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Side Stories 20

Shulifen, Wilhelm, Alexander, and Joachim, were known for their boisterous camaraderie.

Those close to them often joked, ‘I wonder if you guys are really Marquises and Counts,’ highlighting their casual and unpretentious relationships.

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...”

However, today, in this particular gathering, they were all silent.

Shudder Shudder Shudder—

Beside them sat the host, Count Karl Adelheit of Friedrich County. A survivor who had risen from the ranks of a common soldier, he was truly an invincible veteran.

He held the unprecedented honor of being the first in the Empire to be awarded the Medal of Honor twice.

Yet, at this moment, Karl\'s hands were clasped tightly, his body trembling. Consumed by nervousness, he fidgeted restlessly, on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"Hey, Karl."

Shulifen cautiously broke the silence.

Normally, Karl would have retorted with a ‘What?’ or a ‘Don\'t you guys have anything better to do?’ But today, he was unresponsive, seemingly deaf to the world around him.

"Karl."

"... Oh, yeah. Did you call me?"

"It\'ll be alright. So, get a grip."

"Do I look like I\'ve lost my mind or something? I\'m perfectly fine."

The other three muttered under their breath, ‘That\'s what we call losing your mind.’

They couldn\'t help but empathize.

They knew who was behind that door and what was happening.

They knew that a battle, both sacred and arduous, was being fought.

"...Thanks, guys."

"Huh?"

"For what?"

"For coming all this way despite being busy."

Karl took Shulifen\'s hand, followed by Wilhelm\'s, Alexander\'s, and Joachim\'s.

The four friends could clearly sense how nervous Karl was. His hands were trembling, yet he seemed oblivious to it.

"You should go now. You\'ve been like this for almost three hours."

"Three hours? And you want us to leave just like that? That makes even less sense."

"You guys have a lot to do. Are you sure it\'s okay?"

Marquises and Counts weren\'t just ordinary nobles. They held crucial positions in the Empire with numerous responsibilities and duties.

For the four friends to spend so much time here meant they were pushing the limits of their available free time. They were literally sacrificing their free time for this.

"This guy... making his friends feel bad, huh?"

"Come on, Karl. Don\'t be ridiculous. You think we\'d ditch you when your child is making their grand entrance?"

"But still..."

"Don\'t worry about us. We\'ll manage."

For a moment, Karl almost retorted with a comment about how well they managed to become the first 5th-year students in the academy\'s history.

However, with superhuman patience, he held back. He didn\'t want to ruin the mood in this heartwarming situation.

"We\'re here!"

"Orabeoni! We\'re late!"

"Sorry! We\'re not too late, are we?!"

The bride-to-be, Eloise, arrived with Lavrenti and Lefia.

The room was already buzzing with anticipation as Karl, his four friends, the former Count and Countess Friedrich, and the Marquis and Marquise Nafplion gathered, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the newest member of their family.

After some time, the door opened.

"My lord."

The head maid came out with a bright smile. Everyone fell silent.

"Congratulations. It\'s a beautiful baby girl."

"How are Selena and... our Bom-i?"

"Both are healthy. In fact, the Countess is so calm that no one would believe she just gave birth."

"Ah..."

The tension finally released, Karl almost collapsed, but Shulifen and Wilhelm caught him. Alexander and Joachim patted his shoulders from behind, congratulating him.

"Go inside quickly."

"But you guys..."

"Oh, you silly man. Family comes first, of course. And in there, it\'s definitely Dad first."

"Right. If we all go in together, it\'ll be too noisy. The little one might get startled. We\'ll wait a bit longer."

It was a surprisingly mature side of the four friends that Karl had never seen before. He was genuinely touched. He never imagined these guys could be so dependable.

"Go on in, Karl."

"Go, son-in-law."

The former Count and Countess Friedrich and the Marquis and Marquise Nafplion lovingly encouraged Karl to go be with his wife and child.

Taking a deep breath, Karl clutched his trembling heart and entered the room.

* * *

A gentle warmth still lingers on my face, mingling with the unique scent of sweat and linens. As my consciousness gradually returns, I hear a familiar voice calling my name.

"Karl."

"Selena?"

Rushing to the bed, I find Selena, looking incredibly frail, welcoming me.

She\'s still my beautiful Selena, but the vibrant glow of her hair has dimmed, and her face shows the strain of labor.

It dawns on me once again how difficult a time she must have had.

"Oh, Karl. Why are you crying?"

"... Huh? Am I crying?"

"Those are definitely tears. And here I thought I was the one who\'d earn a good cry after all that!"

I quickly wiped my eyes, and oh my, I really am crying.

What a foolish husband I am. Why am I crying in front of my wife who just gave birth? I should be smiling, telling her how grateful I am for her hard work.

"Come on. Let\'s see our baby."

Only then did I realize that Selena isn\'t alone. She\'s holding something in her arms. It\'s crying softly, as if announcing its presence. Just watching it squirm fills my heart with overwhelming joy.

"Is this our Bom-i?"

"Not her nickname anymore. You should call her by her name now."

"Ah... sorry."

"No need to apologize. Hehe. Now, Luen? You need to say hello. I\'m your mom, and that handsome man standing there is your dad. Come on, say hi."

[TL/N: Luen – It is of Welsh origin and means ‘light.’ ]

The baby, just born, can\'t understand our words. But as Selena speaks, Luen\'s cries subside. It\'s truly amazing. Could our daughter be a genius?

I carefully take Luen from Selena\'s arms. She\'s so tiny, yet her movements are surprisingly strong. I stared at my daughter, mesmerized, and softly spoke.

"Luen. Luen. My daughter. Our daughter. Hello. Say \'Dad.\' I\'m your dad."

She\'s so beautiful, so adorable. Is there any treasure in the world more precious?

Luen, my Luen, I promise you here and now, if anyone ever makes you cry, I won\'t let them get away with it, no matter who they are.

"Karl. Come here."

"Yes, Father."

My parents gaze at Luen with warm smiles, seeing their second grandchild and the firstborn daughter to carry on our family line. I know they\'ll be the most loving grandparents in the world.

"Aww! She\'s so cute!"

"Shh, Eloise. Quiet down. You\'ll wake Luen up."

"Oh my... She\'s so beautiful...!"

The three women, now gathered around my parents, were completely engrossed in admiring Luen.

I have a feeling they\'ll become wonderful aunts to her.

"Karl."

Selena, who had been listening to my father-in-law and mother-in-law\'s kind words, called out to me. I quickly rushed to her side.

"Yes, Selena? What\'s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, it\'s not that. I heard the four of them came too."

"The Hydra guys... ahem. Our two Marquises and two Counts did come."

"It\'s their niece\'s birth. We should let them see her."

"But she\'s too precious to show off to those guys."

"Hahaha. Don\'t say things you don\'t mean."

She got me there. This is why husbands always lose to their wives.

Of course, I had no intention of not showing Luen to them. I definitely will. I\'ll show off our daughter to those guys and tell them to hurry up and have their own kids.

"Hey, Karl. Can we come in?"

"Are you sure it\'s okay?"

"Oh wow. This is more nerve-wracking than I thought."

"Let’s just go in already. I want to see my niece too!"

The four of them cautiously entered the room. As soon as they spotted Luen, they gasped and clutched their chests.

"Hey, you said newborns weren\'t cute at all!"

"I lied. She\'s already incredibly cute!"

"Wow. This is why everyone says daughters are the best."

"...Agreed."

I had experienced this to some extent with my niece. But for these guys, this was probably the first time seeing a newborn up close. That\'s why they\'re reacting like this, overwhelmed by her cuteness.

"You guys should get married soon too. Then this happiness will be yours."

"Wow, you\'ve convinced me."

"Okay, just wait. I\'ll bring you a sister-in-law in no time."

They haven\'t changed a bit, and they probably never will. These guys are a bit absurd but always fun to be around.

That\'s why I\'m glad to have them as friends. And they\'ll surely be the most dependable uncles for our Luen.

* * *

"... Is that so? You\'ve worked hard."

The Emperor, with a smile, dismissed the messenger.

Soon after, the Empress approached with the Crown Princess and inquired about the news.

"What happened?"

"Our Crown Princess has a new adorable little sister."

"Oh my."

The Empress beamed. A child of her beloved brother, a daughter no less.

"A si-sister?"

"Yes, Lily. You finally have a little sister."

Although a cousin, she was still a sister.

The Crown Princess raised her hands and cheered, ‘Woohoo!’

For a child of her age, the thought of a sibling, especially a baby sister, was truly thrilling.