842 – Son-in-law is a thousand-year benefactor – 6

The invisible hand of the Masalo family was pressing hard on us.

The room furthest from the banquet hall, so it is far enough away that no one can come. Food, clothing, simple necessities, and even a bathtub are provided in the room, so even servants have no reason to come. Even Ferenc, who we are supposed to take care of, is taken care of by Masalo’s head maid, so even though we are tired, we have to muster up all the energy we didn’t have. It is not right to overturn the situation when the table is set like this.

‘This is how it goes.’

He rolled his eyes here and there and then smiled awkwardly.

My wife and I have a tradition that is not a tradition. When we go on our honeymoon, we bring back memories of just the two of us, along with a new life. It’s a bit late, but it’s like a honeymoon baby.

However, Eri did not go on long trips to foreign countries, but rather used the mansion as a base and made day trips repeatedly. Since he went to his travel destination in the morning and returned in the evening repeatedly, unlike the other wives, Eri did not have enough time to spend a cozy night.

I came to console that regret here. In a place where there are only the two of us. In a strong fortress where no one will disturb us.

“It was definitely time to have our own little brother Ferenc.”

Eri, who was looking around the room like me, nodded as if she was satisfied.

That’s right. Mar gave birth to Julia, Trixie had triplets from the beginning, and Lize and Rin are also carrying their second children. According to the pattern, it’s Eri’s turn this time, and then Fine’s next.

However, I didn’t know that my wife’s family would carry on that beautiful tradition. No matter what, it’s a bit much for my wife’s family to do such things.

‘…Are you okay?’

But I didn’t go wild first in the quiet in-laws, and my in-laws laid the groundwork for their daughter and son-in-law. So, wouldn’t it be right to see this moment as our own space, not my in-laws’? Wouldn’t it be more problematic if I were to act all pretentious?

Yes, that would certainly be more problematic. This is the will of my father-in-law, the head of the Masalo family, and it is clear that it is the will of my grandmother, the hostess of the banquet.

“Eri.”

“yes?”

“Is it okay if I don’t sleep for a day or so?”

There are other women starting tomorrow or the day after. The time given to us is only today.

So, we should try to make at least three days like that. Then, I, Eri, Ferenc, my father-in-law, and my grandmother will all be happy with the result.

“Of course! I’ve been in the Inspectorate for several years, so I can easily do it for ten days, let alone one day!”

“I don’t need it for ten days─”

“And I’ve been training hard too! I won’t fall over like last time!”

“oh.”

I couldn’t help but be impressed by Eri’s confident answer.

What is this subtle confidence that has no basis at all? Even if the weakest one trains, all it will do is evolve into a weaker one?

“That’s fortunate.”

Of course, it is a shallow confidence that will be emptied in a matter of hours. A confidence that will burst like a bubble even without any refutation.

That’s why I nodded obediently for now. Sometimes, a kind silence is more important than a barrage of facts.

The morning dawned.

“ruler?”

“…….”

I tapped Eri’s shoulder, but there was no response. I guess she was a corpse.

“You said you trained. Did you train just by doing breathing exercises?”

I even made a remark that scratched his pride, but this time there was no response either. It seems he had completely fainted.

It’s a shame. Judging from how confident he was, he must have actually trained, but it’s hard to tell 1cm from 100m and 2cm from 100m with the naked eye. That’s just the margin of error.

Unfortunately, Eri’s training was at that level. It was a margin of error that was difficult to perceive and in reality had no real meaning. It was a minor figure that could be treated as non-existent without any problems.

‘I tried to control myself.’

Even though this was not my mansion, nor a place I rented from a foreign land, it was my in-laws. No matter how much my in-laws had prepared for me, I was embarrassed to show my true feelings, so I was a little hesitant. Nevertheless, Eri was defeated miserably.

‘Should I tell him to learn magic?’

Trixie and Lize may not be unmanned, but they’re fighting well thanks to their magical powers. I should probably encourage Eri to learn magic soon.

I just resigned from my position as the head of the first division, so I’m basically unemployed, and the greatest wizard on the continent is under the same roof. If you really want to learn, there’s no better environment than Eri.

“Your Majesty, Madam. This is the head maid. Are you coughing?”

Just as Trixie was hoping that she would teach Eri sincerely if she found out about her difficult situation, there was a knock on the door and the head maid’s voice was heard.

“Your wife is still asleep. I’m sorry for making you feel uneasy after coming here so early in the morning.”

After glancing at Eri, who was still unconscious, he answered cautiously. It took more courage than he thought to tell the person who had taken care of Eri since she was little, “Eri is unconscious. She won’t wake up even if you wake her up.”

But I guess I should be thankful that even though Eri is the weakest, her resilience is pretty good. Even though she’s unconscious as if dead right now, she’ll wake up before lunch.

Probably so. He may be the weakest, but if you look at his objective abilities, he’s at the level of a knight.

“Yes, sir. I understand. If you, madam, are coughing, please find the communication port on the table.”

“Let’s do that.”

Anyway, the maid answered my question with a slightly trembling voice, as if she had sensed what had happened during the night.

It’s embarrassing. This is all a problem caused by Eri’s weakness. If she had been awake like me, this wouldn’t have happened.

“But maid, how is Ferenc?”

“As Your Majesty said, I was able to serve you without any problems because you were not shy. Now, another maid is next to you, where you are sleeping.”

“I see.”

I felt both relief and disappointment when I heard that he was sleeping soundly even though we weren’t there.

Of course, it’s better than our Ferenc crying and saying he misses his dad and mom, but it’s better if he sleeps as if it doesn’t matter if they’re not there.

‘That means you were that tired.’

Of course, the disappointment quickly subsided. It was not even early morning, but rather late morning. If Ferenc, who had been busy playing since early morning, was still sleeping soundly, it meant that he was tired from the banquet yesterday.

“When Ferenc wakes up, send him to this room. It was hard taking care of him during the night.”

“How hard it was. How can you call it hard when you could be with such a cute young master?”

I nodded reflexively because it was something I could relate to emotionally. Even though the maid was outside the door and couldn’t see me anyway.

“Next time you come, bring another cute kid like Ferenc.”

Perhaps because I felt a slight sense of kinship, I slyly joked with the head maid, mixing it with sincerity.

A cute child like Ferenc. Not just my child, but a new child with Masalo’s blood, like Ferenc.

“Thank you very much for your kind words.”

The maid, who understood my joke, answered in a gentler voice than before.

Maybe I should run to my father-in-law right away and tell him something like, ‘The Count is having a second child!’

***

As the day dawned, good news came one after another.

The first thing that caught my attention was that my son-in-law’s wives had come to the castle. Among my son-in-law’s wives was the youngest brother of the new Duke of Wolken, Duke of Yeomyeong, and the current Duke of Servet, Duke Majong. The two ducal families came to personally congratulate my mother on her birthday.

In addition to the symbolic reasons, it is only natural that Eri’s family would be happy to come to the Masalo family’s event. It is a chance for Eri’s father to show his mother that Eri is getting along well with the other wives.

“It seems like Your Majesty and Madam had a lovely time.”

“Very good.”

The second slope was the hot news that the maid had just brought us. It was that my son-in-law and Eri had acted as we had hoped.

In fact, I am happier about this than the first slope. It is an unquestionable constant that Eri gets along well with her family, but it is not an everyday occurrence for Ferenc to have a half-brother. The existence of a child is something that a couple has to work hard to seize.

I couldn’t be happier that I contributed to the birth of my youngest grandchild. I’m sure my mother would be delighted to hear this news, thinking it was the best gift of all.

“And your Majesty, the distinguished guests from Crassius wish to greet the Lady.”

“Oh, I’ll show you around. Mother really wanted to see Eri’s family, too.”

“Yes. Then right away─”

“I’ll go. The maid will take care of our grandson.”

“…All right.”

The maid hesitated for a moment at my words, but eventually bowed and agreed.

To be honest, if the guest you have to guide includes the Duke of Majong, even the head maid would feel burdened. At least I am a family member of the Duke of Majong, and I am a marquis, so I can treat him normally.

‘That Maramento guy. He must be feeling a little sick.’

As I walked towards the place where the guests were, I suddenly remembered the Marquis de Labirje and a snicker escaped my mind.

The fact that Duke Hyeonmyeong attended the banquet can be considered a ‘celebration for a western noble family’. If something similar had happened at the Marquis Digo’s house, Duke Hyeonmyeong would have attended that time as well.

However, the youngest brother of the Duke of Yeomyeong, Duke Majong, attended because it was none other than the Masalo family’s celebration. Even if something similar happened in the Digo Marquis’ house, they were the kind of guests who would never, ever come.

‘This is the difference in blood relations, number two.’

A gap that you can never close, no matter how hard you try for ten or a hundred years.

You are destined to live your whole life as the number two man in the West – no, number three if you include Hyunmyeonggong.

I went to the room where my mother was with the other guests.

“Mother, it’s time to come in. There are people who want to see you. May I come in?”

I knocked on the door carefully, but there was no response.

“Are you perhaps sleeping? Then it’s okay for us to come and greet you later.”

The youngest brother of the Yeomyeonggong, shook his head slightly at the words of the first wife.

My mother must have finished breakfast a little while ago. She must be awake, as she is not the type of person to go back to sleep after eating.

“You may not have heard it. You are old, so sometimes you miss sounds.”

I knocked again with those words, but this time there was no response.

…

‘no way.’

I got goosebumps for a moment and opened the door without my mother’s permission.

Surely not, surely not. Of all days, it wouldn’t happen on a day like today.

‘ah.’

But when I opened the door and went in, the first thing I saw was my mother sitting on a chair with her eyes quietly closed.

As if he had fallen into a peaceful sleep. As if he had fallen into an eternal sleep.

“mother!”

I ran to my mother in a hurry. My heart burned with anger as I felt like a worthless son who couldn’t even watch over his mother’s death.

“Be quiet, you punk.”

?

“Why are you making such a fuss? Did you think this mother was dead?”

“No, I, that’s…”

“It’s been a while since I’ve had a banquet, so I just took a nap. Do you think a 90-year-old man would be okay after walking around all day?”

My mother, who said that, hit me hard on the back.

“Oh, Mother!”

“You little punk. You cocky little punk. If you look closely, it seems like you’re the one who wants me dead the most.”

My mother’s hand was very warm, as if showing off that eternal sleep was still far away.

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.