Chapter 10: Sister
Translator: Soafp
On a day just before Ashera’s 6th birthday…
“Mother, please do your best!”
“Is everything all right, Mom?”
“Master…!”
We desperately called out to mother, who was on the bed.
“The young masters, please wait outside along with Ashera-sama…”
Roland kicked us out of the room, and soon Roland was exiting into the hallway as well.
The butler Roland and the maids call Ashera by “sama” because she’s a disciple of mother.
“Mother…”
“Mother…”
“Master…”
Before we could react in the corridor, someone else was escorted out of the room.
“Oh, spirits… Please, assist my Rafi…”
That person was none other than my father, who was looking out the window and praying fervently.
Now, you might be wondering what all the commotion was about.
Let’s go back in time a bit, to the end of summer or the beginning of autumn, shortly after Ashera became our mother’s disciple.
“Recently, I’ve been feeling a loss of appetite, so I investigated it. It seems like I might be pregnant.”
During dinner, our mother dropped a bombshell announcement.
“Co-congratulations…”
“Pregnant?”
“Master, congratulations!”
“El, Mom is going to have a baby. We’re getting a little brother or sister.”
“A baby! A little brother or sister? M-Mother, I’m fine with either.”
We each offered our congratulations to mother in our own way.
“Rafi, thank you. Congratulations.”
Finally, father, who had been in a state of shock, found his voice and offered his words of blessing. Mother looked at all of us and seemed genuinely delighted.
“Thank you, everyone.”
With the most radiant smile on her face, she responded.
From then on, there were no major events, and Mother’s belly continued to grow steadily.
After dinner that day…
Mother sat on the sofa, watching us playing with a smile on her face. Suddenly, she sat up, looking uneasy, and called me with a strained expression.
“Al, please go call Father and Roland… as soon as possible.”
Her sudden request made me feel that something was wrong, so I used a bit of my enhanced physical abilities to quickly summon Father and Roland.
From there, things quickly became chaotic.
The doctor and midwife, who had been staying at the estate, were called in, and the maids efficiently carried out their instructions. Despite the urgency, Mother remained surprisingly composed.
However, someone outside the room was pacing nervously, as if a wild bear in a zoo.
“Joshua-sama, please calm down. Madame will get anxious if you keep wandering.”
“Roland… What should I do to calm down? What can I do?”
“If you could encourage Madame, it would be greatly appreciated…”
“I see. Rafina, you can do it! My Rafina will be fine. Hang in there, Rafina!”
“Enough!”
Mother’s voice resounded.
“I apologize. Joshua-sama, could you please step outside…”
“Rafi, okay. I’ll be outside, praying for your safety.”
Father was also banished from the room, and it continued as follows.
I wonder how much time passed since then. Ashera was taken home by Halva a while ago, after she had initially resisted but eventually obeyed Halva’s instructions.
Occasionally, maids went in and out of the room, but the situation inside remained unknown.
Father, Roland, and I sat in the corridor, our chairs set up, anxiously waiting.
“Aldo, Elphus, it’s getting late. You should go to bed to be fresh for tomorrow.”
“Just a little longer…”
Father interrupted El’s words.
“El, I know that you’re worried about Mother. But if you and Al get sick, it will only make Mother even more upset. Of course, I would be too.”
Father’s words made El reluctantly nod.
“You’re a good kid, El. Leave it to your father here, and you two get some rest, alright?”
“Okay…”
“Understood.”
“Goodnight, Al. Goodnight, El.”
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
We walked down the corridor and headed to our respective bedrooms. Just before entering my own room, El asked me.
“Is Mother going to be okay?”
“Of course. By tomorrow morning, you’ll be a big brother.”
My words surprised El, and he mumbled softly.
“By tomorrow morning, I’ll be a big brother…”
“Yeah, you’ll be a big brother.”
“I understand. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
We each went into our rooms and fell asleep.
The next morning…
That morning started early because Ashera arrived an hour earlier than usual. I rubbed my sleepy eyes as I got out of bed.
“Ashera… is it early today?”
I asked Ashera with a drowsy voice.
“Where’s Master?”
“Mother…? Oh, the baby!”
I quickly went to wake El.
“El, wake up. Let’s go to Mother’s room.”
“Good morning, Nii-sama…”
“El, I’m going to Mother’s room. Leave the sleepiness behind. You’re going to be a big brother.”
“A big brother…! Where’s Mother?”
“That’s right, so let’s go to Mother’s room now.”
“I understand!”
The drowsiness disappeared. I took El down the corridor to Mother’s room.
Outside the room, Father and Roland were sitting on the chairs we had brought in.
“Father, where’s the baby?”
I asked, and Father, with a weary face, turned towards me.
“Not yet… I asked one of the maids earlier, and they said it should be soon.”
It seemed Father was quite exhausted, and he forced a tired smile.
“I see… it should be soon.”
“I’m sure Mother and the baby will be fine.”
“Master is doing her best!”
“All three of you, have breakfast and wash your faces. After that, can you take over for me for a while?”
“””Understood.”””
We had breakfast and washed our faces, then we came back.
“Father, we’re ready to take over.”
“Al, El, and Ashera, I really appreciate this. Roland, why don’t you join me for breakfast as well?”
“Very well, Joshua-sama.”
Father and Roland left, leaving the three of us to wait. Some time passed, and the room became increasingly busy.
Maids were coming and going, bringing hot water and clean linens. The air felt restless. Father and Roland returned.
“Any changes?”
“The maids seemed busy carrying linens and hot water.”
“I see. It must be soon now… My Rafi, please hang in there…”
Considering his actions yesterday, Father looked like a completely different person. We all prayed for Mother and the baby.
Suddenly, the baby’s cry echoed, loud and clear. It was a reassuring sound, and it finally made us breathe a sigh of relief.
Father, El, Ashera, and I were called into the room. Inside, there was Mother, looking tired, and a lively, crying baby.
“My Rafi, thank you for giving us a healthy child. Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m tired, but I’m fine.”
Father embraced Mother with a light hug.
“Al, El, this is your little sister, Clara. Ashera, you’re going to be her senior, so take good care of her.”
“Of course, Mother.”
“Of course, because I’m her big brother.”
“Master, I will take good care of her.”
We all looked at Clara and smiled.
Today, we welcomed an adorable little sister into the family.