Chapter 219
What would make a good birthday gift? The answer was closer than I thought.
‘Advice from someone experienced is the best!’
My mother. She was right there. After all, she’s been married to the Patriarch for over 20 years—living proof of it.
With all that time together, they must have exchanged quite a few gifts. No matter how stern and serious the Patriarch is, he surely gave his wife at least a present or two.
If I could figure out what gifts my mother received, choosing one would be simple. I couldn’t believe I had worried over such an easy problem.
– A gift…
But upon seeing the serious expression on my mother’s face, uneasiness crept in.
Could it be that he didn’t give her anything at all? Really? If he neglected her, her family wouldn’t just sit idly by, so could the Patriarch really have made such a blunder?
‘What if I shouldn’t have asked?’
Cold sweat trickled down my back. Had I pressed on an old wound of someone who hadn’t received a single gift in over 20 years?
– The Lady would love anything she received. I was pleased with everything Billy gave me.
“Is that so?”
Fortunately, her answer was quite positive, and I sighed with relief. She wasn’t struggling to choose from a lack of gifts but was rather having difficulty picking the right one.
– Yes. I received many things from Billy, and each one was truly precious.
Seeing my mother smile softly made me curious. It sounded like she had received quite a lot, yet it was surprising that the Patriarch had been so generous.
I couldn’t imagine it. Did he bring back some raw gems from the mines and say, “Look what I found!”?
“Still, there must be something that left an impression, right?”
– Hmm.
I tried to shake off my thoughts about the Patriarch and opened my mouth.
I didn’t reach out for some clichéd advice about what women like; I was looking for something meaningful. Of course, Marghetta would be happy with anything she received. She still carries around the fan I gave her last year.
I truly wanted to present her with something impressive and memorable for her first birthday gift.
– There is indeed something.
Naturally, I leaned toward the communication device eagerly.
Yes, there must be something. Even if she liked all of them, surely one would stand out in her memory.
– On our first wedding anniversary, Billy suddenly took me away to a special place.
As she reminisced, my mother closed her eyes for a moment, the corners of her mouth lifting into a gentle smile. It seemed like a fond memory.
– It was a little hill, filled with all my favorite flowers that he gifted to me.
“What?”
What the heck did I just hear?
– It was exceptional even on my fifth birthday after getting married. There was a store opened by a fairly famous designer, and he bought the entire shop for me.
“Ah, yes…”
Once again, I found it hard to believe. I’ve heard “from here to there” before, but never about someone buying an entire shop.
Wait, did that designer go out of business right after opening?
– The designer signed a lifetime contract with the Krasius family. He still handles our clothing, so it’s a gift that’s stood the test of time.
Thank goodness for that…
Watching my mother’s warm smile as she recounted her memories, I just nodded along, a bit dazed.
– And most recently─
‘There’s more?’
This is bizarre. The image of the Patriarch I had in my mind was becoming more and more strange.
Hadn’t he been the type to bleed iron instead of blood? Yet here he was, committing acts worthy of a drama from the 2000s.
– Lady.
– Ah.
As my mother rambled on, my sanity began to slip away. Luckily, her maid managed to interrupt her before she could continue down this never-ending path of nostalgia.
Once my mother finally paused, she seemed shy about showing off her close relationship with the Patriarch in front of me and coughed lightly, but honestly, I couldn’t remember half of what I had just heard.
“…You must have been very happy.”
A brief moment of silence lingered before I broke it. While my mother had gotten carried away, it was likely sparked by my question.
Hearing my words, my mother smiled once more.
– It was quite embarrassing.
“Pardon?”
How could she say that so confidently out of nowhere?
– I was genuinely embarrassed back then. I would have been satisfied with just a quiet bouquet, but instead, there were these grand gestures like hills and shops.
Yet strangely, her voice was calm despite the embarrassment.
– But if I felt that way receiving it, how do you think Billy felt giving those gifts? Carl, do you think Billy appears to be a warm person?
“No.”
My blunt answer made her smile wistfully, but she nodded in agreement.
– Yes, that’s true. But for such a Billy to think of me, to set aside his embarrassment and present me with those gifts… I didn’t just receive materials; I received his time and effort.
“……”
Not merely materials but time and effort.
In other words, it meant I was happy receiving something I knew he had put thought into.
– Did that help a bit?
“Of course.”
When I hesitated, my mother gently inquired.
To be honest, her advice wasn’t a remarkable help. Ultimately, she was saying, “Whatever you choose with care will be good enough,” which wasn’t very different from the cliché I had initially wanted to avoid.
Yet her ardent advice brought during my spontaneous call couldn’t exactly be labeled useless. Besides, it seemed like what she appreciated most was the Patriarch’s sincerity rather than the items themselves.
“I will prepare with sincerity as well.”
– Good. She will surely be pleased.
I hope so.
Having ended the call, I fell back into deep thought. Yet somehow, my mind felt a little easier compared to before. I had loosened my obsession with needing a gift to be special and memorable.
‘Should I buy a hill or something?’
A sudden and wild thought crossed my mind. It seemed the Patriarch’s antics were so hard to ignore that it sprung up instinctively.
And then I recalled my financial situation.
‘…I think I could manage a few.’
My income was increasing while my expenses were decreasing—such a miracle for a civil servant. Thanks to this, my assets had multiplied crazily.
I couldn’t touch the Count’s hereditary estate since I’m still a Baronet, but there was considerable money from my position as the Chief Inspector.
But that was merely a fleeting thought. What good would it do to gift Marghetta a hill at the academy? I’d probably not see her again until after graduation.
There was also the most critical issue.
‘I can’t help but think she already owns a few.’
Sadly, the reality was that Marghetta was likely richer than I was.
No matter how high my salary is, would it be more than what a noble house could provide? And Marghetta, apart from her status as a candidate for the throne, clearly enjoys the affection of the Dukedom. She might’ve even played with golden coins as a child.
To give her a hill? She’d probably be delighted, thinking I just gave her a cute gift. Meanwhile, I’d be the one dying from embarrassment.
‘A pathetic rich husband…’
I couldn’t believe I was even entertaining such a thought. A wealthy wife, and a husband who can’t compare.
Yeah, I guess that means I’m destined to be a trophy husband. That must explain why being the Chief Inspector felt so burdensome. I assumed that I wasn’t living up to my fate and was trying to shoulder more responsibility than I was born to handle.
…Right?
‘Dammit.’
My headache was back. It’s tough to give a gift to someone who grew up without a shortage of anything.
Should I just give myself as a gift? Maybe a “one-day sword pass” that lets her use a sword freely for a day?
“Is it true that I can only have my sword for a day? After today, will it leave me?”
No, that would have the opposite effect.
What if I just gave her a blank check saying I’d grant any wish?
“I just wanted a single flower to receive your true feelings, but… was that asking too much?”
Crap, that’s not it either.
I’m gonna lose it. The best outcome remains elusive while the worst-case scenario is glaringly obvious.
Wait, is it a good thing? At least I’m sensing it before it explodes.
– If the main wife becomes jealous, swordplay will happen instantly. Don’t think you’ve captured the fish just yet; treat her with affection.
Suddenly, I recalled what the Second Manager had said. In a way, it was the root of this entire dilemma.
Main wife, jealousy, affection…
‘Ah.’
A decent gift idea began to form.
It would soothe Marghetta’s insecurities and be the best gift I could offer.
I had been complicating things a bit too much, digging my own grave.
*
When my fourth sister contacted me suddenly, I felt a mix of surprise and delight. She had given me plenty of relationship advice in the past, which had genuinely helped.
While Carl and I had our own secure bond without her help, deepening that connection would only be better, right?
Yet, I immediately regretted receiving her message in a light-hearted manner.
– Mar, are you okay?
Concern creased her voice. But after not responding in time, I just stared blankly at the communication device.
I couldn’t wrap my head around what I just heard. I wished she was just making a terrible joke. If it were, I could just act up for a moment and forgive her.
But I knew that wasn’t the case. She wouldn’t joke about something like this, and so she must have fallen silent now.
“Sis…”
– Yes, Mar. Speak up.
When I finally managed to speak, she nodded quickly.
“How… how should I handle this situation?”
My mind was a blank. I had no idea how to respond.
I hadn’t even known Carl went to the Academy. To be honest, that didn’t matter. It was a work issue, so he could’ve done it quietly without saying a word.
But the events that transpired at the Academy? That was just something I couldn’t ignore.
‘The cemetery…’
I found myself tearing up without realizing it. I noticed my sister flailing about but couldn’t muster a response.
If Carl went to the cemetery, who would he have met? Probably friends he lost in the past, and surely his old flame as well.
Was I jealous? Not quite. It was more like I regretted that the first love of the person I cherish wasn’t a part of my life. But I wouldn’t be petty enough to feel jealousy over someone who was already gone. Besides, would I prevent Carl from visiting graves? That’d only inflict more pain on him.
The only thing that stung was the thought of Carl collapsing in front of the graves after drinking to the point of drunkenness, which wasn’t something he usually did.
‘He must have been more confused than anyone.’
Reality hit me. There had been ongoing worries since the Crown Princess’s birthday banquet. I hurriedly nudged Lady Louise and Lady Irina.
And although I hadn’t voiced it, I was somewhat resentful of Carl. If only we had engaged earlier, none of this would have happened. I wouldn’t have needed to worry.
‘How selfish of me.’
That thought was horrendous. I had momentarily forgotten that Carl had been nothing but sweet, hugging and loving me to the point of forgetting my worries. He had recently just opened up about his feelings.
Yet, deep inside, remnants of his past—those old ties—were still lingering. He was still recovering from those scars.
‘And yet…’
And yet, I found myself resentful of him. I ought to be thankful for his attention, yet I was still asking for even more.
I couldn’t embrace the confused Carl, nor could I provide him solace.
‘How could I think like this…?’
Why was my mindset so narrow?
And that day, Carl didn’t show up at the Vice President’s office.
That night, I quietly cried myself to sleep in bed.
It was a sad day. There wouldn’t be a day sadder than today.
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