~ Chapter 25: The difference between the twins and other children ~

[Melissa's point of view]

 As Leo and Cassy's mother, I knew best just how different my two beloved children were from the most of them. This was best seen back when I took them to the birthday party of the son of one of our noble acquaintances: The Ruthmerry family. He was going to be seven starting this year.

At the moment, we were not the esteemed ducal family we once were in the past, for various reasons. In our society, me and my husband, excluding any other previous family members, were known by established noble families as fallen nobles, while the general populace referred to us as average or common nobles. For me and my husband, this status was exactly what we desired to hold in order to properly raise our children, but even so, we couldn't neglect invitations from a noble family of a higher rank. Our current titles were only those of Baron and Baroness, after all.

Even so, since my husband and I were actively involved in the governing of Briston and the nearby villages, our local political influence as well as our coffers were not to be underestimated. There were many who wished to earn us a favor or two. But, as expected, our current reputation and fame didn't even compare to the time when we held the titles of Duke and Duchess.

Our fall, however, wasn't a random or accidental one either. We requested this of the current King and Queen in order to allow us to raise our children without the nobles around us trying to influence them through plots and schemes.

Before our 'fall', Reynald was a good friend of the current King, and if it wasn't for me, the current Queen may never have met nor decided to accept his marriage proposal. Thus, the number of those scheming nobles who tried to get on our good side as well as remove us from the scene were quite a lot. In order to avoid these unscrupulous fellows who would otherwise constantly try to take advantage of our children, we retreated in this little town where no one could disturb us.

In the eyes of the other dukes and viscounts, we were 'fallen' with no chance of ever getting back on the political battlefield. In the eyes of the King and Queen, however, we were dear friends who would return to aid them as soon as they requested it.

In short, our 'fall' was only a facade, a lie. Both me and my husband held a great desire in our hearts to return to the capital and subdue all those who tried to bring harm to their Majesties. For this to happen, however, we had to make sure our beloved children wouldn't be that easy to target while we danced on the political stage.

Although I approved of this little scheme, without the aid of their Majesties, this would have never been possible. That was why, it was also in our best interest to continue playing this little game until Leo and Cassy were strong enough to be on their own.

Judging from their Majesties secret letters, they couldn't wait to meet my children, and I also couldn't wait to meet the prince, who was a bit younger than them. As soon as I returned to the capital, I was to become his teacher as per the Queen's instructions. Although, I had the feeling she was just intending to use that as a pretext to get to spend more time with me, her best friend. On the other hand, she expressed her direct concern over the fact that some of his teachers might be trying to influence the young child's beliefs. Since everyone around him didn't even dare talk back to him, she worried he might end up developing a rotten stuck-up attitude. Well, I had a few 'remedies' for that, but there was still time before I would get to meet him.

Luckily, that time would probably come sooner rather than later, seeing how quickly the twins matured and how excessively different they were from all these other so-called brilliant children of other nobles.

The birthday party for the child of the Ruthmerry family was the perfect opportunity to have these beliefs of mine reinforced.

Unlike Leo and Cassy, I saw all of these noble children acting stuck up, pampered, spoiled, and had the 'bright idea' that the entire world revolved solely around themselves. Many of them were trying to act like the grownups around them by using their own misguided concepts of elegance. In my eyes, this only turned out as some sort of bad comedy act. I couldn't even laugh at it.

At one point, I noticed that while some of the children were arguing about whose parents were best looking, stronger in battles, more influential, or richer, Leonidas was questioning an old mage who was invited to the party to show off some amusing spells. Yet instead of asking about how to make sparkles in the air, he was inquiring about the fundamental principles of magic as well as the key to casting advanced spells.

None of the other children saw this as 'fun' so they ignored him or saw him as simply acting weird.

On the other side of the room, Cassandra was standing off in her own way. Instead of having a chat with the young girls while pretending to be some sort of distinguished princess, she was talking with the adventurers at the back, who came here hired as guards. The little girl was asking about various sword techniques, proper ways to slay monsters, how to properly dismember a human, and... muscle training.

Seeing this, I had to agree with Leo, Cassy had to learn to be more feminine! No, it was imperative that she did become more feminine! My future grandchildren were at stake here!

Meanwhile, I was sitting down at a table, softly smiling from time to time so as to not appear bored by the same old gossip and fake giggles the mothers of those spoiled children gave off. I didn't even dare touch the tea. My little sister could brew a better one in the middle of a forest and using a hollowed stone as a pot. Manners requested that I HAD to drink this bad excuse for a tea, so whenever they didn't look, I dumped a little bit in the pot next to me and then pretended to enjoy it.

Their choice of topic at one point diverted from the way some common woman dressed to their children. The host, Madame Ruthmerry, began the discussion by bragging about her child's achievements.

“Oh! I should tell you! But my adorable little boy has officially began his magic training just the other day! I don't want to brag, but he might be a genius! Even his teacher said so! And my husband can't wait until he casts his first spell, maybe in a year or two from now, who knows?” she let out an exaggerated high society laughter. “Ho! Ho! Ho!”

Since everyone was looking at her, I dumped the rest of the tea in the pot, then pretended to drink.

Magic? If I remember right, Leo accidentally cast a [Wind Sphere] when he was training his Magic Energy control. I thought while putting down the cup.

“M'lady, another cup?” a servant politely asked.

“No. I'm fine.” I replied quickly and moved the plate to the other side before he poured the first drop.

“Mine picked up the bow and arrow last year! On his tenth try, he was able to hit the target! Isn't that amazing!” another said.

Bow and arrow is it? The bow is most dangerous in Cassy's hands. Despite her young age, she has quite the strong grip. But Leo is more adept at throwing things. My husband started wearing a sturdy metal helmet whenever he works in his office and Leo has sword practice outside. I thought and tried hard not to giggle at that memory.

“Well, my child started to learn etiquette and will soon learn magic as well!”

As if I would ever let my two children escape from my lessons just because they are young. I took a small peek at the two, and they both went stiff as if a cold chill ran down their backs.

“My child picked up after his father and began to train in sword fighting just the other month! Although he is eight years old, he has a strong grip!” another woman bragged.

I simply closed my eyes and remembered a moment when Cassy and Leo argued about who got the first long sword carved by their aunt. They pulled on it until the wood cracked and broke in half. Then they came crying over to me and blamed it on each other, demanding hugs from me to feel better.

Each of these madams then began to brag more or less about the achievements of their children. I let all their words enter one ear and fly out the other without leaving a single trace behind.

“What about your children, Madame Melissa?” one of them suddenly asked me.

I blinked surprised and then saw all of them waiting for me to brag about some of their achievements.

“My children, you say? Well... I believe they are a bit too young? Maybe in another year or so?” I lied while showing them a small polite smile.

If I were to give them even a quarter of their achievements so far, they would faint. But if they really were that interested, they could have just taken a peek at them here at the party. After all, Cassy was having a nice chat with the adventurers, while Leo was giving headaches to the old mage.

“Is that so? Well, ours are young prodigies after all! Mine even has two Blessings!” the woman replied.

“Is that so? How wonderful.” I forced a smile.

I let them be in their own imaginary worlds, but the behavior of their children at this party proved quite the contrary. They weren't prodigies, just normal children. Compared to my twins, they were all blundering fools with snot dripping from their nose.

By the time this party ended, we were all very tired. I was stressed out from having to listen to those noble women and in urgent need of a good cup of tea. Leo found out he even forgot the name of the birthday boy, but he gave up quickly on trying to remember it. Cassy asked me why were all those other children acting so weird.

Hearing these two complain, I could only show them a wry smile and pat them on the head. They didn't even register the children as nobles. They were... mere decorations in the background.

I had hoped too much from this birthday party, but it served its purpose as well in their education. Now they saw how some nobles tended to act. From this day forward, I planned on giving them extra lessons on how to handle those rats with the rank of a noble. To be precise, how not to fall for their schemes and plots in the future.

I already expected both Leo and Cassy to become quite powerful by the time they reached adulthood. As such, there would be many who would try to recruit them into their faction or use them in some way or manner to reach to me or my husband.

As their mother, it was my solemn duty and desire to make sure that both of them were going to be prepared for those unpleasant moments.

For now, the world around them was a peaceful and calm one, but this was only thanks to me, my husband, and my little sister who kept guard on our estate. An assassin had already been sent by a Marquess, and more than a few bandits tried to break in after receiving certain 'tips'. The children were unaware of these attacks, but it was clear that someone in the capital had started to make a move.

I had maybe only five more years to give them all the knowledge they needed in order to survive out there. Afterwards, I had to send them to school and let them face the world on their own. Cassy would certainly become a target for recruitment, while Leo would be taken for a fool. This was also an important part of their upbringing.

I couldn't wait to see just how powerful my beloved children would become in a decade or so! But little did I know that what fate had in store for them was something far beyond what anyone could have imagined at that time...