Star Child's Parenting Diary - Chapter 19

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 19
Chapter 5. Seedlings, Seeds, and Flowers (5)
“So you’re saying I’m a coward? You understand that now?”
“Mm.”
“Then next time, don’t bring me worms or things like that. They bite. Ow! It hurts! Do you understand?”
“Hehe. No.”
Worms don’t bite, though.
Lily told me worms are good friends.
“Twee. Like.”
“You like worms? Your tastes are truly unique. Well, I’ll pass the word along. We should release more worms in the Garden, he says.”
“Mm.”
“Shall we head back now?”
Bell, holding Aspe’s hand tightly, finally arrived at the place where she had planted the seed.
In the meantime, Bell’s precious Seed Bed—now enclosed with a small fence and adorned with a neat little plaque—remained bare.
Still, no seedling had sprouted.
Bell crouched down on the dark mound of soil.
The earth was moist, as though the gardener had watered it.
“Using Ether alone is dangerous.”
“Yes. Like.”
“My hand?”
“Mm. Wish.”
“Ah, I see. You’re saying I should make a wish with you, then?”
“Mm.”
“Hmm. Yes, all right, then.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Aspe lowered himself beside Bell in a squat without protest.
However weak he might be, controlling Ether was not difficult for him.
“Papa. Not hurt.”
Please let Setia get better soon and stop hurting.
Following Bell’s fervent wish, Aspe closed his eyes as well.
And moments later.
“Nngh…….”
Aspe’s body went limp, foam gathering at the corners of his mouth, and he toppled sideways.
“Huh?”
Bell’s eyes widened as she looked up from her earnest wishing.
“Mister.”
Bell poked Aspe’s face—his eyes rolled back—with her index finger, once, twice.
He did not stir.
‘Sleeping.’
No matter how tired, sleeping in a place like this seemed odd.
Bell grabbed Aspe’s arm and tried to drag him toward the house.
But a two-year-old child could hardly move an adult man.
“Nggh.”
After grunting and straining perhaps three times, Bell accepted her limits.
‘Help is needed.’
One lesson from the Orphanage.
When in trouble, ask an adult for help!
With no adults nearby, Bell stretched her neck and cried out with all her strength.
“Help!”
“Yes?”
“What seems to be the—oh.”
A knight who had been passing nearby heard Bell’s cry and approached quietly.
“Finally collapsed, has he.”
A bearded man in casual clothes with a large sword at his waist regarded Aspe with cool indifference.
“Help mister.”
Bell made her request again.
At her confident demand, both knights’ faces blossomed with laughter.
“Ah, how adorable. Shall we help?”
“Mm. Mister. Coco. Go.”
“You’re saying the mister is sleeping, so you want us to move him inside, aren’t you?”
A knight with two children from marriage carefully interpreted Bell’s words for her.
‘This uncle really understands me!’
Delighted to finally meet an adult who grasped her meaning, Bel nodded eagerly.
“Yes! Uncle. Seedling, seedling, flower. Good!”
“Senior, what is the young lady trying to say?”
“Well, you see……”
The incident where Ethan had exhausted himself drawing all available Ether in the dead of night was common knowledge, so Bel’s true nature and the purpose of the seed were openly understood.
The knight, who possessed considerable experience in “translating child-speak,” pieced together all the circumstances and grasped the situation adequately.
“It seems our little lady was trying to breathe Ether into the seed for her mistress’s sake. Aspe paid the price in that process.”
“Ah. Ether depletion, then.”
“Pathetically weak.”
The married knight let out a mocking laugh at the unconscious Aspe and crouched down beside Bel.
“Go lay Aspe on a bed for me, would you?”
“What about you, senior?”
“I need to watch over the young lady. That’s my duty.”
“That’s unfair. I want to play with the young lady too.”
“Then hurry back and you can.”
“Tch. Understood.”
Grumbling, the knight hoisted the unconscious Aspe onto his shoulder.
Once Bel confirmed he had taken Aspe away, she turned her gaze to the knight crouching before her.
She stared blankly.
After observing the knight’s face for some time, Bel pointed to the thick stubble on his chin.
“What’s that?”
“This is a beard. Would you like to touch it?”
“Yes.”
“Here.”
Bel carefully reached out her hand toward the knight’s stubbled chin.
In that instant, the knight pressed his full, bushy beard against her palm and rubbed it back and forth.
“Soft and fluffy, isn’t it?”
“Eek!”
Bel burst into delighted laughter at the ticklish teasing.
Truly an amusing uncle.
“Heh-heh.”
After laughing her fill, Bel shook off the last of her giggles and caught her breath.
The knight, who had played with the child to her heart’s content, laughed heartily and gently set Bel down from where she had been clinging to him.
After smoothing out her clothes, the knight finally introduced himself.
“My name is Jen.”
“Bel.”
“Yes, that’s right—you’re Miss Bel.”
“Yes.”
“Do you wish for your mistress to recover quickly?”
“Yes.”
“So do I. If you don’t mind, I’d like to share in that wish as well.”
“Yes! Good.”
Bel nodded readily.
He had helped her with what she needed, understood her words well, had soft whiskers, and was funny besides—she took to him at once.
Grasping Uncle Jen’s hand firmly, Bel placed her small hands gently over the soil, just as she had done with Aspe.
“Like this. Close tight.”
Close your eyes tightly and make a wish, and it will come true.
As Bel instructed, Jen followed along.
In truth, Jen was nothing less than the vice-commander of the Knight Order protecting House Ivec.
Born a commoner, at merely fifteen he had won a martial tournament through skill alone and earned the title of knight.
Yet no knight would employ one of commoner birth.
Save for Garen, who had been the previous Duke of House Ivec.
Thanks to him, Jen had married off two younger siblings and built a happy household of his own.
He had even been able to give his sons a proper education.
From the moment Jen resolved to lay his bones in House Ivec, every member of the Ivec family became precious to him.
Of course, he owed the same loyalty to Bel.
‘My lady. Please, you must recover soon.’
With heartfelt sincerity, he pressed his hands to the earth and let Ether flow into it.
And moments later.
“Help!”
Bellus seized Jen’s fallen hand, her voice cracking as she cried out for aid.
Fortunately, the knight who had gone to move Aspe to bed returned, and his companions, hearing the commotion, drifted casually toward the Seed Bed.
“So all we need to do is breathe Ether into it, right?”
“Don’t be foolish. The vice-commander already failed at this. What makes you think you can succeed?”
“True, true. Let’s see who can make the seedling bloom.”
“Well? It’s worth a try.”
“Miss! Please allow me to make a wish!”
“Let me do it, let me!”
The competitive knights volunteered one after another, each eager to offer their own wish.
“Hmm.”
Bellus paused, considering.
It was heartening to have so many willing to help, but would it truly work?
Yet her doubts evaporated the moment someone spoke.
“Wouldn’t it be better if the seedling grew even a day faster?”
“You’re right.”
That was true.
Her resolve solidified.
“All right.”
Bellus took each knight’s hand in turn and showed them how to make their wishes.
Soon the Seed Bed was surrounded by several pairs of large, weathered hands.
“Recover well. Please.”
“My lady. I pray you regain your health.”
“The sooner the better…….”
“Please.”
Bellus squeezed in among the knights, her own wishes tumbling forth earnestly.
‘Please, let the seedling grow quickly.’
Whoooosh.
In that instant, Ether poured forth from the knights in unison.
Bellus’s eyes flew wide as the fine hairs on her skin stood on end.
She watched as many-hued Ether converged and merged, transforming into a pure white light.
It was as luminous as a star itself.
Somehow familiar, achingly so——.
“I’ve always loved you, my dear.”
What?
Bellus’s head snapped to the side, sensing something.
Gentle words had been whispered, and someone had stroked her cheek tenderly before vanishing.
‘Who are you?’
But there was no one nearby.
The knights remained absorbed in their wishes, their bodies alight with Ether, hands pressed firmly to the ground.
“Be happy always, won’t you.”
Again!
This time from the other side.
She spun quickly, trying not to miss it, but the mysterious voice had already slipped away.
Confusion seized her, and Bellus lurched to her feet.
She turned in circles, searching the surrounding space, but no matter how hard she looked, there was no one there.
‘Who……?’
She longed to hear that voice just once more.
Such tenderness—just one more time.

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