Come to think of it, it had been a long time since she scolded her like in the old days.

Now that there was a difference in status, they kept their distance and maintained courtesy, so perhaps she had felt sad about that. Erica let Elodie hug her to her heart’s content and stroked her head while comforting her.

“Don’t cause trouble because you want to be scolded. If you’re going to cause trouble, only cause cute ones.”

“Hehe, yes.”

While holding her, she gave her a storm of praise for all the good things she did today. Then the family of four ate the dinner they prepared together.

“Is it delicious, Elodie?”

“What we made is much more delicious than what we eat at the palace.”

“I still think food made by others tastes better.”

“Roderick, check if there’s a button on her back. There might be a worn-out, tired middle-aged person inside.”

After finishing the meal and cleaning up, the children began glancing at the adults.

‘They’re probably worried we’ll tell them to go back to the palace now.’

They would want to stay here longer. Erica felt the same way.

“Today we’re spending it like the old days. But we’ll go back to the palace to sleep.”

“Yes!”

“Good. Then like the old days! Since we ate dinner, now do homework.”

The children who had been jumping around excitedly soon realized it was a trap.

The dining table where the whole family ate became a desk where the children studied. Erica and Roderick sat overlapping on the living room sofa, chatting about what happened today.

“No. You need to add this here.”

The children were also putting their heads together doing homework and whispering, so she was watching them fondly.

“Can’t you just tell me the answer?”

I knew this would happen.

“Elodie, cool women don’t give answers no matter how much the man they like asks.”

Now Elodie would never give Eric answers again.

The murmuring sounds inside the cabin died down. The only sounds heard were the crackling of firewood burning in the lit fireplace and Snowball’s rumbling snores from outside the open window.

‘Being like this really brings back old memories.’

Although she said old days, they had lived such peaceful days until just around this time last year. That had changed rapidly around this time last year.

Although all her plans had gone awry, she had ultimately achieved all her plans, so while it was a bit regrettable, it wasn’t bad.

“Is it sleeping?”

Of course, she had kept her second plan as well.

“There’s no movement.”

Roderick put his ear to Erica’s belly and muttered disappointedly. For the past few days, they had been able to feel the baby’s movements from outside.

When Roderick first felt the baby’s movement, he was so moved.

Since then, whenever he had a chance, he would put his hand and ear to Erica’s belly. When he felt the baby, he would be moved like the first time.

Of course, Erica was also thrilled when she first felt her second child’s movement, but she didn’t feel overwhelmed with emotion every time.

This was Erica’s second pregnancy. But for Roderick, this was like his first time, so every moment could be amazing and moving.

“During dinner, it was moving excitedly because it was delicious.”

“Really? Did our baby like the dinner Dad made? I’ll make it every day when you’re born.”

“You’re not making promises you can’t keep just because the baby can’t hear right now, are you?”

“What do you mean promises I can’t keep?”

“Oh? It’s moving.”

“Where?”

“Here. Next to the belly button.”

“Ah. I can feel it.”

Roderick, who felt the baby’s movement, kissed that spot and whispered.

“Hello, baby. It’s Dad.”

Then he closed his eyes and put his cheek against where the baby was tapping. Erica’s lips curved up the same way as Roderick’s, whose mouth was curved up to his ears, as she stroked his cheek.

Even Erica, for whom baby movements were no longer novel, felt good when she saw Roderick being happy.

“I want to feel the baby too!”

Eric jumped up and ran over.

“You’re just trying to get out of homework, aren’t you?”

“No!”

“Elodie wants to touch the baby too!”

Now even Elodie joined in, and all three clung to Erica’s belly.

“Where? Here?”

“No, this way.”

“Oh! Tap tap! It did this!”

“It knocked.”

“That’s right. Eric, what do you think about your sibling who’s nine years younger than you already knowing how to knock well?”

“Impressive.”

“Don’t you think you can’t lose?”

“No.”

Ugh, who does this take after?

“Maybe the baby is asking if it can come out.”

“No, don’t come out yet. You can’t come out.”

There’s no incubator here.

“Then when can the baby come out?”

“When summer comes.”

“I hope summer comes quickly.”

“Me too.”

“Then you two will become unnie and oppa. No wait, what if you’d become noona and hyung instead?”

“I want to become a hyung. Then I’ll teach sword fighting and pass down my toys.”

“You’re already a good big brother. But don’t teach them how to copy homework.”

“Elodie wants to become an unnie.”

“Why? Wouldn’t Elodie like another baby that looks like Eric?”

Elodie shook her head firmly.

“No. There should only be one Eric in the world.”

Elodie’s obsession with Eric had reached a point where Erica didn’t feel worried but respectful.

“And if it’s a girl, Elodie will do her hair prettily and buy lots of dolls and pretty dresses.”

Baby, be born as a girl. Then you’ll have a sister who’s the kingdom’s richest and most powerful person.

“I just want either one to be born safely and for you to be healthy too.”

“I want either one to be a gentle baby.”

Grrowl.

The sound of Snowball’s low growling came from outside the open window. It had been snoring and sleeping until just now, but seemed to have woken up.

“Snowball, do you like girls or boys?”

She asked jokingly since it obviously wouldn’t understand, but Snowball got up as if it had understood.

“Huh?”

“Why is it doing that?”

Of course, it was just perfect timing, not that Snowball got up to answer. The sound of the giant wyvern wandering around the wide yard sniffing was unusual.

“Could someone be coming?”

“That can’t be.”

Grandma Greta’s magic never failed.

“I’ll go check.”

Roderick opened the door alone and went outside, and after a while……

“Huh?”

Roderick’s surprised voice was heard from beyond the open door.

“Why?”

“What is it?”

“Should I call the spirits?”

“No.”

When Roderick returned a moment later, snowflakes were sitting intact in his hand without melting.

“It’s snowing!”

“Wow!”

“You kids, what about homework?”

But when heavy snow began pouring down, Erica also couldn’t resist the temptation of snow like the children and went outside.

This would probably be the last snowy day before next winter. The family of four temporarily forgot about homework and their respective duties and enjoyed the snowy day.

“Let’s make a snowman now.”

“Let’s make one of our family.”

“Good!”

The children who had only been having snowball fights began rolling snowballs when enough snow had accumulated. Roderick came out to help, saying the two kids might have to stay up all night to make the whole family, but from his expression, it was clearly an excuse.

“We need to find things to use for eyes, nose, and mouth.”

“There’s charcoal and carrots in the kitchen.”

“Yes!”

Erica was confined to the bench under the cabin’s eaves, unable to overcome Roderick’s enthusiasm. Then she gave advice on the three of them making a snowman family.

“Dad, more, more, more.”

“More?”

“You need to roll it this big.”

“Eric, isn’t that size enough?”

“No. This is Dad, so it needs to be much bigger.”

“Really?”

“Roll it more. More, more, more.”

“Making Dad work to make Dad’s snowman, truly befitting a fire-attribute filial son.”

“No. I’m ice-attribute.”

Crack.

The snowman Eric that Eric had infused with cold air froze solid instantly.

“Then how do we stick in the eyes, nose, and mouth?”

Elodie, who had brought the materials for eyes, nose, and mouth from the cabin, panicked when she tried to stick a carrot into Snowman Eric’s nose. Eric finally had to work hard digging into the solidly frozen snow with tools he brought from the storage before the Eric snowman could have eyes, nose, and mouth.

“No. It looks like the neck will break.”

“Let’s freeze it while we do it.”

The long-necked Snowball snowman……

“Is it a girl or boy?”

Even the baby who hadn’t been born yet.

They made snowmen of the whole family.

“Dad, Dad.”

Elodie, who had been looking at the snowman family in front of the cabin with a proud smile, pestered Roderick.

“Long ago when you and I lived together, you made the snowman not melt. Please do it again.”

“Shall I?”

Roderick put his hand on his snowman. Unlike Eric’s light freezing, this time it was serious.

Blue flames flashed not only from Roderick’s hand but also from the snowman, and the snowball froze solid.

“I can do it too.”

Eric also joined in, and instantly the whole family’s snowmen were preserved in their harmonious appearance.

“Now, let’s leave the ice versions of us to guard the cabin and return to the palace.”