Chapter: 848
Erich’s home was the first place Humility ventured to, and true to its name, it was a lesson in humility.
“This can’t be happening. No way can a newborn be this lively…!”
Humility trembled all over, pouring out fear and indignation. I have no idea what went down, but it sounds like it had a spicy experience.
I can’t help but be a little curious. How did that confident little creature end up in such a state? Did Robert sit on it too many times, or did Eduard decide to take a nibble?
Nah. It would be problematic to let a newborn chew on a chick. More likely, Robert’s the one who did the sit-in while Eduard crushed the poor thing.
‘Looks like you had a blast!’
A satisfied smile spread across my face without my noticing.
With Robert finally crawling about, full of curiosity, and Eduard, who’d surely be bored lying in his cradle, the brothers were bound to be bored in a different way. And in the midst of all this, there was the chick, strutting around proudly. What a fun little toy!
Plus, the holy beasts, including Humility, are incredibly durable. They can withstand being squished by kids and can drop from three or four stories and still be fine.
Talking, not breaking down, giving reactions—what a fantastic toy! Even I can’t help but adore it, and if I’m going crazy over it, just imagine how the kids must feel! Erich really made a great choice with this one.
‘The big guys will be no problem either.’
The fact that my nephews played so aggressively with Humility means they’ve got no aversion to animals. We can send the younger ones in succession as planned, and once they settle in, we can unleash the big ones. No need to delay.
My heart races. Just how will the sturdy bear, fluffy sheep, and proud horse react when they see my nephews?
“Good job.”
Feeling warm in my chest, I gently patted Humility, still vibrating from the chaos.
I can’t forget how I treated my sister like some sort of plague once, but the boys dealt out some justice, so let’s move on. There’s no perfect end to a family’s grudge than having it settled by family itself.
“But was it really that tough? It was only two kids.”
While patting Humility, a nagging question slipped out from the depths of my mind.
While the fact that Humility had learned its place is definitely a positive outcome, I just can’t understand how it got there. These little guys treat playtime with Teresa at our mansion like a vacation; how could they struggle so much with just two kids? Is Eduard really that extraordinary?
“The master… the master doesn’t know… No, I didn’t know, so he couldn’t possibly know…”
In a voice tinged with bitterness, Humility continued.
“Robert was manageable. He poked and prodded me, trying to put me in his mouth, but that’s just your usual stuff, so it was fine.”
‘Oh boy.’
I almost let out a sincere sigh, but held it back. If the direct party was okay with it, then there’s no need for pity.
“But Eduard, my brother, was different. That kid has potential like Teresa… A being born only once every 50 years has shown up right after another one!”
And then, Humility began vibrating even more intensely.
Like it did not want to imagine any more. Like it couldn’t accept its own future.
“I can’t accept it! There’s no way! How did we manage to get through Teresa! And now there’s another just because she got bigger!”
‘Is this little guy losing it?’
Now, I’m starting to really worry about Humility’s mental state. Is it going to end up frothing at the mouth and passing out?
At the same time, I’m pretty concerned for Erich’s future. When Teresa was in her prime, she literally turned the Tailglehen Estate upside down. She was a kid bursting with the energy of a beagle, taking all her pent-up frustration from being unable to move and turning it into tears. The effort drove the mother, nanny, and even the servants close to fainting.
To prevent that disaster, I and the knights of House Krasius sacrificed our backs. Even my father joined in. After all that effort, we barely managed to get through Teresa’s prime.
But now, with Humility having seen Teresa often, who probably played with her more times than I have, it’s claiming to have seen a ‘Second Teresa’ in Eduard. I doubt it could be that extreme, but an expert is saying so.
‘What am I supposed to do here?’
A cold sweat trickled down my spine. We managed to calm down Teresa with the full forces of the Imperial Count’s entourage. Does Erich have that sort of manpower to whip up?
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure! My experience, my insight—they’re telling me that thing in the cradle has unbelievable potential!”
“This is insane.”
I held on to Humility a little more firmly, feeling the need to set this overgrown chick straight.
I was ready to overlook a lot of the wild statements, but “monster” crossed a line.
“M-my neck, even if choked, will… will not change…!”
It sounded like something a tortured freedom fighter would say. For real, this little guy seems to have lost it completely, and a heavy sigh escaped me.
More than that, it’s my body, not just my neck you’ve got there. Don’t make statements that can lead to misunderstanding, ya little yellow guy.
I could make you go red in an instant!
In line with the agreement to send different holy beasts every day, beyond a frazzled Humility, I dispatched several other holy beasts.
“The master… does the master’s… family flow with some special blood…?”
“How is it that two beings like that were born in the same era, in the same family?”
“I can guarantee, right now that kid in the cradle is just figuring stuff out. In a few weeks, there’s going to be chaos.”
And all the beasts that had been sent back from their assignments echoed the same thing.
Honestly, I’m getting scared. If this keeps up, Erich might run away or just drop dead unexpectedly. When Eduard awakens, will I have to go back to living like a slug again…?
But on the bright side, it’s confirmed that Eduard looks just like Erich, not Serra. And not just a little; he looks about three times more like him, which is the issue.
“Count. What’s with that expression?”
Noticing my deep worries reflecting on my face, the Emperor across from me tilted his head.
“It’s nothing, Your Majesty. Just a little personal issue I’ve been pondering over.”
“Is that so? I don’t know what it is, but don’t keep it to yourself. If you need my help, feel free to ask.”
“Very gracious of you to say.”
It’s not like anyone could help with the worries I’m having, but out of politeness, I expressed my gratitude. He probably just said it for politeness too.
“But, Count. I know it might be awkward to say this with personal dilemmas, but could we talk about the country’s affairs for a moment?”
At those words, my hand holding the teacup trembled.
Oh no. This wasn’t just for formalities. He was using those words to ease his own guilt. He wants me to help him, so in return, I should help him too.
“Speak freely. Even though I’m on leave, and am of no assistance to you, I can surely share in your burdens.”
I composed myself, adjusting my emotions as I began dodging the responsibility.
I’m a noble on leave. A retired executive. Even if the emperor speaks of his troubles, I’ll lend an ear, but I have no intention of acting on them. I made that point clear.
“Hmm. Just listening brings me comfort. Though I mentioned it’s a matter of state, it would also be fine to discuss personal issues.”
“Yes?”
“What I meant was…”
The Emperor, who had momentarily closed his mouth, carefully continued.
“Count, you are attending Prince Rutis’s wedding, aren’t you?”
“It’s essential, isn’t it? As the club supervisor, I attended all my members’ weddings. Failing to show up at Prince Rutis’s wedding would sour relations between our countries, which have been warming up recently.”
“Indeed. You are truly a loyal subject of the Empire, considering the nation’s affairs with such thought.”
The Emperor nodded, as if satisfied, leaning forward.
“When you go to Armein, please carve the heavens for me at the Swordsmith’s Hall.”
I almost couldn’t believe my ears.
“…Your Majesty. Are you perhaps planning a war with Armein?”
What a bizarre statement. Asking to carve the heavens in another country is one thing, but to do so at the Swordsmith’s Hall specifically? I know what that place signifies for Armein.
The Swordsmith’s Hall is Armein’s pride, symbol, and legacy. It embodies countless swords that illustrate Armein’s history. To exaggerate, it could be considered their parliament, national cemetery, and cathedral all rolled into one.
Thank goodness I’m not losing my mind. I really hope this doesn’t mean he truly wishes for war.
“I have no such desire. I merely wish for my reign to be free of conflict.”
Fortunately, the Emperor shook his head firmly at my inquiry.
But the more I hear, the more it confuses me. If he doesn’t desire war, why would he even think of such a thing?
“Carving the heavens at the Swordsmith’s Hall was a request from Armein.”
“Pardon?”
“They want to display the might of the continent’s greatest sword to the spirits of our great ancestors sleeping in the hall. They would like to show what a swordsman can ultimately achieve, reaching a level our predecessors could only dream of—which was the request from the King of Armein.”
That friendly explanation made me smack my forehead.
These sword fanatics. Does their raging obsession for swords even come at the cost of awakening the peace of their ancestors?
‘Will they actually enjoy it?’
Thinking about it, those are their ancestors. If their obsession with swords runs deep, I doubt they’d care much about disturbing their rest.
They might even rejoice at witnessing the sky being split in two. If the afterlife is up in the heavens, then seeing it directly might just make them shed tears of joy.
“Of all things, to make such a request as a condition for the artifact transfer treaty… I couldn’t bring myself to refuse.”
So the price for giving up the scepter, more or less as a freebie, was to carve the heavens. That’s classic Armein…
Wait.
“Your Majesty, I’ve never heard of this before.”
“I-I apologize. I wanted to avoid mentioning such a price unless strictly necessary, but Armein was being very insistent.”
The Emperor rarely apologized.
Okay, I get it then. If the scepter is in Armein’s hands, anything could happen, so recovering it must have taken priority.
“Since the scepter was found, I’ve met with you several times, haven’t I?”
But why didn’t you mention the details of the treaty earlier? Why wait until now?
“Ah, you see…”
At my probing, the Emperor sheepishly grinned.
“I intended to tell you once the treaty had finalized, but that day, due to the gem discovery, I was in a daze and couldn’t say anything.”
He simply forgot to mention it, and I closed my eyes in helplessness.
Of all things to forget, how could he possibly forget about cutting through the skies within another nation’s sacred spot?
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