Chapter: 683
The Crown Princess was keeping vigil by the Crown Prince’s side at the Imperial Palace.
Given the active nature of the Crown Princess, if it weren’t for her remarkable affection for her brother, the palace would probably have been turned upside down by now. She’s the kind of girl who can tolerate hunger but absolutely cannot stand being bored.
Of course, kids her age usually prefer playing over eating, but the Crown Princess took it to a whole new level. She probably inherited a strong warrior’s bloodline from the Nuren Duke family. Oddly enough, even the Vice Captain and the Emperor himself are generally serious types.
“Taebu! Pedie!”
So, when the Crown Princess realized we were here, she enthusiastically opened the door herself. How thrilled could she be to find a way to play without leaving the Crown Prince’s side?
It was a sight that was both cute and a little pitiful. Just how bored must she have been to greet us so passionately? She even opened the door herself, despite having a lady-in-waiting.
“Ah! Titi’s here too!”
– Woof!
Anyway, the Crown Princess opened the door rapidly and patted Titi, who was carrying Pedie.
Since the holy beasts need to keep the kids entertained, it would be a stretch, but bringing Titi over was certainly doable. Besides, Titi has always been treated like Pedie’s personal mount among our kids.
“Nu-na! Long time, no see!”
While the Crown Princess was showering Titi with affection, Pedie happily greeted us after hopping down from Titi’s back.
“Yeah! It’s been a while, Pedie!”
Seeing the energetic reunion of the siblings made me chuckle.
If I had known they would be this happy, I should have brought Pedie over sooner.
Despite having Pedie and Titi here, the Crown Princess’s activities didn’t go beyond the room.
Yet, having a companion to play with, instead of being stuck alone in the room, made a world of difference. Just seeing them run around together brought pure joy to the Crown Princess’s face.
– Eeeeek…
Unfortunately, Titi, who had come all the way to the palace, lay forlornly by the door, unable to join in on the children’s games.
It’s a pity that if Titi were to play vigorously, her fur would inevitably fly everywhere. Dog hair could be a concern for a newborn Crown Prince, after all. I had brought her for the Crown Princess’s sake, but I had to be cautious for the baby’s health.
“Once we get back, let’s go for a walk together.”
– Woof!
Titi’s tail began to wag excitedly as I gently stroked her head.
I was relieved she understood. Being a Labrador, lying alone while the kids played must be tough; yet she prioritizes my commands over her own desires, and I’m grateful for that.
“Minister.”
“Oh, Lady-in-Waiting.”
While I was patting the deserving Titi, the Lady-in-Waiting, who had been silent up till now, approached us.
“Since you’re here, would you like to see His Highness the Crown Prince? He’s still sleeping, but with you by his side, His Highness will surely feel more at ease.”
“What an honor! Of course, I’d love to.”
With a gentle smile at the Lady-in-Waiting’s suggestion, I made my way to the bed.
Though she mentioned the “peaceful sleep” as her reason, I knew it was more about making sure the kids didn’t crash into the bed while playing. If that’s what she wanted, I’d be glad to oblige.
Besides, if the ruckus from the kids woke the Crown Prince, I’d need to soothe him right away. Thankfully, being a father of seven comes with its perks; calming down at least one crying child is a piece of cake for me.
‘Sleep well.’
As I moved to the side of the bed, I saw the Crown Prince soundly asleep with his eyes tightly shut.
Now that I think about it, this was my first time seeing him up close since the celebratory banquet for his birth. His hair seemed to have grown in like fine fluff.
‘He has blonde hair.’
A faint golden hue—unlike the silver hair of the Crown Princess, which resembles the Empress, the Crown Prince seems to take after the Emperor.
I sincerely hope his resemblance ends with just the hair. For the love of all that’s holy, may his character not follow suit.
‘He must grow up kind and healthy.’
A royal who cannot inherit the throne doesn’t need to be brave or wise. The best path is to maintain a gentle disposition, get along with the Emperor, and use his good health to help the family prosper.
In life, he becomes the Emperor’s close brother, and in death, serves as the noble ancestor of the side branches. What a splendid royal! Considering the Krasius family has very few members left, this attitude is essential.
“Taebu!”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“Is Carlolus cute!?”
In the midst of it all, the Crown Princess, who had been rolling around on the floor with Pedie, suddenly turned her gaze toward me and bragged about her brother with surprising sincerity.
That made me burst into laughter. It seems she was sneakily glancing at me while playing, waiting for the moment to showcase her brother.
“Of course! Your Highness, as your brother, he is undoubtedly adorable and remarkable.”
“Right!?”
As I returned the praise she eagerly awaited, the Crown Princess’s smile grew even brighter.
I hope that her affection for her brother carries on even into adulthood. Having a reliable brother for the Emperor is nothing short of a blessing.
Of course, the Crown Prince must listen to and trust his older sister, but I believe that with the Empress’s nurturing, he’ll grow up to be a normal child. The current Empress is a figure that should not be compared to the previous one.
“Appa! I wanna see Carlolus too!”
“Yeah! Pedie wants to see him! He’s super cute!”
The Crown Princess’s commendation of her brother piqued Pedie’s interest in the Crown Prince as well.
Well, it won’t hurt for Pedie to become friendly with the Crown Prince. After all, it would be odd for the future head of the Imperial Count family to have a poor relationship with a royal family member.
“Since he’s sleeping, we shouldn’t bother him, right?”
“Yeah!”
Carefully lifting Pedie to show him the Crown Prince lying in bed, Pedie nodded eagerly as he gazed down at the Prince.
The shine in Pedie’s eyes suggested that the firstborn son’s spirit was roaring within him. It seems the Crown Prince had already imprinted himself in Pedie’s mind as his little brother.
‘Now I have two younger siblings.’
One resides in the Imperial Palace, while the other is back at home, Ferentz.
All of a sudden, Pedie found himself with two younger siblings in just one month.
The following day after playing with the Crown Princess, the communication orb began to glow brilliantly.
Starting with the Minister of Finance, all the way through various secretaries, the department heads, and vice heads. The civil servants who had known Erich since her time in the Information Department all reached out.
– I heard 1st Department Head became a mother?
“Seems like it.”
And the final message came from the Vice Department Head, who had unseated Erich as the first Department Head.
It’s amusing that he still calls her that, despite having replaced her; it just shows how out of it he really is.
– 1st Department Head is a mother… Who would have thought this day would come?
In fact, the Vice Department Head chuckled like someone who had lost touch with reality.
– Lately, I’ve been reading the scriptures during my spare time. Just wondering if there’s anything in there about the end of the world.
“This jerk.”
His next comment made me instinctively bite back my anger.
Why would the birth of someone’s child be seen as a sign of the world’s end? Isn’t that pure disdain for Erich?
– To be honest, wasn’t everyone thinking somewhat similarly up until a few years ago?
However, despite my wildly fluctuating feelings, my reason stayed cold as ice.
Damn it, he wasn’t wrong. I also never imagined a future like this until I saw Erich crying on the street.
– Still, congratulations are in order. They say a person doesn’t change, but sometimes a major turning point can lead to a transformation. For 1st Department Head, it was marriage.
While making a suffocating joke, the Vice Department Head awkwardly offered congratulations.
I was a little annoyed but decided to let it slide. Though the process was weird, it ended up being a goodwill message, so it wouldn’t be right to be angry.
Besides, the Vice Department Head had a deep work-related history with Erich since their time in the Information Department. Since both the first and second departments handled information, he’s likely seen Erich’s antics up close.
– So, when’s a good time to go congratulate them? It’s not every day that a co-worker has a baby; we ought to go and give our best wishes.
“Come in about two weeks. You’re busy after all.”
– Good point.
My suggestion saw him nodding calmly.
It’s almost impossible for a department head to spare time immediately. If they are coming late anyway, it makes sense to give them time to prep.
“Rather than coming separately, let’s all go together. We can at least have dinner together.”
– I’m not so keen on dining with the boss.
“Well, you could have a one-on-one dinner with Erich then.”
– I promise to visit in two weeks.
With that, the call abruptly ended.
What a cheeky guy. How dare the Vice Department Head hang up on me faster than I could?
‘Your boss is right before you.’
The Minister of Finance, who is also Erich’s superior and Pedie’s godfather, is scheduled to visit the mansion. Since this is happening, I should ask the Vice Head to come over at the same time and place them at the same table. I doubt they will even register what they eat.
‘This is going to be great.’
Just picturing it made me feel warm and fuzzy. While the Vice Department Head is technically under the Ministry of Finance now, the Minister thinks of the Vice Head’s wife as his own daughter. This makes it an even more intimidating position than when he was just the boss.
*
I kept chuckling, holding Ferentz close.
It felt warm. Like the soft rays of summer sunshine wrapping around me. And how fascinating that this child, who was inside me just a few days ago, is now so much bigger.
No, I shouldn’t even need such comparisons; the sheer joy overflows. Just looking at him makes me smile, and holding him feels like I’ve conquered the entire world.
– Is it nice?
“Absolutely!”
I nodded vigorously at Aria’s words.
It’s exceptionally wonderful. The joy of marrying the Minister is on par with this moment.
– Make sure to raise him well. This child will be a friend to our Carlolus. They’ll be classmates when they start academy.
Aria chuckled softly as she gazed lovingly at Ferentz nestled in my arms.
That’s a tad unfair. Can’t she share that softness with this junior just a little?
“I think you ought to raise him better than me! After all, you were always better at academics than I was, so Carlolus should follow in your footsteps!”
– What?
“…You were always better at studies than me~”
I instantly caved in at her fierce gaze.
It’s frustrating. It’s not like my own academy days were totally ordinary, but honestly, she was way more impressive. I can’t believe I’m being forced to admit that kind of truth due to power. It really irritates me.
‘My Ferentz shouldn’t yield to authority like this.’
And so, I silently vowed. My son will not follow in his mother’s footsteps.
He needs to live a life that leads rather than submits.
‘Just wait and see.’
I will raise Ferentz to be so impressive that he’ll shock both Aria and Carlolus.
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