684 – How Dare You Compare – 1

After experiencing a series of large-scale events such as the advent of the 1st prince and the birth of Ferenc, we have already entered December.

December is the month that ends the year. A new year is just around the corner. A month in which white snow falls gently as if comforting the people who have suffered so much.

“My hands have been shaking lately, so the ink smudges every time I sign.”

“Like that.”

It was also a month in which Erich’s mentality fluctuated violently as his marriage was imminent.

“There are 50 more days left, so why are you doing this already?”

Looking at Erich like that, she raised the corners of her mouth. She asked me to meet her at the estate for some reason, but she said it was to lament her situation.

Fortunately, Erich and Zenobia’s wedding was scheduled for mid-January. Considering that it was the first and last wedding of Zenobia, Countess of Horfeld, the wedding location was decided to be Count Horfeld.

Thanks to this, as time passed, Erich’s eyes began to fluctuate wildly. If the wedding date, location, size, and guest list are all confirmed, you can vaguely say, ‘I’m getting married.’ Isn’t it bound to be different from when you think about it?

“How did you survive this six times?”

I immediately closed my mouth at Erich’s words.

This b*stard, are you trying to turn me on? No, there’s no point in attacking me with my wedding number now, right? It’s a high compliment that many people get married to the head of the family who has already completed the wedding and sees the children.

“…I was like a married couple even before the wedding. I was excited, but not to the point where I was nervous.”

That’s why I looked at Erich’s eyes for a moment and answered without thinking.

Looking at his still trembling pupils, it seemed like he had no intention of turning them away. I just get distracted and spit out whatever comes to mind.

“You didn’t just get married, aren’t you just like a married couple? I heard you three are staying in the same mansion.”

Anyway, I patted Erich’s shoulder, which was still shaking.

Just as I was in a common-law marriage before her wedding, Erich is also living with her fiancé as if he were in a common-law marriage. The three of them are living together in the Crasius family’s mansion in the archipelago, so if that’s not a common-law marriage, then what is a common-law marriage?

“Anyway, it’s your first marriage. How can you be okay? I’m sure you were nervous at first too.”

She recalled those words for a moment.

My first wedding. A wedding held at Marwa Cathedral…

“At that time, a blessing suddenly came down, so I was out of my mind.”

“Ah.”

Erich seemed to be convinced by her calm answer and nodded.

Nerves of your first wedding? Unfortunately, I don’t remember anything like that. Not only has nearly three years already passed, but Enen’s blessing was given during the wedding, causing a stir with the cardinal’s visit, beatification of the couple, and reservations for posthumous canonization. It was an eventful wedding that I can’t remember the emotions I felt during the wedding.

Of course, the feeling of happiness still remains, but it may not be the answer Erich wants.

“Take it easy. What are you going to do if you’re nervous alone? Why don’t you at least act now?”

In the end, I was beaten with direct facts rather than gentle consolation.

I didn’t want to do this either, but I really have nothing to say. There is no way to help a person when they are shaking. It’s not like I’m going to the wedding instead.

“Our youngest is also cheering for us. He needs to show his cool side.”

“Ugh?”

Of course, it feels bad for Erich to end the conversation like this. I lifted Teresa, who was in my arms and was fiddling with the hem of his clothes.

“Our Teresa. Let’s tell our second brother to cheer up.”

“Hina~”

At my request, Teresa waved her arms and cheered for Erich.

To be honest, I don’t think Teresa really asked me to cheer her up. You just followed what I said.

Still, all I had to do was successfully get the word “Cheer up.” There is no better word than the strength of the cute youngest child.

“Even if I ruined the wedding, Teresa won’t even remember.”

‘This b*stard.’

However, the second brother, who could not eat again, was upset despite his younger brother’s support.

That’s the way you are, so Teresa wakes up when she hears your voice. Even if you face Teresa’s puberty, accept it humbly.

“Oh, my dad.”

“Huh?”

While I was imagining Erich being shaken by Teresa’s collar, Teresa, who was pulling on the sleeve of my dress, pointed at Erich with her other hand.

“You want to go to your second brother?”

“Wow.”

After nodding, Teresa was carefully placed on the floor.

Teresa can now walk on her own feet, but she has been incredibly active since she was unable to move her body. She couldn’t control her temper and fell down more than once.

She says that, but if you just hold her in your arms, she gets angry and asks why you won’t let her down. Thanks to this, she can lower Teresa to the floor if she wants, but she has to watch carefully to see if she falls.

“Oppa-“

Teresa, stepping on her feet, walked up to Erich, perhaps knowing what I was seeing in her anxious eyes.

“Babu.”

Then he slapped Erich’s shin.

“Big.”

She hastily suppressed the laughter that was about to burst out.

This is an unexpected situation. Who would have imagined that her 20-year-old younger brother would mistreat Erich?

Moreover, the word ‘fool’ was pronounced quite clearly. As if Teresa’s true thoughts were revealed.

‘I guess I was already in puberty.’

I thought that one day Erich would face Teresa’s puberty. Teresa’s puberty may have already arrived.

And that’s just Erich’s puberty.

“Fool…”

And for a long time, Erich’s face became blank due to his younger brother’s mistreatment of him.

I am satisfied that the strong tension seems to have been covered up with an even stronger shock. After all, the only thing that can comfort her family is

***

Only after finishing dinner did she return to work.

In fact, ever since she heard that Teresa was an idiot, she wanted to stay in her room her her alone, but now that she was at the estate, she had to eat with her family her. Other than these times, she has no chance to meet her parents who live at the estate.

So she returned to her mansion, clutching her sore heart,

– It’s been a while, brother.

A message came from Tanian.

It was an unexpected contact, but I expected it to happen. After Tanian left the empire to go on a pilgrimage to a sacred site in another country, he contacted me about once a month for no particular reason.

It seemed like he looked for me whenever he was bored while traveling around the continent. Since you are the next saint, you won’t be tired of pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but traveling around the continent for almost a year will be tiring.

“It’s only been a month, but how long has it been?”

– Isn’t it human to not know what will happen in a month? Fortunately, I am relieved to hear that you have been doing well.

“How are you?”

– I am always doing well thanks to your protection.

Looking at Tani Ahn, who burst out in laughter, he nodded his head silently.

But. There are few people on this continent who are as safe and well off as Thanian. He is called the son of Enen, and he is treated like the Pope by the parishes of the Dawn Church spread across the continent. It would be even stranger if such a person experienced discomfort.

To be precise, even if it is uncomfortable, you cannot show signs of discomfort. Even if Tanian clears his throat, the local parish will be in an uproar.

“You said you were in the Kingdom of Bazen a month ago, right?”

I looked at Tanian bursting into laughter and slowly opened my mouth.

When I contacted Thani Ahn a month ago, I was told that he was in the Kingdom of Bazen. The Kingdom of Bazen is a country located at the eastern end of the continent and to the north of the United Kingdom of Yuven.

If so, there is a high probability that you have completed your pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Bazen and entered Juven by now. Since the United Kingdom of Juven was said to be the last country visited on the pilgrimage itinerary, it is not long before I return to the Holy Church.

-Yes. A few days ago, I finished the Bazen pilgrimage and entered the United Kingdom of Juven. It was nice to see Brother Later after a long time.

Tanian still answered my words with a smile on his face.

I’m a little jealous. Thanks to his travels around the continent, he has seen me, Ainter, Lyutis, and even Later. I met all my academy friends by myself.

-He was a brother who had n’t changed much, but his chess skills had improved beyond recognition. It seemed like he spent every day seeking revenge on Brother Lyutis.

“Even if we do that, we can’t get along again.”

– You’ve probably already added it a thousand times in your mind.

I ended up laughing because it was such a sad thing to say.

Even if Laterer trains for a hundred or a thousand days, he will never be able to fight for revenge, and even if he gets the chance, there is no guarantee that he will win. I wonder if Ryutis will stay still while Laterer develops.

-It’s embarrassing to say that I was his substitute, but I played chess on his behalf while calling Brother Lutis.

“…What?”

– By using the communication port to illuminate the chessboard instead of my face, I was able to give instructions from a distance. Brother Laterer was also happy.

I kept silent because I felt like the word “Happy” Contained a lot of things.

Given the circumstances, it seems that Tanian won, having moved according to Lyutis’ instructions, but how did Latern feel after losing not only in face-to-face chess but also in long-distance chess? It’s scary to even imagine.

– Really. Do you know that?

What? You’re saying you’ve killed Laterer’s pride?

The words almost came out, but I barely held them back. Tanian was probably trying to play long-distance chess out of pure kindness—

– Brother Laterer is also said to be getting married soon.

“Huh?”

For a moment, I couldn’t believe my ears. What does Laterra do?

– Haha, you seem very surprised. I was a little confused when I first heard it.

Tanian laughed again at my reaction.

-But she heard good news from a friend she hadn’t seen in a long time. How happy this must be.

I felt like my stomach was bursting when I saw Tanian nodding his head as if he was satisfied.

No, don’t stop while you’re talking, just keep speaking until the end. Why is there suddenly talk of marriage?

‘What on earth happened after I graduated?’

Lyutis was in trouble while attending the Academy, and he was in trouble upon returning home, so why is Laterer…