Chapter: Zero

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Oh, happy Marquis.

"Mother, mother. The bird was so big! Long legs! Long neck!"

The child chimed, his eyes shining. Swinging his short legs, he was explaining to his mother the animals he saw today. The gesture couldn't have been more lovely.

"Yes, Abel. I was surprised, too. It was huge! Do you remember the bird's name?"

The child's mother asked affectionately.

"Ah, um... a giraffe? A peacock?"

The child tilted his head to the side and frowned. He saw so many animals today that he confused their names. As the mother shook her head repeatedly, the child bit his lips, perhaps because he was frustrated.
"Os..."
Then the father of the child, who was watching them happily, gave the boy a hint.

"Oh! Ostrich. It's an ostrich!

The child recognized his father's hint and shouted the an answer in a hurry.

"Haha, that's right. Our Abel loved the ostrich the most."

The child's mother smiled as she stroked the boy's fair blond hair.

"By the way, you were afraid of the ostriches, weren't you?"

Perhaps jealous of the heartwarming scene, the father playfully teased the child.
"No! I wasn't scared!"

"Really?"

The father asked again with a mischievous look.

"...Of course! The Empire's sword wasn't the slightest bit scared."

"Is that so? It seems that father was mistaken. The Empire's sword isn't able to reach an ostrich, much less my leg*."

[*E/N: he's calling him short :P]

"Mother! Father keeps-!"

The child was in his mother's arms with a tearful face at the father's continuous teasing.

"No, my Abel is brave, isn't he? You even touched it in the end. Amazing! Mother was too scared."

The child's mother smiled, comforting her child.

It was a happy evening for the Blanchett estate.

A homely and dependable father. A sweet and wise mother. An adorable and lovely child.

It was so picture-perfect that she was anxious.

***

That night.

The couple, who had just put their child to sleep, came to the bedroom and made small talk.

"Honey, I noticed yesterday that your office desk is old. I'm going to call a carpenter to commission us a new one. What do you think?"

As the end of the social season approached, the whole family moved from the estate to the Capital due to the Marquis' busy schedule.

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