Chapter 30: I Love You

“Congratulations, Lord Lueld!”

“Celebrations! Many congratulations!”

“Ah, well, thank you. Everyone. The sun has already set, so please, don’t make such a fuss here…”

“No! Lord Lueld and Lady Ermina have had a son! How could we possibly not raise a toast?!”

“His Majesty the Emperor has also announced that a feast may be held for a day tomorrow!”

…Why go so far?

Lueld struggled to suppress the blush creeping up his face as he pushed through the crowd.

Even in the dark of night, his snow-white hair was vividly illuminated by the torches and lanterns, making him stand out exceptionally well.

Consequently, after exchanging various congratulatory greetings, he was delayed for quite some time.

“Phew!”

It was far too small to be called a Count’s estate, but within the capital… it was a remarkably luxurious scale.

Ermina had said it was too overwhelming at first.

“…….”

Suddenly, a tension bloomed in the depths of his chest, as if a heavy stone had dropped there.

Anxiety crept in.

As he gazed upon the family home enveloped in silence, his mood sank anew.

Just a moment ago, he felt as if he had gained the whole world.

…But as is often the case with the human heart, he felt how difficult this was.

“Still…”

He had to show Kariel his younger sibling.

…….

….

While Ermina was in the midst of her struggle, there was someone who visited Lueld, who had been pacing restlessly in the waiting room within the Great Church.

“Kwahahaha! My goodness! To have a child after over a decade! You’ve done well! Your marital bliss is simply wonderful!”

Thump! Thump! Thump!

A man of mountain-like proportions pushed his scar-covered face uncomfortably close and friendly slapped Lueld’s back with force.

One wondered if it would feel like this to receive a foot massage from a bear.

Compared to this man, Lueld’s physique looked almost frail.

Wearing the black uniform characteristic of the Golden Dragon Knights, Lueld spoke with a bewildered expression.

“Variel? When did you return?”

“Just now!”

“For someone who just returned, you look quite tidy.”

“I was in the middle of a grand journey with my wives! But then I heard the news from this side, didn’t I? I thought it was the perfect time, so I washed up and came! Kwahahaha!”

“……Aren’t you the one with the wonderful marital bliss?”

“I’m just a libertine!”

…He certainly didn’t hesitate to make such a shameful confession.

“By the way, where’s Kariel?”

“…At home.”

“Huh? Why? I mean, your wife is here and you’re about to see the sibling, aren’t you planning to show the child his sibling’s face?!”

“It’s not that, but…”

“I heard the news. I heard you completely crushed His Highness the Prince?”

“…….”

Had it spread that far already?

“Hey! You punk! Men all grow up fighting when they’re young! What’s the big deal over that? Didn’t we do the same?”

“For that to be the case… it was far too excessive.”

“Then the Prince, who constantly picked fights with Kariel, is innocent? How angry must that gentle soul have been to crush him like that? You punk, when was the last time you had a proper conversation with your son?”

“It’s… been a few days.”

“On what topic? For how long? How many minutes?”

“Well…”

The most recent conversation they had was…….

…….

“You rascal! The moment you hesitate, it’s over! That means you can’t even think of one!”

“Wait a second! Can’t you see I’m anxious because I was praying for Ermina’s safety?!”

“The fact that you have to think deeply about it is why it’s over. You clumsy knight.”

“…….”

Those words were exactly right.

Even if he managed to think of something.

…It was mostly him rambling during meals.

[…I enjoyed the meal.]

[Kariel! Your father is speaking, what is this lack of manners…?!]

[Ah! Honey! It’s okay! He’s at a sensitive age, we have to be understanding.]

…It had mostly been like that.

Even in the carriage today.

The boy hadn’t uttered a single word.

Even then, he had only agonized over what to say.

Once he got home, he would talk more carefully….

[Why me?]

[……What?]

[Did I do something wrong?]

[Do you really call that a question right now?]

[What excuse did Patina make?]

[…….]

“Looking at your face, it seems you’ve never had a good conversation. You just brushed him off, thinking it was puberty or a rebellious phase, right? Since you didn’t see his face often, it felt burdensome to act affectionate. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s not…”

“Because you’re always busy traveling across the Empire, you’ve never properly dealt with Kariel, have you?”

“…….”

“Of course, I respect you. Everyone in the Empire knows that you are far more admirable than someone like me, who lives softly with fewer duties and responsibilities.”

If Lueld took a single day off.

Life would perish somewhere.

Someone would become an orphan, and someone would lose a child.

…Blood would spill due to countless conflicts.

Property damage and crop failure could somehow be overlooked.

But the meaningless, fleeting departure of a life.

It was hard to bear, then and now.

The Empire appeared extremely stable externally, but the interior was still festering and rotten.

Occasionally, like a drastic prescription, it was necessary to cut out the rotten parts.

“We do it all so everyone can live well and be happy, so why are you and Ermina so anxious about not being able to save everyone?”

“We…”

Because we have to.

Because if we don’t, it won’t happen.

If we pay even a little less attention.

Somewhere, a tragedy occurs as if it were natural.

If he had to face a horrific tragedy right before his eyes just because he was a few seconds or minutes late.

In that moment, he felt as if he would truly go mad.

Seeing the parents of a child wailing desperately, drenched in blood, while holding the severed body of their child….

Seeing a young child continuing to shake their motionless parents, not grasping the situation and whining for them to wake up….

“I’m telling you, you can’t save everyone.”

“…….”

“I don’t even ask you to take it easy, but look at you. You don’t drink, and you don’t know how to play. Your way of relieving stress is swinging a sword again. Because of you, Kariel always hears that he’s less hardworking than his father, doesn’t he? Do you think everyone in the world is a superhuman like you? And the abstinence should have a limit. Since long ago, whenever Kariel did something wrong, you made him confess, and as punishment, you had him do fasting prayers, and in severe cases, you didn’t let him sleep for days. Don’t you think that’s too harsh for a child in his growth period who also has to handle daily life?”

“What? No, I did… that much?”

“Huh? What? You didn’t know? Ermina is exceptionally sensitive about committing sins, so she lashes out. She was like that with us, so how would it have been for Kariel? Was Ermina the type of person to be flexible enough to make exceptions? She’s kind to others, but she’s a person who is strict with herself, just like you and us, isn’t she?”

“…….”

“I told you before. Ermina doesn’t know how to be tactful. If you don’t support her, she’ll just carry the wounds and suffer internally.”

I thought they were a couple with wonderful marital bliss.

“Why don’t you put down your work for a while and rest with your family? No, this isn’t a matter of choice! Just do it!”

At that moment.

The cry of a baby was heard from afar.

The hearing of the two captured it effortlessly.

The sound of footsteps, as if someone were running and stumbling several times.

It arrived along with the cry.

“Sir Lueld! Congratulations! It’s a son! A son!”

Variel clapped his hands with an ‘Oh!’ and then spoke to Lueld as if giving an instruction.

“First, look at this kid’s face, then go call Kariel quickly. If he misses this touching sight, it’ll remain a lifelong regret.”

“Uh, yeah… I understand.”

His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!

Checking Ermina’s condition. Holding the newborn child.

Receiving congratulations and responding to each one.

He was completely overwhelmed.

However.

The moment he held his second child.

Lueld inadvertently recalled the memory of when he held his first, Kariel.

At the time, it was said that the former Pope, who was dying of illness, personally rose from his sickbed to come to the capital.

Then, calling it his final mission, he personally poured oil over the child’s head, praising him as a blessing from the world and a Child of Revelation.

Had he not praised him so?

Besides that… besides that….

But why was it?

“Where is Kariel? No, it’s not too late even now, so quickly send someone…”

“No, no. I’ll go myself.”

Shaking his head at the Emperor’s words, Lueld expressed his intention.

“If you’re in a hurry, shall I go with you?”

Empress Melineos gave a look as if she were about to cast Teleportation Magic immediately.

“No, I’ll walk. I want to… organize my thoughts as I go.”

“Bring him quickly. Both the baby and Ermina look quite tired.”

Variel urged him while holding Lueld’s second child, who was wrapped in a swaddle.

“I’ll be back soon.”

…….

….

The interior of the family home was enveloped in silence.

It was the time when most employees had finished their shift.

One person would be staying for the night shift, but except for those waiting for the purpose of external surveillance and home protection.

The interior of the home was as silent as if a mouse had died.

Lueld was seized by a strange sense of incongruity.

As he quickly spread his mana to sense the surroundings.

“Sylphia?”

“O-oh, you’ve arrived, Lord Lueld.”

Lueld, who had just discovered Sylphia waiting in the maids’ night shift room, asked with a puzzled expression.

“What were you doing, not sleeping yet?”

“That…”

“More importantly, was today your night shift? Even if there are personnel waiting outside, how could you leave a young child alone inside…”

“……Lord Lueld.”

“Hmm? Why? Do you have something to say?”

Sylphia took out a piece of stationery she had kept in the pocket at her waist.

With eyes moist, as if she were about to burst into tears at any moment.

“The Young Master… asked me to deliver this.”

“…….”

Strangely.

A chill ran through him.

He felt as if he had experienced something similar to this before.

Back then, what happened?

For a moment, he was seized by déjà vu.

Lueld, struggling to take the letter with trembling hands….