"Hmm… Mother, why did you choose that name?"
"I named him so because I hope that, just like the meaning of his name, he will grow to be great and honorable… and in that way, I will feel closer to him."
"Alright, Mother, stop making excuses and just admit that you like the meaning of the name. If I'm not mistaken, Alaric means 'King'… or even 'Absolute Ruler.'" the girl said, sticking out her tongue playfully.
In response, her mother gently twisted her ear.
Meanwhile, the person in question couldn't understand a single word. He could only assume that the two women were his family. Because of the strong resemblance between them, he wasn't sure who the younger one was. To be safe, he simply assumed she was part of his family. Maybe an aunt… or perhaps a sister. Who knows?
Time passed.
Alaric slowly began to understand parts of the language they spoke, and he could now say a few simple words. He learned that his name was Alaric, chosen by his mother, Aurelia. He also discovered that the girl he had seen that day was not his aunt, but his older sister, Ametista von Vulpis.
Like any other child, he spoke his first word—"Mama"—to please his mother. After a few months, he began to crawl.
"Come to Mother, Alaric," Aurelia said, crouching down and opening her arms.
She never imagined her child could be so adorable. He only cried when he was hungry, when he was far from her at night, or when left alone in his cradle. Seeing how he refused to be separated from her, she gave in and slept beside him every night as he fed.
What made her love him even more was how quickly he learned. He was only five months old, yet he was already trying to stand.
It wouldn't be long before he could walk.
Her heart melted as she watched him struggle to grab onto the bed for support and move toward her.
Alaric, on the other hand, was frustrated.
Five months had passed, and while he had gotten used to embarrassing things like… soiling himself, what bothered him the most was his lack of freedom.
He wanted to move.
In his previous life, he had always been active. Now, all he could do was sleep and lie still.
He wanted to walk, to jump, to roll around… and above all, to explore.
"No, Alaric, come to me!" Ametista called from the opposite side, her arms open.
Faced with this dilemma, Alaric made his choice.
He went to his mother.
Milk was the most important thing, after all.
Ahem… I mean, she would feel hurt if I didn't go to her. Right? This definitely isn't just an excuse to be spoiled and pampered more. Definitely not.
Ametista, however, looked slightly disappointed.
As Alaric tried to stand, he suddenly lost his balance and almost fell.
But he didn't feel any pain.
Confused, he looked around and found himself already in his mother's arms.
I see… she was ready to protect me.
Wait… what?
How is she so fast?
Panic surged within him for a moment. Realizing that such a reaction would be unnatural for a baby, he immediately began to cry and sniffle like a normal infant.
Aurelia, seeing her child in distress, felt her heart tighten. At that moment, she silently swore to always protect him, no matter what.
Ametista, who had also been about to rush forward, was beaten to it by her mother. Watching her little brother, she too made a silent vow to protect him.
Time passed.
By the time Alaric was nine months old, he could walk.
After that incident, both his mother and sister became even more attentive. Ametista was always close by, ready to catch him if he fell, while Aurelia would crouch with open arms, waiting for him to come to her.
By now, he could understand almost everything they said.
However, he still knew nothing about the world he was in or his circumstances. All he ever heard were the loving, gentle words his mother and sister spoke to him.
He realized one thing for certain.
They loved him deeply.
When Alaric turned one year old, he could speak fairly well, though his voice and grammar were still childish. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't change that. His vocal cords simply weren't developed enough.
So he gave up and spoke only when necessary.
At that moment, he had just finished his usual meal—his mother's milk.
After eating, he stood up and climbed down from the bed. As always, Aurelia made sure he did so safely.
To him, the bed was still quite high, so he had to make a small jump to reach the floor.
Even though he landed safely every time now, Aurelia never stopped worrying. She still remembered the first time, when he nearly fell and she had caught him just in time.
Back then, he chose to ignore how fast she was.
But now, things were different.
He wanted to know more about this world.
He wanted to understand his situation.
And the best way to do that was to learn how to read and write.
Only then could he read books and gain knowledge.
He couldn't just walk up to his mother and ask about history or culture. He was only one year old. Children weren't supposed to ask such complicated questions.
So he made a decision.
With small, careful steps, he walked toward a bookshelf inside his mother's bedroom.
He had never left this room for an entire year. His mother never took him outside, and he had never minded. Between her constant affection and his sister's frequent visits, he had never felt lonely.
Now, standing in front of the bookshelf, he pointed at a book he couldn't reach.
Looking at his mother, he said, "Mama."
She understood immediately, picked him up, and carried him closer.
"My child, do you want Mother to read you a book?" she asked warmly.
He shook his head.
She looked confused.
Then he spoke slowly, word by word, like a child.
"Mama… Alaric… read… book… alone."
Aurelia blinked in surprise.
"My dear… do you want to read a book by yourself?"
He nodded eagerly.
"Oh… I see. But do you know how to read?"
He shook his head again.
After a moment, realization dawned on her.
"Oh… so you want Mother to teach you how to read?"
This was exactly what he wanted.
He nodded rapidly, like a pecking bird.
Aurelia was astonished.
He was only one year old… and he already wanted to learn how to read.
What kind of child was this?
But she quickly pushed those thoughts aside.
This was her son.
And this was the first thing he had ever asked of her.
As his mother, she would grant it.
Without hesitation.
After all, she had never missed a chance to spoil her daughter… and now, with her son, she found herself even more devoted.
Because she loved him—more than anything.