"Haha. Nothing has changed, Aunt."
He laughed freely.
"Well, does an old man easily changed?"
Mrs. Sussew also made a mischievous expression toward my father.
"Your brothers didnât attend?"
Viese and Laurels did not attend todayâs banquet.
Recently, I heard that the two are busy trying to start a new business together.
No one knew what the business was yet.
Shananet wanted to come to the banquet together, but the twins caught a fever at the same time, so they couldnât come.
Instead, she sent me decorative buttons that would match my fatherâs clothes today.
"Haha, they are busy people."
My father replied as if it was okay, but Mrs. Sussew squeezed her tongue.
"Since you were a child, your brother Laurels. That foolish guy was busy chasing after Vieseâs pants."
âIs that so?â
"Okay. Viese was so greedy, there was a time when he tried to put all of the cookies that you and Laurels shared in one bite, but I was dumbfounded. He was so greedy that he didnât know whether his stomach hurt or not.â
â!â
Oh, I laughed too loudly.
"Hrmm, hrmm!"
She coughed quickly and pretended not to be, but Mrs. Sussewâs eyes were sore.
She is a woman who hates spoiled people and doesnât follow manners as much as her fiery personality.
It seemed that sweat was flowing behind my back.
I quickly said to my father.
âIs it okay if I visit the banquet hall, Dad?â
"Yes? Yes. My Tia is bored. Donât go to the dark place, stay in this banquet hall."
"Yes, Dad!"
I walked to another place without forgetting to politely say goodbye to Mrs. Sussew.
First of all, it is a retreat in terms of operations.
* * *
"Isnât our Tia pretty, Aunt?"
When she looked at Gallahan, who was still smiling like a child, Beatrice Sussew felt a bit of sadness.
It was Natalia and Beatrice, who had a close relationship when they were young.
Although the relationship was awkward between a sister-in-law, the two were as close as their siblings.
Back when Natalia was dead, she was about to give up the world. Her face became gloomy and lonely remembering her memories.
From Gallahanâs smiling face, Nataliaâs kindness was alive like a lie.
It was also true that Gallahan, who inherited Nataliaâs docile and quiet personality, was often worried about whether he would be okay among his strong brothers.
"Not good to be proud of her too much..."
"Is that so? But Tia is so lovely..."
Affection shines through Gallahanâs eyes when he looks at his daughterâs round head.
"Iâm not saying that my daughter, Tia is a really smart kid. In fact, that dress that she wears today is also decorated by Tia herself. She wears jewelry as she wants and sticks different fabrics."
"Hoh, really?"
Beatriceâs wrinkled eyes recaptured Florentiaâs dress.
In her eyes, it was very stylish, and it was a dress with an attractive eye-catching charm.
She was about to ask the name of the person who designed the clothes.
By the way, the child who is only 10 years old was the creator.
Mrs. Sussew, who was watching Florentia disappearing inside the balcony, said, deliberately, jokingly.
âItâs fortunate that she has an aesthetic sense, and I donât think itâs like her father.â
"Soo, Aunt! What about me....?"
Instead of answering, Beatrice glanced at Gallahan from top to bottom with dissatisfied eyes.
âSince you were born with such a handsome appearance, it doesnât mean you only use that amount, so Iâll talk about it!"
Gallahan, whose face was slightly reddened, turned the subject to Florentia again.
"Everyone says that when they see Tia, she looks like me..."
"That kid?"
Mrs. Sussew laughed.
"A soft person like you is fundamentally different from that child."
"But sheâs my daughter. If she doesnât resemble me then..."
âShan, was it? The name of the childâs mother.â
Gallahan shut his mouth tight.
Itâs been a long time already, but itâs still a taboo name.
"Okay. That child resembles her mother. Especially the snow in her eyes."
Somewhere calm, clear, purposeful eyes.
All aside, it wasnât the eyes that a ten-year-old could have.
How could this gloomy Gallahan raise such a child?
Mrs. Sussew was also curious.
âCheshire territory is not a very large mass of land. There are large mountains and rivers nearby, and the land is fertile, so it will be enough for a single family to live.â
It was as if it could be a small country manor in Cheshire territory.
However, it was a transportation hub between the center and the south of the continent before the Lambrew Empire, and it was a large grain area with a perfect flatland and a mild climate.
It was like Sussew had given Gallahan a pretty big piece of flesh.
âOriginally, the land was what Natalia wanted to take as a dowry to Lombardy. However, she decided against it because she did not want the Lombardy territory to expand again."
âSomething like that, I never knew."
"Because your father is not someone who will speak off. Now that you own your land, you have the right to know. "
Gallahanâs shoulder flinched.
"Iâm sure the eldest son, Viese, is going to be the next overlord. So, when the time comes, bring your daughter and come to Cheshire. The warm south will be better for the child to grow up."1
"Thank you so much, Aunt."
Gallahan bowed his head and said goodbye.
Mrs. Sussewâs laughed voice stuck to his head.
âItâs not free.â
"Yes?"
"If youâre grateful, put out the branch of the Gallahan clothing store."
Gallahanâs eyes were awful.
"Sussew, whose clothing and textiles are growing rapidly, will be more suitable than people who say hello. What do you think?"
Gallahan couldnât answer easily, âHaha...â Just laughed hard.
* * *
Pretending to be distant, I kept watching my father and Mrs. Sussew.
I donât know if I need to look from the curtains of the banquet hall or the transparent wine glass.
This dayâs meeting was important.
It was obvious that each regionâs officials gathered on the banquet of awarding my fatherâs medal as an excuse to covet a branch of a Gallahan clothing store.
So, as a result of selecting the branch candidates by weighing things in advance, itâs sad that the best candidate is only one.
There were simply two reasons.
One is because clothing and textiles have already been developed, so I thought it would be compatible with the ready-to-wear business, and the other was because the climate conditions in the south are mild.
The climate in the center of the empire is mild and the temperature is mild throughout the year.
Ready-to-wear clothes at the Gallahan clothing store were made according to it.
The excessively hot West or, on the contrary, the cold North has its own clothing method, so to enter a clothing store, new clothes must be made.
However, in the south or east, where the climate is similar, you can bring the clothes as they are and sell them.
However, the eastern part has the disadvantage of being difficult because there are many mountains along the way.
So, the only thing left was the south, which is also the center of the south.
Besides, since they were a relative who cared for my father quite a bit, there was also a calculation that we could save a little of the tax we had to pay.
Fortunately, from a distance, the atmosphere was still good.
It was a moment when I was sweeping my heart while looking at my fatherâs smiling face.
A hand appeared on my arm and pulled me to the balcony.
"Huh?"
It was a touch that was not painful and had some consideration, but I was surprised.
I was instantly standing on the dark balcony of the bright and colorful banquet hall.
"Hi."
A voice, which had not yet come, was heard from behind my back.
His hair is so dark that it canât be distinguished from the night sky, and his eyes shining dark red in the dark.
"Hi, Perez."
When I called his name, he laughed at me.
Seeing the slightly raised corners of his mouth and slightly curved eyes, Perez seemed to be smiling quite brightly.
"Tia."
"You were surprised me to pull so suddenly."
"Sorry."
Perezâs quick personality was the same as before and now.
But he has changed a lot too.
The small and skinny boy, which does not match his age, is gone, and now he was tall.
Standing side by side with a teenage boy, my head seemed to touch his shoulders.
"Itâs been a while. How are you?"
He looked at me down and asked.
But just in time, the moon came out of the clouds.
The white skin of Perez shone finely in the moonlight falling from the sky.1
Wow, this childâs skin is very good.
It seemed to be seeing a sample of adolescents who eat well and live well in an environment with no blemishes and a smooth face.
Iâm proud.
I laughed.
âAs I said in the letter, I was fine. How are you? Imperial Palace life, isnât it hard?"
â... Are you worried?â
He said in a strangely happy tone.
"Of course."
You are the future Prince who made me settle in the Imperial Palace.
"Tia as you said, Iâm eating well and learning well. Itâs hard sometimes."
"Is it difficult? Is the swordsmanship teacher making it difficult?"
Iâve heard from Caitlyn about Perezâs swordsmanship teacher.
I had a lot of worries because he was the type that made the training very strict, but I was more worried because Perez did that hard class without saying that it was difficult.
âNot like that. Just sometimes...â
Perezâs eyes turned to me.
And he stares at me silently.
"Sometimes?"
"No. Did I do well?"
The guy who didnât answer my question asked me.
"Earlier?"
"When entering with His Majesty the Emperor. I have endured a lot."
Perez replied.
"Itâs nice to see you after a long time, but I must pretend to donât know you. You told me that other people shouldnât know what goes between us. So I endured it."
No way, are you asking me to praise you now?1
"So, am I good at doing it?"1
Youâre asking for a compliment, thatâs right. It looks like everything is big now.
Does he still believe in my trick?.1
I swallowed a sigh and looked at Perez.
Even under dim light lanterns and shining eyes only look at me.
I really want to check his ass to see if there are any black fluffy tails.2
"Come."
I said, calling Perez.
"Huh?"
If he couldnât understand what I was saying, a big question mark appeared on his face.
âCome here.â
Only then, Perez, who understood what I was saying, said a little.
"Ah!"
His black shiny hair gradually came to me.
In fact, it was a big deal when someone sees it.
Perez, a Royal Family, bows his head to me.
However, he didnât seem to have such reluctance.
"Well done."
I patted Perezâs head with strength.6
"Very well done, Perez."
His eyes were loosened.