IFAHWIPUTML Chapter 30

Verasielle had learned much about the pouch Kaysis gave her.

She'd stayed up all night investigating exactly what was possible with this thing that supposedly created whatever you imagined.

First, small foods suitable as desserts—candies, jellies, chocolates, and such—were possible.

Ointments for injuries, emergency medicine, and other items helpful in urgent situations were also possible.

Beyond that, buttons, ribbons, pebbles, a single flower—small, worthless miscellaneous items were all possible.

And what she'd been most curious about—the items Kaysis said were impossible, things that could provide financial gain.

Jewels, money, land deeds, property deeds, and so on were truly impossible.

With futile greed, she'd pictured money in her mind while reaching into the pouch, but the pouch remained unfilled and completely empty.

How embarrassing.

As Verasielle withdrew her hand from the pouch, she once again recognized herself as materialistic to the bone.

The pouch was useful.

However, it couldn't be used infinitely.

The pouch had a cooldown—after creating three items, it temporarily became unusable.

But two hours later, she could create three desired items again.

Verasielle confirmed this repeatedly to prepare for when she truly needed it, but the cooldown and number of items creatable at once remained the same.

No matter how she used it, after creating three items, a two-hour cooldown applied.

"Raphel. You have to play carefully so it doesn't break."

Verasielle, sitting on the sofa by the window, spoke to Raphel.

Raphel was playing with toys that had accumulated from the pouch experiments.

Sitting on the soft carpet, he rolled glass marbles and even decorated pebbles by attaching ribbons to them.

Though unintentional, the pouch proved quite useful for creating new toys for Raphel.

"Fshuuung!"

Raphel ran around the room holding a gummy bear Kaysis had given him. Like he was playing jet plane.

'How curious.'

There were no airplanes or jets here, yet how did the child know to imitate engine sounds while playing with toys?

The saying that children's imaginations were endlessly boundless truly fit perfectly.

"Haaahm..."

Verasielle, who'd been watching Raphel play contentedly by himself, yawned as drowsiness poured over her.

Having stayed up all night because of the pouch, sleepiness kept washing over her.

With warm sunlight streaming through the window added to the mix, her heavy eyelids kept closing and blocking her vision.

Verasielle finally began nodding off while sitting on the sofa.

"Somefing."

Raphel looked around. As if searching for something new.

He was already bored with the toys he'd been playing with just moments ago.

They say children get bored quickly—Raphaleon was exactly the same.

"Veras."

Eventually, unable to find anything new, Raphel put down all his toys and headed toward Verasielle.

However, Verasielle, drowning in fatigue, was dozing and didn't hear Raphel's voice.

"Veras?"

Raphel opened his eyes wide and waved both hands in front of Verasielle.

He jumped up and down in place, wanting her attention, but it was useless.

Normally, Verasielle would smile and hug him or make eye contact and ask, "What is it, Raphel?"

"Hnnng..."

Dejected, Raphel walked on his short legs to the door with a patter-patter.

With no toys to play with and Verasielle unresponsive, Raphel wanted to go outside the room.

To find someone to play with or to find new toys.

"Nngh-cha!"

Raphel stood on tiptoe and grabbed the doorknob with both hands, turning it. The corridor with its cool breeze came into view.

"Hehehe."

Without hesitation, Raphel went out into the corridor and ran around.

Grinning brightly and looking around the corridor—he was completely delighted.

He hadn't noticed when held by Verasielle, but everything visible from his low perspective was fascinating.

The tall columns, the intimidating yet dignified statues.

Raphel felt this corridor—which he walked with Verasielle every day—was somehow different when traversing it alone.

However, a few minutes later, Raphel, who'd been running freely down the corridor where not a single person passed, quickly grew bored again.

Because there wasn't a single person to play with him.

So he began opening doors one by one and peeking inside.

Most rooms looked like the one he was currently staying in with Verasielle, so they didn't generate much interest.

But then,

"Woooaaah..."

The room he'd just opened made Raphel gasp in admiration.

With sparkling eyes shining as he toured the room, Raphel's face filled with vitality.

"Stars! It's stars!"

It was a room full of stars everywhere.

The large room was decorated with star-patterned wallpaper, and it seemed like every star-shaped object in this world had gathered here.

Raphel, his mouth hanging open as he looked around the room this way and that, raised his head to look at the ceiling.

"Stars..."

The twinkling stars he'd only seen in the night sky were embroidered across the ceiling.

Raphel flopped onto the star-shaped carpet and gazed at the ceiling.

It felt like hundreds of stars were pouring down toward him.

A flush appeared on the chubby cheeks of Raphel, who'd gained considerable weight recently. His flushed face brimmed with excitement.

Raphel clasped his hands together on his stomach and stared blankly at the stars.

Chayston was walking down the corridor. He was on his way back after receiving an examination from his physician moments ago.

'My lord. Do you feel these emotions toward other people as well?'

'No.'

'So you only feel this way when thinking of Lady Verasielle?'

'...Yes.'

'Hmm... In my opinion, there seems to be nothing wrong mentally.'

He thoroughly disliked the look in his physician's eyes when he'd said that while staring at him.

Smirking with amusement, then watching him with half-lidded, sinister eyes.

For some reason, he felt deeply displeased.

Chayston, who'd been walking absentmindedly, stopped short in a familiar corridor.

"Why am I at this room..."

He exhaled a sigh mixed with irritation.

When had he walked all the way here—he was in front of the guest room where Verasielle and Raphel were staying.

"And he says there's nothing wrong?"

The physician's words were lies. He was having thoughts and behaviors he'd never had in his life, yet it was normal?

"That complete quack of an old man."

His skills had clearly rusted with age.

Chayston decided he should change physicians soon while glancing repeatedly at Verasielle's door.

The door that should have been closed was slightly open.

Had she gone somewhere with Raphel?

As various curiosities rose along with a strong urge to peek through the gap in the door, wrinkles formed between Chayston's brows.

What was he doing right now? Lurking in front of someone else's room...

He quickly left the area in front of the room.

If he happened to encounter Verasielle, he couldn't even think of an excuse to explain this situation. Even he found his own behavior absurd—how much more would she?

"I've lost it."

Reflecting on his foolish behavior, Chayston walked the long corridor.

Lately, he didn't understand why he was acting this way.

Even while working, he'd wonder what the child and she were doing.

Were they having tea time in the garden again? Or were they engaged in some different activity today?

He found himself thinking of Verasielle frequently in that manner.

To attribute it simply to guilt over misunderstanding her seemed strange, given how constantly she occupied his thoughts.

Even unconsciously agreeing with Kaysis's comment about whether Verasielle was pretty...

As Chayston walked while ruffling his hair in frustration, he spotted a room ahead with its door slightly open.

In an instant, Chayston's expression hardened coldly.

That room was one no one but himself could enter.

Even servants couldn't enter to clean. Yet the door was open.

He strode toward the room with fierce momentum.

"Who's there?"

He flung the door wide open and entered the room.

"Uncle!"

A completely cheerful voice rang in Chayston's ears. When he lowered his gaze, Raphaleon was lying on the star-shaped carpet.

"Stars!"

Raphel, who'd been lying down gazing at stars, pointed at the ceiling with both hands while grinning broadly.

Chayston, who'd been scowling fiercely, instantly relaxed his expression upon confirming the culprit was Raphel.

"You said you like stars?"

"Yes! Like stars!"

This room had been decorated for Raphaleon, his brother's child and his own nephew. But seeing the child inside, he somehow thought this child and the room suited each other perfectly.

"Uncle lie down too! Look at stars togeder."

Raphel smiled brightly and patted the spot beside him with his small hand. Pat pat. It meant to come over quickly.

Chayston silently approached Raphel's side.

"Hurry lie down!"

Raphel grabbed Chayston's pants as he stood there stiff as stone.

Unable to resist Raphel's persistent urging, Chayston sat on the carpet.

"Twinkle twinkle little star, shining beautifully."

Raphel, caught up in enthusiasm, shook his head left and right while singing the song Verasielle had taught him.

Throughout the song, Raphel's eyes sparkled like stars.

Chayston sat beside Raphel and quietly listened to the song.

For some inexplicable reason, it seemed like he could hear Verasielle's voice overlapping with Raphel's when they sang together.