It was the first day that marked the beginning of the founding festival. As Duke of Wade, Ian sat down in a chair specially prepared for him and meditated.
'That's why my father wanted to hand over the duchy to me so much.'
Even if the authority of the nobility was not what it used to be, the high-ranking nobility was still the high-ranking nobility.
During the special celebrations of the founding party, the dukes and marquis had to stand on the podium with the Imperial family.
'It is very unpleasant not being able to be with my family at an event like this.'
Ian was sitting like a sculpture in a neat and stylish attire, thinking about other things.
'How excited Leah and Theon were. Last time, they were excited because there were many things to see.'
The twins, Leah and Theon, whom Annabelle gave birth to were now seven years old.
Leah was a cute little girl with blonde hair and red eyes, and Theon was a playful boy with lavender hair and blue eyes.
As Annabelle wanted, she gave birth to a girl who looked like Ian and a boy who looked like herself.
"But it didn't have to be so extremely alike…"
Annabelle would often mutter that as she watched her sleeping twins. Even their personalities resembled Ian and Annabelle, respectively.
Leah was already neat, tidy, and abiding by rules, and Theon was growing up as a lovable mischievous person.
'Aaron and Cessianne would take good care of them, but…'
Leah and Theon were to be looked after by Aaron until the formal opening speech was over.
Because Annabelle and Cessianne had attended the procession in the temple, they could not see the children.
Aaron and Cessianne had two sons, and the twins got along well with their cousins, and for a few days, they had been excited about getting along with their peers.
"Okay then, before the full-scale opening ceremony, there will be a congratulatory speech from the High Priest."
A procession of priests was continuing in the distance.
Even though they had been married for a while, Ian's heart began to pound.
This was because the Knights of Wade were in charge of escorting the High Priest, and the escort was led by the Commander of the Knights, Annabelle.
She wore her uniform and hat she had brought in the morning, and Annabelle was leading the escort with a relaxed expression under the bright sunlight.
Their eyes met from a distance. Annabelle said playfully with the shape of her mouth.
"Oh, my husband? Long time no see!"
He saw her this morning, but he had been wanting to see her for a while, so it didn't feel awkward at all to say it had been a while.
Annabelle wrinkled her eyes and pursed her lips again.
"Are you feeling pretty today?"
Of course, Annabelle was the only one who could communicate her words to her partner with the shape of her mouth.
In Ian's case, he was unable to convey his message with his mouth, as he was sitting facing the crowd.
Because that would get everyone's attention.
Annabelle, who knew that fact, was smiling brightly and was delivering a one-sided message with determination.
"And I want to kiss you."
Seeing her playful face, Ian let out a low sigh.
When he saw those words, she expected how painful he would be in this position, and she must have uttered them on purpose.
At that moment, the High Priest went up to the podium and began to pray.
"Now then, before the foundation day, I will offer a prayer of thanks."
Ian sat upright and took a prayer posture.
How reverent and picturesque it looked, the crowd watching the nobles on the podium said, "The noble who has a unique taste but an exemplary attitude…".
"Thank you again today."
However, Robert, who was sitting right next to Ian, was startled by Ian's murmuring.
"For allowing me to live as Annabelle's husband… I will live a better and kinder life…"
And Robert was reminded of the thought that he 'lost', which he had reminded himself more than 3,000 times. (pr/n: Lmao poor Robert can we get this guy a wife)
~*~
While Ian and Annabelle were looking at each other passionately at their respective seats, Theon and Leah were enjoying the founding festival under Aaron's care.
"Theon, didn't you have a bad posture during prayer time earlier?"
Leah was seriously nagging Theon.
"Even though it's not a special seat, everyone knows that we are the children of Duke Wade. You should set an example for the rules of the set event. Didn't you see that father was praying more reverently than anyone else? Even if you're tired, you have to be patient. As the teacher said, blessed are those who persevere…"
"Leah."
Theon yawned lightly and cut off Leah's words.
"Sickness comes to those who endure."
"Patience is bitter but the fruit is sweet…"
"Patience is bitter and the fruit is futile. Leah in that sense…"
Theon's eyes lit up and he grabbed Leah's hand.
"Aren't you going to take a look over there later?"
Leah gulped down her nagging, looked down at where Theon pointed, and swallowed her dry saliva.
As expected, Theon knew well how to stop Leah's nagging.
"Okay. It looks fun."
Theon pointed to a sales booth where a pin in the shape of a small dagger was thrown to pop a balloon, and dolls were given out according to the number.
It was still in the process of opening, so it was not open to business, but it seemed clear that it would open soon.
"Wow, I should ask my father to get me a doll."
Jerome, who was beside Theon and Leah, intervened. Jerome was the eldest son of Aaron and Cessianne.
"My mother can't do such a thing."
"Me too! I'm going to have to tell father to go there as soon as it opens!"
Fade, Jerome's younger brother, also shouted in excitement. Jerome glanced at Theon and Leah and gave attention to his brother.
"Fade, saying that could hurt Theon and Leah. Our aunt and uncle couldn't come running right away."
Jerome was concerned that Theon and Leah, who asked to go take a look first, might be discouraged. However, Leah and Theon smiled leisurely.
"It's okay. Even if you go first, we just have to watch."
Leah raised her head maturely and said.
"But don't tell Dad that we wanted to go. He's probably sorry that he couldn't enjoy the start of the festival with us."
After the opening remarks were over, the children nagged Aaron and rushed to the booth.
"Father, teddy bear! Get a teddy bear, please!"
Aaron picked up a pin in the shape of a small dagger at Jerome and Fade's words. He had two chances to throw a pin.
"This waste of talent… Your father was a two-time winner of a swordsmanship competition. The teddy bear is not the problem now."
Aaron succeeded in winning two teddy bears by bursting the smallest balloon at the top so easily.
Of course, there was no one who didn't know Aaron Rainfield, who won the swordsmanship contest twice, so people began to flock to see him.
"Enjoy this interest now, my sons."
Aaron gave Jerome and Fade a teddy bear, one by one, and grinned.
"It will be lost soon."
His prediction came true.
"Father!"
"Father!"
As soon as the opening remarks were over, Ian was seen running quickly and hugged the twins tightly.
"I'm sorry I couldn't stay with you."
To that, Leah replied maturely.
"It's okay, Dad. It was only an hour."
Aaron wrapped his arms around Jerome and Fade's shoulders and intervened.
"You have come just in time, Duke. Leah and Theon wanted to come here."
"…Oh?"
"Now that I have given my sons good teddy bears, it is the Duke's turn."
The twins' faces were tinged with anticipation, and Ian accepted the dagger-shaped pin from the merchant with a sad face with a serious expression.
"Father, shouldn't you ask what we want?"
"Ah."
Ian's red eyes shone sharply as he looked around at the remaining balloons.
"You will have it all anyway."
~*~
After the priests' escort mission was over, Annabelle hurriedly ran to where her children were.
She already saw Ian first, but she still wanted to see her family as soon as possible.
"…Wait, over there?"
Annabelle found Ian and their children at a distance, and she grinned.
A long time ago, when she was dating Ian, he popped out all the balloons and received prizes from a sad merchant.
Ian's expression, holding a small dagger-shaped pin, was cautious. He was as determined as he had been in the last balloon popping battle with her. Read only at pm tl.
'Anyway, in front of children, it's hard to come by.'
She smiled, folded her arms and raised her eyebrows.
'The merchant would cry…'
Of course, Annabelle had no intention of stopping him this time either. This was because she, too, was a pushover in front of her children.
"Five!"
Ian's hand threw the darts diagonally with the people's small cheers and popped seven balloons with repeated blows.
It was a surprising control considering that it was difficult for ordinary people to match one with one pin.
If it was seven balloons at a time, it was an unimaginable skill that was not even listed.
It was time for people to swallow their dry saliva and wait for the next pin.
"Come on, Annabelle."
From afar, Ian grinned and held out the other pin towards Annabelle.
"Theon, you pick."
As expected, Ian noticed Annabelle's presence in the midst of it.
Annabelle grinned as she ran to her family, where they were waiting for her.
Seeing the children's faces full of anticipation, she was surprisingly happy today.
It was because she was always excited to make new memories with her children.
When she was dating Ian, she was so happy that she wondered if it could be any better than that, but she was happier every day than since that time.
"Sister, shouldn't you ask Theon what he wants?"
"Ah."
Aaron playfully asked Annabelle, who had just arrived, and Annabelle answered as Ian handed her a pin.
"He will have it all anyway."
A pin thrown by Annabelle lightly cut the air. As the cheers of the onlookers exploded, so did the laughter of the children.
It was a lovely day, as it has always been the case since she was with Ian.
~Side Stories End~