Chapter 243
I snapped back to reality and found myself standing alone in the wide open skies.
Wait, I’m not alone. One by one, Valenti people started appearing around me. The sound of applause began to resound.
“Congratulations.”
“Congratulations.”
“Congrats!”
“Way to go!”
“Congratulations!”
Numerous rounds of applause and congratulations surrounded me.
Yeah, I did it. I made it through the pain and trials and reached the end.
That’s why I smiled. I threw off all the shackles and laughed, grateful for these people who celebrated me, my new family.
“Thank—”
“Brother-in-law?”
‘Oh.’
A sudden voice jolted me back to the present. My mind was drifting off somewhere weird for a bit.
When I finally opened my eyes, I was no longer in the sky, but in the Great Chamber. The meal that followed my truth game with the Iron-Blood Duke was in front of me. Given my mental state, it seemed I was more tired than I thought.
‘Guess it was tough.’
Calming my dizzy head, I looked toward the voice and saw Marghetta’s fourth sister.
“It would be troubling if the main character was lost in thought.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
I quickly extended my glass as she held a wine bottle, and she beamed while pouring the wine herself.
“Well, I understand. We all went through it.”
With a brief chuckle, the fourth sister—no, sister-in-law—then turned her gaze to the Iron-Blood Duke.
“If you’re going to allow it, do it gently. Don’t you get tired of this every time?”
At her playful ribbing, the Iron-Blood Duke scoffed and replied briefly.
“Nothing happened.”
“But you’re saying you lost your mind?!”
With that incredulous response, I hastily opened my mouth. It was lighthearted teasing, but if the Duke took it to heart even a bit, the flames would surely land on me.
And despite his reputation, I really hadn’t faced any kind of punishment. I had to nip any misunderstanding in the bud.
“Really, Your Grace and I only had a deep conversation. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.”
“Hmm, if you say so, brother-in-law.”
Seeing the fourth sister back off at that, I was assured it was all in good fun, not genuine admonishment.
“It’s still shocking. It’s the first time it passed without any fuss.”
Once the fourth sister stepped back, Marghetta’s only brother and technically my brother-in-law joined in.
‘What the hell did I do?’
At his words, I casually glanced at the Iron-Blood Duke. Just how legendary was his reputation if the children were reacting this way?
From the moment I stepped out of the Room of Truth, things were like this. I walked out normally, only to be met with shocked expressions. I seriously considered whether I had to crawl out on all fours, but judging by their reaction, even that might not have satisfied them.
‘There were hints, though.’
Honestly, I had some indications that somewhere in my body, something was broken.
“What’s important for a husband is love for his wife and the strength to protect the family. I’ve tested the latter personally up until now—”
The Iron-Blood Duke started off seriously as soon as I entered the Room of Truth.
“There’s no need for that with someone who killed a rebel, right?”
Back then, I thought nothing of it—just accepted it—but now, recalling it made my skin crawl.
If I hadn’t had any accomplishments, he would’ve probably thrown me into a spar right there. The gruesome thoughts I could only imagine could’ve happened in real time. Just how much blood and tears did the Valencian sons-in-law shed during that ordeal?
“Do you know how much Marghetta cried because of you?”
“I’m so sorry…”
“At least you recognize your wrongs.”
“Yes…”
“Then why did you do it, knowing full well?”
“……”
I got thoroughly scolded to the point where it surpassed mere sparring, but honestly, it was better than fighting the Duke and my father-in-law physically.
“Still, kneeling down like this means it’s genuine. Those who prioritize their pride wouldn’t even do that.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Though I didn’t expect Marghetta to join you… I’ll let that slide; it shows the strength of your relationship.”
Besides, in the end, I got acknowledged as a couple. As long as I met my goals, that’s what mattered, right?
Lost in my self-righteous victory, my brother-in-law spoke up again.
“It seems father has taken a liking to you, little brother-in-law.”
“Since Marghetta likes you, it’s probably okay.”
When my brother-in-law saw the Iron-Blood Duke scoff again, he smiled softly before continuing.
“But you wouldn’t deny it, would you?”
At that, I glanced at the Duke and met his eyes. I instantly lowered my gaze at the glare that seemed to ask what I was looking at.
Though I received his approval, that look still terrified me. My position had only changed from ‘that bastard who made his daughter cry’ to ‘the thief who stole his youngest.’
Yet I still had a savior.
“My love, don’t be too harsh. If you keep this up, Marghetta will be so sad.”
“Ahem.”
As the previously quiet woman spoke up, the Duke shifted his gaze away.
“Your son-in-law’s feelings shouldn’t be kept bottled up. He’s sad because his beloved youngest is getting married.”
“Yes, of course, I understand.”
“Good to see you have the composure your father lacks.”
Big Marghetta beamed. To be precise, Marghetta was just a smaller version of her, but still.
Thanks to my mother-in-law’s support, I managed to escape from the piercing gaze of the Iron-Blood Duke.
Thank goodness my mother-in-law was on my side…
Once the dinner that felt like chewing with my nose wrapped up, I dashed to the rear garden. Marghetta signaled for me to come over, so I needed to get there fast.
“Carl, over here.”
As I entered the rear garden, I spotted Marghetta peeking out from behind a statue.
Did she look like a celebrity trying to dodge a stalker? Or was that just me projecting my insecurities? After all, there was no way that the noble staff would miss a princess.
But I didn’t feel the need to point that out. She looked adorable like that.
“Phew, it feels good to be out here. I was feeling too watched inside.”
“What a coincidence. Same here.”
As I approached her with a slight smile, Marghetta rushed up and hugged me. I felt a twinge of regret as my body had grown cold, but as she said, there were just too many eyes inside—
“…Marg?”
In the embrace, Marghetta quickly started checking over my body.
Not to feel my temperature, but more like she was searching for injuries.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
After what felt like an eternity of her probing, she asked with a worried look.
What? Marghetta was this concerned?
“I’m fine. Just like I said, all I did was talk to Your Grace.”
Talked to a father-in-law who’s terrified of handing out physical punishments to a son-in-law. I almost felt sorry for him.
“But, but… my oldest brother once got thrown out of the window.”
“Yes?”
What is this? Did he actually throw someone out of a window?
Of course, in this world, there are plenty of people who’d get tossed out and walk it off. But throwing a potential son-in-law out of a window? That’s just too much.
“My other brothers said they heard breaking sounds when they went into that room…”
“……”
I was left speechless at that confession.
If I had heard Marghetta’s words just a day ago, I would’ve thought it was just her sisters teasing the youngest.
“What’s important for a husband is love for his wife and the strength to protect the family.”
But here I was, at the scene right before the throw. I was on the verge of proving my strength. There was no way I could dismiss this as a joke.
But it was strange. The Iron-Blood Duke had meticulously scrutinized other sons-in-law. Yet here I was, the one who had made his daughter cry once, and I just slipped by.
‘Have I really aged that much?’
I did used to throw around sons-in-law like they were toys, but maybe now I didn’t have the energy for that. If that’s the case, it’s a bit sad.
Yeah. The Iron-Blood Duke, compared to Marcilio, is still young, even older than other Dukes. You can tell just by how he has passed most of the authority over to his son and is now coasting by.
‘Almost eighty, huh.’
Sudden feelings of self-loathing and guilt washed over me. I didn’t think about how I’d rather get my limbs twisted than face the German suplex from an elder nearing eighty…
But even that thought was just my imagination; the Iron-Blood Duke never explicitly threatened me. He simply assumed we’d be having a physical conversation—so I was just jumping to conclusions.
“It looks like your father-in-law has changed his tune with time. I’m alright with that.”
“…Right. That’s a good thing.”
I reassured Marghetta, who was filled with worry.
Fortunately, by calling him my father-in-law and displaying intimacy, his expression brightened a bit.
“So don’t worry too much, Marg. If you’re always fretting, your father-in-law will feel sad, too.”
“Y-Yeah, that’s true.”
It’d definitely be sad. Especially since Marghetta was down on her knees next to me.
“But I think saying thank you, or that you love him, might make him happy.”
At that, Marghetta hesitated but I firmly convinced her. It was small but meaningful appreciation for my first father-in-law.
‘First father-in-law…’
Now that I thought about it, that was a bit insane, but what could I do? With multiple wives, there has to be a hierarchy in the in-laws…
But I doubt my father-in-law would have five. Marcilio—
‘Crazy.’
I quickly shut down that train of thought. I was almost about to become the perfect little drama.
Sorry for even thinking that, Marcilio.
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