A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father - Chapter 38

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 38

 

“Yes, of course. If it’s what both Young Master and Melody want.”

 

It was quite successful.

 

Permission finally granted.

 

Jayden and Melody’s faces brightened simultaneously.

 

“But Melody. If you sneak out of your room like today, I’ll scold you. What if you get lost? Next time, make sure to come with Mother. Understand?”

 

“Woo!”

 

Though Viola added this scolding tone, the children’s faces were still full of bright smiles.

 

* * *

 

In the end, Melody and Jayden played for quite a while after that before collapsing exhausted on the bed and falling asleep.

 

I recalled the children who had been playing happily, or rather, pretending to play happily.

 

‘Oh my, how cute.’

 

Pretending not to notice wasn’t easy either.

 

They would bicker slightly, then when my gaze fell on them, both would awkwardly smile while pretending to be friendly – it was absolutely adorable.

 

The two had clearly conspired together. And I decided to play along by pretending not to notice.

 

‘It’s common for young children to quarrel a bit at first.’

 

As long as it wasn’t too serious, they would quickly become friends again.

 

‘Just like in the original story, he was such a doting brother. Jayden extended his hand first.’

 

He could have been upset about Melody coming uninvited.

 

I gently stroked the head of Jayden, who was sleeping soundly.

 

His face looked peaceful, unlike a few hours ago.

 

‘Having someone his age around really makes a difference. His anxiety has lessened considerably too.’

 

Melody also seemed secretly excited despite her grumbling, probably because it had been a while since she played with someone her age.

 

I gently wiped Melody’s face as she slept drooling beside Jayden.

 

Sleeping side by side, they looked just like angels.

 

Was it because of the drowsy, cozy atmosphere? Yawn. A yawn suddenly escaped me.

 

‘…I’m getting sleepy too.’

 

I forced my eyes open, trying to stay alert as I sat in the chair beside the bed.

 

However, unable to resist the overwhelming drowsiness, I soon fell asleep in that position.

 

* * *

 

Late at night.

 

Cain, having finished his work for the day, set down his fountain pen on the desk.

 

‘Come to think of it, today was the day.’

 

The beginning of Jayden’s full-scale Tamutaru disease treatment.

 

While everything until now had been simply suppressing symptoms, what would start today was the actual process of curing the disease.

 

Since no reports had come up, there seemed to be no particular problems, but he couldn’t help feeling concerned.

 

After all, he had only thought of it as an incurable disease that couldn’t be treated.

 

Cain turned his steps away from heading to his usual bedroom.

 

Though he usually didn’t visit first because Jayden was afraid of him…

 

Still, on a day like this, it seemed good to check on his condition, even from a distance.

 

‘He should be asleep by this time.’

 

Let me just check his sleeping face without waking him and return.

 

Cain headed to the third floor, muffling his footsteps.

 

The end of the corridor. The place where Jayden had settled to avoid people.

 

From that room that had always been dark, light was somehow seeping through the door crack.

 

A scene different from any other night.

 

Was there some problem? Cain approached while concealing his presence.

 

But as soon as he entered, the person he saw wasn’t Jayden but someone else.

 

It was Viola, pitifully leaning against a chair and nodding off drowsily.

 

Cain approached Viola while holding his breath.

 

Right beside her on the bed, Jayden and Melody were sprawled out sleeping.

 

Had she dozed off while taking care of the children?

 

“Mmm…”

 

The woman murmured briefly, then her head dropped forward with a thud.

 

Rustle.

 

Her curly pink hair flowed down. Cain unconsciously reached out and gently tucked her hair behind her ear.

 

Her face, which had been hidden like a curtain, was now fully visible.

 

Was she very tired?

 

She had said she couldn’t take their usual evening walk tonight because of Jayden’s treatment.

 

What was she doing here, really.

 

‘She must have fallen asleep from exhaustion while caring for Jayden.’

 

Come to think of it…

 

Cain briefly examined Jayden.

 

Far from frowning, his face was completely relaxed. His previously stiff arms and legs were stretched out freely in all directions.

 

Had he ever seen Jayden sleep so peacefully?

 

The medication that started today seemed to have already produced meaningful results.

 

No, that wasn’t all.

 

His prickly and sharp-edged nephew had softened considerably lately.

 

Though he still feared his uncle.

 

The clear fact was that many things had changed since the woman arrived.

 

Cain looked down at Viola again.

 

If she was going to sleep, she should sleep comfortably.

 

Her thin neck that looked like it could fit in one hand appeared precarious in its bent position.

 

He reached out and gently lifted Viola into his arms.

 

As he supported her body with both arms and lifted her, she murmured softly.

 

“Mmm…”

 

Then, as if she had been cold, she nestled slightly into his embrace as if seeking a blanket.

 

Ha. Cain let out a silent laugh.

 

Did she know who he was while acting so defenseless?

 

If she knew, it was a problem; if she didn’t know, it was an even bigger problem.

 

But Cain decided not to correct the problem at this moment.

 

He carefully laid Viola down on the sofa by the fireplace.

 

“Mmph, cold…”

 

Who would have thought there’d be someone in this world ordering him to fetch blankets. Whether asleep or awake, her boldness was the same.

 

When he covered her with a thick blanket, her expression finally relaxed.

 

As if having a pleasant dream, the woman’s lips curved in a gentle arc.

 

It was exactly that smile she often showed him.

 

He hadn’t expected to see that face even like this.

 

Cain quietly watched that expression before finally moving his steps.

 

Click.

 

When he turned off the bright lamp, darkness befitting the night finally settled in the room.

 

He quietly stepped out of the room.

 

The moon hanging in the sky visible through the corridor window was beautiful.

 

* * *

 

A few days later.

 

Knock knock. As I knocked on the bedroom door, Jayden’s voice immediately came through.

 

“Viola? Come in quickly!”

 

“Yes, Young Master!”

 

Was it just my imagination? His voice seemed a whole tone higher than usual today, as if he was excited about something.

 

I smiled softly and gently opened the door.

 

But the moment I stepped into the room, there was an unexpected visitor.

 

‘Huh? Who is that?’

 

A strange woman was standing beside Jayden’s bed. She appeared to be around my age, but her atmosphere was quite different.

 

Tall with a straight posture, a lean yet solid build without any excess fat. What caught my attention most was her appearance.

 

The woman had distinct features, but rather than pretty, the word handsome suited her better.

 

The woman seemed to have noticed me too, bowing her head toward me with composed movements.

 

“Are you Miss Viola? It’s my first time greeting you. My name is Sylvian Barns.”

 

Silvien? It was a name I had heard from the maids before.

 

“Currently, the Duke’s Family household is being managed by Miss Silvien from a vassal family.”

 

I recalled the story Becky had told me.

 

After the death of the previous Count and Countess, the position of the Duke’s Family’s mistress remained vacant. And to fill that empty position, Silvien, who had been most favored by the Countess, took on the role of acting housekeeper.

 

‘…I heard she had been away from the manor for a while due to other business.’

 

It seemed she had just returned after finishing her work. I quickly bowed in greeting.

 

“Hello! I’m Viola. I’m in charge of Young Master Jayden’s treatment.”

 

“I know. I received reports about the related matters even while I was away from the manor. More than that…”

 

Suddenly, Silvien bowed with a rigid posture.

 

Huh? Suddenly…? I was flustered by her overly polite attitude and stammered, but before I could stop her, she spoke.

 

“I apologize for causing you great hardship.”

 

“Pardon…? No, it’s not! You don’t need to do that. It wasn’t even something that happened when you were here!”

 

I hurriedly waved my hands. She seemed to be apologizing for what Celia had done.

 

How could that be Silvien’s fault when she had been away on business? This wasn’t something that warranted such a formal apology.

 

However, Silvien was firm.

 

“Still, I am the acting housekeeper, and I was away when such an incident occurred, so it’s right for me to apologize.”

 

Her rigid attitude clearly showed her personality of valuing principles.

 

Not being emotional or making excuses, but cleanly acknowledging and apologizing as the person in charge.

 

‘She’s an admirable person.’

 

I waved my hands again and smiled.

 

“It’s really okay. It wasn’t personal business, you were away for work. You don’t need to worry about it.”

 

Despite my words, just as Silvien was about to bow her head again.

 

Perhaps finding the adults’ stiff conversation boring, Jayden, who had been sitting on the bed, interrupted.

 

“Viola, Viola. Look at this.”

 

“Ah, yes. Young Master!”

 

Jayden waved the paper in his hand and called me over.

 

“Wow. What is that?”

 

“My brother sent me a letter!”

 

Ah. He’s talking about Noah who’s at the academy.

 

Noah Ashern.

 

A character from the original story who was very fond of Melody, the typical ‘caring eldest brother character.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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