Life as a Tower Maid: Locked up with the Prince - Side Story 12

Side Story 12

Translator: Yonnee

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* * *

Our child had my facial features and black hair, combined with Albert’s red eyes and personality.

Albert held the baby close, tears welling up in his eyes with overwhelming emotion.

It was a rare and unforgettable expression, especially for someone who usually kept his emotions in check.

In a slightly choked voice, Albert murmured,

“She looks like both you and me…”

The labor was not long. Magic ensured I didn’t feel much pain, and it seemed the baby didn’t want to trouble us, coming out quickly.

In a normal life, such a rapid delivery would have been unimaginable.

The baby, with her eye shape resembling mine, smiled brightly.

Just in case, the doctor examined her, but there was nothing wrong. The wide smile was simply Adela greeting us.

After hearing that everything was settled, Albert gently handed Adela to Blanc, who had peeked into the room.

“Blanc, just for a moment.”

“Okay…”

After entrusting Adela to Blanc, Albert approached me and hugged me tightly.

“You did well.”

Though I couldn’t see his face, I had a feeling he might be crying. Even someone as adept at hiding his emotions as Albert had never faced a situation like this before.

“I should be saying that to you.”

I patted his back. Albert’s embrace always made me feel safe.

Seeing his face turn pale when my water broke and his anxious demeanor—usually so calm even in difficult times—made me feel like he had struggled more than I did.

I felt completely fine.

Even if it was overprotective, I didn’t mind because it came from love.

Blanc cautiously approached us.

“What’s her name…?”

“Adela.”

A name we had carefully chosen, meaning noble or graceful.

It was a name we intended to use regardless of whether the child was a boy or a girl.

“Adela…”

Blanc smiled gently as he looked down at Adela, saying her name.

“Hello, Adela… I’m Blanc…”

Watching him carefully cradle the baby and greet her made me feel warm inside.

Blanc’s hair slightly entered Adela’s mouth as he bent his head towards her.

Blanc’s surprise was short-lived as Adela started nibbling on the hair that had entered her mouth, and soon fell asleep.

“…What do I do now?”

Blanc asked seriously, keeping his head slightly lowered to avoid waking Adela.

“You can gently pull it out.”

I suggested, and Blanc brought up his other hand to carefully remove the hair from Adela’s mouth, then paused.

Frowning slightly, he whispered to us.

“No…”

“It’s okay, Blanc.”

I responded seriously, thinking he was worried about waking her, but Blanc shook his head.

“I can’t unravel it with my power. It seems to be held by magic.”

“…Huh?”

I was bewildered by Blanc’s words, unable to comprehend why he couldn’t solve it. I thought he might be joking, but his voice was too serious.

“I can’t undo it with my magic… It seems like this child has incredible magic in her.”

“…Let me take a look.”

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Albert approached Adela.

Seeing Adela soundly asleep, Albert let out a small chuckle. It was clear that Blanc wasn’t lying.

…She was just born, and already?

Was it possible for newborn Adela’s magic to surpass that of a dragon like Blanc? It seemed absurd. I stood there, mouth agape in disbelief.

But it was the truth.

Adela, who rarely cried and surprised everyone from the moment she was born, possessed extraordinary power.

Perhaps it was inevitable.

She was born to me, one of the few dragon contractors in recorded history, and Albert, a transcendent being not found in history.

And later, Adela would follow in Albert’s footsteps, becoming an emperor and a great mage, surpassing even Albert.

* * *

Adela, with her still chubby cheeks, smiled brightly every time she saw Albert, Blanc, or me.

Her magic grew rapidly, and eventually, she possessed the power of a transcendent even in her childhood.

Of course, as she was still a child, Albert watched over her magic very closely. One could never know what kind of accident might occur.

But this didn’t mean that Adela was a troublemaker.

Adela, much like Albert, was a thorough and meticulous perfectionist.

It was adorable how hard she tried to appear mature despite being so young.

However, there were times when she behaved like a child.

Adela was particularly sensitive to the emotional changes between Albert and me.

Especially regarding me, she had a steadfast attitude like, ‘If Mom is sad, I’ll do anything to make everything better,’ often ignoring the concerns of those around her.

Regardless of the situation, she was always like that. So, I tried even harder to manage my expressions in front of Adela.

But it wasn’t always possible to hide my feelings. Especially not when thinking about our young daughter with whom we spent every moment.

And when Adela turned five, an incident occurred.

No, perhaps it should be called a gift rather than an incident—Adela’s magic reached out to Albert and me.

On a snowy winter day, on Adela’s birthday.