The Maid With a Child - 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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34. That Pouting Lip
The war had paused for now, and on the surface it seemed peace had returned, but beneath the currents, the struggle raged on unabated. When, what, and how something might erupt remained utterly unpredictable—a powder keg waiting for the spark.
And so Racalte could not foresee how the Crown Prince’s purpose might shift, how circumstances might change. He could not afford to regard him as his child to cherish for a lifetime.
“There may come a time when we need to kill the Crown Prince.”
“!”
At Racalte’s cold words, Adlen’s eyes froze over.
“That—surely you didn’t mean that seriously?”
“It’s not decided this instant, but it’s something that could happen someday.”
“Someday……”
“So try to hold back on the affection, at least a little. We didn’t bring the child here to raise him well. We brought him here to use him.”
Adlen said nothing in reply.
Could she really do that?
Already, this baby had become her little one. Affection wasn’t something you could give or withhold at will.
“Can the human heart work that way?”
“Even if it can’t, perhaps if you try hard enough, someday it might.”
“……”
Adlen’s lips puffed out in a pout.
A single, adorable act of defiance.
If only she’d snap at him outright—he’d scold her sharply and be done with it. But seeing her shrink away like that first, he had nothing to reprove her for.
If she meant to sulk, she should at least look the part. Instead, on that round face of hers, that one lip pouting out so distinctly made him want to pinch it and scold her for it.
Racalte clenched his fists and crossed his arms, trying to suppress the sudden urge that welled up in him.
“Right. Sleeping on the floor too long will make his back stiff, so I should move him to a proper bed……”
“……”
Adlen, who had been changing the subject as if to redirect the conversation, stopped mid-sentence.
Even this attempt at diversion was a precaution for the baby’s sake. Some habits carved into the bone couldn’t be helped.
Just as Adlen was glancing nervously at Racalte again—
Flash!
The baby’s eyes snapped open as if he’d been waiting for this very moment.
“Mew?”
“……”
So he’d already recovered his strength in that short time.
Adlen felt the weight of her master’s counsel settle upon her.
The urge to give the child everything was arrogance. It could get her killed!
“Mew-owww!”
But there was no time for quiet reflection now.
If the baby started raising more of a fuss here, it would take double, triple the stamina and effort to soothe him.
Playing ball with him now was a choice for her own sake. Truly.
Adlen dragged her weary body upright.
“Ugh, ah! Young master!”
But then it happened.
Racalte caught with one hand the ball that came hurtling toward him with sharp speed.
Pop!
The ball ricocheted away with a sound like it might burst.
“Screee!”
The baby, who had thrown the ball at Racalte, gleamed with delight and bounded after the flying sphere.
“No, young master, throw it to me, this way!”
The baby caught the ball but paid no mind to Adlen’s words, his gaze fixed on Racalte.
Racalte’s eyes, meeting his, glinted with sharp intent.
“……A tiger cub must be trained from an early age. That, I think, will be my task.”
* * *
Warm sunlight stabbed at her eyes.
“Mmgh……”
Adlen squinted with a groan. It had been an age since sunlight woke her like this, piercing through her eyelids.
As in any household, the Maid’s Quarters was the most remote and shabby corner, where sunlight rarely reached. So waking to warm rays was a rare luxury.
But why the light……?
Adlen, still half-asleep, moved her body as her foggy mind struggled to process.
“Nngh, ah……”
With even that small movement, her entire body felt like it might crumble to dust.
Every breath made her worry that her bones were scattering like powder with each exhale—her whole frame ached.
Adlen went limp and lay back down, groaning softly.
I don’t want to open my eyes. I want to sleep just a little longer.
But wait — is sleep even allowed?
After all, she wasn’t working as an ordinary maid anymore; she’d been assigned to care for The Baby full-time. There was no need to wake until The Baby called for her.
Having settled the question even in her drowsy state, Adlen let her body relax into a contented smile.
Warm sunlight, the pleasant heat pressed against her skin — even though her back was hard and uncomfortable, she felt good.
‘Wait? My back is hard…?’
Her thoughts stuttered to a halt. The drift of her mind hit a sudden brake.
The warm sunlight, the heat clinging to her skin, the hardness beneath her — none of these things should exist for her, not anymore.
What’s this? What’s going on?
Sleep fled her mind entirely.
Adlen’s eyes snapped open, and she turned to look beside her.
“Ah…”
The Baby had its nose wedged firmly into her ribs, sleeping so deeply that it was even mumbling in its sleep.
Its little arm fluttered occasionally, as though throwing something.
“Ah, ow…”
The Baby had been asleep when it swung that arm, but the hit still hurt. Adlen bit back a whimper and looked around more carefully.
Just as she’d feared — she and The Baby were lying on the floor.
They were in the Living Room. Even with a plush Rug laid down, the floor couldn’t compare to a bed in firmness.
Had she really fallen asleep on the floor with The Baby? Adlen tried to piece together the memory.
‘Oh, right. Yesterday I was watching the Master play with The Baby…’
When exactly had she fallen asleep?
After dinner, The Baby had been so full of energy that they’d played all through the evening.
Adlen couldn’t sit still either, so the three of them had played together until then.
After midnight, her stamina had begun to crumble rapidly. It felt less like throwing a ball and more like throwing her very soul.
As she staggered, barely conscious, the Master had told her to sit and rest, then taken over alone.
That’s when the real one-on-one match had begun — so thrilling that life had returned even to her exhausted eyes.
But there were limits to even that. As night turned to dawn, and dawn deepened, Adlen had collapsed onto the floor without warning.
And now it was morning.
The Baby must have kept playing even after she’d collapsed on the floor, then crawled over to her side and fallen asleep pressed against her.
“You’re remarkable, little one.”
Adlen offered silent respect for The Baby’s stamina — it had outlasted her own.
Having drained itself like that, would it sleep all day?
She couldn’t leave it on the floor, so she’d have to move it to a bed. She tried to lift one arm, but the other wouldn’t move. Something was holding it fast.
She turned around without thinking, wondering if her arm had caught under the furniture, and went absolutely rigid.
“!”
The Master’s face, eyes closed, filled her entire field of vision.
A scream clawed silently up her throat and died there.
He was close — impossibly close. Close enough that if she breathed, her breath would touch his lips. So close that Adlen couldn’t breathe at all, only blink.
But she didn’t realize that eyelashes could flutter and still disturb the air.
“Mm…”
Racalte’s eyes opened.
He was human after all; exhaustion made his eyelids heavy. But his eyes couldn’t focus, simply because what he was seeing was too close.
Bright yellow, brilliant as the summer sun — sometimes honey-orange eyes wavered helplessly in his view.
“…Ah.”
“…Uh…”
The two of them stared at each other, neither moving for a long moment.
When the body encounters an unexpected shock, it freezes. This was exactly such a moment.
“…You’re awake.”
Unlike Adlen, who looked as though she might open her eyes and faint on the spot, Racalte was composed.
He blinked his dry eyes slowly, released a long breath instead of a yawn, and propped himself up to sit.
Only then did Adlen realize what she’d been doing: her neck had been resting on the Master’s arm.
Curled up against him so closely, of course their arms had gotten trapped between their bodies.
But why had she been sleeping pressed up against him so snugly, of all things?
Could it be that the Master had kindly held her to keep her neck from turning?
Could he really be that considerate?
Could he…?
“Did you get cold in your sleep? I felt you pressing against me, but I was so exhausted I just slept through it. How are you feeling?”
Her speculation proved groundless.
And in fact, she hadn’t been cold at all.
The guards had left and reignited the Brazier, so the room was filled with warm air. And on both sides of her were men radiating heat, so if anything, she was sweating.
Adlen discovered a new habit of her own.
I sleep so soundly, clinging to whoever’s beside me without a care in the world…….

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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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