One Day, I Picked Up a Mom - Chapter 53

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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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One Day I Picked Up a Mother – Episode 53

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“Ah.”

“Don’t try to fix it. Just repeat it.”

When my body stiffened with a small sigh at yet another mistake I made, Hark spoke.

My head naturally turned to the side at his first proper sentence in a while, after he had been repeating “again, again.”

Meeting my eyes, he was about to say “again” once more, but turned his head toward the wall clock.

“…Time has already passed this much.”

Hark checked the clock and removed his glasses.

It seemed today’s lesson was finally over.

Starting from how to moderately control one’s posture, to methods of avoiding difficult questions, hand positioning, gaze management, and even walking speed.

As I was going over everything I heard today once more to not forget it.

“I heard you’re going out tomorrow. Then we won’t have time again until three days later, so please look at this until then.”

Hark pulled out a piece of paper from under the documents.

It was the paper where I had written down passages from the book he read to me.

“I’ve marked minor mistakes like incorrect letter arrangements or missing letters in the middle. And above all, the same letters have different shapes every time. You need to concentrate a bit more.”

The graded paper was pushed toward me.

“Ah, you’re right.”

A sigh naturally escaped at the red correction ink filling the paper here and there.

Even though I thought I was studying diligently, I was still this lacking.

Hark had said that to enter social circles, I needed to learn dancing and things like the Empire’s history and art styles.

Furthermore, he said it was customary to master at least one musical instrument.

There was so much to learn, yet there wasn’t much time left until the marriage Ludrio had mentioned.

Anxiety preceded whether I could finish learning within that time.

“…There’s no need to be disappointed.”

As I lowered my head to examine the wrong words, Hark carefully added his words.

“Lady Luciana is already showing sufficient progress. You can now read these history books quite naturally.”

For him to offer words of comfort, I must have looked too dejected.

“Yes. Still, since there are three whole days until the next lesson, I’ll work harder.”

When I quickly nodded and smiled, Hark’s lips that had been half-open as if to say something more closed.

He concluded the topic with a nod.

While Hark organized his bag, I went to the small study attached to the bedroom and knocked on the door.

Knock knock.

When I opened the door, Iban, who had been lying face down on the desk scribbling words, rolled his eyes to look at me.

“Iban, the advisor is leaving. Come out and say goodbye.”

“…Is it over?”

The child slowly put down the pen he was holding and struggled to get up.

Iban looked utterly exhausted.

“Yes, let’s say goodbye and go eat dinner.”

Even at the mention of going to eat, Iban still had a listless face as if he had no energy.

The child got down from the chair and trudged out of the room.

“…Goodbye.”

The child stood at the doorway and bowed his head.

Seeing Iban greeting from far away from Hark, I lightly patted the child’s shoulder and urged him to go closer to greet properly.

Still, Iban only held his ground with his arm against the wall inside the doorframe.

“Iban.”

The child hung his head.

Hark stopped for a moment, looked down at Iban, and said.

“Good work, Young Master Iban.”

Eventually, I picked up Iban and approached Hark.

“He must have had a really hard time today.”

If it was a difficult time for me, how much more so for Iban.

As if agreeing with my words, the child hugged my neck and buried his face.

“Indeed. But tomorrow it’s just the young master and me, so I’ll be able to pay a bit more attention to him.”

He looked at Iban in my arms with an apologetic smile.

“I’ll proceed with a bit more leisure tomorrow.”

“…What?”

It was then that Iban, who had been shaking his head as if fed up, belatedly lifted his face.

“Well then.”

“Take care.”

Iban quickly tapped my shoulder as I was saying goodbye to Hark.

“What does that mean? Tomorrow it’s just me and the advisor?”

“Ah, tomorrow Mother is scheduled to go out.”

Come to think of it, I was so busy that I hadn’t told Iban anything.

“The Previous Countess asked Mother to go out together.”

“…Why?”

“Hmm, I think I’ll know once I go. I’ll tell you after I come back tomorrow.”

The child’s eyes shook anxiously. When I smiled as if to say it was okay, Iban opened his mouth again.

“What about me?”

“Hm?”

“Am I not going?”

The child desperately grabbed my collar.

“Do you want to go with Mother? Or do you not want to study alone with the advisor?”

I looked at Iban’s hands and asked.

It was an outing arranged by the Countess.

‘It won’t be a comfortable time.’

Since she only invited me to that outing, Iban couldn’t go, and not taking him would be better for the child too.

“It’s not that…”

Iban avoided my gaze and lowered his head.

It seemed he didn’t like the fact that he had to stay and study alone tomorrow.

“Iban, let’s ask to finish early tomorrow. Mother will talk to the Count.”

“…Mother will?”

“Yes, he’ll probably say yes.”

I said as I put the child down from my arms.

Since coming to the Duke’s mansion, Iban had gained weight nicely, so I couldn’t hold him for long periods.

“…I think he’ll say no.”

“And I gave the catalog to the servant earlier. Maybe Iban’s toys will arrive tomorrow.”

As I was comforting Iban, who still had his head down, and opening the door, I saw a figure in front of the door step back half a step.

“Ah, Count.”

When I looked up, I saw Ludrio looking down at us.

“Your expression doesn’t look good.”

He reached out and stroked Iban’s face.

Iban seemed embarrassed by such touch and gripped my hand tightly while looking up at me.

“Ugh, I’ll go down first.”

Then he suddenly ran off with quick steps.

“He sat for too long today.”

I quickly spoke at the questioning gaze asking what was wrong.

“Iban is still very young, and it’s too hard for a child to handle.”

Even if it couldn’t be helped due to special circumstances until the Previous Count and Countess arrived, forcing learning on the child every day like that was too harsh.

“I think it would be good to adjust the time according to the child’s age.”

“…The child is already seven years old.”

I was certain he would agree with my words, but Ludrio slowly raised his eyebrows and mentioned Iban’s age.

As if seven years old was perfectly fine for this level of intensity.

“Iban isn’t that young.”

As if daily learning sessions like today’s were absolutely necessary.

“It’s too much for a seven-year-old.”

In modern terms, this was still a child who hadn’t even entered elementary school, sitting all day long. Without any breaks.

“Iban does study more than his peers, but he hasn’t learned anything until now. It can’t be helped.”

“But…”

“Above all, Iban is a child who will become the heir to the duchy. You may see the child as young, but he’s already seven. He’s already far behind in many ways.”

Contrary to my expectations, Ludrio firmly drew the line, saying Iban’s study load was appropriate.

“Being too soft on the child isn’t good either.”

“But, Count. A seven-year-old’s attention span is at most twenty to thirty minutes. Beyond that time, not only does it not stick in their head well, but making them endure an indefinite period without end is cruel to the child.”

I would back down if the child could at least learn to endure suffering by sitting beyond their limits for that long.

“What remains after unguaranteed patience isn’t a sense of achievement. I think you should at least set an end that the child can understand – when they can rest and when they can play.”

Though Iban had gone downstairs first, I was worried that our conversation might sound like an argument and make the child anxious.

So I kept my voice as low as possible, whispering quietly, when Ludrio suddenly stopped walking.

“Yes. I understand what you’re saying.”

He nodded as if agreeing with my words.

Did that mean he would readjust Iban’s study time?

“I understand, but.”

“…Count?”

I looked up, expecting his next words.

“…Why are you speaking so urgently?”

And the moment he lowered his head, I realized our distance was too close.

Close enough for my breath to reach his nape.

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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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