Conversation with Okaasama (2)
Okaasama patted my head and continued her story.
“We tried our best to give Norman as much love as Christina and her husband did. Just when we finally felt like we were ready to become true parents and son, we had you.”
“Me…?”
I looked up and saw Okaasama smiling at me.
“Yes. As my belly got bigger, that boy became unstable again. I think he was afraid that our love, which he had finally learned to trust, would now be directed only at you.”
“……”
Come to think of it, I remember Oniisama saying something similar.
Well, things go like that, don’t they? Even real siblings are said to become unstable when the younger one is born, wanting to return to the time when there was no baby, or bullying the baby out of jealousy.
What did you do, me? The timing of your birth was really bad…
“But all of our worries blew over when you were born.”
“Eh?”
“When we took Norman to see his newborn sister, you squeezed his finger and wouldn’t let go.”
Okaasama giggled.
“It was funny to see Norman look at me with that troubled look on his face. I just pulled him into my arms and let him carry you in his arms. And I told him. ‘Norman, please protect and love this child as we love you.’”
“Okaasama…”
“I wish you could have seen the twinkle in Norman’s eye that he showed me then. He looked like a Knight sworn to protect the Princess, and from that day on he doted on you, you know?”
Uwaah… I didn’t realize Oniisama’s doting started when I was so young.
I certainly have no memory of Oniisama bullying me in any way.
He doted on me in a very sticky way, didn’t he?
But I’m glad. It means I was able to support your Oniisama’s heart… good.
“But then came the hard part. We found out that you have a tremendous amount of magic. We tried keeping Norman away from you, so that he wouldn’t get hurt by your outbursts of magic power, but he would always make his way beside you unnoticed. That’s why Teacher Marlen instructed Norman to live in a mansion in the Capital, so that he could learn to control his magic power and learn defensive magic to protect himself for your sake.”
Ehhh…?
“We had a hard time moving back and forth between the Capital and our fief during that time, you know? I’m so glad your magic power has stabilized.”
“Ugh… I’m really, really sorry for all the tro…”
Okaasama hugged me even tighter to stop me from apologizing.
“You are silly. It’s normal for parents to do their best for their children. I am so glad you are growing up safe and healthy.”
“Okaasama…”
“I never imagined that you would make a contract with the Sacred Beasts or that you would be cooking as a young noble lady, though.”
“Uuh.”
“I suppose I should be happy that all of these things brought happiness to the Ellisfeed family…”
Okaasama quickly separated herself from me, placed her hands on my shoulders, and stared at me.