Chapter 471
Originally, winter break is a precious time meant to give our overwhelmed bodies and minds some rest. Unfortunately, this year’s winter break has turned into a busy time with no respite whatsoever.
I’ve got to prepare gifts to congratulate the Director on his marriage, a gift for Ainter as he received a marquis title, and let’s not forget the obligatory gift for the Countess of Tailglehen, who is now blessed. Thanks to all this, I’ve spent a lot of time finding appropriate gifts that are both respectful and manageable.
If I were giving a gift to someone I barely knew, I might have entrusted the task to some attendants. But the Director, the Countess, and Ainter—I’ve known them for two years now. If I half-heartedly choose a gift for them, who would I be able to genuinely care for?
“A fancy wedding gift is best!”
“The more extravagant, the merrier! When two families unite, sending a modest gift would just hurt feelings!”
“For the marquis, a light gift should suffice. If rumors spread about the Emperor’s brother being too close to a foreign prince, that could cause trouble. Quality, though, should be top-notch.”
“Isn’t a modest gift better for the blessing? The Dawn Sect discourages extravagance, so giving the blessed one a lavish gift might…”
Luckily, thanks to Rachel’s advice, I could establish some standards for the gifts.
Unlike other attendants, Rachel is a student at the Academy and has seen both the Director and Ainter in person. Because of this, she could give excellent recommendations for gifts that suited their personalities and statuses.
“What a generous gift, thank you.”
“Haha, just dealing with my duties! Anyway, you’re welcome!”
As a result, both the Director and Ainter looked pleased as they received their gifts. It seems that Rachel’s advice always yields the right results.
Because of this, when I heard about the Countess of Tailglehen’s pregnancy as soon as I arrived at the Academy, the first person I thought of was Rachel. Being at the Academy and not back home, preparing the best gift might be tricky, but with Rachel here, at least I can ensure it fits the occasion nicely.
I feel somewhat guilty for bothering Rachel when I asked for her advice over break, but what can I do? I can’t just let the pregnancy of a friend slide by without acknowledgment.
‘Sigh.’
Yet, I could foresee a future where I would annoy Rachel a little, or maybe a lot. Something tells me just preparing a gift for the baby won’t be the end of it.
‘What on earth happened here?’
Seeing Erich stiffly standing with his arms crossed while Sara was beside him made me shake my head in disbelief. It felt like witnessing something that shouldn’t exist in this world.
Of course, I knew Sara had feelings for Erich. By now, everyone in our club knew—except Erich, of course. Perhaps the entire Academy knew too, apart from him.
However, the current spectacle of Erich looking flustered and awkward in response to Sara’s shy advances bought me joy. He had been oblivious of her tentative touches, and now, with Sara’s eager gaze, he was completely blushing.
“…When the Director’s child is born, another wedding might take place.”
Rutis’s words made me nod along. At this rate, I might hear news of Erich’s unexpected marriage in a year or two.
What a chaotic mess. When I was hoping Erich would get a clue, here he was, not knowing what to do while being a mess himself.
‘This guy getting married?’
Honestly, seeing him still fumbling around makes it seem like he hasn’t even entered the official dating stage yet. But regardless, it’s shocking. The guy I thought was the weakest among us is now outpacing everyone.
I can’t help but feel a bit of self-deprecation. Am I really worse off than him?
‘How did the world come to this?’
It’s extremely disappointing.
After club activities were over, I contacted Rachel.
– Is it Baron Hardiner?
Seeing Rachel with a hint of confusion in her voice, I sadly nodded.
“Yeah. It looks like I need to prepare a gift for him in advance.”
– No way.
Seeing her mumble in sheer disbelief gave me a little comfort. It seems I’m not the only one caught off guard. Anyone who knows Erich would react like this.
And deep down, the self-deprecation that was engraved in my heart began to fade. No matter how much I rack my brain, I can’t imagine Erich suddenly figuring things out for himself. More than likely, the Director had to step in and force him into awareness.
Yeah, that must be it. People don’t change that easily.
…Unless I end up being worse than Erich. That I can’t accept.
“Even that guy is getting a partner.”
Before I realized it, I chuckled to myself. Whether it’s because of the Director’s intervention or not, it seems Erich is just about to get his partner. Unlike me, he’s got two potential candidates.
– Your Highness, you’ve sacrificed yourself for the stability of the royal family and the kingdom. That’s a different situation from Baron Hardiner.
Rachel quickly shook her head, offering me comfort in response to my murmurs.
What she said holds some truth. Due to my own abilities, there have been talks about me being the Crown Prince, and marrying a high noble would only strengthen my political position and support. It would intensify the discussions about changing the heir as well.
Thus, I’ve been pushing away people of high status and those with goals from my circle. Gradually, I got rid of powerful figures, smart individuals, and ambitious folks until only a minimal number of attendants and guards remained. Even now, I’m still uneasy, so I came to this Imperial Academy for a level of safety.
When I think about it, my feelings for Louise may have stemmed from her status as well. Marrying the daughter of an Imperial Baron wouldn’t have any significant impact on Yuben at all.
‘Who would have thought she was a disciple of the Duke?’
I smirked subtly as I glanced at Rachel. I’ve been sweeping people out of my way for the sake of the succession rights, and even the person I chose to stand by my side turned out to be someone who was instinctively secure. I’ve been living my life always wary and crawling on the floor.
Yet, even I couldn’t completely push Rachel away. I couldn’t bring myself to abandon a friend I’ve known since childhood.
‘Somehow, I managed to keep Rachel by my side.’
Fortunately, the Sorden family, to which Rachel belongs, isn’t particularly influential, and while her skills are impressive, she’s not at the genius level, allowing our relationship to persist.
“I think my ‘Sara’ is you.”
– Huh?
Rachel gasped a little in surprise at my words.
‘Oh no.’
It dawned on me just how ambiguous that phrase was. I meant Sara is my childhood friend and not anything romantic, but Rachel just heard that Erich and Sara were on the verge of becoming lovers.
“Who else could I call my childhood friend than you?”
– Oh yes, right. I’m your only friend.
Not just any friend, but only childhood friend. I have a few acquaintances from the club, but…
I decided not to press that point further. I barely managed to save the awkward atmosphere, and I didn’t want to shove it back into the ground—
– Then I might soon become Rachel Ostia.
“What?”
Was Rachel throwing back some surprise retaliation? Suddenly a strong counterattack erupted, making me freeze up.
Ostia. The thought of Rachel sharing my surname…
– Just kidding.
“Of course, that would be the case.”
With Rachel smirking, I nodded as naturally as I could.
I stuttered a bit, but I believe it didn’t show.
*
Leaving the office is undoubtedly one of the most noble and beautiful concepts created by humanity.
“Mar!”
As soon as I returned home with Trixie, I rushed into the room where Mar was. Being able to see my wife every day is an unimaginable luxury—without teleportation—something I could never have dreamed of.
“Welcome home, Carl. You worked hard today, didn’t you?”
– Your Highness!
Walking in, I was greeted by Mar, sitting on the bed with a smile, while Titi, who had been sitting at her feet, perked up to say hello.
And it seemed like our baby in her belly was greeting Daddy too. I could faintly see Mar’s belly twitch slightly.
Yes, it definitely moved. The important thing is believing it moved.
“Have you been well? Is there anywhere uncomfortable? And if there’s something you want to eat—”
“I’m fine. The servants are taking good care of me.”
With those words, Mar opened her arms wide, as if silently asking me to hug her.
Taking that bold yet straightforward cue, I carefully embraced Mar. While my face and chest touched, I kept my belly distanced. What if our baby felt smothered in Daddy’s embrace?
“Our baby wants to hug Daddy too.”
“Then I must!”
Quickly, I made sure to bring my arms down to her belly. The baby already loves being held by Daddy; whether it’s a good son or daughter, they are certainly a good child.
“By the way, Carl.”
“Yeah, what is it? Need anything?”
“What name should we give our baby?”
That question made my mind go blank.
“We can’t keep calling them ‘baby.’ It feels like I’m not giving my one and only treasure the consideration it deserves.”
Her words were so compelling that I instinctively nodded.
That’s a valid point. Even Titi, who was panting, has a name. How strange is it that our treasure lacks even a temporary name?
“Do you have any names in mind, Carl?”
“M-me?”
“Yes. You’re the dad, after all.”
Before I knew it, the hand that was holding Mar trembled ever so slightly.
A name, the first name for my first child. Even if it’s just a temporary name, it deserves to be something beautiful that I will be calling them for nine months.
‘What’s good?’
Unfortunately, nothing immediately came to mind. Perhaps getting shunned when picking Titi’s name left a trauma in me.
But let’s think this through. Naming my first child is probably a cherished memory for Mar too. She must have passed that treasured memory onto me.
‘Hmm…’
Temporary name… first child… our baby…
Temporary name… Carl… Mar…
Ka—
‘No way!’
I quickly bit my tongue and halted my thoughts.
I nearly gave birth to a child who would champion the redistribution of wealth!
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