Theodor Joachim Lef (2)

“Let’s go.”

The people who had remained in the Grand Duke’s office with wistful expressions left one by one for their respective workplaces.

The Grand Duke was on vacation, but every day he summoned members of the duchy and handed them armfuls of work.

If they went to see Theodor without finishing their assigned tasks, they often ended up in trouble.

With a few words, Reichardt grasped the progress of their work, shattered their pride with violent words, and snatched away adorable Theodor with a cold attitude.

Theodor, who looked like a shrunken Reichardt, had rich expressions unlike Reichardt.

He was generous with his smiles.

“Kkarreu.”

When the violet eyes that looked exactly like Alicia’s innocently followed those watching him and then spread a laugh, smiles also rose on the faces watching.

People who knew only Reichardt’s face said Theodor resembled the Grand Duke, but seeing that he had violet eyes that sparkled like stars and a warm smile, Theodor closely resembled Alicia.

Expressionless Reichardt and Theodor, whose smile was pretty, in fact should be considered not resembling each other at all.

“He’ll smile warmly again today, right.”

“I should finish my work and go quickly.”

“The title ‘Prince’ really suits him.”

Those who filed out of the Grand Duke’s office in a crowd turned their heads toward Tech House with wistful faces and muttered.

Reichardt, who left the office like the wind and headed to Tech House, let out a laugh when he heard them gossiping about him and wistfully calling for Theodor.

The funniest among them was Jamie’s voice practicing “Peekaboo!” while doing work.

Reichardt shook his head and dismissed the silly voices.

At that moment, a faint crying came from Tech House.

“U, waehng….”

It was Theodor’s cry—the one everyone longed to see.

It was the time when the child was kept in his room.

“Why is our little prince crying?”

The maid and the wet nurse guarding Theodor’s room shook toys to soothe him.

“He hasn’t soiled himself, and it’s not a tantrum before sleep.”

“Did he not have enough mam-ma earlier?”

The wet nurse and the maid soothed Theodor while checking, one by one, the reasons the child might be uncomfortable.

Theodor’s crying gradually grew louder.

The servants struggled at the child’s sorrowful crying.

Pat, pat.

They busily patted his back, shook toys that made jingling sounds, and gently rocked the cradle to soothe the crying child.

The small child let out a thin wail.

“Theodor. Theodor, why are you crying?”

A young maid called his name as Alicia had taught her, but it was no use.

Reichardt quickened his steps toward the nursery.

“It’ll be March soon.”

From a direction in Tech House where there were few people, Alicia’s voice rang faintly.

“Huh?”

Theodor, who had been letting out mournful sounds, abruptly stopped crying.

The maid and wet nurse who had been trying to soothe him were delighted and puzzled by the sudden change.

As if he had never fussed, Theodor wriggled while breathing softly.

“…….”

Reichardt, who had been walking quickly, stopped.

No way.

He had doubts, but he also thought it could not be.

“Theodor.”

Even though Tech House was right in front of him, Reichardt called his son’s name from far away, still a long distance from Theodor’s room.

“Kyaa.”

Playing with the maids, Theodor spread a delighted sound and laughed.

A question rose on Reichardt’s face.

“……?”

It can’t be.

The timing was too perfect.

Maybe someone beside Theodor made him laugh at the moment Reichardt called.

A coincidence.

Even as he told himself it wasn’t so, he could not put down the suspicion.

Reichardt’s brows creased of their own accord.

“Theodor.”

From far away, he called Theodor once more.

“Uu-ng?”

As if answering, Theodor’s voice rang out from that far nursery, from within the cradle.

“…….”

A chill ran down Reichardt’s back.

He could not think it was an illusion or a coincidence.

For a while, he did not move at all.

His heart pounded frighteningly fast.

“Can you hear my voice, Theodor?”

Even while thinking it was absurd to speak to a baby who could not yet talk, he whispered in fear.

From far away, Theodor in the nursery responded.

“Kyaa!”

At the bright baby voice coming from a distance, he could be certain.

Theodor resembled him.

After spending all of the alone time Reichardt had set, Alicia headed to Theodor’s room.

She had told Reichardt it was strange for a newborn to have a separate room, but thinking about it, Alicia herself had lived in her own room from immediately after birth.

If even she, the daughter of a marquess, had been so, it was natural that Theodor, the Grand Duke’s son, would be given quarters for the child.

Opening Theodor’s door, Alicia saw the person who had arrived first and smiled in delight.

“Shh.”

To Alicia, who was about to ask when he had come, Reichardt gestured for her not to make a sound.

Normally, Reichardt returned from the office, looked only at Theodor’s face, and then went to Alicia to talk.

Only after that did he come to the nursery, but today, for some reason, he was sitting beside the baby’s crib.

Having sent out the wet nurse and the maids who cared for Theodor, Reichardt’s face, occupying the place by the child, was serious.

His gloomy, worry-filled expression was puzzling.

Alicia closed the door without a sound and came beside Reichardt, about to speak with her mouth shape.

“Shh.”

Reichardt carefully patted the back of the sleeping Theodor and urged Alicia again.

“…….”

Alicia nodded, keeping her mouth shut.

“…….”

With a serious face, Reichardt motioned to Alicia with his hands.

“Make a sound from three rooms away when I signal.”

Clenching and unclenching his fist, showing three fingers, pointing toward where the other rooms were, and moving his hand as if speaking—Alicia somehow understood.

Alicia nodded to convey her intent.

“Understood.”

Even while seeing Alicia understand him so well, Reichardt could not shake the expression that looked as if he might collapse at any moment.

He warned her several times not to make a sound.

Alicia had many questions, but Reichardt’s face was so serious that she followed his intent first.

What is it?

As her doubt grew,

“Huh, u-ehng.”

The sleeping Theodor let out a thin sound.

Alicia reflexively tried to respond.

Thump.

A large hand covered her lips as she was about to call, “Theodor.”

Alicia looked dissatisfied at Reichardt stopping her, then remembered she had just agreed not to make a sound and relaxed her expression.

But it was painful to merely watch the crying child.

Alicia could not take her eyes off the crying Theodor.

Tap, tap.

Reichardt tapped Alicia’s shoulder and signaled again for her to go three rooms away and speak.

Why?

Worried about the crying child, Alicia made a dissatisfied gesture so Reichardt could see, but she did as he instructed.

Leaving Theodor’s room, Alicia ran at once to three rooms away and opened her mouth.

“Rei?”

At the short whisper, Theodor, who had been pouring out sorrowful cries, gradually calmed.

“…….”

The soundproofing in Tessen Castle was excellent.

For a voice from three rooms away to be heard, one would need extraordinary hearing.

In front of the baby’s crib, Reichardt let out a sigh and buried his face in his hands.

“He can hear it, Theodor.”

At Reichardt’s whisper, Theodor let out a faint sound.

Even while sleeping, confirming his father’s and mother’s voices was like his son.

‘I didn’t want to pass this down.’

Reichardt could not hide his heaviness.

“Rei?”

Alicia, who had left the room as he asked, returned.

About to ask why he was doing this when the baby was crying, Alicia was startled when she saw the man crouched in front of Theodor’s crib, his back hunched.

“Alicia.”

Hearing Alicia’s voice draw near, Reichardt looked at Theodor’s face, which had grown a little more at ease, and opened his mouth.

His voice was filled with worry.

“Is something wrong, Rei?”

Alicia gently stroked Reichardt’s back, soothing him as she spoke.

Reichardt pulled Alicia onto his lap.

The two of them looked down together at Theodor, sleeping while breathing softly.

“What should we do?”

Reichardt said in a very small voice.

Alicia looked at him with warm eyes as if telling him not to worry.

“It’s okay. Why?”

Alicia’s voice was as warm and unhurried as her gaze.

Reichardt’s face was gloomy, as if he might cry.

“Our son’s ears took after me.”

He confessed in a deeply lowered voice.

“Yes…?”

Alicia did not understand immediately.

Reichardt’s explanation was too sparse to grasp.

But from the nuance alone, she realized something was very wrong.

“Theodor inherited the Grand Duke of Tessen’s special ability. Like me, his hearing is sensitive.”

Reichardt said in a worried voice.

“…….”

Alicia silently looked at Reichardt, then turned to Theodor sleeping in the cradle.

Then she looked back at Reichardt.

If he took after Rei’s ears, it’s not just that his hearing is sensitive, is it?

Alicia could not speak the complaint that surged up.

If she said that, Reichardt really looked like he would cry.

It would be blaming the one who was worried.

“Theodor….”

Alicia’s voice trembled faintly. Her heart beat rapidly.

“Yes.”

Reichardt replied with a serious face.

In the short answer that omitted so much, many words were contained.

“Rei….”

“Yes.”

Alicia’s heart, which had been racing, gradually calmed.

Seeing Theodor, who had been sleeping quietly, shift his body, she felt her heart thump again.

Unlike Reichardt, who was nothing but worry, Alicia’s face held many emotions mixed together.

“What did Rei do when you were little? Is there anything we should be careful about?”

Alicia was far more positive than Reichardt expected.

Unlike him, who thought only of worry and misfortune, Alicia considered practical concerns.