860 – Crassius Assemble – 1

This time, I heard my father’s call and ran to the lake.

“Oh, hyung, you’re here?”

“What? You’re here too?”

What’s different from usual is that this time, Erich is here too. The three Crassius brothers are gathered in one place.

I was a little taken aback by the unexpected combination. It was not unusual for the family to gather, but Erich’s frequency of going out had drastically decreased since Eduard was born. Even with the help of the saints, Eduard’s liveliness did not allow Erich to be absent.

Moreover, while Sarah was lying in bed, her husband Erich came to the lake to fish? This would have made even the most gentle, kind, and compassionate Sarah furious. That is why Erich himself refrained from going out, and neither his father nor I called Erich out. Instead, we went to the mansion to see him.

‘What’s going on?’

My father was already sitting in his seat, looking at the fishing rod. However, I couldn’t help but wonder at the sight of my father staring at nothing but empty space instead of the fishing rod.

If he were to summon us all at once, and to call us to a place where no one else would see or hear us, it would be no ordinary thing. But could something special or urgent happen to my father, who is unemployed since he retired? Honestly, I don’t think so.

‘It would have been better if it had happened to me.’

The business of the Crassius family and the Count of Tylglehen that my father had carried on his shoulders was passed on to me. If something happened that would make me worthy of calling my family, it would have happened to me. I wonder if it would have happened to my father.

“…I’m sorry for calling you so suddenly. I have something important to tell you.”

“It’s okay. This is something we see among family, so do you have anything to feel sorry about?”

However, only a very devoted son could say something like, “You didn’t call me for such a trivial matter, did you?” to his father, who seemed to be in a complicated mood. He sat down on the folding chair to his father’s right and shook his head indifferently.

“I’m fine too. The saints my brother sent took such good care of the kids that I can just come out for a bit to get some fresh air.”

“That’s fortunate.”

When Erich, the busiest of the three of us, shook his head, only then did my father’s expression soften somewhat.

“Yes. Since you took the time to come here, I can’t take too long. Let me just get to the point.”

My father, who had been so lucky, touched the fishing rod,

“How would you feel if you saw your uncles, aunts, and cousins?”

“yes?”

At the following words, Erich tilted his head as if asking what was going on.

Perhaps I would have reacted the same way if I hadn’t raided Count Narzen’s house, if I hadn’t known that my father was getting closer to my youngest aunt. I could have been calm because I had expected this day to come someday from the moment my father and my youngest aunt were reunited.

In fact, it’s a lot faster than I expected, but the faster the better for this kind of thing─

“This father met your uncle at the military academy.”

‘ah.’

This was an unexpected turn of events, and I was surprised.

I heard that Jeon Seung-gong was selecting people who would be useful as teachers, but who would have thought that one of my uncles would be chosen? Who would have expected that?

‘Who is it?’

But apart from the embarrassment, I quickly recalled the information about my three uncles.

Fortunately, I have updated the latest information on my uncles and aunts since the judicial inspection. If I were to remain unaware of anything and the minister’s secretary were to report, “Your Excellency, I have once again robbed your blood relatives,” it would be embarrassing. If I had known the signs in advance, I could avoid an awkward situation for both parties.

As the head of the Crassius family, I must also look after the descendants of Crassius. I have belatedly taken up the duty that I should have taken up long ago.

‘Is he your first uncle?’

And it seems that the efforts made so far were not in vain, as a strong candidate was quickly identified.

First uncle, August Deast. He married into the Deast Counts in the eastern part of the empire, and is the husband of the current Deast Counts. It was a political marriage, but fortunately, the couple’s relationship is relatively good, and they have many children.

However, he is a man who is only active as a companion to the family and rarely engages in external activities. But he is a teacher at the military academy? And he is one of the first faculty members who will determine the future of the academy?

‘Compared to other uncles, it is somewhat possible.’

It’s hard to understand, but my second and third uncles are from the literary side, not the military side. Since they changed their surname from Saint Crassius to that side, it’s only natural that they’d be learning the qualities of a scholar, not a military man.

So he is automatically the first uncle. There is no other first uncle than the one who carries the blood of Crassius and the duty of Deast.

“It seems that my first uncle devoted himself to his studies while he was in Deast. If my father was recognized for his seasoned experience, he was recognized for his outstanding knowledge.”

“You’re right. That guy August, it seems like he’s tried his best to live up to the shame of being the husband of the head of the household.”

Unlike his father, who had a faint smile on his face, Erich still had a blank expression.

I think I have a rough idea. This guy probably just found out that his first uncle’s name was August, and that he is currently a member of the Count Deast family.

“I wouldn’t have known if your youngest aunt hadn’t told me. I would have found out after the military academy was established.”

“Did your youngest aunt… tell you?”

Following the unexpected information, it was an unexpected source. I heard that the Crassius siblings were scattered due to their grandfather’s active activities, and that they have not even contacted each other since their father became the head of the household.

But the youngest aunt found out about the eldest uncle and passed it on to her father. Was it really only her father who didn’t contact her? Or was the youngest aunt the only one who communicated with her siblings?

‘They’re both sad.’

If it’s the former, it’s a shame that the father was a bully, and if it’s the latter, it’s a shame that only one of the seven siblings was good at acting.

“Don’t get me wrong. It seems like the youngest one also started meeting other siblings after meeting this father.”

“Oh, yes.”

“Anyway, after hearing the story about your uncle from the youngest, I felt that the shadow that covered us was fading away. No, it was a shadow that had already disappeared long ago, but we didn’t notice it because we didn’t open our eyes.”

Father’s face is filled with bitterness and relief. Erich, on the other hand, still has a blank expression.

It’s just heartbreaking that my nephew doesn’t seem to know anything about his uncle and aunt, but unfortunately, it was normal for the Krasius family to not know anything until recently. If it weren’t for the inspection issue, I wouldn’t have been much different from Erich.

When we get back to the mansion, let’s give Erich some attribute lessons… From now on, I think I’ll be seeing not only my uncles and aunts, but also my cousins ​​more often.

“So, I’m going to take this opportunity to have a meeting between us siblings again. And if this father meets his siblings, you can’t be indifferent, right? I asked if it would be uncomfortable for you.”

Anyway, my father, who had said that, looked at me and Erich with nervous eyes. It was as if he was worried that we might say, ‘It’s a bit awkward to meet you now.’

The tension was so thick that even Erich had to straighten his posture.

***

I felt that the rigid and cold Crassius family was gradually changing.

Perhaps, starting today, we could become a completely different family. The relationship between parents and children, parents-in-law and daughters-in-law, grandparents and grandchildren is good, and now the relationship between the old head of the family and his siblings is on the verge of being restored.

Because we, who had been strangers for about 20 years, and who had perhaps been difficult to call normal siblings even before that, were finally trying to become one.

“It is natural for my father to see his uncles and aunts, just as it is natural for me to see Erich and Teresa. What could be inconvenient?”

“We already have a cousin, Liliana, so it doesn’t matter if we have more. In fact, it would be good if there were more people who would love our children.”

At the lake, Carl smiled as he recalled what Erich had said.

It would be understandable for the children to suddenly be flustered when meeting their blood relatives, but they answered as if nothing had happened, thinking of their father.

It’s really a blessing. These kids are more than enough for their bad father.

“Billy?”

“Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something else for a moment.”

He quickly cleared his throat at the sound of his wife’s voice.

It’s embarrassing. As a noble, I’m distracted by someone else when I have someone to talk to. I thought I’d become more mentally strong as I got older, but I still have a long way to go.

“It’s okay. It’s been a while since I saw my family, so my mind might wander.”

Still, my wife smiled at me despite my shortcomings.

“I’m also nervous because it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, sir.”

“I’m sorry. Because of my stubbornness, you too─”

“In times like this, you shouldn’t say sorry. It’s strange that I haven’t seen you before. Isn’t it natural for family to meet each other?”

I couldn’t raise my head anymore at the wife’s firm yet gentle words.

Since I became the head of the household, my family has been scattered, and my wife hasn’t seen her siblings in 20 years. Not to mention her nephews and nieces.

In that situation, I said something that was like notifying my siblings without any warning. Since I am the eldest of the siblings, my wife, who is the eldest of the siblings, cannot help but be busy.

‘She is a very worthy wife.’

After the children who are more than enough, he has a wife who is more than enough. Although he cannot say in good conscience that he is blessed with parents, he is blessed with a wife and children who are better than anyone else in the world.

The funny thing is that I almost threw this blessing away with my own hands.

“By the way, Billy, where are you planning on sending the invitation?”

“Of course it should be here. I am the eldest one, so I am the one inviting you, but it’s strange that we are actually meeting somewhere else.”

“It’s a good thing you asked.”

My wife sighed at my answer.

“The gentlemen and ladies don’t have fond memories of this Tile Glehen. So, are you going to have a reunion here after so many decades? We’ll have to do it someday, but at least it’s not the place we’ll be using from the beginning.”

I immediately agreed with that statement. I was definitely short-sighted.

“Then, madam, where do you think would be good?”

“The Krasius mansion in the system, or Karl’s personal mansion.”

Both places had clear pros and cons, so I was in awe.