The Duke's Unwanted Second Wife

Roman sat cross-legged on the bed, comparing the sketch he had made with the one Louis had drawn earlier. His small brows were furrowed in deep concentration.

Page after page lay scattered around him.

It had already been an hour, and despite his efforts, he remained dissatisfied with every drawing he made.

"Young Master," the maid said gently, stepping closer, "it is time for lunch. Let us wash your hands, and then you can eat with the Duke and the Duchess."

Roman shook his head.

"I’m not hungry, Miss," he said stubbornly. "I want to draw like my uncle. He did it so well."

Just then, a familiar soft voice reached him.

"You cannot learn to draw like that in a single day, my dear."

Roman immediately straightened and turned toward the door.

"Mama!"

Eilika walked in with a gentle smile, her eyes falling upon the scattered papers around him.

"You’ve been putting your whole heart into these sketches, haven’t you?" she asked.

Roman pouted slightly.

"Yes, Mama," he admitted. "But look at this... I couldn’t draw it well."

"Let me see what my little artist has made," Eilika said as she walked to the bed and picked up one of the sheets.

She studied it carefully, her expression thoughtful.

"For a four-year-old, this is more than enough, Roman," she said warmly. "In fact, I would say you’ve done exceptionally well. Many children your age cannot even draw this much."

Roman crossed his arms, unconvinced.

"Mama is just saying that to make me feel better," he muttered.

Eilika chuckled softly and placed her hand on his head.

"That’s not true," she said gently. "When I was your age, my drawings were far worse than this."

She looked at him kindly.

"So what you’ve drawn is already much, much better."

Roman still looked doubtful.

Seeing this, Eilika thought for a moment before an idea came to her.

"Why don’t you ask your uncle yourself?" she suggested. "I’m sure Louis wasn’t this good when he first started either."

Roman blinked. "He’s in the dining hall right now," she added. "If you like, he can even become your art teacher."

Roman considered this seriously. After a moment, he nodded.

Carefully, he gathered all his papers while the maid helped him stack them neatly together.

"Let’s go, Mama," Roman said, holding Eilika’s hand.

Together, they walked out of the room toward the dining hall.

As they entered the dining hall, they found Damian, Louis, and Maurice engaged in what appeared to be a serious discussion. The moment their presence was noticed, the conversation came to an abrupt halt.

Eilika gently guided Roman to his chair and helped him settle before taking her own seat beside him.

Damian’s gaze shifted to his son.

"What took you so long?" he asked.

Roman looked up at him, his earlier disappointment returning. "Father, I was trying to draw like Uncle Louis. But I failed."

Louis raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his expression. "Failed?" he repeated. "There is no such thing as failure in art, Young Lord."

He leaned slightly forward. "And you are only four," he continued. "This is the age to learn, not to perfect."

Roman listened quietly.

"Do you think I was born with the ability to draw like that?" Louis added with a light smile. "It comes from daily practice. You cannot master anything in a single day."

Eilika glanced at Roman with a soft smile. "See? I told you the same thing," she said gently.

Roman’s brows were still slightly furrowed when he felt a hand rest on his head. He looked up.

Damian’s hand remained there, steady and reassuring. "You will become good at it one day," Damian said calmly. "Just don’t stop practicing."

Then, as if shifting the boy’s attention to something more cheerful, he added, "Your favorite chicken curry has been prepared today. You should eat well."

He gestured toward the maids to serve Roman first. Roman’s face instantly brightened, the earlier gloom fading away.

Eilika smiled softly as she reached for the serving bowl and began placing food onto Damian’s plate. She made sure to serve a generous portion of chicken curry and rice before pouring a glass of water for him.

Just as a maid stepped forward, Eilika raised her hand gently.

"Serve Louis and Maurice first," she instructed.

The maid nodded and followed her direction.

Damian picked up his spoon, but he did not begin eating immediately. His gaze shifted briefly toward Eilika. Only when she took her first bite did he finally start his meal.

Louis noticed this subtle exchange and smiled faintly to himself.

Throughout the meal, Damian’s attention would occasionally drift toward Roman. The boy was happily eating, completely absorbed in picking out the chicken pieces he loved so much.

The earlier silence at the table gradually softened, replaced by a quiet, comfortable atmosphere.

As lunch came to an end, Damian reached for a napkin and gently wiped Roman’s mouth.

"Drink your water," he said. "And once you go to your room, brush your teeth. The sun is quite strong right now, so it’s better you stay inside the cottage."

"Understood, Father," Roman replied obediently.

He picked up the glass and drank slowly.

A maid stepped forward to help him down from the chair. Roman waved cheerfully at everyone before leaving the hall.

Louis leaned back slightly, lowering his napkin.

"Roman doesn’t seem afraid of you anymore," he remarked.

The maids began clearing the table. Louis’s gaze shifted toward Eilika. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"That must be the Duchess’s doing," he added.

Damian nodded without hesitation. "Yes," he said. "She is the one who taught me how to be a father again."

There was no trace of hesitation in his voice.

"I had forgotten and neglected him for years."

He glanced briefly in the direction Roman had gone.

"If it weren’t for her, Roman wouldn’t be this happy today."

Eilika smiled. "But you also agreed to put efforts in it. So, yes, you only needed a certain drive to get close to your own son."