Chapter: 621
As Teresa, the legendary mount (an older brother), was fast asleep after trotting around the mansion, the sky gradually turned a lovely shade of red.
“What’s this, you’re here too, huh?”
Erich, the youngest in the Imperial Council, appeared out of nowhere.
“Oh, brother.”
“It’s been a while!”
And he didn’t come alone; he brought along Sara and Zenobia.
“Welcome, everyone! It’s nice to see you again after so long.”
Seeing Sara and Zenobia was indeed a refreshing sight after ages. With my marriage still pending, they’re essentially my sisters-in-law. As the head of the Krasius family, I should treat them like family.
So, as soon as they arrived, I grabbed a chair from the corner and handed it to them. It didn’t look right for my precious sisters-in-law to be standing around.
“What about mine?”
“Just stand, will you?”
Of course, I only offered chairs to my sisters-in-law. My brother was standing too, so why should I let a younger sibling sit?
In this scenario, only those who deserve to sit are my hard-working mother, the nanny, and our esteemed guests, Sara and Zenobia from the Krasius family.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Teresa sleeping.”
At Erich’s firm command, he clicked his tongue and approached Teresa.
I flinched for a second. Teresa has a history of wailing at the sound of Erich’s voice. If she woke up again now, it would have been a total disaster for my back!
“Uuuh…”
But thankfully, it seemed like today Teresa had completely exhausted her energy. She just fidgeted at Erich’s voice but didn’t stir.
What a relief!
“She looks like such an angel when she sleeps.”
Erich looked down at Teresa and backed away with a bitter smile. It seems he’s learned that spending too long near Teresa is dangerous from experience.
A wise choice. If you can’t win her favor, it’s best to avoid her wrath!
“So, how did you three manage to come together? Isn’t the council busy these days?”
“It’s always busy, not just these days.”
Erich sighed softly and scratched the back of his head at my comment.
I stopped myself from pointing out that being the youngest is part of the problem and kept my mouth shut. It’d be too harsh to expose that cruel truth to my little brother slaving away on my behalf.
“Still, we have to come together for Teresa’s sake. If one of us doesn’t show up, she’ll cry.”
“Crying, is she?”
I furrowed my brows at this and let out a sigh. I could guess what kind of drama was going on!
Teresa cries over the tiniest things already. I can just imagine Erich arriving with Sara, only for Teresa to wail because Zenobia was with him this time. She’s the type to start crying at the sight of a stranger!
So we’re in a situation where switching back to Sara isn’t an option, and pushing forward with Zenobia isn’t either?
“Oh, so she cries no matter who comes.”
“Yup.”
Erich nodded in agreement with my deduction.
Teresa probably cried when she first laid eyes on Sara, finally getting used to her only for Zenobia to show up and make her start crying again. And then when she finally began to get cozy with Zenobia, in came Sara to make her cry anew.
It’s an unending crying chain, and unless Teresa is going to live apart from us, alternating visits is the worst situation! Hence, Erich has set up this rule that the three of them always come together.
“Must be tough on you.”
“What can I do? An adult has to adjust to the child.”
Watching a seemingly enlightened Erich mumbling that, I glanced towards my mother and nanny chatting with the two future sisters-in-law.
Unlike Erich, their expressions weren’t dark at all. In fact, they looked quite cheerful and bright.
‘Is it a good thing that they have a reason to come to the castle?’
Thinking it over, for them, the more they come to the castle, the more face time they get with their future in-laws. As brides-to-be, they probably wish to spend as much time here as they can.
Of course, some brides-to-be feel awkward being around their future in-laws. But women with such a weak mentality would never have been able to pursue a crush on Erich. Those who’ve endured a long, drawn-out crush wouldn’t see sitting with their future in-laws as any kind of trial.
“I can see more of Mom’s face on Teresa as time goes by.”
“Ha! Sara, you exaggerate. Besides, she’s still under six months old.”
“No, really! She looks just like Mom!”
“Is that so? You’re saying the same thing? How embarrassing.”
Seeing the cheerful banter between the future in-laws filled my heart with warmth. The fact that Zenobia has a nickname now is a good sign for their in-law relationship.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Aren’t babies supposed to be average now?”
With a strangely trembling voice, Erich subtly shook his head.
“If my little sister was the average, the empire would only produce single children.”
At that, Erich looked noticeably relieved. I felt a bit irritated seeing him look so content. What’s this expression for my little sister? Have you ever sacrificed your back for her, huh?!
‘What a pathetic guy.’
All you can think of is soothing a crying baby rather than preventing them from crying in the first place?
But, it’s too much to expect someone as inexperienced as him to grasp such a profound truth!
“By the way, where’s the Patriarch?”
“Right in front of you.”
“Uh, no. I meant, where’s Father?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at how Erich finally started calling Father “Father” instead of “Patriarch.”
It’s odd for someone who’s not a noble to not be able to refer to his father properly!
After nearly twenty years of calling him Patriarch, I can understand, but if Father has already retired, it’s fitting to call him Father.
“He’s on the run.”
“…Huh?”
“He’s on the run. He’s not here.”
If Erich learns about Father’s laid-back and carefree demeanor, it might just break down the walls he’s built around his heart.
I know it would have for me.
*
I spent a day at Walter’s mansion, a day at Georg’s mansion, and another day by the lakeside. Then on the fourth day, I returned to Walter’s mansion to get settled again.
I was using this precious break that my wife had granted wisely, gearing up for the seemingly unending parenting marathon ahead.
‘It’s time to head back now, I guess.’
After spending several days recuperating in freedom, my worries about my wife had only grown.
She hadn’t given me a specific return date but merely asked me to take a few days off. It was like she wanted me to return when I was truly okay.
Honestly, I wasn’t 100% recovered, but if I dragged this out any longer, my wife would faint. No matter how many maidservants and other attendants there are, she is ultimately the one in charge.
“I’m off then.”
“Take care, coward! Next time you come, you better yell that you’re the super coward who ran away from his daughter as you enter!”
Georg’s playful wagging of his hand rekindled a deep-seated frustration within me.
But I held it back. It’s true that I ran away, and I owe Georg for his hospitality too.
“If Zenobia contacts you, be prepared. Just half of the alcohol you’ve consumed over the last few days will make her scream.”
“Consider this your home and come whenever you want. I’ll tell the guards in advance.”
Still, I had my own leverage against Georg. We both knew each other’s weaknesses too well for one to take a one-sided beating.
So, with Georg seeing me off with a tearful farewell, I returned to the palace.
“Uuuh!”
“Faster! We need to speed it up! The young lady isn’t happy!”
“This… this is too much!”
I couldn’t believe my eyes at the bizarre scene unfolding before me.
Shouts echoed across the entire palace. Knights of the household were sprawled out on the ground, and on one knight’s stomach sat Teresa, babbling like a little queen!
What an utter confusion! Did I still have residual effects from the drinks I had with Georg, or was this bizarre scene truly before my eyes?
“Uuuh!”
Suddenly, Teresa spotted me and reached out her little hands.
“Y-Your Grace!”
“I bow before you, Your Grace!”
One by one, the nearby knights began to salute me, startling me even more!
“What in the world is happening here?”
As I scooped up Teresa, I asked, and the highest-ranking knight nearby, Sir Emil, spoke up.
“Lady Teresa enjoys this game, so the knights without tasks are entertaining her.”
It was a bluntly simple answer, but it didn’t clear my confusion.
How did they find out that Teresa loved this? Why did they mobilize the knights for this game? And why on earth would those proud knights willingly lay on the floor? I couldn’t grasp any of it!
“Um, Your Grace.”
“Speak!”
“Yesterday, the Patriarch came by to visit.”
“Carl?”
At his words, a wave of disappointment washed over me. If I had just come back a day earlier, I could have seen Carl!
“And the Patriarch personally carried Lady Teresa and walked around the entire palace.”
At the follow-up, I felt a chill run down my spine.
Sir Emil’s “carried” was a gross understatement; considering what I’m witnessing now, it seems far from the typical notion of ‘carrying.’
If the current Patriarch was crawling around, how could the knights possibly shy away from doing so?
“…You all are doing a remarkable job.”
“Not at all, Your Grace. It’s our duty as family knights to ensure the lady has fun.”
Emil’s response was met with eager agreement from the other knights, even those sprawled out on the ground jumped up to salute me!
It’s a noble and beautiful loyalty, but—
Let’s not think about it any further. These are outstanding knights with overwhelming loyalty.
“Aaah!”
Teresa fluttered her arms in delight as the knights simultaneously saluted her.
Her wide smile was brighter than the sun, warming my heart. As long as Teresa was happy, no matter how strange the scene, I could let it slide.
“Right? So you work a bit harder too.”
“What?”
I figured out that I should be crawling around just like the knights after experiencing it all first-hand since meeting my wife.
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