Episode 63 - Tears of healing 9 END 'The third child'
4 months before the beginning after the ends!
On a peaceful day 4 months before the beginning of the story. The not-so-peaceful house of Veria has been filled with screams and cries daily, ever since the birth of the Veria family's third-youngest master, Aernest. Not only was their youngest son crying nonstop, but he also cried more frequently than his two older brothers. At first, everyone thought it might be because he had a different personality and was different from Louis and Ramon, however it has been 5 months and there has never been a day where the Veria family has been peaceful! Every day was an explosion of cries, and this especially was un-healthy for Moniqua who was 3 months pregnant!
Afraid that crying will be the death of Aernest and them one day, they finally decided to cure Aernest's of his crying no matter what today!!
"Doctor, my child would not stop crying no matter what I do!"
Moniqua, who was 3 months pregnant, asked the family physician who just recently returned back to Xenperia in a haste.
The family physician was granted half a year vacation break after the birth of Aernest as a reward for her hard work, however, before she could fully enjoy her vacation she was called back by a bird messenger who announced with a letter that Moniqua was once again pregnant and that there might be problems with the third youngest master! Although she was happy for Moniqua, the family physician still felt like she got slapped in the face when her hard-earned vacation was canceled just like that. But what can she do but just silently cry for one full day?
Now returning, she half regretted taking a break! Not only was Moniqua pregnant again, but it also seems that something was wrong with the third the youngest master! Infants crying daily is normal however if they were crying non-stop that was a problem! It means something has gone wrong!
Wiping off her cold sweat, the physician asked,
"Please tell me how and when the young master will start crying"
The physician has been quietly observing Aernest for a day now, however, there was nothing wrong with him! Not only was he not crying, but he was also even chewing on his feet!
"He would cry whenever it rains, and…."
Moniqua hesitated. She couldn't really pinpoint whenever Aernest cried because he just cries. However, there were moments when Aernest would uncontrollably cry as if he was wronged and this is what Moniqua is recounting to the physician.
"He cried for hours when a maid had accidentally dropped a vase."
Deeply sighing, Moniqua gently caressed her stomach and whispered.
"I don't know, I really can't think of anything else.."
Moniqua wrecked her brains for answers, but this is all she could come up with!
"Hmm, let me test the child"
The physician instinctively thought of an idea. Although she herself didn't know the answer, she might as well try dropping a vase like the maid did, to see if he would still cry.
"Dear, stop stressing, it'll bad for the child."
The sudden addition of a male voice made the two women looked towards the door in surprise!
Levis immediately came back to the Veria estate after the Imperial court ended. Working so close to the king meant that he had much to do which also meant having little sleep and Levis looked hazard because of that.
He used his maternity leave when Aernest was born and now that Moniqua was once again pregnant, he had to prepare for his next maternity leave. The Emperor literally went nuts when Levis told him that Moniqua was pregnant again! Not only did he almost faint from speechlessness, but he also went as far as to order Irvin Graeme to make it legal that a wife can not get pregnant for another 2 years after having a child!
"Dear, look at yourself"
Moniqua raised an eyebrow. It was clearly him that was more stressed out! Her husband's stubbles were growing, not to mention his eyebags were out of the norm! Levis right now isn't handsome at all!
"But wife, you are 3 months pregnant and should still be really care-" careful.
Levis stared at Moniqua. Suddenly astonished that her stomach was bigger when it has only been 3 days since he last saw her! She did not at all look like she was 3 months pregnant, but rather she looked like she was 5 months pregnant! So he was worried about nothing, seeing how plump she has become!
"Greetings my lord"
The physician stood up and respectfully greeted Levis.
"Good afternoon doctor."
He nodded in acknowledgment.
"My lord, if I may ask, when has young master Aernest cried the hardest when he was with you?"
The physician inquired for more information before she decided to proceed with the test.
"... Well, I dropped a stack of paper once because Ramon rushed into me, and then Aernest started crying very hard…"
Levis remembered the incident really well because when he went to check if Aernest was alright, Aernest had eyes that looked as if he really hated him!
"Hmm.."
The physician nodded. If she was right, Aernest was just really sensitive to sounds. As for why the Veria couple never figured this out, it might be because Aernest also cried like a regular infant when he was bored or wanted food and that's why to the couple, Aernest cries were really random.
"If I may ask, do you happen to have a tuning resonator?"
The physician stood up from her seat as she asked this.
"Yes we do"
Moniqua replied, confused as to why the doctor would ask for such a thing.
However, what the physician needed, she will accommodate! They had a tuning resonator because of Louis and Ramon's piano lessons anyway! Nodding towards the servants for them to get the tuning resonator, she stood up and watched the physician looking for something.
"Thank you, madam, but before that, I would like to test something out first."
The physician replied as she searched around for a vase. Regretfully there was no vase, so she had no choice but to use her medical chart.
The physician walked towards the end of the room away from Aernest who was silently drinking milk in his crib and eyeing the physician from the corner of his eyes. Aernest was curious about the stranger he's never seen before, but before he could be happy, his ears were struck with pain, and intense ringing!
"uwuuu"
In no time, Aernest started to act out once again. Using his plump feet to kick the air, his face suddenly aged a hundred years older from feeling wronged! He hates loud noises! Not letting go of his bottle of milk, he started searching for the source of the sound!
"Oh..?"
Levis and Moniqua looked at each other in surprise. Was it?
The physician picked up her chart once Aernest started to calm a little, moved to be 5 meters behind Aernest, and once again dropped her chart.
-THUD-
Although just a tiny bit louder to the adults, this was agonizing to Aernest! Not only did his world came crashing down, but his sight was also completely blackened because of the headache he was struck with! Crying louder, he immediately threw away his milk and started punching the air with his hands.
"UWUUUU"
Aernest blinked hard to see the world again, however, when all he saw was black, he cried even harder!
"Hmm... Severe reaction indeed. The child is also blinking.."
Picking up her chart, the physician wrote down Aernest's reaction.
"Shhh…"
Moniqua rubbed Aernest's tummy to reassure him. Batting his mouth with his milk in an attempt to calm him down.
Taking her magnifying glasses out of her bag, she checked inside the child's ears to check its condition and just as she suspected, Aernest was indeed sensitive to sounds. His ear canals were twitching and were also quite red.
Putting her magnifying glasses down, she concluded.
"As you might have just guessed, young master Aernest is incredibly sensitive to sounds. However seeing him blink abnormally, this might mean that loud sounds also affect a part of his vision.."
"What? Vision!"
Moniqua gasped!
"Yes, however, I presume it's only temporary, and his sights are temporarily affected only when he is exposed to loud sounds. "
The physician reassured Moniqua although the issue was worrisome.
"Will his ears forever be sensitive even when he grows up doctor?"
Levis asked, using one arm to pat Moniqua on the back.
"I can't for sure say it will be forever. However, I also can't for sure say this won't last forever. He might be sensitive for a few months or he might grow up and still have sensitive ears."
She paused, and then continued,
"I suggest being really careful when it comes to sounds and noises with young master Aernest. I suggest moving him to a room that is more secluded to sounds."
Knock knock-
"The tuner ma'am"
The maid handed the tuner fork to the physician before stepping back.
Putting down her chart, she hit the tuner fork by the side of Aernest cribs and sure enough, Aernest completely stopped trembling and immediately stared into the physician's eyes in awe. He was no longer in pain!
A tuner fork is used for tuning music instruments but was also used to treat people with depression in this day and age. Not only was it used to calm people down, but it was also used to check if a bone was broken. A miracle tool!
The ringing in Aernest's ears completely disappeared, but the effect the tunning fork gave him really made him sleepy. And before anyone could be surprised that he was smiling incredibly sweetly, Aernest had fallen into a deep sleep.
"Oh.."
Moniqua gasped. Was it that easy?!
"...."
The physician speechlessly stared at Aernest laughing in his sleep, as if he never had a crying explosion. Shaking her head, she once again checked his ears with her magnifying glasses. His ears were no longer twitching, and the redness was starting to calm down.
It was a success!
"I had heard tuner forks was especially popular with soldiers that have been through war, but I did not know that it was effective towards children.."
Levis stared at the tuner fork that the physician held in surprise! Not only was the Veria family going to have tuner forks around the mansion starting from tomorrow, but he was also going to use this to calm his children from now on! This might also be helpful when he needed to calm the Emperor!
"Yes, it relaxes people! Like a physical massage, this vibration massages people internally by massaging the nervous system with sound!"
"We found the cause and also the solution dear!"
Moniqua happily looked at her husband who also broke down in a smile.. This smile she never knew was for the Emperor and not for Aernest….