blocks again. Shall I stack them for you? Should I stack them?”
One of the maids, who had been chatting while tidying the room, ran over to soothe him, but Noah sullenly turned his head away.
Honestly, they hadn’t been talking loudly enough for Noah to hear clearly. It was only because he was straining to listen that he could make out parts of their conversation, even if some bits were unclear.
“No!”
Noah yelled “Back!” at the maid who was quickly gathering the scattered blocks. But the maid started stacking the collected blocks.
“I do it!”
Frustrated, Noah kicked over the blocks she had stacked.
“Young master, shall we go see something fun?”
Noah, who had taken his frustration out on the innocent maid, stretched his arms out vigorously towards Elisa as she appeared through the opening door.
“Why is our young master so upset?”
Despite having just been determined to walk around diligently by himself to improve his motor skills, Noah clung tightly to Elisa. Then, as she put her hand into her pocket and pulled it out, he reached for the candy that appeared.
Yes. When you’re depressed, sweets are the best.
Noah, clutching the lollipop tightly, let out a deep sigh. I wish I would grow up quickly.
Snuggled tightly in Elisa’s arms, licking the lollipop bigger than his face, Noah looked around at the mountain of goods piled up.
Even the knights who had been training were carrying things through the wide-open door.
Summer, when the roads weren’t frozen and travel was active, was the shopping season in Austin. They busily bought and stored a year’s worth of daily necessities during the summer.
Unlike his previous life in the capital where he spent most of his time waltzing to a 2/3 rhythm, Noah was finally getting a proper feel for life in Austin.
There were only three people in Noah’s family, but a third of the servants working in the castle resided in the small castle behind the main keep. Considering the knights who were always stationed there in shifts, plus those who commuted, the amount they bought was literally enormous.
Even in the depths of winter, if it was urgent, they could buy things from the capital and bring them via warp, but considering the warp usage fees, it was more cost-effective to buy things in advance.
“Young master, shall we go look at the toys?”
At Elisa’s words as she skillfully weaved through the servants carrying loads, a light shone in Noah’s eyes. Life at Schwein Castle was so boring for Noah.
Wake up, eat, stack a few blocks, have a snack, take a morning nap. Wake up, eat again, try to scope out chances to escape, occasionally get outside briefly but get caught immediately. Take an afternoon nap, have a snack, laze around, eat dinner. Then go to sleep.
Eating, sleeping, and lazing around were pretty much the entirety of Noah’s life.
“Did you have fun stacking blocks?”
As they entered the largest drawing room on the first floor, Lauren greeted him with a bright smile. Noah gave a small wave. In this house, there were no secrets. Lauren already knew he had been stacking blocks.
“Yes.”
As soon as Elisa set him down on the floor, Noah gave a simple answer and headed towards the area filled with colorful items.
“The young master is absolutely adorable.”
The fact that an enormous amount of goods had arrived meant the merchant guild master had come too. Ignoring the unfamiliar voice, Noah charged into the toys stacked higher than his own height.
“He seems to have become very curious lately. I’ll make sure to purchase all the things Noah seems to like.”
Tuning out Lauren and the guild master’s conversation, the first things Noah picked up were brightly colored pens and paper. Elisa was quickly and discreetly gathering the things Noah touched and handing them to the servants nearby.
“Would you like to see some new blocks that recently came out? They have an adhesion spell on them, so if you bring them close like this, they stick. They don’t collapse easily even when stacked high. To separate them, you just apply a little pressure like this, so they can be used permanently.”
“Oh my, really?”
Mother, I don’t think we need more blocks. Please retract the light from those sparkling eyes.
Noah, who had been watching Lauren listen intently to the guild master while sticking and unsticking the blocks, let out a small sigh. Following the blocks, the guild master was recommending a complete set of fairy tale books to her, and her eyes shone even brighter.
Regardless of era. Regardless of place. Regardless of situation.
Mothers in all worlds are truly deeply interested in their children’s education.
Noah, who had been busily choosing toys, stopped and approached Lauren. Lauren promptly picked him up and sat him on her knee. A fairy tale book filled with cute illustrations was opened in front of Noah.
“Noah, aren’t the pictures so cute?”
“Yes’a.”
“This book is about a brave knight who goes to defeat a dragon.”
“Yes’a.”
“Is that so? Then how about this book? It’s about a little boy going on an adventure.”
“Yes’a.”
Every time a new book was opened in front of him, Noah tapped the book with his hand.
I already know all the letters, what’s the use of books like these?
Mother, please stop overspending.
“The young master doesn’t seem interested in books, how about this?”
Not missing this timing, the merchant promptly held out other items.
Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed Lauren and the guild master would be interested in these things for a while longer, so Noah slipped out of Lauren’s embrace.
He needed something more groundbreaking and creative.
If I don’t see anything I like, can I get a custom order?
Noah placed the colored pencils and paper he had just selected on the table and picked up a black pencil.
Thinking of what he needed most right now, Noah gripped the pencil tightly.
“Aww, how cute. The young master often plays in the Duke’s office, so he must be copying him.”
As the table height was awkward, Noah knelt down, firmly held the paper with one hand, and boldly drew a line across the white paper.
O uncooperative limbs!
This is clearly not what I wanted to draw.
But his weak hand kept dropping the pencil, and his arm, unaccustomed to controlling pressure, kept making strange lines.
All a child with underdeveloped fine motor skills could draw were squiggly lines. Frustrated, Noah wildly swung the pencil.
“Eee… Ecko… Aiya!!”
Seeing the messy paper, Noah collapsed onto it in frustration.
As exclamations of how cute he was and praise for doing well poured from around him, he became even more depressed. Clenching his fists, Noah abruptly stood up and pushed the ruined paper aside.
“Here, this is good for children’s writing practice…”
Mister, shut your mouth. Don’t try to sell any weird stuff.
Concentrating hard, putting force into his lips, Noah started drawing a line as carefully as possible.
“Achi.”
Having drawn a picture that was vaguely recognizable, Noah picked up the paper, approached the guild master, and held it out. If he had been from the guild run by the family of that second husband who ran off with the money, Noah would have thrown a tantrum and collapsed on the spot the moment he saw him.
But seeing that the guild master’s face was different and knowing the guild name was different, Noah planned to build as close a relationship with him as possible. Who knows what the future holds? He needed to build good connections with a major guild that traveled the world and could procure any item.
“Yes, young master.”
“Ecko…”
When Noah held out his drawing, the guild master’s expression became微妙 (subtly strange/thoughtful) as he looked at it. Simultaneously, the gazes of everyone in the drawing room fell upon the young child’s drawing.
“Young master, what is this?”
“It looks like a sled.”
“Noah, the sled is outside.”
“No! Sled!”
After I drew so hard! Given these hands, this ability, it’s incredibly well-drawn!
Noah pouted his lips.
“It does look like a sled… But what are these round things at the bottom?”
“Wheew!”
Perhaps because he was a nobleman’s child, the guild master used polite speech. Noah quickly answered.
“Wound. Wound. Gwowa.”
“Wheels?”
“Yes!”
Maybe because of his job seeing many different items, the guild master seemed to somewhat understand the drawing. Noah grew impatient.
“Wheew. Hee-uh. Hee-uh. Fo’ wheew!”
Pointing at the drawing with his chubby little fingers, then spreading four fingers, Noah tried to explain in as much detail as possible.
“You put wheels on a sled?”
“No!”
Was explaining a kickboard always this hard? Noah sighed as he tried to describe the kickboard everyone rode as soon as they could walk. Getting around this vast house on foot was tiresome, and the kickboard was what Noah had thought of for faster mobility.
“Handweeb!”
Seeing that no one could understand even when he explained the handlebars, Noah hung his head low and trudged back to the table with dragging steps.
Forget it, I’ll just have some snacks.
