Chapter 36

If my mother was alive, would she have said the same thing as Aunt Jane?  

Perhaps she would have. 

My mother in my memory was as sweet as Aunt Jane, maybe a little more, and she cared about me a lot.  

I replied, barely holding back my choking sensation. 

“Yes, I’ll do that for sure.” 

Aunt Jane smiled brightly as if she was satisfied with my answer. 

The Christian mansion was not my home where I was born and raised, but somehow I felt like I was finally back home. 

Felix’s father, Count Christian, was only seen at dinner time. 

The count, who had silver hair and blue eyes like Felix, was identical in appearance to Felix. 

“To be exact, Felix looks just like the Count.” 

As a knight, he maintained a sleek body even in middle age. 

To be honest, he was attractive enough to me. 

Will Felix be like that when he gets older? 

As I looked at the count with such thoughts, I forgot to greet him. 

I bowed a beat late. 

“It’s been a long time, Count.” 

“Yes, Elena. It’s been half a year, so I’m very glad to see you.”  

The count greeted me with a smile. 

Come to think of it, it was strange. 

The count and Aunt Jane are both friendly, but why isn’t Felix like that?  

Is personality not hereditary, unlike appearance? 

“Why are you looking at me like that?”  

Felix, who was receiving my questioning gaze, frowned. 

“No, nothing,” 

I shook my head and sat down on the chair that the servant had taken out. 

An appetizer was served immediately. 

Throughout the meal, the Christian family was amicable. 

The count and Aunt Jane talked about what had happened throughout the day as if they hadn’t seen each other in a few days. 

Lindsey and Tony also chattered. 

Felix was listening to the story in silence. 

But there was no sign of dislike. 

It was completely different from the Velotte family, which was dead silent at mealtime. 

It was a pleasant mealtime. 

I can’t help laughing. 

There was a time when my family was like that. 

To be exact, it was like this until before mom died. 

As expected, the death of my mother changed a lot. 

“So, Ellie, what are you going to do?” 

Aunt Jane asked suddenly while I was thinking about something else. 

Huh? 

What was she talking about? 

“I’m sorry. The food was so delicious that I couldn’t hear you properly, Aunt Jane.” 

Fortunately, Aunt Jane laughed like a child instead of feeling bad. 

“I’m glad you liked it. I’ve been thinking about what I’d do if it didn’t suit your taste.”  

“You don’t have to worry about that at all. It’s really good. Anyway, what were you talking about Auntie?” 

“Oh, you’ll be graduating soon. I was wondering if you have decided on the topic of your thesis.” 

“Oh, thesis.”  

The Berk Academy was as difficult to graduate as it was to get into. 

One of the reasons was the graduation thesis. 

Students are required to write papers when they are in the eighth grade, which is their senior year, and the level of papers demanded by professors was notoriously higher than expected. 

“I’m going to make a moving toy.” 

“Moving toy?” 

“Yes. If you combine magic and alchemy with toys, you can make a moving toy.” 

It was an idea from my father’s toy business. 

However, it was surprisingly the little boy who gave a specific idea. 

The little boy was quite fickle, and he got tired of the toys quickly. 

‘How many toys did we buy that time?’ 

I shook the toy hard to calm the temper of the tantrum kid. 

Then the little boy showed interest. 

I was inspired by that. 

Let’s make moving toys for the children! 

Magic has developed enough to even have a train now, but there have been few moving toys so far. 

It wasn’t completely absent, but the existing moving toys were very simple. 

In general, the wizards were haughty, and they didn’t want to use their intelligence on toys that children played with. 

But I had a different idea. 

What’s wrong with the toys that kids play with? 

I thought that if children play with various toys, they could develop their dreams of magic more from an early age. 

The more wizards there are, the greater the contribution to the development of the empire, so wouldn’t it be better to develop children’s dreams? 

“But I don’t know if it’s possible.” 

I scratched my cheek and laughed. 

This was the first time I told anyone about it. 

So I couldn’t imagine what reaction would come back. 

Fortunately, Aunt Jane showed interest. 

“ Wow…That’s a good idea. So what are you going to make?” 

I also jolted out what I had in mind. 

“I’m thinking of making a lot of things, but I’m thinking of making a train first.” 

Children will get inspired a lot by a moving train. 

“Since I know the principles of trains, I thought I could make toys by reducing the number of train coaches. In addition, I think if we make it possible for children to design the trains themselves, they will have more fun.” 

“If you make it later, can you give it to Lindsey and Tony as a gift?” 

“Of course. They’ll be the first to receive it .” 

The twins, who were secretly fighting with a fork behind Aunt Jane’s back, reacted to that. 

“Really?” 

“You’re the best! Sister Elly.” 

“You guys, didn’t I say you shouldn’t play with your fork?” 

“Yay!” 

“Mom’s mad!” 

I laughed at Tony and Lindsey, who got an earful from Aunt Jane. 

I couldn’t wait to make the moving train for the two kids. 

Oh, come to think of it… 

“Felix, what are you going to do?” 

“What?”  

“Graduation thesis topic.” 

He stared me in the face for a second. 

He didn’t seem to be upset or annoyed by what I asked. 

He had a mysterious face. 

But he answered without even asking me why. 

“You don’t have to know.” 

My nerves popped as soon as I heard his answer. 

What’s there to be secretive about a graduation Thesis 

I snorted without realizing it. 

“I didn’t ask you out of curiosity either. I was just asking as a formality, so you don’t have to be so serious?” 

“If that’s the case, don’t ask me in the first place.” 

“You guys…” 

Then Aunt Jane, who was watching us with her hands on her chin, intervened. 

I thought she was trying to stop us from arguing like children, but something totally unexpected came out of the Aunt Jane’s mouth. 

“As always, you two are made for each other.”  

Both of us screamed at the same moment. 

“With him? No way!” 

“Mother!” 

Then we looked at each other and scratched our arms. 

Oh, I can’t believe I’m involved with him. 

I hate it! 

After a commotion, I came back to my room. 

Strictly speaking, I’m a guest here, but Aunt Jane and Count Christian thought of me as their own daughter. 

So they provided a room in the mansion so that I could use it whenever I come here to play. 

Aunt Jane, who wanted to have a daughter until Lindsey was born, decorated my room diligently. 

For this reason, my room in the Christian mansion was larger and more colorful than mine in the Velotte house. 

“I can’t get used to it whenever I see it.” 

I flopped onto the bed and recalled what had happened today. 

It was the busiest day after vacation. 

After staying in our quiet house for a few days, I was mentally tired when I came here. 

It was good here. 

Except sometimes I envy Felix. 

I jumped out of my seat and took out my diary. 

I opened the next page of the last diary entry I wrote the day before the Maxmas holidays. 

I wrote the diary thinking about my happy memories today. 

[Thinking about it, Tony and Lindsey reminded me of the little boy I forgot. How’s the little boy doing? I wish I had him here. Then he could play well with Tony and Lindsey, who are close to his age.  I’m sure the twins would have liked the little boy, too.” 

I put down the pen after finishing the sentence. 

It was a night when I missed the little boy. 

An ordinary weekend morning. 

“Dabuuuu”

It was a strange and familiar sound that woke me up. 

At first, I thought it was Lindsey or Tony’s voice. 

However, the voice I heard was younger than that of the two twins. 

“Auuauauuauu”

More of a baby’s babble than a child’s cry 

As soon as I heard the sound, I started crying for some unknown reason. 

I jumped out of bed and looked where the sound came from. 

A baby was sitting with his back against me on the floor, which was roughly cleaned up and cluttered with objects, playing with dolls. 

I could only see the back, but somehow I knew who that baby was. 

“Little boy?” 

The baby turned towards me as soon as he heard my voice. 

Blue eyes, plump cheeks, lips covered with saliva. 

He was bigger than the last time I saw him, but I recognized him at a glance. 

That baby was my little boy. 

As soon as I saw him, tears that were flowing little by little began to pour like a waterfall.

“Bababuuuuuuuu”