Chapter: 650
If someone is having their sixth wedding, it’s a bit awkward to genuinely congratulate them every time, especially if the intervals are only half a year apart. I mean, this isn’t even a divorce-and-remarry situation; it’s just another round of tying the knot.
But this time, it isn’t just my sixth wedding—it’s my last one. That monumental title of “last” has led to some sincere congratulations coming my way.
“Congratulations! You finally made it to the end.”
This was my brother, Erich, speaking.
After witnessing three years of my weddings, he had only been waiting for this day. My wedding had to conclude before he could start planning his own.
Of course, the status of my marriage doesn’t really hold weight when it comes to influencing his. Traditionally, the older sibling gets married first due to family succession customs, but since I’m already married to Mar, I’m a married man! Even if there were a law about it, it wouldn’t apply as a reason for Erich to postpone his marriage.
Despite that, Erich decided to put off his own wedding. He didn’t want any of the six women who would become my wives to have the title of “one who got hitched after their brother-in-law.”
“Thanks for waiting,” I said, patting Erich on the shoulder as he congratulated me.
Some might think the order of marriages doesn’t really matter, but in noble society, what might seem trivial can blow up into a massive headache. To preemptively avoid petty disputes, it’s better not to create any friction over such minor details.
It’d be better if it didn’t become a debate over who among our wives got the title of being the first to enter the Krasius family. Who needs to deal with that kind of exhausting back-and-forth?
“Wasn’t the first wedding supposed to be in March next year?”
“Yeah. January is busy for both of us, so March seems like a solid plan.”
I nodded at Erich’s calm assessment.
Thanks to my stellar secretary from the Judicial Minister’s office and guaranteed extended leave from the Emperor, I could have rushed a January wedding, but generally, January is crammed with tasks. It would’ve been awkward for both Erich, one of the youngest in the Imperial Assembly, and Zenobia to ask for leave starting in January.
So, March for the first wedding naturally leads to a September wedding for the second.
‘Not too shabby.’
While March feels like a compromise with reality, it’s not a bad choice. A wedding amidst cherry blossoms in spring and another amidst autumn leaves? Sounds picturesque.
“I was worried I was blocking your path, but now you can breathe easy.”
“Didn’t seem like you were feeling bad about it.”
Maybe it was just my imagination. It certainly might’ve felt nonchalant, but it felt like I could hear a slight residual hum of “If you were feeling sorry, you wouldn’t have offloaded your Assembly duties onto your brother.”
That much I felt slightly guilty about, but what could I do? I couldn’t stop Father from retiring, and I couldn’t hand over the representative role to little Pedi or Teresa. Only Erich was left to take up my rights and duties.
But still, doesn’t being a representative in the Imperial Assembly get you decent treatment? If he can’t avoid it, he might as well enjoy it.
“Uuuh!”
“Teresa?”
“Already back from playtime?”
As I was chatting with Erich, Teresa’s baby talk floated from behind me.
Teresa was born around the same time as Friedrich. Thanks to that, she could now crawl around, and as she visited my mansion, she was darting around with her cousins and the animals. For little Teresa, my mansion was a playground.
So, I had let her play to her heart’s content but wasn’t expecting her to return to us so soon.
“Te-re-sa! Look!”
“Co-come, momo!”
I suddenly heard the voices of the Crown Princess and Pedi from a distance.
‘Cousin.’
A smile escaped me involuntarily. A little one just starting to crawl is calling someone ‘cousin.’
I mean, it’s not impossible to have a younger cousin, but it still feels oddly intriguing. Little Pedi, who’s just learning to walk, calls crawling Teresa ‘cousin,’ and someday, Teresa will refer to Pedi as her cousin.
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
Before I realized it, I scooped Teresa into my arms.
How will the relationship between Pedi and Teresa evolve? Will Pedi feel embarrassed to be called a cousin by someone younger than her? Or will Teresa be reluctant to call a senior cousin ‘cousin’? Or perhaps surprisingly, they’ll enjoy calling each other playfully?
Now, that’s a mystery, and we’re at least 10 years away from those answers.
‘I can wait that long.’
In what might feel like the blink of an eye, ten years could zoom by.
Watching these adorable kids grow up surely makes time fly faster than anything else. They say joyful and happy experiences make time pass quicker.
Honestly, I might even feel a bit sad as they grow up too fast. Each stage of being a one, two, or three-year-old has its unique charm, and I worry I won’t fully savor it before it passes.
But what can I do? I can’t keep the kids in their perpetual infancy just for my satisfaction. I don’t even have the ability to do that.
“Ah! Teddybear!”
“Oppa!”
– Woof!
Before long, the Crown Princess, Pedi, and Titi darted into the room toward me.
“Teresa! Lower her! The chick is on Teresa!”
“Eh?”
I tilted my head at the Crown Princess’s words. Chick? Is she talking about modesty in the cute sense?
‘Does Teresa have modesty?’
Looking down at Teresa in my arms, she blinked with her bright, innocent eyes.
It was odd. Wouldn’t this tiny one be the last to carry around a chick─
“Y-Your Highness…”
From around her neck, something yellow popped out.
“Ah.”
Got it. Modesty. It was obscured in her clothing, so I didn’t realize it right away.
“Help me! Your brother saw me and just snatched me!”
Seeing modesty fluttering around, flapping its tiny wings and floundering, I couldn’t help but sigh. Just the other day, it had dressed up like a soulful chick in front of Atelius, and now it’s become a living accessory in a kid’s arms. The dignity and honor of a former evil deity are disappearing faster than you can say “screaming.”
To be honest, I think dignity and honor were already lacking the moment it was hauled out of the packaging.
“Teresa, that little one looks a bit flustered. How about letting it go?”
“Uu?”
Anyway, I asked Teresa to release modesty. If she decided to flop to the ground, modesty might get squished flat between the floor and Teresa, creating an awkward situation for everyone.
Of course, I doubt that such a holy little thing could change color from yellow to red just because it ends up under a kid, but the sound it would make while wailing could be quite tragic.
“Uuh…”
In any case, responding to my request, Teresa tilted her head and used her adorable hands to grab modesty.
“W-wait…!”
“Uhh?”
As Teresa’s hand moved toward her mouth, I could only watch helplessly.
“Te-Teresa! Noo!”
“I-I don’t taste good! I’m too small for this!”
“Uuuh!”
“Erich! Hurry up and stop her!”
“Seriously? Two people for one child—”
We created a bit of ruckus, but modesty was liberated at last.
From that day onward, modesty went on a hunger strike and howled in protest.
The wedding preparations went off smoothly.
I’ve now organized five weddings, and if we include the one that took place in the interspecies protection zone, that’s six weddings. I’ve reached a point where I could plan these ceremonies with my eyes closed.
Thanks to that, after completing all the preparations, I had the chance to visit Sirdi Baronage in advance to check out the site.
‘It’s a humble place.’
Sirdi Baronage felt calm and quaint, unlike the larger territories I had visited previously.
Just a couple of years ago, it was close to the northern borders, and being labeled simply as a barony doesn’t hold a grand impression. Considering its location, it’s less favorable than Attini Baronage, which is Rizie’s hometown, and smaller in size compared to Wiriidia Count’s territory. So, even after investing the Krasius family’s fortune into it, the humble and cozy vibe cannot be erased.
Naturally, I have no complaints. If it were in ruins due to natural disasters or war, I might think differently, but there’s a certain charm to a quiet little territory that simply feels small.
Plus, a smaller and simpler territory has its own fun in nurturing it. The current Sirdi Baronage is like a blank canvas that I can mold however I like.
“Is it really okay to have the Minister’s final wedding here?”
Pine, riding beside me, murmured in a somewhat glum tone.
“Of course, it is. I didn’t choose Sirdi Baronage because it’s bustling; I selected it as your first territory. Small isn’t an issue at all.”
I stroked Pine’s head with a smile.
“It’d be even cooler if a small territory could flourish from our wedding, right?”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. It’d be a great story to tell our kids. ‘This was a sleepy little village and look how we made it thrive!’”
Maybe I could even ramp it up to the point where it gets called Sirdi County instead of just Sirdi Baronage. It won’t be easy, but still.
“I think… a territory made with you would be as precious as my homeland.”
Pine’s expression brightened as the darkness that clouded her face lifted under my encouragement.
A bride-to-be should be staying cheerful and beautiful. She ought to focus on the joy awaiting her in just a few days, instead of worrying unnecessarily.
“Your Grace! Minister!”
Just as I was enjoying a satisfied smile and moving elsewhere, a man rushed over with several soldiers, calling our names anxiously.
‘…Who was that?’
For a moment, I was puzzled about who it was until suddenly, the identity of the man clicked in my mind.
He was an official who had managed Sirdi during its time under direct control of the Imperial family. Since it became a Baronage, he’s been skillfully handling territorial affairs in place of Pine, who took on special duties.
‘Nice.’
He likely rushed over, shocked that we were wandering around without guards, but I felt pleased that he prioritized addressing Pine, the owner of the territory.
That’s how it should be. No matter how much I’m Pine’s husband and superior, it’s important to uphold the lord’s dignity first.
‘He could be useful in the long run.’
Soon, I’ll need to gather the retinue that will make up Sirdi Baronage, and it’d be wise to include this official among them.
A position like steward or chamberlain would be perfect for him.
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