Eugene believed that sleep was just as vital for children as nourishment. So she always made sure Rohid went to bed early each night and took a nap during the day.
In fact, the kingdom hadn’t originally practiced midday naps for children. Once they could speak and walk, children were expected to follow routines much like adults. But since Eugene introduced the idea, the custom had begun to spread among the nobility. More and more households had started allowing their children to rest in the afternoons.
Taking Rohid’s small hand in hers, Eugene led him to the sofa. The two of them sat down side by side, just as the maids arrived with a tray of snacks.
This was their cherished ritual. Each afternoon, after his nap, Eugene would have Rohid sit beside her while he quietly nibbled on his treat. Watching him in those peaceful moments always filled her heart with joy.
Now two years old, Rohid was growing faster with each passing day. His appetite grew right along with him. Even after devouring a mountain of snacks in the afternoon, he could still polish off a full adult-sized dinner without hesitation.
At the moment, he was busily stacking an impressive amount of cheese onto a biscuit before stuffing the entire thing into his mouth in a single bite. His puffed-up cheeks bulged like a chipmunk’s, and Eugene couldn’t help but smile at how adorably round they looked.
“Eat slowly, or you’ll get a tummy ache,” she warned gently.
She quickly picked up a cup of juice and held it to his lips. He gripped the oversized cup with both tiny hands and drank eagerly. Watching him gulp it down filled her with joy—a quiet, heartwarming contentment that never grew old.
He looks so much like his father, she thought, her gaze softening.
Others often said Rohid resembled her, but maybe it was the striking color of his hair and eyes—traits he shared with Kasser—that made Eugene see nothing but his father in him. He looked like a miniature version of Kasser, only this little one spoke in clumsy baby talk and waddled on unsteady legs. The contrast was painfully endearing.
I don’t know if I’m doing this right…
Eugene had no background in royal upbringing—no knowledge of how to raise a future king. She had spent her own childhood in another world, living an ordinary life among ordinary people. What kind of education or refinement was expected for a prince? She had no idea.
But there was one thing she knew she could give him—without question, without fail.
Love.
“Mother,” Rohid said suddenly, pulling her from her thoughts.
“Yes?”
“Father is a king, right?”
Eugene blinked, taken aback by the unexpected question.
Is he already starting to notice the difference between himself and the world around him?
“Yes,” she replied carefully. “Your father is a king.”
“Kings have Hwansus,” he said with conviction.
“…That’s right.”
“Where is his? I haven’t seen it.”
“Ah…”
Eugene found herself speechless as she met Rohid’s round, expectant eyes. She had always known this question would come someday—but she hadn’t expected it to come so soon. Caught off guard, she struggled to find the right answer.
Most likely, Rohid was the only person in the palace who had never seen Abu or the little one up close. The two Hwansus, usually inseparable from Eugene, would vanish the moment Rohid came near—disappearing as if by instinct.
Eugene had once brought it up with Kasser, her voice tinged with concern.
“Why do the Hwansus avoid Rohid so much? Do they… dislike him?”
Kasser had responded calmly, almost amused.
“I rarely saw my father’s Hwansu, either. It’s a bit like how larks tend to avoid me.”
“But they didn’t act like this when the other kings’ Hwansus gathered,” she pointed out. “They weren’t nearly this wary.”
“Rohid is my son,” he said with a small shrug. “He’s like me—but not quite. That ‘almost-but-not’ part must make them uneasy.”
Eugene had been reminded, once again, that Hwansus were larks too—just a special kind. Even though Rohid hadn’t awakened Praz yet, the beasts still seemed to harbor an instinctive aversion to him.
“Rohid, are you curious about the Hwansu?” she asked gently.
“Yes,” he replied with a firm nod.
“Who told you about them?”
“I read it in a book,” he said proudly.
“A book, hmm… I see.” She smiled and held out her hand. “Come here.”
Taking his small hand in hers, Eugene led him out onto the balcony. She scanned the grounds below, then drew a deep breath and called out clearly, her voice ringing into the air.
“Abu!”
A moment passed before a dark figure appeared in the distance—Abu, her faithful black horse. He came into view but did not approach. Unlike his usual habit of galloping over the moment she called, he lingered far away, wary.
Eugene lifted Rohid into her arms and pointed toward the distant figure.
“Do you see him?”
“…That’s a horse,” Rohid said, puzzled.
Eugene let out a soft laugh.
“Hwansus can take the form of animals. Right now, he looks like a horse, but he can transform into other creatures too.”
Rohid’s eyes, which had dimmed with disappointment, lit up again with wonder.
“But you mustn’t ask him to show you,” Eugene added gently.
“Why not?” Rohid asked, tilting his head.
“Hwansus only respond to their master’s command,” she explained. “So you shouldn’t ask your father to let you touch the Hwansu or make it transform. That would only upset it.”
Rohid fell silent, staring intently at the distant black horse.
“Rohid,” Eugene said with a smile, brushing his soft blue hair, “someday, you’ll have your own Hwansu. One that listens only to you.”
He turned to her, wide-eyed. “When?”
“When you’re older,” she replied.
Just then, a voice called from behind.
“Your Highness.”
Eugene turned. A maid stood in the doorway, bowing politely.
“What is it?” she asked.
“There are visitors at the palace requesting an audience with you,” the maid said. “They haven’t clearly identified themselves, but they’ve delivered this letter for you.”
Eugene’s expression shifted as she unfolded and read the letter. After a pause, she folded it neatly and handed it back.
“They are distinguished guests. Treat them with courtesy and escort them inside.”
“As you command.”
Once the maid departed, Eugene stepped back into the room, still holding Rohid. He kept his gaze fixed on the black horse outside, watching until Abu faded from view.
Hwansus…
His heart was pounding. He didn’t understand the feeling—it was strange and unfamiliar. But it stirred something deep within him. A quiet excitement.
***
Inside the palace, two cloaked figures sat across from Eugene. At her silent signal, they pulled back their deep hoods. The woman’s long black hair shimmered faintly in the light—its color identical to Eugene’s.
“It’s been a long time, Flora.”
If you want to consider supporting Keopi Translations please check out our Patreon for advanced chapters. If you can, please also leave a review for this novel on Novelupdates. Thank you so much!~Keopi
