Chapter: 739
Living with the name Kal Krasius has been ten years already. And during these ten years, I can confidently say I’ve never eaten so much eye-rolling food as I have recently.
“Brother-in-law, is there anything uncomfortable?”
“I’m fine. I couldn’t be more comfortable.”
“Thank goodness. But if you need anything, just let me know, anytime.”
“Right…”
At this point, Zenobia, now my only sister-in-law and Erich’s sole wife, is pregnant yet still taking good care of me.
“Big brother caught a lot of fish, and the chef is over the moon. He says they’re all plump!”
“I only caught the good ones.”
“I’ll treat you to a delicious meal worthy of those fine ingredients!”
“Thanks…”
While not officially married yet, Zenobia still calls me big brother, and Sera is busy making sure everything is perfect.
It’s embarrassing. Zenobia is in her honeymoon phase, and Sera is about to get married too. I should be doing my best to make their time as happy and peaceful as possible, not be another problem they have to deal with.
But alas, here I am, brother-in-law, lounging for days at the sibling couple’s mansion, scratching my belly. I can’t even muster a retort if I get cursed from behind or slapped in the face right in front of them—it’s a travesty of my pride.
I want to die.
Have I ever felt this much shame in my life? Even if Zenobia and Sera say it’s okay, I can’t forgive myself.
But even worse is that I have nowhere else to go. I can’t go to the palace and say, “Excuse me, but could I borrow a palace?” Sure, the Emperor might hand it over without a fuss, but I wouldn’t be able to choose when I’d leave.
“This is all your fault.”
“That was the Apostle’s idea!”
Looking over to Rizia, who I basically tossed into a flower vase, she retorted with a disinterested face.
That’s a fair point, but instinctive rage surged inside me. If Rizia were mortal, would I be carrying her around like this? I would have dealt with her properly and burnt her corpse!
Yet surprisingly, who would’ve thought that the piece left behind by Jangsaeng would be picked up by her? I had no idea it would have this kind of effect!
“Who’s the Apostle here?”
Suppressing my anger and bitterness, I finally managed to speak.
No matter how I twisted my thoughts, I couldn’t argue “You’re the one keeping her, not me.” So, I had to nitpick a title that barely meant anything.
“Well, it’s true that you’re close to death, huh? Once an Apostle, always an Apostle.”
“Didn’t you see me acting like her master?”
“Th-that’s! The Lord of Death must have had a high regard for the Apostle who broke the seal! They’re just being generous because your deeds are so great!”
“If you say so…”
With Rizia’s face flushed and trembling like that, I felt a bit better. Oddly enough, insulting Jangsaeng is Rizia’s trigger for an emotional reaction.
The idea that the revered Lord of Death has turned into Jangsaeng must’ve been a huge shock for her, especially realizing that I’m the one who’s like the master. Any normal believer would have lost their faith in death at that point.
However, Rizia is a Cardinal of the Dawn Sect and a lunatic who chose the path of the Demon King. She’s a fanatic lying in wait for her unpredictable junior, immersed in a silence with no end. Not even the pitiful sight of Jangsaeng could shake her faith.
What a terrifying belief.
It’s a bit unsettling. What if that monstrous faith combined with Death in its prime instead of Jangsaeng? Or if Jangsaeng weren’t in such a fallen state at all?
That’s a horrendous combination like no other. A terrible deity that even Enen couldn’t fully obliterate, alongside a legion of the dead that worships it? That’s what you call a proper Demon King!
“Brother.”
“Uh, huh?”
As I began to feel relieved that Jangsaeng and Rizia had both been resurrected at different times, Erich’s voice caught my attention, and I turned around.
“Sorry, but I think it’s time for you to leave.”
The polite yet straightforward eviction notice froze my body.
The day has finally arrived. Erich probably put up with me for a couple of days, but stretching it to three or four days was too much.
“Uh, I was here a bit long, huh?”
“No, I mean, I could stay longer if…”
I was oddly touched by Erich scratching the back of his head.
His way of trying to say something nice so I wouldn’t feel hurt—now that’s brotherly love. I feel guilty for thinking he was an oblivious idiot all this time.
“Your wives found out you’re here. They say to stop keeping you around and send you home.”
“Oh….”
A sigh escaped me involuntarily at those words.
“Still, your wives wouldn’t just find out now. They probably thought you were worried about me, told you to let me rest for a few days, and now they’re saying to send me off.”
Erich’s words seemed like normal comfort, yet it drew a wry smile from me.
This sibling of mine is a pretty clever guy, and considering he’s about to get married, his diplomacy and empathy have quickly grown.
“Yeah, I guess that’s possible. Thanks for letting me stay.”
“Don’t mention it. This is the Krasius family mansion, after all. The ownership belongs to you, the head of the family, after all!”
Erich said that while glancing at Rizia for a moment, then quickly looking away.
His curiosity about Rizia’s identity is palpable, but there’s a restraint in him. He probably sensed that it wouldn’t lead to any useful answers, even if he asked.
“Well then, I’ll see you at the wedding.”
“If you’re at the lake again, be sure to give me a heads-up. I’ll make sure to say I’m on a work trip.”
“Thanks.”
I chuckled at the subtle hint of his consideration as I started to wander back after leaving the capital.
“Have you reflected enough?”
“From now on, I’ll be sure to consult before picking up anything…”
“Good. That will do.”
Fortunately, I was able to return to the mansion before sunset.
The small ball created by Jizz flew high into the sky before falling back down.
*
Just before the wedding, the incident of my brother crashing at the mansion surprisingly eased Sera’s nerves. After all, how could you be tense about your wedding when your future brother-in-law is right in front of you?
Sure, under normal circumstances, the brother-in-law looming during the ceremony might be more daunting than the wedding itself. A wedding is a fleeting event, but a brother-in-law is family for life.
But Sera knows my brother from way back. She didn’t have to be nervous about a stranger. Without even intending to, my brother managed to lift the mood.
He’s soothing the future sister-in-law because he got kicked out.
I couldn’t help but snicker. Thanks to my brother getting kicked out of the mansion—no, spending the night at the lake…no, wandering around the capital—Sera was able to smile. I can’t help but be grateful for my brother sacrificing himself for his sibling and sister-in-law.
Still, I never want to be a family man like him. What kind of trouble do you have to get into to not be able to go home for several days? Honestly, if he had a seventh wife, the sisters would probably just shrug and say, “Well, it was bound to happen.”
Did he lose an arm during the King Slayers battle or something?
If the sisters reacted so sensitively, it must concern my brother and the kids. Given that he just returned from a crusade, it wouldn’t be surprising if he came back injured.
If he really got kicked out because he got hurt, that’s actually sad. Even if he was on leave, he’d be pretty down in the dumps. But, unfortunately, his injury caused the wives to worry and get angry—he must be feeling more sorrowful than ever.
…I doubt I’ll get kicked out.
I’m not as talented as a swordsman as him, so thankfully I won’t have to deal with that kind of drama. It’s clear that being just competently skilled is the way to go.
“Baron Hardiner.”
“Ah, Marquis Idrafen.”
As I was making a resolution to continue living a life somewhere in between competent and incompetent, Ainter arrived with his wife.
Since there were other guests nearby, we didn’t drop our honorifics as usual, but using a formal tone was no issue. The connections built in the academy weren’t likely to disappear just because we spoke a bit more formally.
“Congratulations on your wedding! It feels like just yesterday I was anxiously watching you marry Miss Sera, and now your dream is finally coming true!”
“Please don’t bring up those years again.”
“Ha, that was the point! Did it show too much?”
Ainter’s attempt at humor brought smiles to both of our faces.
It’s a bit embarrassing, but even as a joke, Ainter was right. I still remember how my brother and teammates were so frustrated watching Sera and me when we were in the pastry club. Even though they weren’t particularly successful at dating themselves.
“By the way, once your wedding with Miss Sera is over… the festivities of the Krasius family will likely come to a halt for a while.”
“Yeah, I don’t plan on making new connections either. Nothing will happen until Teresa grows up.”
Nodding along to Ainter’s words, I fully agreed.
Even if Teresa got married immediately after graduating from the academy, it would take eighteen years. After four years of non-stop weddings, taking an eighteen-year break would feel somewhat empty and disappointing.
“Huh? Isn’t the sub-lord older than young Teresa?”
That’s true, so I nodded again. Since Pedi is one year older than Teresa, assuming they marry at the same age means Pedi’s wedding would naturally come first.
Only if they marry at the same age, that is.
“If the head of the family takes after you, it probably won’t go smoothly…”
“Ha-ha! True that!”
Ainter burst into laughter loud enough to draw the eyes of nearby guests.
Even the Marquis’s wife, who had been silent beside Ainter, had a hard time suppressing her laughter.
God forbid they inherit my brother’s traits.
Watching Ainter and the Marquis’s wife, I silently prayed.
I hope our first nephew looks more like his proper first aunt than my brother. Even if he does take after my brother, I just hope he doesn’t inherit the absurdity in their relationships.
The Krasius family should shine as the stars of matrimony led by my brother and me.
“We’re here.”
“We made it!”
Ah.
Just as I was praying, my brother came trotting in with Pedi tucked in his arms.
Seeing both my brother and Pedi approach side by side, I realized my prayer held no weight whatsoever.
Did they make it from the same mold?
Both of them looking alike made me realize that I was right in thinking they’d resemble each other merely because they had a father-son bond.
If Pedi doesn’t resemble my brother, it’d be nothing short of a miracle.
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