Benjamin was eventually forced to take two steps back.

'What a shrewd little brat.'

Seeing Claude's face change with and without his master, Benjamin let out a small sigh. The child seemed to be fooled and seen through easily, but the fact was the opposite.

"I thought we got to know each other pretty well."

He chuckled in regret and remembered what had happened with Claude during his time in Ambrosia.

* * *

Benjamin and Belluna did their best not to make the most of the research outside the eyes of the Duke of Ambrosia. It was only natural that the Duke of Ambrosia had shown his mercy so that he could live with their master. Claude was wary of Benjamin and Belluna, but the child often visited them because he was curious about other magicians other than Sarah. Belluna asked him, who was showing the utmost effort to concentrate on his research.

"How much closer is Claude-nim today?"

"Three steps."

Claude, who had come to them for the first time, looked at this side while maintaining a distance so far away that he could not even see his expression. Then, one day, he could see the expression he was making, the decorations on his clothes, and the other day, he could even see the lips of the child twitching little by little. Each time Claude came to watch them, it was evident that they were getting closer and closer. Belluna couldn't take her eyes off of Claude because he was cute.

"When will he talk to me?"

"Stop it. What are you going to do if you're interested in the child Master is taking care of?"

"It's even more special when Master takes care of him. Can't you see she’s in love with him right now?"

Belluna quietly chastised Benjamin and looked at Claude, who was hiding in the cabinet from a distance and sticking out his face. Her face was reddened.

"I think I can see why Master cares so much."

"Hmph."

At the sound of Belluna's muttering blankly, Benjamin snorted and turned his head. Belluna thought children were cute, but he just disliked them. They always cried and you had to protect them. In the world he lived in, children were just a bunch of luggage. On the battlefield where his life came and went countless times.

"Cuz he's so scared. There's only one or two things that Master needs to pay attention to."

With that said, Benjamin returned to his research. With the support of Ambrosia, the more they researched its power, the more new things were discovered. To the point of understanding why all the dukes of Ambrosia had been obsessed with increasing their power.

"It would be easier if we could study the power of that little brat."

"Master would never allow that."

"I know. I'm just saying."

Benjamin shrugged at Belluna, who cut off his words resolutely. Of course, if it was Oliven, he would have chosen that little brat as a research subject without hesitation. He wasn't that crazy.

'Oliven that bastard, it's about time he made a mess. He can't be this quiet.'

Benjamin stiffened his face with the thought of Oliven that had just come to his mind. After leaving the mansion, Oliven did not show up, erasing even the traces of his mana. His master seemed to know something, but she did not tell Benjamin. However, with the aura he felt from his master, he could tell that Oliven was about to do something unusual.

"Benjamin, Benjamin."

At that moment, at the voice of Belluna calling him urgently, Benjamin escaped from his thoughts.

"What."

"Claude-nim is!"

"That brat is what......"

Raising his head at Belluna's fuss, he shut his mouth at the sight of the child approaching right in front of him. Claude looked up at him with clear, transparent eyes. Considering that he made a fuss to his master saying he was scared, it was quite a bold look.

"......"

"......"

Their eyes met. The situation of them staring at each other continued. Then Claude let out a sigh of relief between those little lips and opened his mouth.

"I'm not a little brat. I’m Claude."

"......What?"

"Is Uncle an idiot? My name is Claude. Claude Ambrosia."

"I know that."

"Why do you call me a little brat when you know?"

"Cuz you’re a little brat."

Claude's face twisted in response to Benjamin's blunt reply. The child clenched his fists for a moment, then spoke in a stern voice.

"I'm not a little brat."

"What does that mean?"

Benjamin tilted his head to the side as if he didn't really understand.

"Nanny said I was the big person who would succeed Ambrosia in the future. So I’m not a brat, stupid Uncle."

"You’re saying that you'll become a big person in the future, not that you're big now."

"Then why don't you go ask Nanny?"

"......"

Really. Looking at Claude, who knew he couldn't budge from Sarah, Benjamin sighed as if he had lost.

"Okay, I'll call you by your name from now on."

"Forget it. I don't want Uncle to call me by name."

"......Ha."

A smirk escaped Benjamin's lips. He was swayed by a child's trick. A triumphant smile appeared on Claude's lips as he thought he had given him a shot.

"My name is Benjamin, brat. Not Uncle."

"I know. Nanny told me."

"But why aren't you calling my name?"

"Is Uncle stupid? It's because I hate you."

Claude said so with a sullen face and turned around. It seems that the child's purpose was to scratch Benjamin's insides mercilessly.

"Ahaha, you look a little better."

Belluna, who was listening to the conversation, laughed and tapped Benjamin on the shoulder. As the only disciple of the master who was not hated by Claude, Belluna was enjoying this situation. After laughing for a while, Belluna reached out her hand to Claude carefully and said.

"I'll take you outside."

"......Eung."

Claude stared intently at Belluna's hand reaching out to him and cautiously grabbed the hem of her sleeve. He was still too shy to hold her hand.

"......"

Belluna raised her other arm, which Claude did not catch, and covered her mouth with her hand. Truly, it was as if she had tasted the feeling of her master who would make a fuss about how cute the child was.

"Ha. Belluna......"

Benjamin, who was left alone in the lab, muttered in a dumbfounded voice. The atmosphere of Belluna, which was more relaxed than when she was in the magic tower, and his master who melts in front of the child. He wasn’t used to everything. Most of all, he couldn't adapt himself.

"Fearless little brat."

He really liked Claude, who was not discouraged in front of him and said everything he had to say. He was not used to it.

'I'll be like that sooner or later.'

Though he hated it, Benjamin continued to wait for Claude, who often visited the lab after that. Some days he came alone and some days he came with their master. Whenever Claude came alone, he often quarreled with Benjamin, and victory was always in the hands of young Claude.

* * *

Then Ethan opened the door of the lab with Jade and entered.

"Sarah? Are you here?"

At the voice looking for Sarah, she took her eyes off the vial and lifted her head. When Ethan, dressed in formal attire, entered the lab, she had the illusion that a bright light was coming into the dark room. Servants used to argue that Ethan's appearance in such robes deserved to call an artist and leave a portrait, which Sarah actively supported.

"Ah, Duke-nim, I'm here."

Realizing that she had been staring blankly at Ethan unconsciously, she came to her senses. Claude's face also turned red when he saw Ethan. Claude came down from Sarah's arms and ran to him, stretching out his arms. Ethan naturally held the child in his arms, and Claude sat comfortably in his arms. Sarah, who was looking at him proudly, also approached Ethan and asked.

"What brings you here? I heard someone come from the Palace. Shouldn't you be in the drawing-room now?"

"Ah, I came here because I wanted Sarah to go with me."

Ethan glanced around the lab slowly. His intense gaze shifted to Belluna and then to Benjamin, who was buried in a corner with nowhere to step back.

"......"

Ethan, who immediately grasped the situation just by looking at it, stroked Claude's head as if he had done well.

"Hihi."

Claude grinned proudly, rubbing his head against Ethan's palm. Only Jade was stamping with impatience in the spectacular sight.

"The Second Prince was sent from the Imperial Palace. His Majesty told him to bring Countess Millen-nim into the Palace."

"Me?"

"Yes, I guess it's because of Countess Millen-nim's disci......"

Jade turned his head back and felt Ethan's cold gaze on him, then paused for a moment. He coughed a little, ehem ehem, then opened his mouth again.

"The Emperor seems to have realized that it’s a problem that must be addressed by Countess Millen-nim."

"......All right."

If the Imperial family showed a reaction, there was only one reason. Sarah could quickly recognize that this had something to do with Oliven.

"If Sarah doesn't want to, you don't need to see the Second Prince."

"No, I need to figure out what's going on."

Sarah pressed her fingers against her throbbing head. Ethan, who was looking at her quietly, tilted his head slightly to the side and asked with a soft voice.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Of course."

As Sarah nodded, a faint smile appeared on Ethan's lips. He reached out his hand as if to escort Sarah. She clasped his hand, feeling a little embarrassed in front of her disciples.

"I'll be back for a while, will it be all right?"

"Yes. We'll find out more until you come."

Belluna nodded, then turned and looked at Benjamin in the distance. He stared intently at Sarah, who was holding Ethan's hand.

"I'll take care of Benjamin too."

Sarah replied with a gentle smile at Belluna's words.

"I’m counting on you."