Side Story 3.6 - HAPPILY EVER AFTER(6) (1/2)
HAPPILY EVER AFTER(6)
After telling the coachman to head to the Muiller Bakery, the two young men climbed onto the carriage. Shortly after the carriage departed, Bruno’s shoulders trembled as he tried not to laugh, but he couldn’t help it and burst out laughing. Infected by Bruno’s laughter, Damian began to laugh as well.
“Mother is really amazing. Who else can send the Duke of Taran on an errand to the bakery?”
“Only Mother can do it.”
“Do you know what surprised me the most during my stay at the ducal residence? That the strongest person in the house wasn’t His Grace the Duke but mother.”
Damian agreed with Bruno as he chuckled. His father was definitely a much stronger and taller man, but his much smaller mother kept winning in the strength department. When Damian was young, he could not understand it. And now, rather than saying he understood it, it had just become an expected thing.
He had never once seen his mother raise her voice or get angry. In his memories, his mother always had a smile on her face. However, there were times when his mother turned expressionless. That particular sight was truly scary. When that happened, even his father was well behaved in front of his mother.
“Let’s not forget the dollhouse case too. Mother got rid of the dollhouse that His Grace had put so much effort into, overnight.”
It was the first time Bruno realized the Duchess’ face could actually be so scary when she welcomed all three males back that evening without her usual warm smile on her face.
[I have dealt with the dollhouse matter. As a matter of fact, I went to meet Her Royal Highness in the palace today. Honey, let’s talk for a bit.]
For some reason, Bruno couldn’t help but think that the Duke’s back looked small as he followed the Duchess up to the second floor that day.
‘This guy definitely grew up well, watching his parents like that.’
Bruno had no warm memories with his parents. His biological father always put his greed first, and his birth mother wallowed in self-pity, so she was always depressed. When he heard the news of his father’s death, he didn’t shed a single tear, and when he was abandoned by his mother, he felt like just giving up.
So every time he saw the affectionate couple at the ducal residence, a sight he could never imagine at home, he felt strange, and envious of Damian.
“Any news from Chris?”
As soon as Chris graduated from the academy, he left to travel with only a bundle on his back.
[I want to leave my footprints on every corner of the world. It has been my dream for a long time.]
Chris didn’t leave any word of his destination or even when he would return. Marquis Philip got the news late and angrily tried to get back his son, but Chris’ escape was as slippery as an eel.
After that, there was no news from him, then a few months ago, one letter arrived from an unknown source. It was a short greeting letter, saying ‘I’m doing well’.
“If you don’t know, then there’s no way I’d know.”
Bruno frowned at Damian’s calm reply.
“Send people to find him. If you don’t use your power as the Duke’s heir at a time like this, when will you use it?”
“I know where he’s going.”
“Oh really? If he doesn’t attend this time, he forfeits his title. Does that kid not understand seriousness?”
Aside from paying taxes, titled nobles were obligated to attend a regional meeting held twice a year. It was a duty that you couldn’t be exempted from, without special circumstances, such as war. It was described as a meeting, but in reality, it was closer to a banquet. It was a place for asking each other about their wellbeing, and resolving small issues, if there were any, through their connections.
Failure to attend this aristocratic meeting at least once a year would be understood as you failing your duties as a noble and the procedure for deprivation of your title would proceed. If Chris didn’t attend the meeting that would be happening in two months, it would be exactly two consecutive absences.