Chapter 20

Adrian, dizzy from hearing words he had never encountered in his entire life, shifted his gaze toward Sir Onyx. Sir Onyx, who clearly hadn’t expected things to go this far either, shook his head frantically and mouthed the words: “Just do as she says—“

His lips, speaking so carelessly since it wasn’t his own business, looked so light they might just blow away in the wind.

“Ra-Ramona… No matter how much I am at fault…”

“Who said anything about bowing and apologizing to me? You should be doing that to the child.”

“R-Right. You are absolutely correct, Ramona.”

Wiping the awkward expression from his face, Adrian quickly followed after Ramona as she turned away. After swapping his boots for indoor slippers, he stepped inside and saw Raon sleeping in the small room, his breath coming in soft wheezes. Instinctively, Adrian dropped to one knee.

“You were hurting so much, and your father didn’t even know. I am so sorry…”

A novice at fatherhood, Adrian didn’t know what to do with his guilt as he gently stroked the child’s face. The boy’s flushed skin was radiating heat. Before he could even rush out to call a doctor for fear of things worsening, the Cassius family physician, who had been waiting outside, stepped into the room.

Clearly, a quick-witted servant had rushed the doctor here.

“My apologies. I should have been checking the Young Master’s condition every day while the Young Duke was away…”

The physician had only just arrived after a short leave to handle his elderly mother’s funeral, only to find the situation had already exploded.

“It is not your fault. Did you send your mother off well?”

“Yes, thanks to your consideration, Young Duke, I was able to lay her to rest in a good place. I couldn’t say it properly then because I was so distraught, but my mother was very happy in her final moments. Thank you.”

As soon as he finished his thanks, the physician immediately began examining Raon.

“How is our Raon?”

“It might have been a serious matter had we delayed any longer, but he is quite stable now. I believe he will be fine as long as he takes his meals and medicine on time.”

At the doctor’s words, Ramona and Adrian exhaled a sigh of relief simultaneously.

“I will head back to the duchy immediately to prepare the medicine and send it over. It would be difficult to move the Young Master right now.”

A stable environment is the most comfortable place for a patient. Thus, Ramona deeply respected the physician’s judgment that it was better for Raon to stay here for the time being.

After seeing the physician out, Ramona looked up at Adrian.

“Per the contract, I have brought Raon back. You have no complaints, I presume?”

“…”

Adrian looked like he had plenty of complaints, but unable to invalidate the contract he had written himself, he kept his mouth shut.

“Now that you’ve seen Raon, please leave.”

“My child is here. As his father, where would I go? I shall stay here as well.”

Seeing Ramona’s expression—which clearly asked what kind of nonsense he was talking—Adrian shrugged his shoulders.

“Shouldn’t I see the child often so we can build affection and get close quickly?”

“And what about your work?”

“I can handle paperwork here.”

“But what a dilemma. There isn’t a guest room for the Young Duke in this house.”

It was a small house consisting of Ramona’s room, Raon’s room, and a kitchen. She looked at him with a gaze that told him to get lost since there was nowhere for him to sleep.

“It’s fine. I’ll sleep right here. I spent six years rolling around on battlefields; I’m not picky about where I sleep.”

“This is not a battlefield, Young Duke. Maintain your dignity.”

“I don’t think there’s any need for dignity in front of my own child.”

Watching Adrian, who looked ready to sleep right on the living room floor if she just gave him a blanket, Ramona shook her head.

“Do as you wish. However, I won’t be responsible for your upkeep, so handle your own meals and go change your clothes. For the record, I don’t have spare blankets, so handle that yourself too.”

“Thank you for your permission.”

Speaking as if she wouldn’t care whether he stayed or not, Ramona entered Raon’s room. She could tell just by the sound of his breathing that his condition was slowly improving.

No matter how healthy a child is, they fall ill once or twice a year. When Raon was younger, Ramona used to pace back and forth in a panic whenever he was sick. She was a bit more used to it now, but she still hadn’t developed an immunity to the fear that struck her heart every time she saw him in pain.

After staying by the sick child’s side for some time, Ramona came out to the living room. Adrian, who had placed documents from who-knows-where on the dining table, stood up from his seat where he had been signing papers.

“I’ll look after Raon from now on. You should rest for a bit, Ramona.”

‘Is he a father after all, even if he’s a novice?’

Adrian took Ramona’s place. Seeing that he had enough stamina to at least stay awake while nursing the child, Ramona went to finish what she had intended to do.

It seemed Raon would wake up soon. Even if he was asleep due to the medicine, he needed to eat. Ramona, who had made porridge with soaked rice and abalone, peeked through the cracked door. She was still a bit uneasy about the novice father.

However, seeing him holding the sleeping Raon’s hand while wiping away the child’s sweat with a towel, it seemed he did possess some paternal love. His effort appeared somewhat commendable.

“Mmm…”

Raon, who had been out from the medicine, opened his eyes.

“Are you still in much pain?”

“…D-Daddy?”

“Yes, Daddy is right here.”

“Wh-Where’s Mommy? Mommy…”

Raon, who had clearly seen Ramona before closing his eyes, was confused to find Adrian there. His feverish eyes darted around the room.

“Our little prince, are you awake? Shall we eat something?”

At the sound of Ramona’s voice, the tension in Raon’s eyes melted, and tears began to well up again.

“M-Mommy… it hurts. I was scared.”

Like the young child he was, Raon whimpered and acted spoiled. Ramona immediately brought over the porridge and water.

“I’m right here, so let’s eat a little, my little prince. Hmm? You have to eat this to get better quickly.”

“Hmph, I don’t want to get better. If I get better, I have to say goodbye to Mommy.”

Adrian gave a bitter smile at Raon’s logical protest.

“But I like a healthy Raon. Now! No more complaining. Let’s eat. It’s hot, so I’ll blow on it for you.”

After lifting the child into her embrace, Ramona blew on the hot, freshly boiled porridge to cool it down to a manageable temperature and fed him. Though he had complained at first, the child ate eagerly once Ramona fed him herself. Seeing how natural it looked, one could tell how much care Ramona had poured into him every time he was sick.

Knock, knock, knock.

At the sound of a knock, Adrian stood up first and went outside. Ramona, holding the sick Raon, couldn’t leave the room.

A moment later, Adrian returned with a box. Inside were the medicines for Raon along with instructions.

“It says to take one of these. Shall we take it with some water?”

When Adrian pulled out a black pill, Raon buried his face in Ramona’s chest and shook his head.

“No. It’s bitter.”

“I’ll tell them to make medicine that tastes sweet instead of bitter next time, so how about you take it just this once? Look! There’s a strawberry-flavored candy in here. If you take your medicine and then the candy, the bitterness will go away.”

Adrian, sweating as he coaxed the child who hated medicine, wore an awkward smile. Reluctantly, Raon swallowed the pill Adrian gave him with some water and then popped the strawberry candy into his mouth.

Seeing the boy’s furrowed brow finally smooth out, Adrian exhaled a silent sigh of relief.

“I’ll put the child back to sleep, so I think it’s best if you head out now.”

At Ramona’s words as she patted the back of the whimpering, sick child, Adrian nodded and went out to the living room.

“The way he’s trying to act like a father now is somewhat admirable… but that doesn’t make what happened disappear.”

Ramona whispered to herself. The fact that Adrian was here meant something had happened to Aria’s status, and she let out a short laugh.

“I told her she shouldn’t cross the line.”

She had crossed it—and crossed it hard. She would pay the price, but Ramona hoped no harm would come to Aria’s child, who knew nothing. A young child is guiltless; they don’t choose to be born, nor can they choose their parents.

After soothing the sleeping child and laying him back in bed a long while later, Ramona stepped out, only to find the living room filled with items that didn’t belong in this house.

Fluffy blankets, various ornaments, and extravagant clothes were scattered across the room in a dazzling display.

“What is all this?”

At Ramona’s question, Adrian looked sheepish.

“They are my things. They were sent from the estate.”

“I’m asking why they sent them here.”

When she asked why he had brought such a massive amount of belongings into this tiny house when he had a mansion, Adrian cleared his throat and spoke.

“I’ve been kicked out.”

“Pardon?”

“For the crime of failing to properly care for his only grandson, my father has kicked out his only son.”

A headache began to throb in Ramona’s temples. Adrian held out a small piece of paper to her. On the scrap of paper, scribbled handwriting was visible in all its blunt glory:

[How is it that you are worse than the woman who raised the child? I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to be shameless because of you. From now on, don’t you dare tell anyone you’re my son.]