Star Child's Parenting Diary - Chapter 34
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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 34
Chapter 7. When a Wish Is Made with All One’s Heart (3)
“Teleportation Magic has only been demonstrated as a means of transporting the caster themselves. There are still many veiled aspects. We cannot confirm the maximum distance it can travel, nor have we verified whether others can be transported alongside the caster.”
“It’s possible Vales Code’s announcement of Teleportation Magic was merely a smokescreen—meant to deceive us into thinking we’d never find him.”
“Precisely. So keep all possibilities open and track the teleportation routes.”
“Yes, understood.”
“What about Huedan?”
“According to the neighbor’s testimony, the commander said he’d visit the major Merchant Associations in person. He should be back in a couple of days at the earliest.”
“He went alone?”
“Yes. He said that would be easier for him…….”
“Tsk.”
Ethan clicked his tongue irritably, as if displeased about something else entirely.
Setia smoothed out the furrow between his brows with her hand.
“……Yes, thank you.”
“Mm.”
You’re welcome.
Setia, pleased with herself, puffed out her small belly and settled back into her comfortable spot on Ethan’s lap.
The report from Jen continued a little longer after that.
Once Jen and the knight had departed, Aspe arrived and set down a stack of new documents.
“Ah, please.”
Ethan pressed the tip of his pen against his throbbing temples.
Setia rose again and smoothed out the wrinkles of worry from his brow, while Aspe calmly demanded his signature.
“This is a comprehensive review of all the territorial budget proposals for the next quarter. These are tax-related documents. This one is the operational report from the trading company we left in proxy management, and this is…….”
“I know. Hand them over one at a time, starting with the urgent ones.”
“Shall I do that then?”
Aspe produced a document she’d been holding at her side.
“Let’s start by selecting a tutor for the young lady.”
“That is important.”
Ethan took the document without complaint.
And exactly fifteen seconds later, he tossed it aside.
“Rejected.”
“Ah, why!”
“The smile doesn’t suit me. If a child with already excellent learning ability picks up that strange expression, what then?”
It was an utterly absurd reason.
Yet knowing Ethan’s will was immovable, Aspe could only shed tears.
Ethan picked up the topmost document from the pile and unfolded it.
Setia made a show of peering at it alongside him.
Ethan glanced down at her small crown of hair with a smile and asked, “Can you read too?”
“No.”
“Then why are you looking?”
“Mm.”
Just looking, that’s all.
Amused by Setia’s composure, Ethan pulled over a blank sheet of paper.
“Is this one black too?”
“No.”
From what he could gather, it seemed that when Shusu had cleansed the Estate, people and objects present at that time appeared clear, while those brought in from outside afterward appeared contaminated.
Ethan wrote on the paper.
“Hm?”
“Your name.”
“Ideum.”
“Yes, your name.”
Berta Astega Aivec.
Setia studied the letters Ethan had written out carefully for a long time.
“Look here. This is your name. This is your original family name, so I’ve put it as a middle name, and this is your surname. Aivec.”
“Abu.”
“Aivec.”
“Mm.”
Setia nodded briefly and pondered for a moment.
It was a familiar name—one she felt she’d heard somewhere before.
“…!”
After rummaging through her memory for some time, Shusu pointed directly at Ethan.
“Uncle!”
That’s your name, isn’t it! Right?
At Shusu’s question, Ethan smiled and pressed a soft kiss to the child’s forehead.
“That’s right. It’s my surname. And you’re my daughter.”
“Da-da.”
“Try saying it properly.”
“Uh-uh.”
“Papa. Say papa.”
“Pap-pa.”
“What do you call me?”
“Gom-gom.”
“Listen, I… Never mind. What can I do with you.”
Ethan heaved a long sigh, set aside the papers, and tried to return to his work.
But Shusu reached toward the paper bearing her name.
“Shu. Su.”
“You want it?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Here.”
“Hehe.”
Shusu stared at her name written on the paper for a long while.
Then she tapped Ethan’s hand repeatedly to draw his attention back.
“Uncle.”
“What?”
“Yours.”
“…My name?”
“Uh-huh.”
“You want me to write it?”
“Uh-huh.”
At Shusu’s request, Ethan wrote his name beneath hers.
“Ethan Aivec.”
“E-than.”
“Ethan.”
“E-than.”
“How is it you can’t pronounce a single thing correctly? When will you learn?”
“Grow soon.”
“Grow? There’s nothing to grow.”
“Grow soon. Me big.”
“Big?”
Shusu pressed her palms together to show just how much she’d grown.
Ethan let out a dry laugh.
“That’s hardly what I’d call big.”
“Big it is.”
Big is big.
Shusu, insisting she was growing more and more with each passing day, pointed to the two names written side by side.
“Shu. E-than.”
“This one is Setia. Setia Caelus Aivec.”
“Se-tia, Ka… Uh?”
“Setia.”
“Se-tia.”
“Mother.”
“Mum-ma.”
“Mother.”
“Mum-ma.”
After having her pronunciation corrected several times by Ethan, Shusu pointed at the paper once more.
“Again.”
“It’s the same.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Because we’re family.”
“Huh?”
Shusu tilted her head, puzzled.
Ethan told her there was no rush to understand, and he smoothed her hair before adjusting her in his arms.
“Take your time. You’ll figure it out on your own soon enough.”
“Mmm.”
“You’re growing so fast, yet here I am feeding you all this and you’re still no bigger than a peanut. What am I going to do with you?”
“No!”
That’s not fair!
Shusu retaliated by patting Ethan’s shoulder, then burrowed into the crook of his neck.
Her soft cheek pressed against his broad shoulder, and her warmth seeped through his clothes in a gentle, steady stream.
And then there was the reassuring touch of his hand, patting her back.
It was peaceful enough to lull her to sleep.
Crash!
“Your Highness!”
The door flew open with such force that Shusu’s eyes snapped awake.
“Nngh.”
Shusu whimpered, rubbing her drowsy eyes.
She’d been enjoying such a sweet nap in Ethan’s embrace, and now she was irritated at the interruption.
Ethan patted the fussy child while growling at the intruder.
“The child’s sleeping. What’s all this commotion?”
“That’s not the issue, sir. Her Ladyship has suddenly begun coughing blood!”
“What?”
“Lord Argares brought her here in dragon form with all haste. He says emergency measures have been taken, but…….”
“Where is she.”
Ethan’s expression turned glacial, and he shot to his feet.
“She’s been moved to the bedroom at once. But there’s blood on her clothes…….”
“Watch the child for me.”
Ethan thrust Shusu into Aspe’s arms and vanished.
Left alone so suddenly, Shusu blinked slowly, sleep still heavy in her eyes.
“……Ethan…….”
As Shusu watched Ethan disappear into the distance, Aspe’s voice drifted down from above her head.
“His Highness cares greatly for Her Ladyship. Once he’s assessed the situation, I’m sure he’ll return quickly. Why don’t you stay with me for now? Would you like a snack?”
“No.”
Shusu shook her head firmly.
Then she pointed with perfect precision in the direction Ethan had gone.
“Aspe. Go.”
“Eh? I can’t right now. Everyone’s in a panic…….”
“Go!”
Shusu commanded with absolute authority, brushing aside Aspe’s refusal.
“Aspe! Go!”
“……Who do you take after to sound so commanding already? Well, you were practically born into royal station anyway.”
“Mm. Go.”
“Ugh.”
Aspe began moving reluctantly, stamping her feet in distress.
From her arms, Shusu shifted herself comfortably and patted Aspe’s shoulder.
“Faster!”
Faster, please!
“You’ve already picked up that quick temper, haven’t you.”
Even as Aspe grumbled on, she lengthened her stride with purpose.
And so they hurried after Ethan to Setia’s room.
The room was crowded with people.
Shusu wriggled free from Aspe’s arms and made her way closer to the bed.
Setia lay upon it like a lifeless doll, her form utterly limp.
Standing beside her, Ethan’s face was equally rigid and expressionless.
“An accident occurred while handling a Mana Stone. I erected a Protective Barrier in haste, but the Ether Core was already fractured—she suffered significant damage from the contamination.”
“…….”
Argares spoke while gripping Setia’s hand tightly, blue light emanating from his palm.
The glow poured steadily from his fingers.
Ethan made no response, only stared at Setia’s face with unwavering intensity.
Shusu studied each of their expressions in turn, then carefully made her way to the foot of the bed and peered over.
“Setia.”
“What? Aspe!”
Ethan’s voice rose as he belatedly caught sight of Aspe.
At his shout, her shoulders flinched.
‘He’s angry.’
Ethan’s cold eyes narrowed into something fierce and terrible, his voice becoming strange and frightening in a way she’d never heard before.
More frightening even than when the headmaster had scolded her brother for doing something dangerous.
“I told you to watch her. What are you doing right now?”
“The young lady said she wished to leave, sir.”
“You should have stopped her. Can’t you see she’s covered in blood?”
Yet she didn’t want to leave like this either.
The White Orb embedded in Setia’s heart was visibly fractured in many places.
Black Miasma was seeping out of it in sluggish, writhing tendrils.
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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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