#Side Story 2. The Baby Angel Drawing and Training 2023.11.
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2. The royal couple’s bedroom. It was a night when pale moonlight broke across the canvas. Olivia let out a faint sigh as she looked at it. Though dozens of minutes had passed since she had picked up the Conté, all that had been drawn on the canvas was the rough sketch of a child of perhaps five or six. But she could not very well draw the face of a baby angel carelessly. Hesitating before the picture, on which she had barely managed to outline the shape, Olivia gave a small laugh. Then she looked at the crayon drawing she had stuck beside the canvas. “What did His Highness the Prince look like when he was six? My lady—no, Your Highness the Princess. His Highness the Prince was truly the very incarnation of an angel.” “Even if one searched the entire continent, I doubt one could find a baby more lovable than His Highness the Prince at six years old.” A baby angel. As soon as the card game ended, Olivia had gone to find the elderly retainers. At a single question—did they know about Vikander’s baby angel?—the retainers testified as if they had been waiting for it. A baby with plump, apple-red cheeks and an adorable smiling face. A boy with black hair that curled prettily at the ends. Listening to the descriptions that continued one after another, Olivia had held back a sigh. Seeing the retainers unable to hide their fondness as they spoke made her unbearably want to see Edwin as a child from those days. Unfortunately, however, this one crayon drawing was all that remained of Edwin from that time. In the end, what she had chosen was to paint the baby angel’s portrait herself, but……. Olivia drooped her shoulders weakly. Why was it so difficult to draw the pretty face that rose in her mind onto paper? Would it be better if she had him there to look at? Olivia glanced toward the bedroom door. But Edwin, who had gone back to attend to state affairs the moment the card game ended, showed no sign of returning. It can’t be helped. Olivia faced the canvas again with a serious expression. Yet even after she had drawn the plump body and the wings, her hand kept stopping whenever she tried to draw the face. “Who is this angel?” Startled by the voice that suddenly rang out, Olivia whipped around. As if he had expected that, the hand supporting her back was firm. “When did you come in?” “Just now. How focused were you, not to notice me until I was right beside you? By the way…… who exactly is this faceless angel?” Even though the crayon drawing of himself was right next to it, his innocent expression, as if he truly did not know, was perfectly brazen. How far would he pretend ignorance? Olivia smiled mischievously and said, “Vikander’s baby angel.” “Ah, now that you mention it. That’s me.” Edwin shrugged. At his shameless expression, Olivia finally burst into laughter. “Goodness. How can you say that without being embarrassed?” “It’s a basic quality of one born an angel. But why haven’t you drawn the face?” “Because it’s too pretty.” For an instant, Edwin caught his breath. Beneath the sincerity that flowed from her, before that pretty face looking up at him so innocently, Edwin instinctively checked Olivia’s condition. He had been certain that his princess, with her weak stamina, would have fallen into sweet sleep early tonight……. Realizing he could not find even a trace of drowsiness in her clear eyes, the corners of Edwin’s red lips curved languidly. His once-gentle eyes sank, staring intently into Olivia’s. Olivia, who had been smiling along with him, looked away at some point. The hand that had set down the Conté straightened the front of her loose nightclothes. Edwin’s gaze, following that diligent hand, curved elegantly. As he had long wished, he now knew everything beneath those thin nightclothes. And that did not refer merely to the anklet wrapped around her slender ankle……. Edwin laughed low in his throat. At the sound of that softly breaking laughter, both of Olivia’s cheeks flushed red. She feigned indifference and looked elsewhere, and Edwin gently drew in and held the hand clutching her neckline. “Instead of merely saying it, why don’t you cherish me as much as I’m pretty?” “……
Not you, Edwin. This baby angel.” “That angel grew up to become me, though.” “Baby angels don’t say things like that.” “If that’s the case. I suppose I should remain a pretty angel today.” The regret brushed from his voice, it became gentle again. Because the hand touching hers was hot, Olivia still could not shake off that strange tension. If she had looked at him just a little longer, she would have given in……. As Olivia’s lips parted at the thought that suddenly came to her, Edwin looked quietly at the canvas and said, “……
If it’s all right, may I add the outline to Olivia’s drawing?” “As, as much as you like.” Startled for no reason, Olivia pointed not only to the Conté but also to the crayons on the desk. No matter how Edwin was, he could not possibly read her thoughts, so why was she this flustered? Belatedly, Olivia let out a sigh and smiled. And a moment later, surprise spread across the face that had been full of laughter in an instant. The plump cheeks colored with rose-pink crayon, the red eyes, the pitch-black hair, even the pretty lips. Edwin, who had drawn the face Olivia had not been able to touch in the blink of an eye, grinned. “Now, what do you think? Does it look somewhat angelic?” “Edwin. You have quite a talent for drawing.” Olivia looked back and forth between the crayon drawing and the canvas with a dazed expression. His skill was completely different from the old crayon drawing fixed in place with a clip. “It’s the evolution of an art style. Of course, this is the best I can do.” Ta-da. Edwin, who had even put down the crayon, pointed at the drawing in earnest. Though it was a blunt crayon drawing, the features somehow stood out delicately, and Olivia grew greedy. Come to think of it, the one who knew the baby angel’s face best would be Edwin himself. Olivia stealthily drew his hand toward her. “Then, Edwin, draw me one from beginning to end.” “Pardon?” “Your childhood. I want so much to see what you looked like when they said you were like a baby angel.” Her green eyes sparkled. Because he was glad to see the lady who had no material desires shining her eyes like that, Edwin deliberately drew out the moment. He wanted to watch her childish coaxing, shaking his hand as if pleading, for a little longer. “Then what do I get?” Even when he asked with a smile playing on his lips, Edwin had not particularly wanted anything. If she merely pouted her lips as though thinking it over, he had intended to brazenly offer his cheek and let it pass. “Th-then I’ll give Edwin……” But the one who changed the game was Olivia. It was fortunate that a brilliant idea flashed through her mind. “How about I try learning something like training?” Though as to whom it was fortunate for, that was another matter. In an instant, Edwin’s eyes widened. Looking at his startled face, Olivia corrected herself. “Training might be a little grand, but if I learn even a little exercise, I can build my stamina……” “…….” “……
And the time we spend together will get a little longer, too.” She thought he would answer immediately, but Edwin wore a blank expression. Was it because he was busy with work? Olivia hurriedly added, “Of course, only when you’re not busy, Edwin! There’s Dian too, and Sir Kalter.” “That won’t do.” Edwin smiled elegantly. To hand over the time they could spend together to the guard knights—what nonsense. “No matter how busy I may be, do you think I would not even have time to spare when the Princess says she wishes to build her stamina?” And she had even said she would build her stamina, as if she had gone in and out of his head. Pleased by his rapidly beating pulse, Edwin smiled faintly. Could Olivia really be reading his thoughts? Swallowing the question he wanted to ask, Edwin narrowed his eyes. “However.” “……?” “I will be very strict…… Will you be all right?” The hand stroking her cheek was gentle, but the voice speaking sweetly was somehow dangerous. Yet in this moment, if she could not answer those eyes gleaming as if in provocation, she would not be Olivia Lowell Vikander. “As much as you like.” As if he had known she would say that, Edwin smiled brightly. Olivia secretly resolved to eat twice as much breakfast and medicinal decoction the next morning. * * * “Run, ning?” Standing before the flat, packed training ground, Olivia doubted her own ears. Running……. He had clearly said they would do strict training, and that training was merely running? Looking at her eyes, rounded like a startled rabbit’s, Edwin gave a small laugh. Then he knelt on one knee and tightened Olivia’s boots properly. Ah—Olivia swayed and grabbed Edwin’s shoulder. “Liv. What were you thinking? Don’t tell me you were expecting me to make you do some tremendous training.” “That’s…… not it, but.” Olivia trailed off and clutched her sleeve. Edwin’s words had hit the mark. “Your Highness the Princess. This is the outfit His Highness the Prince told you to wear to training today. It looks similar to what the knights of the order wear, so won’t you be doing some difficult training?” Thanks to the trousers and training uniform Haena had brought early in the morning, she had really eaten two whole pieces of meat……. In the meantime, Edwin rose to his feet and smiled brightly. “Don’t worry. Running will be quite a difficult training, too.” Nodding, Olivia smiled radiantly as well. While preparing all sorts of banquets, she had stayed up all night and run here and there in high heels. If it was only running, there would be no problem. Today, of all days, was her chance to escape the disgrace of being called weak in stamina. . . . “Wait, just a moment……!” She had not even completed two laps, yet her pace slowed, and in the end Olivia bent over and braced her hands on her knees. As if her legs trembling violently were not enough, labored breaths kept bursting from her. It felt as though her rib cage had filled with air to the point of bursting. This can’t be. To think she could not even run two laps. To think the stamina she had been so proud of amounted to only this. But before despairing, breathing came first. Soon Edwin was slowly stroking her back. “Don’t inhale all at once. Slowly, slowly.” At the gentle voice counting out the rhythm, her breathing spread evenly. When she finally straightened, she saw Edwin smiling at her. “When you climbed the Valley of Senoa, I don’t think you had this hard a time.” “That’s because, back then, it was so urgent.” Olivia, who had been smiling awkwardly, finally plopped down onto the floor of the training ground. To sit right down on the dirt like this. It was not befitting a princess, but perhaps because she had exercised until her body heated up, she could only laugh. Each time Olivia laughed, her hair, tied in one, swayed softly. Edwin was glad to see her laughing face, as if she were having fun, but the cold winter wind was another matter. The tip of her nose and the ends of her ears were already tinged red. “Shall we rest for a moment and drink some water?” Edwin, who had been about to lift Olivia into his arms, paused briefly. Olivia’s eyes, with both arms stretched out as if asking him to take hold of her, sparkled with mischief. The moment he took her hand, she must have been preparing to pull him down, for her upper body was already leaning back quite a bit. Naturally, no matter how hard Olivia pulled, Edwin would not budge. But there were times when knowingly letting oneself be fooled was more pleasing. This was exactly one of those times. When he toppled over Olivia just enough, along with a startled-sounding exclamation, clear laughter soon began to spread on the wind. Olivia’s eyes curved roundly. “This is why surprise attacks work.” Lightly biting the tip of her nose, which had grown smug, Edwin folded his eyes beautifully. As if she had never been panting from exhaustion, Olivia began running off into the distance. Looking at her smile, brighter than the sunlight, Edwin ran while making an effort to slow the pace that wanted to quicken. . . . “Good heavens.” Brock let out an exclamation without realizing it. In the sacred training ground, of all places……! But Dian, who had been standing guard with him, smiled leisurely and held out his palm. “Her Highness the Princess definitely ran less than two laps. Hand it over, Sir Drawin.” “I believed in His Highness the Prince’s strictness……. To think she couldn’t even complete two laps.” Brock’s mustache trembled. He stared at the training ground with an expression of disbelief. Thump—Dian lightly hit Brock with his elbow. “Pretending not to see and pretending not to hear are very, very important. When you’re serving as Her Highness the Princess’s guard knight, this is more important than anything else.” Ah, right. Brock nodded as if taking it to heart. After Sir Winster Kalter had become the second aide, Brock had been honored to take the vacant position as Her Highness the Princess’s second guard. Pretending not to see, pretending not to hear……. If he listened to Dian, the first guard, he would get a little more used to it. Brock engraved Dian’s words in his heart. Then, unable to withstand Dian’s stare, as if asking what he was doing, he took a gold coin from his pocket. Dian, who swiftly took the gold coin, smiled brightly. Thinking that when he went to Yeniv Street, he would be able to buy ten more balls.