Side Story: Family (5)

“It seems you’re quite natural at holding him now.”  

“It’s already been half a year, hasn’t it?”  

“Even so, when you first held Herad, you were so awkward.”  

At Chloe’s teasing, Tehis looked down at the baby in his arms. Perhaps due to his stable grip, the child had fallen into a deep, colorful sleep during the short trip back from their picnic.  

“What do you think, Tess? Who do you think our child resembles more?”  

“When he’s asleep, he seems to resemble me more.”  

“Is that just because all you can see is the color of his hair?”

“Hmm.”  

Tehis couldn’t deny it. When Herad’s eyes—so similar to Chloe’s—were closed, the only distinctive feature visible was Escalante’s black hair.  

As for his overall appearance, well…  

Does he look like me?’

Tehis stared at Herad curiously. Regardless of who he resembled or didn’t, the way his tiny eyes, nose, and mouth all fit into a face the size of Tehis’s fist was simply fascinating.  

‘A son…’

To Tehis, Herad was an enigmatic being. He was their child, the fruit of their love, and the heir to Escalante. Logically, Tehis understood all of this, but emotionally, it didn’t fully register.  

From the beginning, Tehis maintained this detached attitude. Even when he saw the unique blend of his and Chloe’s features in Herad’s open eyes, he simply felt unsettled.  

He didn’t experience the sharp pang of emotion or overwhelming happiness he had heard about. If anything, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity, as if he were encountering a curious new life form.

<Disgusting. Get out of my sight at once.>

You. That thing.

Having only ever been addressed with such terms by his own father, Tehis couldn’t understand the concept of a father’s love. There was a time when he yearned for his father’s attention and approval, but after failing to receive it and eventually giving up, he had forgotten what that longing felt like.  

Having never received parental love, he couldn’t give it either. Instead, he feared that he might ruin Herad with his own hands.

What if I ruin this child?  

What if our son, Chloe’s and my son, is negatively influenced by me, his father?  

Rather than approaching Herad, Tehis kept a cautious distance. Only after Chloe repeatedly placed the baby in his arms did he begin to physically stay closer to him.  

He thought he might feel this distance forever, but at that moment, Chloe gave him a gentle push on the back.  

“Well, it’ll become clearer who he resembles as he grows. For now, the baby’s asleep, so could you take him to his crib? I’m going to check on Riel for a bit.”  

“Yes, Chloe. Will you be back before dinner?”  

“Probably. If I think I’ll be late, I’ll let you know, so wait for me.”  

“You know this already, but there’s no need to rush.”  

“Of course. Thank you for understanding, Tess. See you later!”  

Chloe smiled brightly, kissed Tehis on the cheek, and disappeared in an instant. Recently, Elle had been experiencing growing pains, so they had entrusted her to Riel, the Fairy hybrid. Chloe had been frequently stepping out to monitor Elle’s condition and assist whenever necessary.  

‘At least it doesn’t take too long.’

Left alone, Tehis glanced wistfully at the now-empty space before heading to Herad’s room. As he placed the baby in the crib, he heard a faint whimper, as though Herad had briefly woken up.  

“Muaah…”  

“Are you uncomfortable? I’m sorry.”  

Tehis reflexively withdrew his hand but paused, recalling Chloe’s voice in his mind.  

<Tess, don’t you think your tone is too stiff for speaking to your son?>

She had scolded him just the day before, asking if he couldn’t speak more gently. After a moment of hesitation, he adjusted his tone and tried again.  

“I’m sorry, little one. I didn’t mean to wake you.”  

“Muaahhh…”  

Unable to understand the baby’s language, Tehis furrowed his brows in confusion but quickly relaxed. Following Chloe’s advice, he softened his expression and tried his best to appear kind and gentle.  

“Go back to sleep. I’ll leave you alone now.”  

“Waaaaah!”  

…That didn’t work.  

Tehis sighed heavily, running a hand down his face. As expected, parenting didn’t come naturally to him.  

Even as he berated himself for being unfit to care for a child, his hands instinctively lifted Herad. He couldn’t just leave his crying son alone, so he tried to soothe him by lifting him high into the air.  

“Don’t cry. Chloe will scold me.”  

Me.  

Though Herad couldn’t possibly understand the unspoken words, he continued to cry. Caught in a dilemma, Tehis briefly considered handing the baby over to a maid and pretending not to notice, but he didn’t want to be the kind of father who abandoned his crying child.  

“Herad, crying isn’t something a man should do.”  

“Waaaaah!”  

“There’s a superstition in the Empire that crying babies get taken by Escalante.”  

“Waaaaah!”  

“….”  

Should I just give up?  

‘What’s wrong with him?’  

Tehis brought Herad closer to his face, scrutinizing him. Having no memory of crying like this himself, he couldn’t empathize with his son, which only frustrated him further.  

Chloe often teased him for being overly serious and having a poor sense of humor. If that was true for Tehis as a man, it was even more so for Tehis as a father.  

‘I’m a failure as a father.’

Tehis lowered his gaze.

Though he wanted to be a good father, he couldn’t imagine himself sharing harmonious moments with his son.  

How could he dare?  

Just as Tehis, tasting the bitterness of defeat, was about to lower Herad, it happened.

A small, warm sensation brushed against his nose.

“Paa.”  

It wasn’t a cry but a babble.  

Tehis froze, then slowly lifted his gaze. Herad, flailing his little arms, seemed delighted to have touched him. He giggled as he patted Tehis’s face.  

“Paa-baa!”

The babbling, which was close to nonsense, carried no meaning.

But perhaps because of the apricot-colored eyes Herad had inherited from Chloe, glistening with remaining tears or because his laughing face resembled hers… 

“Paa!”  

It felt as though Herad was calling him “Papa.” As though he liked touching him.  

Tehis stared at Herad, as if rooted in place, before slowly embracing him. Holding him securely, he pressed his cheek against his son’s. The baby’s high body temperature seemed to seep into him.  

“Paa.”  

“Yes.”  

Tehis responded to Herad’s babbling. Though it was his cheek that was touched, strangely, his heart felt warm.  

And perhaps, his eyes felt a little warm too.  

“Papa.”  

Papa is here, Herad.  

Thump, thump. Listening to the tiny heartbeat, Tehis closed his eyes.  

For the first time, he truly felt like a father.  

It was a midwinter’s day.  

***

The seasons changed several times. The once-crawling Herad was now walking and running around.  

The sight of the baby, who used to babble, now swinging a wooden sword and declaring he would become a great knight like his father, filled Tehis with a strange sense of nostalgia. At just five years old, Herad’s ability to precisely follow the sword paths was astonishing, even for Tehis, who had once been called a genius.  

‘As expected of my son.’  

“As expected of my son!”  

Hearing a voice suddenly overlap with his thoughts, Tehis turned around. Chloe, who had been watching Herad with a delighted expression, chattered excitedly.  

“Did you see that just now, Tess? The mana around the wooden sword moved to clear a path! It responded to Herad’s will. Oh my, for him to handle mana like that at such a young age!”  

“Herad will become a knight, Chloe.”  

“Who’s saying otherwise? I have no intention of sending Herad to the Mage Tower either. That would mean expelling him from the family. I was just marveling at how much he takes after me, but it seems my husband got nervous?”  

Chloe smiled brightly as she wrapped her arms around Tehis’s waist. Feeling a bit guilty, Tehis avoided her gaze and held her in return.  

“Where is Claire?”  

Chloe let out a small sigh of amusement at his blatant attempt to change the subject.  

‘He’s so cute.’

Resting her head on his shoulder, she murmured leisurely.  

“You know how she can’t sit still. She already turned the garden upside down with Elle and Ray, so I sent her to wash up.”

Their three-year-old daughter was incredibly energetic—no doubt taking after someone. Together with the now-grown legendary beasts, her wild antics often left the servants scrambling to keep up, which was amusing to watch.  

‘If I had to take care of her myself, it would’ve been exhausting.’  

But so what? Having come to savor the taste of power, Chloe now enjoyed a peaceful and leisurely life. Sharing happiness with her beloved family while still satisfying her thirst for knowledge at the Mage Tower, she couldn’t imagine a more fulfilling life.  

‘Next month is going to be so busy.’  

Herad and Claire’s birthdays fell within the same month. Additionally, Riel was set to officially take over the position of Mage Tower Master, meaning Chloe would have to handle major events while traveling back and forth.  

‘But what will Master do after retiring?’  

Chloe recalled Isrion, who had evaded her questions with a mysterious smile. When she had rushed to him upon hearing the news of his impending retirement, his words had left her uneasy.  

<Well, as long as I’m with the one I love, anything will be enjoyable.>

<You have someone you’re seeing?!>

<Oh, of course. It’s been quite a while now. Though we’ve only just synchronized physically…>

<What?>

<Nothing. Haha. I’ll introduce them to you soon. I’m sure you’ll be happy to meet them.>

<Me? Who is it?>

<That’s a secret. But when you meet them, you’ll recognize them at a glance.>

Chloe had nodded with a puzzled expression, completely unaware that the person Isrion referred to was her own biological mother, or that he was about to become her stepfather.  

“Mom! Dad!”  

Herad’s cheerful call pulled Chloe out of her thoughts. Holding his wooden sword tightly, he ran toward them, and Tehis lifted him up high.  

“Well done, Herad. Now, shall we wash up and take some photos?”  

“Okay!”  

“Claire will be here soon, so get ready quickly.”  

“Yes, Mom!”  

At his spirited reply, Chloe smiled. It had been four years since they had simplified the artifact used during their wedding to create a “camera” for widespread use. Ever since then, they had made it a monthly tradition to take family photos.  

Countless photos had accumulated. Countless memories had been made.  

The growing children, Chloe carrying their third child, and Tehis smiling gently as he watched them—all of these moments were captured.  

Countless moments of happiness adorned the walls of the Grand Ducal Mansion of Escalante.  

And they would continue to grow, as long as magic existed, forever.  

The Complete Side Story of [Until the Fake Ideal Type Becomes Real]