When Namilde and Ian walked out, Noah burst out laughing again.
"Was that really Father?"
Peryani nodded to her son.
"Believe me, he was way worse than you were."
Noah gasped at his own mother's words but she giggled while patting his back which made him feel a bit better.
"That must be really bad if it's worse than Noah. I can't imagine it." Nera snickered and earned a glare from her brother.
"I was surprised too. I never thought father was that funny." Noel spoke which made Noah's laugh get louder along with Nera's. Peryani giggled and smirked.
"Well, now that everything's out of the bag, I'll show you some old pictures of your father then while he's still outside reconciling with his friend."
The three turned and nodded their heads to their mother all at the same time. Peryani thought it was cute.
"They haven't met in years?" Noel asked.
"They have all the time. Just far away from here."
"He must not really want us to meet him." Noah chuckled.
"You haven't seen the Duke in the castle?" Nera pried.
The two nodded.
"Nera isn't the only one he's protective of." Peryani chirped and went to her study to get her crystal ball.
Noel and Noah slowly looked at each other and smiled.
The crystal ball is similar to the computer of the modern world. It can store pictures, videos, and all sorts of visual and auditory files.
There's also a version of a cellphone in this world which is a smaller version of the crystal ball, a crystal bead that is attached to either a necklace, brooch, or bracelet. It can take images and videos, and call people who have other crystal beads but you had to know their code, similar to a phone number, before you could do so. Crystal beads also have different functions, but it has to be programmed by a mage to do something specific.
Despite this convenient device, letters and paperworks are still more used than them because of formalities, unless it's an informal call or emergency.
Noah and Nera laughed out loud while Noel and Peryani was lightly chuckling while looking at the old photos from when Namilde was rebellious and didn't want to be the Marquess.
"What the hell?" Noah shouted while holding his stomach, hurting from laughing. Nera was hitting the table in front of her as she laughed as loud as Noah.
Noel stared at the crystal ball and blinked many times before covering his mouth and laughed with his siblings.
Their father had an unbelievable look, he cut his hair short, no longer than Noel's with the sides shaved. He wore clothes that commoners would and had dirty old boots at all the photos.
"He always ignored me too when we became engaged." Peryani explained to her laughing children as they continue to swipe to Namilde's old photos. "I get it though since we were too young to be engaged and your father didn't have much sense of responsibility as I did."
"Father didn't have a sense of responsibility?" Noel asked, baffled. As were Noah and Nera. Peryani nodded.
"He taught you to be at a young age because he didn't want you to turn out like him."
"I am quite glad I didn't." Noel spoke frankly.
"Mother, you look beautiful!" Nera suddenly shouted as she saw an old photo of her mother with her father. Peryani smiled but then scolded her for shouting.
"Father looks so ugly beside you!" Noel exclaimed but then covered his mouth immediately. This made his other two siblings burst. Peryani giggled with them.
"Well, he didn't present himself really well when we were teenagers. I helped whip him up to shape to the father you see now but before that... they were quite the rebellious bunch that overthrew the previous Emperor."
"Woah..." The three said in unison.
"Father, really looks like a man version of Nera though." Noah commented as he continued to swipe through the images. He has arrived at where the Marquess let his hair grow and wore proper clothing. Nera and Noel nodded.
"We're like twins..." Nera said, astounded.
"What are you telling them, Peryani?" Namilde uttered as he went back in.
"Well, who's ready for dinner?" Peryani ignored her husband's question, stood up and took the crystal ball from Noah.
"Aww..." Noah sighed out of disappointment.
Namilde glared at his innocently smiling wife and after, they all went to the dinner table.
"Looks like I missed a lot." Felya spoke as they ate their food.
She went out to buy some things she couldn't back in their territory since she knew Nera wasn't going to be around the house and was going to the Vanderwales.
Nera nodded as well as her siblings.
"Father, why didn't you want the Marquess title before?" Noel abruptly asked.
Namilde's eyes widened and he cleared his throat.
"Duke Ian's stupidity grew on me."
Nera stopped eating as she forced herself to not laugh with Noah turning his head to the side to let his chuckle out.
"What I mean is, we both didn't want to bear the responsibilities as heirs when we were younger, since we'd be under that incompetent Emperor and Crown Prince." Namilde sighed. "I'm glad you didn't turn out that way, Noel."
Noel smiled. "You taught me well."
And the rest of dinner was lively and noisy with Namilde talking about his stupid endeavors when he and Duke Ian were still teenagers.
"So, Noel's leadership, my intelligence, and Nera's looks." Noah suddenly pointed out as the three of them walked out of the dining room.
"What of it?" Nera asked.
"They all came from father."
"You're right." Noel beamed. "I'm glad we saw this side of Father too."
The two agreed with their older brother.
"Noel's straightforwardness, Noah's sharp tongue, and my stubbornness also came from him," Nera added.
"Surprisingly so." Noel slowly nodded.
"But quick question, did you feel a heavy weight when you were told that you were going to be the head?" Noah asked his older brother.
Noel sighed and furrowed his eyebrows.
"Of course, I did, and still do." He gave a bitter smile, "I was scared if I'll ever be able to hold the honor of the Ponterises when I get the title." Noel's voice slightly shook.
Noah and Nera had worried looks for their brother. They will never be able to understand what he feels. What he feels as the eldest.
Noel quickly noticed his siblings' expressions and grinned.
"You don't have to worry," He patted their heads gently with his large calloused hands. "After hearing about father's doubts and what he experienced, I feel a lot more relieved that father wasn't so perfect after all."
Nera took her brother's hand. "You don't have to worry either," She held them firmly. "You always have us!"
Noah scoffed and nodded to his brother. "Yeah. Just like she said."
Noel's expression softened and he looked at his siblings full of love. He pulled the both of them into a hug and with his strength, they couldn't deny it. Noel started crying.
"Ah! This is why you don't say things like these to him!" Noah struggled to pull away from the crying man as he was wetting his shirt with his tears.
"It just suddenly came out! I didn't think about it!" Nera patted Noel's back. "Besides, it's how I feel."
"When did you even think?" Noah mocked and he received an elbow from Nera.
Noel still didn't let go despite them fighting and laughed. He once again realized that there's nothing more precious than his family. He will do anything to protect this household, his parents and his siblings.