When everyone else left, Helena took a chair and sat down next to Zephyrion. She softly caressed his head and said, ("Don't worry, Zephyrion. I promise you, no one in this household will dare to bully you.") Zephyrion could hear the soothing voice of his mother, and he calmed down from all the stress he had experienced that day. ("I'm glad I have this woman as my mother, she gives me the same feelings as my old mother...") he thought while enjoying her gentle touch.
Lost in her own thoughts, Helena stared at Zephyrion with affection. Helga approached her with her usual stoic expression. ("Madame Helena, are you feeling alright?") she asked.
Helena looked up at Helga and smiled softly. ("Yes, I'm fine. I'm just so grateful to have this little one in my life.")
("I know what you mean,") Sarah chimed in, her eyes wistful. ("I never had children of my own, but seeing you with Zephyrion... it's a beautiful thing.")
Helena nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of camaraderie with Sarah. ("It really is,") she said. ("And I'm so glad that you and Helga are here to help me take care of him.")
Sarah thought back on the situation where Anna and Cellion bullied the mother-son duo. ("I still can't believe what those two said to Zephyrion! I was really at my limit and wanted to burn them to a crisp,") she continued with puffed cheeks, ("but I knew I would have lost and probably would have been killed in the process. I'm sorry, Helena...")
Helga chimed in with her usual stoic face, ("I agree with you, Sarah. What Ms. Anna and Cellion said to Zephyrion deserves no one. But it was the right choice not to intervene in the conflict.")
Helena nodded her head and looked at Sarah gratefully, ("Helga is right, Sarah. I'm glad you didn't do anything stupid, just helping me take care of Zephyrion,") she continued and looked at her baby boy with tender eyes, ("that's already more than enough for me.")
Sarah nodded her head with some tears in her eyes and a small smile, ("Don't worry, Helena. We will do our best to take care of him!") she said.
Helga also nodded her head, this time with a small smile. ("I will make sure that Zephyrion grows up to be a talented young man in the future.")
Helena smiled at both of them and said, ("I know I believe in both of you. You were the only ones in this household who were really nice to me, and for this, I thank you from the deep of my heart. But if you could excuse me, I have to feed Zephyrion now.")
Both Helga and Sarah nodded their heads and left the room with a clang.
Helena took off the top of her dress to be ready to feed Zephyrion and held him up. When Zephyrion opened his eyes and saw what was going to happen, he just had one thought in his head, 'Not again...'
...
Sarah whispered to Helga, ("Isn't it amazing how much love and tenderness Helena has for Zephyrion?")
Helga nodded in agreement, ("Yes, she has a true mother's heart. I can see how much she cares for him.")
Sarah asked, ("Do you think she's ready for the challenges of motherhood?")
Helga replied, ("She may not be ready for everything, but I think she has the strength and determination to face any obstacles that come her way.")
Sarah added, ("It's a good thing she has us to support her too. We can help her when she needs it.")
Helga looked up and said in low voice, ("Absolutely, we're all in this together.")
...
Meanwhile, in Thomas's study room, he sat on his chair and pondered how he could convince Helena to have a second child with him. He knew that she had no affection for him and that she would probably kill him if he tried anything foolish.
Thomas muttered to himself in a low voice, ("What should I do?") Suddenly, he had an idea. ("What if I promise to do my best to nurture Zephyrion and make him talented? Then Helena will practically have no choice. Yes, that's it.")
("But I'll wait until tomorrow when she's calmed down,") he said. So he sat down and returned to his work, planning how he should approach Helena the next day.
...
In Anna's room, the atmosphere was tense as she held her son Ethan close to her chest. She looked over to Cellion, a man she trusted with her most devious plans. ("Cellion, we have to do something about that... thing,") she said with disgust. ("I'm worried that Helena is somehow right and that thing will destroy our plans for the future.")
Cellion, always the strategist, had his hand on his chin as he thought. ("I'm thinking about poisoning him, making him even more useless than before. It will be a poison that can't be detected in the body, no matter what. And everyone will probably just think that the child is as useless as the test said.")
("But wouldn't that stupid bitch Helena notice if you poisoned him? I'm sure she won't leave him alone after everything that's happened. And the two maids will probably defend him as well,") Helena added, her voice dripping with malice.
Cellion paused for a moment, considering Helena's words. ("Then let's wait a few years before we poison him. I'm sure with this, no one will suspect us.")
Anna looked lovingly at Ethan for a moment before turning to Cellion. ("Then go prepare everything. I want him to be poisoned in the next five years. We can't let our plan fail.")
Cellion stood straight and answered immediately, ("Yes, Ms. Anna. Your wish shall be granted!")
With that, Cellion left Anna and Ethan alone. Anna spoke to herself, ("Grow up big and strong, Ethan. I have big plans for you.") The sinister glint in her eyes was a testament to the evil brewing within her.
...
The next morning, Helena received a message from one of the other maids in the house, asking her to come to Thomas' study room, as he had something to discuss with her. When she arrived, she kicked the door open with a loud bang, as usual.
Thomas sat there with a smile on his face, which made Helena shiver. She rarely saw him smile like that. He gestured for her to sit down, but she refused.
("What do you want, Thomas? Don't even try to trick me. I know you need something from me,") Helena said firmly.
Thomas sighed and got straight to the point. ("I want to have another child with you,") he said.
Helena's eyes burned with anger at the suggestion. Thomas didn't even ask her the first time around, and now he was trying to be polite about it? ("F*ck you, Thomas. I won't have another child with you,") she spat.
But before she could continue, Thomas held up his hand to stop her. ("Don't be so hasty in your decision. You haven't even heard my offer for if you were to have another child,") he said.
Helena raised an eyebrow at Thomas's words. ("An offer?") she said skeptically. ("What could you possibly offer me? To give myself to you again? You seem to be getting mentally ill, Thomas.")
But before she could continue insulting him, he said, ("I will give Zephyrion resources to break his limits.")
Helena was shocked. She had expected all the resources to go to Ethan, but if Zephyrion also received resources from the start, maybe he could also grow up exceptionally.
So she voiced her mind. ("Seven years!")
Thomas looked confused. ("What do you mean, Helena?")
("I want to see how you take care of him with resources for seven years before I even think about making another child with you,") she said firmly. ("And you still have to give him resources after that.")
Thomas looked back at Helena with his purple electric-like eyes and said, ("Dear Helena, don't push my limits and patience too much. How can I be even sure that you won't just run away with him after seven years?")
Helena answered instantly, ("Mana Contract.")
Thomas instantly understood what she meant. ("Fine with me, but I will only provide Zephyrion until he marries that bastard's daughter. Then he isn't my problem anymore, and you still have to provide me with a child in seven years' time, no matter what results Zephyrion shows. Understood.")
("Also, add that you aren't allowed to sabotage him. Don't even think about it, or it will be a breach of the contract,") added Helena.
Thomas nodded his head. ("I didn't plan anything. I don't need a fight with these Frostbane bastards. The contract will be ready tomorrow, be sure to be here in the morning,") he continued. ("You're dismissed. I have work left to be done.")
With that, Helena left the room, pondering whether it was the right choice to make, but she know one thing for sure, and that was to help Zephyrion no matter what.