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“Jerry, brother.”

“Huh? Why are you calling me out of the blue?”

I glanced towards the living room and asked Jerry.

“Why is Mother here?”

There was Lady Grace Nostrim, the head of the Nostrim Family.

Jerry shrugged it off casually.

“Why, indeed? Parents don’t only come to visit their children when something special happens. Don’t frown so much.”

He nudged me with his elbow and chuckled. I shot him a glare, like I had just seen something gross.

Then Jerry suddenly threw me a question.

“Still awkward seeing your parents?”

“Not exactly…”

“Then?”

“…….”

I was at a loss for words, wasting time before finally letting out a small sigh.

“Yeah.”

—

Episode 15 – Life is Beautiful

Unhappy families all have their unique reasons for their woes, but happy families are alike in their happiness.

Without worries, healthy, and harmonious. If that’s the definition of a happy family, one could say the Nostrim family is indeed a happy one.

But if there was just one thing missing from such a family, it might be the somewhat distant relationship between the parents and the children.

“Sure, it’s a good family. No one is sick. I didn’t grow up as a troublemaker under strict parents. Everyone is growing up well, studying hard at the Academy, so there’s nothing to cause the parents any trouble.”

The Nostrim family was quite good.

As a family of civil servants, we never had to face the troubles of going bankrupt or failing investments, and since my parents were high-ranking officials, we were never looked down upon because of our status.

The healthy children mostly listened well. Sure, we argued over trivial things from time to time, but at least we never gave our parents any real headaches.

It was truly a family without anything to be jealous of.

But even in a happy family, there’s bound to be some minor issue.

“…But honestly, I don’t think our parents are saints. Don’t you think so?”

“They certainly don’t come home often.”

I nodded in response to Jerry’s half-smile inquiry.

During my childhood, my memories of the Nostrim family always included four people. The eldest son, Jerry, older sister Adela, me, and the youngest, Ayla.

I had no memories of my parents.

Well, I understand. A high-ranking civil servant probably found it hard to make time to see their children. Even if they had time, travelling back and forth between the provincial home and the capital’s workplace must have been burdensome for any adult.

However, the heart of a child is pure, naive, simple, and straightforward.

Thus, the relationship between the parents and children of the Nostrim family had always been lukewarm.

“So, that’s why we four stuck together. Remember when Ayla called our nanny ‘Mom’ when she was seven and the nanny freaked out?”

“When the nanny told her not to call her that, she cried her eyes out.”

“I remember. That was truly awkward.”

The eldest son laughed as he recalled the youngest’s embarrassing moment.

It was already over twenty years ago, but whenever the memory comes up, Ayla’s face would turn crimson as she’d demand for it to stop. I’ve often used that to tease her, so I know it well.

Suddenly thinking back to that memory, I gazed at the night sky.

“She threw a tantrum saying she wanted to call her ‘Mom.'”

Ayla was particularly fond of the nanny who treated her like her own daughter. The nanny cared for the frail youngest with utmost dedication.

As shown from the youngest’s case, the children of the Nostrim family liked the servants more than their parents.

Maybe because of that, the relationship between the parents and children in the Nostrim family felt more than just distant; it was somewhat awkward.

Even though things have improved now, I remember that there were many initial mistakes. As the years passed, parents struggled to keep up with their growing children, and the children rarely understood their mom and dad. It wasn’t exactly pleasant for me either.

Because the mind of an adult was trapped in a child’s body. Even though I wasn’t a fully mature adult, it was mentally exhausting to deal with three kids whining about missing their parents, making it something I couldn’t do again, like looking after two families.

“But it’s good that you don’t call her ‘Mom’ anymore. You and Ayla have gotten closer, and so have Father and Mother.”

“Yeah.”

“Mother and Father have worked hard to get to know their children. Though when they gifted a toy to their son entering middle school, it was a bit… awkward.”

“How old was he then? Was it when you turned twelve?”

“Thirteen. Second year of middle school.”

“Wow….”

“But you made it through your thirteenth birthday without a hitch. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes.”

In the end, time solved the issues. If things had gone a bit off-track, the family might have descended into chaos.

The feeling of love transcends time and space, pulling people closer, and the parents’ efforts to connect with their children bore fruit after a long wait.

With one exception.

I maintained my silence for a while. From here on out, it might be a tad embarrassing to continue speaking with a clear mind. A jumble of such awkward worries followed, and Jerry was still by my side.

“Is it still hard for you to deal with Mom?”

“Umm, a little…? I suppose you’d call it awkward.”

“I know; you’ve always been like that since you were little. You make your parents seem intimidating.”

I never expected it to still be the case.

Jerry added, “Don’t hate your parents too much. I’m not saying prioritizing work over family was the right thing to do. But you really need to start letting go a little. You can’t stay awkward forever.”

“Yeah.”

Someday.

I swallowed the rest of my thoughts.

“Right. Just do well from now on. Your mother came all the way here to see you since you returned home. Spend some time with her.”

“…….”

“Your parents might not say it, but they’ve been looking forward to your return. So go ahead and talk to them first.”

They would surely be pleased.

I listened to Jerry’s words with a nonchalant expression.

“Anyway, let’s wrap up these gloomy conversations and head inside. Father and Ayla will be here soon, so get ready and wash up. And just in case…”

“What now?”

“Since Mother is here, don’t fight with the youngest.”

Jerry’s warning made me chuckle involuntarily. Does he think I always fight with Ayla when we meet?

Of course, he was just joking.

“Make sure you take good care of Mother and Sister. The eldest son should take care of his parents, not push it off on his younger siblings.”

“You’re their son too, aren’t you? Oh, by the way, Ayla’s going on a business trip, I hear?”

“A business trip? Her?”

Jerry nodded as he brought up Ayla.

“The youngest works at a trading company. She’s got some dealings with foreign companies regarding imports. She’s going to live abroad for a few months…?”

“What? Ayla, she still hasn’t paid back the money she borrowed ages ago.”

“Didn’t you receive the cost of the suit she borrowed last time?”

“No, not that. I’m talking about the money she borrowed back when we were in trouble. The money I saved to buy a car.”

“Oh…? You still haven’t gotten that back? She just got a job, and she’s earning quite a bit now. Honestly, if anything, Ayla isn’t the type of kid to ignore debts… you know her.”

“…….”

I didn’t hear any more of Jerry’s thoughts.

“Uh, uh, Adela! Adela!”

“What!”

“Catch her, hurry and catch her!”

As we dashed out of the townhouse to ambush the youngest, the eldest son and daughter burst forth to shield her physically, while Mother summoned the youngest daughter to uphold the family’s order.

That day, Ayla received three light taps on the head.

—

As with all advice, just hearing it doesn’t dramatically change one’s life.

No matter how valuable the lessons may seem, if not put into practice, they mean nothing. This was a truth that the new Pope, who emphasized love and peace, had proven in the past five months.

Jerry’s words were not exaggerations. Leading the Nostrim household, Grace Nostrim, along with the head Charles Nostrim and the youngest daughter, civil servant Ayla, had arrived at the townhouse.

With the son returning home from abroad after what could be counted on one hand in four years, everyone was gathered out of joy.

Of course,

“Our daughter? Borrowed money from her older brother, did she? What on earth could that mean?”

“Uh, Mom….”

“Follow me, you little rascal.”

“Ah! Mom! I’ll explain everything! Mom-aah—!”

As Mother seized the youngest daughter’s ear and dragged her to the basement (the basement of the townhouse is the warehouse), a small commotion and I could do nothing but observe, lost in confusion.

Probably.

Anyway, since the whole family was gathered, it was only natural for things to get lively. Only after the youngest daughter was scolded and Ayla, devoid of any spirit, joined us could we finally sit down to dinner together.

Perhaps due to the nice weather after a long while, the night sky was particularly clear.

A gentle breeze was refreshing, and the sounds of kids laughing next door could be faintly heard.

In the backyard of the townhouse, a barbecue party was in full swing.

“Been a while, Fred!”

As I slipped away under the pretext of going to the bathroom to check for any work-related messages, I heard my father calling me with his energetic voice.

The high-ranking official from the Ministry of Finance was grilling meat. Bright red raw meat gleamed on the grill, being massaged with salt and pepper as the inside turned as red as a caged wild beast licking its lips through the bars.

Charles Nostrim, the head of the Nostrim family, held the tongs in his hand and looked at me with a delighted expression.

“Five months, huh? Have you been doing well?”

“Yes. How about you, Father?”

“Always safe and sound! But personally, I’m more worried about your mother than I am about myself. The royal family sure knows how to wear a person down, doesn’t it?”

Charles lowered his voice subtly as he spoke. As if saying, you know what I mean too, right?

It had a nuance as if asking, and it was a subtle request for someone to take their side.

Fortunately, the Treasury Department Official who had extended an illicit favor was met with a hammer blow.

The Royal Court Maid, who was chatting and laughing with the diplomat, came charging in like a tiger and punched the Treasury’s inspector right in the chest.

Whack! With a dull sound, a gasp echoed in the backyard. Charles Nostrim clutched his body with both arms, shivering as he struggled to cope with the searing pain that gnawed deeply at his bones.

“What were you saying to the kid?”

“G-Grace… still as strong as ever…”

“Jerry. It seems you’ve inherited your father’s temperament. Take him away.”

“N-no, we haven’t even cracked open the liquor bottle yet—ah, yes. Understood, Mom.”

My mother, having swiftly dealt with my father who was gossiping about the royal family, picked up the tongs in place of her husband. As she began to transfer meat onto my plate, she started chatting lightly.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Abas. I heard you were in the Northern Regions of the Kien Empire.”

“That’s right.”

“How did you end up in such a place?”

The smell of meat, which usually felt fine, suddenly seemed particularly foul. I waved off the piece of meat that Grace was handing me.

“It was a previously agreed matter regarding heading north.”

I replied nonchalantly.

“Did you know that from the beginning?”

“Yes.”

After the coronation ceremony, the cult officially announced that a demon had appeared in the northern regions of the Empire.

Though they had procrastinated in making the announcement, complying with the Kien Empire’s request to assist in ‘domestic stabilization’ due to the ongoing northern conflict, the Spring Offensive Operation led two months ago by Commander Mikhail had succeeded, allowing the Imperial Army to completely reclaim the northern territory.

It seems that the achievement of driving out the demon and reclaiming the territory gave the Imperial Government some breathing room.

The cult announced that a demon had been active in the north, and the Imperial Government acknowledged this by releasing more accurate data.

Thus, the existence of a demon reappeared in front of the public after centuries.

Now, citizens around the world were aware of the incident in the Northern Regions of the Kien Empire. While confidential information was shoved deep into storage, everyone was quite aware that the demon that had burned several cities was subdued by our forces.

The problem was,

“…You were in such a dangerous place?”

My parents had figured it out too.

“Are you okay, Fred? I heard that’s where the demon appeared.”

“If I wasn’t okay, I wouldn’t have come back. Nothing happened, so don’t worry.”

“Are you really sure nothing happened?”

I nonchalantly responded while slicing the meat.

“The city where the demon appeared was to the north. I was in Novo Nikolayevsk, which is further down.”

“Novo Nikolayevsk is the capital of the north. I’ve heard that the Duke of the Empire lives there. But as far as I know, there were disturbances there too…”

“It was the Duke who showed up and completely burned the demon down.”

I still remember it.

The blue flames that poured down like a waterfall. The flames descended to engulf the demon.

The demon, struggling to escape like it was trapped in a swamp, was swallowed by the blue fire.

Steam rose from the flames that clung to my skin like hot tar, resembling the smoke that emanates from dry ice. The heat was intense enough to melt the steel framework of ruined buildings, yet the surroundings where we fought remained unharmed.

To be more precise, only the area where the blue butterfly landed on our bodies was safe.

It was infuriating that the part we had worked hard to slay was completely taken, but regardless, the one who claimed the demon’s life that day was indeed Duke Alexandra Petrovna.

I absolutely did not say this as a way of hinting that I had received money, precious metals, or antiques from the Duke as a reward for battling the demon. I was merely using the Duke’s name so that my parents wouldn’t worry.

I was desperately selling the tale.

“The one who got hit with the silver bullet was engulfed in blue flames, and when the night sky turned blue, the demon collapsed. The same goes for the other monsters.”

“Is that really how it ended? The Duke caught the demon?”

“Of course.”

Fortunately, it seemed that Grace Nostrim believed my words. The relief that my child hadn’t nearly died eased her tensed shoulders.

“That’s a relief. But Fred, why are you at the townhouse today?”

“Oh, I’ve been living at the townhouse lately.”

“You?”

“Yes.”

Since the news of the demon’s subjugation spread, the Military Intelligence Agency started to contemplate how to handle my situation.

I was already known as a colleague and diplomat of Camila, and now I was recognized as one of the six key players who took down the demon… Even though I was officially disguised, my growing fame left even the higher-ups perplexed on how to handle me.

At that time, Colonel Clevenz of the Domestic Affairs Division proposed transferring my residence from a vulnerable government residence to an official residence. They suggested sending me to the official residence where the generals stayed.

Honestly, I was skeptical if it was even possible to assign an official residence to a kid who hadn’t even come of age yet, but astonishingly, just two days after the proposal, Leonie ordered me to vacate my government accommodation.

Clevenz proposed and Leonie approved. With the agreement of the only two generals in the Military Intelligence Agency, the approval from the agency chief, then the chancellor and minister followed suit in no time.

Of course, while they offered to give me an official residence, they hadn’t pledged to do so immediately.

Without evaluating the conditions, the plan was just going to be drafted—such was the way of armies worldwide.

Nonetheless, the Ministry of Defense official said they would do their best to inform me when a vacancy arose in the official residence, but avoided answering my question about a specific timeline. What more could I do? If they told me to do something, I would do it.

So here I am, waiting at the townhouse for an upcoming relocation order while my belongings are stacked up, simultaneously praying for the unknown general who is vacating a room for me.

My mother fiddled with her neatly clasped hands, then suddenly lowered her gaze with a feigned sad face.

“We were completely oblivious, weren’t we?”

It seemed my older brother and sister hadn’t spoken about it. I thought they must have known.

As I sat around the table with my mother, who wanted to know if anything special happened in the Empire or the cult, I was wholeheartedly savoring the flavor of sausages that burst with juices at every bite.

“Hmm, hmm. Grace?”

“What is it, dear?”

“While your questions are fine… I have something I want to ask first.”

My father, who had been gently dragged into the conversation by my mother’s order, subtly chimed in.

Where did he even come from? I hadn’t sensed his presence at all.

“About the sauce.”

“…….”

I had my younger sister fetch the sauce. Adela’s special sauce, made from mixing various types of cheese, pepper, finely chopped vegetables, and cream, had an elusive taste I had never encountered even with my travels around town.

Ayla obediently returned with the sauce after my mother cleaned up. As I dipped the meat generously into the sauce and took a bite, I raised my finger toward Ayla, when both my mother and father, whispering earlier, cleared their throats.

“Ahem! Fred? Can we talk for a moment?”

“Yes. About what?”

“The thing is, your father has something he wants to ask you.”

“Ah, yes….”

It was a remark made by my mother, who was standing beside her husband.

I felt an indescribable unease witnessing the strangely synchronized visuals of the two. Isn’t it one of those moments where just through eye contact, you can sense that something’s about to happen?

“…So, go ahead. Whatever it is.”

I felt odd unease and took a sip of my soda.

“So, when will you be marrying the Saint?”

Pffft!

The water I was drinking burst out, spraying everywhere like a fountain.

I had choked, and the cough wouldn’t stop. I was thrashing around violently, and my older sister Adela, who was eating nearby, patted my back. Meanwhile, Ayla, who was sitting in the direction I turned, fled like a cat splashed with water.

However, the one truly drenched was someone else.

“……”

“……”

My parents, covered in the soda I had been drinking, were utterly speechless.

The expensive tailored suit that was supposedly trending among high-ranking officials like Abas and the dress my mother had commissioned for their last anniversary were now soaked. They looked utterly like drowned rats.

Amidst it all, the soda was so fizzy that bubbles continued to rise from the pooling water on the table.

“……”

An intense silence engulfed the BBQ party.

The only sound heard was the occasional exhaust noise from passing cars and the footsteps of neighbors walking around the building.

Then Jerry, who had gone to fetch the charcoal just in case, entered the backyard without a clue and blurted out.

“Why is everyone being so quiet?”

“…Brother.”

“Oh, Fred.”

Please just shut up.

 

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