51 – The Story of the Expansion of the Family
Time passed, and the season came when snowflakes fell on strange tree branches.
It was a day when it snowed. It was also a day when the servants were particularly busy.
Today is December 31st.
The eve of New Year’s Day.
“Wow, Daddy! It’s snowing.”
“Do you like the snow, Tina?”
“Yes!”
“I see…”
I looked into the distance without expressing any positivity or negativity. Yes, like Tina, there was a time when I used to be fascinated by the snow and ice, when the whole world turned white and the ordinary world became special. I was a child who loved such a scenery.
So… this is a story from a past life.
In my current life, I lived a mineral-like existence without feeling any awe for the world until a certain point.
Anyway, putting aside personal opinions… If I were to express my own view… I dislike snow. Truly dislike it.
The sight of snow, painted black by people’s footsteps, was aesthetically uncomfortable. Stepping on thick layers of snow made moisture seep unpleasantly into the shoes, creating a dreadful sensation. And no matter how impressive one’s physical abilities were, the frozen ground was not entirely slip-resistant.
In my heart, I wished to spread the miracle of snow removal across the entire region.
Tina, oblivious to my sentiments, held my hand and tugged insistently.
“Dad, dad.”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s go outside and play. Okay? I want to have a snowball fight!”
Come to think of it, Tina had never had a snowball fight before. However, Tina would probably have to live without experiencing one in the future.
I taught Tina the chilling reality, akin to a snow-covered field.
“… Tina.”
“Yes?”
“Do not engage in snowball fights until you at least become an adult.”
“Huh, why…?”
Though Tina sent me a gaze of injustice, it couldn’t be helped. For Tina, a snowball fight was akin to murder.
To give a simple example, the speed of a snowball lightly thrown by Tina was comparable to that of a professional athlete’s. No matter how much it was just a snowball, deliberately compressing and throwing a lump with Tina’s sincere strength could lead to a major incident.
Unable to list all the reasons one by one, I ultimately expressed it in a roundabout way.
“… Someone could get hurt. Snowball fights are also a form of combat, you know? A real fight. It can really escalate into a fight.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Good girl, my dear.”
I gently ruffled Tina’s hair. However, Tina, finding it hard to accept, puffed up her cheeks like a blowfish.
Right at that moment, a rope descended from the end of the corridor to rescue Tina.
“Oh, so you wanted a snowball fight.”
“Grandpa!”
“hehehe…”
Tina rushed towards the duke, who was smiling kindly. The duke then adjusted his eye level to Tina’s and said,
“If you want a snowball fight, let’s do it together, my child.”
“Really?”
After a moment of hesitation, Tina asked with a suddenly softened voice,
“But… just the two of us?”
“Well, it’s a proper ‘game,’ but can only the two of us enjoy it?”
“Then who should we play with?”
“Oh, there are plenty of people to play with. The Sword King’s orders are to have a snowball fight at times like this.”
“I see!”
Crazy!
Internally, curses involuntarily escaped at the duke’s casual madness.
‘Is that the supposed noble purpose of the existence of the Empire’s top knights?!’
Considering the duke’s eccentricity seen so far, it was oddly convincing, which was a problem. In reality, the duke was holding Tina’s hand and leisurely heading out of the mansion.
‘… Huh?’
At that moment, I witnessed it involuntarily.
When the duke, taking Tina outside, suddenly turned his eyes in this direction, he glanced at me with a pitiful expression.
‘How on earth did Tina manage to charm the Duke…’
By now, I was genuinely curious.
◈
Cardi walked along the snow-covered road with Tina.
Their destination was the training ground.
By now, the Black King’s troops would have gathered quickly.
“This is training.”
A snow fight was an excellent method of training. It could improve cardiovascular endurance by dodging snowballs, as well as develop practical agility.
So, it wasn’t like his granddaughter was playing with him just because she was adorable. It was better to induce interest naturally rather than confine training within strict rules. That’s the true meaning of education, isn’t it?
“How long has this child been here?”
It was definitely spring when Elysia submitted her marriage documents to the Arwel Palace. And the time of the palace ball was also in the spring. Such a pleasant season had already changed to a chilly one.
“The end of the year, huh.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Never mind.”
Indeed, the atmosphere of the mansion had changed with the children running around. If it used to be rigid and cold, now it felt softer.
Especially Elysia, the impression was that her temperament had changed significantly. She used to be indifferent to the world, but who would have expected her to have such rich emotions hidden within her. Even though she takes after her father, I never expected it.
“As expected, an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
She resembles her mother. Or maybe the son-in-law made her that way. Either way, I believe it’s a positive change.
So, even if Elysia shows a little more favoritism towards the child she cherishes, it wouldn’t be a flaw.
“Memories from back then come to mind again.”
It was the moment when he impulsively asked Tina if she wanted to go to the Royal Palace Ball.
He had never intended to reveal himself at an event where the Pope was present. Even if he had said he wanted to go, he had planned to refuse him politely.
But he gave up his stubbornness, swayed by the words of an ignorant child.
“Do you want to go?”
“Yes! I want to see my mom and dad dancing.”
“Then it’s impossible.”
“Why…?”
“I have no one to dance with.”
It was a childish trick. He just wanted to see the little girl’s ever-changing emotions on her gloomy face.
He didn’t know back then.
The girl, whose blood was untainted, had emotions more unpredictable than one could imagine.
The girl in front of him bowed deeply and said nothing. So he thought she was hiding her sullen face.
That’s when it happened.
Drip, thud.
A tear-like droplet formed in Tina’s blue eyes, leaving a mark as it slid down her cheek. At that moment, he thought her entry to the Royal Palace Ball was prohibited, and he felt sorry for her. But when the girl’s voice mixed with crying, Cardie was genuinely surprised.
“Sniff, Grandma is pitiful…”
“What?”
“No, Grandpa is pitiful too. Grandpa also wanted to dance a lot with Grandma… But now he can’t see her anymore.”
“… Everyone dies. My wife just died a little earlier.”
“But I still want to see her. Grandma must want to see her too. What if they can’t meet each other… What’s the point of being the only one like this? I, I want to see my dad and mom every day…!”
Honestly, it was difficult to understand what she was saying, as she rambled on. The real problem arose afterwards.
[Whaaah…!!!]
Tina burst into loud sobs.
Cardi couldn’t understand why Tina was crying at this moment, nor could he figure out what could be so sad as to bring tears. He was curious about how far a child’s empathy could extend.
But why?
Despite her distorted face and pouring tears, he didn’t find her pitiful.
Rather, he found her endearing.
Although he couldn’t understand her words, it was clear that this child was crying for him.
Until now, Elena was the only person who had cried for someone other than herself. Except for his lifelong wife, Elena – whom he would never see again – there was no one else. At least not until this child shed tears.
It was also strange to feel sorry for Elena, whom he had never seen before.
[What does it matter to my wife if you cry?]
[But… but… Grandma…]
[Huh.]
[I’m not your real dad, but I’m your true dad. Mom is the same. Real family doesn’t care about that. So Grandma is Grandma, and Grandpa is Grandpa, right? Sniff, sniff…]
Cardi was greatly shocked.
Though he was different from the usual nobles in terms of values, his essence was undeniably conservative. Family naturally referred to those with blood ties, and everything else was fake.
But at this point, he had no choice but to revisit his dusty values.
Had these blood-related individuals ever expressed their feelings solely for him, without any ulterior motives?
Just like Elena and Tina, in the end, only complete strangers had cried for him.
So Cardi muttered without any conscious filter.
[My father did a good job with home education.]
After saying it out loud, it almost seemed too obvious. Regardless, Harte, who was my father, was a human in the temple, an child raised in a place like Elena.
No, that’s not it. If Elena had raised this child alone, the child might have spat on the floor.
Amidst such contemplation.
From Noble mtl dot com
Cardi, pushed by the flow of consciousness, reluctantly extended an unexpected kindness to gather Tina’s tears.
[… Stop crying. The ball is off-limits unless you’re a child laughing happily.]
[Yes…?]
[You should stop those tears; otherwise, you won’t be allowed to go to the palace.]
[Oh…]
Tina needed a moment to grasp Cardi’s intentions. Then, as Cardi turned his head and stood up, Tina burst into laughter.
[Yes!]
Indeed, it was a genuine smile.
Cardi chuckled as he reminisced about that moment. Then Tina, tilting her head, sensed his mood.
Cardi randomly caressed Tina’s head as if messing it up.
“It’s nothing. Really nothing.”
As the year-end approached, he found himself wanting to see his granddaughter, who had turned into a dragon.