596 – Saints and Children – 2

Year-end worship held in the islands.

As the information spread that the next saint would personally take the lead and that the emperor would grace the occasion, high-ranking nobles from all over the empire naturally gathered. Anyway, I have to come to the island in a few days for the New Year’s wedding. It’s enough to think that you arrived a little early.

In addition, it was announced that even those who had always been confined to the imperial palace since the abdication would attend this service. If there is a high-ranking member of the empire who does not attend the year-end service, it is not that he or she lacks faith, but rather that he or she lacks social skills.

‘I’m in an old situation, so if I don’t attend, I’ll feel bad.’

Of course, if he didn’t have the slightest tact and social skills, he wouldn’t have become a high-ranking person.

“I was planning to take some time off at the end of the year…”

So much so that even Erich, who seemed to embody the letters ‘no sense’ in human form, obediently prepared to attend the service.

“If you want to rest forever, stay home.”

“Isn’t this too much for someone who is now 20?”

When I gave him some joking advice, Erich frowned and grumbled.

You might react like that now, but after a few years, you’ll remember the advice I gave you today. Wouldn’t it have been better to choose to rest forever?

“Tanian came in the first place, so I can’t attend. Last time, I wasn’t even able to see him because he was at the council.”

However, no additional advice was given to the common sense statement that I was going to meet a friend because he was here. If a friend from another country comes to where you live, it’s natural for her to go see you.

Unfortunately, when Tanian had just arrived in the Empire, Ainter and I were able to say hello to Tanian, but Erich could not. Since he was being divided as the youngest member of the Imperial Council, he had no time to meet. So if it’s not now, I can’t be sure when we’ll meet again.

“It’s a pity. It was an opportunity for my nephew to receive the blessings of a saint.”

“My brother’s marriage hasn’t even ended, so what kind of nephew am I? My genealogy is getting messed up for no reason.”

Erich smiled and waved his hand at the comfort that wasn’t mine.

In fact, from the moment Pedi was born, we avoided getting the genealogy tangled. Since my eldest son is older than my future nephews, the family succession structure will not become complicated.

However, Erich declared that he intended to get married after I finished my wedding to Fine, and to have children since all six of his wives had at least one child. I am just grateful that it is as if other wives are treated as mistresses like Mar.

“I don’t know if I’m being resented by my disciples for this.”

“To Sarah and my sister?”

Erich was silent for a moment and then slowly shook his head.

“That won’t happen, right? He said that if it weren’t for my brother, we wouldn’t have even gotten engaged yet.”

‘Ah.’

I was convinced that it was something I couldn’t refute.

Certainly, if I had not intervened, there is a high possibility that the three of us would still have been childhood friends. By intervening, I have moved from a childhood friend relationship to a fiancé relationship, so I am willing to accept that the marriage may be delayed for a while.

“And it’s our turn next year. It’s nice to be able to prepare for the wedding leisurely.”

After saying that, Erich put on her coat and turned around.

“Then I’ll go. The three of us decided to move together, so we have to go out first.”

“Oh, okay.”

She said she would enjoy a short year-end date with her fiancé, so she obediently sent it away.

‘Now you’re doing well without me stepping in.’

She wiped her eyes as she watched Erich’s back his slowly moving away. While she was at the academy, I had to make arrangements for her to go with me, but now she makes dates on her own.

Her tears filled her eyes as it was proof that her younger brother had become a human being. Let it continue to grow like that.

Please.

Somehow, this year-end service became a family event attended by the entire Crasius family.

According to the original plan, my father and mother should have been resting well at the estate. The imperial family is involved, and the two of you are retired anyway. It is enough for me to have a banquet in front of the imperial family for the amount of space between you two.

However, when Tanian said he would give Teresa his blessing on her, the two were willing to get up and make an official appearance. Parents cannot be absent when their children receive blessings.

Of course, that logic also applied to me and my wife. A blessing given to Friedrich, the youngest member of our family at this time. All the wives decided to attend to see the monumental sight in person, and they are also planning to take Pedi and the triplets.

“Would you like to go too?”

That’s why I suggested it to my friends, Seongsu, as well as a good toy for children. Since it has become a family event, why don’t you attend the service too?

“What?”

Jangsaeng, who was lying helpless on the floor, reacted to my suggestion as if it were nonsense.

I felt guilty for a moment because I looked so thin. Apparently, when he was just released from the seal, he was the most rebelious and ferocious, but after coming to the mansion, he suffered various reasons and lost his anger.

“Awww-“

“Bye!”

“Boo boo…”

I think the main cause is probably the triplets starting to crawl.

Previously deceased, currently Jangsaeng. Despite his vicious past, he looks nothing more than a small Yorkshire Terrier.

Thanks to his cute and significant appearance, the triplets were particularly fond of Jangsaeng. If he ran away, he would crawl on all fours to chase him, and if he slept even briefly, he would pull his legs and treat him like a doll. After all, he was once a god, so he is holding on even under the harsh hands of babies.

“Bow!”

“You’re still going to take me when you see me like this?”

Jangsaeng, whose ear had just been bitten by Cattleya, looked up at me with moist eyes.

He looked so sadder than I imagined that I was at a loss for words for a moment. The guy who used to bite my shoes to survive is now biting my children. It is a miserable sight for a former god to have fallen to such a miserable level.

“…Still, since you are a saint, it is good to attend the saint’s worship service—”

“Why am I a holy beast? I am the evil spirit who commanded this continent!”

Jangsaeng, who was muttering loudly at my words, stood upright on all fours and shouted.

“Aww!”

“Bwaa!”

“Stop it! Don’t pull the tail!”

Of course, I was grabbed by the hands of the triplets who seemed to be asking me how dare I move and I fell back down.

“Master. “I don’t care.”

“Oh, I heard that the person who gave me a new name is holding a service, so of course I have to go.”

“If I go, will they give me something to eat? The Dawn Church kids are good at cooking.”

Other saints who sensed the cruel punishment quickly expressed their stance.

An attitude that seems to prioritize one’s own survival over companionship. Although he was quite snobbish, I was satisfied because he seemed wise. At least these guys won’t upset me with their unexpected behavior.

“If you go, the Crown Princess will be there, so have fun.”

“Oh.”

“The Crown Princess is there too… ?”

Although there was a brief stir among the saints at the mention of the crown princess, there was no declaration of non-participation.

In that short period of time, Jangsaeng was trampled by Maria and his tail was trampled by Cecilia.

“Me too…”

“Huh?”

“I’m going too… Take me out…”

At her tearful declaration of surrender, Maria, who was covering Jangsaeng, was carefully lifted up.

“Aww?”

“My daughter, let’s play with dad.”

“Awww!”

Then Maria smiled brightly and stretched out her arms to me.

Fortunately, Jangsaeng doesn’t seem to be at a better stage than her father.

***

St. Paronas Cathedral, the largest and most sacred church in the empire.

It is the place where the current emperor’s coronation ceremony and Brother Komun’s wedding took place, and where blessings are given to Brother Komun’s younger brother, the son of my close friend.

“They are cute kids.”

She smiled as she looked at the baby girl, who was looking at me in the arms of Brother Advisor’s mother, and her baby boy, who was sleeping in Sister Louise’s arms of her.

They are really cute kids. The girl with sapphire-blue eyes looked like her mother, and she showed no signs of fear even though she was facing a stranger. She will probably grow up to be a brave and strong warrior like her advisor.

A boy with pink hair like Sister Louise was sleeping peacefully despite the noise around her. She is a child who will steadfastly follow her own path no matter what others say.

She said, “They say that if she sleeps a lot during the day, she doesn’t sleep at night…”

“Yes. That’s why it’s my job to put him to sleep every night.”

Sister Louise smiled brightly at my words and touched her child’s cheek.

The child held in her arms by her loving hands also smiled faintly, as if satisfied.

However, she was still asleep.

‘Ai…’

The more she looked at the child with pink hair, the more bitter she felt.

It’s not because of the complexities of seeing my first love’s child. She has already sorted out her feelings for her sister her her her.

However, she found it strange that her close friend, with whom she had attended the academy for three years, had a child. Especially since I couldn’t even meet someone I liked, let alone get married.

“I’m sure these kids are tired of seeing this man they’ve never seen before. Let’s get on with it right away.”

However, I didn’t necessarily say how I felt.

I came to celebrate, not to complain.

After giving blessings to a girl named Teresa and a boy named Friedrich, they went into a room in the cathedral and confirmed the prayers again. It is a service that marks the end of the year, but it is difficult for both people to say ordinary and boring prayers.

But no matter how many times I checked, I couldn’t find the prayer. It feels like Friedrich, who was in Sister Louise’s arms, is hovering before my eyes.

‘When will I be able to have children?’

I suddenly became jealous of Brother Advisor. The age difference between me and me isn’t that big, but haven’t I seen a child who is already five years old?

“Brother?”

As I was absent-mindedly fiddling with the prayer, Sister Alexandria I next to me tilted her head.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Seeing my friends after a long time has made me distracted.”

“I’m sorry. It’s natural to be lost in memories when you see a face you miss.”

At my apology, the sister shook her head with a faint smile.

I am just grateful to my sister who always understands my mistakes with a generous heart. When I first started walking the path of a priest, he was a great help to me, along with the Holy Father and my teacher.

“Sister.”

“Yes, brother.”

“If I have a child, I want to raise it to be a good and bright child like you.”

The sister’s hands stiffened at the sudden remark.

I made a mistake. No matter how much he thinks about children, this is not something an unmarried man would say to an unmarried woman—

“Haa…”

The sister sighed deeply and stood up.

“I held back as long as I could, but I can’t do it anymore.”

“Yes, yes?”

I inadvertently trembled at the sight of the sister muttering in a serious mood.

“You’re all bad, brother. I’m trying desperately to hold back, but you keep saying things that make me expect more.”

“Sister, what is that…”

“If I have children, I want to raise them like my brothers.”

I kept my mouth shut because my words came back exactly as I said them.

I think my face would have turned red just like my sister’s.