Chapter 9
Over the past three days, Elena had learned several things about Little One.
- Little One put everything he could grab into his mouth.
It was fine if it was food, but unfortunately, most of the things he grabbed were not edible.
Dolls, clothes, blankets, pillows, and even Elena’s hair.
Whenever Elena or Felix took their eyes off him, even for a moment, Little One would silently move and start chewing on something.
When Elena approached him too late, he would grin and proudly show her the “treasure” he had discovered.
Every time, both the treasure and the area around his mouth were soaked in drool.
Whenever a startled Elena firmly told him “No” and snatched away the item, Little One would cry out, “Ah, ah!” and resist, only to eventually burst into tears.
Listening to his babbling protests, which sounded like he was arguing about why she was taking away what he had found, made Elena feel like the worst kind of adult, bullying the purest child in the world.
- Surprisingly, Little One was very shy around strangers.
Even though he had spent two full days with Felix, he had continued to reject him.
Every time Felix tried to hold him, Little One squirmed and struggled in protest.
Furthermore, whenever they went outside, people who found him adorable would approach, causing him to tear up and cry. Calming him down was a challenge.
Fortunately, by the third day, Little One had grown somewhat accustomed to Felix and no longer rejected him outright.
However, even then, if Elena went to the bathroom to wash up or left the two of them alone to get some fresh air, Little One would wail as if the world was ending.
As a result, Elena couldn’t enjoy any free time except when Little One was asleep.
Ah, but the festival outside was so vibrant and lively!
- For a baby, Little One was incredibly picky.
From the moment he spat out the soup, Elena had realized how fussy he was.
He would only eat broccoli soup, and apart from sweet potatoes or regular potatoes, he refused to eat most other foods.
It wasn’t just food—he only played with toys that suited his tastes. On top of that, whenever he was hungry or sleepy, he would cling to Elena and whine, making things quite difficult.
- As much as Elena hated to admit it, Little One was undeniably cute.
Though he was infuriating enough to make her want to flick his forehead when he threw tantrums, his high-pitched laughter and the way he peacefully slept made him look like an angel.
Moreover, the way he followed her around as if she were his entire world gave her an odd sense of pride.
When Elena shared these observations with Felix yesterday, he had let out a disbelieving chuckle.
Then, looking at her with an exasperated expression, he muttered,
‘You sound just like a mother bragging about her son.’
Though she was indignant, Elena couldn’t think of a proper retort and ended up stammering. Felix continued,
‘You don’t even know the important stuff.’
He was right. None of the things she had learned about Little One provided any clues about his family.
Felix had been visiting the local guard station every day on her behalf, but no missing child reports matched Little One’s description. Even when they wandered the streets with Little One, no one recognized him, and he didn’t react to any particular house or person.
The situation was becoming more and more puzzling.
‘I might really never find his family.’
Elena opened her heavy eyelids and glanced to her side. It was a habit she had developed in just three days.
But Little One, who should have been sleeping soundly or playing with his toys beside her, was nowhere to be seen. A chill ran down her spine.
“Little one?”
“Mua!”
A sound came from ahead. Elena sat up and looked forward. The Little One, nestled in Felix’s arms, was wriggling with mashed sweet potato smeared all over his mouth.
When Felix set the squirming Little One down, he quickly crawled toward the bed.
“Abwa!”
Little One grabbed the bed and stood up, looking at Elena. Up close, she saw that not only his mouth but also the inside of it was full of sweet potato.
Elena wiped Little One’s mouth with her finger and pushed the sweet potato back into his mouth.
Little One lightly bit her finger with his four tiny teeth.
“Ow, Little One.”
“Nyaa.”
“Is it tasty?”
“Abwoong.”
“Do you know what day it is today?”
Little One, oblivious to her question, simply bounced up and down, laughing.
As Elena watched him, she glanced out the window. Snow was falling heavily outside. It was White Festival Day.
“Today is the first day of the new year. It’s Saint Esna’s Festival Day.”
She held Little One in her arms and gently patted his back. The Little One made a sound similar to a purring cat and rubbed his cheek against her neck. A sweet scent of sweet potatoes wafted from him.
“You, me, and Felix… none of us are spending the festival with our families this year.”
For some reason, Elena felt bitter. She was used to not spending the festival with her family, and Felix had chosen not to return home. But for Little One, this was likely his first-ever Festival Day.
Elena repeated the words her mother used to say to her during the festival when she was a child.
“May the blessings of the Gods always be with you.”
Still, Little One, thanks to you, this year’s Festival Day doesn’t feel so lonely.
***
It was Festival Day, and not just any Festival Day—it was White Festival Day. Staying cooped up in the lodging didn’t feel right.
The three of them decided to take Little One outside to play.
As Elena packed snacks for Little One and got ready to leave, a commotion erupted from the bathroom. Felix was bathing Little One inside.
“Gyaaaa!”
“Elena! Catch him!”
Him? Little One?
Tilting her head in confusion, Elena turned toward the bathroom, only to see Little One crawling out, covered head to toe in bubbles.
“Ha-oo! Kyaa!”
The sight made Elena instinctively place a hand on her forehead.
‘Oh no.’
Completely oblivious to her dismay, Little One began panting heavily and crawled toward her as soon as he saw her.
“Mua!”
Wherever he passed, bubbles and water were left in his wake.
His chubby arms and legs, his round belly, and even his plump bottom were all smeared with bubbles and water. Just looking at him made her feel cold.
Little One must have felt cold too. He paused for a moment before sneezing with a loud “Achoo!” A tiny trickle of snot escaped from his adorable nose. That snapped Elena out of her daze.
“How could you leave mid-bath, Little One? What if you catch a cold?”
Raising a child was truly a battle—there was never a moment of peace.
The day before, Little One had wiped his soup-covered cheeks on her clothes. The day before that, he had drenched Felix’s book with drool. And now, he was running away mid-bath!
Just as Elena rushed forward and grabbed the slippery Little One by the arm, Felix emerged from the bathroom, holding a towel. He quickly wrapped Little One in it, glaring at her with an annoyed expression.
“Abuuu.”
Meanwhile, the escapee looked utterly indignant, as if deeply offended by being caught. Felix wiped Little One’s nose with the towel as he grumbled.
“This is why I said I’d use magic to bathe him today.”
Ever since Felix had used magic to clean a dirty diaper, they had relied on his magic for most tasks involving Little One.
From washing diapers and clothes to warming water and soup, Felix’s magic had been indispensable.
Occasionally, he even used magic to entertain the fussy Little One by floating him in the air or conjuring illusions of animals.
Bathing Little One had also been one of those tasks typically handled with magic.
That is, until Elena asked Felix to bathe him directly today.
“Sorry. I didn’t think he’d try to run away.”
Elena had simply imagined Little One playing happily with the bubbles.
Hearing her subdued apology, Felix said nothing more and used magic to dry both Little One and his own drenched clothes.
Feeling refreshed, Little One put his fingers in his mouth and swayed back and forth.
Elena silently vowed to only use magic for Little One’s baths in the future as she dressed him in thick clothing.
* * *
After much ado, the three of them were finally ready to go outside.
Snow continued to fall heavily from the sky, and a thick layer had already blanketed the ground.
The streets, now painted white, were bustling with people. Most of them were families out with their children.
Children ran around with outstretched hands, trying to catch snowflakes, or gathered the snow on the ground to start snowball fights.
Nearby, parents gently scolded their children, telling them not to run so they wouldn’t get hurt.
The sight of happy families made Elena feel a bit envious, but the realization that she wasn’t alone softened her heart.
Even though they weren’t family, this time didn’t feel lonely.
Elena pulled Little One, wrapped snugly in a baby carrier, closer to her chest.
Despite the cold weather that made their breath visible, she didn’t feel chilly thanks to the warmth radiating from Little One—her personal heater.
“Nya.”
Fascinated by the snow, Little One had been staring up at the sky and mumbling to himself.
Whenever a snowflake landed on his forehead or nose, he flinched from the cold and scrunched up his face. But when a snowflake fell into his mouth, he smacked his lips and let out a delighted sound.
The snow had no taste, but Little One kept sticking out his tongue and turning his head to catch more.
“Let’s head to the square.”
Felix muttered as he moved closer to Elena. Without waiting for her response, he began walking toward the square.
For days now, whenever they went outside, people mistook them for a married couple. Felix must have been sick of walking side by side with her.
“I don’t like being linked to him either. You wouldn’t like it if people called Felix your dad, would you, Little One?”
“Pruu.”
Little One giggled, still munching on snowflakes. Elena adjusted his hat, which was starting to slip off, and followed after Felix.
At first, carrying Little One through the crowded streets made it difficult for her to keep up with Felix.
‘I hope he trips and falls.’
As she began silently cursing his selfish and inconsiderate behavior, Felix seemed to hear her thoughts.
He turned back and approached her.
Though he looked annoyed, he slowed his pace to make it easier for her to follow.
Thanks to him clearing a path, Elena found it much easier to walk.
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