The Maid With a Child - Chapter 54

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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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54. Happy Birthday.
The king’s birthday celebration proceeded exactly as Racalte had been briefed beforehand.
Everyone bowed together as the king entered, hand in hand with the queen. After raising glasses in a celebratory toast and hearing the king speak, the final order of business began: the presentation of gifts. It was the longest and most important segment of the ceremony.
The amount of tribute each territory brought forward served as a measure of their loyalty. Everyone had ground their teeth in preparation, desperate to stand out.
“A mine was discovered in our territory, Your Majesty. All of this is by your grace. Among the excavated stones, this is the largest jewel. Though it pales before your generosity, it is the greatest and most precious treasure my domain possesses.”
He’d claimed it was humble, but to any eye, it was nothing of the sort.
The jewel, set upon a cushion the size of a floor mat, was the size of a fist. It was a staggering size—one would struggle to find a rock of such dimensions, let alone a precious stone.
Eyes widened involuntarily throughout the hall. Even the king showed interest, lifting his chin with evident curiosity.
“A remarkable discovery indeed. How generous of you to present such a treasure so freely. Your loyalty is truly beyond measure.”
“Your Majesty is too kind!”
The Local Lord, flush with extravagant praise, withdrew with a satisfied shrug of his shoulders.
Then came Racalte’s turn.
The attention that had wavered slightly during the previous lord’s lengthy presentation snapped back into focus. Everyone awaited what gift Racalte would present—he had consistently delighted the king before.
“Your gift to me has been a great victory this time as well. That is gift enough.”
Racalte presented nothing. He simply stood before the king and offered a bow.
Yet the king received him as though he had been given the greatest gift of all, his face breaking into an expansive smile.
“Count Racalte has achieved a resounding victory against Morn in war. Though the conflict is not yet entirely concluded, I find great meaning in this temporary peace we have attained. It is the outcome I have longed for most earnestly during my reign.”
“Your Majesty is too gracious. I merely followed your will.”
“To work toward the peace of Teplan according to my will—this is the mark of a true subject.”
The assembled nobles burst into applause at the king’s praise.
“And I am told you have taken steps to maintain this lasting peace?”
“Indeed, Your Majesty. The king and queen of Morn perished suddenly in an unfortunate accident, leaving the newborn Crown Prince without a guardian. I feared that internal chaos in Morn would escalate into a larger conflict, so I brought the orphaned Crown Prince here to ensure his protection.”
Racalte recited the rehearsed words with clinical precision, yet the king responded with animated expression.
“A tragic affair indeed. I have heard that Morn’s internal affairs are in disarray, but we cannot simply stand idle if we are to maintain peace between our nations going forward. You must do everything in your power to protect the Crown Prince.”
“I accept your command.”
“Tell me, where is the Crown Prince?”
At last it was Adlen’s turn.
Adlen drew a deep breath and stepped slowly forward.
Every eye in the hall converged upon her.
The weight and intensity of these stares was of an entirely different magnitude than the glances she had received at the entrance.
Beneath the flowing folds of her dress, her legs trembled. But Adlen gave no sign of her anxiety and continued forward.
Soon Adlen, the Baby, and Habel stood before the king of Teplan.
While awaiting the next order of business, Racalte did not join in the light conversation scattered throughout the hall.
By now, Habel had become half-adopted as Racalte’s child.
“Wait—was that the one?”
“Ah, now that you mention it…”
The assembled guests stirred with barely suppressed amazement at this dramatic revelation, their confusion of moments ago now inverted entirely.
It was precisely because Racalte had remained silent that all eyes had focused on him.
“Then who is that woman? A nurse brought from Morn?”
Interest in Adlen intensified alongside the speculation.
Adlen had heard that even royal nurses were selected from among the nobility. She clearly bore no resemblance to a common servant, and with a small exhale of relief at this reassurance, she moved closer to Racalte’s side.
She hardly knew whether her arms or legs were carrying her forward through the tension, but fortunately her steps remained steady.
Racalte’s broad back, which had seemed as distant as another world, drew gradually nearer.
When Adlen reached his side, Racalte turned and gently supported her back with his palm. The large warmth of his hand melted something in her that had frozen rigid with tension.
“Delighted to meet you, Crown Prince. Welcome to Teplan. Are you enjoying the celebration?”
Though the child could not possibly understand, the king addressed the Baby as he would an adult.
Startled by the sudden convergence of so many eyes, the Baby glanced uncertainly about the room. As his bright eyes darted here and there, laughter rippled naturally through the crowd wherever his gaze fell. The Baby was so endearing that even those aware he was the enemy nation’s Crown Prince could not help but smile.
“Ah-oo… de.”
“Yes, dear. Yes, you should.”
Adlen whispered urgently into the Baby’s ear. He did know how to say yes. He had done it so well before.
But not now—not with no room for error. Adlen bore all the tension for both of them.
“Ah-oo?”
“Yes.”
“Yessss!”
Adlen’s shoulders slumped with relief.
At last they had cleared this hurdle.
The king’s smile broadened slightly.
“Very well. Since today is my birthday, eat and enjoy yourself freely. Teplan shall guarantee your safety. May you grow strong and prosper.”
“Crown Prince, remember what we practiced. ‘Happy birthday to you.'”
Adlen whispered the prompt once more.
How many times had she practiced for this moment? Adlen’s insides were burning up. If she failed at this, the relationship between the two nations might shatter entirely.
The fate of one kingdom and the Crown Prince rested in her hands.
“Your Highness? Happy birthday to you, I should say. Happy birth—”
“Adue!”
But the Baby, unaccustomed to the strange surroundings, paid no attention to Adlen’s words. At the unexpected name that tumbled out, Adlen squeezed her eyes shut. This had to be a dream.
“Happy birthday to you.”
Please, please, please, please.
“Your Majesty!”
…….
Catastrophe had struck.
Adlen had fainted while her eyes remained wide open.
God in heaven, if you exist somewhere, just kill me now. Though before that, I might be dragged away on His Majesty’s orders and executed anyway.
“Ahahaha! Our Crown Prince already has such a strong will of his own.”
Fortunately, what followed was the king’s hearty laughter.
It was a mercy that the Baby was adorable. Adorableness was everything. But no matter how cute the child was, there was still a ceremony to complete.
Adlen, gathering her wits, suddenly found inspiration.
Whether this would work or not, she couldn’t be sure, but she knew the Baby responded better to action than to words alone.
“Your Highness, we wish you a happy birthday. A happy birthday we do. Happy birthday.”
Adlen wove melody into her words.
Our little one is a creature of action rather than mere words. If she could recreate the proper atmosphere, perhaps memory would stir and he could see it through.
Standing at the center of everyone’s attention, watched even by the king himself, Adlen’s trembling crossed into the territory of a goat’s bleat. It was a terrible song—one no one could honestly call pleasant to hear.
Laughter threatened to burst forth from all quarters, hastily swallowed. But Adlen held firm. She endured it for the sake of peace between nations and the Baby’s safe future.
“Happy birthday.”
Then, quite abruptly, a deep voice cut in.
!
Adlen traced the source of the sound to her side and stopped her song in shock.
Then Racalte signaled her with a glance as if asking what she was doing, continuing the song himself. He even clapped his hands to keep the beat.
That master, who had watched silently without moving his lips even once through all their practice sessions!
“Happy birthday, happy birthday.”
“…birthday.”
Adlen quickly recovered and finished the song she had begun.
But somehow, Racalte’s singing was just as dreadful as her own bleating voice. The pitch wandered so far from true. Yet no one dared laugh.
One could laugh at Adlen’s goat-song, but not at the murderous off-key singing of her master.
Only a tense silence hung in the air.
The situation spiraled toward worse and worse. The birthday song the Baby knew was supposed to be warm and joyful. With the mood like this, there was no way he would follow along.
“Happy birthday~.”
Then rescue arrived.

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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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