Chapter: 866
Kids are just adorable. I can’t help but grin every time I see their small, innocent little faces and those bright, innocent eyes.
Of course, there are people who don’t like kids. Some simply shy away from others, while some can’t stand the uncontrolled energy kids have—basically, good ol’ reasons like that. But generally, those who have had children tend to be more warm-hearted and gentle towards little ones.
And here we are, gathered with my father’s siblings and their partners, who have not only raised children but are now grandparents as well. In front of them stand their grandkids—their little nephews and nieces.
And not just any little ones, but the first kids they’ve seen in about 20 years—my eldest brother’s grandkids.
“…Indeed. It’s clear to anyone that these kids are of the Krasius bloodline,” came the first voice to break the brief silence.
It was Uncle August.
“Those dark black hair and eyes! If I saw them on the street, I would have known they were Krasius right away.”
He smiled at Pedi, who was at the front of the group. You could certainly say Pedi is destined to be the next head of the Krasius family, sporting the most vivid and intense black hair and eyes.
Even Yulia, Pedi’s twin sister, has black hair too. I can’t help but think about how well Krasius’ genes seem to blend with Mar’s, especially when Pedi has perfectly black eyes to match.
“What’s that kid’s name?” he asked.
“Ferdinand Krasius. My first kid,” I replied.
“Oh! The next Krasius heir, huh?”
After saying that, Uncle August placed his glass down onto the table and loaded up a plate with egg tarts.
“Here. A fine greeting warrants a fine reward, so everyone take one!”
With that, he carefully approached the kids, handing out egg tarts one by one.
Kneeling down and meeting the kids at eye level—his delicate manner told me everything I needed to know about Uncle August’s character.
“Wow! Thanks!”
“I’m gonna eat this well!”
Upon receiving delicious snacks from this unfamiliar granduncle, the kids bowed their heads excitedly, accepting the treats.
To our kids, “family” means people who treat them well. Honestly, who wouldn’t be nice to our kids? But still, family offers a warmth that outsiders can’t replicate.
So facing the emergence of new family members that they had never met before made them all the more giddy when they were handed snacks on the spot. Naturally, their favor toward them skyrocketed.
“That gift was from me, but it seems like Third Brother’s stealing the spotlight,” said Aunt Josephine.
“Hey, can’t exactly hand them cognac, now can I?” Uncle August replied with a small laugh.
‘Oh.’
It was such a peaceful and ordinary scene that I nearly sighed in admiration.
Not even a few hours had passed since all seven siblings had gathered. Honestly, I was worried about whether we’d have enough conversation to last 100 lines today, but it looked like the blood connection was a powerful thing. Relationships were progressing at lightning speed!
“The only reason you could give gifts so freely was because of Sister-in-Law’s nod, right? Thank you both.”
“W-well, you flatter us.”
“After all, it’s our grandkids who will be eating, so of course… we can give as much as needed.”
Even though the siblings’ relationships were mending, it seemed like getting close with the sister-in-law would still take some time.
As Trixie opened her mouth hesitantly, Uncle August stumbled over his words, while Aunt Josephine averted her gaze. Expecting them to get along quickly seemed a tad unrealistic.
After all, it had taken considerable time for our parents to accept Trixie as a daughter-in-law as well—they’re not alone in that regard.
‘Honestly, Trixie’s not even one to flaunt her authority.’
Seeing Trixie’s slightly drooping ears filled me with sympathy.
Trixie held the title of Duchess, had over a century of experience ruling, and was a grand sorcerer—a being so noble that even the Emperor had to tread lightly around her. Because of this, even high nobles, and other dukes for that matter, treated her respectfully.
However, Trixie had never wielded her power haphazardly or excessively pressured other nobles. She was just a researcher immersed in magic development—sort of a hikikomori! Unlike Duchess Beatrix of Servette, Trixie was a harmless and gentle hybrid elf.
Yet adults treated her with fear and lowered their heads—not seeing her at the niece-in-law she is, but rather the Duchess she represents.
‘Time will sort this out.’
I hugged Trixie’s waist gently.
Someday, my uncles, aunts, and other relatives would undoubtedly embrace Trixie as a sister-in-law, just as I accepted her as my wife, viewing her through the lens of a parent rather than as merely the Duchess.
“Wow.”
“Oh my goodness…”
“Our nephew sure has an impressive wife.”
Despite my loving gesture with Trixie, the adults—besides my parents—were whispering in awe and shock.
It was a bit intentional, I’ll admit. It was to showcase that our bond was based on pure love, without any plot involved. We treated each other as a man and a woman, not a Duke and an Imperial Countess. This was to demonstrate that to them, I became a hot-blooded man expressing affection in public.
Hopefully, this would help them get adjusted more quickly. After all, showing something is far more effective than explaining it a hundred times over.
“Sorry we’re a little late!”
Once the other ladies arrived, the somewhat anxious atmosphere soon settled.
Now, with Trixie taking charge and the other daughter-in-laws to entertain, the pressure of facing the Duchess was slightly reduced. Although, the memory of my skinship with Trixie would likely linger.
‘That’s good enough for me.’
Today was a success. Wanting to be full right from the first meal would be greedy on my part.
I was sure the mood before we arrived at the banquet hall was different from the current vibe—but it must have surely brightened quite a bit.
“Cecilia, was it? Wanna try some of this cake?”
“Mom said I shouldn’t eat snacks before a meal!”
“Oh my, look at you, so smart! But at events like this, you can eat as much as you want! That’s actually what fills you before the meal!”
“R-really?”
“Of course! It’s true.”
With grandpa and grandma patting the kids, hugging them, praising them, and serving them sweets, the hall had transformed from a reunion for siblings into a kid-friendly fun zone—it was no surprise that the atmosphere had completely shifted.
I felt a little embarrassed. I had brought the children here to ease any awkwardness in the banquet hall with their overwhelming liveliness. It wasn’t my intention to completely change the dynamic when my father and siblings were already bonding.
‘Maybe bringing them was a mistake.’
I was a little regretful. Thankfully, most of them were grandparents and seemed to enjoy it, but this occasion was meant for the dramatic reunion of siblings.
“Thank you.”
“W-What?”
Yet, contrary to my guilt, my father smiled as he spoke.
Wait, when did he even come up to my side? Hadn’t he been with my youngest aunt just moments ago?
“We haven’t really communicated properly in over 20 years, and even before that, we didn’t have much in common, so there wasn’t anything to share or laugh about,” he stated.
Whether I was shocked or not, I simply nodded along to my father’s words.
He was right. Conversations require shared topics, and sadly, these poor siblings hadn’t seen each other for 20 years! While it was possible to talk about the past during this reunion, that past—thanks to my grandfather—was completely dark and gloomy.
“Thanks to the gifts, we were able to break the ice. Still, we can’t talk about the same thing for the whole banquet,” he added.
True enough. No matter how eloquent someone may be, keeping a discussion focused on one topic for hours is impossible. Besides, I didn’t think my father was particularly skilled with words, and it seemed like my siblings were the same.
“But look around. Besides the Krasius bloodline, we share one thing in common: we’ve all built families. That’s why, looking at our grandkids together, we’re able to bond like this.”
“That’s true.”
I gazed across the banquet hall.
My three uncles were smiling, as were my three aunts, and once again, my three aunts and uncles. And their smiles weren’t those mechanical grins nobles usually put on for socializing; these were genuine, bright smiles.
Even the youngest uncle—Count Milkyun—who had been constantly watching me since we first entered.
‘Grandparents bonding over their grandchildren, huh.’
It felt a bit like retired folks gathering at a community center bragging about their grandchildren. Not that they weren’t also playing around with someone else’s grandkids—but the essence of nurturing bonds remains unchanged.
“So thank you. We may have gotten the ball rolling, but it’s you and the kids who have kept it going.”
“If there hadn’t been a starting point, we wouldn’t have been able to continue. Even if I was a help, it’s the kids that deserve the credit.”
At my words, my father’s smile broadened.
It was the brightest and lightest smile I had seen in recent times.
*
After 20 years of separation and 20 years prior filled with awkwardness, the sense of family had been rebuilt in under four hours.
‘How effortlessly easy.’
I chuckled as I sipped the cognac my older brother had given me.
Of course, the awkwardness vanished, but that didn’t mean we had become inseparable. The fact that only four hours had passed since we arrived was quite the upgrade.
“This time, since the eldest brother held the banquet, next time, shall we have the second brother hold it?”
Everyone agreed to make this not a one-off event but a regularly scheduled gathering. The order was simple: we would go by age, just like siblings would.
‘Everyone will surely love it.’
Before I left, I received encouragement and support from the kids, who told me to get close with my siblings. I could imagine them jumping for joy when I told them this news. They might even find it cooler to say they have the cousin of the head of the Information Department!
Yes, let’s make it a point for cousins to meet each other someday. And even sixth cousins. It might be a stretch for now, but one day, I’d like to see it happen.
“Master.”
‘Huh?’
Caught up in those thoughts, just as I was about to bring the glass to my lips, a familiar voice came from the entrance.
“I’m hungry! Why isn’t anyone serving food during meal time?”
That’s strange. I can hear the voice, but why am I not seeing anyone…?
“Chick?”
Upon hearing my wife’s words, I glanced downward.
A tiny chick was pecking at my grandkid.
“What are you doing here? How did you find this place?”
“I smelt something delicious from here!”
It wasn’t your ordinary chirp, either—it was speaking like a person!
‘Whew.’
Today’s banquet was truly exceptional.
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