Chapter 42
Seraphina Bluewood.
Not long after returning from the Bluewood estate, Seraphina officially became “Bluewood” again!
Regaining her family name didn’t change anything immediately.
It was only a matter of paperwork, after all.
But Sera began studying in earnest to reclaim her family—studying to become the official heir.
With support from the Valkyrisens, she was finally learning everything from the basics up.
Because she had never received proper education at the Bluewood estate.
“This is your new schedule?”
But Sera was someone who did whatever she set her mind to.
Elodie was so shocked by the schedule written on the paper that her eyes nearly popped out.
Sera had only four hours of sleep.
And except for sleeping and eating, her entire day was filled with basic etiquette lessons and heir training.
“Sera, you’re gonna die like this!”
“Haha, are you worried about me?”
How could she not worry?
If even a complete stranger lived like this every day, she’d try to drag them away from it!
“I don’t have a choice. I’m way behind nobles who learned from academy tutors or private instructors.”
There’s a mountain of things to catch up on.
Sera shrugged as she spoke.
“I can’t even dance or ride a horse.”
“……”
Elodie understood Sera’s heart.
The desire to make up for time stolen by someone else’s malice— even a single day faster.
Of course Elodie understood.
“Then chamirado 8 shiganun kkok jayayda. (Then you have to sleep at least eight hours.)”
She refused to compromise on this.
If she didn’t grow properly at this age, she’d regret it for the rest of her life.
In her past life, Sera was already small and thin—Elodie remembered how often she got tossed around. She felt so sorry every time.
Now that she could finally eat well, she should sleep deeply and grow tall too.
Sera looked annoyed for a moment, but soon chuckled softly and patted the child’s head.
“Alright.”
No one becomes full with the first spoonful.
You climb one step at a time.
Elodie often visited Sera and quietly read books beside her while she studied.
And every time, Sera would end up pulling the child into her lap, stroking her hair.
It must be uncomfortable, yet she held on stubbornly.
“It’s amazing. Holding you makes all my fatigue disappear in an instant. I feel energized… my mind clears up… and my heart becomes peaceful…”
She whispered how Elodie was like a cure-all.
“Is this the Ratson family’s ability? Healing the body and mind just by being nearby?”
Elodie wasn’t sure if Sera meant it sincerely or if she was just blinded by how cute she thought Elodie was.
She did look serious though.
‘Considering the Magic Cotton, maybe it’s not entirely baseless.’
Merely being near Elodie had strengthened it, after all.
Of course, she probably didn’t have miraculous healing powers that cured diseases or major wounds.
But according to Sera, Elodie helped boost energy, improve focus, relieve fatigue and stress…
‘About that level.’
Just hearing about it made Elodie think it would be very useful for studying.
Wanting to help Sera reclaim her family, Elodie headed to the library again that day.
‘Huh?’
But strangely, Sera and Edmund were together.
‘What are they talking about?’
Without me?
Elodie transformed poof into a field mouse and snuck toward them.
Could it be… a pink atmosphere…?
“I once spent a night in the Ratson territory.”
“That’s impossible. How could that happen?”
“I had nowhere to rest, so I fell asleep in the plaza. When I woke up in the morning, the townspeople were surrounding me.”
“……”
“It was one of those moments when you want to freeze time forever.”
“Kh…!”
Sera clenched her fist and trembled with jealousy.
Edmund’s expression didn’t change, but something about him seemed oddly triumphant. He pointed at his little fingernail.
“One of them ladled soup for me in a bowl this big, worried I’d been cold all night.”
“Oh, how wonderful that must have been?”
“It was extremely cozy and warm—”
“That’s enough.”
There was no pink atmosphere whatsoever.
Even so, Elodie couldn’t join the conversation.
Because she didn’t understand which part she was supposed to envy.
‘Isn’t this basically a homeless story?’
It was so pitiful even a passing field mouse would pity him. And then receiving soup?
Sure, for someone of noble birth, that was an impossible experience.
But still—
‘Why are you bragging about that?’
And why was Sera jealous over that?
A random field mouse gave him soup. So what?
Elodie returned to human form and jumped into their conversation.
Her cheeks puffed in displeasure.
“Suphu? Suphu-ga moga buraweo? Naga jongryu byoru dallago hwalka? (Soup? What’s so enviable about soup? Should I ask them to bring you every kind?)”
She rubbed her cheek nonstop against Sera, wanting her attention.
And instantly, Sera and Edmund’s reactions reversed.
Sera hugged the child tightly, smiling like she owned the world.
“Envy? What envy? I only have Elodie. Sorry for getting distracted with silly thoughts.”
“Mu? Giyeowo? Naboda? (What? Someone cuter than me?)”
“Of course not. There’s nothing in the world cuter than Elodie.”
Edmund glanced at the affectionate pair, then quietly took out sunflower seeds from his pocket.
He held one out near Elodie’s mouth.
Without thinking, she opened her mouth—ah!—and ate it.
Om nom nom.
Seeing she ate well, Edmund fed her sunflower seeds diligently.
Fast, precise, rhythmical.
Nom. Nom-nom-nom-nom.
Elodie’s cheeks inflated endlessly.
“Don’t give her that before meals.”
Sera snatched the sunflower seed bag from him.
“Anyway, bragging won’t help you. I’ve never seen a mouse cuter than Elodie.”
“That is true.”
The boy stared at his now-empty hand and reluctantly nodded.
Apparently, Edmund—despite his usual appearance—originally liked small and adorable things.
If he was that moved by spending one night in Ratson territory…
‘So he wasn’t giving sunflower seeds to random field mice because of me, huh.’
He had blamed her for that.
But clearly, he just liked feeding mice.
Then the boy, looking truly serious, spoke.
“Lady Bluewood, I have a request.”
“Go ahead.”
“If I look for it, I should have notes summarizing the important points from my childhood lessons.”
“And?”
“I’ll give them to you, so could you spare the Ratson young lady for just half a day—”
“Not even half a day.”
“……”
Sera and Edmund fought over Elodie again.
Is this what they call “flowers in both hands”?
But no matter how beautiful the new flower was, Elodie would never waver.
The scales had been tilted heavily to one side from the start.
“Geuroke daetta. (That’s how it turned out.)”
Elodie patted the disappointed Edmund, offering condolences.
“Where are you going, young miss?”
“Amugeotto. (Nothing.)”
“There’s nothing in that direction.”
“Geunikka amugeotto. (That’s why—it’s nothing.)”
Elodie ignored Howlf as he followed her like a shadow and continued striding forward.
But he quickly caught up and scooped her up.
“Young miss.”
“Eit!”
Elodie transformed into a mouse and sprinted.
I’ve been running away for fifteen years—no way I’m getting caught!
But the thirty-year-old wolf caught her by the scruff in one motion.
“Jjik… (Put me down…)”
“Wal-wal. (You’re not trying to go to the Serenity annex, are you?)”
For reference, beastkin can understand each other even if they’re different species or speak differently.
Dangling in his grasp, Elodie replied bluntly:
“Jjik. (Yup.)”
