Chapter 443
As the wedding date drew closer, the mansion transformed into a bustling meeting plaza.
“You know, they say that with a partner to walk with, it’s better to move slowly than to go fast alone; you’ll get much further together. I wish you all the best in going farther than anyone else with your wife.”
“Thank you for your kind words. Truly, I cannot match the wisdom of Your Grace, the Marquis.”
“Haha, actually, I heard that from my father. It’s a well-known saying in the Northern Region.”
With a chuckle, Barandi shared a handshake with the Marquis, sneaking a smile. Maybe it was because the wedding of the faction leader was approaching, but Barandi and the other faction members were some of the first to visit my mansion.
In fact, there was no need for them to come over just to greet me. They could just say hello on the wedding day itself, but it seemed they were hesitant to do so on the day of the event.
“If it were me, I’d feel the same way.”
I understood. Having convened under the name of a faction, greeting a bunch of unrelated people can be a bit awkward.
“Though the Northern Region isn’t exactly close, I’m grateful for your precious visit.”
“Don’t mention it. There’s no reason I wouldn’t come to celebrate a friend’s important event.”
So, I maintained a gentle smile as I greeted each member of the faction one by one.
Officially, it was out of courtesy to welcome the faction members who came earlier than other nobles; personally, it was to express gratitude for their well-wishes for my wedding.
“By the way, I received the gifts you sent. They were so generous that I had to pause and think if it was okay for me to accept them.”
After exchanging greetings, I casually mentioned the gifts from the faction members, and their faces brightened. They were pleased to hear their gifts had been appreciated—directly expressing their delight.
Of course, considering the camaraderie of the faction, it was only natural to say something nice about the gifts, but this time they were truly substantial offerings. They sent horses, furs, silver, and iron galore—how could that be treated as a small gesture?
They even sent 3,000 horses! When considering the whole Northern Region’s horses, it might seem like a small number, but with most horses being sold off to the East even now, I could tell they put great thought into that number.
“I’ve received so much; I must repay you all. If something celebratory happens in your families, I will generously fill your coffers.”
“Oh dear, if I had known that, I would have remained single!”
Count Kaitan’s playful banter made the other faction members burst into laughter.
While I didn’t want to disrupt the good mood, I felt a bit complicated inside. Come to think of it, I was the only one unmarried in the faction.
“I must be quite young after all.”
The faction members were all married with children, while the faction leader was just now bringing in a first wife. It struck me anew how I had been running around like a dog from a young age.
But being young means I’ll retire a bit earlier, right?
I choose to believe that.
After the faction members, who had secured themselves positions in the capital like during the New Year’s greeting, returned to their respective mansions, an unexpected guest arrived.
Well, to be specific, they were a guest I should have been expecting, but it was peculiar that I hadn’t seen them for ages.
“I can hardly remember the last time we met up close like this.”
A distinguished elderly gentleman, neatly combed white hair and wearing a golden monocle. Beside him stood a graceful lady.
Upon confirming their appearances, I quickly bowed my waist. Just as he mentioned, it had been years since we had spoken this closely.
If we had no relation at all, it wouldn’t be strange to go years without seeing each other, but I couldn’t say that about the elderly gentleman in front of me. The closer you were, the more you could feel the connection.
“I apologize for not visiting recently, my grandfather.”
This gentleman is Count Kemnis, the head of the Aras family. So, he’s my grandfather.
“One should have no need to apologize for such a warm reunion. What kind of grandfather would not understand that his busy grandson has little time?”
Bowing my head repeatedly to my grandfather’s nonchalant reply, I felt a tinge of guilt. Even if he says it’s alright, it’s still family; I hadn’t seen him in years. Frankly, I had seen the Wise Duke more often.
Granted, my grandfather was a nobleman, so I’d see his face during the New Year’s greetings, but those were mere exchanges. We hadn’t had a warm conversation or in-depth greetings at all.
“Were you avoiding me all along?”
As my grandfather’s wife chimed in, I remembered that he had indeed been keeping his distance.
“Avoiding? I merely kept my distance for a while.”
“That’s basically avoiding. Changing the wording doesn’t change the meaning.”
Listening to their banter, I quietly smiled. Fortunately, my relationship with my maternal family wasn’t bad. It’d be a stretch to say we were close, but we weren’t at a level where we’d ignore each other either.
However, my grandfather was the father-in-law of the Wise Duke. Just being the father-in-law of a Duke could gather enough attention, but having a grandson as a Supervisor? That was sure to draw both admiration and unnecessary gossip among the nobility.
So, my grandfather had chosen rigorous neutrality and isolation. To avoid needless scandal, he had cut off contact altogether so that neither he nor I would be accused of favoritism in family matters.
“Hiii, even my grandfather won’t meet me! Do I really look that ugly?”
The Wise Duke lamented in front of me about how thoroughly he had distanced himself.
For people who might not even know that the Aras family has a Duke between us and the Wise Duke, it was that comprehensive of a silence my grandfather maintained that he decided to show up after so long—to celebrate his grandson’s wedding.
“I’m fine. I understand perfectly well your reasons for keeping your distance, Grandfather.”
At my words, my grandmother shot a glance at my grandfather before quieting down. It was a delicate situation since I being alright meant she couldn’t nag him anymore.
“Still, it’s lovely to see you after a long time. I hope there will be many opportunities to greet you going forward.”
I quickly added that to avoid ending on a sour note as my grandmother slowly smiled at my response.
Thank goodness. It seems that was the right approach.
Knock knock
“Carl, it’s me.”
Finally, I heard a voice alongside a knock—Marya. It seems she hurriedly checked her outfit as soon as she learned my grandparents were in the visiting room. She must have come back from getting ready.
“Just in time.”
If she had come a bit earlier or later, things could have become awkward. It seems Enen is assisting Marya.
“My wife wanted to greet you both. May I let her in?”
“Of course. We wouldn’t mind seeing the face of our granddaughter-in-law.”
With my grandmother’s eager consent, my grandfather nodded silently.
Once Marya entered the visitation room, she was blissfully showered with affection—no need to elaborate on that.
Marya and I sat next to each other on the sofa, gazing blankly at the ceiling. The evening was drawing near, so there probably wouldn’t be any more guests arriving. Let’s just chill here for a bit.
“Um, I hope I made a good impression?”
Hearing her mutter softly, I turned my head to the side and saw Marya looking somewhat tired.
“Yep. They seemed to really like you.”
As I gently ruffled her hair, Marya smiled brightly and leaned her head on my shoulder.
“I was a bit nervous. I’d met your father and mother often, but those two were a first for me.”
Understanding Marya’s anxiety, I quietly stroked her head.
Meeting the in-laws is nerve-wracking for a potential daughter-in-law, but to meet the grandparents was a whole different level of pressure. Especially since my grandmother was the one who would be her mother-in-law someday. That must have been quite overwhelming.
“…Count Kemnis is someone who rarely engages in public activities. The successor has taken over those responsibilities long ago.”
“So I got to meet a rare gem?”
“That’s right. I was a bit anxious since I didn’t know what his personality would be like.”
At those words, both Marya and I chuckled lightly.
My father’s quite active as a congressman, and my mother, as the head of the Imperial Count family, is well-known in social circles. There is plenty of information to strategize on how to impress them, the “in-laws.”
However, the ones we met today all had vague information, so Marya could only feel anxious. It was like fighting a boss with no guide.
“But it was still nice. Even though they were strangers at first, I could feel how much they care for you, Carl.”
“There’s no way anyone could dislike Marya.”
Saying that, I planted a kiss on her lips.
Let’s stay like this until the butler comes to find us.
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