Chapter: 600
Looking at Eri, blinking her eyes, I considered whether I should smack the back of her head. When someone says thank you, you just take it as it is—why react as if you didn’t hear it?
It was infuriating. How could someone from the Nuren Duke’s family, the national mother, think like that? Sure, I did some quirky things back in my academy days, but that was just youthful exuberance. Plus, I was doing those things with Eri too!
Of course, before Eri enrolled, I was the lone wolf roaming the academy.
‘Just hold it together.’
I took a deep breath to calm my annoyance. This gathering was meant to celebrate Eri and boast about having a second child.
And it was the first real opportunity to thank Eri, who had been one of the very few to congratulate my marriage to the Emperor.
“Congratulations, Senior! Marrying the one you love is the best!”
Our wedding had even made family and retainers think twice about it. While we had the basic formalities of a prince and princess hitching up, it wasn’t particularly flashy.
In the midst of that wedding, Eri was there clapping with a smile brighter than ours. She truly rejoiced as if she were my sister, who had always looked up to me during our academy days.
If I said I wasn’t happy, that’d be a lie. And if I said it didn’t touch my heart, then I truly had no feelings. I was pushing for this marriage thinking it was someone I’d spend my life with, but I had given up on sincere congratulations and blessings. Those could certainly wait until the Emperor became King.
‘I was fooling myself.’
But the moment I heard Eri’s congratulatory words, I realized I didn’t truly give up on that. I was just telling myself that because I thought I couldn’t receive any.
That’s why her simple words brought a lump to my throat. I was finally hearing just what I wanted to from a dear sister.
“You’ve found a good match, Your Highness.”
Even the Emperor at the time smiled at Eri’s congratulatory message. She was a guest, a close junior who sincerely celebrated with no political strings attached. It’s only natural for a husband to be glad about that.
From that day on, Eri became a guardian angel for our couple. If she inquired about potential marriage partners for herself, I was sure she’d wag her tail and firmly support them, promising a wedding unlike any other.
…Though I never imagined the hardship would begin with the step of her looking for a partner, I still couldn’t turn my back on my earlier resolve. Remembering how Eri was struggling to confess to the Minister makes me want to scream.
‘Thank goodness it’s all working out now.’
I chuckled as I watched Eri sip her wine cautiously.
“Why, why are you laughing?”
“Well, it’s just surprising seeing someone I thought would clap from the crowd standing in the bride’s spot.”
Eri seemed to get choked up for a moment, then quietly lowered her head.
Yeah, there’s no way to deny it if I have a sense of guilt. Thinking about all you’ve done to me could make it impossible for me not to feel that way.
“Eri.”
“Yes…?”
“Congrats. Does that settle our debts now?”
At the mention of “debt,” Eri’s eyes widened, and she let out a whimsical giggle.
“That was years ago; the interest has piled up─”
Just as an outrageous statement tumbled out, I pinched Eri’s head under my arm and squeezed.
I held back for as long as I could, but this? I couldn’t let slide.
“Eruuuhhhh!”
“Our young master needs to get married too; what if your wedding date clashes with his?”
“I-I’m sorry…!”
At my feigned threat, Eri flailed her arms and apologized.
Of course, it was a light-hearted threat. I was thinking of next year for the young master’s wedding; no matter how fast we rushed things, it would only be plausible in the fall.
“I am an ungrateful white-haired beast. Repeat after me.”
“I am an ungrateful white-haired beast…!”
“Are you seriously targeting my hair color?”
“B-but you told me to say it!”
Ignoring Eri’s cries of injustice, I tightened my hold.
How dare she insult the shining silver hair that symbolizes the Nuren Duke’s family? The Crown Princess and my late mother-in-law both had silver hair too!
‘How disgraceful.’
I can only hope the Minister will turn this reckless girl into a responsible person.
*
Eri’s wedding was planned to take place in the Iones Marquisate.
A wedding for a daughter nearing thirty, this occasion was one to celebrate and bless, leading the entire Masalo Marquis family to fully mobilize for the preparations. You could say that more budget was pored in than even the wedding of the current Marquis, my father-in-law, who was set to inherit the title.
However, none in the Masalo family showed any envy or displeasure. In fact, they seemed ready to splash three times as much cash if it meant sending Eri off happily.
“You really were quite a disobedient daughter.”
Checking over the list of supplies and personnel for the wedding made me chuckle wryly.
Thanks to the Empress’s consideration, a decent chunk of royal assets was injected, yet the Masalo Marquisate didn’t hold back on their own funds either. They were just happy to spend more and more. This was a receipt confirming just how anxious my father-in-law and mother-in-law had been all this time.
“Well, considering you took your time to marry, you found a partner like the Minister, didn’t you?”
Yet Eri puffed up her chest as if nothing was amiss.
She wasn’t just an ungrateful daughter, but an infernal daughter. Just thinking about how much heartbreak that “taking it slow” must’ve caused the Masalo family brought to mind tears, like a daughter-in-law drinking up her parents’ sorrows.
“By the way, Eri.”
“Yes?”
“When will you stop calling him the Minister?”
Eri tilted her head at my remark.
She looked confused about what was wrong, making me momentarily panic that I had said something weird.
“…Is it reasonable for a fiancée to address her fiancé by his title?”
After a brief moment of silence, I managed to speak up. At least even Lize and Lynn used warm and fresh terms to call me like “oppa,” yet the title “Minister” felt too formal!
“But this sounds more like a nickname, doesn’t it?”
“Coming from someone who ugly cried saying her name’s Elizaveta, I think that’s really ironic.”
At the mention of that incident from years ago where she sobbed on the streets of Jeju, Eri’s face instantly reddened. Even Eri, who usually boasted strong mental fortitude, had her cringey moments.
‘Thank goodness.’
I was worried Eri might be an emotionless monster without a shred of shame.
“U-uh, I have a good idea.”
Eri’s previously blushing face composed itself after a moment, and she continued, “How about I call you by your name, and you can call me ‘sister’?”
“I don’t call people weaker than me ‘sister.’”
I shook my head firmly to her nonsensical suggestion. While she was indeed older than me, no way could I ever call her that.
It wasn’t a matter of reason. It was an issue of feelings and instincts.
“If you want to be called ‘sister,’ put in the effort during the honeymoon.”
But if I let this go, Eri’s lips would be pouting all day. I subtly hinted at a very faint possibility where she could win.
Strong and weak didn’t always mean physical strength, after all. You could establish dominance through various means and settings.
‘Though I’d win even in our honeymoon.’
Even so, having any chance at all, even a measly 0.001%, felt much more encouraging than having none. I could see Eri’s eyes sparkle as if she understood my hidden intent.
“Then before we do it, I’ll make sure to dodge a few hits─”
“Shut it!”
With that, I wound up tugging on Eri’s lips again today.
She just appeared to have emotions and shame as much as the last time, so it would seem I’d been mistaken.
*
There was some commotion, but the day of the wedding dawned bright.
“The day a subordinate marries a subordinate is finally here.”
And the Minister showed up at the ceremony bright and early, ready to mingle.
I was thinking about whether he had nothing better to do, but I held my tongue. If you ask who among the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Inspections here is busier, the answer is clear, right?
“Is your brother going to get another sibling soon?”
“What? That’s up to the heavens to know.”
I scratched my head awkwardly at the question about whether it would be another honeymoon baby. Why was he still pressing when he already knew?
“Brother- sibling?”
Unlike the restlessly quiet Dad, Petty reacted happily at the mention of a sibling while resting in the Minister’s arms.
Petty, thanks to being the Crown Princess’ child, seemed familiar with the idea of siblings. “Sibling” might be one of the top five words she hears, alongside “Titi,” “Mom,” “Dad,” and “Grandpa.” Petty is a sibling to some and the firstborn among the four siblings!
“Yeah, sibling. You’re going to have a new little brother, Petty.”
“Doong- sibling!”
Petty laughed joyfully at the Minister’s affirmation.
It gave me a rather peculiar feeling. For someone who already had plenty of siblings, it was curious that Petty welcomed the idea of a new sibling. Just how much must the Crown Princess pester the Emperor and Empress for a sibling of her own?
‘…It’s a good thing when the royal family becomes prosperous.’
The family had shrunk to just the Emperor, Empress, Crown Princess, and Ainter. The Emperor had an obligation as the head of the imperial family to bear many children; if the Crown Princess was asking for siblings, it could only mean the Empire was blessed.
Our Emperor. I should send him some Atin eels soon—they’re reportedly his favorite.
“Hmm…?”
“Why do you ask?”
I was caught up calculating just how many eels were piled up in the mansion when the Minister seemed to be lost in thought.
“Is the First Manager 28 years old?”
“Well, now they’re 29. It’s been a year, right?”
“In that case, you must be 25.”
“Yeah, sort of.”
The Minister looked at me with a more perplexed expression.
What’s happening? What sort of over-analysis is he on?
“…How do you seem older?”
His next words cleared my confusion. It seemed the feelings I had for Eri mirrored how the Minister felt too.
“What’s it matter if I seem older or younger? If our hearts align, that’s all that counts.”
“Isn’t having hearts so synced a problem?”
“That’s also true.”
I nodded along with his unavoidable observation.
Eri and I certainly were too close, too in sync. At one point, that had made it difficult for me to see her in a romantic light.
“Well, congratulations on your first older wife.”
“Ugh-”
As the Minister patted me on the shoulder, Petty reached out and flailed her arms through the air in my direction.
The sight made both the Minister and I break into laughter.
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