111 – Episode 110
Green lawn.
“Oh my! Debbie. “Is that woman from before really your wife?”
“Uh… Mother?”
A mother with impressive long straight hair.
My mother, who has not changed at all from her life, speaks with her eyes shining.
“Okay. Our lovely son. “When did you grow up to find a pretty bride and get married?”
“Yes?”
He said that and stroked my head.
“They say Sae-a is the emperor? What happened?”
My mother said that and hugged me tightly.
Why, before I can answer, my mother’s eyes light up.
“Plus, she seemed to get along very well, so I can’t tell you how surprised this mother was. Oh… When did my baby grow up so big and get married?”
I try to get out of the arms of her mother who is patting my butt.
“Uh… Please let go of my mother.”
Something is strange. Was your mother that tall?
No, my body has shrunk.
Otherwise, such shortened limbs cannot be explained.
My mother spoke as she held my now small body in her arms, just like when she was a child.
“hehehe, this mother wanted to hug little Debbie like this for the first time in a long time.”
-Pat… Pat…
I tell my mother that I don’t want to get patted on the butt as I get older.
“Uh… Please let go of my mother.”
“Let’s stay like this for a little while. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
I am at a loss for words.
When she saw her mother’s bright smiling face, she found it difficult to speak firmly and relaxed her body.
“hehehe. Debbie, our angel. “When did I become this adult?”
“That… That.”
And my mother asked as if she was curious.
“Besides, you got married, and the gold thread looks nice… What do you mean by threatening to get married?”
“Uh… that’s…”
How could I tell her mother that I had forced her to marry her mother-in-law and her sister-in-law as hostages?
I was embarrassed and couldn’t speak…
-Soybeans.
My mother pretends to lightly hit my head and continues.
“Debbie. You know you shouldn’t do such bad things, right? “Of course this mother trusts Debbie, but she says just in case, she shouldn’t do anything to make a woman cry.”
I say those words with an awkward expression.
“Oh… It didn’t ring.”
I rang several times before I got married. I remember not having rang since I got married.
-Pat, pat.
“So, whose son is this? So when are you going to show me your grandchildren?”
“Yes?”
From Noble mtl dot com
My mother nodded and asked again as if what I said was obvious.
“Why are you so surprised when I ask you to show me your grandchildren? “They look really good together and they will be together soon, but this mother wants to see her grandchildren as soon as possible.”
“That…”
What should I say?
“Our Debbie is good-looking, and our new baby is also beautiful. “It must be really lovely, right?”
Sweat drips down my back as I look at my mother, whose eyes are already shining.
“I have no intention of having children?”
My mother, who was happily imagining what I said, frowned slightly and looked at me in her arms as if asking what I was talking about.
“What do you mean? A couple loves each other. A child is natural. So quickly show this mother her grandchild.”
I speak firmly to my mother, who lets her imagination run wild.
“You’re not going to give birth?”
Her mother scolds me, frowning at my words.
“What do you mean? Does it make sense to not have children? Sigh… Our Debbie is young and sometimes has a quirky side. Even when you grow up, you can’t do that. You, the head of the Grand Ryan family and the Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Francesco, should not think such irresponsible thoughts. Besides, isn’t your wife the emperor of the empire? “If such a person has no successor, the empire…”
Mother’s nagging continues.
“Furthermore, if a man and a woman fall in love, it is natural for her to have a child. It is God’s providence, so why do you not want to have a child? Hasn’t this mother repeatedly told you how important your duties are as nobles? But this mother is very disappointed in our Debbie for saying such irresponsible things. “She can’t wait to have a baby…”
It’s been a while since I last met her, and I feel discouraged by her mother’s nagging.
***
“Ugh… Well… I was wrong.”
“Honey, are you okay?”
I wake up to the feeling of someone shaking my shoulder.
“Huh? W… Here?”
Dream… Is it a dream?
“Haa… Haa…”
I think I knelt down and listened to my mother nag for almost an hour.
I remember having a dream where I was scolded by my mother for not having a child with Theodora.
A vague memory of a dream.
When I was little, sometimes when I was scolded by my mother, I would kneel down and listen to her nagging.
I never thought I would have such a dream.
Dog… Is it a dog dream?
Theodora says, wiping the sweat from my forehead with the sleeve of her nightgown.
“Oh, look at your sweat. “Did you have a bad dream?”
I nod my head at those words.
“Ugh… I had a dream about being scolded by my mother.”
Theodora looks puzzled at my words.
“Yes? “Mother, you had a dream about her?”
At those words, I give her a small nod.
“Yes. It’s been a while since I last saw you. I was extremely scolded. Ha…”
I can’t believe you nag me so much for not having children.
My mother can’t do that.
She may die when she has a child, but there is no way a wise mother would mistreat me like that without knowing what’s going on.
So this is clearly a dream.
But Theodora doesn’t think so, she says in a cautious voice.
“Uh… Honey. “Actually, I also dreamed of my mother.”
My head turns quickly at those words.
“Huh?”
“In my dream, my mother thanked me for marrying you… She greeted me… And asked me when… The child would be born… And that she would tell me good news soon…”
I ask while looking at Theodora, who is slightly blushing.
“Then what did your mother say?”
“He said thank you. She always felt sorry that her mother couldn’t take better care of you. Joe… He said he was relieved to get a good girlfriend…”
After hearing her words, I feel like the dream I had just a little while ago was a bad dream.
Yes. It’s definitely a dog dream.
There is no way my mother would scold her son for not seeing her for the first time in a while and say thank you to her daughter-in-law.
On the contrary, she might have been angry and told me not to mistreat her.
“Ah… I guess, uh… I guess your mother has something she wants to say to us?”
At those words, I firmly shake my head.
“That can’t be possible. This is a f*cking dream. Oh… It’s been a while since I slept here, so I’m having a strange dream. “I’m sleepy so I’ll sleep a little longer.”
I said that and lay down on the bed again.
***
“Hmm…”
Large warehouse.
I visited this place to inspect whether the war materials were in good condition.
“If you think about the loss rate… It’s roughly right.”
We are checking to see if there are enough war materials such as grass, scrolls, and arrows to feed the horses.
I think Ioanes will move soon, so we need to prepare for this as well.
“Agripa, how many new soldiers have you gathered?”
Agripa said as he looked at the war oil next to me.
“The number of people has increased by about 1,000 since December of last year.”
I nod my head at those words.
1,000 People… That’s a lot of hard work.
Unlike modern times where there is a conscription system, most of the wars here are done by hiring volunteer soldiers or mercenaries.
Mercenaries can easily gather a large number of troops with money, but it is difficult to trust them.
If it looks even the slightest bit disadvantageous, it will run away.
So, the regular army is important, but it takes a lot of time to train, feed, and make regular soldiers worthy of their salaries.
Furthermore, it is not possible to select people at random; if there are no applicants, you cannot be selected.
Unless it is a very powerful territory, even serfs or residents are not sent to the battlefield.
“Then wouldn’t we need more scrolls and shot put?”
The numbers written on paper and the inventory numbers are roughly similar, but considering the number of new soldiers, I think we need to prepare more war materials.
“I think this is enough for scrolling and shot put. Unless all new recruits are going to be grenadiers, this is probably enough.”
I nod my head at those words.
If you were to choose the next most important troop here after the wizard, it would be the grenadier.
In modern times, it is a position close to artillery.
Well… Unlike in modern times where you can just produce and train artillery, here the grenadiers are operated separately by selecting only those with excellent physical condition.
The reason is that the heavy shot put must be thrown far away.
“Then let’s take stock like this… How do you feel Agrippa? “Now you’re marrying the woman you love, right?”
Agripa laughs heartily at my words.
“I am happy. “She honestly knows what it feels like to fly.”
-Pisik.
“Then that’s a good thing. “You know next week is Mary’s birthday party, right?”
As soon as I got here, I started checking things that I couldn’t properly check since I was away.
There is a lot to see, from war supplies, territory development status, and troop size to the expenses spent by the Grand Duchy.
A lot of war materials are stolen here by corrupt officers, so if you don’t check, you won’t feel safe.
If you try to fool the numbers, you can fool them, so you can’t rest your mind easily.
“Yes, of course I know. But it’s been a while since you’ve been here. Can you just work like this? “Would you like to rest a little?”
I shrug my shoulders and say that.
“When I grow old and die, I will sleep forever.”
With that thought in mind, I come out of the warehouse.
“Still, His Majesty the Emperor and Mary seem to be upset.”
I shrug my shoulders at those words.
“How can I have so much to do? Oh right. Martin, who made a contribution in the last war, and Philip, who is an enemy general but is an excellent general. “Could you please call those two?”
Agripa nods his head at my words.
“Yes. “I will call you as soon as you return to the Grand Duke’s palace.”
I nod my head at those words.
“Ah. And Agrippa. “Did you hear that after this wedding, you are scheduled to be inaugurated as Minister of Military Affairs of the Grand Duchy?”
The reason why Agrippa was not given a high-ranking position until now was because of his status.
It would be difficult for Agrippa, who came from a low background, to control the arrogant nobles.
For Agrippa, who took the surname Ryan and became a nobleman after marrying Mary, the issue of origin was resolved.
Agripa responds to my words with a dying face.
“How much are you giving me a position like that to pamper me?”
I shrug my shoulders at those words.
“I think it’s for my future children. Anyway, are the wedding preparations going well?”
“Yes. The preparations are over. “I understand that Queen Octavia, who will be planning the wedding, will arrive the day after tomorrow.”
Usually a high-ranking woman in the family is in charge of wedding preparations.
For example, my mother, the former Grand Duchess, should be in charge…
He has already passed away.
Since Mary and I are insensitive to that kind of thing, my older sister, the queen of the North Sea Kingdom, decided to come and help her with her wedding preparations and her birthday party.
“Well then, I’m glad.”
Like that, I nod my head.