IRBSGHC 10

Episode 10

The weather was bitterly cold. The fierce snowstorm had passed, but its aftermath lingered. Snow lay piled high, deep enough to cover Elia’s calves.

“Jeremy?”

The boy crouched in the pristine white snow, sitting still.

“Eek… what is this?”

Startled by the sudden approach, he quickly recognized Elia and immediately pulled a haughty expression.

“Jeremy, why are you hiding here?”

“You’re… not even curious…”

He buried his face between his arms, pouting.

Yulia had told her that Jeremy seemed mature beyond his years. But that was only the exterior—his appearance and speech.

The boy was craving affection. To see it only now made Elia’s chest ache.

She plopped down into the snow beside him.

“Ah? O-ouch, it’s cold and… messy!”

He blurted out a worried exclamation, then abruptly stopped when he realized it was unnecessary.

His cheeks and nose were flushed crimson from the cold.

“Are you… worried about me?”

Elia smiled gently, her eyes crinkling as she looked at him.

“Not at all.”

“Oh, come on. I think you’re worried about me.”

“Nope.”

“Hahaha, alright then, let’s say I’m not.”

The guarded expression on the boy’s face softened slightly, as if he liked her approval.

“Strange…”

Elia laughed again at the boy’s candid honesty, far beyond what she had expected.

“Jeremy, could you do me a favor?”

“……?”

His fluffy pink hair tilted as he looked up at her, curiosity in his eyes.

“Eating alone is so boring. Could you eat with me from now on?”

“……Um, that’s…”

He hesitated, lips barely moving.

“Oh, you don’t want to?”

Elia let out an exaggerated sigh.

“Then… playing together? Would that be too much?”

Her direct gaze made the boy lower his head in embarrassment. It was the first time an adult had made such a request to him with such expression.

“…I guess that’s okay.”

“Then, how about a birthday feast?”

“…Birthday? A birthday feast?”

The word “feast” made his clear, watery eyes sparkle.

“Yes. Your birthday is coming soon.”

“You… how did you know?”

His eyes widened in surprise.

“Even as the Grand Duchess, I should know at least that much, shouldn’t I?”

“Really?”

Expectant light returned to his gaze.

“Of course, there’s a condition.”

The boy furrowed his brows as if he had anticipated it. In moments like this, he was unmistakably a spitting image of Felix.

“…Fine. I won’t do it.”

His lower lip protruded, then returned. Elia laughed quietly at how cute he looked.

“Hahaha, it’s very simple. I just want you to call me Elia. Is that too hard?”

“…Huh?”

The disappointment in his eyes faded, replaced by a sparkling gaze directed at her.

“Can you do that?”

“Okay, that’s fine.”

“Oh, thank you so much.”

“I’ll call you Elia-nim.”

The boy crossed his arms like a benefactor, nodding his head.

“Hahaha, thank you. So, we have a deal?”

“Yes. Deal confirmed.”

He moved his adorable pink lips into a satisfied smile.

“Shall we go inside now?”

Elia extended her hand, but Jeremy quickly pulled it back.

“I’m… not going in.”

“Hmm, is it because you don’t like swordsmanship lessons?”

“…I’m not going.”

His cheeks puffed up again.

“Can you tell me why?”

“Just… I don’t like Lucas.”

‘Lucas? That’s the knight who guarded Jeremy and me last time—Lucas Elrad.’

He was the most skilled swordsman among the Northern knights, the only one who could spar with Felix. Stern and disciplined.

“Why don’t you like him?”

“…I won’t say. Go ahead first.”

“I don’t want to…”

“Hmm?”

Jeremy’s eyes twitched at Elia’s words, then he lowered his head and stirred the snow with his fingertips.

“How can I leave you out here in the cold by yourself? I’ll just sit here until your sword lesson is over.”

A strong wind blew. Elia felt the chill through her thick coat, nearly dizzy from the cold.

“Why are you shaking?”

Jeremy lifted his head to speak, his small red lips moving, but she could not hear a single word.

Murmuring…

Slowly, her eyes closed. She felt someone calling her, but the cold and dizziness prevented her from opening them.

‘I think Jeremy is saying something…’

His watery voice reached her, though her mind felt foggy. The world seemed to spin around her.

Then she heard the faint sound of running footsteps, and a familiar scent brushed her nose.

‘Felix… is that you?’

The surroundings grew slightly chaotic. She thought she heard Jeremy crying.

Her body floated briefly, once more suspended in the air—the third time this had happened.

‘I thought I’d recovered more than this…’

A solid, warm embrace enveloped her. Perhaps her own body had already grown cold, making his warmth feel all the more comforting.

Elia burrowed deeper into that warmth.

Jeremy stared at Elia’s pale face.

It did not take long for her to collapse.

Plop.

A fragile, faint sound.

“Huh?”

He shook her shoulders.

“Elia-nim!”

Panicked, he tried to lift her.

Then he saw her slender wrist, wrapped in bandages.

‘This…’

He was astonished at how delicate she could be. Jeremy had inherited his father’s sturdy bones, never having broken or sprained anything before.

“Elia-nim! Elia-nim! What… what do I do… what do I do…”

Jeremy stamped his feet, tears welling in his eyes.

Elia’s complexion darkened. Terrified, he couldn’t help but burst into full-blown sobs.

“Waaah! Wake up! I’m sorry! Sniff… I’m scared…”

He shook her body, crying. He had never experienced a situation like this before.

Then, a commotion arose nearby. Jeremy’s eyes widened, turning toward the source.

“Sniff… help! Elia! Elia-nim is…”

Felix was the first to arrive, followed by the butler and maids, all hurrying to tend to the fallen Elia.

“…Let’s get her inside first.”

“I’ll carry her.”

“Alright.”

Jeremy looked up at Felix with tears, and after a brief hesitation, Felix lifted Elia into his arms.

“Father… sniff… Elia-nim, are you dying? Your face… it’s so… so pale…”

Felix patted the boy’s soft, tousled hair, as if reassuring him, then moved quickly.

Jeremy’s eyes widened, feeling the coarse warmth of Felix’s hands for the first time.

He ran after Felix as he receded into the distance.

“Father, let’s go together!”

Jeremy watched Elia sway in Felix’s arms with every step.

‘That person is so thin… so fragile…’

He wiped away the tears and runny nose with his hand.

Snowflakes, once paused, now fell like petals, melting slightly against Elia’s pale face.

When she regained awareness, Jeremy sat in a chair beside the bed, nodding off.

His eyelids were puffy and reddish, long lashes damp.

“Oh dear.”

The sight was both pitiful and endearing.

The boy’s dangling legs wobbled slightly from the high chair, his head teetering precariously.

‘Oh no, he might fall!’

Elia reached out as he toppled toward the bed, catching him gently.

“Ah.”

But the effort made her injured wrist throb. She winced, glancing at him.

Fortunately, Jeremy remained asleep, lips slightly parted, breathing deeply.

‘It’s the first time I’ve seen him sleeping like this.’

Her gaze fell on his plump, soft cheeks.

‘I just want to pinch those squishy cheeks once.’

Chuckling, Elia gently pinched and stroked his cheeks. They were surprisingly soft and pliable.

“Ugh…”

The boy fluttered his long lashes, shifting slightly in mild annoyance, finally moving his persistent hands away.

“Sweet dreams, Jeremy.”

Lying down beside him, her face close to his, the scent of fresh milk wafted to her nose.

She placed a hand gently on his chest, patting lightly.

‘So this is what it feels like… to care for him like this.’

A gentle smile curved Elia’s lips.

The fireplace in the corner crackled softly, as if singing a lullaby.

It was a peaceful, happy moment. Slowly, Elia’s eyes closed again, letting herself drift into rest.