Chapter: 741
The wedding of Erich and Sera has successfully concluded, but the aftershocks are far from over.
To be precise, the ripples are only just starting at our mansion.
“Yuris, unnie!”
“Yes, Young Master Yuris! Is there something you need?”
“How many times are you going to get married?”
At Pedi’s question, Yuris’ eyes widened, and then she started to giggle.
It’s the most natural reaction. A little kid, barely walking, asking about marriage? Who wouldn’t laugh at that?
“Hmm, how many times should I marry?”
“I’m the youngest, so I’ll only do it once! But you can do it many times!”
That made Yuris smile even wider.
Pedi, realizing through Erich’s wedding that everyone has different numbers of marriages, found this fact to be fascinating. That’s why, after the ceremony, he started asking the servants about their marriage counts, just like he did with Yuris.
Of course, the sudden marriage inquiry startled the servants, but honestly, it’s adorable when a child shows curiosity about something.
“I’ve done it once, Young Master!”
“Why? Dad said marriage is a good thing!”
“Since you’re doing it once, I’ll only do it once too!”
“Wow! Thanks!”
Pedi flapped his arms joyfully, while the servants looked on with smiles.
It was just a few days ago, but I can vividly recall that scene whenever I close my eyes. Our Pedi already has the servants rooting for him. At this rate, I might get hit with a late-life crisis when I’m in my 20s.
“How many times will Maria get married?”
Pedi also branched out his research to his siblings.
“What’s marriage?”
What could the younger ones understand about marriage? They all tilted their heads at Pedi’s question, including Maria.
“If I do it many times, that’s good!”
“Then I’ll do it many times!”
“I’ll only do it once!”
“Then I’ll only do it once too!”
“Pfft!”
The moment I recalled Pedi and Maria’s conversation, I couldn’t help but laugh.
How cute these kids are, blabbering about marriage without even knowing what it means. For a moment, I briefly contemplated if I should find them a fiancée.
Just for about two seconds. I don’t plan on selling my kids off in an arranged marriage.
‘What would be the point when I’m not even pressed about it.’
As the head of a family, I might be being a bit arrogant and thoughtless, but I have no intention of forcing arranged marriages on my kids. Only love marriages are the future of the Krasius family.
If I were aiming for an arranged marriage, then the empire’s social circles would be in chaos several times over. The Emperor might faint just from the scandal of the Duke Oshiden’s wedding.
“Dad!”
While I was lost in these thoughts, Pedi finally spotted me and rushed over.
“Charlotte unnie is here! We have to go see her!”
“She’s here?”
“Of course! She came to play with me and my siblings!”
“Wow!”
His cute cheer confirmed my earlier suspicions. I’m happy that my son gets along well with the Crown Princess, but I feel a little left out too. Can’t he just come with his dad?
“Were you surprised by Pedi’s mischievous question?”
I casually struck up a conversation with Yuris, watching Pedi run off into the distance.
From Yuris’s perspective, she was just passing by on her way to work when she got caught up in a forced interview with a young master. Regardless of how fond the servants are of our kids, there’s a clear line between cute and troublesome.
“Hehe, not at all! I was actually looking forward to when he would ask me!”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that.”
But Yuris’s cheerful response made me chuckle.
These past few days, Pedi has been firing off inquiries everywhere. You could say that most of the servants had fielded questions about marriage, to the point where the few who hadn’t were just waiting for their turn.
“Hmm.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Thinking about it, it seems like you and Sophia are of marrying age now. Do you have someone in mind?”
“It’s okay! Sophia and I have married this mansion!”
Her overly confident answer left me momentarily speechless. Marrying a house instead of working and settling down? What kind of logic is that?
“Did Sophia agree to that?”
“Sophia and I are divided, but our hearts are one! Even without me saying it, we think the same!”
After hearing her ludicrous claim lacking mutual consent, I merely patted Yuris on the head.
A matchmaker turning a best friend into real estate. I don’t think anyone like Yuris has ever existed, nor will they ever.
“If you get a sweetheart, let me know. Since you two aren’t strangers, I’ll cheer you on.”
“Hehe…”
What I was saying was that if she brought home a boyfriend, I’d take care of everything, from the wedding to independence and future living arrangements. But Yuris just laughed it off. Seems like she isn’t keen on dating at all.
I don’t know if it’s because she hasn’t met someone she likes or because she feels indebted to me and is trying to repay me for a lifetime.
“Yuris?”
“Yes?”
“If you want, I’ll let you keep working here even if you get married.”
At that, Yuris’ eyes went wide. It seems like she must be delaying marriage for the latter reason—
“I’ve just been busy working, so I haven’t met anyone.”
“Huh?”
“All the other servants are married and still working here, so I assumed I would too… Was I the only one who thought that?”
Her words came as a shock to me, prompting a quick shake of my head.
I had no intention of scattering Yuris and Sophia just because they got married. I figured that after working as a maid since childhood, they might want to live a little more comfortably—it was merely a thought.
“I’m going to keep working until you become the patriarch! I will definitely get to see you there!”
“That’s fine by me.”
But Yuris, who almost got dumped, began to tremble with staunch loyalty.
I can only feel bad for saying something open to misinterpretation.
*
Today, the Crown Princess returned from visiting the Minister’s estate with a face full of smiles.
“Looks like you had a great time!”
“Yeah! It was so much fun!”
I lifted the Crown Princess, who answered with sparkling eyes. Since I’ve been swamped with work and unable to spend much time with her, I think I need to make it a point to play, even if just briefly, whenever I have the chance.
“Then how about we play together this time?”
“Okay!”
Seeing the laughing Crown Princess brought a smile to my face.
Our little princess, who gleefully enjoys being picked up, getting along with the Minister’s kids, and doting on her younger brother.
She is the treasure that helps me endure through endless tasks. She’s one of the three treasures I must protect.
“Oh, Dad!”
“Hmm?”
“How many times do you think I should get married?”
At that, my smiling face turned to stone.
Marriage? Who’s getting married? The Crown Princess? Our beloved Charlotte?
“Where’s that coming from all of a sudden…?”
“Pedi asked how many times he’d get married! He said he’d only do it once!”
After that, I was left speechless, merely flapping my lips.
I’m confused. What on earth happened for the Minister’s eldest son to be thrown into talk about marriage? He’s only four years old, just a year apart from the Crown Princess!
‘Could it be because of Baron Hardiner?’
I quickly began to rearrange my thoughts. Recently, there was a wedding for Baron Hardiner—the Minister’s eldest son’s uncle. So it would make sense for a child who’s just beginning to learn about life to be strangely interested in it.
But why add that he’ll only do it once? Why ask the Crown Princess?
‘Is it because of the Minister?’
My mind was convoluted. If another child said something ridiculous, I could just laugh it off, but when the Minister’s heir—a miniature version of him—says it, I’m hit with a wave of anxiety.
Of course, the child isn’t at fault. From my regard, he appears to be innocent and pure, a far cry from the Minister.
‘It’s all because of the father that there’s a problem.’
Yet the bloodline remains a curse, no matter how good-hearted the child may be.
The flashy romantic affairs of the Minister. If this child inherits those traits, it spells trouble for the future.
“If Pedi does it once, I’ll do it once too!”
“Will you really?”
“Yeah! Or maybe it would be fun to marry Pedi too!”
At that, my hands began to tremble.
In an instant, memories of the Minister’s conquests rushed back. The Ministers’ wives captured by his charm, the scandals that shook the social circles.
‘I can’t let that happen.’
Without realizing, my teeth gritted together. The Minister’s dazzling love life was amusing to watch from the sidelines, but becoming a player in that game would be a disaster.
Plus, what if—what if the Crown Princess falls for Pedi first? What if she suffers heartache over all those noble ladies flocking around him?
‘Absolutely not.’
As long as they became a couple through mutual feelings, I wouldn’t interfere. It might get complicated if the Minister and I become in-laws, but I wouldn’t want to block the Crown Princess’s love due to my personal feelings. From a political perspective, it would bolster my relationship with the Minister if he became her father-in-law.
However, that also means it would require Pedi to fall for the Crown Princess, which is critical. I can’t allow the Princess to be drawn to him.
‘What should I do?’
But emotions can’t be controlled. Not even by me, the Emperor, nor as the Crown Princess’s father.
Should I prevent them from seeing each other? It’s a given that she’d cry her eyes out. I might even end up in her bad books.
What a terrifying choice. Choosing now jeopardizes the Crown Princess’s future, while choosing the future puts her current happiness at risk.
‘…I guess I’ll have to divert their attention somehow.’
After desperate contemplation, I came up with a temporary solution.
I can’t stop the Crown Princess from visiting the Minister’s estate, but I need to at least divert Pedi’s focus away from her.
I need to lessen the attention and affection directed toward Pedi.
*
I stood there, blinking blankly at the Crown Princess’s visit.
To be exact, it was because of her entourage that my mind turned to white.
“Brother?”
A baby resembling the Emperor with stunning blonde hair and purple eyes caught my eye.
Prince Carolus. The sole prince of the empire came along with the Crown Princess.
“Your Highness, what brings you both here today…”
“Dad’s playing with Carolus!”
“I see.”
At the mention of the Emperor’s order, I looked back at the Prince.
“Brother!”
The Prince flashed a bright smile as though he sensed my gaze.
He looks adorable, but what’s he doing here, crawling around like that?
‘What’s he thinking?’
The Emperor wouldn’t send the Prince out without a reason.
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