Special Chapter. Flowers bloom and bear fruit (2)
That evening, as Ludwig had predicted, an orgy of drinking took place.
The main culprit is his father, Carol. Of course, it was a joint venture with Rebecca.
As if drinking with Rebecca earlier wasn’t enough, this time he tricked all the members of the Ipretz family into one place.
“Why are you drinking in the middle of the night? sorry for the kids.”
Unlike Ludwig and his wife, who participated in the drinking party with a bitter smile, Diana bruised Carol with her hand on one side of her waist.
He said he would not stop him from drinking alcohol, but he wondered if it would make sense for a nobleman, who was said to be the former head of a family, to catch people who needed to sleep at most in the middle of the night.
Diana was in a very bad mood because she was sober and did something that would not have been tolerated even if she had been drunk.
“Kuhm… Go, it’s nice to have days like this sometimes, what’s wrong?”
“No, that’s right. mother. we’re fine It must have been because Master was also here today, and Father was in a very good mood.”
“Ugh… I’m sorry, my dear. Moreover, the granddaughter was captured… … .”
Putting off what to do with that shameless nobleman until later, Diana headed to Carol’s side and took her seat.
Even if I hate you, what can I do with my husband? Still, we should have a drink together next to each other.
“So our granddaughter was praised by the Sword Saint today?”
When Carol, who was filling her glass with red wine herself, spoke softly to her granddaughter, who was not sick even if she put it in her eyes, she was momentarily taken aback. .
“I think Anise will have to answer that herself. How is it, Anise?”
“yes!? that, that… … .”
However, Ludwig did not easily replace it.
It was for the reason that if he did something well, he should proudly reveal it with his own mouth and receive praise.
It was because Rebecca was watching Anis from the side with a hearty smile on her face, hoping that would happen too.
In the end, Anis had no choice but to roll her eyes here and there, then paint her face with her own mouth.
To be honest, I was a bit embarrassed, but I thought that no one would lend a helping hand today.
“No, that’s right. Shutenba… No, I can see the traces of the teacher’s hard work… … .”
“Looks like you’ve decided to call me teacher now. Heh heh, that’s odd anyway. I wonder if she’s Emilia’s daughter after all… … .”
Carol only praised Emilia and Anis without mentioning her son’s name.
Seeing that, Ludwig smiled wryly as if he had started again and filled his father’s empty glass before he knew it.
After marrying Emilia, Carol always couldn’t get out of love with her daughter-in-law.
If the Bayern family had a mother-in-law named Julia who fell in love with her son-in-law, this was the opposite.
The only difference is that the other side casually spits embarrassing words even though they are sober, but this side is to the extent that it starts only when alcohol is added.
Normally, Emilia just watched this scene with a smile.
It was because I thought that there was no one who disliked giving compliments, and that the fact that Ludwig was deliberately left out was a playful act on the part of Carol.
However, Anise was an exception.
“Oh, no… … !”
“Well? Isn’t it?”
Carol’s eyes widened at the protest that sounded like a scream.
On the other hand, Anis, who had unknowingly raised her voice in front of her grandfather, swayed in the air with both hands, clearly displaying her embarrassment.
“Ah, that, that… It’s not that it’s not, it’s not, but it’s not that it’s not… I’m sorry… … .”
In the end, even though I was trying to explain something, the bizarre situation where my words got stuck over and over again, and Anis finished her remarks with a crying voice.
In response, Carol rebuked her by telling her to speak slowly.
“that… Of course, I have the talent and body that my mother passed down, but I also admired my father’s swordsmanship… This was possible because I was the daughter of my father and mother.”
In short, it was meant to be corrected not only for being ‘Emilia’s daughter’, but also for being ‘Ludwig and Emilia’s daughter’.
At this, Carol nodded her head while tying the beard on her chin with a hearty smile.
I had heard that Anise had a talent for swordsmanship, but it was the first time I learned that it was related to his son Ludwig’s swordsmanship.
“Oh, it’s a bit surprising that you admired my son’s swordsmanship.”
“Have you seen Grandpa?”
“It would be even weirder that I couldn’t see it. Of course, I don’t even know how to do swordsmanship, so I don’t know what’s so great about it.”
Unlike most household heads of more or less reputable families who practiced martial arts to some extent, Carol was no different from an outsider in that area.
That’s why when others see it and say it’s great, ‘Oh, it must be great.’ It was only to the extent of thinking that Ludwig’s swordsmanship was not greatly inspired by watching it over and over again.
However, I thought it would be worth it if it attracted one person.
Rather, as a father, I feel a little sorry for not being aware of it until now.
“My mom said my dad’s swordsmanship was really cool! Mom sharpened her sword with the goal of defeating opponents, but what can I say about Dad… You said it was like a swordsmanship to protect someone!”
“Right. Well, since before, he was a guy who hated seeing people around him hurt and having a hard time… … .”
Feeling sentimental as he remembered the old days, he clinked glasses with Rebecca, who was sitting across from him, and silently turned the wine glass around.
Watching the red wine leave a mark on the rim of the glass and create a small whirlpool in it, it felt as if the past was being replayed in it.
“Anyway, thank you. You are the third woman who has cherished my son so much.”
“Who are the two?”
“Of course your grandmother and your mother.”
Upon hearing that answer, Anise glanced away and looked at Diana and Emilia alternately.
“Then, are you planning to teach Anise here for a while?”
Diana, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between the two, asked Rebecca about her schedule.
It was because I thought that he would disappear at any time since he was such a new and rare person, but fortunately, a definite answer came back.
“It looks like it will. Still, it’s a request from my one and only disciple… … .”
“No matter what you say, our teacher is full of affection.”
“Shut up, you bastard. If it hadn’t been for the sincerity that came to that distant place… … .”
It was Rebecca who muttered to Emilia as if she were a child, even though she was not quite a child like before, and she was definitely a Mibu with an adult daughter.
That’s when the conversation between the female crew started here.
On the other side, with Anis accompanying them, the men were talking.
It was Carol who led the conversation mainly. He was conveying various words to Ludwig with an expression of mixed emotions.
“Looking at it this way, you too are a worthy family man, son.”
“Did you know that now? How old am I… … .”
Ludwig was speaking in a slightly disappointed tone, but there was no sign of that on his face at all.
He would, too, because he knew better than anyone what his father meant when he said these things.
“It is different from before. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you can become the head of the household.”
“i know. On the contrary, I also feel a little strange.”
“you?”
“Honestly, I hadn’t even thought about it. I thought the day would come when I would have such a pretty wife and daughter, build a decent family, and someone would follow in my footsteps.”
At least, it was a scene that Ludwig could not have imagined even before the coming-of-age ceremony.
That’s because the future and reality he thought of were different.
In a good way, of course.
“Originally, life is like that. Nothing goes as expected.”
“Did your father do the same?”
“then. So it was fun, but it was also sad.”
Uncharacteristically, Carol didn’t fully enjoy the scent of the alcohol, but poured the contents of the glass into her mouth at once and smiled.
Somehow, Ludwig felt as if that action was clearing away all the hardships his father had gone through in life all at once.
“How are you feeling?”
“What are you talking about?”
“That feeling when you find out that your daughter admires you and learns swordsmanship. I don’t think I can say it.”
“I see. To be honest, it was a bit heartbreaking.”
Ludwig slightly turned his gaze to the side and looked at Anis, who was blinking brightly.
When I gave birth to her, my goal was just to be a father who wasn’t hated.
However, when I realized that I had become an object of admiration, I honestly felt like I was about to burst into tears.
However, the first day I showed tears in front of my daughter, I was able to endure it somehow because I promised that it was time to let her go to another man.
“On the other hand, my dear son never said such a thing. Do you feel anything when you see your daughter?”
“Ah, even if I didn’t say it, I always respected my father after we got married.”
“Dude, then you mean you didn’t do it before.”
“Ha ha, just kidding. But it is true that after marrying Emilia, I realized that my father is a respectable person.”
In the past, Ludwig had heard that Carol and Diana had never fought.
There were always times when Diana bruised Carol, like today, but every time that happened, Carol just laughed it off and didn’t say anything.
It could be because he simply had a good personality, but Ludwig thought it was because Carol cared for his wife very much.
On the other hand, there were times when I seriously thought about whether I could really live like that.
Perhaps the reason why he had never fought Ludwig and Emilia before was because he had lived his life watching over his father.
“Thank you, Father.”
“guy… Look like even half of your daughter. It’s hard for me to respond when you talk so calmly.”
“My father likes this more. You’re going to hate it for being cheesy.”
“… Seriously, I can’t stand it anymore.”
In the past, it was an equal fight because they had lived through the years, but as Ludwig also accumulated years of experience, Carol realized that she couldn’t win against him with words.
Still, I wasn’t particularly dissatisfied.
As with any parent, there is no happier moment than realizing that your child has surpassed you.
He was quite red as he drank wine like that.
Is it because I get drunk easily these days? Even Carol, the person involved, couldn’t figure out why.